Chapter 153

Olivia

A few weeks passed after Nathan left. Angela kept reassuring me that he would miss his life with me and that he would return, but he didn’t. We kept vaguely in touch, but it wasn’t the same. He was a busy Alpha now.

The house had never felt so hollow, the echoing silence a chilling reminder of Nathan’s absence.

Despite the warmth of the early summer’s sun, a coldness had settled over the place, turning what used to be a home into a mere dwelling. His words played in my mind over and over, twisting my heart with each repetition: “Our charade is over… It’s not healthy for either of us.”

But I couldn’t accept that. I wouldn’t. It was more than a charade, wasn’t it? The emotions that had blossomed between us, they had to mean something more.

Determined to make things right, I decided on a plan. If Nathan wouldn’t come back for words, maybe he would come back for memories. And what could evoke memories better than a pie?

Our time in the kitchen, baking together, sharing laughter, and tasting each other’s culinary creations had been some of the happiest moments of our friendship.

With a newfound sense of purpose, I pulled out flour, butter, sugar, and apples. The familiar scent of baking began to fill the kitchen, and as the pie crust turned golden brown, I allowed myself to imagine Nathan’s smile when he would taste it.

Wrapped carefully, the pie sat beside me as I walked into town. I knew where Nathan’s apartment was; he had mentioned it in passing. A part of me wondered if he had subconsciously wanted me to know, in case I ever needed to find him.

His apartment building was a stark contrast to the spacious homes we were used to. The gray facade seemed to press down on me as I climbed the narrow staircase. The knot in my stomach grew tighter with each step, and by the time I reached his door, my hands were trembling.

Knocking softly, I waited, my heart pounding in my ears. The door opened, and there he was. Nathan’s eyes widened in surprise before a guarded expression took over.

“Olivia? What are you doing here?”

“I... I made pie,” I stammered, holding it up like a peace offering.

A flicker of something passed in his eyes. Memories, perhaps? But he quickly masked it with a polite smile.

“Come in,” he said, stepping aside.

His apartment was small, the furniture basic and gray, and the walls bare. My heart ached at the sight of him in this place, so far from the comfort and luxury he was used to.

“Nice place,” I said, though the words sounded hollow.

“You don’t have to lie. It's just a temporary place to live until the sale on my parents’ mansion is finalized and I can buy a new place,” he replied with a tense chuckle, taking the pie from me. “Thanks for this, by the way. You didn’t have to.”

“But I wanted to,” I insisted, my voice trembling.

Nathan managed a weak smile, then walked over to the little kitchen. I watched as he pulled out two small plates and cut the pie into two slices. “Apple?” he asked, a ghost of a grin flashing across his lips. “I love apple pie.”

“I know,” I said, feeling a smile of my own pass across my lips. “I remembered from when we were kids.”

An uncomfortable silence fell after that. All I wanted was to reach across the counter and shake him, asking how we had already become so distant from one another. But I didn’t. I kept my cool, even as we sat down and ate the pie in silence.

“So,” Nathan said, clearing his throat. “How has everything—”

“Nathan, I want you to come home.”

The words tumbled out like an avalanche before I could even consider stopping them. I found myself frozen to my spot, my fork clutched tightly in my hand and my eyes wide.

Nathan was frozen as well, his face flickering with a sense of sadness before suddenly turning stern. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“I mean exactly what I said,” I replied, setting my fork down on my plate. “The villa feels empty without you. I’d like you to move back in with me. I’ll need help with the baby, after all.”

“Olivia, we’ve been over this,” Nathan said, pinching the bridge of his nose uncomfortably with a sigh. “Our fake relationship is over. It’s time to move on. If you need money for a nanny, I’ll help you. But I can’t move back in.”

I felt my throat constrict, making it hard to breathe. “But our relationship wasn’t all fake, was it?” I pleaded, tears welling in my eyes. “The feelings we had for each other, they were real. We can build on that, can’t we?”

“No,” he said firmly, setting the pie down and facing me. “Those feelings—that night we spent together—it was all only caused by our close proximity. It was a confusing and unhealthy situation. If we pursue anything now, it’ll only ruin any future relationship.”

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was he dismissing everything we had shared as mere circumstance?

“But we can still be friends,” he continued, his voice softening. “I do appreciate the pie, Olivia. And I appreciate you. But this is where it ends. I need to focus on my duties as Alpha, and you need to focus on yourself and your child.”

“Friends,” I said with a wry chuckle. “If that’s what you want to call it.”

Nathan cocked his head. “What are you saying, Olivia?”

I shook my head, unable to speak. The words, accusing him of not even seeing me as a friend since he left but rather a stranger, wouldn’t come. It felt as though my tongue was a heavy brick inside my mouth.

Tears spilled down my cheeks as the weight of his words crashed over me. Was this truly the end? Was there really no going back?

“Say something, Olivia,” Nathan urged, his voice cracking.

“I guess I thought we were more than just friends,” I whispered, the words catching in my throat. “I thought we had something special.”

“We did,” he said, his eyes filled with genuine sadness. “But now it’s time to move forward. It’s time to grow, to heal. And we can’t do that if we’re clinging to the past.”

He was right, of course. As much as it hurt, as much as I wanted to deny it, he was right. We had to move on.

Or maybe I was just telling myself that to rationalize all of this. To mask my pain.

“Thank you, Nathan,” I choked out, swallowing hard and standing. “Thank you for everything. Enjoy the pie.”

Nathan stood as well and walked me to the door, the silence between us thick and heavy. We paused there for a few moments, each of us too tense to move or speak. His grapefruit salt body wash assaulted my senses, a bittersweet reminder of the way that he smelled the night we slept together.

“Promise we’ll still be friends,” I finally managed to choke out, turning to the side so I could breathe.

Nathan nodded slowly. “Of course,” he murmured.

There was another silence. Suddenly, he pulled me into a hug, his strong arms holding me one last time. I breathed him in, knowing that this would likely be our final embrace. He wasn’t going to stay friends with me.

If I was lucky, we would see each other in passing around town. Wasn’t that how these sorts of things always went, after all? Not with a bang, but with a whimper?

“Take care of yourself, Olivia,” he whispered. “You deserve all the happiness in the world.”

With that, he let go, and I made my way to the door, my steps heavy, my heart even heavier.

“Goodbye, Nathan,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Goodbye, Olivia.”

To be continued...

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