Chapter 368

Olivia

The look on Nathan’s face when I mentioned therapy was nothing but a look of complete and utter confusion.

“We had therapy today?” he asked. “What are you talking about, Olivia?”

I furrowed my brow, just as confused as he was. “Yes, we had therapy today. I thought you wanted me to reschedule.”

For a long time, Nathan just stared at me, confusion evident across his face. Finally, he shook his head and spoke. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about. Can you explain?”

I sighed, still baffled but also a little frustrated now. “I went to the Council building earlier and everything. Edward answered the door and he told me that you asked him to have me reschedule. That you were too busy.”

Nathan looked perplexed, his brows knit together. “I don’t recall any of this. In fact, I definitely could have gone with you today. Are you sure he told you to reschedule?”

I scoffed, partially annoyed and partially dumbfounded. “Of course I’m sure!” I said, throwing my hands up in the air. “He said you were extremely busy. Did he not tell you about the appointment?”

“Maybe he forgot,” Nathan hummed.

But I shook my head. “It was over the span of a few minutes, Nathan. I watched him go into your office and come out shortly after.”

Nathan stared at me for a moment longer, clearly not grasping the enormity of what I was saying. Was it really possible that Edward didn’t tell him? Then, without a word, Nathan slipped his phone out of his pocket. I watched as he navigated to his calendar app, on which there was no notification for therapy today.

“See?” he said. “I must have forgotten to put it in my calendar.”

“But I swore I saw you do it during our first session,” I said, confused. “And Nathan, it still doesn’t negate the fact that Edward lied when he said he talked to you. Why would he do that?”

Nathan shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t know, Liv. Maybe he did and I forgot.”

I almost scoffed. I wanted to say that maybe Edward never told him at all. I wanted to say that Edward had some sort of ulterior motive, something that Nathan wasn’t seeing.

But what proof did I have, really? A few weird feelings? Some silent glances? A vibrating amulet?

Before I could press further, Nathan was already back on the lingerie subject. “Look, I’ll talk to him,” he said. “Maybe I just forgot… I’ve been scatterbrained, not sleeping too well. But I don’t want to detract from the real root of the issue here, which is the lingerie…”

Feeling a surge of frustration at his fixation on the lingerie, I reached for my robe, my patience finally snapping. In a swift motion, I ripped open my robe, revealing the delicate lingerie I had secretly been wearing the entire time.

The lace and silk hugged my body, a silent testament to the effort I had made for what was supposed to be a special surprise for him. A surprise now spoiled by misunderstandings and accusations.

“This is why I was out shopping today,” I said, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and hurt. “I bought this for you, Nathan. Forus. I wanted to surprise you, to feel beautiful for you. But now it feels like everything’s falling apart.”

Nathan’s eyes widened slightly as he took in the sight of me in the lingerie. I stood there, my heart pounding, the fabric feeling cool against my skin.

As I stood there, exposed in the delicate lace and bows of the lingerie I had carefully chosen for what was supposed to be a special evening, I saw Nathan’s eyes widen in surprise. The tension that had been building between us seemed to pause for a moment, suspended in the air.

“You got that for me?” Nathan asked, his voice a mix of surprise and disbelief. The accusation and doubt that had clouded his eyes moments ago seemed to soften.

“Of course I did,” I replied, my voice laced with a hint of sadness. “I thought you might be stressed from work, and I wanted to surprise you. But you missed dinner, and then we started arguing as soon as you got home.”

Nathan’s expression shifted from surprise to something more tender, maybe even something akin to remorse. He stepped closer to me, closing the gap that had formed between us.

“Liv…” Tentatively, he reached out to touch my arm, his fingers brushing against the fabric of the lingerie.

“I’m sorry, Olivia,” he said softly. “I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. I should have trusted you.”

I stiffened at his touch, our argument and his accusations still too raw to forget entirely.

Nathan seemed to sense my hesitation. He paused, looking into my eyes with a sense of sincerity that I hadn’t seen all morning, as if seeing me like this softened him.

“I really am sorry. I overreacted, and I was wrong. Can you forgive me?”

His apology hung in the air between us for a few moments like a lifeline in a stormy sea. Part of me wanted to push him away, to tell him that all of this was too much, but I knew I couldn’t. I felt my wolf stir inside of me, prodding me to move closer to him.

Slowly, I nodded, the stiffness in my body beginning to melt away. “Of course I forgive you, Nathan. But we need to talk more. We can’t let things like this happen. And you have to promise to have a discussion with Edward over what happened today.”

Nathan’s relief was palpable. He pulled me closer, his arms wrapping around me in a warm, reassuring embrace. “I promise, Liv,” he murmured, his breath whispering across my skin in a way that made my body tingle.

As he leaned down to kiss me, I found myself tilting my head back, welcoming his touch. His hands slipped smoothly over the fabric of my nightgown, and without hesitation, I slipped the robe off from around my shoulders and let it fall to the floor.

“You really like it?” I whispered when our lips parted.

He nodded slowly, a soft smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “I do, Liv,” he whispered. “Really. You look… stunning.”

Nathan’s hands roamed over the curves of my body, lingering on the lace and the bows as if I was a present to be unwrapped. I could feel the tension dissipating between us, and although I knew that tonight wouldn’t be a permanent solution, maybe it was exactly what we needed for now.

He kissed me again, his tongue wandering my mouth for a moment. When he broke the kiss, his breath was warm against my skin as he spoke. “Let’s go to the bedroom,” he whispered, his voice low and husky.

I nodded, biting my lower lip. “Yes. Let’s.”

As we walked hand in hand to the bedroom, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. I hadn’t been expecting for the evening to go on such a roller coaster, but it was over now. Now, it was just us, just me and Nathan and no one else.