Chapter 89
The storm raged violently, lightning splitting the sky apart. Isabella remembered—Nathaniel was standing right beneath a tree! And to make it worse, he was calling her in this weather. Was he trying to get himself killed?
"Nathaniel, I'm not coming out to see you. Stop calling me and go home now!" Isabella's eyes burned with fury.
"If you don't come out, I won't leave." His voice was deep, unyielding.
"You insane—jerk!" Her face flushed with anger as she cursed under her breath, already heading for the stairs.
"Ms. Sinclair! Ms. Sinclair!"
No matter how hard Jason called after her, he couldn't stop her.
Nathaniel gripped his phone tightly, brows furrowed. His gaze remained fixed on the villa's gate, unwavering. Finally, the gate swung open.
A spark ignited in his eyes, his breath hitching.
Isabella, wrapped in a coat and clutching a large umbrella, strode toward him. The wind howled, tossing her hair wildly. Her body swayed dangerously, as if she might be swept away at any second. Yet her expression remained unshaken—cold, defiant.
Nathaniel was struck by a strange sense of familiarity. Those eyes, gleaming like stars in the dark—had he seen them somewhere before?
She stopped before him, unflinching. She was a Sinclair, raised by four formidable brothers, daughter to the wealthiest man in New York. She was accustomed to controlling destinies. Since when did she let a man dictate her emotions?
"Nathaniel, have you lost your mind? Do you have a death wish, standing under a tree in this storm?" The angrier she got, the more she wanted to strangle him.
His eyes narrowed slightly. "Do you care about me?"
Care?
Isabella scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself. I only came out because I don’t want you causing a scene at my doorstep. I refuse to let you dirty my property."
Her words were sharp, meant to wound. Yet Nathaniel found this version of her—fiery, unyielding—far more captivating than the hollow woman she'd pretended to be.
Curiosity was the beginning of everything.
"Get in the car. We'll talk there." His gaze flickered to her rain-soaked clothes.
"No." She crossed her arms. "Say whatever you need to say right here, right now."
"Get. In. The. Car." His tone brooked no argument.
Just then—
A blinding streak of purple lightning tore through the sky.
A deafening crack echoed as a thick branch snapped and plummeted toward them.
The rain drowned out all sound. Isabella, focused solely on Nathaniel, didn’t notice the danger until it was too late.
"Look out!"
Before she could react, a wave of heat rushed toward her. Nathaniel moved faster, his strong arms wrapping around her, shielding her completely as the branch crashed onto his back.
A pained groan escaped his lips, but his grip on her didn’t loosen. Isabella’s heart hammered violently. "Nathaniel! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Get in the car." His jaw clenched as he dragged her toward the vehicle, ignoring the searing pain.
The rain poured relentlessly, but Isabella was too stunned to resist as he practically shoved her inside.
The car’s interior was dim, the scent of damp fabric and heated breaths filling the space. Nathaniel shrugged off his soaked suit jacket, tossing it aside. His dark hair clung to his forehead, disheveled yet undeniably attractive.
Isabella’s pulse still hadn’t steadied. That embrace—so sudden, so secure.
Three years of marriage, and he’d never held her like that. Was this how Victoria felt every day?
The thought twisted her lips into a bitter smile. No matter how safe his arms felt, they weren’t hers.
"Did Alexander buy this villa for you?" Nathaniel’s voice cut through her thoughts, cold.
"Why do you care?" She turned away, staring out the rain-streaked window. "Do I look like I can afford a place like this? Of course it was President Sinclair’s generous gift."
"If you needed a place to stay, why didn’t you take the one I offered after the divorce?" Anger seeped into his tone, overriding the pain in his back.
"Why would I?" Her lips curled mockingly. "Accepting his gifts is expected. But yours? That would’ve been pathetic. A transaction, nothing more. I never touched a cent of your money during our marriage, and I won’t start now."
"Isabella, I wasn’t trying to humiliate you." His voice lowered, frustration simmering beneath.
He’d given her the money thinking she, coming from a modest background, might struggle in the city alone. It was the only thing he could offer.
"Enough. If you came here to dredge up the past, I’m not interested. I’m leaving."
She reached for the door handle.
Nathaniel’s hand shot out, gripping her wrist and yanking her back.
Isabella gasped as she collided with his chest—hard.
It hurt. How was his body so unyielding? Like solid steel.
"Sorry." His voice was rough, sending an unwelcome shiver down her spine.
She blinked up at him, startled.
"You... what?"
He cleared his throat, suddenly awkward. "About that incident. I’m apologizing on Victoria’s behalf. She shouldn’t have spoken to you like that in public."
Instantly, her blood turned to ice.
"So you stood in the rain just to apologize for your fiancée?" Her laugh was hollow. "How noble. But I don’t accept it."