Chapter 34 Preferential Treatment
Christina couldn’t help but laugh softly at Nathaniel’s confused expression. “I don’t think anyone ever told you that takeout needs a bit more balance,” she teased, taking a quick glance at the boxes. “I suppose we’ll make do, though.”
Nathaniel, a bit embarrassed but still amused, watched her rearrange the boxes, clearly putting more effort into it than anyone else would’ve. “I never really ordered takeout before… I’m not great with these things.” His tone was uncharacteristically sheepish.
“Well, it’s the thought that counts,” Christina said with a smile, placing the boxes down on her desk. She quickly moved the half-empty glass of water aside and pulled out a set of utensils. “Besides, I wasn’t expecting a fancy dinner anyway. But you’re still sweet for bringing this over.”
Nathaniel’s gaze softened as he watched Christina work, his mind lingering on the comfort of her presence. “I don’t think it’s that sweet,” he murmured. “I should’ve planned better. But I wanted to be with you, even if it was just for dinner.”
Christina paused, glancing up at him with a surprised look. “Nathaniel…”
Before she could say anything else, he cut in, “I know it’s been a bit of a mess lately. But I’m still here. And I want to make things right. I care about you.”
The sincerity in his voice made her heart skip a beat. For a moment, all the noise of the day, the pressures from work, and even Xandra’s antics seemed to fade away. There was just Nathaniel, standing there with his unwavering gaze, waiting for her response.
“I care about you too,” Christina finally said, her voice soft but steady. “And I’m glad you’re here.”
Nathaniel smiled at her, the warmth in his eyes unmistakable. “Good. Now, let’s eat before the food gets cold. I’m not sure how long I’ll last without a proper carb.”
Laughing again, Christina set aside her design work for a moment and began unpacking the food. “All right, Mr. Takeout Expert, let’s see what we can do.”
As they sat together, sharing the meal and talking about everything from work to random snippets of their day, the familiar tension between them started to melt away. In this quiet moment, there was no scheming celebrity, no pressure from the competition—just two people finding comfort in each other’s company.
Christina realized then, perhaps for the first time, that she didn’t need everything to be perfect. She just needed moments like these, with Nathaniel by her side.
But little did she know, Xandra was already plotting her next move.