Chapter 7
As the familiar sight of Scenic Garden Manor came into view, Nathaniel’s voice sliced through the stillness. He opened the passenger seat door, his tone commanding. “Get down.”
Christina’s heart sank. She had no desire to return to that place, a gilded cage where she had felt nothing but suffocated.
“I don’t want to,” she replied flatly, her voice devoid of emotion.
The idea of being Mrs. Hadley again, of being at Nathaniel’s mercy, was unthinkable to her. She would rather face anything else than that.
Before she could protest further, she felt herself being lifted off the ground. Nathaniel’s muscular arms circled around her, and her soft body pressed against his chest. The warmth of his body seeped through her clothes, and for a brief moment, Christina’s heart skipped a beat. His scent, rich and intoxicating, enveloped her.
Without a word, Nathaniel carried her inside. The housekeeper, who had been walking toward them, froze in shock at the sight of him holding Christina in his arms—her, the woman who had been chased out only hours ago.
Nathaniel gently lowered her onto the couch, his touch surprisingly tender. His gaze then shifted to her hand, where a small cut from earlier had begun to bleed. The sight of it seemed to stir something inside him.
“Bring me the first-aid kit,” he ordered.
The housekeeper, still stunned, quickly nodded and rushed to retrieve the kit. She placed it on the table, unsure of how to act in the presence of Mr. Hadley’s cold, composed demeanor.
“Should I do it, Mr. Hadley?” she asked hesitantly, her voice full of uncertainty. It felt almost impossible that someone like Nathaniel would handle such a task himself.
“It’s fine,” Nathaniel replied shortly, dismissing her with a flick of his hand.
He took a cotton swab and dipped it into iodine, his movements precise as he wiped it over the cut on Christina’s palm.
“Ouch! It hurts!” Christina winced, the sting of the antiseptic sending a jolt of discomfort through her arm. She tried to retract her hand, but Nathaniel held it firmly.
“Be good,” he murmured, his voice unexpectedly soft. “Bear with it.”
The tenderness in his words stood in stark contrast to the powerful man before her—tall, imposing, and yet speaking to her as if she were a child in need of soothing. Christina found herself momentarily disoriented by the shift in his demeanor.
As the sunlight bathed his face, his expression softened further, making him look almost serene as he carefully bandaged her wound. When he finished, he blew gently on her palm, his breath warm against her skin, a touch that felt like a soft caress.
Christina, flustered, quickly withdrew her hand and turned her gaze away. “Thank you,” she murmured stiffly. “Can I go home now?”
Nathaniel didn’t even flinch. He regarded her with a cool, unwavering gaze. “Do you suffer from amnesia?” His words were spoken with the kind of nonchalance that made Christina’s chest tighten. “This is your home.”
Christina’s pulse quickened as she tried to maintain her composure. “We’re already divorced,” she said, her voice growing more firm, though anxiety gnawed at her. “What you’re doing now is unlawful imprisonment.”
Nathaniel’s lips curled into a wry smile, and without warning, he reached forward and pinched her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. His gaze was intense, studying her as if savoring the moment.
“Who would’ve thought you’re knowledgeable in legal matters too?” he teased, his voice laced with sarcasm.
Christina flushed, embarrassment rising in her chest. His words stung, and she couldn’t help but feel like a fool. How had he become so effortlessly cruel?
Nathaniel leaned closer, his lips brushing against the tip of her nose, his breath mingling with hers. “In that case,” he continued softly, almost mockingly, “are we still considered a legally married couple if the divorce agreement is missing, and we’ve yet to finalize the documents at the court?”
Christina’s heart skipped a beat as the implications of his words settled in. He was playing with her, manipulating the situation to his advantage. He had forced her to sign the divorce papers, yet now he was using their technicality to bind her to him once again.
How could she have ever believed she could outsmart him? He was as sly as a fox, and she—she was just a naive girl who had no idea what she was up against.
Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted when Nathaniel’s phone rang, cutting through the tension between them.
He answered the call with a single, clipped “Yes.”
“Mr. Hadley, there’s an emergency meeting with the authorities from Hawen that requires your personal attention. I’ve brought the car to the entrance of the house.”
Nathaniel muttered a response before hanging up, his focus snapping back to Christina. He released her chin and stood, adjusting his suit with casual ease.
As he turned to leave, Christina, sensing his departure, began mentally calculating her next move. Escape. There had to be a way out.
But before she could act, Nathaniel paused at the doorway and gave a single, deliberate order. “Stand guard here and make sure she doesn’t go anywhere.”
The bodyguards stationed outside the room nodded in unison, their voices firm. “Understood.”
Christina’s stomach dropped as the reality of her situation hit her. Was this really happening? Was she being locked up?
Frustration bubbled up inside her, and she hit the air in frustration, her body tense with helplessness as she watched Nathaniel walk out the door, leaving her with no way to escape.