Chapter 80 Why Are You In My House
Nathaniel’s heart sank when he saw the missed call from Christina. He hadn’t intended for things to turn out like this, but the distance between them had only grown over the past week. He had been caught up in work, his business trip keeping him busy with little time for anything else, especially his personal life. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that his absence might have caused her pain.
As he mulled over the situation, Nathaniel couldn’t help but remember how things had gone down earlier. Madison’s presence in the house, her wearing Christina’s bathrobe—it was all a setup waiting to ignite her suspicions. The way she looked at him with that glint in her eyes, as if she truly believed she had some claim to the place, made him feel disgusted.
It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate Madison’s efficiency in helping him with his work, but her unspoken attempts to insinuate herself into his life were becoming unbearable. What made matters worse was that Christina had walked in at the wrong moment, her face contorting with pain and disbelief. He could only imagine what she thought when she saw Madison standing there, wearing her bathrobe. He regretted the situation, but he hadn’t expected it to go this far.
Nathaniel rubbed his temples, feeling the weight of everything crashing down on him. The last thing he wanted was for Christina to think he was involved with Madison in any way. He had been distracted by the urgent business trip, yes, but he had never intended for things to get so out of hand.
He glanced back down at the phone and deliberated. He needed to fix this, and fast. But how could he explain to Christina that things were not as they seemed? He had to make things right, no matter how difficult the conversation would be.
Without hesitating, he dialed Christina’s number. It rang once, twice, before she picked up. The tension in the air was palpable even through the phone.
“Christina,” Nathaniel began, his voice softer than he’d intended, “I know things have been strained between us, and I—”
Before he could finish, Christina’s sharp voice cut in, her frustration evident.
“You don’t have to explain yourself, Nathaniel. I saw what I saw.” Her tone was icy, but there was a tinge of hurt that he couldn’t ignore. “Madison was wearing my bathrobe. I don’t need any more of your explanations. You’ve made your choices.”
His chest tightened. “Christina, please, just listen to me. It’s not what you think. Madison was here to deliver some documents. I didn’t ask her to stay, and—”
“And yet, she’s still here, in my house,” Christina interrupted, her voice trembling with anger. “If you want to be with her, just say so. But don’t make me the fool.”
The words stung, and Nathaniel could hear the pain in her voice. His heart ached as he realized how deeply his actions had wounded her. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel like this—like she was being pushed aside for someone else.
“No, Christina,” he said, his voice firm now, “this isn’t about her. It’s about me being careless and not prioritizing you. I’ve been wrapped up in work, and I’ve neglected you. But I promise you, there’s no one else. You’re the only one I care about.”
Christina was silent for a long moment. Nathaniel could practically feel her weighing his words, trying to decide whether to believe him.
“I don’t want to be second place, Nathaniel. I deserve more than that,” she finally replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
The vulnerability in her voice struck him like a blow. He knew he had to make amends, and quickly.
“I know. And I’m sorry, Christina. I never wanted to make you feel like that. I’ll make it right, I promise.” Nathaniel’s voice softened as he continued, “Let me come to you. I’ll explain everything, face-to-face. You deserve that.”
There was another long pause before she spoke again, her tone hesitant. “I don’t know, Nathaniel… I need time.”
“I understand,” he said, his heart sinking but determined. “Take all the time you need. But I will make things right between us. I’ll prove it to you.”
Christina didn’t respond immediately. Finally, she let out a soft sigh. “Okay, Nathaniel. I’ll give you that chance.”
Relief flooded through him, but he knew this was only the beginning of fixing everything. He would do whatever it took to rebuild the trust they had, no matter how difficult the road ahead might be.
“Thank you,” he said quietly. “I won’t let you down.”
After hanging up, Nathaniel stared at his phone for a long moment, feeling a mix of regret and determination. He was going to fight for her. He had to—because he couldn’t bear the thought of losing her.