Chapter # 9

'You do realize I am your… ex-wife, right?" He narrowed his eyes, finding himself at a loss of words as she growled, grabbing his shirt. Hands shaking, mind barely working and amid this the ache of finding him angered. 'You still remember our last meeting, do you? When you told me you were exhausted, of me. When you disappeared…" When he was all she ever latched her heart towards was disheartening. 'You.. left me.. Alone once again, just to think about you only.. With no one, not even Alessandra, heck, my father, no one… just me." 'Do you have any idea how damn hard it was for me to live with your memories every damn time?" She scowled, pulling his shirt to keep them close, breaths mixing with pain. 'Back when we were kids and now too? And not just now since when I was like fifteen-" 'Sixteen." 'Exactly. Sixteen. I am 33 right now. Seventeen years, dammit, just waiting for you!" He… didn't mean to. Growling, she pushed him as he stumbled on the bed while she was extremely close. A temporary shut down took over, making him stiff. 'And after yearning for you for so damn long all you are giving me is anger!? Why, Nathaniel, what sin did I commit?!" 'Zari, I-" Didn't mean to. He knew his obsession, his wrath led him here but by all means, he didn't mean to spring a tear in those beautiful eyes. 'I didn't know, I am sorry, is that not enough for you huh? Fine, I will burn the money too. I won't contact him again, is this okay? Because we both know I can do ‘anything' for you. But, you, tell me," Lowering her head, her grip on his shirt tightened while he was staggered at her outburst. No longer the Zariah who stacked words or emotions. Her words needed redemption which she did. 'Were you not aware of my pain, Nathaniel?!" His breaths hitched, realizing what he ended up doing as he held her arms, pressing her into his, narrowing his eyes compassionately. 'I was…" He also didn't want this to be their reunion and surrounded with his vexation he burst. After knowing he hurt her, he froze, shifting her so he could embrace her from behind, shutting his eyes. He knew he was extremely sensitive about Zoran's matter. And her one mindless action made him furious about it. He didn't want to react this way deep down. 'I know… I am sorry, Zari, I-I.. I didn't know… what happened to me. It's just.. My hatred for him… overwhelms me…" 'Then stop tormenting me with this. Please, I am exhausted too. I am tired, my love," She murmured, leaning to rest all her weight on him, she was exhausted by waiting for all her life. She couldn't bear his wrath. It was unbearable for her… 'I know, I understand your pain too, but I fulfilled my promise, didn't I? I didn't want to leave you too," He hummed, tightening his grip to make her listen. 'What... promise?" 'Whatever I did, I did for you only. You wanted the rule, remember? Look, I gave it to you, you wanted to break free from Issac, I saved you too," He mumbled, shutting his eyes with a tight, very tight embrace. 'I did ‘everything' for your sake, My Zari," He spoke hopelessly Stiffening her whole being when he expressed how immaculately he planned all this. Just for her. 'I let you rule over my position for a year, just like I promised, I left the underworld so you could take my place." He spoke expectantly, curling his lips in gentle smile as she stared at him in disbelief. ‘How could you not realize that I no longer wanted power but you, Nathaniel?' She thought in disbelief at how determined he was for a juvenile promise. In fact, she didn't even remember that promise. No promise apart from- ‘I will take you away from this darkness'- She did not remember. But for that, he caused a complete raze. After the realization that he was known as the mastermind for naught, she gulped, glancing at him worriedly. 'Nathaniel…" Closing the gap, he hummed on her neck, forming goosebumps all over her skin. 'Hmmm?" Gulping, she was vaguely, 'Just how many things have you planned already?" Biting her earlobe, she only to receive a suppressed, mischievous but seductive chuckle from him. 'You have no idea my darling," Slightly vexed about the hint of suspicion he dropped, she pulled away slightly, scanning him from top to bottom. 'What is exactly going through your mind?" 'You, you and only you," He smiled, pinching her cheeks to reassure her that he was only angry, he didn't intend to harm her. She frowned, leaving his hand, 'Then why did you act so furiously," 'Zari, I didn't mean, It's just, I am sensitive about Zoran. It is a very personal deal," 'What is it? How come I never knew about it?" 'Leave that for now. You are here, that is all that matters. Since you have ruled enough, come to me now." He offered sweetly but she waved her hand in the air and sat on the couch. 'No," 'What? Why?" His mouth gaped, disliking her rejection. 'You have hurt me, here I thought you would be delighted to see me but what did I receive? Coldness? It looks like you didn't even remember me," She muttered, faking sadness to see how he would react. He chuckled slightly, sitting on the armrest of the couch, pinching her nerves more, 'Honestly, I didn't," 'Huh?" 'You remember the ones you forget, I never forgot to think about remembering," His in-depth response brought a crimson shade on her cheeks, snaking his hand from above, he slid his index finger under her chin. An enticing smirk spreads across his thick lips, closing their gap, indulging how her body quivered to find him this close. 'But, for sure, in one thing, I missed you a lot," Her face glowed, 'When?" 'Whenever I breathe," 'What-" With a dropping jaw, she turned to question but he merely smirked and pecked her cheeks, deepening her blush. 'Good night, Zari, I will see you tomorrow,"