Chapter # 10

The next day, Nathaniel let Zariah sleep in his room while he was downstairs after getting ready. Wearing his white shirt and black pants. Rolling his sleeves with two buttons opened, looking eye-catching as usual, whistling to himself until Zariah came down, noticing his immaculate posture. 'Hey, Where are you going?" She asked softly, taking a seat. 'Ah, Morning. Hospital. Where else?" He flashed a faint smile. 'When will you return?" She asked, wanting him to stay with her but he had no time. 'In the evening." 'I see." She hummed, leaning against the wall, watching him take a briefcase. He was about to leave but stopped and taunted him. 'Why? Is the busy and dangerous woman will get bored-" Not taking his words to her heart, she flashed a sincere smile, 'I will wait for you," His teasing expressions faded, replaced with surprise. He didn't expect such a transparent response with that pretty smile. He was not… used to it. His mouth gaped, becoming serious gradually while she tilted her head adorably, earning a nervous chuckle from her. 'Don't look surprised, when we got married in the beginning, I might have been like this too," 'But sadly, my restrictions, my own damn duties bind me," She continued, expressing the chains that stopped her from being like this before too. Coming closer slowly, she stopped, at this point, having no doubts or questions- willing to choose him over everything. 'Plus, you lost your memories too and never believed in me so it's not entirely my fault," She added playfully, poking his chest before opening the door for him. It took him a brief moment to regain his senses as he sighed, reminding himself that circumstances had changed and shook his head. 'Yes, Ma'am. I am just glad to see you are not caging your heart." He hummed, pinching her cheeks. 'Take care," She bid his goodbye sweetly. 'I will bring your favorite red velvet cupcakes," 'Thanks," Later, after reaching the hospital. Mark just finished his night shift and was returning but stopped and came to Nathaniel to know further instructions. 'What now, Boss?" 'Let's continue our pretend for now. Act like nothing happened," 'Okay," Nothing talking further, they came to their work. 'Hey," 'Oh, hey, how was your visit?" Keith asked happily. 'Good. You should know that I am the best Uncle," He smirked proudly. 'Great. And about your patient… it was surely unfortunate, wasn't it?" He asked vaguely, knowing how connected he had been to his patients. 'As you said, life and death are not my matters. This proves, it is destiny, when death is written, it comes nonetheless," Shrugging his shoulders, he didn't talk further about it as no one else knew it was his whole idea. 'Hmm. You are right," Going to his cabin, he saw some patients for the next few hours before taking a survey, checking up on his current patients. Highly busy during the work hour, he barely got time. After a nonchalant workday, he was returning and called someone close to him, someone he trusted deeply and blindly- His best student. 'Hello," His rough and dominant resonance came, earning a beaming sound from the other side. The man he called chuckled. 'What a blissful day, you have called. Tell me, how can this mere man be useful to you, Sir?" He asked sweetly, pouring his manipulative tone in impressing his master. Nathaniel suppressed a chuckle, 'You and your admiration towards me never fails to fascinate me." 'You are my lifesaver after all, Sir," 'Are you doing as I instructed?" He hummed, 'Yes, as per your orders, I kept an eye on Zoran and him." He checked his list and continued, 'By now, I believe you must have met Zariah and the one behind the crash too to start things from your side too." 'Hmm, keep this surveillance." He ordered, lips curling into a devilish smirk. 'Zoran will contact the fourth ace for help. You know what you have to do, right?" He reassured him, 'Yes, Sir, I won't disappoint you," 'That is why you are my most favorite and my best apprentice. Now take care. Goodbye." After praising him to boost his confidence, he cut the call. Well aware that this man could do anything for him. After watching how Sebastian had ‘trained' Alphonse so immaculately to the point he became an ace. He also decided to take a few special people into consideration and make them his students. With an entirely different method from Sebastian's, of course. After placing his piece into the board how he desired, he came to Zariah who was unaware of what he must be planning this time. And honestly, she didn't care either. He was here after all. She was looking through some pictures he hung on the wall with a smile. How delightful he looked when his recent nephew Adam was born. ‘Will we like this?' She thinks, hugging her sides. His family- Cinzel, Prince, his nieces and nephews with a heartfelt laugh. She wanted to capture such a moment with him too… 'Hey," Nathaniel whistled in her ears to get her attention, bringing a tender smile on her lips. 'Welcome home. Who is she? She looks a lot like your late sister Persephone," She asked, pointing at the younger teenage girl in the photos. He didn't feel good mentioning her, her death did nothing but to agonize him. The fact he failed to protect her- it never left him. 'She was Alice," He sighed sadly. 'The girl you adopted?" 'Mhm." 'Back then, I was ignorant of Cinzel's existence too. I.. I just wanted to have someone to call family." Curling his lips in a dejected smile, he stood behind her. Hands in his pockets but too close to share the same heat that drove her mindless. Zariah lifted her gaze to meet his mesmerizing one while he had no idea of the spell he casted on her. Because he was too busy indulging in the closeness and their mixing warmth. They both were lost in each other. 'Do you know? I made a promise with Alice that after her exams, I would come and meet you," He hummed, shifting the topic so it won't cause gloom. 'Really!? Then why didn't you?" Her mouth gaped from excitement. 'She got killed and when she fulfilled her promise, I came… That damn Prince shot me and I lost my damn memories," He muttered, rolling his eyes before unwillingly pulling away. 'Ah, so you were coming to see me?" She beamed, only delighted to hear it. 'Why do you look happy? I forgot you, I couldn't come back, it took me so damn long to fulfill my promise because of-" He was about to hiss due to disappointment but she turned to him fully. 'I was your last thought, it relieved me," He paused but soon relaxed and pinched her cheeks, 'And the first one too when I woke up. I remembered your eyes," 'Even late but at least we met, you have no idea how much I have suffered without you," She whispered. Following her heartfelt desires and wrapping her arms around his sides. He looked at his Zari, embracing him, closing her eyes to drown in his world and become ignorant of anything else. Deep down, it was all she ever desired after all. 'You lost memories, I didn't. Imagine how hard it must be for me to cling onto that promise and just think of you and you only," She murmured that made him run his fingers down her locks, pressing her harder into his body only to shatter their rhythm but his taunt. 'And even thinking of me, you married other men on your father's orders," 'This is the fourth time you are mocking me, Nathaniel. I don't like you repeating the past and my mistakes," Done with his remark, she roughly pulled away, frowning at him for bringing what was lost in the midst of time to their fervent moment. 'Have you ever been like this?" She growled, hitting his chest before getting back. He chuckled playfully, almost unaware what wrong he did that ‘she' reacted this way and tried to stop her by holding her wrist. 'I don't know. Maybe? I used to talk like this during our initial period too, didn't I?" He spoked sweetly but she hissed, ripping her wrist away from him. Of course, she didn't want to be reminded of her actions constantly. She knew she didn't live an inspirational life. 'Leave it," Growling, she attempted to leave but displeased with her action, Nathaniel seriously grabbed her arm, twisted it to press her against the nearest wall. She gasped when he was too close, almost touching his lower body with hers with her wrist caged in between, hovering over her with a scowl over his hard features. Swallowing hard at the burning gaze, she called him softly, 'Nathaniel?" 'Walk on me again and I would fucking tie you to me bed so you can't escape, Zari," He scowled, not in the mood of bearing distances after longing for her. 'I have waited for too damn long," He continued and before he could collide their bodies she grabbed his shirt. 'So did I. In fact, I should act this possessive, I am the one who took the first step, didn't I?" She decided to taunt back and trace her index finger on the side of his face, flaring his chest in a fire. She was too blind to notice anything, it felt good, his anger, his smile, his words, his demeanor- she found all of it thrilling. 'You think?" He smirked, rage vanishing and was replaced with his usual playful glimmer. 'You knew I was going to come, didn't you?" She narrowed her eyes. 'Who knows?" He suppressed a chuckle, kissing her cheeks before pulling away. 'Answer, Nathaniel," 'Let's eat the cupcakes, Sweetheart," Sighing, knowing it was futile to force words out of his mouth, she let things go with their flow because the times they were ‘normal' was rare too. 'So tell me how things are?" Nathaniel asked playfully as they were eating cupcakes. 'Fine. In fact, you know more than me," She smirked. 'But, man, things have surely changed, haven't it?" She hummed in agreement ,'Sebastian is number one now and Zaviyaar is second." 'Third that motherfucker, Zoran, fourth Elton and fifth is my Zari… finally an ace, hmm?" Nathaniel enunciated proudly, taking her hands in his. Truly things had changed… Sebastian, Black Death. Zaviyaar, Heathen. Zoran, Guru. Elton, Shadow. Zariah, Black Reaper. Nathaniel asked, grabbing another cupcake, 'So how was it like being an ace? One of the kings?" 'Work was the same, nothing exciting. I lost the greed for more power long ago when I was with Sufiyan. All on my mind was you," She told him shyly, lowering her gaze, causing him to tighten his grip on her hand. 'Great and all on your mind should be me," Taking her hands affectionately to press them on his cheeks, he kept staring at her with a profound yet mystifying thought- ‘I have made incredible efforts to make you mine after all,'