chapter 4
1355 Words
Chapter 4
She woke up in the morning with memories from the other night; she didn't think she would be able to face Nathaniel. So she ran off just before he woke up that morning.
Isabella couldn't bring herself to tell Jasmine what happened, that she kissed Nathaniel.
But that morning he sent a letter with a coded language that no one would understand and flowers as an apology for last night.
Isabella wasn’t sure what startled her more Nathaniel’s twisted version of an apology or the proposition buried beneath it.
Balancing the scales? What did that even mean? A second chance? Some twisted emotional payback? She was very confused after reading the letter.
She was still thinking about it the next morning when she stepped into the office and found a single white rose in a glass vase on her desk. A small note tucked beneath it read: “For the strength you didn’t have to show, but did anyway. –N”
Her stomach fluttered in a way she didn’t like.
“Morning,” Nathaniel said from his doorway, as if nothing had changed between them. He had that usual unreadable expression on, dressed in navy again tailored perfectly, annoyingly handsome, and completely self-assured.
She looked at the flower again, then at him. “Do you always send roses to employees you nearly traumatized in high school?”
He didn’t flinch. “Only the ones who manage to outgrow me.”
Her face burned, but she rolled her eyes and walked into his office with her tablet. “Let’s get started.”
They fell into rhythm: meetings, reports, and travel schedules. Nathaniel’s work ethic was relentless, but so was Isabella’s determination not to let her heart get entangled.
Still, she noticed things.
Like how he never raised his voice.
How he remembered her coffee order without asking.
He always walked her to her car when she stayed late.
And worse how her heart started reacting to his quiet charm.
One evening, as they wrapped up the day, Isabella rose to leave when Nathaniel spoke.
“You’re not just here because you need a job, are you?”
She turned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You could’ve worked anywhere with your credentials.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You think I came here to get back at you?”
“Did you?” he said smiling.
She hesitated. “Maybe I would have loved to prove that I’m not that girl anymore. But I didn't even know it was even you though that name rang a bell I paid no attention to .”
His voice was low. “You never did?. I’m sorry just didn’t know how to deal with someone real.”
That stopped her.
The air crackled.
She should’ve walked out. Instead, she sat back down.
“I used to call you Boring Bella,” he said, his tone softer now. “But the truth is, you were just composed. I mistook that for weakness.”
“You enjoyed making me feel small.”
“I did,” he admitted. “Because I felt small too. You had goals. Poise. Teachers liked you. I couldn’t understand it. So I lashed out.”
She stared at him, unsure if she wanted to scream or say thank you.
“You think a flower erases that?” she asked.
“No,” he said. “But I was hoping honesty might start something.”
“Start what?”
He leaned forward. “Something that’s not built on teenage cruelty or adult guilt.”
Isabella didn’t answer. Not then.
But she didn’t leave either, and her stupid heart wouldn't stay still, but it kept beating harder.
By the end of the fourth week, the tension between them had become a thread pulled tight, ready to snap.
Then came the trip.
An investor retreat in Lake Tahoe. Three days. Just the two of them and a few board members. Isabella hadn’t expected to be invited. But Nathaniel insisted.
“You’re my assistant,” he said. “And I trust you.”
It was the first time he’d said the word ‘trust’.
And it scared her.
Especially when they ended up in adjoining suites.
That night, after a long dinner with investors, Isabella returned to her room. She peeled off her heels and stood on the balcony, letting the mountain breeze cool her flushed cheeks.
A soft knock broke the silence.
She opened the door to find Nathaniel holding a bottle of wine and two glasses.
“For old times’ sake,” he said with a smirk.
She raised an eyebrow. “There are no good old times.”
He chuckled. “Then let’s make one.”
Against better judgment, she let him in.
They sat on the floor, backs to the bed, sipping wine and talking. Really talking.
About college. About the people they became. About the ones they lost. And then he said something that shifted everything:
“I used to wonder what you’d look like now. And I was right you're stunning.”
Isabella’s breath hitched.
“Nathaniel—”
“I’m not saying it to trap you,” he said. “I’m saying it because it’s true.”
He reached out, gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
For a second, she let herself lean in.
But just before their lips touched, she stood up.
“I need air,” she whispered.
And she left.
The chill of the mountain night hit Isabella’s skin as she stepped onto the balcony. The stars above Lake Tahoe were breathtaking, but her heart pounded too fast to appreciate them. She leaned on the railing, trying to catch her breath.
What was she doing?
Jasmine had warned her.
She could still feel Nathaniel’s fingers brushing her cheek. The look in his eyes wasn’t the same arrogant one from high school it was something gentler. Still intense, but gentler. And that was what scared her most.
She didn’t come here to fall for her bully.
She came to prove to herself and to him that she had moved on.
“Are you okay?” his voice came from behind her.
Isabella didn’t turn. “Why did you do that?”
A beat of silence.
“I didn’t plan it,” Nathaniel said softly. “But you can’t pretend you didn’t feel that shift between us.”
“I felt it,” she admitted, finally turning to him. “And that’s exactly why I left. Because I don’t know if I’m ready for what that shift could mean.”
Nathaniel stepped closer. “I’m not asking for more than you can give. But I don’t want to pretend this isn’t happening.”
She looked at him, lips pressed together. “You still don’t get it, do you? You made my life hell in school. And now… now you’re kind and considerate and respectful. I don’t know which version of you to trust considering the fact we’re about to blur the lines of the contract”
He nodded slowly. “Then let me show you which one is real.”
Before she could respond, his phone buzzed. He frowned, glanced at it, and his expression darkened. “We’ve got a problem. Someone leaked the merger details.”
Isabella blinked. “What?”
“They’re calling an emergency meeting downstairs. Come with me.”
Just like that, the emotional weight of the moment shifted to corporate urgency.
They hurried down the hall. In the conference room, a handful of senior investors looked grim. A leaked document, an internal brief Nathaniel had only shared with Isabella, had been published in an industry blog.
“You’re the only one who had access,” one executive said, eyeing her.
Isabella’s heart dropped. “I didn’t—”
“I trust her,” Nathaniel said immediately. “There’s more to this.”
Isabella felt a flicker of hope. He’d defended her. Publicly. Without hesitation.
Still, the tension in the room was thick.
After the meeting, they returned to their suite. Isabella paced. “What if they don’t believe me?”
- Writer
