Chapter 16
817 Words
Chapter 16 – The Things I Can’t Ignore
Nathan told himself he was fine.
The conversation in the living room, Emily’s calm dismissal, her refusal to take his apology—it was supposed to set him free from the guilt. She had no regrets. She didn’t see it as a mistake. That should have been enough.
But it wasn’t.
He was also wandering my mom so much loves Emily, if she hears about it, she will be so disappointed at me. I really needed to keep my distance.
The truth was, Nathan couldn’t stop thinking about her. He couldn’t stop remembering the warmth of her body that night, the way she had looked at him in the soft light of his bedroom, her expression a mix of nervousness and trust.
It wasn’t just the physical memory—it was the feeling. The way his chest had tightened when she whispered his name. The way holding her afterward had felt… right.
And now, every time he saw her, the memories came rushing back.
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The Watcher
It started subtly. Nathan would be on his laptop in the living room, supposedly working, but his eyes would follow her as she moved around the house. The way her hair swayed when she bent to pick something up. The way she hummed softly while dusting the shelves.
He noticed everything. The delicate way she set the table. The faint scent of her soap when she walked past. Even the way she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear became something his gaze lingered on.
Once, he caught himself staring as she carried a basket of laundry up the stairs. He quickly looked back at his screen, pretending to type, but his mind was nowhere near his work.
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Jealousy
The worst was when other men spoke to her.
One afternoon, the driver came into the kitchen to ask Emily about lunch. Nathan had walked in halfway through their conversation, and though their words were casual, Nathan felt something hot and irrational coil in his chest.
Emily smiled politely at the driver’s joke, and Nathan’s jaw tightened.
He told himself he wasn’t jealous—just protective. She worked for him. It was only natural he wouldn’t want the staff getting too friendly with her.
But deep down, he knew the truth.
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Restlessness
At the office, Kristy was presenting the quarterly report, her voice sharp and confident. Nathan sat at the head of the table, nodding at the right moments, but his mind kept drifting.
He wondered if Emily had eaten lunch yet. He pictured her sitting at the kitchen table, the sunlight hitting her hair. He imagined her smile.
“…Nathan?” Kristy’s voice pulled him back.
He cleared his throat. “Continue,” he said evenly, though he could feel the puzzled stares from a few board members.
The rest of the meeting was a blur. By the time he got back to his office, he was restless, tapping his pen against the desk, glancing at the clock far too often.
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The Gesture
That evening, Nathan stopped at a boutique on the way home. He told himself it was for business—he needed a gift for a client’s wife. But somehow, his eyes wandered to a section of soft cashmere cardigans.
He could picture Emily in one—the pale blue would bring out the warmth in her skin.
Before he could talk himself out of it, he had bought it.
When he got home, Emily was in the living room dusting the shelves. He walked in, set the bag on the coffee table, and said casually, “Here. It didn’t fit my client’s wife. You can have it.”
She looked at him, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. “Thank you, sir.”
“No need to make a big deal out of it,” he muttered, already walking toward the stairs. But as he reached the landing, he glanced back. She was holding the cardigan against her chest, her lips curved in the smallest, softest smile.
And that sight stayed with him all night.
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The Torture of Wanting
That night, Nathan lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. He had spent days telling himself to keep his distance. But the more he tried, the more she pulled him in without even knowing it.
He wanted to talk to her. To touch her again. To see if what he felt that night was real or just the alcohol.
But he was afraid. Afraid of ruining whatever fragile balance they had left. Afraid that wanting her would mean crossing a line he could never come back from.
Still, as he closed his eyes, the memory of her in his arms played in his mind.
And for the first time, Nathan realized that maybe… he didn’t want to come back from it at all.
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