Somewhere safe
1617 Words
Chapter 18
Nathalie’s POV
I didn’t know how long I had been sitting in the garden.
The music from the banquet hall sounded distant now.
All I could hear was the sound of my own crying.
Sam was still holding me while Erica rubbed my back. Kim stood beside us, looking furious and heartbroken at the same time.
Mavis was holding my hand.
Nobody said anything for a while.
They simply stayed.
And somehow, that made me cry even harder.
“I hate this,” I whispered.
Sam tightened her arms around me.
“What do you hate?”
“I hate that I still love him.”
The words came out broken.
“I hate that after everything he’s done, my heart still wants him.”
Erica sighed softly.
“Nathalie, love doesn’t disappear just because someone hurts you.”
“But it should.”
“No,” Mavis said gently. “It doesn’t work that way.”
I looked at her.
She gave me a small smile.
“You’ve loved Zachary for a long time. You can’t expect yourself to switch your feelings off like a light.”
I wiped my cheeks.
“I thought things were changing.”
Kim crouched in front of me.
“They might have been.”
I shook my head.
“No. If things were changing, he wouldn’t have walked into that room with Ivanka.”
Nobody responded.
Because they knew I was right.
“I thought when he took me to my prenatal appointment…” I paused.
My voice became shaky again.
“I thought that meant something.”
Sam squeezed my hand.
“It meant something to you.”
I nodded.
“Exactly.”
A tear rolled down my cheek.
“I saw the way he looked at the ultrasound. I saw how happy he was when we found out we were having twins. He held my hand.”
I looked down at my stomach.
“I thought maybe that was the beginning of us.”
My voice cracked.
“I thought maybe he was finally falling in love with me.”
Mavis pulled me into a gentle hug.
“Oh, Nathalie.”
“I was so happy that day,” I whispered. “For the first time, I felt like I wasn’t just the woman carrying his children. I felt like I was his wife.”
Sam’s eyes filled with tears.
“You are his wife.”
“But I don’t feel like it.”
That silenced everyone.
I looked toward the mansion.
“I don’t want to go back there.”
“You’re not going back,” Kim said immediately.
I looked at her.
“What?”
Kim stood up.
“You’re coming with us.”
“Where?”
“To my husband’s penthouse.”
I shook my head.
“I don’t want to cause problems.”
“You’re not causing anything.”
Kim pulled out her phone.
“I’ll call him and let him know we’re using it tonight.”
“Kim…”
“No arguments.”
She gave me a look.
“You’re my sister. I’m not leaving you alone tonight.”
Sam nodded.
“Neither am I.”
“Me too,” Erica added.
Mavis smiled.
“I’m coming too.”
I looked at all four of them.
“You don’t have to.”
“We know,” Mavis said. “We’re coming because we want to.”
For the first time since I walked into the banquet hall, I smiled.
It was small.
But it was real.
⸻
A Little Later
We quietly left the banquet.
Kim had already arranged for a driver to take us to the penthouse.
I kept my head down as we walked through the private exit.
I didn’t want anyone to see me crying.
I didn’t want anyone asking questions.
I didn’t want to see Zachary.
Most importantly, I didn’t want to see Ivanka.
As soon as we got into the car, I leaned against the window.
Nobody forced me to talk.
The silence was comfortable.
After several minutes, Erica reached over and held my hand.
“You’re not alone.”
I nodded.
“Thank you.”
Mavis smiled at me from the other seat.
“Besides, we’re going to spoil you tonight.”
I laughed softly.
“I’m not in the mood for anything.”
“That’s okay,” she replied. “We’ll spoil you quietly.”
We all laughed.
Even though my heart still hurt.
⸻
Kim’s Husband’s Penthouse
When we arrived, I stepped out of the car and looked up.
The penthouse was enormous.
It overlooked the city, with floor-to-ceiling windows that showed the lights stretching endlessly into the distance.
Kim opened the door.
“Welcome to your temporary home.”
I laughed weakly.
“You’re crazy.”
“I know.”
We entered.
The penthouse was quiet, warm, and peaceful.
There were no reporters.
No family members.
No cameras.
No Ivanka.
No Zachary.
Just us.
I walked toward the enormous living room and sank onto the sofa.
The moment I sat down, I felt exhausted.
Kim walked into the kitchen.
“Who’s hungry?”
“I don’t think I can eat,” I replied.
All four women turned toward me.
Mavis raised an eyebrow.
“Nathalie.”
I sighed.
“I’m not hungry.”
“You’re pregnant with twins,” Erica reminded me. “You need to eat.”
“I know.”
Sam walked into the kitchen.
“I’m checking the refrigerator.”
Kim laughed.
“You don’t even know what’s in there.”
“I’ll figure it out.”
Soon, the kitchen became noisy.
They were arguing over what to prepare for me.
I sat on the sofa watching them.
For a moment, I forgot about my problems.
I watched Sam searching through the refrigerator while Kim complained about her husband’s groceries.
Erica was telling Mavis what she thought I should eat.
And Mavis kept reminding everyone that I needed to rest.
I smiled.
These women were ridiculous.
But they were mine.
My family.
My safe place.
⸻
Later That Night
After eating, I changed into one of Kim’s comfortable nightgowns.
I walked into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed.
Mavis came in and sat beside me.
“You okay?”
I shook my head.
“No.”
She wrapped an arm around me.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do anymore.”
“You don’t have to decide tonight.”
I looked at her.
“What if I leave him?”
Mavis didn’t answer immediately.
“What if I actually leave Zachary?”
“Then you leave.”
I stared at her.
“You won’t judge me?”
“Never.”
She squeezed my hand.
“You’re my sister too, Nathalie. Whatever you decide, we’ll support you.”
Tears filled my eyes again.
“I love him.”
“I know.”
“But I’m tired.”
“I know.”
“I don’t want my children to grow up watching their mother beg their father to love her.”
Mavis’ expression softened.
“Then don’t.”
I looked down at my stomach.
“My babies deserve better.”
“They do.”
“And so do you.”
I looked at her.
She smiled.
“You keep saying you want to be strong for your twins, but you’re allowed to be strong for yourself too.”
I hugged her.
“Thank you.”
⸻
The Living Room
Later, the four women sat around me.
Kim handed me a cup of warm milk.
“You’re staying here tonight.”
I nodded.
“No arguments,” she added.
I smiled.
“Okay.”
Sam leaned against the sofa.
“And tomorrow?”
I shrugged.
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t have to know.”
Erica reached for my hand.
“Take it one day at a time.”
I looked at all of them.
“What would I do without you guys?”
Kim smiled.
“You’d probably still be crying in that garden.”
I laughed.
“Probably.”
Mavis smiled.
“Then it’s a good thing you have us.”
I leaned back against the sofa.
For the first time that night, I felt safe.
My heart still hurt.
I still loved Zachary.
And I still didn’t know what would happen to our marriage.
But tonight, I didn’t have to figure it out.
Tonight, I had my sisters.
I had Mavis.
I had my twins.
And that was enough.
⸻
Zachary’s POV
I stood outside the garden long after Nathalie had left.
I couldn’t stop thinking about her words.
I thought maybe you were finally starting to love me.
They kept playing in my head.
I had never seen her look at me like that before.
So broken.
So disappointed.
And somehow, I knew I was responsible.
Royce’s punch didn’t hurt nearly as much as seeing Nathalie walk away from me.
I looked around.
She was gone.
“Where did she go?” I asked Sam when she returned briefly to collect Nathalie’s bag.
Sam glared at me.
“Somewhere you can’t hurt her tonight.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means she’s with us.”
“Where?”
“You don’t need to know.”
She grabbed the bag.
I stepped forward.
“Sam—”
She stopped.
“You should have thought about where she would go before you broke her heart.”
Then she walked away.
I stood there alone.
For the first time, I realized something terrifying.
Nathalie had spent years being afraid of losing me.
But tonight…
I was afraid of losing her.
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