Reclaimed By My Ex-husband

"Why did you come here?" Zara asked, flustered. "You should be resting. I'll be there in a moment."

Nathaniel didn't respond. He just took a silent step toward her.

Zara's breath hitched as he closed in, tension crawling beneath her skin. Her fingers tightened around the hair dryer as her legs instinctively backed away, only to bump against the wall of the closet.

He stopped inches away. "Why are you nervous?" he asked, head slightly tilted, his eyes studying her face.

"I'm not," she replied quickly, lifting her chin, but the tremble in her voice gave her away.

Nathaniel moved in again, and this time, Zara's back was fully against the closet. He leaned down, so close that his breath warmed her ear. "I don't eat people," he whispered teasingly.

Zara's mouth parted in surprise, but no words came out.

He took the hair dryer from her.

"I can do it—" she began to protest, but the hum of the dryer cut her off.

"You looked after my injury. Let me return the favor," he said, brushing his fingers through her damp hair as he guided the warm air through the strands.

Zara stood stiffly, her pulse quick, her breathing quicker. She wasn't used to this version of Nathaniel. The man she knew had always been emotionally distant, unreadable. But now, faced with his quiet warmth, she found herself uncertain and overwhelmed.

She didn't know how to react or how to respond. She stood still, letting him dry her hair.

"I have something for you," he said.

Zara turned slightly, her eyes meeting his. "What is it?"

"I've been waiting to give something to you," he replied.

"Oh." A deep flush crept up her cheeks. So he had been planning this. He truly had something for her, while all she had been consumed with were the lingering memories of their intimate moment.

'Why is my mind like this?' she scolded herself, inwardly cringing.

Nathaniel turned off the dryer, tucking it neatly into the drawer. "I hope you'll like it. Come." He held her hand and led her out of the walk-in closet.

He picked up a file from the bed.

Zara's gaze dropped to it. She had seen him looking through those papers when she had stepped out of the bathroom. She hadn't paid much attention then, but now her curiosity stirred.

"Have a look," he said, offering the file to her.

Zara opened it. But as she began reading through the documents, her intrigue quickly turned to shock. With every page she turned, a rush of excitement surged down her spine.

The Moore family assets were now registered under her name. Even the company shares once held by Isaac, Jaxon, and Lina had been consolidated under her name. Fifty-eight percent of the company's shares now belonged to her. With that, she had become the majority stakeholder. The Moore family mansion also officially belonged to her now.

It left her speechless.

A wave of emotion surged through her chest. Her vision blurred as tears welled in her eyes, her fingers trembling against the paper.

"This…"

"You deserve all of it," Nathaniel interrupted. "Your mother built this company from scratch. She was the reason it became successful and got listed. Your father, on the other hand, did nothing but drag it into ruin."

He scoffed as he continued, "Isaac is incompetent. He has no idea how to manage a business. The board's had enough of him. They want change. And now, as the majority shareholder, you are a part of the board of directors. You have the authority to decide who becomes the next CEO."

Zara's eyes were glued to the documents in her hands, her mind still reeling. No matter how many times she reread them, the words barely felt real.

This company… it was her mother's dream, her legacy. She had poured her soul into it, building it with grit and passion. After her mother's death, the company had begun to crumble. Then Nora had stepped in, trying to keep it alive. But when Nora passed too, it had been left to Isaac, who quickly ran it into the ground.

Zara remembered how Isaac would constantly pester her to ask Nathaniel for help. Nathaniel had helped him more than once. But even then, Isaac failed. Under his leadership, the company spiraled toward bankruptcy.

Now… everything had changed. Isaac had been stripped of power and was behind bars for his crimes. And the man responsible for salvaging everything was Nathaniel.

Gratitude humbled her, but a deep sense of shame stung her at the same time.

She had judged him, blindly believing he had taken the company by force, stealing away her mother's legacy. But the truth was entirely different.

He wasn't taking anything from her. He had rescued the business from collapse and entrusted it back to her.

"You did all this," Zara's voice trembled. "And I thought…"

The rest of the words caught in her throat. Emotion surged within her, and she bit her lip to keep the sob from escaping. She regretted saying those harsh words.

"I didn't know… I blamed you," she trailed off yet again.

Nathaniel gently brushed away her tears. "Don't cry."

"Thank you," she said. "I don't even know how to repay you…"

"There is no need for that," he interrupted her firmly, his tone shifting to its usual composed one. "I didn't do you a favor. I simply did what had to be done. I've already invested so much into the business. I couldn't just watch it collapse. It would have been a loss for me, too. So I took control and gave it back to where it truly belongs."

His hands rested reassuringly on her shoulders. "You are the rightful owner now. Call a board meeting. Choose someone to lead the company. If you want to be the CEO, you can. I'll support you all the way."

Zara laughed softly through her tears. "Me? A CEO? Seriously?" She shook her head. "I'm a designer. My world is sketchbooks and fabric swatches, not balance sheets and boardrooms. I'll find someone capable of leading the company, but I want to focus on my career."

Nathaniel didn't press her, respecting her decision. He understood how much fashion designing meant to her. "Alright. Follow your dream. I'm here for you."

He stepped forward and held her gently in his arms.

Zara leaned into him, heart lighter, her gratitude deepening. For the first time in a long while, she felt like she wasn't alone.