Reclaimed By My Ex-husband

Nathaniel froze, his mind racing to the moments when Riya's behavior had made him uncomfortable. Her closeness, her odd glances, the way she clung to him – all rushed back in his mind. During those moments, he too had sensed that Riya might see him as more than just a brother.

But later, he had brushed off any suspicions, convinced himself it was just the closeness of growing up together. Now that Zara had said those words, the old unease surged back.

But the thought of Zara suspecting his and Riya's relationship was unsettling. He couldn't let her think that way.

He masked his thoughts with a forced frown. "What are you even talking about?" he asked, trying to sound baffled. "What do you mean by that?"

'Really?' Zara stared at him, unimpressed. 'Is he really this blind—or is he just avoiding the truth?'

She scoffed, "You call her your sister. But what if she doesn't see you the same way? And don't forget—she is not your real sister."

The air between them suddenly felt heavier. Zara wanted to speak the truth, to tell him outright that Riya harbored feelings for him, that her obsession had once gone so far that she had even killed Zara in her past life. But the words stuck in her throat.

The time wasn't the right time to say all this. Besides, no one would believe the story of her rebirth.

Instead, she asked, "What if she has feelings for you? Could you still treat her the same?"

The question hit Nathaniel like a slap. He had never imagined viewing the situation from this perspective. The thought left him speechless, and he didn't know how to respond. His silence stretched uncomfortably, and it only added to Zara's frustration.

"What? You have nothing to say?" she muttered. "Of course. You think I'm imagining things. But I've seen it. I know what she truly feels deep down."

"Zara, can you just calm down for a moment?" His composure was cracking. He was trying not to explode—but her words, her tone, her persistence made it difficult for him to keep his patience.

"I told you not to drag this. Can't you just listen to me for once?"

Zara gave a terse nod, her chest tightening with indignation. "Right. I'm the one at fault. I'm the one dragging this on. Fine—I'm leaving."

She turned on her heels, ready to walk out.

"Wait…"

His voice stopped her. Her body stiffened, but she didn't look back.

Nathaniel ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He had truly believed things were getting better between them, that the cracks in their relationship were slowly mending. But it seemed they didn't even know how to hold a civil conversation without yelling at each other.

"Sit, please," he said, this time gently. "Let's talk calmly."

"I'm going to my office," she replied flatly. "See you at the meeting."

"Zara… can we just sit for a moment and talk?"

Her hand paused on the door handle. She let out a long breath, her posture sagging with defeat. 'What is the use of talking when you won't believe me anyway?' she thought bitterly.

She turned around to face him. "What's the point? You don't trust me. You think I'm blowing this out of proportion. You are not even trying to see what's really going on."

Nathaniel's patience snapped finally. "Why are you so obsessed with Riya?" he shot back. "Can't we talk about anything else for once?"

His raised voice startled her.

"I've been trying to steer the conversation away," he continued. "But you keep circling back to this. We could have simply sat down and talked about the board meeting. But no—we have to keep digging into this Riya issue as if nothing else matters."

The words struck her deeply. Zara realized how true he was.

The bitterness she had harbored toward Riya had clouded her judgment. She had been so consumed by resentment and hatred that she had wasted the moment that could have belonged just to her and Nathaniel.

She had come to the office hoping to rebuild their connection, to close the distance between them and find common ground again. But all of that had vanished the second she saw Riya. Rage had taken over, clouding her thoughts.

Now that the storm inside her had passed, shame crept in. She couldn't bring herself to look at Nathaniel. Her eyes dropped to the floor. Quietly, she turned around.

Nathaniel misread her retreat. Thinking she was walking away again, he grew restless. He grabbed her arm, spinning her around with a bit more force than intended. Desperation flashed in his eyes.

Before Zara could even process what was happening, he pulled her close and kissed her.

It wasn't a gentle kiss. It was raw, unrestrained, filled with anger and longing. She went still, every nerve in her body going rigid with shock. Her mind went blank. All she felt and could think about was his lips moving against hers. But then she recalled they were in his office. Anyone could walk in.

She jerked away, gasping, her eyes shooting up at him with disbelief.

Nathaniel saw the shock on her face and thought she was offended. "I didn't mean to force you," he said quickly. "I just… I was trying to—" He faltered.

Stepping closer, he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Riya is my sister. That will never change. I don't care what she thinks of me. I don't even want to know if she has feelings for me. That's an insane thought. There is only one woman I've ever loved and—"

"I know," Zara interrupted sharply as she shoved his hands off her. "The only woman in your heart is Nora."

Zara's fists tightened at her sides as she fought to stay composed. She knew it all too well that Nora had carved an irreplaceable place in Nathaniel's heart, and no matter what she did, she could never fill that space. The truth of it hurt more than anything else.

If only she had spoken up in the past, if only she had confessed her feelings before Nora did, maybe the story would have been different. Maybe Nathaniel would have chosen her.

But she had chosen silence. She had stepped aside for her sister's happiness, burying her own love deep inside—and now, she was paying the price of that sacrifice.

Nathaniel, meanwhile, stood speechless. Her words pinched his heart.

Yes, it was true—he had only ever loved Nora. But then, why did hearing that from Zara feel like a knife to the chest? Why did it hurt so damn much?

He held her chin between his fingers, forcing her to look up at him. His eyes searched hers desperately, trying to understand the thoughts behind those amber depths. But all he found was a wall.

Zara's gaze was unreadable, guarded, and distant.

It shook him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see through her. She kept everything locked away, and it made him feel helpless.

'Don't you see?' his heart cried. 'Don't you see that I want to let go of the past, that I want to start over with you? Can't you see I am changing?'