Rejected: A love story-Chapter 14: Mr arrogant isn’t really Arrogant

FIONA’S POV

The moment we stepped into the mansion, Emily and the other workers bowed politely.

"Welcome back, sir. Ma’am."

I could barely look anyone in the eye. My face was flushed. My heartbeat was still running like I had just finished a marathon.

Before anybody could ask why I looked like I had seen a ghost, I ran upstairs. I pushed my door open and fell on the bed immediately.

Did... did I just kiss Nathan"?

No, scratch that.... Nathan kissed me and I kissed him back like an idiot that hasn’t been kissed before.

I covered my face with a pillow and groaned. My lips still tingled like he was still there. I don’t know what got into me. My body was acting like it had its own brain. My heart was still doing gbim gbim gbim, my hands were shaking and I couldn’t stop smiling like a crazy person.

I touched my lips gently, remembering the way he held me, how warm his lips felt. I swear I almost melted right there in that car. What is wrong with me? One kiss and my legs acted wobbly.

"If you like it that much, we can do it again."

I jumped up so fast I almost fell off the bed.

"Nathan?! When did you— How long— you were—"

Now, why the hell was i stammering

He leaned on the door frame with folded arms, looking too relaxed for someone who just kissed me and caught me daydreaming.

"I knocked, but you were too busy blushing into your pillow," he said, sitting comfortably on my bed.

Why is he so calm? Why am I the only one dying here?

I swallowed hard, trying to act normal. Spoiler alert: I failed.

He patted the space beside him. "Come. We should talk before my parents visit. We have to get our story straight."

I dragged myself slowly and we sat side by side, and I kept staring at the floor because if I look at his lips again, I might disgrace myself.

"So," he began, "where did we first meet?"

I cleared my throat. "At the restaurant?"

It sounded like a question instead of an answer. He chuckled, shaking his head.

"Cupcake... it’s our cover story, not a riddle."

His smile was teasing, the type that makes you want to throw a shoe at him and kiss him again at the same time.

He asked about his favorite things and i stared at him blankly.

"How am I supposed to know? You never told me."

He laughed like I told him a joke. I don’t even know what was funny.

"That’s what we’re doing now," he said. "My favourite color is black. And I’m allergic to milk and chocolate. Favourite food?"

He raised a brow at me.

"Curry chicken pasta," I answered quietly.

He nodded, satisfied. "Good girl."

Good girl? Lord, give me strength.

Then it was my turn, I told him I had no allergies that I knew of, that I could eat almost anything. He listened like he actually cared.

Suddenly he asked about my family and my heart sank. My voice just went quiet without my permission. I tried to smile, but it felt fake and Nathan noticed.

"You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to," he said softly. He didn’t push it, he just let it go — and somehow that made me relax more than anything else.

We sat on the bed with enough space between us to fit a whole village, but for some reason it still felt too close. His presence was loud, even when he said nothing.

His lips curved into that annoying playful smile.

"So we met at the restaurant? No description? Did I bump into you? Did you spill coffee on me? Were you staring at me first?"

I glared at him. "Well, you looked like the type that would spill coffee on me actually."

He laughed, his head tilted back slightly.

"That’s the story then. I spilled coffee on a rude girl who couldn’t stop staring at me."

My mouth opened. "I wasn’t staring...."

He raised a brow.

"You weren’t?"

"I... maybe a little. I mean you’re tall, so anyone would look"

"You think I’m handsome?" he asked immediately.

My heart tripped, this man is dangerous.

"I didn’t say that."

He leaned closer, his voice gentle and teasing.

"You didn’t deny it either."

I pushed his shoulder but he didn’t budge. "Shut up."

He only grinned wider. "You know, for someone who claims she isn’t in love with me, you pay attention a lot."

I felt my face heat up. "I just like observing"

"Oh? So you observed my lips too?" he shot back quickly.

I choked on my own breath, this man will not let the kiss rest.

"Next question!" I snapped.

He started asking the most ridiculous questions.

"Do you snore?"

"I do not!"

"Should I install surveillance cameras to confirm?"

"I’ll uninstall them," I warned.

We didn’t talk much after that, he stood up ready to leave.

"Rest a bit cupcake. And come down for dinner soon," he said.

He walked to the door, but paused. Looked back at me with that slow smile that made my stomach flip over itself.

"And Fiona... close your door next time you want to think about me."

He left closing the door and I threw a pillow that landed close to the door.

That idiot.... my idiot? No! God forbid....maybe.

###

NARRATOR’S POV

Nathan’s door shut behind him with a soft click.

His playful smile faded, replaced by something more serious. He picked up his phone and dialed a number.

"Is everything ready?"

"Good. Make sure the arrangement is perfect. I don’t want any mistakes."

There was a moment of silence before he continued.

"And the gifts? ...Alright. Deliver them early. No delays."

He ran a hand through his hair, pacing slowly.

"Yes. That’s all. Thank you."

He ended the call, staring into nothing.

No one knew what he was planning — only that he looked... excited.

### NEXT MORNING

Warm sunlight slipped through Fiona’s curtains, gently waking her.

She stretched, still sleepy and rubbed her eyes.

7:00am.

She dragged herself into the bathroom, brushed lazily, humming under her breath, then took a warm bath. Nothing felt special about today, just another normal morning in a big fancy house.

She opened her wardrobe and picked one of the dresses from yesterday — a simple white gown with a rope tied around the waist, It fell loosely on her body. She slipped on her flip-flops and stepped out, yawning softly.

As she reached the staircase, she froze.

There were dozens of colourful balloons tied to the rails on the stairs.

"What...?" she whispered.

She walked slowly, confused and curious, the house was unusually quiet.

And the lights were off downstairs.

"Nathan?" she called out but got no reply.

A strange chill crawled up her arms. She turned slightly, ready to run back upstairs when the lights flashed on

"SURPRISE!!!"

Fiona gasped. Nathan stood at the center of the living room with a cake in one hand, and a balloons behind him, then confetti on the floor. Every servant stood around him beaming widely.

He walked toward her with that soft smile she was beginning to hate for how it made her feel.

"Happy birthday, cupcake."

And before she could even react, he dipped a finger into the icing and gently tapped her nose with it.

Fiona blinked clearly surprised. Birthday?

The servants chorused immediately.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MADAM!"

Her heart stuttered.

Birthday...? It was her birthday? She had forgotten completely.

Not one memory of it crossed her mind this morning. She never celebrated birthdays much, not properly anyways since her mother’s death.

Her throat tightened as she watched the smiling face before her. Nathan’s smile faded slightly when he saw her eyes fill up.

"Fiona?" he stepped closer, cautious.

"Did I... do something wrong?"

She shook her head too fast, and tears rolled down her cheeks before she could stop them.

"I–I didn’t even remember it was my birthday," she cried softly, her voice trembling.

"And you— you did all this... for me?"

She hugged the servants first, one by one, emotional and grateful, holding onto them. Then finally she turned to Nathan.

She hugged him tight but it felt warm — her face buried against his chest as she cried.

Nathan stiffened for a second, surprised, then handed the cake to a servant without looking away from her.

"You all may go," he said quietly.

"My girlfriend is emotional."

They bowed and disappeared, leaving just the two of them.

Fiona sniffed and pulled back slightly, embarrassed.

"S–sorry... I didn’t mean to cry like that."

Nathan placed a finger gently on her lips.

"Shh... it’s okay," he murmured.

Then he hugged her even tighter.