Rejected: A love story-Chapter 41: Coping

I stood before the mirror, my fingers trembling slightly as I tried to fix the strap of my bag. My reflection looked back at me—a college student trying to look composed while her life was tilting on its axis. The door clicked shut. I didn’t have to turn around; the sudden scent of perfume and a kind of scent that is hard to forget, told me It was Nathan.

In the mirror, I watched Nathan approach me. When he reached me, he didn’t say a word. He stepped into my space, his large frame dwarfing mine, and slid his arms around my waist. The heat of his palms seeped through my clothes, grounding me instantly.

I gasped softly, my breath hitching as he tucked his face into the crook of my neck. His stubble grazed my skin, a rough contrast to the silk of his tie.

"Stay still," he murmured against my pulse point.

His hands traveled slowly upward, his fingers splaying across my ribs before resting just beneath my heart. I could feel it thudding against his palm—fast and erratic.

"You’re beautiful, Fiona," he whispered, his voice a low vibration that traveled straight down my spine. "I should tell you everyday, especially now that my world is trying to get in between us."

My cheeks flared a deep crimson. I looked down, unable to meet his gaze in the glass, but he didn’t let me hide. He tilted his head, his lips brushing against the sensitive shell of my ear.

"Look at me, cupcake," he commanded softly.

I lifted my eyes to the mirror. He was watching me with an intensity that felt like fire. He turned me in his arms, his movements fluid and possessive. One of his hands moved to the nape of my neck, his thumb tracing the line behind my ear, while the other stayed firmly anchored at the small of my back, pulling me flush against the solid plane of his chest.

He leaned down, his eyes dropping to my lips. He didn’t rush, he hovered just an inch away, letting me feel the warmth of his breath, waiting until I instinctively tilted my head back.

When his mouth finally met mine, it wasn’t just a kiss. It was a slow, deep claim. His tongue flicked against my lower lip, coaxing me open, and the kiss deepened until my toes curled inside my shoes. My hands found their way to his shoulders, bunching the fabric of his shirt as I clung to him, He always had an effect on me, making me want him more and more, I never get enough.

Nathan groaned low in his throat, his grip tightening as if he wanted to pull me into his very skin. He tasted so good, like something out of the ordinary. What was he doing to me! When he finally broke the kiss, he didn’t pull away far. He kept his lips pressed against my forehead.

"I love you, Fiona. Remember that, no matter what happens, I’ll always love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," I whispered, my heart racing.

He gave me one last quick, tender kiss before letting me go. "Caleb is waiting out front. He’ll take you. I’ll be right here when you get back."

I nodded and grabbed my coffee on the table stand before heading downstairs. The foyer was still a whirlwind of activity—servants carrying in the last of the orders Nathan had placed. I saw Natasha standing near the grand staircase, watching the commotion with a look of extreme satisfaction. She looked at me, her eyes raking over my casual college attire with a smirk.

"Off to class, are we?" she asked, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness. "How brave of you to go to school while a family is being reunited. I suppose someone has to keep up appearances."

I didn’t give her the reaction she wanted. I simply adjusted my bag, looked her straight in the eye, and walked past her without a word. I had survived far worse than her snide remarks.

Caleb was waiting by the sleek black rolls royce. He held the door open for me, his expression more focused than his usual playful self.

"Ready for a quiet day of lectures?" he asked as I climbed in.

"I doubt anything will be quiet today," I replied, looking back at the mansion as we pulled away.

[The Campus Courtyard]

The courtyard was buzzing with the usual post-lecture energy, but I felt like I was moving through water. I sat on a stone bench, staring blankly at my textbook. The sun was too bright, the laughter around me too loud.

"Fiona! Look at this!" Ella practically slid onto the bench beside me, her eyes filled with excitement as she thrust her phone in front of my face. "He texted me again. Look! He sent a picture of his coffee and said, ’This reminded me of that latte you were obsessed with.’ Fiona, he remembered! He’s so... ugh, I can’t even describe it. My heart actually does a little flip every time my phone buzzes."

She let out a dreamy sigh, leaning her head on my shoulder. "I honestly can’t thank you enough. If you hadn’t brought me to the house, I’d still just be dreaming about guys like Caleb Keith. Now, I’m actually... well, we’re talking. He hasn’t asked me out yet, but the way he’s texting? It’s only a matter of time."

I tried to force a smile, but my face felt stiff. "I’m glad, Ella. Really. You guys would be great together."

Ella went quiet. She sat up, her smile fading as she looked at me properly. She didn’t say anything for a second, her eyes scanning my face.

"Okay, stop. That was the fakest smile I’ve ever seen. What’s going on? And don’t tell me it’s the exams, because Catherine is back today and even her presence isn’t enough to make you look this miserable."

I looked away, blinking back the sudden sting in my eyes. "It’s just... a lot is happening at the house."

"Is it Nathan?" she asked, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Did he do something?"

"Did you guys fight? I thought you two were good," Ella said, her brow furrowing.

"No, we didn’t fight. It’s... it’s Natasha."

"Who is Natasha? Is she a new client? An ex?"

"She is his childhood friend?"

Ella nodded slowly. "The one he grew up with? I think I remember now. You once said they were close."

"They were more than close," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "They dated back in high school—it was his first real relationship. She’s the one who broke his heart years ago. But she’s back now, and with a son.... Well, Nathan’s child."

Ella’s eyes went wide. She grabbed my arm, her mouth dropping open. "Wait. A son? Like... a baby?"

"No. He’s older. She claims she got pregnant right before they broke up—after a night Nathan got drunk and blacked out. According to her, Nathan forced himself on her. She said she only left to ’protect his reputation’. She’s been hiding this child for years, and now she’s turned up with DNA results that’s 99.9% a match."

"Fiona, that’s... that’s insane," Ella whispered. "Is it true? Does Nathan believe her?"

"Nathan says it’s a lie and he’d nevet do something like that. He says it’s a lie, a forgery...." I felt a tear finally slip down my cheek. "But his father is already convinced. The boy is arriving today, Ella. A servant is bringing him from his school. I’m so scared. I’ve finally found a place where I feel loved, and now... now there’s this child who ties him to her forever. Of course I’ll accept and love the child but every time he looks at that boy, he’s going to see Natasha. How am I supposed to compete with a bloodline?"

Across the quad, I saw with Catherine walking with her group, laughing. She caught my eye and smirked, sensing my distress from across the grass. I looked back at Ella, my voice breaking. "I feel like the ground is disappearing under my feet again."

Ella grabbed my hands, her expression turning fierce. "Hey. Look at me. Nathan Keith is obviously obsessed with you my friend. A ’surprise’ kid from a manipulative ex-best friend isn’t going to change that. If the papers are fake, he’ll find out. And if they aren’t? You said it yourself—he’s a good man. He’ll handle the kid, but Natasha? She’s just a girl from his past and always will be. You’re his future."

I wanted to believe her. I really did. But as the bell rang for our next lecture, all I could think about was the car that was currently driving toward the airport to pick up a boy who would change everything.

Ella suddenly reached over and pulled me into a tight hug, letting me hide my face against her shoulder. "We’re going to figure this out, okay? If she’s lying, we’ll find out. But don’t you dare give up on him yet."