Chapter 19
Thinking along these lines, Tia Clark felt a wave of calm wash over her. Her hospital room was in a prime location; from the window, she could see the snow–covered forested hills, and the afternoon winter sun brought a gentle warmth. Tia pulled up a chair and settled by the window.
A gentle knock echoed from the door. Glancing at the clock, Tia realized it was time for the doctor’s rounds. She raised her voice and called out, “Come in,” turning with a smile that quickly froze on her face.
It was Nathan.
Three years had rendered him more mature, though his frame had grown leaner beneath the coat, making him. appear both striking and stern. His dark eyebrows cast a shadow over his eyes, yet couldn’t conceal the fervent joy.
“I found you,” Nathan’s voice trembled, teetering on the edge of breaking from overwhelming emotion. He took a step forward, the large bouquet in his hands tumbling to the floor as he rushed to Tia’s side, bending down to embrace her tightly in the chair. “I found you, Tia Clark!”
Tia was only momentarily surprised before regaining her composure. She had known it was only a matter of time before Nathan found her and hadn’t struggled against the inevitability. His arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders, and she felt a warm, wet sensation trickle from her collar onto her neck.
“It’s me,” Tia said softly, “Nathan, it’s be
a long time.”
“Why…” Nathan sobbed, his breath coming in ragged gasps, words breaking with emotion, “Why did you try to end it? Why didn’t you tell me you were ill? Why did you deceive me…”
The man in his thirties cried like a child who had been tricked, gripping Tia with a desperate intensity, repeating her name as if fearing she was a mirage.
Tia felt a flicker of irritation. She frowned slightly and murmured, “Nathan, if you don’t let go, you’ll squeeze the life out of me.”
Nathan stepped back, collapsing to the floor as if his legs had given way, looking up at Tia in the chair. His face was a mess, flushed red with tears, his forehead damp with sweat or perhaps melted snow.
His hand still trembled as it held Tia’s cold, slender hand, trying to suppress his sobs, though the tears continued to flow.
Tia had only seen Nathan this distraught once before, when Victoria passed away.
“Don’t go,” he pleaded, clutching Tia’s hand as she tried to pull away, his voice still quavering, “Tia Clark, please, don’t go.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Tia replied without hesitation, freeing her hand once more and looking down at Nathan, “But perhaps it’s time for you to leave.”
Nathan’s lips turned pale as he seemed to grasp the clear rejection in Tia’s demeanor, remembering belatedly all he had done in the past.
A faint smile played on Tia’s lips, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “I forgot to ask, Nathan,” she said softly, “How are things with your wife? Do you have children? Oh, and by the way, I’ve married Simon.”
“Our daughter is Mia, I believe you’ve met her.”
The news hit Nathan like a hammer, leaving his ears ringing with a deafening silence, as though all sound had been cut off.
Fear gripped him, his lips trembling, yet he couldn’t form a single word.
Disoriented. Tia watched his expression shift drastically and found it somewhat amusing. She realized how she had once loved Nathan, and being laughed at or belittled seemed perfectly normal now.
14.57
Chapter 19
Nathan stood, nodding numbly, muttering incoherently, “I’ve met her. She’s beautiful. Tia Clark, you…”
He intended to offer help with her surgery expenses, but Tia, as if reading his mind, stopped him.
“I’ve fought hard to find the courage to live and undergo this surgery,” she said quietly, “Nathan, don’t push me to the brink again.”
Her words cut like a sharp blade, swift and deep, causing his heart to ache so intensely that he had to gasp for air, clutching his chest to stabilize himself.
Nathan stumbled, steadying himself against the bedframe, his complexion ashen. He knew Tia was capable, and so he dared not utter another word, nodding helplessly before turning to leave the room.
His retreating figure appeared almost staggering, and Tia watched him go, silent for a long time.
She realized she no longer held a deep–seated hatred for him, as if her emotions had been diluted by an ocean, the past love and resentment washed away by Simon’s unwavering care and companionship. Meeting Nathan again stirred no feelings beyond surprise.
Perhaps this was for the best, she thought. You don’t interfere with me, and I won’t interfere with you. We were merely parallel lines connected by Victoria, and now that she’s gone, we should return to our separate paths.
A nurse came in to clear the flowers from the floor, and when Simon returned, he immediately sensed someone had visited. Wrinkling his nose, he remarked, “The scent is quite strong.”
“Just the smell of flowers,” Tia replied, not intending to hide anything. “Nathan came by.”
He rushed over like a vigilant guard dog, checking Tia over twice. She stood up with a smile, allowing him to search for any potential injuries. “I’m fine, really.”
“You scared me,” Simon said, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling into her shoulder with a sigh of relief. “I thought he might take you away. I’m glad you’re okay. Tia Clark, let’s go back to Southvale after the surgery, alright?”
“Alright,” Tia agreed, preferring the warmth of Southvale over the bitter cold of Kingsbury City winters, where even the sunlight was scarce. She smiled, “But you’ll have to deal with the cockroaches.”
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She agreed.
