Chapter 2 An Earring

Nathan frowned, and confusion showed clearly on his face. "What are you talking about?"

He had no idea Rosalyn had been pregnant five years ago. He thought she was just overwhelmed, thus speaking without thinking.

"So you really care about Andrew that much?" Nathan asked sharply. "Tell me, how far does that love go?"

The question caught Rosalyn off guard. She froze, unsure how to answer. Did love still matter at all? She'd gone through too much, and her heart was shattered. Now, all she wanted was a quiet life. A home that felt warm. She wanted to marry Andrew and live a peaceful life together.

She was so close to having it. Then, Nathan reappeared and messed everything up.

The doorbell suddenly rang.

Rosalyn flinched.

Nathan didn't think twice. He turned and walked toward the door.

Panic hit her hard. She rushed forward and grabbed him from behind, holding on tight.

Her arms wrapped around his waist, and his hands came down over hers.

"Nathan, please! Don't tell him I'm here. I'm begging you." Her whole body trembled against him, and tears kept falling down her face.

Something in his chest tightened, like a quick stab he couldn't ignore. His voice dropped. "Alright."

The moment she heard his answer, Rosalyn rushed to gather her clothes and shoes. She then slipped into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

She didn't notice one of the earrings Andrew gifted her slipping off and landing on the carpet.

"Mr. Harvey, sorry for bothering you at this hour," Andrew said.

Nathan pulled a blank face. "Spare me such talks. Just out with what you came to say."

Nathan's blunt words made Andrew's face burn.

"Why are you still standing there?" Nathan added, his voice flat. "Come inside."

As Nathan spoke, he shifted his foot slightly, and something small caught the light on the carpet.

An earring lay there, glowing under the chandelier. The light bounced off it and made it stand out even more.

Andrew recognized it right away. He had picked that earring himself. Beneath his suit, his muscles tightened. He didn't show it on his face, though. Instead, he lowered his gaze and stepped forward, pressing his shoe down over it.

Nathan noticed everything Andrew did. He watched, and the look in his eyes turned sharp with mockery. Years ago, Rosalyn had taken a huge breakup fee and disappeared without a word, only to be with such a loser.

Nathan leaned back on the sofa. His robe hung loose, showing the hickeys on his chest without any attempt to hide them. He watched Andrew struggle to hide his anger and embarrassment.

"Mr. Harvey, I came to ask if you've seen my fiancée," Andrew said. "She was supposed to drop off some documents, but I haven't been able to reach her."

Nathan raised a brow. "Your fiancée?"

"Yes. Rosalyn Carter."

Nathan gave a slow nod. "You only came looking for her now? If something had gone wrong, Miss Carter might've..."

He left the sentence unfinished, but the meaning hit just the same. Andrew's face grew even redder.

Nathan seemed to lose interest after that. He reached for the documents on the table and flipped through them without much care. "Mr. Murray, did you always ask your fiancée to meet with male business partners on your behalf?"

The question didn't sit right with Andrew, but he still forced a polite smile. "I had an important meeting and couldn't step away. So I asked her to deliver the files for me. That's on me. It won't happen again."

Even as he spoke, his eyes kept drifting toward the bathroom door. Through the faint outline, he could make out the shape of someone standing inside. Could it be...

Andrew said, "Mr. Harvey, now that the documents are with you, I hope you can look them over soon. This project's getting a lot of attention, and I don't want someone else to take it instead."

A low chuckle slipped out of Nathan. "Since when did the Harvey Group ever worry about losing to anyone? If something slips out of my hands, I'll take it back myself. That includes people. You get what I'm saying?"

The meaning behind his words didn't need to be spelled out.

Andrew felt the pressure in Nathan's gaze, and the smile on his face stiffened.

Andrew said, "Since the documents are delivered, and my fiancée isn't here, I'll take my leave, Mr. Harvey."

Nathan gave no reply, as if Andrew were not even present.

Turning around, Andrew gazed at the bathroom door for a few seconds before finally walking out.

Once Andrew left, Nathan walked over and tapped on the bathroom door. "You can come out. He's gone."

Rosalyn threw her clothes back on in a hurry and didn't even bother fixing her hair. She felt a moment of relief, but it didn't last. The way she looked at Nathan still carried caution, and there was clear hatred behind it.

He let out a short scoff when he saw her expression. "I helped you out, and that's the face you give me? Rosalyn, you should think carefully about how you'll explain this when you go back. Do you really think he didn't notice what happened here, or do you believe he just doesn't recognize your scent?"

Rosalyn stiffened and responded coldly, "He's nothing like you. He won't see me that way."

"You really don't understand him. For fifty million, even if he walked in and saw everything, he'd act as if nothing had happened. You think he couldn't have sent someone else to deliver those documents?"

"Nathan Harvey!" Rosalyn snapped, anger rising fast. "Not everyone's as disgusting as you!"

"Disgusting?" Nathan reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, his face calm. "Your fiancé comes from a respectable family, doesn't he? Both parents are university professors. What do you think happens if they find out about your past? The nights you spent with me. Everything you learned in my bed. Do you think they would still welcome you into that family?"

His words struck her hard. A sharp pain throbbed at her temples, and her whole body started to shake.

She bit her lips until she tasted blood. When she spoke, her voice was low. "Nathan, what do you want from me?"

"Go and tell them everything."