CHAPTER 277: IT WASN’T NORA WHO SAVED YOU.

Liam strode into his office, tension radiating off him, jaw set and eyes sharp. Dropping into his chair, he immediately checked his phone again for any update. He had already sent someone to review the road’s surveillance cameras and trace Nathaniel’s route.

After what felt like an eternity, the door finally opened. A tall man dressed in black stepped inside.

Liam looked up. "Did you find anything?"

"I did." The man approached and placed a tablet on the desk. "The footage shows a black car tailing Mr. Grant. But once they headed toward the suburbs, I couldn’t follow any further."

Liam grabbed the tablet and examined the video. A black car was indeed shadowing Nathaniel.

"But I did manage to get the license plate and the driver’s face."

Liam swiped to the next image. One was a zoomed shot of the plate, the next was the driver. The picture was grainy from a distance. Liam couldn’t identify the man.

"Who is this supposed to be?" he snapped. "One of Zachary’s men?"

"No. It’s Jaxon."

Jaxon?

The name struck him like a warning siren. Liam remembered Nathaniel’s uneasy reaction earlier. He didn’t know Jaxon personally, but he knew he was Zara’s half-brother.

"He stole the car from a supermarket parking lot and injured the owner in the process," the man added. "The owner filed a complaint. The police are already searching for him. He won’t be able to stay hidden for long."

"But where is Nathaniel?" Liam demanded, irritation tightening his voice. "Did Jaxon take him?"

"Possibly. I can’t say for sure," the man replied. "If it is a kidnapping, he’ll definitely contact the Grants. This guy is after Mr. Grant for revenge. Madam Zara might also be in danger."

"I want him found," Liam said, his tone turning ice-cold. "Before he gets anywhere near Zara."

The man dipped his head. "Give me some time. I’ll keep you updated." He exited the room.

Liam’s gaze drifted back to Jaxon’s distorted image on the screen. "As if I don’t have enough problems," he muttered. "And now you show up." Suspicion crept across his expression. "Coincidences don’t happen. Maybe Zachary gave him a hand in breaking out."

His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden buzz of his phone. Zachary’s name blinked on the display.

"Speak of the devil..." Liam murmured. "Why is he calling now?"

He set the tablet aside, picked up the phone, and leaned back, masking his tension with an indifferent posture.

"Hello?"

"Where are you?" Zachary’s normally cool voice was edged with unease.

"At my office," Liam replied calmly. "What happened? You sound worried."

Inside, though, his nerves tightened.

"It’s nothing... Riya called me," Zachary said. "She’s upset about how Zara acted today. I told you to keep Zara away from her, not to cause more drama. But she still went to the hospital and created trouble. I’m warning you—if she keeps this up, I won’t be able to tolerate it."

"Calm down. I already brought her back and told her to stay away from Riya," Liam assured him. "She won’t bother either of you again."

He couldn’t help wondering if this was Zachary’s only reason for calling.

"I heard Nathaniel arranged a private medical team for his mother," Zachary said slowly. "They aren’t letting anyone visit her."

"Just say what you want to say," Liam cut in sharply. "You think Nathaniel is a fool you can push around by using his mother’s condition? Obviously, he’ll do everything to protect her, and he’ll fight back. It seems like you’ve become too confident. If you think defeating him will be simple, you are wrong. It will be very difficult."

Silence hung on the line for a moment before Zachary spoke again. "Where is Nathaniel, anyway? Riya said he still hasn’t shown up at the hospital. Maybe he doesn’t care about his mother as much as he pretends."

The faint mockery in his voice was palpable.

Alarm rippled through Liam. He had assumed Zachary was behind Nathaniel’s disappearance, but Zachary’s tone made it clear he knew nothing. If Zachary hadn’t taken Nathaniel, then who had?

’Where is he? Is he safe?’

A knot of worry tightened, quickly hardening into irritation.

"How would I know? Why don’t you ask your girlfriend?" Liam snapped. "If you are done wasting my time, I’m hanging up. I have work."

"Fine, we’ll talk later."

The call disconnected.

Liam stared at the phone, his frown deepening. "Where are you, Nathaniel?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nathaniel lay unconscious on a small bed, his head bandaged in thick gauze. Sweat coated his skin, and his fingers twitched faintly. In his dream, he was sinking in dark water, struggling desperately. He flailed his arms, searching for something—anything—to cling to, but found only more water swallowing him whole.

’Help...’ He called out to the figure standing on the lake’s edge. ’Zachary, please help me...’

But instead of reaching for him, the man turned and ran.

’No, don’t leave me. Come back...’ His plea echoed uselessly as his body slipped deeper, water flooding his lungs. Just when he felt death closing in, a hand grabbed his and hauled him upward.

’Nora,’ he breathed.

But the face leaning over him, lightly slapping his cheek, wasn’t hers—it was Zara’s.

’Zara? Why are you here?’ he wondered in his dream.

Shouldn’t it be Nora? Why was he seeing Zara instead?

The scene shifted abruptly.

He saw himself arguing with Zara. ’Stop trying to act like Nora—you can’t. You’ll never be her, never take her place in my heart. Understand?’

’Yes... I know I can never be her,’ Zara said, voice heavy with tears. "But I’m your wife now. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?"

’No. Nothing.’ His tone was cold. ’You only became my wife because of Nora’s last wish. That’s it. So stop these little tricks to seduce me. They only degrade you and make me disgusted.’

Then he turned, ready to leave.

’I disgust you?’ Zara’s voice halted him. ’I loved you for years. I took care of you and your family. But you feel nothing for me. You say I disgust you just because I wanted a child with you? Nathaniel... would you regret it if one day you found out that I was the one who saved you?’

’What?’ Nathaniel spun around, a deep scowl hardening his features. ’You saved me?’

Zara nodded faintly. ’Yes... I did...’

’Don’t lie,’ he snapped, cutting her off before she could finish. ’Just to get my attention, you want to take credit for what Nora did? Do you have no shame left? Nora was your sister.’

Zara’s shoulders dropped in defeat. ’Forget it... You’ll never believe me. You’ll never understand me.’

She walked out of the room.

A crushing weight pressed on Nathaniel’s chest as he watched her retreating figure.

’No, Zara, don’t go,’ he cried. But the version of himself inside the dream only stood there—cold, motionless, uncaring.

’Stop her... How can you treat her that way?’ he screamed at his dream-self. ’She is your wife. She loves you with everything she has. How could you say those things? Zara... come back. Don’t listen to him. I love you. Do you hear me? I’ve fallen for you."

His whole body trembled as he tried to chase after her, but he couldn’t move. Something heavy pinned him down, freezing him in place.

’Wait... don’t leave me.’

The heaviness dragged him farther and farther away, widening the gap between him and Zara until she felt completely out of reach. Panic surged through him. He tried to force himself awake, anything to escape this nightmare and return to her, but his eyes wouldn’t open. His eyelids felt weighted, his limbs numb, his senses fading as though his body no longer belonged to him.

The force yanked him back toward the lake. But this time, he wasn’t drowning. He stood on the shore, staring down at a photograph of Nora. The scene was so vivid it didn’t feel like a dream at all. It felt real.

’Nora... do you remember this place?’ he whispered. ’This is where we first met. You pulled me out of the water. You saved me... don’t you remember?’

Her smiling face in the photo seemed to answer him, and his chest tightened painfully.

’It’s been five years,’ he said softly. ’I thought the pain would fade, but it hasn’t. It’s only grown worse with each passing day. Why did you leave me? How am I supposed to live without you?’

He pressed the picture to his heart, eyes shutting as if trying to draw her presence back to him. He was meant to return home after his business trip, but instead, he had come here, back to the lake, hoping to lose himself in the memories of happier times with Nora.

’Young man, are you alright?’ a voice called from behind him.

Nathaniel blinked and turned, seeing an elderly man holding a fishing rod. Something about him stirred a distant memory.

’You... I know you. You were the caretaker at the Grant farmhouse.’

Recognition lit the old man’s eyes. ’Yes, yes—I remember now. You are young master Nathaniel.’

A faint smile touched Nathaniel’s lips. ’It’s been a long time,’ he said quietly. ’You remember I nearly drowned here, right at this spot.’

The old man nodded firmly. ’How could I forget? I was on my way to tell you your mother had called and wanted you home. But a young lady ran to me, saying someone had fallen into the lake. I rushed over and found it was you. Fortunately, her sister had already pulled you out.’

A wave of nostalgia washed over Nathaniel. ’Yes. I know. It was Nora. I’ll always be grateful to her.’

The old man frowned slightly. ’Nora? No... it wasn’t her who saved you. It’s her sister.’