Chapter 129 - 129: A wooden chest

Words : 1252 Updated : Sep 25th, 2025

"I'm happy," Zara admitted, though the tightness in her throat betrayed the storm inside her. "But I'm scared too." His eyes searched hers, sharp and unblinking. "Why?" "I'm not used to this… to you giving me so much," she confessed. "If one day you lose interest, if you walk away… it'll destroy me. So don't—don't make me hope for something that won't last." At that, his face darkened, the warmth in his gaze vanishing. His hand shot up, fingers gripping her chin firmly. "Still thinking about leaving me?" he growled. "Don't. Even. Think. About it. You can't escape me, Zara. Even if you run, I'll find you." His mouth claimed hers in a fierce, almost punishing kiss. The force of it stole her breath, yet she didn't resist. Instead, her body softened against him, letting his dominance pull her under. 'Will you really love me forever?' A single tear slipped from the corner of her closed eye. ~~~~~~~~~~~ A few days later… Zara was still working on some design drafts even after returning from work. She was bent over her desk, lost in her work, when the sound of footsteps pulled her from her thoughts. Mrs. Jules appeared, cradling an old wooden chest in her arms. "Madam, I found this while cleaning the storeroom out back," she said, setting it carefully on the table. "I was going to throw it away along with other things, but when I saw Nora Madam's name carved on it, I thought it must be important." Zara's gaze fixed on the chest, and for a moment, the present faded. The wood was worn smooth with age, its corners nicked and worn, and on the lid, Nora's name was etched—faded, yet still discernible. A wave of nostalgia softened Zara's features. Warm memories stirred, taking her back to the day her mother had bought it from an antique shop and presented it to Nora on her thirteenth birthday. She remembered Nora's face lighting up when she unwrapped the gift. Nora had loved the gift, cherishing it like a prized possession. 'This is our treasure box. We'll keep our most precious things inside… and maybe even hide a few secrets.' Her laughter seemed to echo faintly in Zara's ears. The memory warmed her chest and stung her eyes all at once. She reached out and touched the lid, her fingers brushing over the grooves of Nora's name. "It's locked, though," Mrs. Jules added. "No key anywhere." "It's okay," Zara said softly, pulling herself back to the present. "I'm just glad you found it. I'll figure out how to open it later. Thank you." Mrs. Jules nodded with a small smile before slipping out of the room. Zara turned the chest over in her hands, inspecting every inch of it before setting it down. She then stood up and went into her walk-in closet. Pulling open a drawer, she dug through its contents until the small box where she kept her hairpins. Taking out one, she held it up with a faint, mischievous smile. She had used this trick in the past to unlock a lock. Zara settled onto the stool, leaning close as she slid the pin into the keyhole. She twisted, nudged, and turned, her brows drawing together in concentration. Finally, the chest opened with a click. Her lips curved into a grin. "Finally," she breathed, lifting the lid with a rush of anticipation. The smile froze halfway. Inside was a neat bundle of folded papers. Curious, she reached for them. They looked as though they had been torn from a diary. "Why would Nora keep these here?" she murmured, unfolding them. Her breath caught when she saw the familiar handwriting. It was Nora's journal. "Why tear the pages out?" she wondered, confused and skeptical. Ring-Ring… The sudden shrill of her ringtone sliced through the quiet, pulling Zara out of her thoughts. She blinked, setting the folded pages back into the chest before rising from the stool. Closing the chest casually, she walked out of the closet. Her phone buzzed insistently on the desk where she had been working earlier. She picked it up, and the moment her eyes caught Nathaniel's name, a soft smile tugged at her lips. It was unusual for him to call during office hours. He had always been the kind who disliked interruptions at work, so the fact that he was the one reaching out made her chest warm. It truly felt as though he was making an effort, trying to mend and nurture their relationship. She swiped to answer. "Hello?" "Hello…" Zara let out a small laugh. "So, you are free today?" On the other end, Nathaniel dropped his gaze to the tip of his polished shoes. He was far from free. A tense meeting had just ended without resolution. The deal he had been chasing for weeks had slipped through his fingers for now, negotiations stalling on stubborn points neither side would yield. The frustration still clung to him like a shadow, exhausting him. To clear his head, he had walked out into the open air. He suddenly felt the urge to talk to Zara. Maybe hearing his voice would make him feel better. That was what he had thought, and he called her without thinking much. "Hello? Are you still there? If you are busy, I'll hang up," Zara's voice broke into his thoughts. "No, wait," he said quickly. "Talk to me." There was something in his tone that made her still. She instantly knew something was disturbing him. "What happened? Trouble at work?" "There is… but nothing I can't handle," he replied with a sigh. "I just needed a break. Thought I'd call you." Her pulse skipped. "You called me just to talk to me?" "If I say yes, will you believe it?" His voice dropped to a seductive murmur. Zara pursed her lips, struggling not to smile. But the corners of her lips still twitched. "How are you doing? Are you back home?" "Mm, I came back early," she replied. "And Zane?" She couldn't hold back the smile now. "Zane is bouncing all over the place, too excited. His toy house is finally being set up today." She heard his laughter through the line, a sound that seemed to settle warmly in the pit of her stomach. It almost felt like they were just a normal couple, sharing light moments. The thought made her heartbeat quicken. "Come home quickly," she said softly. "I'll cook your favorite dishes." "Then I'll have to wrap up this deal fast," he teased. She chuckled, shaking her head. "Don't rush it. Look over everything carefully. Only sign if it's truly worth it." "Sounds like I should hire you as my adviser," he said with a playful lilt. Zara bit her lip, heat creeping into her cheeks. "I'm hanging up now." She ended the call, her smile lingering. The small moments like this were etching themselves into her heart, smoothing over old scars she thought would never heal. Trust was blooming again. Maybe this was it. Maybe she didn't need to keep her guard up anymore. If he was putting in this much effort, she could meet him halfway. She would confess. She would tell him she loved him. "Tonight," she murmured, pressing the phone against her chin.

Chapter 129 - 129: A wooden chest

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