Reclaimed By My Ex-husband
Chapter 32: She still cared.

Chapter 32: She still cared.

Nathaniel leaned back in his chair, his face tense with discomfort. A sharp ache twisted through his stomach, forcing a low groan from his throat. He pressed a hand to his abdomen, his other hand gripping the armrest as sweat beaded along his brow.

’I should’ve eaten something,’ he thought, regretting skipping his breakfast.

He gritted his teeth, trying to breathe through the pain. His mind drifted to Zara—how she always gently reminded him to keep his medicine within reach in case of emergencies, tucked neatly in the drawer beside his desk.

He reached over, yanked the drawer open, and rummaged through until his fingers brushed the white vial. He uncapped it quickly and shook a few pills into his palm. With shaking hands, he grabbed the glass of water on his desk and took a long drink, swallowing the medicine down.

Just then, there were two sharp knocks at the door.

Roberto stepped in but halted as soon as he saw Nathaniel’s pale, sweat-soaked face.

"Sir, what happened? Stomach pain?" he rushed forward, alarm flashing in his eyes. "Should I call the doctor?"

Nathaniel shook his head weakly. "I already took the pills. It’ll pass soon."

Roberto frowned, clearly not convinced. "It’s been a while since you had an episode. Why now?"

Nathaniel stayed silent. Mrs. Jules had reminded him to eat, but everything else had faded the instant he saw the divorce papers from Zara. He had dropped everything and rushed out to bring her back.

In his head, he had imagined sharing a meal with her later. But things spiraled into anger and heartbreak, and he came straight to the office on an empty stomach. And now, he was paying the price for it.

"It’s nothing," Nathaniel said briskly, brushing off Roberto’s concern with a dismissive wave. "Did you bring the file I asked for?"

Roberto held up the folder in his hand, hesitating for a moment before placing it on the desk. "Yes, it’s here. But... honestly, I think you should rest. You can go through it later."

Nathaniel sat up straighter, shaking his head. "No. I’m fine. This needs to get done before the business trip. I want everything ready."

Roberto didn’t argue. He knew better. "Alright. Call me if you need anything."

With that, he turned and quietly left the room.

Nathaniel opened the file and began flipping through the pages, refocusing his attention on the work. Slowly, the pain in his stomach began to fade.

Then came another knock.

"Come in," he called out, not looking up.

This time, it was one of the villa staff, stepping inside with a lunchbox in hand.

"Sir," the servant said respectfully, approaching the desk. "Madam sent this for you."

The words caught Nathaniel’s attention. He looked up at him.

’Zara sent this?’ he thought.

The ache in his chest dulled a little. A flicker of warmth passed through him. She still cared. Even after everything, she hadn’t completely shut him out.

But he didn’t let it show.

"Okay. Set it aside," he said evenly. "You can go."

The servant bowed slightly and exited the room.

As the door clicked shut behind the servant, a faint smile tugged at the corner of Nathaniel’s lips.

"You say you want this marriage to end," he murmured, "but you still can’t stop caring."

He pulled the lunchbox toward him and opened it. He found chicken broth, steamed vegetables, and rice crackers—exactly the kind of meal suited for his sensitive stomach. It was thoughtful. It was Zara.

He had eaten meals like this many times before during his stomach flare-ups, but back then, he never really noticed the effort behind it. He had taken it for granted.

She had always made sure the food was easy on his system, always paid attention, even when he didn’t.

Now, as he stared down at the neatly packed lunch, something shifted inside him. A warmth bloomed in his chest.

’Did Mrs. Jules tell her I skipped breakfast?’ he wondered to himself.

He picked up the spoon and took a sip of the broth. It was the simplest meal he had had in weeks. But somehow, it brought him more comfort than anything else ever had.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that day...

"You went back to Nathaniel’s place? Why?!" Bree’s voice exploded through the phone, so loud that Zara instinctively pulled it away from her ear.

Zara’s face scrunched as she rubbed her ear.

Bree continued, full of outrage. "Why didn’t you call me? You could’ve reached out to Jasper or at least gathered the neighbors. Why the hell did you let him take you like that?"

Zara took a slow breath. "I didn’t want to cause a scene. I didn’t want to trouble you and Jasper."

"And you think you are fine now?" Bree scoffed. "With him?"

Zara could feel Brees’s frustration practically radiating through the phone.

"He took you against your will. I don’t understand. First, he pushes you away and wants a divorce. Then the moment you agree, he acts like he can’t let you go. What is even going on in his head?"

Zara had no answer. She wasn’t sure herself why Nathaniel had flipped so suddenly. But it didn’t matter. Whatever he was thinking, her resolve hadn’t changed.

"I’m still leaving him," Zara said firmly. "No matter what he says, I can’t stay with him. But I can’t keep living at your place either. He’ll show up whenever he wants, and I can’t let him disrupt my life. I need a place of my own. Please help me find a house."

Bree paused for a moment, then said, "Actually... Jasper’s friend is moving abroad soon. He is renting out his apartment. If you want, I can ask Jasper to talk to him."

Zara’s eyes brightened with a glimmer of hope. "Really?"

"There is just one issue," Bree added. "It’s across the city—Southern Avenue. That means almost an hour commute to the office."

Zara considered it for a beat. An hour was a small price to pay for peace. The more distance she put between herself and Nathaniel, the better. At least he wouldn’t be able to show up unannounced whenever he pleased.

"I’m fine with it," she said finally. "Tell Jasper to lock it in."

"Consider it done," Bree replied.

Just then, the door creaked open. Zara turned her head and froze.

Nathaniel stepped inside, his tall frame filling the doorway. She blinked in surprise.

’He is home?’

It was rare to see him back from the office this early. He usually buried himself in work until late.

"Alright, I’ll talk to you later," Zara said hastily, ending the call and sitting up straighter.

Nathaniel looked at her for a moment, then said, "Thanks for the lunch."

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