Reclaimed By My Ex-husband

"I'm here," Zane announced as he trotted out of the restroom. "I'm hungry. Can we eat now?"

Nathaniel's frown eased, his lips curving into a smile. "Of course. Let's go and eat." He scooped Zane into his arms and started walking toward the exit.

Zara followed them, but her eyes kept darting to the people around them. The knot in her chest hadn't loosened. Every time someone brushed past, her stomach tensed.

She, however, didn't notice the man standing in the crowd, half-hidden behind a pillar, his gaze fixed on her. His expression twisted with barely contained rage.

"You are out here having fun with your family," he muttered, "while you've ruined me. You took everything from me, forced me to crawl in the shadows, running from the cops. I'll make you pay for every single moment of misery you've given me."

He turned sharply to leave, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he came face to face with a woman, her face half-hidden by a mask. He had seen her earlier… walking with Zachary.

Panic gripped him as he thought she could recognize him and expose him. He shifted quickly, trying to hide his face, ready to slip into the crowd without being seen.

"Wait," Riya called out. She took a step toward him. "I know you. You are Zara's half-brother."

Jaxon froze. His shoulders went rigid, the color draining from his face. He didn't dare turn around.

"And I saw you sneaking around here, watching her."

At those words, Jaxon turned around, fear clouding his features.

"I know you are in trouble," Riya said. "You need money. A safe place to live. I can give you both."

The fear in his expression shifted to suspicion. "Why would you help me?"

"You'll know when the time comes." She reached into her handbag, pulled out a sleek business card, and extended it toward him. "Meet me tomorrow at the Grand Hotel. Call me when you get there."

Hesitating for a moment, he took the card. The name printed on it made the blood drain from his face—Riya Grant.

When he looked up, she was gone. He looked around, but there was not a trace of her, as if she had melted into the air.

He looked down at the card. "What is this woman up to? Why would she want to help me?"

He didn't trust her. Every instinct told him that there was a hidden motive. But the truth was… he was out of options.

His stomach ached from days without proper food. Nights had been spent in alleyways or hidden corners, scavenging scraps from garbage bins. It was painful and humiliating at the same time. He had never thought life would throw him into this mess.

His father was locked behind bars, and his mother… she was missing. He didn't even know if she was alive.

The root of it all was Zara. She had taken everything.

At this moment, he was desperate for money, for shelter. He didn't have any choice. Whatever Riya's intentions were, she was the only lifeline he had left.

Once he got a place to live and food to eat, he would think of dealing with Zara.

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

After their meal, they didn't head back to the mansion but drove straight to the villa. Zane wasted no time diving into his mountain of new toys, while Nathaniel and Zara retreated into their bedroom.

Nathaniel held out a small velvet box. "This is the one you picked," he said, placing it in her hands.

Zara stared down at it, her fingers brushing over the surface. A wave of emotion washed over her. It wasn't the first time he had given her a gift. But those gifts had always felt hollow, lacking any real sentiment. This one, however, was different.

It all felt unreal—like she was living inside a dream. Somewhere in the back of her mind lingered the fear that one day, this warmth would vanish, leaving her wounded all over again.

The swell of emotions nearly overwhelmed her, but she forced them down, swallowing the tightness in her throat. For now, she would simply cherish whatever time she had with him. The future was uncertain, and she didn't know if he'd still be in it. Lifting her gaze to him, she let a smile grace her lips.

"Do you even realize how much you spent today?" she teased. "Zane practically bought out the whole toy shop."

Nathaniel chuckled. He was about to tell her he had bought an entire jewelry store for her. Zane was his son—of course, the boy would follow in his father's footsteps.

"It's fine," he said casually. "I have more than enough. He can have anything he wants." Then his eyes softened. "Actually… I have something else for you."

Zara's curiosity piqued, wondering what other surprise he had in store. Before she could ask, Nathaniel reached into his pocket and pulled out a stack of neatly folded papers.

Handing them over, he said calmly, "These are the ownership papers for the jewelry store. It belongs to you now."

"What? What do you mean it's mine?" she exclaimed, disbelief and shock written all over her face.

"You told me to buy it for you. So I did." He smirked as if it was not a big deal.

Zara stared at him, utterly speechless. She had only been joking when she said it. Never in her wildest dreams had she expected him to take her words literally.

Still reeling, she flipped through the documents, each page confirming the truth of what he had said. The more she read, the more astonished she became.

"I… I wasn't serious," she murmured, embarrassed, as she looked up at him. "Why would you spend so much?"

"It's nothing," he said, stepping closer and resting his hands on her shoulders. "It's the first time you've ever asked me for something. How could I not fulfil your demand?"

Zara stared up at him, her heart catching. He wasn't entirely right. It wasn't the first time she had asked him something. In the past, she had asked him for plenty–for evenings together, for shared celebrations, for a little time just for the two of them.

Each time, her requests had been ignored. She had blown out birthday candles alone, year after year. Whenever she had wanted to go shopping with him, he had turned her down, and she had to go with Bree instead.

But at this moment, none of that bitterness rose. Instead, there was a strange, aching warmth inside her, tears brimming in her eyes.

Nathaniel's expression shifted when he saw the tears slip down her cheeks. He brushed them away with his thumb. "Why are you crying now? Aren't you happy?"