Reclaimed By My Ex-husband

"I have never seen this before," Nathaniel mumbled, his brow furrowing. He turned the small chest over in his hands.

Just as he was about to open it, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned and found Zara coming in. He smiled, but her expression stiffened.

"Don't touch it," she exclaimed, crossing the space in two quick strides and snatching the chest from his hands.

"Uh?" Nathaniel blinked, surprised. "I was just curious. What is there in it that you are acting like this?" He arched an eyebrow, half amused, half intrigued.

Zara glanced up at him but didn't answer right away. Her grip on the chest tightened. This used to be her and Nora's treasure box, a hiding place for anything they thought valuable. But the torn pages of Nora's journal still lay inside, unread. She had no idea what was written in those pages. She wasn't ready to share it yet.

"It's a secret," she said finally, holding the box close to her breastbone. "You are not allowed to peek into it."

He chuckled, shoving his hands into his pockets. "You are acting like a child now. What is there you can't show me?"

He was smiling, but she could tell from the glint in his eyes that his curiosity had sharpened.

"Nothing important. But it's still a secret—personal."

He stepped toward her. Instinctively, Zara took a step back. Her fingers curled tighter around the chest until her knuckles went white. The way he kept watching her, steady and unblinking, made her stomach flutter uncontrollably.

She retreated until her back hit the wall of the closet. She gasped softly.

He leaned in, bracing a hand against the wall beside her head, the faint scent of cedar and his cologne mixing in the space.

"You have forgotten something important," he murmured.

Zara blinked, her chest rising and falling faster. The air between them felt charged.

"What?" she breathed.

He tilted her chin up. "We are husband and wife. There shouldn't be any secrets between us. So…" His gaze drifted down to the chest locked in her hands. "You can tell me what you are hiding from me inside this little thing."

His words cut through her. He was right—there shouldn't be secrets between them. She had planned to finally tell him how she felt, to close the space that had been growing between them. But how could she let him know, when even she had no idea why Nora had hidden parts of her journal? What was so dangerous or personal that Nora had torn those pages out and locked them away?

Zara's fingers tightened around the box. She still didn't know if she could share what she hadn't yet read herself.

"Um… I'll tell you everything when the time comes," she said. Her eyes flicked toward the coffee cup she had left on the table. "I brought you coffee. Finish it while it's still hot."

Before he could speak, she ducked under his arm and slipped out from the narrow space between him and the wall. She ran away without looking back.

Nathaniel let out a low chuckle, hanging his head. "Your little secret—I'll certainly find out what it is."

~~~~~~~~~~

Inside the presidential suite of the Grand Hotel…

Riya stepped out of the bathroom, toweling her damp hair. She crossed the plush carpet barefoot, pulled the nightdress from the shopping bag, and put it on. The satin draped over her curves perfectly.

She paused in front of the full-length mirror, tilting her head as she studied her reflection. Her fingers traced from her collarbone to the hollow between her breasts, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

"This perfect figure," she murmured. "With this, I can attract any man, whether it's Zachary or Liam. So what if I can't get Nathaniel? There are plenty who want me."

Her smile deepened into something sharper.

Ring-Ring…

The shrill ringing of her phone cut through the quiet. She glanced toward the nightstand—Gracie's name lit up the screen.

"You finally remembered me," she said under her breath, eyes narrowing with a mix of satisfaction and mischief.

She hadn't gone home on purpose, choosing instead to hole up here. The cold treatment from the family had gnawed at her mind; she wanted to see if anyone would remember her and call her.

After a day of silence, Gracie finally remembered her.

She sank onto the bed and answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Where are you? You didn't come home yet."

Sure enough, they were worried. Riya's lips curved as she leaned back against the pillows. This was exactly what she had been waiting for.

When she spoke, she faked sadness. "I did something last night that I didn't know how to face you. I am so embarrassed."

Riya's voice trembled just enough to sound convincing. She let out a shaky breath, dabbing at the corners of her eyes. "Mom, forgive me."

On the other end, Gracie's tone sharpened with worry. "Riya, you are scaring me. Where are you? Tell me—I'll come to pick you up."

"No, Mom. Don't look for me. I don't want to face anyone right now."

A pause, then Gracie spoke again, a tremor beneath the words. "Mom is not angry with you. I was just… disappointed. But I no longer blame you. You made a mistake. Everyone does. We only said those things to make you understand you shouldn't do such things. But that doesn't mean we don't love you."

Silence stretched between them for a heartbeat before Gracie added, "Don't think too much. We have already forgiven you. Now tell me—where are you?"

"I'm safe, Mom… Don't worry about me," Riya replied. "Tonight, I want to stay alone and reflect on my mistakes. Please, let me deal with myself."

Gracie hesitated, then sighed in reluctant surrender. "Fine. But promise me you will take care of yourself. Don't do anything stupid."

"I know, Mom. I won't. Goodnight. Go to sleep early."

She ended the call, lowering the phone slowly before wiping away her fake tears. A satisfied smile played across her lips. "Tonight, I want to have fun," she murmured.

Her gaze shifted to the clock on the nightstand. She had already made the call for an escort. Stretching her legs out across the bed, she let her fingers trail lazily over the satin at her thigh.

"Since Zachary doesn't care about me, I'll definitely find someone else," she said with a sly glint in her eyes.

Ding-dong.

The doorbell chimed, and Riya's pulse quickened as she imagined the man she had ordered had arrived. That man's handsome appearance flashed in the back of her mind – tall, broad shoulders, that muscular chest. She couldn't wait to see him.

She crossed the room and pulled the door open. Her smile died instantly.

Zachary stood there.

The shock was so sharp that it rooted her to the spot before her body instinctively shifted back, one step, then another.

"You?" Color drained from her face.

"What? Expecting someone else?"