Reclaimed By My Ex-husband

Zara let out a soft sigh as she turned to the next page, her eyes skimming over the familiar handwriting.

'I'm starting to like this new school. I've even made a few friends. But my little sister—the introvert—still hasn't managed to make any. She just sits in a quiet spot with her drawing book, scribbling away.'

Zara chuckled softly at the memory. It was true—she had struggled in those early days. While she hadn't shown her unease as openly as Nora, she had been just as unsettled, aching for her old friends and the school she had left behind. But she had kept it to herself, burying the homesickness beneath sketches.

She remembered those days, tucking herself into a quiet corner, filling page after page with designs—whatever ideas drifted into her mind. It was her escape, her way of keeping the rest of the world at bay.

Then there was that one day when she had looked up from her sketchbook and seen Nathaniel on the basketball court, all energy and confidence. Tall, broad-shouldered, quick on his feet… and far too handsome for her peace of mind.

She could still picture the way his face lit up when he sank the ball into the hoop, his triumphant jump, the easy way he threw his arms around his friend. A loose strand of hair had fallen across his forehead, and something in her chest had shifted.

From then on, she often found herself in the corner of the stadium, her sketchbook forgotten on her lap, eyes fixed on him as he played.

She shook her head at the memory, smiling to herself before glancing back down at the page.

'But today, Zara is excited. She was talking about a boy she met at the basketball court. I think she has a crush on him. I can't stop laughing—my introvert sister is finally opening up. I really want to know who he is.'

Zara felt heat creep up her cheeks as the memory came rushing back. She could almost see her younger self again—bright-eyed, talking about Nathaniel.

How effortlessly he moved on the court, how powerful his shots looked, how unbearably handsome he was. She had been so swept up in the excitement that she hadn't cared if she sounded silly.

Turning the page, her eyes darted over the next lines.

'Zara dragged me to the basketball court today, eager to show me the charming boy she had met. I was curious too—anyone who could catch my quiet sister's attention had to be special. She pointed him out, and I followed her gaze. I nearly laughed. It was Liam.'

Zara froze, spine snapping straight. "What? Liam?"

Only then did she remember that the other boy was playing alongside Nathaniel.

'So, that boy is Liam.' Zara didn't even know until now.

She frowned. "But I showed her Nathaniel, not Liam…"

Then it clicked. She remembered that Nathaniel hadn't been alone that day—his friend had been with him. The moment came back to her in fragments - Nathaniel crouching to tie his shoelaces just as Nora turned to look where she'd been pointing. Nathaniel hadn't been standing when Nora turned to look; he had crouched down to tie his shoelaces.

In that exact moment, Liam had been in full view.

"Ohhh…" She groaned, pressing her fingertips to her temples. "Of course. She must have seen Liam and assumed that's who I meant."

The embarrassment made her want to sink into the mattress. "Why didn't I realize at the time?"

Back then, she had been too absorbed in watching Nathaniel to even think about explaining Nora clearly. And just like that, her sister mistook the whole thing, which she had never bothered to clarify.

Zara's eyes dropped back to the page.

'A friend of mine told me about him—apparently, he is an infamous playboy at school and advised me to be cautious. And today, of all places, he approached me in the library to introduce himself. I paid him no attention. I also cautioned Zara not to let herself get too smitten with him. The last thing I want is for her to end up hurt.'

Zara let out a sigh, Nora's warning still echoing in her mind. At the time, she had brushed it off without a second thought. She had been so wrapped up in her quiet admiration for Nathaniel that she hadn't cared about anyone else's opinion—not even her sister's.

All she had wanted was to watch him from afar. Nathaniel laughed as he made a perfect shot, the subtle flex of his muscles as he moved, the way his hair fell into his eyes, and that dangerously handsome face that had stolen her attention from the start. Every detail had enthralled her, drowning out her sister's warning.

But now, with Nora's journal in her hands, Zara finally understood the reason why her sister had cautioned her.

"She misunderstood me," Zara murmured under her breath with a quiet sadness.

"What are you mumbling?" Nathaniel's deep voice cut through her thoughts.

Zara's head snapped up. "Uh, nothing."

His gaze slid to the loose stack of papers in her hands. "What are you reading?"

She folded the pages quickly and slipped them into the chest, shutting it with a click.

Nathaniel's eyes narrowed, curiosity sparking. "Are those love letters? From your ex?"

"What?" Her eyes flew wide. "What letters?"

He smirked, closing the distance between them with unhurried steps. The mattress dipped under his weight as he climbed onto the bed. "Then what are you hiding?" He inched toward her with a playful glint in his eyes. "It's really suspicious."

"I don't have any ex," she muttered defensively, "and those aren't love letters. They are just torn pages from my old diary. I was… reminiscing. And you are not allowed to peek."

She shifted, ready to slip out of bed and tuck the chest somewhere safe, but before she could move, his hand shot out. His fingers wrapped firmly around her arm, pulling her back against him.

"But you are my wife," he said softly, leaning in until his breath brushed her skin. "You can share everything with me. I want to know what is in those pages."

Heat rushed through Zara, her skin prickling under his closeness. His breath brushed against her ear, sending tiny shivers racing down her spine. Her pulse hammered so hard she was certain he could hear it.

A part of her ached to melt into his arms, but she forced herself to stay still.

"It's not exactly right to go through another person's diary," she said, contradicting her own actions.

"Then tell me yourself," he countered smoothly, "and I'll just listen, like it's a story."

She turned her head slightly, catching him in a sidelong glance. "And what if I don't?"

A sly answer came. "Then I'll find my own way to read them."

"Nathaniel, you are impossible," she huffed, nudging his stomach. She tried to wriggle free, only to make him tighten his hold, pulling her snug against his chest.

"Relax, I'm teasing. I won't read them—at least not until you want me to."

That softened her, her smile returning. She'd tell him everything once she finished reading.

"But you shouldn't be up so late," he chided gently. "You should try sleeping earlier."

Her lips pressed together. This was the moment she had been waiting for a long time. She turned toward him fully. Their eyes met, and her heart started racing.

"I've been waiting for you," she said quietly. "I wanted to tell you something."