> "I'm not even that special. I saw you at the window and I thought my family would have informed you. I...I'm sorry." I say as my chest starts to hurt and I can barely breathe. > > "You are still an exceptional person. It's in your personality. My instinct is sure of it." > > "I'm not, though. There's nothing extraordinary about me. I'm not strong, I don't have that confidence. If something happens to me, I can't save myself. I will just be a huge burden." > "No," he cuts me off, and I can see a glint of anger in his eyes. "YOU ARE NOT a burden. You are my partner. Destiny brought you to me." > > "Fate didn't create me for anyone, Nathan. No one wants me." I say as my voice begins to shake. It's not going the way I thought it would. I never imagined having to convince my partner that I'm not good enough. But this man continues to surprise me as he grabs me and pulls me onto his lap. > "There are people who want YOU, Clara. I want you. Your parents adopted you, they wanted you. Your brother always wanted to be by your side. He never stopped talking about you .You are unique, Clara, but that doesn't mean you're not enough or unwanted." He then said to me, holding me against him on his knees, "I want you."
Chapter 1 Chapitre 1
It was an evening Clara never expected to experience. Lights twinkled through the huge glass windows of the reception room, a stark contrast to the metallic coldness of the city below. She was only there out of obligation, accompanying a journalist friend who had insisted that she accompany her. "You can't stay locked up at home reading all your life, Clara," she told him, in a tone so insistent that she didn't dare refuse.
Now she regretted it bitterly. The boring conversations, the exaggerated laughter, the champagne flutes that were being emptied at an alarming rate, all of it gave him a strange desire to disappear. She was looking for a discreet exit when a murmur spread through the crowd.
"He's here. »
"Are you talking about Nathan? »
" Of course. Who else could attract this much attention? »
Clara raised her eyebrows. She wasn't particularly interested in public figures, but the name seemed to spark a wave of curiosity around her. As if to confirm the whispers, a male figure entered the room, instantly attracting everyone's attention. Tall, impeccably dressed in a black suit that seemed to cost a small fortune, Nathan had a magnetic presence. His dark hair was carefully styled, and his face, although marked by an apparent coldness, carried a disturbing intensity.
Clara quickly looked away. She had no desire to get lost in the whirlwind of collective fascination that seemed to surround this man. She was just a passing guest, not a socialite looking for connections. However, her friend gave her no choice.
"Come on, I'll try to talk to him," she whispered, grabbing Clara's hand without waiting for a response.
"No, I'm not interested! » Clara protested, but her friend was already making her way through the crowd.
While trying to follow, Clara tripped against a coffee table, knocking over a glass of champagne which splashed onto a nearby guest. "Oh no, I'm sorry! » she exclaimed, embarrassed, bending down to pick up the broken glass.
"Do you often cause disasters at parties where you don't even belong? »
The voice was low, tinged with barely veiled amusement. Clara sat up abruptly and met Nathan's gaze. His steel gray eyes seemed to bore into her, a mixture of interest and challenge. She felt her face burn with shame.
"I...I'm not doing this on purpose," she stammered, clutching the broken glass in her hand nervously before realizing she might cut herself. "It was an accident. »
"An accident, huh? » He tilted his head slightly, a mocking sparkle in his eyes. "You have an interesting way of attracting attention. »
"I'm not trying to get attention," she replied, straightening up. "I was just looking for my friend. »
"Your friend seems to have abandoned you. » He gestured towards the crowd, where his friend was already deep in conversation with someone else, completely oblivious to Clara's situation.
She clenched her jaw, torn between annoyance and embarrassment. "I'm going to leave. Sorry for the inconvenience. »
She turned on her heel, but before she could move away, he took a step forward, stopping her with a wave of his hand.
" Wait. »
Clara hesitated, surprised by the suddenly softer tone of his voice. When she looked up, she saw that the mocking expression was gone, replaced by something more serious.
"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," he said, almost softly. "Let me introduce myself. Nathan Blackwell. »
Clara stared at him for a moment, the name echoing in her mind. Nathan Blackwell. The businessman who had built an empire from nothing, according to the articles his friend had forced him to read before the party. Powerful, influential...and seemingly uncompromising.
"Clara," she replied simply, not seeing the point in giving her full name.
"Clara. » He said her name as if he were testing it, as if he were trying to understand what was hidden behind it. "You don't seem like the type to enjoy these kinds of events. »
" And you ? » she retorted before she could stop herself. "Do you like that, playing the star in the middle of the crowd? »
To her great surprise, he smiled. Not a wide or warm smile, but a slight stretch of his lips that softens his features.
"Not particularly," he admitted. "But there are some obligations you can't run away from. »
Clara felt a hint of vulnerability in his voice, a nuance that surprised her. This man, who seemed so imposing, visibly carried a weight that he did not show to anyone.
"Well, maybe we should both run away," she joked, trying to lighten the mood.
He stared at her, as if he were actually considering her suggestion. "Run away, huh? » he murmured, thoughtfully.
Before she could understand what he meant, an elegant woman interrupted their exchange, placing a possessive hand on Nathan's arm.
"Nathan, I've been looking everywhere for you," she said in a smooth voice, completely ignoring Clara.
He looked away from Clara to look at the woman, his expression instantly closing. "Not now, Amelia. »
The woman seemed taken aback by his cold tone, but she quickly recovered, giving Clara a contemptuous smile before walking away.
Clara suddenly felt too much. "I'm really going to leave this time," she said uncomfortably.
"Wait," he repeated, this time with urgency in his voice.
She turned around slowly, not understanding why this man, who clearly had a thousand other people to talk to, was interested in her.
"Clara," he said, his gaze fixed on hers. "You're different. »
She frowned, confused. "Different from what? »
"Everything else," he muttered, almost to himself.
She didn't know what to say, but before she could form a coherent thought, her friend reappeared, grabbing her arm enthusiastically.
"Clara, come on! They're starting to serve dessert," she said happily, completely ignoring Nathan.
Clara, still in shock from their exchange, allowed herself to be dragged away, casting one last glance over her shoulder at Nathan.
He was still there, motionless, watching her leave with an intensity that deeply disturbed her.
Other books by max htn
More