Nothing Better (Than You) - English Vers.

¤ Chapter 29

Nate took a final glance in the mirror to confirm that her appearance was respectable. Although her complexion had regained some of its natural hue, the unmistakable shadows beneath her eyes betrayed her chronic sleep deprivation and nocturnal tears. She fervently hoped that her week-long absence from the office wouldn't spark any unfavorable rumors.

Nate emerged from her bedroom, her bag slung over her shoulder, intending to take her leave of Julian. However, a quick scan of the siting room and kitchen revealed no sign of him. His absence left her wondering—where had he gone?

"...I'm afraid I won't be departing just yet."

Nate's stride came to an abrupt halt as Julian's voice carried from the porch, indicating that he was presently engaged in a telephone conversation.

"Indeed. We've recently suffered the loss of our child. Consequently, I must remain by my wife's side until she recuperates," Julian explained, rendering Nate momentarily immobile. "Very well. I shall be in touch again soon. Thank you for your comprehension."

Immediately after Julian concluded his conversation, Nate approached him with an air of nonchalance, as if she had remained oblivious to the exchange.

"Time to head out?" Julian asked, shoving his phone into his pocket. "I've got some stuff to take care of, so I'll drop you off at the office."

As they drove to the office, Nate couldn't help but steal frequent glances at Julian, her expression tinged with guilt. Julian had, after all, informed her of his intention to relocate to Stockholm a considerable time ago, but he'd never left because of her. One certainty Nate clung to was that she would not be accompanying him, for Julian had never extended an invitation or solicited her company.

"You can go if you want," Nate said eventually.

Julian looked at her. "Where's that?"

"Stockholm." Nate replied. "Sorry, I caught your conversation earlier. You've been delaying your move for ages. You can go; I'll be okay here. Your job is a priority. I don't want to hold you back."

Julian's silence was palpable. Nate mentally replayed her previous exchange with Julian, uncertain whether she had articulated her thoughts effectively. Furthermore, she found herself questioning her own desires, wondering if she truly wished Julian to depart without her by his side.

They didn't say a peep until they reached Nate's office. Julian even took off the moment Nate stepped out of the car. What did Nate expect, anyway? A goodbye kiss and a "have a good day" like they normally did?

The moment Nate stepped into her office, she fired up her computer to tackle her backlog of work. She felt bad for Penny after seeing all the price list requests and orders piling up in her inbox. Nate quickly made her way to the marketing and sales department to catch up with Penny. Penny was sipping coffee at her desk with Layla. As soon as they spotted Nate approaching, they both turned to look at her.

"Nate! You made it!"

Nate smiled as Penny and Layla hurried over. "Sorry, I dumped a ton of work on you."

"Please, I've got this! I can totally handle a project solo," Penny shot back.

"So you're saying I'm not helpful?" Layla asked, sounding a bit defensive.

"Hey, it's your project, so you've got to pitch in," Penny said. "And, Nate, we're really sorry about your baby."

Nate's expression was puzzled as she gazed at Penny and Layla. "How did you..."

"I called you when you didn't show up at the office. I was worried about you after you almost passed out during that client visit," Layla said. "Your sister picked up, and she told me you were in the hospital after losing the baby. We wanted to visit, but your sister said no, that you needed to rest."