His name was Nathaniel

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Four years had passed since the incident that changed Nathaniel's life forever. The legal battle between his father, his aunt Lydia, and his maternal grandparents had finally reached an agreement. Nathaniel would live primarily with his mother's side of the family, spending most of his time at their warm, welcoming estate. He visited his paternal grandfather Victor's home during the holidays, as well as seeing his father, Edward, during these brief stints. While his father had reluctantly agreed to the arrangement, the tension between them still lingered, unspoken but ever-present. Edward still struggled to accept the situation, barely uttering more than a few words during their sparse encounters. His pride remained a fortress, too high and impenetrable to admit any wrongdoing or vulnerability.

Nathaniel, now 22, had matured in many ways. He had graduated from an elite all-boys private school with his high school diploma and had gone on to pursue a bachelor's degree in business, excelling academically allowing him to graduate early. His grandparents supported his education wholeheartedly, believing it would prepare him for whatever future he chose. After finishing his bachelor's, Nathaniel was now about to embark on his master's studies, his mind sharp and focused on his responsibilities and future.

But no matter how busy his life became, thoughts of Adaliya never fully left his mind. The press had grown increasingly intrusive as the years went by, hungry for more stories about the reclusive Donovan heir. Nathaniel had managed to keep them at bay, maintaining a low profile, yet even in his solitude, he would find himself haunted by memories of her. Their fleeting moments together-the soft smile she used to give him, the spark in her eyes, the last time they kissed. It was the one connection from his past that still stirred something deep in him, despite the time that had passed. His love for Adaliya was still there and wouldn't even dare to let another woman close to him.

Meanwhile, Adaliya had tried her best to move on from the chapter of her life that included Nathaniel. At first, after his sudden disappearance and lack of contact, she had been devastated, feeling as though he had abandoned her. The hope and excitement she once carried had slowly turned into anger and resentment. Nathaniel had promised something, had made her believe in a future that never came.

In the years since, she focused on her passion for art and fashion design, attending college and immersing herself in her studies. But as much as she tried to move on, to let the pain dissipate, no other man had ever caught her attention the way Nathaniel had. She kept her head high, refusing to let anyone see how much it still affected her.

Her hurt had hardened into something sharp, something almost bitter. She couldn't forget how deeply Nathaniel had wounded her. The one person she had trusted with her heart had disappeared without a word. It was as though he had never existed at all, leaving her to grapple with the aftermath of a love that had ended before it had even begun.

Even so, no matter how much she told herself she had moved on, there were nights when her mind wandered back to that summer, to the boy who had captured her heart, only to shatter it. And those were the nights when her anger for Nathaniel burned the brightest.

Now, as Nathaniel prepared to continue his master's studies, and as Adaliya worked tirelessly to complete her degree, they were both at a crossroads in life. Though they were separated by distance and time, the unspoken connection between them remained, tethered to the past.