Chapter 25
ANNA‘ S POV
I had to blink back the tears that were threatening to spill down my cheeks. Nate loved me?
I felt my heart skip a beat, and I found myself moving closer to him without even realizing it. “But I thought you were just…I don’t know, caught up in the moment or something. I didn’t think you were serious.”
Nate let out a chuckle. “Serious? Anna, I’ve
been in love with you for years. Those times I teased you in school, I did it
because I didn’t want to fall for you and then you notice it. I just…I didn’t think I was going to confess it like this, not with Caden standing right here. But when else was the right time, you know?” He paused, licking his lips. “And my heart wouldn’t be able to bear it, seeing you walking away
from me.”
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My heart was practically soaring with joy right now. The most beautiful feeling in the world was someone feeling exactly how you felt.
“Yesterday, I had been trying to find out how your work was sabotaged,” he continued, his voice serious. “And I’m still trying to…” He paused mid–sentence, his eyes narrowing as he remembered something.
“Oh my god, the CCTV!” he exclaimed, his eyes widening. “There’s a camera in the room where the product was kept. I need to check the footage. I-
He immediately fished his phone out of his pocket and started typing away.
Sophie suddenly looked uncomfortable and pale, like she wanted to bolt out of there. But she wasn’t fast enough.
Nate’s eyes searched the screen, his face darkening with anger. “You,” he growled, his eyes flashing with fury as he turned to
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her.
The video on Nate’s phone showed her taking the formula and mixing it with something else. She tried to deny it at first but then confessed to it, a smug look on
her face.
“So, you figured it out, huh? Took you long enough.”
Nate held me tighter to himself.“You were the one sabotaging Anna’s work?” He was literally barking at her now.
Sophie sighed and flipped her stupid red hair casually. “Well, well, look who’s the big detective,” she sneered. “Yeah, it was me. I was the one who tampered with the formula, mixed it with that other crap. Didn’t you deserve it, Anna? I’ve been with Nate since freaking high school; how dare you!”
Nate was quick enough to call the cops, who luckily were nearby. He held her down from escaping, and I watched as the
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officers arrived and Sophie was taken away, kicking and screaming.
As soon as she was gone, I immediately hugged Nate. “Thank you for clearing my name. It means so much.”
His arms tightened around me, his chest warm against mine. “I’ll always protect you.”
I pulled back, looking up at him with tears in my eyes. “Did you mean what you said before?”
He nodded, his eyes burning with intensity. “Every word. But if you don’t love me, and you choose Caden since you two have history… then I’ll back off.”
“But if you do love me…” His voice trailed off, his eyes searching mine.
I nodded, a tear slipping through my eye. “Shut up. Yes, yes, I love you too.”
Caden looked like he had been struck by lightning, his face pale with shock. But
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honestly, I couldn’t care less. He stormed
off in silence, banging the door loudly after him.
Nate’s face lit up, and he let out a shaky laugh. “You… you love me?”
He reached out and cupped my face, his thumb gently wiping away the tears that had escaped down my cheeks.
I leaned into his touch, my own hands. coming up to cover his. “Yes, you dummy. I love you, too.”
***
A year had passed, and it was the biggest day of my career so far–the launch of my new skincare line, “Anna’s Glow.“.
My company was the most talked about in the state now, and I couldn’t be happier.
I was trying to pose for my shoot as my brand’s face when a familiar voice
boomed from the back of the studio.
“That’s my wife, everybody!” Nate shouted,
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striding over to me with a huge grin. The crew members burst out laughing as het pulled me into a tight embrace.
“Baby, what are you doing? You’re going to mess up my hair and makeup!” I protested, though I couldn’t help but laugh along with everyone else. Nate had a way of making
even the most stressful situations feel
lighter.
“I’m just so proud of you, babe. The whole world is about to know how incredible you are,” he said, giving me a quick peck on the lips before stepping back to let the team get
back to work.
The photographer began directing me through a series of poses while Nate and my parents watched from the sidelines, beaming with pride.
The studio door burst open after the shoot was over, and in walked my mother–in–law, holding my baby girl, Elise. My face lit up instantly at the sight of her.
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“Someone wanted to say hi to Mommy,”
Nate’s mom
said softly, gently passing the baby to me. I melted as I gazed down at her perfect little face, her big blue eyes staring up at me in
wonder.
“Hi, my sweet girl. Mommy missed you,” I whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. Elise gurgled happily, her tiny hands reaching up to grasp at my shirt.
My parents–in–law had changed and been so supportive, especially with the arrival of our little girl who was barely two months
old.
We received a gift package later on from Caden congratulating me on my new launch. I read the little note he wrote and
smiled. He was in Italy now, having a new life. I was glad he had found his own happiness and he had finally backed off.
Nate came over, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as he peered down at our
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daughter.
“Look at our little princess,” he murmured. “You two are the most beautiful girls in the world; I’m so lucky.”
“I’m the luckiest woman on earth.”
THE END
