Chapter 205: Can you feed me?
"That’s wonderful," Gracie clapped delightfully. "Then we should start planning the engagement soon."
Riya grinned. "Thanks, Mom." She passed a provocative look at Liam, clearly enjoying his uneasiness.
Liam shifted in his seat uncomfortably. He picked up a glass of water and took a sip, his displeasure evident. Since he couldn’t say no to his parents, he had planned to make Riya reject him. But her reply dashed his plan.
Why was she so eager to marry him?
He didn’t like her. There was no way he would marry a woman who had tried to hurt Zara. Restless energy swirled within him, blending with desperation and growing frustration. It felt as if the trap he had set for Riya had caught him instead, cornering him with no escape.
"What makes everyone so delighted?" Nathaniel’s voice pierced the air as he strode over and took his seat beside Zara. "Did I miss something?" He swept his gaze at the people around the table.
"Of course, everyone is happy," Riya replied before anyone could say a word. "I am getting married."
Nathaniel snapped his head toward Liam with confusion and disbelief. The question burned his chest. Why was Liam so eager to marry Riya?
It was definitely not out of love. Maybe for the benefits the Lawsons would get from this marriage.
Nathaniel didn’t have enough time to dwell on it as Riya’s next words interrupted the trail of his thoughts.
"Zara must be the happiest one. Am I right?"
The smugness on Riya’s face made Zara want to puke. But she managed a smile, hiding her resentment. "You are right," Zara replied. "You are marrying such a successful person. As your sister-in-law, I’m definitely happy."
Liam almost choked at her words. The sharp jab of the words ’a successful person’ hit him right in his heart, leaving him breathless. He glanced at her, but she simply avoided meeting his gaze.
Her cold indifference made him feel worse than the words themselves. If she had shouted at him or confronted him outright for keeping the truth from her, it wouldn’t have wounded him as much as this silent dismissal did.
"Yes, why wouldn’t you be happy?" Riya drawled with a sarcastic smile. "After all, the troublemaker of the family will be gone."
Zara also flashed the same smile at her. "You finally agree that you are a troublemaker."
Riya’s smile disappeared straight away. Furious, she made a face of dismay and tugged at her mother’s arm. "Mom, look at Zara. She is cursing me."
"Hah..." Zara laughed scornfully. "You called yourself a troublemaker."
"Enough, Zara," Gracie snapped, silencing her. "You don’t have to be that sarcastic. Look at her – you made her upset."
Zara opened her mouth to retaliate, but Nathaniel clasped her hand under the table. She whipped her head toward him, scowl creasing her brow.
Nathaniel shook his head slightly, signaling her to stay calm. But Zara’s fury was yet to subside. She had been silent all the time, not caring about what Riya was doing or whether she agreed to marry Shay or Liam or whoever. It was Riya who had provoked her purposefully. But Nathaniel was silencing her instead of stopping Riya.
The thought only added to her fury, mingling with her earlier disappointment with him.
’You only know to stop me,’ she thought. ’You wouldn’t say a word against Riya.’
"Quiet, everyone," Vincent said with authority. "Don’t spoil the mood of the evening. Let’s eat."
Zara hung her head down in shame, pain, and anger. She felt Vincent’s words were directed to her. It was as if she were the one, the real troublemaker, who had tried to ruin the evening. Tears stung her eyes.
She wished to disappear. However, to maintain the peace and decorum of the family, she remained in her place. Her food remained untouched.
Nathaniel sensed her tension. He gently brushed his thumb over her hand in an attempt to soothe her, tell her that he was there for her. But this small gesture wasn’t enough to erase the sting of shame and the burn of anger she felt.
She drew her hand out of his grip.
Nathaniel glanced at her, catching the glimmer of tears threatening to fall. The sight pierced him, and his chest tightened with ache. It made him only determined to find a way to ease her pain.
He put the steak on her plate. "Eat," he murmured, leaning slightly toward her.
Zara blinked her tears away, still avoiding looking into his eyes. "You don’t have to do this," she whispered. "You should focus on your own plate."
"Do you want me to feed you?" he whispered back.
Zara’s breath caught in her throat at his suggestion. She quickly glanced around the table. Thankfully, everyone seemed busy eating, not looking at them.
"Don’t provoke me," she hissed, giving his leg a swift kick under the table.
Her words and her actions stirred something dark inside him, instead of deterring him. A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes as he nudged her leg back in return.
Zara flinched, snapping her head toward him. Nathaniel raised an eyebrow as if challenging her.
Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, she bit down her frustration and furiously cut the steak, stuffing a piece into her mouth.
Nathaniel watched her eat. Finally, his provocation was successful. She started eating. But he wasn’t done with her. He wanted to tease her further.
"Can you pay a little bit of attention to me?" he asked, pulling an innocent look over his face. When Zara turned to him, he held up his injured hand. "My hand is injured. I can’t eat with my left hand. Can you feed me?"
Zara almost choked on her food. She swallowed hard and looked at him with wide eyes. ’Feeding him in front of everyone! Is he serious?’
But when her gaze landed on his injured hand, her heart softened a bit. ’Maybe he really does need my help,’ she thought.
"Zara, dear, help him," Paulina urged.
Zara nodded and fed him a piece of steak she had already cut. Nathaniel ate with satisfaction, his eyes never leaving hers.
Across the table, Riya seethed silently. The sight fueled her jealousy, leaving her simmering in hatred.
On the other side, Liam’s chest tightened with an unease he couldn’t shake. He had heard that Nathaniel and Zara’s relationship had not been like a loving couple, but it was just a marriage of duty that held them together for Zane’s sake. But what he saw contradicted everything he thought he knew.
Seeing them so close, so intimate, as if there were no one but only the two of them, tugged at his heart. Jealousy and restlessness tangled inside him, stripping away his composure. His appetite vanished, and all he wanted was to leave right away.
Despite the tension around the table, the dinner ended peacefully. Liam said goodbye to everyone and left. Nathaniel came out of the house to see him off. Once they were outside, he turned to Liam.
"Are you sure about this marriage?" Nathaniel asked. "You hardly know about Riya. Don’t you think you are taking the decision in haste? Take your time and think it over; you can still change your mind."
Liam fixed him with an icy stare. "Forget about me. I gave you the surveillance footage from the hall. You should have already figured out who drugged Zara. When are you planning to take proper action?"