Page 74 of “Not” Engaged to the Grumpy Billionaire

“That’s not true,” he insists, his voice rising slightly. “You do have a place here. With me. With Max.”

“But for how long?” I ask, meeting his gaze at last. “Until Becky decides she wants to stay? Until you realize it’s easier to go back to what you had?”

His expression softens, and he steps closer, his hand reaching for mine. “Liz, that’s not going to happen.”

“How do you know that?” I whisper, my voice breaking.

He squeezes my hand, his eyes searching mine. “Because I know what I want. And it’s not Becky. It’s you.”

My breath catches, but I shake my head, pulling my hand away. “I can’t do this, Nate. I can’t stay here and watch you rebuild your life with her.”

“I’m not rebuilding anything with her,” he says firmly. “She’s here because she needs help, not because I want her back.”

“Then why does it feel like she’s taking over?” I ask, my voice rising despite my efforts to stay calm. “Why does it feel like I’m the one who doesn’t belong?” In the back of my mind I know that my fears and anger are not one hundred percent valid, but emotionally I’m in another place.

“Liz, please,” he says, stepping even closer. “Don’t do this. Don’t leave.”

I shake my head, tears spilling down my cheeks. “Why? Why should I stay?”

“For us,” he says, his voice breaking.

I stare at him, my heart pounding in my chest, and I ask, “Do you love me, Nate?”

He freezes, the words hanging between us like a challenge. His silence is answer enough.

I nod, my heart shattering as I take a step back. “That’s what I thought.”

“Liz, wait,” he says, reaching for me, but I step out of his reach.

“I need to go,” I say quietly, my voice trembling. “I need to figure out where I belong.”

I turn and leave the study, my chest tight with a mix of pain and determination. This is the right thing to do, I tell myself. For Nate. For Max. For me.

But as I close the door behind me, the tears come in earnest, and I know this is going to hurt more than anything I’ve ever faced.

I asked. He didn’t reply. That’s it.

Chapter sixteen

Nate

I stand in her doorway, my eyes fixed on Liz as she folds another shirt and places it carefully into her suitcase. Her movements are deliberate, her face a mask of determination, but I can see the tension in her shoulders, the slight tremble in her hands.

This is it. She’s really leaving.

The words sit heavy on my tongue, desperate to escape, but I don’t say them. I’ve already tried. Tried to make her see reason, to convince her to stay. But nothing worked. She’s made up her mind, and the stubborn set of her jaw tells me there’s no changing it now.

“Are you sure about this?” I ask, and my voice is quieter than I intended.

She doesn’t look at me, just zips up her suitcase and stands. “Yes.”

“I can drop you off,” I offer, hoping for even the smallest excuse to keep her here a little longer.

“No need,” she says firmly, brushing past me to grab her purse. “I’ve already called a taxi.”

The finality in her tone feels like a punch to the gut.

We walk to the front door in silence, the air between us is heavy with words left unsaid. Max is at school, and the house feels emptier than usual, as if it’s already preparing for her absence.

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