Reclaimed By My Ex-husband-Chapter 297: You care for him deeply.

Chapter 297: You care for him deeply.
Zara’s thoughts drifted back to the night she had returned to the runway after five long years away from the fashion world. Liam, who rarely made public appearances, had broken his own rules just to be there for her. At the time, she had assumed he was simply impressed by her designs. It had never crossed her mind that it was because he had feelings for her.
"I know you are exceptionally talented," Edith went on. "You have a rare gift. But you are not the only talented designer out there. And yet, he chose you as his partner. Why do you think that is? Was it just your skill?"
She shook her head. "No. If it were only about talent, he would’ve made you the lead designer of his brand, not his business partner."
Zara’s expression shifted. She could hear the ache beneath Edith’s words. Maybe Edith didn’t consider her worthy enough of standing beside Liam.
"So... you are saying I’m not fit to be his partner?" Zara questioned.
"No, not at all," Edith said quickly, sensing Zara had mistaken her. "That’s not what I mean. You are the most suitable partner he could ever have. I’m telling you this so you’ll understand him better. He’ll never confess his feelings to you. He’ll choose silence, endure the heartbreak of seeing you with his friend, and still support you with a smile. That kind of love... it hurts."
Her voice trembled. "I don’t want him to suffer like this anymore. Please, Zara... choose him. He deserves to be loved. If you have decided to walk away from Nathaniel, consider Liam. He will cherish you. He’ll make you happy."
Even as she spoke, Edith’s heart ached unbearably. But she was willing to endure that pain if it meant bringing the woman Liam loved into his life.
"I’m sorry. I spoke too much today." She blinked rapidly, forcing the tears back. "Please take a look at the event plans."
Edith stood up, ready to leave, then hesitated. After a brief pause, she added, "Don’t take my words to heart. I let my emotions get the better of me and said more than I should have. If anything I said offended you, I apologize."
She turned toward the door. Before she could take more than a couple of steps, Zara’s voice stopped her.
"Wait."
Edith froze, her back stiff. A wave of fear washed over her. She had overstepped, revealing Liam’s feelings without his consent. If Zara ed this to him, he would be furious. He might even fire her and cut her off completely.
Regret flooded her at the thought of her impulsiveness.
"Why do you care so much about him?" Zara asked, rising from her chair and walking toward her. "He never said anything to me. If he had feelings, he could’ve approached me."
She stopped in front of Edith, studying her face. But Edith couldn’t meet her gaze. Her eyes darted away, anywhere but Zara.
"He had the opportunity," Zara continued. "Nathaniel didn’t marry me right away. He dated my sister for three years before they got married. They were together nearly two years before Nora passed away, and Nathaniel married me. Liam had more than enough time to approach me and confess back then if he truly loved me. But he didn’t."
She took another step closer to her and cocked her head slightly as she asked, "Are you certain I’m the one he loves?"
Edith’s face drained of color. The truth was, she wasn’t certain. It had always been an assumption, a feeling that Zara was the woman Liam loved. But Liam had never revealed who the one he loved was.
Facing Zara’s direct question, Edith found herself completely speechless. She had nothing to prove her doubt.
"I don’t know how he feels about me," Zara went on. "But he always treated me as a friend. I don’t know whether I’m suitable to be his business partner, but it’s a great honor for me to be able to work with him, and I’ll always be grateful to him."
Zara’s sharp gaze lingered on Edith, noting every subtle shift—the flicker of unease in her eyes, the tremble of her lips, her quick, shallow breaths, the restless movement of her fingers. Edith’s nervousness was unmistakable.
"He is a true friend," Zara said calmly. "He has always been there for me. I’m fortunate to have such a great friend in my life. I don’t know why he has always been so kind to me. I can’t say for certain whether his actions come from affection or something else. But there is one thing I do know certainly..."
She reached out and lifted Edith’s chin, forcing her to meet her gaze. "You have feelings for him."
A chill ran down Edith’s spine, her face flushing crimson. She was stunned that Zara had seen through her so easily.
"You love him quietly," Zara continued. "You never found the courage to confess because you believed his heart already belonged to someone else. And when you saw him helping me, you were jealous and insecure. That’s when you began to resent me when I didn’t even understand why. I used to wonder why you were indifferent toward me while Liam said so many good things about you. I thought that was just your nature. Now I see the truth."
Edith’s face was ashen. She felt laid bare, shame and guilt crashing over her all at once. She wished she could disappear, dissolve into thin air.
"It’s love," Zara said, her tone unyielding. "You care for him deeply."
She shook her head in disbelief. "Honestly, Edith, I’m stunned. Liam is blind. Why didn’t you ever tell him? Why keep burying your feelings like this?"
Edith’s shock deepened under Zara’s searching gaze. She had expected anger, reproach, perhaps even retaliation. She had feared Zara might use her closeness with Liam to push her aside. But instead, Zara showed no trace of resentment.
"How...?" Edith whispered. "How did you know? I’ve never told anyone."
"I didn’t need to hear it from someone else," Zara replied. "It’s written all over your face. You are head over heels in love with Liam."
Edith’s hand flew to her mouth. She couldn’t let Liam discover the truth. Losing this job would devastate her. Even if she could never be the woman by his side, at least she could remain near him, work with him, and see him every day.
"Please, Zara," she begged, her eyes welling up. "Don’t tell him. He mustn’t know about this, about this conversation."
"Why?" Zara asked, genuinely puzzled. "You’ve buried your feelings for him for so long. How much longer can you keep doing that?"
"I’m begging you," Edith repeated desperately. "Please don’t say a word to him."
Zara still couldn’t grasp what was stopping Edith. "You’ve worked with him for years. He is comfortable with you. He trusts you, depends on you. If you tell him how you feel, he might begin to see you differently. He is single, and he isn’t trying to return to his first love. That’s enough to prove that he isn’t holding onto the past."
She took Edith’s hands. "Maybe he has been waiting for the right woman to start a family. I honestly believe that once he knows how you feel, he might accept you."
"You don’t understand," Edith muttered, pulling her hands away. Fear quickly gave way to frustration. "He’ll hate me. He’ll sever all ties with me. I can’t lose this job, alright? Please don’t create problems for me."
With that, she rushed out of the room.
Zara stood there, watching her go, then slowly shook her head. "I don’t know why you are so afraid of confessing your feelings," she murmured. "No... you shouldn’t have to suffer like this. Liam deserves to know the truth."
Resolve flickered in her eyes. She decided she would speak to Liam herself.
"Mommy..."
Zane suddenly ran in and wrapped his arms around her legs.
Zara laughed softly, wrapping her arms around him. She glanced toward the door, checking if anyone was coming in. "Who brought you here?" she asked, looking down at him.
"Daddy," Zane answered.
Zara’s smile stiffened, her heart skipping a beat. "Your daddy is here?"
Zane nodded. "He came to pick me up from school," he explained. "Then he took me out to eat. After that, I asked him to bring me to you, and he did."
Zara looked toward the door again, half-expecting Nathaniel to appear. But the hallway remained empty. "Where is he?" she asked quietly. "Isn’t he coming in?"
Unaware of the tension between them, Zane shook his head. "No. He said he had to go back to the office."
Zara rushed outside at once, clinging to the faint hope that he might still be there. But the moment she stepped out, she saw his car already moving down the driveway. She stood rooted to the spot, watching as it passed through the gate and disappeared.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Nathaniel had come all the way here, yet he had left without seeing her. It pierced her heart.
When she had told him to keep his distance, she hadn’t truly expected him to take her words so seriously. She had believed he would return, that he wouldn’t stay away from her for long – because Nathaniel would do whatever he wanted to do. Instead, he had honored her wish and kept his promise.
"Three months... it’s been three long months," she murmured under her breath. "Don’t you miss me at all?"
"Mommy, this is for you."
Zane’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
Zara looked down to see him holding out a red box. It was a jewelry case. Her pulse quickened as she asked, "Who gave this to you? Your daddy?"
"Yes. He told me to give it to you."
Zara opened the box quickly. Inside lay a stunning necklace, sparkling under the sunlight. Beneath it was a small note. She picked it up and read:
’I wanted to give this to you in person, but I promised I wouldn’t appear before you until you wished to see me. I won’t break that promise. Still, I hope you’ll wear it to the upcoming party. Will you?’
Zara bit down on her lower lip, fighting back tears. "I’ll wear it," she whispered. "I hope you’ll see it."