Reclaimed By My Ex-husband-Chapter 300: Her soulmate

Chapter 300: Her soulmate
Liam’s jaw slackened. "Are you serious?" The shock in his voice was unmistakable.
All along, it had been Nathaniel who had barred him from getting close to Zara, dismissing him as unworthy of her. Because of that, Liam had begun to doubt himself, never once finding the courage to voice his feelings. He had convinced himself that her happiness alone mattered, even if it meant watching her build a life with another man.
He had believed she would never choose him. That belief was why he had kept his distance all these years. And now, Nathaniel was asking him to be with her.
It sounded utterly unreal.
"I am," Nathaniel said firmly. "I was the one who stopped you. I never let you confess to her. If I hadn’t interfered back then, she wouldn’t have suffered the way she did all these years. My selfishness robbed both of you of a chance at real happiness."
He fell silent. His throat burned, the words lodging painfully in his chest. Emotion pressed down on him until it was hard to breathe.
"I thought she would never leave me, that she couldn’t live without me or this family she valued so much," he continued hoarsely. "But the truth is, I’m the one who can’t survive without her."
A bitter smile tugged at his lips. "I was terrified of losing her. That fear turned me possessive. I used authority and control to bind her to me. The arrogance, the coldness I showed her—it all came from my fear of being abandoned. I was a coward. And because of that, I hurt her again and again."
He shook his head slowly. "I don’t deserve her love."
He looked up at Liam. "But you are different. Your love isn’t about possession. You don’t want to cage her. You want to cherish her. And that’s exactly what she needs. Go and tell her how you feel. There is no reason to hide your feelings anymore. You and Zara are meant for each other."
The thought of seeing her with Liam tore at his heart, but he forced himself to accept it. This was reality now.
"I made mistakes in the past," he whispered with regret. "And now I’m fixing them. I’m stepping aside and giving you the chance I never should’ve taken away."
Liam shook his head, still unable to process what he was hearing. It was hard to believe that Nathaniel, the same man who had once blocked him at every turn, was now pushing him toward Zara. He was convinced Nathaniel was speaking under the influence of alcohol.
"Alright, enough," Liam said firmly. "It’s late. Let’s go home. We’ll talk tomorrow when you are sober."
Ignoring Nathaniel’s weak protests, he hauled him out of the bar.
Nathaniel fell asleep almost as soon as Liam lay him on the bed.
Liam stood there for a long moment, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest, his own thoughts in turmoil.
’Was he serious?’ he wondered. ’Is he really willing to let Zara go? Do I still have a chance?’
Hope ignited in his eyes, sending a rush through his heart. He had always loved Zara and wanted to make her his. He had just buried those feelings for years.
Now, faced with even the slightest possibility, his excitement surged.
’If Nathaniel truly steps aside, I won’t hold back anymore,’ he resolved. ’I’ll pursue Zara. I’ll do everything I can to win her heart.’
He pulled the blanket over Nathaniel and murmured, "Sleep well, my friend. Good night."
As he turned to leave, Nathaniel’s phone suddenly rang on the bedside table. Liam halted mid-step when he saw Zara’s name on the screen.
’Why is she calling him?’ he wondered, his gaze shifting to Nathaniel, who was still sound asleep.
An uneasiness gripped his heart. After hearing Nathaniel speak so decisively about letting Zara go, Liam had begun to believe that their marriage was truly over. But seeing her calling Nathaniel made his resolve falter.
’What if she has decided to forgive him? What if she wants to reconcile?’
The thought sent a tremor through his heart.
There was a selfish part of him that didn’t want her to return to Nathaniel. After all these years, he finally had a chance to confess, to pursue her openly. He didn’t want to lose it before even trying.
’If she tells me she still loves him, I’ll step back,’ he told himself. ’I’ll respect her choice.’
He glanced once more at his friend. "Sorry, Nathaniel. You gave me this chance... and I won’t waste it. Don’t regret it."
The phone continued to ring as Liam walked out.
Zara pulled the phone from her ear when the call went unanswered.
"Why isn’t he picking up?" Her brows knitted as she stared at the screen. "Is he still at the office?"
She assumed he must be caught up in work and resisted the urge to call again. "He’ll return my call when he is free."
Slipping the phone back into her bag, she looked at Zane sleeping peacefully beside her. A smile softened her features.
"Good night, sweetheart," she whispered. "Mommy is leaving now. I’ll come back tomorrow."
She bent down and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead before slipping out of the room. As she walked down the hallway, Gracie came toward her.
"Are you leaving already?" Gracie asked.
Zara nodded. "Yes. Zane has fallen asleep."
"Why don’t you stay the night?" Gracie suggested warmly. "It’s drizzling, and the weather has turned chilly. You shouldn’t travel now."
Zara hesitated. Part of her wanted to stay, quietly hoping Nathaniel might return for dinner. But it was already late, and he hadn’t answered her call. Maybe he was still tied up at the office, or maybe he was deliberately keeping his distance.
"I’ll come tomorrow," she said at last. "I should go."
Gracie could only nod. "Alright. Drive safely."
"Good night, Mom." With those words, Zara took her leave.
~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day...
When Nathaniel finally stirred, it was already late morning. Harsh sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut again.
"Ugh..." he groaned, his head pounding. "Why does it hurt so much?"
He slowly pushed himself upright, wincing as the light stabbed at his eyes.
"Damn it... Why is it so bright?"
It took him a moment to realize he had overslept. A string of curses slipped from his lips.
"What time is it?"
Reaching for his phone on the bedside table, he glanced at the screen and froze.
A missed call from Zara.
For a second, he wondered if his mind was playing tricks on him. He blinked hard, rubbed his eyes, and unlocked the phone, staring at the screen again.
It was real.
’She called me,’ his inner voice whispered, his heart beginning to race with a restless excitement.
The drowsiness vanished in an instant. The throbbing in his head blended with the violent pounding of his pulse, echoing in his ears.
"Damn it—why didn’t I answer?" he berated himself.
He had waited three long months for her call, and when she finally reached out, he had been asleep like a corpse.
"I shouldn’t have gone to that bar." Regret flooded him. "It’s all because of the alcohol. God... she must be upset. I’ve disappointed her again."
Then his conversation with Liam resurfaced in his mind, sending a sharp prickle across his scalp. What if Liam had gone to Zara and confessed his feelings? What if she had accepted him, even agreed to marry him?
"No. No, no... this can’t be happening," he mumbled, panic tightening his chest. "I—I can’t let her go. I need to talk to her before Liam does. I have to see her."
He flung the blanket aside, leapt out of bed, and rushed into the bathroom. After a hurried shower, he threw on his clothes, grabbed his car keys, and bolted out.
"Sir, you are finally awake," Mrs. Jules called after him. "Breakfast is ready."
"I’m late," Nathaniel replied without slowing down. "I’m not eating."
He stormed out of the house, jumped into his car, and drove straight toward the Moore mansion. Hope and anxious anticipation surged through his veins, making him restless.
He couldn’t wait to see her.
The car raced down the road, yet it felt unbearably slow to him. Every second seemed to drag to eternity, his impatience clawing at his chest. He wanted to reach her immediately. If he could, he would have flown to her side.
When he finally entered the neighborhood where the Moore mansion stood, his heart pounded wildly. But just as he drew closer, he saw Zara and Liam walking out together.
Nathaniel’s face went rigid.
He pulled over to the side of the road, his eyes fixed on them. Zara and Liam were laughing, standing far too close, their ease with each other painfully obvious. They looked natural and intimate, as though they belonged to each other.
Jealousy scorched through Nathaniel’s veins, his fingers curling tightly around the steering wheel.
He wanted to get out, to stride over, wrap Zara in his arms, and claim her back. The urge was overwhelming, but his body refused to move.
She looked radiant with Liam, genuinely happy, as if she had finally found her soulmate. And in that picture of her happiness, Nathaniel saw no place for himself.
The realization struck him hard, rooting him where he sat. All he could do was watch as Zara climbed into Liam’s car.
"She has made her choice. And I have no right to stand in the way of her happiness."
Tears blurred his vision as he powerlessly watched Liam’s car fade into the distance.