Reclaimed By My Ex-husband-Chapter 301: Plan of life

Chapter 301: Plan of life
Zara and Liam arrived at a restaurant and took a corner table, ordering their food soon after. Liam couldn’t stop smiling, though beneath it lay a knot of nerves and fear. For the first time, he was finally ready to confess his feelings to the woman he had loved for so many years.
He had practiced his words countless times since the night before. Every sentence had sounded perfect in his head. Yet now, sitting across from her, those carefully rehearsed confessions refused to leave his lips.
His resolve and his courage were at odds. He was determined to tell her he loved her, but the moment he faced her, the bravery he had carried from home slipped away. All he could manage was a nervous smile.
"So... how is the preparation going?"
Zara assumed he was referring to the fashion event scheduled for next month. "I’ll start working on it in a few days. Right now, I’m busy arranging my in-laws’ anniversary party."
"That’s what I meant." He laughed.
Realizing her misunderstanding, Zara laughed as well. "Sorry—my mistake."
"No, that’s on me. I didn’t phrase it properly."
They shared another laugh. Liam watched her smile so heartily. He was delighted to share this pleasant moment with her, but the nervousness that tugged at his heart refused to leave.
"I want you to come early to the party," she added.
"I will," Liam replied, lifting his glass of water and taking a sip, his heart pounding. He set the glass down. "Um..." He hesitated momentarily. "What are your plans?" he asked carefully. "I mean..."
He paused, searching for the right words. "You’ve been living alone in your ancestral house for the past three months, without contacting Nathaniel. What are you thinking about your life? Are you... are you planning to forgive him and go back to him? Or are you thinking of moving on?"
His fingers intertwined beneath the table as he waited, his heart thudding with restless anticipation. He desperately hoped she would say she had decided to walk away from Nathaniel. But her answer caught him completely off guard.
"Yes, it has been three months," she began slowly. "This distance, this time apart—I needed it to sort out my thoughts, to understand myself and my heart better. And to be honest, staying away from him made me realize what I truly want."
She met his eyes and said, "I still love him. I once believed that as an independent woman, I was enough on my own, that I didn’t need anyone, that I could raise my children by myself. But even when I was surrounded by people, there was always a void in my heart."
Her emotions grew heavier. "I smiled with everyone, kept myself busy with my design work. On the surface, everything seemed perfect. Yet when the day ended, loneliness crept in quietly."
She let out a sigh. "That emptiness is painful. No one could erase it—not my friends, not my colleagues, not my work. Nothing made me feel whole. I missed his presence. He is the only one who can complete me, the only one who makes life truly meaningful."
She nodded to herself. "I finally understood that he is a part of me, and I can’t simply let him go. No matter how many conflicts we have, no matter how angry I am with him, I still need him."
Liam realized he couldn’t bring himself to confess again. Deep down, he had always known that Zara’s love for Nathaniel would never fade. Even if she chose not to forgive him or reconcile, she would remain alone. She would never choose another man.
And yet, despite knowing this truth, he had still dared to hope. A selfish, foolish part of him had clung to the fantasy that he might get a chance to pursue her, to win her heart. He had even imagined marrying her.
But reality shattered that illusion. Zara had never been his, and she never would be in this lifetime. She had always belonged to Nathaniel.
"You must think I’m foolish," Zara chuckled. "And yes, maybe I am. He hurt me in so many ways, yet I couldn’t stop loving him. It’s true—he didn’t love me at first. But you know how it is. Living together for so long, sharing everything—we became emotionally and physically attached, dependent on each other. And somewhere along the way, he slowly fell in love with me. It was inevitable."
Liam forced a smile, though his heart ached painfully. "You are right. Nathaniel loves you." The next minute, he clenched his teeth in frustration. "He is an asshole."
He was furious with Nathaniel for never truly understanding Zara and for giving him false hope. But more than that, he was angry with himself for believing those words, for ignoring the truth, and for dreaming of something he had always known he could never have.
"He doesn’t understand his own heart," Liam muttered darkly. "That arrogant man only thinks about himself, never about how others feel. All he knows is how to give orders. That’s his biggest flaw."
With each word, his irritation increased. "He doesn’t try to know what other people are thinking. He tries to manipulate the situation according to what he thinks. It’s about him only. Everything should happen in his way."
"Hah..." Zara laughed. "I thought I was the only one who got irritated with him. I didn’t know you had been bottling up so much frustration toward him."
Liam froze, suddenly realizing he had vented far more than he intended. Awkwardness quickly transformed into embarrassment.
"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I talked too much."
"It’s fine," she waved it off. "I don’t mind at all. Actually, I’m relieved to finally have someone I can complain to about Nathaniel."
She leaned forward and lowered her voice. "Whenever you get annoyed with him, we can sit like this and vent together. We’ll curse him, let out all our frustration. I promise I won’t tell him a single word. You can trust me completely."
Liam stared at her in disbelief. "Seriously?"
"Absolutely."
A smile slowly returned to Liam’s face. The ache and bitterness that had weighed on his heart earlier began to ease. He might not have been able to confess his feelings or make her his, but she had already become a close friend.
And if he couldn’t marry her, then so be it.
Her friendship was far more precious. Confessing his feelings now would only complicate things, and he didn’t want to risk losing what they already had.
"Deal. I’m in," he said with a broad grin, extending his hand.
Zara giggled as she shook it. "Alright then. Now tell me about you. What’s your plan?"
"My plan?" He scratched his forehead. "Nothing special. I’m busy handling the family business. And I’m planning to expand my design studio with your help. That’s about it."
She shook her head. "No, that’s not what I meant. I know you are great at your work. You’ve achieved so much already. Your name itself is a brand. I’m asking, when are you going to settle down and start a family?"
Liam rubbed the back of his head, a wry smile on his face. Marriage had never been part of his plans.
"You know me. I’m not exactly the relationship type. The infamous Playboy."
He laughed at himself. "Being tied to one woman for the rest of my life sounds boring." With a careless shrug, he added teasingly, "Well... I might’ve considered settling down if you were available. But you are already taken. I missed my shot."
He finally hinted at his true feelings beneath the sarcasm, but Zara took it as nothing more than a joke.
"That’s not who you are," she countered. "You are a good man—reliable, trustworthy. I don’t believe for a second that you are a playboy or incapable of loyalty. You’ve just built that image to protect yourself."
Her words stunned him. She was right, but very few around his circle knew about it. Even Nathaniel didn’t know. How had she seen through him so easily?
He felt exposed, and it made him uneasy. He laughed, trying to brush it off. "You are flattering me."
"I’m serious," Zara said firmly. "What would you do if you met someone who truly loved you and wanted to spend her life with you?"
Liam’s heart thumped. He hadn’t expected the conversation to head this direction. His unease deepened.
"What are you talking about?" he said, attempting to deflect. "There is no one like that. Anyone who has come close has only been interested in my money. True love is rare."
He paused, then added casually, "But if one day you are done with Nathaniel and want a fresh start, you can think about me. I’d marry you without hesitation."
He said it boldly, but Zara still didn’t take him seriously.
"You don’t have to wait for that," Zara said. "There is someone who loves you with all her heart."
Liam’s smile faded completely. His thoughts began to whirl as he tried to figure out who she could possibly mean.
"Who?" he asked, dazed.
"You know her," Zara said gently. "She is very close to you. She works with you."
Edith’s name flashed through his mind first, but he dismissed it almost instantly. How could that be possible?
To him, Edith was his subordinate, his assistant—nothing more. She respected him as her boss, her mentor. And he, in turn, had always treated her like a family.
’No... it can’t be her.’