15. Chapter Fifteen Nathan

Chapter Fifteen: Nathan

T he steering wheel felt cold beneath my grip, a reminder of the chill that had settled both outside and within me. As I drove to the jeweler's, my heart thumped erratically against my ribcage, each beat a conflicted echo of Abby's words. They were true, painfully so, yet part of me—a stubborn, foolish part—still yearned to slip a ring on her finger, to claim her as mine in every sense.

I tried focusing on the road ahead, but last night's conversation with Ma haunted me, playing over in my mind like a broken record. She was scared. Said Ba had grown paranoid, his mind a dark labyrinth with no way out but violence.

And she had reason to be afraid; I knew firsthand how deep his madness ran.

It had been close to a decade since he'd last beaten me, but the blows had come fast and frequently when I was a kid. After he'd come home from Hong Kong, he'd become the monster that stalked the waking nightmare that was my life…and I knew he would hurt any of us, given the chance.

I had to do this for all of us—for myself, for Abby, my mother and siblings…even Alex, even if he was guilty.

Parking outside the jeweler's, I exhaled, trying to steady my nerves. The reflection in the rearview mirror showed a man teetering on the edge of two lives—the one he was born into and the one he longed to have. But there was no room for hesitation; decisions had to be made, actions taken.

I stepped out of the car, the cold air snapping at my cheeks. Lily was already there, her presence a silent comfort. But she wasn't alone—Justin leaned against the wall beside her, an uninvited shadow in our midst. I hadn't seen him since the blowup at dinner, when he'd invited

"Didn't expect to see you here," I said.

"Thought I'd tag along," Justin replied, his grin lopsided, a mask that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Good," I lied with ease, clapping him on the shoulder. "Glad you're here." In truth, it was a relief to see him; lately, it felt like any one of us could be snatched away by Ba's spiraling delusions.

"Ready to do this?" Lily asked, her tone light but her eyes searching mine for signs of weariness.

"Yeah." The lie tasted bitter on my tongue. "I'm terrible at picking out jewelry. Abby hated the last piece I got her."

The collar…not that I could tell my siblings she hated it because it was a locked tracking device.

"Ah, well, we've got your back," Lily quipped, easing the tension with a smile. "Let's find something she can't say no to."

"Let's hope so," I murmured, forcing a subtle smile as we walked toward the entrance.

The jeweler's shop was a fortress of glass and gleaming metal, the air scented with a mix of polish and the faintest hint of Lily's floral perfume. The receptionist greeted us with the kind of smile reserved for clients about to drop serious cash, extending her hand.

"Mr. Zhou," the receptionist said, her voice smooth as silk, "right this way, please."

Lily touched my arm, her fingers a whisper of reassurance. We followed the receptionist through the maze of display cases, each one holding more wealth than most people saw in a lifetime. At the end of the corridor, she ushered us into a private room, the door closing behind us with an ominous click.

"Your jeweler will be with you shortly," she promised before leaving us in the hushed sanctum.

I paced the small space, hands shoved deep into my pockets. The walls were lined with mirrors that reflected our anxious trio from every angle. This marriage might be a sham, Abby a pawn in Ba's game, but I couldn't shake the desire for her to actually like the ring. It was a pathetic sort of hope, clinging to normalcy where there was none.

"Hey, Nathan," Lily started, eyes narrowed in concern, "is everything really okay with Abby?"

"Fine," I snapped a little too quickly, then softened. "It's fine, Lil. Just want to get this right, you know?"

"Of course, we'll find the perfect ring," she assured me, though her gaze told me she wasn't buying my act.

A soft knock preceded the jeweler's entrance—a man with thick glasses and a tape measure draped around his neck. He carried a tray of rings, each nestled against black velvet like stars against the night sky.

"Mr. Zhou," he said with a bow of his head. "I've brought a selection to start with, to give us an idea of what you're looking for."

My eyes skimmed over the display: diamonds winking up at me, sapphires as deep as ocean trenches, rubies that held the promise of blood and fire. But none of them spoke to me; they were all just stones set in metal, trinkets without meaning.

"Very nice, but not quite right," I muttered, feeling the frustration knotting in my gut. Why was it so hard to choose a damn ring? Maybe because it felt like choosing the chains that would bind Abby to this life, to me, forever.

"Any particular style you're drawn to?" the jeweler prodded gently, sensing my hesitance.

"Something unique," I said, frowning. "These are...too standard."

"Understood," he replied with a practiced smile. "Let me bring a few more selections."

As he left, I caught my reflection in the mirror—hair a ruffled testament to my restless fingers. I was out of my depth here, floundering in a sea of expectations and unspoken fears. Abby deserved better than this farce of a proposal, but here I was, desperate for her to love a ring that symbolized a lie.

It was madness, yet I couldn't walk away.

"Silver," I blurted out suddenly, turning to Lily. "Abby likes silver."

That was why she'd said she hadn't liked the necklace—not because it was a collar, but because it was gold and not silver. It seemed odd that she'd complained about that, when I'd used it to keep her prisoner…

…made it clear she had, in fact, liked it.

Lily's eyes softened, "Okay, silver it is. Does she like any particular stones? Anything you've noticed?"

I hesitated, but then the image of Abby flashed across my mind: her laughter, the way her eyes crinkled at the edges, the intense green that seemed to hold a whole jungle.

"Green," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. "Something with green...her eyes are..."

"Come on, Nathan, spit it out," Justin chimed in, a playful smirk dancing on his lips.

"Her eyes are the most incredible shade of green I've ever seen," I confessed, feeling a heat rise to my cheeks. It was more than I intended to reveal, but there it was—the truth laid bare before my siblings.

Justin let out a low whistle, teasingly bumping his shoulder against mine. "Look at you, being all romantic. Who knew our big brother had it in him?"

"Shut up," I grumbled, although the ribbing eased some of the tension coiled inside me. In this room, surrounded by the sparkling reminders of a commitment I both longed for and feared, I allowed myself a moment of vulnerability. Abby's eyes were my beacon, and if I could capture just a fraction of their beauty in a ring, maybe this whole charade would feel a little less hollow.

The jeweler returned, breaking the moment with a velvet tray laden with a new selection of rings. They glistened under the showroom lights, each one meticulously crafted to catch the eye and the heart. But it wasn't the sparkle that drew me, it was the color—a white gold band nestled among its peers, designed with an elegance that didn't scream for attention but somehow commanded it all the same.

"Ah, this looks promising," Lily murmured, leaning in for a closer inspection. But I was already fixated, my gaze locked onto the large marquise-cut diamond flanked by a constellation of emeralds. It was like the ring had been waiting for me, for Abby, a silent acknowledgment of the turmoil and love that bound us together.

"Can I see that one?" My voice came out hoarse, the weight of the decision pressing down on me. This wasn't just a ring; it was a lifeline, a hope, maybe even a mistake, but it was too late to back down now.

"Of course," the jeweler replied with an accommodating smile, plucking the ring from the cushioned surface and placing it into my outstretched palm.

The cool metal against my skin felt like a promise, a tangible piece of a future I was desperate to secure. As I held it, turning it slightly to watch the light dance off the emerald facets, something inside me clicked. It wasn't logic or reason, but a visceral certainty that coursed through my veins—the same certainty that told me I would do anything for Abby, even if it meant playing a role in a farce that could destroy us both.

This was Abby's ring. It was as if it had been crafted with her in mind, the green stones a mirror to her vibrant eyes, the diamond a testament to the strength I knew she possessed. A perfect contradiction of durability and beauty, much like the woman I couldn't seem to let go of.

"Yeah," I murmured, almost to myself, "this is the one."

Lily leaned closer, her eyes bright as she examined the ring in my hand. "Nathan, it's stunning. Abby will love it." Her voice was soft but certain, a soothing balm to my tangled nerves.

Justin gave an approving nod, his usually guarded expression softening for a moment. "Good choice, brother," he said, and I could tell he meant it.

I exhaled, relief momentarily easing the tension in my shoulders. Their agreement was like a sign, affirming my choice despite the whirlwind of doubt and fear that had become my constant companions.

The jeweler's voice cut through the moment, professional but laced with a note of caution. "The price tag on this one is significant," he began, eyeing me carefully as if gauging my reaction. "We can set up a payment plan if you—"

I raised a hand to stop him, my decision made. The price didn't matter; not when it came to Abby.

Not when it came to this small piece of hope I was clinging to.

"Doesn't matter," I interrupted, my voice firm despite the tremor of emotion that threatened to betray me. "Just give me the bill."

Money was just paper and numbers. But what it could buy in this moment was priceless: a chance at something pure amidst the chaos, a gesture of love in a world ruled by power and fear.

The jeweler nodded, perhaps recognizing the resolve in my eyes, and retreated to prepare the paperwork. As I stood there, the weight of the ring in my hand grounding me, I knew that no matter the cost, I would pay it.

Even after everything…I wanted to spoil her, make her a queen.

And this was just the beginning.