###Chapter 21: Saving Yourself for Him?
Facing three pairs of eyes, Nina Wainwright, though deeply reluctant, replied, "I’m sorry, Miss Aldridge. Please accept Mr. Hawthorne’s offer."
Seeing her choose to give up, Adrian Pemberton’s heart sank.
A flicker of disappointnt crossed his eyes, but his expression quickly returned to normal.
Diana Aldridge wasn’t angry. She smiled and said, "This will depend on Lynn’s choice. Once you’ve sorted things out on your end, feel free to contact anyti."
Surprise appeared on Nina Wainwright’s face, and her heart filled with gratitude. "Thank you. I’m going to change my clothes."
Zachary Hawthorne released her, the smile on his face unwavering. "I’ll wait for you outside."
Nina Wainwright ignored him, turning to follow a maid to the restroom.
After changing her clothes and leaving the Aldridge residence with Zachary Hawthorne, Nina Wainwright wasn’t as furious as she had been before.
Once in the car, she simply stared out the window with a placid expression, not saying a word.
"What are you thinking about?" Zachary Hawthorne asked suddenly.
Without turning her head, Nina Wainwright replied in an indifferent tone, "Do I have to report what I’m thinking to you?"
Zachary Hawthorne’s expression soured slightly, but his eyes still held a smile. "That’s not necessary, but your husband has the right to know where you are and what you’re doing, instead of having you hang up on him."
Nina Wainwright curled her lip into a cold sneer.
’Does he tell where he’s going?’
Nina Wainwright didn’t even have the energy to be angry.
All she could think about now was how to get the money to placate the debt collectors.
Zachary Hawthorne was surprised she wasn’t fighting or making a scene. "Not going to argue this ti?"
His words made the frustration Nina Wainwright had been suppressing swell up and consu her.
’He ruined my future over a single al, and now he has the nerve to joke about it?’
She was in no mood to argue with him.
Arguing wouldn’t change her situation; it would only be a waste of energy.
When she remained silent, Zachary Hawthorne’s expression grew cold. He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Are you really looking for a job, or are you just looking for an excuse to spend ti with your childhood sweetheart?"
"If that’s what you insist on thinking, then I have nothing to say." Nina Wainwright had no desire to explain herself.
’She knew it wasn’t Zachary’s responsibility to shoulder her family’s debt.’
’But he knew her family’s debt was pushing her parents to the brink, yet he repeatedly sabotaged her attempts to find a job.’
’She even wondered if Zachary hated her for swooping in while Luna Sterling was abroad, and if he was now trying to drive her parents to their deaths to make her pay for it.’
’Otherwise, she truly couldn’t understand why Zachary treated her like this.’
"Nina." Seeing the utter lack of emotion in her eyes, Zachary Hawthorne felt a surge of irritation.
His tone deepened. "As long as you promise you’ll stop trying to run off all the ti, I can take care of your family’s bridge loan."
"There’s nothing for at ho, so why should I waste my ti there? Zachary, I’ve told you before, if you’re this dissatisfied, then let’s get a divorce! Enough talk! I refuse to believe you can get rejected from every job in every industry!" Nina Wainwright’s eyes flashed with impatience.
"Divorce? You think you can marry when you feel like it and divorce when you feel like it? Life doesn’t work that way."
Zachary Hawthorne caressed her chin, a sarcastic smile playing on his lips.
Nina Wainwright t his gaze and asked, "Zachary, do you hate for marrying you? Is that why you want revenge now that Luna Sterling is back?"
Zachary Hawthorne said coolly, "I’m not that petty. I’ve looked into Adrian Pemberton. He was your childhood neighbor. His family moved away during high school, and he left without a word. You must have been very disappointed."
"My job search has nothing to do with him—"
"Nina, you’d be wise not to defend another man in front of ." Zachary Hawthorne’s voice softened a little.
But the softer his tone, the more clearly Nina understood just how angry he was.
Back once again at Avelon Residence, she realized it was nothing more than a magnificent cage ant to imprison her.
She had never regretted marrying Zachary Hawthorne more than she did at that mont.
’Who knew that being a moth drawn to a fla would co with such a heavy price?’
She walked into the living room, her steps heavier than they had ever been.
Just then, Zachary Hawthorne wrapped his arms around her from behind and asked gently, "Do you want to bathe first, or eat first?"
’And after those two things ca what happens between a man and a woman.’
Nina Wainwright broke free from his embrace. "I don’t want to do anything! Go find soone else!"
’Isn’t Luna Sterling around?’
’Is he afraid of hurting her, so he cos to take it out on instead?’
His advances rejected, Zachary Hawthorne grabbed her by the hand, his other hand gripping the nape of her neck.
He pulled Nina Wainwright into his arms.
The next second, his lips crashed down on hers.
For the first ti, Nina Wainwright truly fought back, biting down hard on his lip. "I don’t want this! What gives you the right to force ?"
Zachary Hawthorne’s monts of gentleness no longer had any effect on her.
She wasn’t a fool.
She wouldn’t keep compromising on this issue just because he suddenly softened his attitude.
Shoved away, Zachary Hawthorne advanced with a cold laugh. "What’s wrong?" he demanded. "Saving yourself for your childhood sweetheart?"
"Zachary, in your eyes, does my refusal automatically an I’m doing it for another man?" Nina Wainwright laughed, infuriated.
Zachary Hawthorne gripped her chin. "Then what is it? Ever since you reconnected with him, you’ve resisted being intimate with . You were never like this before."
Nina Wainwright looked him straight in the eye. "Is it really because of him? Or is it because you leave after a single phone call every ti we’re finished? What do you take for? You even humiliate with money afterward. You should just go find soone who’s willing to sell themself!"
"Nina!" A flash of anger crossed Zachary Hawthorne’s face.
"I give you money because you need it! All you have to do to use the card is call and say a few nice things. But you’re too proud to even do that. Did you expect to beg you to take it?!"
His words cut Nina Wainwright deeply.
Tears welled up in her eyes without warning, pooling on her lashes before she could stop them.
She was particularly beautiful when she cried.
But Zachary Hawthorne didn’t want her to cry.
Stepping forward to wipe away her tears, he furrowed his brow. "It always cos back to this. You just need money. If you need money, you could just be a little more compliant. Why go through all this trouble?"
The conversation had co full circle.
Nina Wainwright couldn’t hold it in any longer, and her tears began to fall more fiercely. "Zachary..."
Through her tears, she wanted to say it again: she wanted a divorce.
Zachary Hawthorne gently kissed her tears away. "Let’s get you cleaned up and have sothing to eat first, okay?"
Nina Wainwright sniffled, saying nothing.
Zachary Hawthorne put an arm around her shoulder and started leading her to the bathroom.
When she resisted, he relented.
After she went into the restroom, he took out his phone and stared coldly at Silas Sinclair’s na in his contacts.
His eyes were dark and grim.
In the end, he put his phone away without making the call.
When Nina Wainwright ca out of the bathroom, she saw Zachary Hawthorne waiting for her.
"Let’s eat first," he said. He walked over, put his arm around her shoulder, and led her out of the room.
By this point, Nina Wainwright’s emotions had stabilized. She silently followed Zachary Hawthorne downstairs.*****
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