A thick silence draped over the room like a cloak, the atmosphere growing tenser with each passing second. Gracie and Vincent exchanged worried glances. Zara sat quietly, emotionally distant from the brewing storm. But Riya's heart fluttered with a thrill she could barely contain.
Nathaniel's disapproval had ignited a spark of hope in her chest. The way he had openly criticized his own friend just to oppose her marriage—it had to mean something.
'He doesn't want to see me with another man. It means he likes me.' Her lips curled into a faint smile.
For a moment, she forgot about Zachary and the contract that bound her to him. All she could think of was Nathaniel. His conflicted expression, his protective tone made her heart flutter.
If he truly harbored feelings for her, she would make sure to turn those feelings into something real, something permanent.
