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."
