Lily POV
The words resonated through me not because they were cruel, but because they were true.
I had been waiting, hadn’t I? Waiting for Kai and I to get better, for the curse to be broken and so we can finally be together. But somehow, I was still waiting for him to want me the way I wanted him.
"It's not that simple," I whispered.
"Isn't it?" Nathan's hand found mine again, his thumb tracing gentle circles over my knuckles. "You're an extraordinary woman, Lily. Brilliant, beautiful, strong. You deserve someone who sees that, who chooses you every day without hesitation."
I looked up at him then, really looked, and saw something in his eyes that made my breath catch. There was admiration there, yes, but something deeper too. Something that spoke of possibilities I hadn't allowed myself to consider.
"Nathan," I began, but he shook his head.
"I'm not asking for anything," he said gently. "I just want you to know that you have options. You always have options."
