Selena woke to the feel of warmth pressed against her back. Nolan's arm was draped over her waist, his breathing steady, his face buried in her hair as if even in sleep he was terrified of letting her go.
For a fleeting second, she allowed herself the comfort of it—the safety of being wrapped in his arms. But the memory of the birth certificate lying in tatters on the floor snapped her back to reality.
She carefully shifted, trying not to wake him, but Nolan stirred immediately. His grip tightened around her waist.
"Where are you going?" His voice was low, husky with sleep.
Selena stilled. "I need some air."
He nuzzled her shoulder, kissing the curve of her neck. "Stay. I don't want to wake up without you."
Her heart ached. "You almost lost me last night."
He sighed heavily, sitting up. His hand dragged through his hair, his eyes shadowed with regret. "I know."
Silence settled between them until Nolan swung his legs off the bed and stood. "Get dressed. I'll show you everything."
---
They drove in silence, the city blurring by. Selena's nerves tangled into knots. She didn't know whether she wanted his proof to free him or condemn him.
Nolan parked in front of a sleek, glass-walled office building. He led her inside, past security, up to the twelfth floor, and into an office lined with filing cabinets.
"This," Nolan said, unlocking a drawer and pulling out a folder, "is what Clara didn't want you to see."
He spread the documents across the desk—legal papers, signed statements, notarized copies. "That birth certificate? Forged. Clara hired someone to create it, to make you believe I had a child I abandoned."
Selena scanned the papers, her hands trembling. Each page detailed investigations, timestamps, and sworn testimonies. Everything pointed back to Clara.
"She… she faked it?" Selena whispered.
"Yes," Nolan said, his voice hard. "Because she knows the only way to hurt me is through you."
Selena sank into the chair, her mind spinning. Relief and anger warred within her chest. She looked up at him. "Why didn't you tell me about this before?"
"Because I thought I could protect you from her games," Nolan admitted. He crouched in front of her, his hands closing around hers. "But I was wrong. Keeping you in the dark only made her lies stronger."
His gaze burned into hers, raw and unguarded. "Selena, I swear to you—on my life, on everything I have—I don't have another family. I don't have secrets about a child. I only have you."
Selena's throat tightened. "You swear?"
"Yes." He pressed her hands to his chest, right over his pounding heart. "Feel that? It only beats for you."
Her breath shuddered out of her, tears slipping down her cheeks. For the first time in days, the weight on her chest eased.
Nolan stood and pulled her against him. "No more shadows. No more half-truths. You are my light, Selena. Always."
---
His lips met hers before she could reply, soft at first, then deepening as her arms wrapped around his neck. The kiss was hungry, desperate, a seal on their fragile truce.
He lifted her onto the desk, scattering papers, his mouth trailing down her throat. She gasped, tilting her head back as his hands slid beneath her blouse.
"Nolan—" she whispered, her legs tightening around his waist.
"God, I need you," he groaned, his hands tugging at her clothes until she was bare against the cool wood. His mouth closed around her nipple, sucking hard until she moaned, his tongue teasing her peak while his hand stroked lower, finding her already wet for him.
"Please," she gasped, clutching his shoulders.
He growled low in his throat, lowering himself between her thighs. His tongue flicked against her clit, slow and deliberate, before he sucked hard, making her cry out. Her hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer as waves of heat built inside her.
"Yes, Nolan—don't stop—"
Her climax hit hard, her cries echoing through the office, but Nolan didn't stop. He devoured her until she was trembling, weak, her body undone by his relentless mouth.
Then he rose, kissing her with lips still slick from her, and entered her in one deep, claiming thrust.
Selena gasped, her nails digging into his back as he filled her completely. "Oh God—"
"You're mine," Nolan groaned, driving into her harder, deeper, each thrust punctuated with raw need. "Say it."
"I'm yours!" she cried, her body breaking apart again around him.
Nolan groaned her name as he released inside her, holding her tightly, their foreheads pressed together.
---
Minutes passed before either spoke. Nolan kissed her softly, brushing damp hair from her face. "I'll never let Clara win. I'll fight for us every damn day if I have to."
Selena cupped his face, her thumb brushing over his lips. "Then fight with honesty. That's all I ask."
"I swear."
For the first time, she believed him.
This chapter finally brought truth into the light. Clara's deception was revealed, but more importantly, Nolan and Selena's intimacy was laced with reconciliation and trust. Their bond grew stronger—even as danger still lurks in the shadows.
NisotWrites
---
Now that Clara's lies are exposed, Nolan and Selena can breathe—briefly. But Clara isn't finished. A new scheme is already in motion, one that will strike closer than either of them expects…