The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus)

"What are you trying to say?" Zachary pressed a hand against the wall, effectively

trapping Sophia in front of him.

"Sophia, look at me. I know what you're afraid of. I know your past-every

struggle, and every hardship. You went through it all with me by your side.

"I understand your pain better than anyone. I ache for you more than anyone else

ever could. I want to protect you, to cherish you. Give me a chance, please.

"If there's even a little bit of affection, even the smallest flicker of feeling for me in

your heart, then give me this chance. Give yourself a chance too. Alright?"

His intense and unwavering gaze burned into hers. "We've known each other for

years. I won't make empty promises, and I won't swear on things that don't matter.

I'll prove myself with my actions.

"My feelings for you are real. I want to take care of you, to be with you, and to

never leave your side.

"Sophia, take a gamble. One last time.

"I won't let you hurt again. Trust me."

His gaze was too intense, and his presence was too overwhelming. Even though

there was still a distance between them, Sophia felt like there was nowhere left to

run.

He had been with her for so many years. He knew all of her pain and her secrets.

People said that companionship was the longest confession of love. In all these

years, he never had another woman by his side.

Even as a doctor, she was the only patient he ever truly cared for.

"Sophia, can you be a little braver?" He leaned in slightly and said in a coaxing

"voice, "You just need to answer me honestly. Do you have even a little bit of love

for me?

"You don't have to do much. Just stand where you are and wait for me to come to

you. Just take one step toward me after I've taken 99 steps toward you."

Sophia's heartbeat quickened uncontrollably, and her mind suddenly went blank.

She couldn't think at all.

How long had she known about Zachary's feelings?

She couldn't remember. She only knew that whenever she was hurting, she

always went to him.

Sometimes, she wouldn't even say anything. She'd just sit in his office, silently

crying while pouring out the sorrow and struggles she couldn't tell anyone else.

And Zachary would patiently sit with her, listening-never rushing, never judging.

He knew all her secrets, yet he always treated her with kindness and warmth. In

her hardest times, he was always the one by her side.

She pressed a hand against her chest, searching for an answer. Did she truly

have no feelings for him at all?

No.

She did.

She was just too scared.

"Sophia, be brave," he said gently.

He reached out and took her hand in his. His palm was large, completely

enveloping hers. "Sophia, if you can honestly tell me that you don't have even the

slightest bit of love for me, I'll walk away and never bother you again.

"But I need to hear the truth. Can you do that for me?"

His hand was warm, but the heat of his grip made her shiver. She couldn't bring

herself to look up, but she could feel his presence clearly, surrounding her.

"Sophia, look at me."

His voice was deep and gentle. "Don't look away. Look at me and tell me your

answer."

"My mom told us to buy groceries," she finally whispered in a barely audible voice.

Her face was burning, and her heart was racing. "If we don't leave now, we won't

make it in time."

"There's already food in the kitchen. I

stocked it this morning." He

chuckled softly. "Ms. Blair overheard

me saying I was your boyfriend, She

saw that you wanted to say

something to me but hesitated. She

sent us out on purpose to give us

time alone.

"Sophia, I don't want to wait anymore. If I don't say it now, you'll just keepnoveldrama

pretending you don't know.

"Ask yourself. Do you want to be with me?"

Her eyes burned, and her vision blurred with unshed tears.

She wanted to, but did she deserve to?

Zachary didn't care about her past, but what about his family?

"If you're worried about my parents, you don't have to be." He seemed to have

read her mind. "They've known about my feelings for you for a long time.

"They also know you were once engaged to Sky. They even warned me not to

interfere that I shouldn't be the third party in your relationship. So, I approached

you as your therapist instead."

"When... When did you start liking me?" She gathered her courage and looked up

at him with red eyes. "I'm not a good person at all. I don't deserve you."

"There's no such thing as 'deserving' in love. There's only who you love," he said,

cupping her face gently. "If you want to know when I fell for you, it was back in

high school.

"You were wearing a blue floral

dress, standing outside the school

walls, rescuing a stray cat. You were

so scared, but you picked it up

anyway because it was pregnant

and about to give birth.

"After that, I started watching you in secret. You made a little shelter for the cat,

brought it food every day, and when it gave birth, you tried to find homes for the

kittens.

"But none of the kittens got adopted." His voice turned icy. "Because Ruby found

them first. She poisoned the food, killing both the cat and her babies.

"I found out too late. When I got there, you were already fighting her and the

people she brought with her."

"So... it was you who saved me that day?" Sophia's voice trembled. "But why did

Sky show up instead?"

"I called him," Zachary admitted in a

tone tinged with bitterness. "We all

knew about your engagement. I was

afraid that if I stepped in, it would

cause trouble for you. If anyone else

misunderstood, it wouldn't matter to

me-I could take it. But not you."

She looked at his eyes, which were unwavering and filled with warmth and

sincerity.

He looked at her like he was showing her his heart-open, raw, and completely

hers.

"Sophia, I've always known how I felt about you." His voice was steady, filled with

quiet conviction. "But are you clear of your own feelings?"

She looked into his eyes. After a long silence, she slowly reached up, wrapping

her arms around his neck.

He pulled her into his embrace and held her tightly against him.

He had waited for this moment for so many years.

From the first time he saw her until now, exactly nine years had passed.