60

Nathan was sitting behind his desk with a frown, his gaze lost somewhere on the wall. He didn't even know why he was there; he couldn't work.

He arrived at his house, which had once been his favorite place, but it no longer was. Everything had changed. Now it was a cold and somber place.

Suzanne had been like a warm light that had come into his life to brighten it, but that light had gone out. He had reached a point of no return.

"If I had done things right, if I had at least loved her as she deserved," he thought.

Why had she died? Why had all his efforts only made things worse?

"What I said wasn't true, I didn't want them to die. I would give anything to turn back time and not have said those damn words," he said angrily.

"I'm an empty shell, I don't know how to love, and now I'll never know," he whispered softly.

He knew it was useless to regret it now; it had been two months since she was gone, and every minute felt like real torture. He could barely eat and even less sleep.

He wanted to kiss her, caress her, and hold her in his arms, perhaps to make love to her, but he couldn't… he never could again, and that was slowly killing him.

He wasn't the kind of man who got married and dedicated himself to his family, but he was willing to do it because he loved Suzanne and their baby.

Nathan's self-control vanished after the call to his grandfather. He had cremated the bodies of his wife and child; it was real… that nightmare was a reality.

His legs trembled, and a wave of nausea hit him, making him feel sick and lost.

"This is fucking torture," he muttered through clenched teeth. "I just wanted to see you one more time, Suzanne.”

He wanted to confront his grandfather and unleash all his rage, but he told himself it wouldn't help. He had messed up by going after her, had pushed too hard, and now he had to live with the consequences.

He loved her, but now she was gone, thinking he was a vile and heartless being. He stood there in the middle of the living room, crying like a small child.

He tried to make it to the kitchen for a glass of whiskey, but the lump in his throat and the pain piercing his heart wouldn’t let him continue.

He leaned against the nearest wall and slid down to the cold floor. There, his mask fell, and his sobs filled the hallway.

"Suzanne, Suzanne!" his voice broke.

But she couldn't hear him; she was gone. He told himself he had never felt such pain. Why did it hurt so much? He felt like a part of him had died.

Suzanne was sitting on the edge of the bed in a hotel room, feeling a strange anguish in her chest. The room was spacious, with sober and elegant decor.

The half-open curtains let in the soft light of the late afternoon, creating a tranquil atmosphere. However, that calm did nothing to ease the unease that gripped her.

She got up and started pacing back and forth, trying to understand the source of her anxiety. It was as if a dark shadow loomed over her, foreshadowing an imminent tragedy.

Meanwhile, miles away, Nathan cried inconsolably in his apartment.

The death of Suzanne and their child had left him devastated. He was sitting on the floor, surrounded by empty bottles and photos of Suzanne.

His mind was torn between disbelief and deep pain. He felt like dying, to join them in death, where perhaps he could find some peace.

Soft knocks on the hotel door interrupted Suzanne's thoughts. It was Jarek.

Opening the door, he looked at her closely, noticing her paleness and anxious expression.
"Are you okay, Suzanne?" Jarek asked with a concerned voice, entering the room and closing the door behind him.

She sat back down on the bed, trying to find the right words to describe what she was feeling.

"I don't know, Mr. Strong. I have a strange feeling in my chest, like something terrible is going to happen. I can't shake this anxiety," she responded, placing a hand on her heart.

Jarek frowned, trying not to show his worry.

"You must be exhausted. These have been difficult days. It's normal to feel this way after everything you've been through. But don't worry, I'm here to take care of you," he assured her, although his thoughts were already racing.

Jarek stepped out of the room for a moment and called his guards, whispering so as not to alarm Suzanne.

"Go check on that idiot grandson of mine. Make sure he doesn't do something stupid," he ordered, his eyes reflecting a mix of concern and anger.

He closed the phone and returned to the room, trying to reassure Suzanne with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Meanwhile, his thoughts were taking a darker turn.

"He can't take the easy way out, it wouldn't be fair, and Suzanne would never forgive me," Jarek thought, clenching his fists tightly.

Despite his disdain for Nathan, he understood the pain of losing a loved one. He had felt something similar when he lost his own daughter and grandson Jeremy.

"Differing guilt, this will forge your character, Nathan," he murmured to himself, convinced that what he was doing was best for everyone, although the weight of his decisions was beginning to feel heavier.

Back in the room, Suzanne noticed his distraction.

"Mr. Strong, are you sure everything will be alright?" she asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

Jarek approached her, sitting beside her and taking her hand firmly.

"Everything will be alright, Suzanne. I promise I won't let anything harm you." His voice was gentle, but there was a steely determination in his eyes. "And please, call me Jarek."

Suzanne nodded, trying to find solace in his words, while the shadow of her anxiety persisted in her heart.

"I'll try," she whispered softly.

That night, two broken hearts felt the pain of being far from each other.