Uncle Rai

"Slow down there cowboy," Maya chuckled and shook her head, breaking Nathaniel's heart a little. "What you did, it hurt me really bad and I don't even know if I can recover from it."

Nathaniel quickly pulled her into his arms and held her tight. He didn't care if she pushed him away, all he knew was he needed to mend what damage he had caused.

"I'm sorry, my love," he said in a soothing voice as he gently stroked her hair.

It was the first time Nathaniel called her that, his love, his heart, the one woman who had managed to captivate him truly and wholly.

"Nate," Maya groaned.

Nathaniel thought that she would push him away for sure, but when she didn't he continued to hold her, allowing the world around them to vanish.

"Nate," Maya finally said as she tried to wriggle out of his arms slowly becoming more and more aware that they were in public.

Nathaniel looked around and he did notice a few odd stares, but everyone just moved on since everyone here had their own secrets.

The first rule of Maharlika Residences was utter and complete confidentiality. The only one that didn't have to comply was Nathaniel since the building belonged to him.

"Nate, let's go," Maya urged him again, making him finally release her.

"You'll enjoy this," He said with a grin as he held the door open for her and climbed in after her, much to Maya's surprise.

"I have a driver," Nathaniel shrugged as he nodded toward the man in the driver's seat.

"I hope you didn't hire someone just for show," Maya mumbled, making Nathaniel laugh at how silly she was acting.

He pulled her close to him and nodded telling the driver to take them to their destination.

"You aren't forgiven," Maya hissed despite not making a move to distance herself from Nathaniel.

"I know." If Maya had forgiven him so easily he would have been disappointed in all honesty.

An awkward silence passed between them until Nathaniel gathered the courage to speak first.

"So where do you work now?" He of course already knew the answer but chose to let Maya tell him. He wanted to hear her story from her and not from some report given to him.

"I work for a tech company," Maya explained. "At first after you left I couldn't find a job or hold one long enough, so Oliver helped me find one through a friend."

Nathaniel frowned at the mention of that man. He couldn't help but want to simply delete Oliver from Maya's life, but he also couldn't ignore the fact that when he wasn't there for Maya, Oliver was.

"What else did Oliver help you out with?" Nathaniel asked knowing full well that he would regret asking his question soon enough.

"Are you jealous?" Maya teased as she nudged Nathaniel with her elbow.

Nathaniel didn't respond, he was afraid of saying the wrong thing.

Maya smiled and shook her head as soon as she realized that it actually did bother him. She didn't expect that he still had such strong feelings for her.

"Oliver is just a friend," Maya clarified before distancing herself from Nathaniel. "I'm not ready to give my heart out again. He just so happened to be there, ready to help."

"What else—"

"Sir, we're here," his driver said, interrupting their conversation.

Nathaniel had never wanted to harm any of his people, but he wanted so desperately to strangle his driver at that moment.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had to be on his best behavior and resist the urge to strangle his driver.

"Are you okay, Nate?" Maya asked as she noticed a change in his demeanor.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said with a smile as he looked at her before stepping out of the car and jogging to her side to help her out.

"This place is…familiar," Maya told him as she looked around.

"I couldn't ask the car to drop us off in front of the restaurant since it would attract too much unwanted attention, let's go!" Nathaniel said as he offered Maya his arm.

Maya smiled and gladly took it.

Anyone watching from afar would think that they were a happy couple on a date.

"Have you not been back here?" Nathaniel asked as they rounded a corner and Maya gasped in surprise.

Of course, the place was familiar, Nathaniel had specifically picked out this place because of the memories it held.

"N—n—no" Maya struggled to say as she held back the tears that were threatening to burst through.

"Come, the old man is waiting for us," Nathaniel chuckled as he led Maya toward the small mom-and-pop Japanese restaurant.

It had remained the same over the years.

"Mr. Rue, Miss Miller, welcome back," an elder man whom they both knew quite well greeted.

"Uncle Rai, you're still here!" Maya gasped as she saw the man.

"Of course, I can't exactly leave my nephew in charge can I?" The old man chuckled.

"Uncle Rai, thank you for taking my reservation," Nathaniel said with a respectful nod.

"It's no bother, it's been a while since I last saw you both, are you married now?" Uncle Rai asked, making Maya blush and Nathaniel laugh awkwardly.

"Not yet, uncle, not yet," Nathaniel said, answering for both of them. "But maybe soon, who knows."

Maya elbowed Nathaniel, making him and Uncle Rai laugh even more.

"You both look as in love as the first day you came here together, I reserved your favorite seat! Come!" Uncle Rai said as he gestured for the couple to follow him.

"Uncle, we reserved the entire place," Nathaniel said, rolling his eyes.

As they followed the old man, Nathaniel's phone began to ring.

Maya gave him a hopeful look, clearly she was hoping that it was Clark calling to tell them that Mr. De La Rue could meet with her now.

Nathaniel shook his head, he wasn't ready to let her go just yet.

"I'll follow, I just need to take this call," he told Maya as she reluctantly followed the older man.

When they were no longer within earshot, Nathaniel picked up the call.

"So did you find out what the Miller family is so desperately trying to hide about Gary Miller?"