Chapter 14

Nate's demeanor had become a chilling coldness that Allyson couldn't comprehend. Every smile she offered, every touch she attempted, was met with indifference. Nights spent in their once-warm bed now felt like lying beside a stranger. It seemed as if Nate's heart had turned to stone.

Allyson tried everything she could think of to please him. She cooked his favorite meals, wore the clothes she knew he liked, and tried to engage him in conversations about their past. But each effort was met with a wall of silence or a curt response. She knew she had to tell him the truth about her past, but she couldn't find the right moment or the right words.

Nate's suspicions continued to fester, fueled by the seeds of doubt Rachel had planted in his mind. He even went as far as confronting Ethan in his office.

"Ethan, I need to know the truth about you and Allyson," Nate demanded, his voice barely controlled.

Ethan, caught off guard, replied calmly, "Nate, there's nothing going on between us. Allyson and I have a professional relationship, nothing more."

Nate's eyes narrowed. "Then why all the secrecy? Why did Rachel have those pictures?"

Ethan sighed, choosing his words carefully. "Nate, those pictures are misleading. You need to trust Allyson."

Trust. The very thing Nate found himself incapable of giving.

Rachel watched the unfolding drama with a twisted sense of triumph. She played the role of the sympathetic confidante perfectly, offering Nate a shoulder to lean on and doting on him whenever she could.

In the office, Rachel seized every opportunity to spite Allyson. One morning, as Allyson entered the building, Rachel's voice rang out.

"It seems like somebody doesn't know how to keep a man," she teased loudly, ensuring her words were heard by everyone around.

Allyson's heart sank when she saw Nate leaving her office annex. He walked past her without a glance, as if she were a stranger. She forced herself to keep walking, her face a mask of composure. But as soon as she stepped into the elevator, the tears she had held back began to fall. She leaned against the wall, her body shaking with silent sobs.

"What happened to us?" she whispered, the question hanging heavy in the air.

That night, after another cold and distant encounter with Nate, Allyson decided to call her uncle. She needed to assure him that her marriage wouldn't bring ruin to the family name.

"Uncle Richard, please, I need to talk to you," she began, her voice trembling with emotion. "I promise, my marriage will not damage our reputation."

There was a long pause before her uncle spoke. "Allyson, you know what's at stake. The reputation of our family and the business…"

"I know, Uncle. But I love Nate. I can't lose him," she pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

Her uncle's sigh was heavy with resignation. "Fine, Allyson. I'll give you a chance. But remember, the family comes first."

"Thank you, Uncle," she whispered, relief mingling with her sorrow.

As she ended the call, she looked up to see Nate standing in the doorway, his face unreadable. She quickly dried her tears and forced a smile.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, his voice devoid of warmth.

"Yes, everything's fine," she replied, hoping he couldn't see through her facade.

That night, as they lay in bed, the distance between them felt like an unbridgeable chasm. Allyson stared at the ceiling, wondering if they could ever find their way back to each other. She knew she had to tell him the truth, but the fear of losing him paralyzed her.

Nate, meanwhile, lay beside her, his mind was racing with doubts and suspicions. Rachel's words haunted him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Allyson's relationship with Ethan than she was telling him.

The trust that had once been the foundation of their marriage was crumbling, and he didn't know how to rebuild it.

That night, both of them lay awake, lost in their own thoughts and fears, the silence between them was growing more oppressive. The darkness seemed to close in around them, and the future of their marriage hung in the balance.

The next day, Allyson went to work with a heavy heart. As she walked through the lobby, Rachel's mocking laughter echoed in her ears. She held her head high, determined not to let Rachel see her pain, but inside, she felt like she was falling apart.

In the elevator, the tears came again. She leaned against the wall, her body shaking with sobs. "What happened to us?" she whispered again, the question unanswered.

Later that evening, she resolved to talk to Nate, to finally tell him the truth. But when she got home, Nate was distant, his eyes cold. He barely acknowledged her presence and went to bed early, leaving her alone with her thoughts and fears.

Allyson knew she had to act. She couldn't let Rachel destroy her marriage. Taking a deep breath, she picked up the phone and called her uncle again.

"Uncle Richard, I need to meet with you. It's urgent," she said, her voice firm.

"Very well, Allyson. Come to the mansion tomorrow morning," he replied, his tone resigned.

The next morning, Allyson went to see her uncle, determined to fight for her marriage. As she entered the grand mansion, she steeled herself for the confrontation. She had to convince her uncle that her marriage to Nate was worth saving.

Back at home, Nate found himself drowning in a sea of confusion and doubt. Rachel's manipulation had worked its way into his heart, and he couldn't shake the feeling that Allyson was hiding something from him. The coldness between them grew, and he felt more lost than ever.

"All Allyson ever does is dress up and go to work, she no longer cares about me, I guess our marriage is a sham" he rumbled on the phone with Kelvin that morning.

 However, Kelvin told him to fight for his marriage, rather than break it.