Marrying Without My Eight-Year Boyfriend Knowing novel Chapter 60

Dazed, Nathan searched every room, desperately looking for any trace of me. After going through the entire apartment twice, he couldn't find a single thing I'd left behind.

"What's happening?" he muttered, pulling out his phone to call again, only to hear the automated voicemail greeting that was driving him crazy.

Frustrated, he tried messaging me on social media, but kept getting the same notification: "This user is not in your contacts list."

For a moment, he almost wondered if our seven years together had been nothing but a dream.

Then he remembered a location-sharing app we used to use. Opening it, he saw I'd turned off my location long ago. The history showed I'd approached his location about two weeks ago, stopped a few blocks away, then turned back.

Something must have happened that day, he thought.

Looking at the date on his phone, it slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor.

That evening, my father's business partners gathered at the Plaza Hotel for dinner. After making rounds toasting at different tables until my feet ached, I snuck away to rest in one of the guest rooms.

As soon as I lay down, I heard a noise from the bathroom that made me jump.

"Who's there?"

No answer came, so I cautiously approached the door. The moment I opened it, someone pulled me inside.

My gasp was cut short as I stared at the man in front of me. He was soaking wet, pressing me against the wall, his breath heavy with whiskey. He seemed to struggle to focus on my face.

After a moment, he spoke my name weakly.

"Olivia?"

I blinked in response.

"What?" I paused while helping him toward the bed. Could I still make a run for it?

Sensing my hesitation, he suddenly grabbed my arm, spun me around, and dropped me onto the mattress.

"Too late for that," he said.

I bounced slightly on impact, only to find myself pinned down again.

"If you're not planning to break off the engagement, would you mind helping me out?" he asked.

How was I supposed to respond to that? I hadn't planned to end the engagement, but being this close to someone I'd just met...

"Good, you're staying," he said, taking my silence as agreement, then leaned in to kiss me.