The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus) novel Chapter 620

"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?"

"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.