Chapter 458

Nathan set the tablet down with a quiet thud. His fingers lingered over the polished wood of his desk before he pulled open the drawer, his gaze falling on the crisp white divorce papers tucked inside.

A sharp knock interrupted his thoughts. He shut the drawer just as Oliver stepped into the office. "Sir, Mr. Harrison de Arma is here to see you."

Nathan stilled, his expression unreadable. After a beat, he nodded. "Let him in."

Oliver disappeared briefly before Harrison strode in, his presence commanding as he settled onto the couch without waiting for an invitation.

Nathan rose and crossed the room, taking the seat opposite him. Oliver poured tea in silence before slipping out and closing the door behind him.

"Mr. de Arma," Nathan began, his voice cool. "What brings you here?"

Harrison lifted his head, his sharp eyes assessing. "There is something you should know."

Nathan waited, his fingers tightening imperceptibly against his thighs.

Harrison exhaled, his tone laced with something unreadable. "I know what happened between you and Evelyn in Stoslo. And now, I understand what she told me that day."

Nathan's jaw tensed. "What did Zoe say to you?"

Harrison met his gaze, unwavering. "You should be grateful my granddaughter is so stubbornly devoted to you. I warned her to leave you. I told her that if she stayed, she’d be in danger because of who you are. Even if I don’t use her against the Goldmanns, others won’t hesitate."

Nathan’s lips pressed into a thin line.

Harrison continued, his voice low. "Do you know what she said to me? She said she would never betray you, even if the whole world turned against you. She would never walk away."

A flicker of something raw crossed Nathan’s eyes. His hands, resting on his knees, clenched into fists.

Zoe… said that?

Harrison studied him. "She came to me asking about your mother’s kidnapping fifteen years ago. I know the Goldmanns have always blamed me. I never bothered to correct that assumption."

His expression darkened. "My hatred for your family stems from what happened to my father and my leg—both tied to your great-grandfather. But what Evelyn said that day… it made me reconsider."

He paused, then admitted, "Perhaps she was right. Perhaps this feud was built on misunderstandings."

Nathan’s gaze dropped, his voice flat. "When someone lured me to Stoslo using my mother’s death, I already suspected there was more to it."

Harrison folded his hands, resting them on his knee. "I knew those people were behind your mother’s death. But my hatred for the Goldmanns was so deep, I didn’t care if I was blamed. One more crime on my conscience meant nothing."

His eyes hardened. "But I also knew those people wanted the de Armas on their side. When I came to Zlokova searching for Evelyn and learned of her connection to you, I kept her lineage hidden. For her safety."

His voice wavered slightly. "I didn’t want her to suffer the same fate as my daughter, Miranda."

Nathan stiffened. "What do you mean?"

Harrison’s face twisted with regret, his usual sharpness crumbling. "Do you know how it shattered me when Evelyn told me her mother died from the sleeper virus? That infection… it was because of me."

Nathan’s breath caught.

Zoe’s mother died from the virus too?

Harrison’s voice was barely audible. "Miranda was only seventeen thirty years ago. She volunteered in the outbreak zone. I was terrified for her—afraid the virus still lingered there."

His hands trembled. "And because of that fear, I lost her."