Chapter 277

Isabella raised her fist, ready to strike.

Nathaniel caught her wrist with a firm grip. "I'm examining you," he growled. "Stay still."

Examining her? What did he mean?

Confusion flickered across Isabella's face.

Nathaniel remained focused as his hands moved with practiced precision. He applied gentle pressure along her thighs. Then he checked her knees. Finally, he examined both her legs thoroughly.

After professionally assessing her feet, his tense expression gradually softened. "You're unharmed this time," he stated. "But never pull such a reckless stunt again!"

Isabella frowned, trying to process his words.

It took her a moment to understand. He must have seen the footage of her jumping from the building. He was worried about potential injuries. That's why he was checking her body so carefully...

A sudden warmth spread through her chest. An unfamiliar emotion stirred within her heart.

This man who seemed so cold-hearted was being incredibly gentle with her. Yet he had been utterly ruthless with Vivienne just moments earlier.

If this continued, things could spiral out of control. She might not be able to maintain her composure much longer...

Isabella looked up at him with weary eyes. "Nathaniel," she said softly. "The person you should care about is Vivienne, not me. Didn't you always want to know what happened to me five years ago? I should have told you this afternoon. Listen carefully now."

She took a deep breath and met his gaze directly. "Five years ago, Victoria paid someone to ra—"

"Enough!" Nathaniel's voice cut through the air like a whip.

His body suddenly pressed against hers, caging her between his arms. "I said stop!" he commanded sternly.

He already knew. Even before she finished her sentence, he understood completely. It matched exactly what he had suspected last night.

Isabella had been...

The woman he dared not touch. The woman he placed on a pedestal. Someone else had violated her.

A cold, deadly aura radiated from him. He resembled a king emerging from hell itself.

Isabella could feel his rage emanating from him. It was palpable, just a breath away. Alarmed, she stared at him. "You should let me go now," she said. "Consider our three-month contract terminated effective immediately."

"Who said anything about letting you go?" Nathaniel's expression hardened into something unreadable.

Isabella frowned in confusion. He knew the truth now. Why wasn't he releasing her? What more could he possibly want from her?

"Does Mr. Blackwood want to imitate some romantic drama protagonist?" she asked sarcastically. "Playing the noble hero who doesn't care about the heroine's tainted past?"

In her opinion, men who pursued women with complicated histories like hers were simply inviting trouble. If she were in his position, she would never choose a partner who brought so much baggage.

"You're absolutely right," Nathaniel replied simply.

He agreed with her...?

Was he actually saying he didn't look down on her? A man of his status truly didn't judge her for her past?

Seeing her confusion, Nathaniel spoke in a husky voice. "It seems I need to convince you properly."

Without warning, he lowered his body and pressed her against the table. His lips captured hers in a searing kiss.

Isabella's mind went completely blank. Shock reverberated through her entire being.

Nathaniel was kissing her... He was actually kissing her...

This was her first real kiss, if she didn't count what happened five years ago!

She instinctively tried to fight back. Her hands pushed against his chest, but his muscular frame didn't budge. He was too strong, too heavy.

Initially, Nathaniel had intended only a simple kiss to prove his point. But this long-overdue contact ignited something primal within him. It was like rain finally falling after a prolonged drought.

A strange yet familiar sensation overwhelmed his senses. It reminded him of that beautiful night five years ago. All self-restraint vanished completely.