Chapter 46

“We need to talk.”

That was it. No warmth. No hesitation. Just those four words, cold and heavy.

I folded my arms across my chest, trying to shield myself.

“About the ceremony?” I asked, my voice surprisingly calm.

His gaze sharpened. “Yes.”

For a second, my heart reacted before my mind could stop it: Hope.

Instead of the main entrance, Nathan took me through the back door and straight into the kitchen.

The roar of the dinner hall was just a muffled hum behind the walls. Inside, the kitchen was quiet—only Dorothy at the stove and a couple of helpers by the sink. But when Nathan stepped in, the air went cold.

“Everyone out,” he commanded.

Dorothy didn’t argue. She shot him one look, wiped her hands, and ushered the others toward the dining hall. They hurried out, throwing us wary glances.

Nathan slammed the heavy door and slid the bolt shut. The silence that followed was suffocating. He moved wi