chapter 15

"What would make me feel safe now is to be by your side. Can I please come stay with you? At least until I get better?" Keren gave the suggestion she had in mind.

'What did she just say? Stay with me? In my matrimonial home? Where Brooke and I leave?. That can't happen.' Nathan thought in silence as he remained speechless in front of Keren.

Whereas, Keren is still looking at him. Waiting for his response.

It is different to feel responsible for Keren. But to take such a step of moving her into his home, he did not think of that. He couldn't even imagine that happening.

Nathan's phone suddenly began to ring. He couldn't be more grateful to whoever it was that called at that moment.

He excused himself and went out to receive the call. It is his assistant from the office. He called due to an emergency issue at the office. Nathan was needed there. He told Keren and quickly left for the office.

He told Keren if anything is needed, she could call. He said he will be back as soon as the issue at the office is settled. Or he would send someone to take care of her while he is gone.

Settling the issue at the office took longer than he expected. Nathan called Mrs Scooter and asked her to go to the hospital and assist Keren with her needs.

Nathan left the office at the wee hours of the night and had to go back early in the morning the following day. He is dealing with a customer that has been difficult. At the same time, the customer is an important client. Doing business with him would open new horizons to other clients through him. So Nathan had to put up with him.

The next morning, he left early to continue with the business meeting. He was still exhausted from going to the office and hospital. So, his driver had to drive him to work that morning.

They were halfway to the office when a dress in a designer boutique caught his attention.

"Stop here." Nathan instructed the driver.

He got out of the car and walked into the shop. It seems they just opened because they were still setting up. The sign at the entrance was still closed.

"Sir, I am sorry. We are not open yet. Maybe you can come back in the next hour-" A lady in the boutique called out as she walked towards Nathan. But when she got closer, she recognised who he was.

"Oh! Mr Leo. I am sorry, I didn't make out your face from afar."

Nathan ignored all her rants and walked straight to the white dress that got his attention in the first place. "This. Is this a new design?" He asked.

"Why yes, Mr Leo. You still have a good eye. It is indeed a new and limited edition. Only three of these were made." The lady said.

"The first one is in the possession of the designer. The second one was bought by a famous actress in Paris. And here is the last piece."

"Then I would take this." Nathan said. He has always known Brooke's taste in fashion. He knew the kind of designers she liked and also the ones that are her favorite. This is one of them. Also, the style of clothes she likes.

'She is definitely going to love this one.' Nathan thought as he looked at the dress.

"Ahh... For the missus, I am sure." The lady, who happens to be the manager of the boutique, spoke.

"Yes." Nathan confirmed. "You do the fittings to her size and I will send you the address for delivery. Not the villa." Nathan explained, referring to their matrimonial home as the villa. He had bought several clothes for her from the boutique and it is one of the boutiques that Brooke visited a lot.

"It should be delivered on the 8th of next month." He added. The following month and date he mentioned is Brooke's birthday. So he wanted the dress to be her birthday gift from him. Without doubt, he was sure she was going to love it.

"Yes, sir." The manager said. "And how is Mrs Leo doing? She hasn't visited for a while. I think it's been a little over a month since I last saw her."

"She is good." Nathan said.

"Wonderful. I assume her size still remains the same? She had lost some weight from her last visit. Should we use that measurement to alter the dress?" The manager asked.

"Yes." Nathan said. Soon after that, he left for the meeting he had. He left the house early, so there was no need to rush at first. But now that he made a quick stop, he had to hurry to the office.

The thought of Brooke's reaction when she received the dress made him smile. He was a hundred percent sure she was going to love it.

When Nathan got there, the client had not arrived yet. So that gave him time to set up everything he required to convince the client. Into doing things in some certain way that would be beneficial to both him and the client.

Later that morning, Nathan received a text message from Keren.

Keren: *"Why is your housemaid here? I thought you were coming to take care of me in the hospital. You know I can't sleep when you are not by my side. She is not going to be of any use here."*

Nathan read the message with a frown. He didn't like how Keren was downgrading Mrs Scooter. A hard working woman, who has been in the family for a very long time.

He didn't reply to the text anyway. Keren's request to move in with him was still a fresh topic. He decided to ignore her then. But with the intention of replying to her much later. Hoping to leave that part out.

Later that evening, Nathan was finally done with his client. It all turned out well and he was taking a rest on a couch in his office. His phone began to ring. He checked who it was.

*Rose* popped up on the screen. He wondered why she was calling. Then he recalled she is supposed to be taking care of Keren at the hospital.

"Mr Leo, Miss Williams has been discharged from the hospital. She is at the villa now." Miss Scooter informed her.

"What!? Who says she could go there?" Nathan asked in rage. He avoided talking to her because of this. Yet she went ahead to do as she wished.

Besides, he has forgotten that she was going to be discharged from the hospital that day.

"I am sorry, sir. I couldn't stop her. But the problem now is, she is in the missus' bedroom. She has removed all the missus clothes from the closet and replaced them with hers." Miss Scooter added.

"What!" Nathan asked in a very angry tone.