Zane Thorne kept a scowl on his face all throughout Natalie Vaughn’s shoot, and the mont she was done, he still silently carried her back to the hotel.
There were five hours left until Zane’s flight, and Natalie, after changing clothes, decided she wanted to take Zane for a stroll around the area.
But he simply pushed her down onto the bed.
"Why are you wandering around looking like this?"
Natalie knew Zane was upset again because of the condition of her waist.
"I’ll just wear sothing loose, it’s fine."
Not knowing when they would et again, she wanted to spend these five hours doing things any normal couple would.
Zane’s expression softened a bit upon hearing Natalie’s explanation, and he sighed.
"We have plenty of ti later, just rest today, don’t make worry."
He had seen her script, mostly involving wire work; if today’s shoot bruised her waist, what about tomorrow? The day after that? This stubborn girl wouldn’t take a break; the thought alone made him hurt.
He felt it too, a heartache.
Natalie was persuaded. He had already postponed his return by a day and she didn’t want Zane delaying his work because of her.
"So what should we do?"
"Sleep."
Zane carried Natalie back to the bed. Usually, he liked resting his arm on her waist when they slept, but now, he restrained himself and placed his hand behind him. However, Natalie was used to Zane’s possessive nature even in sleep, and she snuggled back into his arms.
With her face buried in his chest, she mumbled softly.
"It really doesn’t hurt. I’m not that fragile."
As she spoke, she pulled his hand onto her waist.
"I can’t sleep without you holding ."
Hearing this, Zane finally rested his hand on Natalie’s waist, though he was still cautious and refrained from holding too tightly.
...
When they woke up, it was ti to head to the airport. Natalie had rested well and insisted on taking Zane to the airport, aning they could spend an additional hour together in the car.
Zane didn’t refuse.
Throughout the drive, Natalie kept pestering Zane about his high school days.
"You claim you were The Tyrant Vaughn, so what did you do in high school? Skip classes and fight?"
"Can you really have no recollection of Serena Blackwood being your classmate? She’s a real beauty you know."
"With that face of yours, I bet many girls chased after you in high school, right? Didn’t any of them make your heart flutter, ever?"
"What about your first love? Did you really not have anyone special in high school?"
"...."
Zane felt Natalie was being a bit too chatty, so he leaned down and silenced her with a kiss. He always kissed with intensity until he left Natalie breathless before letting go.
"Did you bring to the airport just to ask these?"
Natalie opened her mouth to breathe and glared at Zane.
"We need to talk about sothing along the way, right?"
Zane’s heart skipped under her glare, and he couldn’t resist stealing another kiss from her, eventually leaving a kiss on her eyelids.
"I was into cars in high school; I barely knew anyone in class."
"What about the girls?"
He chuckled softly, pinching Natalie’s earlobe.
"None."
High school Zane was even more arrogant and wild than he was now; aside from racing, nothing else caught his interest. As for the girls flocking to him, he wouldn’t spare them a glance. He saw them as nothing but trouble, preferring to focus on racing without being bothered by chattering girls.
Natalie was finally satisfied with this answer.
Zane started launching an inquisition of his own.
"Tell about your high school days then?"
He paused before adding.
"Any admirers?"
At the ntion of "admirers," Natalie couldn’t help but laugh out loud. They hadn’t even started, and Zane was already getting jealous?
"Of course."
With a playful glint in her eyes, Natalie mischievously looked up at Zane.
"Lots of boys chased after , I had a drawer full of love letters."
Her statent was true. In high school, Natalie had a fuller face and a very pure and innocent look but she wasn’t the goody-two-shoes everyone expected her to be. She was rebellious, skipped classes, and even fought. The contrast only attracted more teenage boys.
Her admirers included the top student in the grade, the senior heartthrob, underclassman, and even so handso yet mischievous delinquents. Boys from other schools would block the gate just to catch a glimpse of her and say a few words.
Zane’s face darkened, just as Natalie expected. He narrowed his eyes.
"Mrs. Thorne was that popular?"
"Oh yes, my admirers could form a circle around the school."
And not to ntion the ones who secretly liked her.
This actually wasn’t much of an exaggeration on Natalie’s part... She had been receiving love letters and high school snacks on her desk never seed to end.
At one point, she found clearing out her desk a hassle, so she skipped three days of classes, which led the principal to call her brother Jas Vaughn. When she was being disciplined at the office, she said one thing.
"Can you tell those boys to stop giving stuff, it’s botherso."
When Jas heard about soone eyeing his sister, he imdiately called the principal. It was the strictest period for controlling early romance.
But it was useless; sohow they found ways to sneak things onto Natalie’s desk.
Zane lowered his gaze into Natalie’s bright eyes, not doubting her words one bit because he had seen Natalie’s high school self. If soone told him no guy liked her, he’d never believe it.
But believing it didn’t stop him from feeling jealous.
"Did you accept any?"
Natalie rolled her eyes and asked.
"And if I did?"
Zane snorted.
"I’d find him and give him a beating."
Natalie: .....
A bit violent, but fitting Zane’s personality.
"Tsk, a guy just dated and he’d get beaten by you. Who’d dare date anyone then? Lest they get beaten up by their ex-girlfriend’s husband."
Zane raised an eyebrow.
"Did you really accept?"
Even after all these years, the oppressive gaze from Zane made Natalie’s heart tremble.
"No..."
Natalie touched her nose.
"Didn’t I tell you? I was The Tyrant Vaughn then; I had way too much going on to date. What’s so fun about it anyway?"
With that, the intense aura around Zane dissipated a bit.
"So what did "The Tyrant Vaughn" do?"
Natalie thought for a mont before finding a suitable answer.
"Fighting evil, helping others?"
Zane laughed, lightly tapping her nose.
"Mrs. Thorne is amazing."
"Of course."
Natalie perked up, eagerly sharing her forr glories with Zane.
"Once, with my little brother, the one you t last ti, we arranged a fight with the neighboring vocational school, and on our way, we caught a thief; we ended up making those vocational school students kneel and beg for rcy."
Zane paused montarily, involuntarily squeezing Natalie’s hand.
"When was this?"
"During senior year of high school, I think."
So it was indeed her. Five years ago, he had t that vibrant, sunshiny girl on the street, who would one day beco his Mrs. Thorne.
Zane suddenly planted a trail of light kisses on Natalie’s cheeks.
"You were amazing, baby."
Natalie: ????????
She was indeed amazing, but Zane’s reaction... She couldn’t quite understand.
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