100 Days to Seduce the Devil

Day Seventy-Four…

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Nathan's grip on Jane's hand tightened as he listened to her. He silently blamed himself for everything she had gone through. He thought Vincent targeted Jane because of his resentment toward Nathan and the Sparks Family.

Vincent's identity as the Leader of the King Stallion Mafia was another shocking revelation. Nathan felt the need to protect the people he loved. Vincent was capable of hurting them. He led a powerful organization.

"Nate… do you hate me now?" Jane asked him, looking straight into his eyes.

Nathan shook his head vehemently and replied, "Of course not. Why would I hate you? You are the victim here. I think… you experienced all of that because of me. It's me whom you should be hating. Do you regret meeting me? Do you regret becoming my online friend? Do you regret… liking me?"

Jane became silent for a moment. Nathan's heart beat fast from anticipation. He was anxious. What if Jane would tell him she regretted everything? Was she going to end things with him tonight?

"No. I don't regret it." Jane smiled at him meaningfully. "You are part of my life. The moments we shared before… are precious to me. I will always cherish those memories."

Nathan's heart skipped a beat and his stomach fluttered. He didn't expect that Jane's words had this kind of effect to him. He swooned like a teenager getting acknowledged by his crush.

However, the smile on Nathan's lips disappeared when he noticed the sullen look in Jane's eyes. It seemed that she was still troubled by something.

"What's wrong?" Nathan extended his right hand to caress her face.

Jane's eyes became dull as she looked down. She couldn't look at Nathan's eyes as she thought of her next revelation.

"Nate… honestly… there is also a big possibility that Vincent is not my father's child…" Jane bit her lower lip as she clenched her fists.

Nathan looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Jane felt anxious. She was ashamed to admit this to Nathan but she had to tell him the truth.

"Nate… after that night with Vincent, I woke up to find myself hostage by Monica… She got mad at me, accusing me of seducing Vincent. I…" Jane paused for a moment. Her breathing became uneven as the ugly memories flashed back in her mind. Her body trembled slightly and Nathan noticed it.

He immediately wrapped his arms around her body, rubbing her back to comfort. "It's okay. If you feel uncomfortable to say this, don't force yourself." Though he wanted to know the truth, Nathan couldn't bear to see her undergo emotional stress. He could tell that she was having a hard time.

But Jane shook her head. "I can do this. You deserve to know… so that you can decide if you still want to continue our relationship."

"Nate… I was sexually assaulted and violated by Monica's men. Though I couldn't remember how it happened, I guessed… they took advantage of me when I was under the influence of the drug… She might have caught me and Vincent together that night. And her jealousy and fury pushed her to get even at me." Her voice trembled as she narrated her past. She lowered her head in shame. She couldn't face Nathan. "Monica… didn't stop shaming me. She even violated me in front of those men… I… I feel disgusted with myself."

Nathan remained silent as he struggled to control his fury. At this moment, he felt like killing someone. Jane didn't deserve all of this.

"I think… that was the reason I tried to commit suicide several times. And my former master brought me to country Z to treat my trauma. There… I met Stephen who helped me heal my wound… the demon of my past. Maybe… he made me realize that my unborn child will be my source of strength to go on and continue. My child was innocent. I couldn't hate that poor child."

Jane's tears began to fall again when she recalled her loss. "But losing my baby was like losing the last strand of my hope. I wanted to die. But Stephen erased my memories so that I could continue living. Nate… this is my past. Thinking about it, I feel like I don't deserve you. I feel unworthy of you–"

"No! Don't say that!" Nathan immediately cut her off, his voice shaking with anger. He was not angry at Jane, but to those people who made her suffer. And he was blaming himself for this, a visible pang of guilt crossing his features.

He hated the wrong person. Monica and Vincent played them well. They were both deceived and they suffered miserably because of that evil scheme. He knew the gravity of his mistake, the damage he had caused, and the consequences he now faced. Jane was the one he should be protecting. But in the end, he hurt her because of his stupidity.

"I won't let this go unpunished. I will right my wrong. This time… I will protect you with my life, Jane. I owed you." Nathan grabbed Jane, pulling her into a tight hug. In his mind, Jane was a fragile thing he must protect. 

"I promise… I will make them suffer tenfold… No… a hundredfold." Nathan mumbled through his gritted teeth. His heart ached for Jane. He felt sorry for her. If he could just erase her pain, if he could just bring back time… if he could just undo everything… he would do it for her.

"I'm sorry, Jane. I'm so sorry," Nathan apologized to her. "This is all my fault." His embrace tightened. He didn't want to let go of her. "But please… don't hate me. I will do my best to be the best man for you. Let me help you forget your past. I… I–" Nathan had mixed emotions right now. He wanted to run wild and punish those people who harmed Jane. But for now, he needed to stay by her side, letting her feel that she was no longer alone. She had him.

"I've forgiven you, Nate. Just like me… you are also a victim of their schemes. The most important thing… is that… we have already cleared the misunderstanding between us. I'm not your enemy." Jane stroked his hair to console him. She could tell how guilty Nathan was. She didn't want him to blame himself for what happened to her.

"Yes. You were not. I'm sorry for not realizing that sooner." Nathan planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

Jane finally found the courage to look up, staring at Nathan's eyes. "Don't you feel disgusted by me? I… I was touched by so many men. I feel so dirty."

Nathan cupped her face, not breaking their eye-to-eye contact. "No. Your past will never change my views of you. For me… you are Jane… my Shining Star…"

After saying that, Nathan lifted her chin as he closed their gaps. His lips claimed hers in a soft tender kiss. He would like her to feel that his feelings would never change. Instead, it became stronger than before. This woman was the one he should cherish more than anyone else. 

Nathan broke the kiss for a moment and whispered something in her ear. "Jane… let me… let me help you forget that night with Vincent… I only want you to remember me… us…"