Burning Passion

CHAPTER 205: RIVALS IN NINA'S HEART

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Nina turned around. It surprised her to see this guy here in England. 

She walks toward him, asking, "What are you doing here?" 

Still, it astounded her to see Steven she couldn't find the words to say as to whom she only look forward to seeing is Harry.

"I missed you! Can't I see you?" said Steven.

It was loud enough, everyone who gathered near the kiosk heard him. Without warning, Steven threw his arms around Nina and hugged her tight. 

It shocked her when Steven embraced her unexpectedly. But then, she saw Harry standing a few meters away from them, taken aback whether to come forward. 

"You and Harry?" Nina parted from Steven to wave at Harry. "Why are you guys here?" Nina asked which she assures Harry overheard it.

Although she and Harry knew the reason. She had guessed Steven was not supposed to be here. 

"I made it to be in the team before the final selection!" Steven cheerfully told Nina. 

"Oh, great! Congrats!" she glowed and talked to Steven and Harry, who joined them now.

Nina sighed in silence. She was right. Originally, Steven is not part of the team. Now that he was here, she can't be alone with Harry. This made her sad.

She glanced at Harry who remained silent. She was curious about what was on his mind.

Even after they exchange letters over these passing months, Nina remains shy toward Harry. Maybe if Steven wasn't here, she would have had the courage to talk with him.

The US team greeted Nina and Steven attentively introduced everyone. 

Meanwhile, Albert keenly watches them. He doesn't like it when one guy suddenly embraces Nina, and she speaks with him with that smile on her face. Nina never showed this happiness around her friends here in England. Her eyes spark, particularly when she is talking to the twin. Could it be possible that one of them is whom Nina likes, and the reason she dumped him over again? 

Albert pushed a smirk. He is in the mood to cause trouble.

"Nina! Who are they?" asked Albert, but Sarah elbowed him. "Ouch, why did you do that?" 

The moment that guy hugged Nina, she observed her brother's reaction. Her brother has a sour face and now is rude to Nina's friends. 

Glaring at her brother, she walked toward Nina and greeted everyone.

"Hello! My name is Sarah Hamilton! Over there is my brother Albert and the Cambridge Physic team." 

It was Steven who replied to Sarah. He bowed like a knight. "Hello, your highness! I'm pleased to meet you, at last!" 

"Oh, you know me?" Sarah glanced at Nina. It surprised her that Nina mentions it to her friends. 

"Yes! Nina talking about her new friends here in England. Thank you for keeping her company." 

"Oh, small thing! Nina is lovely. She is one of the greatest people I meet!" 

"Yes, she is!" Steven concurred. 

Sarah noticed how Steven's eyes glowed, staring at Nina. He likes Nina. No, this guy's in love! 

She purses a smirk and glances at her brother's direction. At last, he met his rival in Nina's heart. 

Albert raises a brow when his younger sister seems to taunt him. He understood the meaning of her playful smile. He joined them and was still rude to the guests.

"So, are you from?" he asked, trying hard to sound like an American whom Sarah puffs. It sounded like an American rapper instead. 

"Sarah?" he glared at his sister, who suppressed not to laugh.

It was obvious how it showed in their jackets that they were representative of the United States. But Albert particularly speaks to Steven. 

"Albert, what are you doing?" Sarah whispered to her brother. It wasn't good if Albert started a fight out of jealousy.

"I just wanted to know our guests. What's wrong?" 

"Stop! They are Nina's friends! Why are you acting childish?" 

"What?" Albert snapped his sister. It annoys him that Sarah embarrasses him in front of Nina and his friends. 

Meanwhile, Steven loves to buy any fight. Especially when he could sense the guy has a thing for Nina. He is a man. And he knows this feeling that someone else likes Nina aside from him and Harry. 

Yes. He is aware that Harry likes Nina. And he is competing for Nina's attention. So then, he won't allow another rival he has in Nina's heart.

"Ahem! We are the US team. If I am not mistaken, you are one of the teams we will compete against?"

Albert's teammates replied to Steven. They nodded at the US team and welcomed in a friendly manner, which made Albert remained frowning. The two teams began conversing like they already knew each other. 

"Stop sulking!" Sarah kicks her brother and teases him. "It made you less of a man." 

"What?" Albert is getting annoyed by his sister's sharp mouth. She kept insulting him instead of taking his side. 

Sarah ignores him. Instead, she warmly accommodated the US team and left her brother feeling down. 

"Do you guys want to tour around?" 

"Sure!" 

Albert could do nothing when his sister invited the US team and toured them around Cambridge University. 

"Oh, the famous Cambridge Library!" One commented.

"Yes! And this bench near the maple tree is Nina's favorite seat to read a book!" 

Instantly, Nina blushed. She glanced at Harry, and their eyes meet.

Now Harry has an idea which tree that maple leaf came from. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

PRESENT TIME

Nina is staring at Harry's hand, tenderly cleaning the finger she had cut. He also carefully placed a Bandaid when her eyes caught the wedding ring on his left fourth finger. 

In these over thirty years of marriage, Harry remains wearing it. One thing she held on it, that still, they bound in this life.

As long as Harry wears it, he has no plan to divorce her. It was what she presumed all these years.

"There, it's done," Harry told her. 

Nina woke up from her deep thoughts. She gaped at her finger, the Bandaid pleasantly placed on her wound. So, Harry is good at tending wounds? Is he often wounded? She never noticed before. Somehow, Harry is good at Martial Arts and knows how to use guns and even good at knives. 

What was she thinking at this time? Nina lightly shook her head.

"You should take a rest instead of working," Harry told Nina. He noticed that she was closing her eyes and shaking her head. He is thinking the wound causes her light head.

"Um, I need to make our lunch later." 

"Don't worry about it," said Harry. He sat up, carrying the first-aid kit to put away. "You should take a rest." 

"Oh, okay. I will take a rest in the bedroom." Nina told Harry, she headed to the bedroom hastily. She wanted to breathe. Harry's presence still overwhelms her.

No. He acts like this makes her heart flutters. She was too old already to feel like a teenager. But Harry's hand is warm. And he was kind to her lately. 

Nina took a seat on a nearby couch. Her eyes wandered to the floor-ceiling bookshelves inside Harry's bedroom. Maybe she could read a book while she is taking a rest. 

Harry loves to read books. Several that store here is old books. Nina sat up. She strode to the bookshelves and began reading the title. 

She saw a book without a title. But its cover is intriguing. Nina picks that one, she opens it just to make her eyes flood with tears. 

It is not a book. It was a frame inside, preserving a valuable possession Harry kept all these years. 

Nina could not believe it. After thirty-seven years, Harry still has it. 

"What are you doing, Harry?"