Chapter 195 The Room
Hearing this, Cecilia gently pulled Nathaniel closer and embraced him, kissing him tenderly. She had expected that to be the end, but Nathaniel set down his breakfast, cupping her head as he deepened the kiss. Despite their intimacy, he sensed no emotion in Cecilia's eyes. Indignant, he bit her lip.
Cecilia winced in pain, wanting to pull away, but he held her firmly. She retaliated, biting him until a metallic taste filled her mouth. Nathaniel breathed heavily, cradling her face. "Look at me," he pleaded, "say my name again."
Cecilia looked up at his seductively red, bitten lip. "Nathaniel," she said, her eyes calm and devoid of the passion she once felt. A pang of emotion, a hint of redness in his own eyes, seized Nathaniel. He swept her off her feet, placing her on the couch despite her resistance. "Say my name!"
Cecilia was confused by his unpredictable shifts between gentleness and harshness. "Nathaniel!" she said, her utterance flat and emotionless. Nathaniel felt a knot in his heart. Without speaking, he picked her up and carried her back to their room.
Their breakfast had grown cold. Nathaniel wanted to replace it, but Cecilia stopped him; the room had a microwave. After reheating it, they ate, noticing the altered flavors. Suddenly, Cecilia understood Nathaniel's "starting over"—like reheated food, their relationship, once cooled, could never truly recapture its original taste.
Afterward, Nathaniel drove Cecilia to her childhood home, navigating with practiced ease. The dilapidated brick house was meticulously cleaned, devoid of weeds and leaves, appearing almost lived-in. Cecilia was startled when a neighbor spotted them.
As Cecilia stepped from the car, the neighbor exclaimed, "Ceci! Aren't you supposed to be dead?" Before Cecilia could respond, Nathaniel addressed the neighbor. "It was all a misunderstanding," he said, leading the way to the house.
Cecilia, curious about his familiarity with the neighbor, offered a polite smile and followed him inside. Everything was spotless. "You seem to know this place well," she remarked.
Nathaniel paused, turning to her. "Because I knew you would return." Unbeknownst to Cecilia, he had often visited during her absence, hoping to see her again, and had arranged for the house to be cleaned.
Cecilia gazed at his stern profile. "Why? What if I had really died?"
His lips were tight. After a long silence, he said, "Didn't you say you felt indignant? How could you bear to die?"
A bitter laugh echoed in Cecilia's mind. Stepping forward, she murmured, "You're really confident." She felt her past submissiveness had misled him. Nathaniel had initially believed in her death, but his certainty now wavered, prompting this visit.
"Let me show you something," he said, leading her to a bedroom. He opened the door, and at the sight of the room's contents, Cecilia's eyes filled with tears. She stood there, disbelieving, for a long time.