Chapter 197: I Regret It
Boom! A brilliant firework burst across the sky, vanishing as quickly as it appeared. Nearby, a girl squeezed her boyfriend's hand and whispered, "Let's be together forever."
As Cecilia watched them walk away, a deep longing stirred within her—a desire for her own romance. Since falling for Nathaniel, she had rejected every other suitor, never experiencing a real relationship. She had married him without ever knowing true love; even now, that feeling remained elusive.
Tears blurred her vision as she gazed at the pitch-black sky. In the silence, she whispered, "Dad, I regret it." She regretted marrying Nathaniel, regretted choosing someone who never loved her.
By half-past eight, the fireworks ended, and the crowd dispersed. When Mason arrived to pick Cecilia up, he found her standing alone by the river, her silhouette a study in loneliness. He recalled his fiancée's words from a few days earlier: Loving someone means giving them security. How could he allow another woman to disrupt their relationship? Yet, he felt a twinge of sympathy for Cecilia.
He pulled the car over, approached her with measured steps. "Ms. Smith, I'm here to take you home."
It took Cecilia a moment to compose herself. When she finally looked at him, masking the disappointment in her eyes, she replied politely, "Thank you."
Once in the car, Mason subtly increased the heat. Although Cecilia's health had improved during her years abroad, she remained noticeably frail. The cold wind had drained the color from her face, leaving her looking so pale and delicate she seemed on the verge of collapse.
As Mason glanced at her in the rearview mirror, he offered an explanation for Nathaniel's abrupt departure. "Ms. Ross was nearly killed by an obsessive fan last night. She's still in critical condition at the hospital and wished to see Mr. Rainsworth one last time."
"Obsessive fan, huh?" Cecilia couldn't help a bitter laugh. If Nathaniel had investigated, he would realize that wasn't true. Besides, knowing Stella, she doubted she was in any real danger. And with Sean still under Calvin's control, how could he have possibly harmed her? No, she likely orchestrated the entire scenario herself.
Cecilia hummed softly and, after a pause, said, "I know. He told me."
Chapter 197: I Regret It (Continued)
Mason sighed in relief. Having worked for Nathaniel for so long, he understood his boss was genuinely in love with Cecilia. Otherwise, Nathaniel wouldn't have spent years searching for her, put his work on hold for her, or even purchased her late father's belongings. He simply struggled to express his emotions. If his love were an eight out of ten, he showed only a tenth.
Streetlights dappled the road as Cecilia gazed absently out the car window. When they arrived at Daltonia Villa, Nathaniel hadn't yet returned. After freshening up, Cecilia lay down in bed and called Vivian and Jonathan.
"How have the past few days been?" Vivian asked. They hadn't had a chance to catch up, as Cecilia had been with Nathaniel.
Cecilia briefly updated Vivian about her day, omitting Nathaniel leaving her by the river because of Stella. She then inquired about Jonathan.
"Jon's been going to bed early. Do you want to see him? I can call him now."
"There's no need. Don't wake him if he's asleep."
"Okay," Vivian agreed, unaware that Jonathan wasn't actually asleep. Eavesdropping on Cecilia's call, he was busy making money online.
"My scumbag of a father isn't all that bad. At least he found Grandpa's belongings. But I still need to work hard and make money so Mom can live worry-free as soon as possible." Jonathan possessed a remarkable talent for computers, but building billions from scratch was daunting, especially given his youth.
As he stared at the long string of numbers on his screen, he frowned. Just a few tens of millions. How long would it take to save enough for Mom's betrothal gift? Suddenly, a quote flashed in his mind: Everything that can make money is written in the law.
With renewed focus, he began typing furiously. "Taking money from my old man's account shouldn't be illegal, right? I'm just collecting child support."