Chapter 214: Do You Feel Pain?

Breathing became difficult for Cecilia. The thought that Nathaniel might have kissed Stella last night made her feel sick. She leaned against the cold wall and forcefully pushed him away. Nathaniel felt a restless itch in his heart, as if a cat were scratching at it. He immediately removed his jacket.

“No…” Cecilia knew what he was about to do and quickly refused. Nathaniel, however, mistook her resistance for playful defiance and began to undress her. Cecilia was at a loss, her anxious eyes flushed. She bit Nathaniel.

Grunting, he stopped, looking at her in disbelief. “What was that?”

“Put me down!” her eyes slightly reddened.

Nathaniel gently cupped her face. “No.”

Cecilia realized he hadn't taken her seriously. He continued to kiss her. Involuntarily, her mind returned to the previous night. The thought of Nathaniel behaving similarly with Stella caused her to dig her fingertips harshly into his shoulders. He seemed impervious to pain.

“Nathaniel, put me down now!”

He remained unwilling. For some reason, Cecilia's defiance only intensified his desire for closeness. The room felt stifling. Cecilia could only endure passively.

A knock came at the door. Nathaniel halted, displeasure evident in his eyes. “Who?”

A voice answered from the hallway, “…Sir, Old Mr. Rainsworth requests your presence.”

Nathaniel glanced at the now limp Cecilia in his arms. After carefully wrapping her in his clothing, he gently placed her on the large bed. “Get some rest.” Her health remained fragile, a testament to her difficult years abroad.

Cecilia pulled the blanket around herself, her complexion pale. “Yes.”

After changing, Nathaniel didn't leave. He showed Cecilia the bite marks on his shoulders and the streaks of blood on his back. He seemed genuinely unfazed by the pain. His hand resting on her face, he said, devoid of anger, “I’m leaving. Shouldn’t you show some sort of reaction?”

Cecilia stared at him, bewildered. Had he not had enough of being bitten? As their eyes locked, his Adam's apple bobbed. He leaned in to kiss her.

Again, Cecilia bit him. He responded in kind, less fiercely than she. Cecilia quickly dodged. Nathaniel gently traced her lips. “It hurts, doesn’t it? I can feel pain.”

He left without further comment. Cecilia watched his silhouette disappear, then whispered, “Do you really feel pain too?”

The pain she'd endured in their three-year marriage was only the beginning. She stared at her blood-stained fingertips.

The door opened. Lily entered, her eyes filled with jealousy at the sight of the scattered clothing. Seeing Cecilia sleeping on Nathaniel's bed, her resentment intensified.

“Ms. Smith, your time abroad wasn’t wasted. You’ve certainly learned a thing or two about captivating men, haven’t you?”