Chapter 231: A Stranger
In an effort to avoid disappointing Cecilia, Nathaniel took her out that night. The relentless rain had finally subsided, allowing the full moon to cast its serene light across the landscape.
Nathaniel drove to the location Cecilia had indicated—a small pond, or rather, what had been a small pond. It was now a public park, the pond expanded into a man-made lake. Fortunately, the late hour left the park quiet and nearly deserted.
Cecilia stepped from the car, pulling her coat tighter. Though winter hadn't yet arrived, she was dressed warmly, her frail appearance making her seem delicate. Nathaniel walked beside her, his gaze scanning the surroundings. "Is this the place?" he asked.
"Yeah," Cecilia replied, her voice tinged with nostalgia. "The changes are significant."
Nathaniel was at a loss. He'd visited the Smith residence several times as a child, but never ventured to the back mountain; he had no memory of a pond.
As they walked across the wooden bridge spanning the lake, Cecilia stopped at the center and gazed at the full moon. The soft light bathed her face, and for a moment, she felt transported back to her childhood. She remembered standing there with Nathaniel, making a wish under the moonlight: to marry him one day—a wish, in some ways, fulfilled.
Nathaniel watched her intently. The moonlight seemed to halo her, making her appear ethereal, a part of the night itself. The scene captivated him, rendering him speechless.
Cecilia turned to him, her eyes searching his. "Nathaniel, why aren't you coming over?" she asked softly.
He snapped out of his reverie and approached her. Taking her hand, he felt its coldness—a complete absence of warmth. "Why are your hands so cold?"
With a playful smile, Cecilia replied, "One's hands are cold because their heart is warm." The words echoed something Nathaniel had once said, yet now felt strangely unfamiliar to him.
Nathaniel, with no recollection of this exchange, pulled her into an embrace, tucking her hand inside his trench coat. "One more minute, then we're heading back," he said firmly, as if shielding her from the chill.
"Is that all?" Cecilia looked up, her expression hopeful, waiting for a flicker of recognition, some sign he remembered their shared past. But there was nothing—no memory, no sentimentality in his eyes. The Nathaniel she knew was gone, replaced by a stranger.
Returning home, Cecilia lay awake, Miranda's words echoing in her mind: "I've always wondered… you described Nathaniel as kind and gentle, didn't you?"
These thoughts kept her awake. She'd planned to take Elliot away, but now doubted herself. She needed to know if she'd truly misplaced her love, and she needed to find Nicholas. Why had she never heard from him?
After breakfast, Nathaniel left for business. Cecilia decided to confront Miranda, finding her in the garden, basking in the sun. Miranda seemed unsurprised, as if expecting her. Removing her sunglasses, she asked, "So, how was your little adventure?"
Cecilia wasted no time. "I want to ask you about Nicholas."
Miranda sipped her juice, a faint smile playing on her lips. "I'm sorry, I'm just a daughter-in-law. There's much I don't know, and even if I did, I wouldn't spread it."
Cecilia wasn't convinced. "What do you want?" she asked sharply, certain Miranda had an ulterior motive. This time, she was wrong.
Miranda sought nothing tangible. She wanted to sow discord between Cecilia and Nathaniel, to see his reaction to the truth. But she dared not reveal everything, fearing Nathaniel's retaliation. She wanted Cecilia to discover the truth herself.
"Why don't you reach out to Elena? She knows her son better than anyone," Miranda suggested with a sly smile.