Chapter 28: Died at a Young Age

“Martha’s had a hard time. She has no daughters of her own, and the child she raised with such difficulty is gone.”

“Isn’t it a shame? I still remember Cecilia, such a bright and sensible girl. How could she have died so young?”

“The life of the wealthy isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The last time I saw Cecilia, she seemed a changed person—so thin, she looked as if a strong wind could blow her away.”

“Martha and Cecilia always spoke of her wonderful husband, but that was just self-deception. Three years of marriage, and he never once returned with her…”

Nathaniel felt a lump in his throat as he listened.

The entire day passed without Martha or Cecilia returning. Nathaniel, leaning against a wooden chair, dozed lightly, only to be startled awake. He had again dreamed of Cecilia’s death. He opened his eyes to darkness and silence. Cecilia was gone. In that moment, the finality of her absence settled upon him.

Around ten o'clock that night, Martha's neighbors were brought to her brick house for questioning. Bodyguards crowded the small space, making it feel even more cramped.

“Where are they?”

The neighbors, awestruck by the scene, stood nervously, heads bowed, avoiding Nathaniel’s cold, imposing gaze.

“The night before last, I heard Martha crying. I went to check, and that’s when I learned Cecilia had died.”

“Young people dying is always tragic. They cremated and buried her that very night.”

Buried that very night…

Nathaniel’s dark eyes flickered.

“After the burial, Martha disappeared yesterday…”

The others nodded. Mason then asked about Calvin. They exchanged uneasy glances; Calvin, an orphan, had been taken away and never returned.

At midnight, heavy rain lashed down, lightning illuminated the sky, and thunder rumbled. Muddy rural roads were treacherous.

“Mr. Rainsworth, perhaps we should go to the cemetery tomorrow?” Mason, exhausted after days of searching, suggested.

Nathaniel glanced at him. Mason fell silent, carefully holding his umbrella, but couldn’t help wondering why Mr. Rainsworth, known to dislike Cecilia, was investing so much effort in finding her.

They finally arrived. Nathaniel immediately spotted the new grave on the hillside. He stopped, his throat tightening. After a long silence, he said, “Dig it up!”

If she was alive, he wanted to see her. If dead, he wanted to see her body. He wouldn’t believe Cecilia was dead without witnessing it himself.

In the pitch-black night, Nathaniel stood impassively, watching the grave being unearthed. His heart pounded. A bodyguard stepped forward, holding an urn.

“Mr. Rainsworth.”

Nathaniel stood rigidly, his expression unreadable.

“Take it back.”

On the return journey, Nathaniel was unusually calm. He rarely concealed his emotions, yet today, no one could decipher his feelings. Despite days without sleep, he felt no drowsiness as he leaned back.

His gaze drifted to the city outside the car window, the city where Cecilia had lived as a child. Her face filled his mind; her voice echoed in his ears. “Nathaniel, can you hold me? I’m so cold. Nathaniel, if I died, would you be sad? Nathaniel, I’ve always wished for your happiness…”

His throat tightened. Unnoticed, his reflection in the car window showed slightly reddened eyes.

In this world, no one was truly irreplaceable. When Nathaniel returned Cecilia’s ashes, everyone believed she was truly dead. The same was true when they found Calvin. After a brief period of mourning, life resumed its course for all but Nathaniel.