Chapter 324: Old Habits
Late one night, after ensuring Martha was resting, Cecilia went to her room and lay down. She hadn't been asleep long when a hand wrapped around her from behind. "Ceci," a voice whispered. Nathaniel had somehow entered her room. One hand held her firmly; the other rested on her lower abdomen.
"Nathaniel, what are you doing!" she exclaimed. Despite his memory loss, Nathaniel hadn't lost his old habits, particularly his tendency to enter others' rooms uninvited—a habit he clearly hadn't forgotten. He hadn't intended to touch her, especially given her pregnancy, making such an action unthinkable. But recalling the clandestine meeting between Calvin and Cecilia, and Mason's words, Nathaniel's thin lips found their way to the back of her ear.
His hot breath sent a shiver down Cecilia's spine. "Nathaniel, you wouldn't dare!" she protested, striving for firmness. He paused, his breath still against her ear, before whispering something that widened her eyes in shock. Her face flushed crimson; her cheeks burned. "I don't need that!" she snapped, quickly covering her mouth, fearing Martha might overhear.
The room was dark, yet the faint light reflecting off the snow outside revealed Nathaniel's broad, muscular upper body. She realized with a jolt that he was naked. "Get out... now," she stammered, her voice trembling.
He paused, leaning closer. "If you ever need something, tell me in private. Don't go looking for other men," he whispered possessively.
"Get out of here, now!" Cecilia demanded, pulling the blanket tighter and curling up. As he finally left, she noticed the fading bruise on his waist, a mark she'd inflicted—a reminder of how she'd once believed the amnesiac, blind Nathaniel was at her mercy. Now, she realized dealing with him after his memory loss was far more challenging than anticipated. Before his amnesia, he'd been rebellious and untamed, always exuding an air of superiority. Now, without his memories, he was utterly shameless.
Cecilia took extra precautions before returning to sleep, locking and barricading her door. Sleep didn't come easily; Nathaniel's words echoed in her mind. After finally drifting off, she dreamed of herself as a small boat adrift at sea. She awoke sweating.
It was already ten o'clock. Thankfully, Martha was still asleep, giving her some time. A message from Calvin caught her eye: "Are you free this afternoon? Want to come with me to see Eli? He texted me saying he wants to meet."
Thinking of Elliot, Cecilia replied: "All right, see you at the hospital." Elliot was hospitalized, and despite having a caregiver, Cecilia visited daily. She quickly changed and freshened up before heading downstairs.
Breakfast was still warm. Cecilia glanced at Nathaniel, absorbed in a book, his expression indifferent. "I need to go out for a bit. I'll be back by evening. Could you please take care of Martha?" she said. Had Martha not been present, Cecilia might have treated Nathaniel as he'd treated her—by not returning home at night.
"Where are you going?" Nathaniel asked.
"This doesn't concern you. Don't follow me again, or I'll ask you to leave my house," Cecilia retorted, realizing she'd been too lenient the previous day. He seemed to have no grasp of his situation. Both the Rainsworth family and Elena had rejected him. Cecilia had even called Elena, primarily to inquire about Nicholas, but Elena had refused to divulge anything, advising only, "Take good care of Nathaniel, keep him out of sight, and I won't shortchange you. But if you plan on exposing him, don't blame me for being the bad guy."
At that moment, Cecilia realized that, like herself, Nathaniel wasn't the only child of his biological mother.