Chapter 96: Taking Things For Granted
“I’ve been eating your cooking for three years. I don’t mind this time, either,” Nathaniel replied.
Cecilia chuckled softly. Once the vegetables arrived, she went to the kitchen to prepare the meal. In truth, she hadn't known how to cook before marrying Nathaniel; she'd learned gradually since then. Nathaniel had never shown much gratitude, always taking things for granted, as he was doing now.
He sat quietly in the living room, his gaze fixed on Cecilia. It seemed he could never tire of looking at her. Cecilia served dish after dish, adding extra lemon butter fish—Nathaniel’s favorite—to his plate.
They sat facing each other. Although it had been a long time since they'd shared a meal, Nathaniel hadn't touched his food. Cecilia served him a large piece of fish. “You said you wouldn’t mind,” she reminded him.
He picked up his fork and knife, calmly eating. Cecilia watched him anxiously; she'd added a sleep-inducing drug to the fish. Fearing the portion might be insufficient, she added more to his plate.
Nathaniel looked at her with his deep, dark eyes. “Why aren’t you eating?”
“I’m not very hungry. You should eat more,” she said, nervously pinching her palm before picking at other dishes. He finished his meal quietly.
Afterwards, he felt no drowsiness. Cecilia was dumbfounded. Did I put in too little of the drug? she wondered. She rose and headed for the kitchen. “I’ll pour you a cup of water.”
Nathaniel grasped her wrist. She’d been exceptionally attentive that day, yet she'd said she didn't like him. He wondered if everything she'd done was an act, a facade concealing her true intentions.
Startled, Cecilia thought he’d discovered her secret. But he asked, “Isn’t there water in the living room? Why go to the kitchen?”
Cecilia breathed a sigh of relief. “I wanted a bottled water.”
“No need,” Nathaniel murmured, his gaze locked on her amber eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly. “I’m not thirsty.” His grip tightened.
“Cecilia, be honest. Do you still have feelings for me?” he blurted out.
Before she could answer, he continued, “You mentioned losing your memory, right? After losing your memory, do you still have feelings for me?”
The air seemed to freeze. Cecilia was speechless. Honestly, after their divorce, she’d held no expectations for their relationship.
She gently pried his hand loose. “Mr. Rainsworth, to be completely honest, you’re exceptional. I can never reach your level of achievement, but I greatly admire you.”
Admire, but not like, he thought, recalling her past confession: “Nathaniel, I like you, and it’s not just because you’re exceptional. No matter who you become, I will still like you.” He remembered her standing at the entrance of Rainsworth Group, looking like an idiot.
His throat tightened. “So, you have no feelings for me anymore?”
He stood, cornering her against the wall, leaning close, their breaths mingling. “Who do you like then? Is it Calvin? Why didn’t he come back with you?” he pressed.
Cecilia panicked. Why hasn’t Nathaniel fallen asleep yet? she thought. “Mr. Rainsworth, you might have misunderstood.”
Nathaniel, unhappy, touched her slightly flushed cheeks. He noticed she wasn’t wearing makeup. “You didn’t used to wear…”
“I don’t like it, huh?” Cecilia’s eyes were slightly red. She smiled wryly. “Have you ever considered that it’s not that I dislike wearing makeup, nor that I don’t enjoy dressing up?”
Nathaniel choked back a sob.