Chapter 13 Only Love

However, Cecilia had proven that, despite her disability, she could play the piano, dance, and sing just as well as anyone else. She was in no way inferior to those without disabilities. These news reports had served as a beacon of hope for Calvin, helping him find the strength to pick himself up during his darkest days. As Calvin recounted his own accomplishments, Cecilia found herself almost forgetting the person she had once been. After Calvin escorted her to her place of residence, Cecilia offered him a small, grateful smile. “Thank you,” she said softly. “I almost forgot who I used to be.” Calvin, noticing her fragility, took her out for a meal. Throughout the day, he considerately avoided asking about what had transpired after Cecilia’s marriage. After settling into her new place, Cecilia realized there were only a few days left until mid-May, the day she and Nathaniel had agreed to finalize their divorce. Reflecting on the promise she had made to Paula, she journeyed to the graveyard one morning. She first visited her father’s tombstone. Gazing at the kind image of her father in the photograph, a roughness caught in Cecilia’s throat. “Dad, I miss you so much.” A gentle breeze softly caressed Cecilia’s cheek, bringing a bittersweet sting to her nose. “Dad, you’d be mad at me if I came to see you, wouldn’t you?” she whispered. She reached out, gently removing the fallen leaves from the tombstone, one by one. “I know I should be strong, but… I’m sorry…” After standing in front of the tombstone for a considerable time, Cecilia finally decided to leave. Before heading back, she bought an urn and visited a photography studio. Under the curious gazes of the staff, she had a black-and-white photo taken. On the way back, she stared out the car window, lost in thought. Her phone rang, breaking her reverie—it was Martha. “How have you been lately, Ceci?” Martha’s gentle voice asked. Cecilia forced a smile. “I’ve been doing well.” Martha sighed in relief but then scolded her lightly, “Who told you to sneakily give me money? I didn’t use it—I saved it for you. If you ever want to start a business or something…” Over the years, Cecilia had often sent Martha money in secret. Martha, being a simple country woman, had saved every penny. Listening to Martha’s concerned nagging, tears unwittingly covered Cecilia’s face. “Martha, could you pick me up and take me home like you used to when I was little?” Cecilia asked, her voice trembling. Martha was puzzled. Cecilia repeated, “On the fifteenth, I’d like you to take me back to our home.” Though Martha didn’t understand why she had to wait until then, she agreed. “All right, on the fifteenth, I will come to pick you up and take you home.” Recently, the hospital had sent Cecilia several messages, asking her to come in for a follow-up check. She had politely declined each one. She had already decided to leave and didn’t want to squander any more money on treatment. She glanced at her account, noting she still had over a hundred thousand left—money she planned to leave for Martha to use for her retirement. The past few days in Tudela had been marked by relentless rain. Calvin often visited her and noticed that her hearing impairment had worsened. Often, when he knocked on her door, she wouldn’t hear him. Occasionally, when he spoke, she had to focus on the shape of his lips to understand what he was saying. “Ceci, there’s going to be fireworks by the river. Do you want to go see them in two days?” Calvin asked one day. It took Cecilia a moment to respond. “All right.” In Tudela, it was a tradition to have fireworks by the riverside every Saturday. It was said that couples who watched the fireworks together would never part ways. After she got married, Cecilia had once tried to see the fireworks with Nathaniel, but he had coldly rejected her. Despite having countless opportunities, they never did. On Saturday, Cecilia and Calvin went to watch the eight o’clock fireworks. Boom! The dazzling fireworks lit up the sky, their beauty vanishing in an instant. Cecilia gazed up at the sky, tears brimming in her eyes. “Calvin, thank you. I felt happy today.” Calvin looked at the frail and thin Cecilia beside him. Despite the smile on her face, he sensed that she wasn’t truly happy. “I’ll be staying in Tudela this year. From now on, we can watch the fireworks together every week,” he offered. Cecilia didn’t agree because she knew she couldn’t make that promise. Half an hour later, the show ended. She declined Calvin’s offer to walk her home, choosing instead to walk alone along the riverbank. The streets were bustling with people, but despite the crowd, Cecilia thought she caught a glimpse of Nathaniel. As the people drew closer, she realized it wasn’t him. Ever since they parted ways, she had often mistaken others for Nathaniel. Whenever she saw someone who even slightly resembled him, she would think it was him. At the crossroads, while waiting for the light to change, she noticed an entertainment news segment on a large screen across the street. The person being interviewed was Stella. The reporter asked, “Stella, you mentioned that this time you returned to win back your first love. Have you achieved your wish?” Facing the camera, Stella neither confirmed nor denied it. Instead, she said, “At eight o’clock tonight, he and I watched the fireworks over Tudela together.” This was undoubtedly an announcement of their relationship. As Cecilia crossed the street, a song dedicated to Stella played on the television—Only Love. Only Love… In my entire life, I’ve only ever loved Nathaniel. How did I come to like him? She thought back to an afternoon ten years ago when she returned home alone. She saw Nathaniel from next door, wearing a white shirt. She remembered how, back in school, after she had been bullied, Nathaniel’s intervention felt like divine intervention. There were times when their parents teased them, saying that when they grew up, they were going to marry each other… There were so many memories. But even now, Cecilia couldn’t quite understand why she had fallen for Nathaniel. Meanwhile, Nathaniel didn’t see the news. After finishing his work, he checked his phone, but there were no messages from Cecilia. His eyes darkened slightly. He switched off his phone and tossed it aside. Mason knocked on the door and entered. “Mr. Rainsworth, we’ve found out. The man’s name is Calvin Reese, and it appears he was Cecilia’s childhood friend.” To Nathaniel’s understanding, and from previous reports, he had always been the childhood sweetheart in Cecilia’s life. Mason explained that Calvin was someone Cecilia had met during her time in the countryside—someone she knew even before she met Nathaniel. Nathaniel thought back to the man with the charming eyes, his brows furrowing slightly. “Mr. Rainsworth, Mr. Sinclair is still waiting for you outside,” Mason said. Nathaniel instructed, “Tell him I’m busy today.” Mason was surprised. Lately, Mr. Rainsworth has been spending his evenings with Mr. Sinclair and their wealthy friends. Why the change today? Nathaniel took the executive elevator down to the underground parking and drove straight to the motel where Cecilia had been staying. But when he arrived, he found out that Cecilia had moved out a few days before. Suddenly, Nathaniel felt a wave of agitation. He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts. Just as he was about to call Cecilia, his phone rang. It was Stella. “What’s the matter?” “Nathaniel, I heard from Cecilia’s mom that Cecilia is planning to get married,” Stella said. At her words, Nathaniel’s dark eyes narrowed.This text is © NôvelDrama/.Org.