Chapter 3 Last Will

“You probably haven’t tasted the sweetness of love yet, have you? You know, when Nathaniel was with me, he would cook for me, and whenever I fell sick, he would be the first one to rush to my side. He once told me the most tender words, ‘Stella, I hope you’re always happy…’ Ceci, did Nathaniel ever tell you he loved you? He used to tell me all the time, but I always thought he was childish…” Silently, Cecilia listened, reflecting on the years she had spent with Nathaniel over the past three years. He had never once stepped foot into the kitchen. When she was ill, he never once expressed a word of concern. As for love, he had never spoken of it. Cecilia calmly looked at her. “Are you done talking?” Stella was taken aback. Perhaps it was due to Cecilia’s overwhelming calmness or her piercingly clear eyes that seemed to see into one’s soul. She remained in a daze until the moment Cecilia left. For some unknown reason, at that moment, Stella seemed to have returned to her initial state—a poor orphan who had to rely on the charity of the Smith family. Behind the image of the Smith family’s daughter, she was always playing the fool. Of course, Cecilia couldn’t possibly remain indifferent to what Stella had said. She had pursued the man she adored for twelve years, only to discover that he too had once passionately loved someone else with the innocence of a child. Her ear began to throb with pain again. When she reached up to remove her hearing aid, she noticed blood staining it. She habitually wiped off the blood from it, setting the hearing aid aside. Unable to fall asleep, she unlocked her phone and tapped into Instagram. She saw one post after another, all tagging her. Upon opening it, she found it was filled with photos posted by Stella, visible only to her. The first photo was a snapshot of Stella and Nathaniel from their university days. They stood side by side, with Nathaniel’s eyes radiating a gentle warmth. The second photo was a record of their conversation. Nathaniel affectionately wrote: Ella, happy birthday. I will make you the happiest person in the world. The third photo was of Nathaniel and Stella, hand in hand, leisurely strolling along the beach, their backs to the camera. The fourth photo, the fifth, the sixth, and countless more were so overwhelming that they left Cecilia breathless. She didn’t dare to continue scrolling, swiftly shutting off her phone. At that moment, she suddenly felt the need to give up. That day, Cecilia penned a sentence in her private diary. It read: I could have endured the darkness, but that was before I had seen the light. The following day, she habitually set about preparing breakfast. It wasn’t until six o’clock had come and gone, and Nathaniel still hadn’t returned, that Cecilia realized she had forgotten his earlier mention of no longer preparing breakfast. She had assumed that Nathaniel would not return, so she sat alone on the couch, drifting off into a light sleep. “Didn’t I tell you that you don’t need to make breakfast for me anymore?” An impatient voice rang out. Startled awake, Cecilia opened her eyes, only to see Nathaniel walking past her. She quickly apologized. “I’m sorry, I forgot.” Again, those same words… Nathaniel turned to look at her, his gaze exceptionally icy. The clothes she wore that day were, as usual, a modest shade of soft gray. It appeared as if she was penniless, suggesting he had been mistreating her all along. “Why didn’t you forget to come back? Why didn’t you forget that we got married? Why didn’t you forget yourself? You can’t bear to leave me, can you? You can’t let go of the Rainsworth family’s wealth! You can’t stand the thought of losing me, Nathaniel, your personal money-making machine!” His words were like a knife, piercing straight into Cecilia’s heart. Cecilia lowered her gaze. “Nathaniel, I never wanted your money.” The person she had always cared about was Nathaniel. Nathaniel chuckled, his laugh laced with mockery. “So, what’s the story behind your mother coming to my office this morning, asking me to give you a child?” Cecilia was bewildered. She looked into Nathaniel’s cold, black eyes and realized that his anger wasn’t from the events of last night. Nathaniel didn’t bother engaging in idle chat with her. “Cecilia, if you want to continue living comfortably in Daltonia Villa and keep the Smith family stable, you better make sure your mother behaves herself.” After hurriedly finishing his words, he dashed to the study to grab something. Once he changed into a fresh set of clothes, he left. Before Cecilia could seek out Paula, Paula approached her instead, a stark contrast to her earlier indifference. She gently took Cecilia’s hand and said, “Ceci, you should beg Nathaniel. Ask him to give you a child, even if it means using medical intervention.” Cecilia simply stared at her, listening intently as she continued to speak. “Stella has already told me that in these past three years, Nathaniel never laid a finger on you.” This remark was probably the final straw that broke the camel’s back. In this world, there was never true empathy, only individual interests prevailed. Cecilia couldn’t comprehend why Nathaniel would disclose this matter to Stella. Perhaps he truly loves her… Upon reflecting on this, she suddenly felt a sense of relief. “Mom, let go.” Paula’s brows knitted together in confusion. “What did you say?” “I’m exhausted. I want to divorce Nathaniel…” A harsh slap from Paula landed on Cecilia’s face. Her image as a kind mother was completely shattered as she pointed at Cecilia. “What makes you think you can talk about divorce? Once you leave the Rainsworth family, who would want to marry a woman like you—handicapped and on her second marriage? How could I have such a worthless daughter like you? You’re nothing like me! If I had known, I would have never brought you back home!” Cecilia seemed to have become numb. From her earliest memories, Paula had never been fond of her. Paula was a renowned dancer. However, her daughter, Cecilia, who was born with hearing difficulties, became the lifelong worry that she carried in her heart. Therefore, she made the tough decision to entrust Cecilia entirely to the care of a nanny. It wasn’t until she was of school age that she allowed her to return to the Smith residence. Cecilia remembered her teacher saying in the past that no mother would ever despise their own child. And so, she strived to better herself, doing her utmost to please her mother. Even though she was hard of hearing, she excelled in various fields such as dancing, music, painting, and languages. It was only now that she understood that no matter how well she performed, she would never be the ideal daughter in her mother’s eyes. Just as Paula had said, she was a handicapped person. She wasn’t just physically handicapped; she also had issues with her familial relationships and romantic life. After Paula left, she concealed the vivid red handprint on her face with foundation and took a trip to a law firm. In the office, Norman Jenkins, who had served as the legal advisor to Cecilia’s late father, Regas Smith, accepted the letter of authorization she handed him. After reviewing it, he turned to her with a puzzled expression. “Are you really going to give all of the inheritance that Mr. Smith secretly left for you to Nathaniel? You should know he doesn’t need the money.” Cecilia gave a nod. “I know, but it’s a debt I owe him, one that I must repay.” Three years ago, Regas had tragically passed away. He had already prepared three wills during his lifetime. Knowing that Paula didn’t care for Cecilia, he had instructed Norman to secretly inform her about the last will. The final will stated that after three years of marriage, if she found herself unhappy or desired to establish her own career independent of anyone else, she could use it.Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.