chapter2219

Nicholas moved toward her again, and Cecilia darted for the bottle lying on the floor.

Thinking she meant to strike him, Nicholas backed up, only to see her lift the bottle to her own throat.

"Stay back!" Cecilia stared hard at him. "I don't like you and won't let anything happen between us. Keep obsessing if you must, but I already hate you, and nothing will ever change that."

Nicholas clearly didn't believe she would really hurt him. He leaned against the wall in a lazy slouch.

"If you really dare, I'll let you go," he drawled.

Without a blink, Cecilia dragged the glass across her skin. Blood beaded along her neck and slid downward.

Nicholas's pupils snapped into pinpoints.

"You!" Nicholas choked.

Cecilia cupped the bleeding spot. "Now will you get lost?"

Nicholas stayed exactly where he was.

"Still not enough?" She pushed harder, fresh blood spilling. "Have I paid you back yet?"

His Adam's apple jerked. "Fine. Perfect," he said.

Bitterness soaked every corner of his chest.

How worthless was he if Cecilia would rather cut herself than stay with him?

"All right. I'm leaving!"

This time Nicholas truly meant never to look for her again.

Yet, before stepping over the threshold, he glanced back.

"I wonder whether Nathaniel really loves you that much."

Cecilia didn't grasp the barb. Once he vanished, she pressed the wound, found her phone, and called an ambulance.

She didn't want to die; the whole scene had only been meant to scare Nicholas.

Four children waited for her at home. If she died, what would happen to them? Tonight was Charlotte's wedding night.

Not wanting to spoil the celebration, Cecilia rode to the hospital alone and told no one.

After the doctor bandaged her, she wrapped a scarf around her neck to hide the gauze.

She dared not return to the hotel; instead she booked a bed in the hospital for the night.

Lying there, Cecilia debated whether to tell Nathaniel that Nicholas had shown up. Nicholas was, after all, Nathaniel's younger brother.

If she spoke, what would Nathaniel do-really lay a hand on his own sibling?

But if he didn't, where would that leave her?

After a long struggle, she chose silence for now.

At dawn she slipped back to the hotel. Calvin and the others had just

ет

woken when they reached the st

dining room, Cecilia was already seated.

"Ceci, you're up early," Vivian said.

Cecilia nodded. "Mm."

Vivian slidanto the chair beside her.

"How can you never sleep in? If Madeline hadn't yanked me up, I'd still be snoozing."

"Probably just not used to hotel beds," Cecilia answered.

Just then Vivian noticed the scarf circling Cecilia's neck. She reached toward it. "Is

that new? Looks cute."

Cecilia managed a small smile.

"Let me borrow it a sec," Vivian said.

Cecilia blocked her hand at once. "I picked dit up nearby. I'll buy you one later but my neck's cold so I'd like to keep on content

Vivian let her be.

"Alright then."

"Let's head back right after breakfast," Cecilia suggested.

She needed to get home; the hotel no longer felt safe.

"Okay."

Everyone agreed in chorus.

Calvin sensed something was off about her, though he couldn't say what.

"Ceci, you're awfully pale," Calvin remarked.