chapter2230

"Let's clock out," Cecilia said as she stood.

Nathaniel caught her hand. "Let me see the wound."

Cecilia froze.

She reasoned that he already knew, so she didn't dodge and bared the injury on her neck.

With the gauze still wrapped around it, Nathaniel couldn't see the actual state of the

cut.

"I'm fine," Cecilia said.

"We're getting it checked at the hospital," Nathaniel insisted. He wasn't about to rip the gauze off himself.

Cecilia hadn't wanted to go, yet his resolve bulldozed hers, and he ended up taking her there.

At the hospital, the doctor removed the bandage, revealing a gash as long as a finger.

The wound ran deep; it must have been serious when it happened.

Nathaniel's eyes narrowed. "That deep? Why have you hidden it from me all this time?"

"It's already healing," Cecilia repeated.

Nathaniel's hand on her neck trembled. "Don't keep things from me again, okay?"

His voice came out rough.

Cecilia nodded again. "I know, I know."

She still looked indifferent.

The more casually she acted, the more fury, hurt, and worry roiled inside Nathaniel.

After he had the doctor treat the cut again, he took her home.

Once there, he ignored their two sons, led Cecilia straight to the bedroom, and ordered dinner to be sent in.

"Why are we eating in the bedroom?" she asked.

"Because I don't want the kids to notice," Nathaniel answered.

She had to admit the logic. "Then what are you telling them?"

"I'll say you caught a cold and we're avoiding infecting them," Nathaniel said. Then he added gently, "Ceci, finish your meal. Afterward I'll walk with you." Cecilia nodded, bent over her food, and Nathaniel stayed to eat beside her. When they finished, he shadowed her during the walk, refusing to leave her side. Aside from bathroom breaks, Nathaniel didn't give her a single step of space. At last, lying in bed that night, Cecilia drifted off.

Only then did he rise from the mattress.

He went outside, caught a car, and headed to a secluded private villa.

Inside a dim room, Nicholas lay on the floor, bound hand and foot and utterly unattended.

"Creak!"

The tightly shut door swung inward.

A figure walked in against the light.

The man

bent seize

jaw,

and drove a fist into his face a heartbeat later.

Nicholas, half-conscious before, snapped wide awake from the blow.

He hissed through the pain, swollen eyes-already ringed with bruises-fixing on

Nathaniel's furious face.

"Nathaniel, are you still not satisfied?"

"Satisfied?"

Nathaniel let out a thin chuckle, anger blazing in his eyes.

Nothing in the world felt enough to drain his fury.

Nathaniel raised his right leg and

slammed his boot into Nicholas' et

gut. "I stay angry until the day die. Settle in-you're finishing your life, alone in this room."

The blow folded Nicholas over; pain wracked his stomach until he shivered uncontrollably.

Despite agony, Nicholas let out a ragged laugh. "Ha! Some brother you are. Turns out rank below a woman

in

reyes

Nathaniel refused to answer and drove another vicious kick into him.

A muffled grunt escaped Nicholas as he curled on the floor, knotted like a scalded shrimp.

"Do you finally realize you were wrong?" Nathaniel asked, voice flat and frigid.

Instead of yielding, Nicholas shot back, "Nathaniel, tell me—what exactly did I do wrong?"

Seeing that shameless certainty, any remaining warmth drained from Nathaniel's eyes, leaving only ice.