chapter2239

"This blood belongs to Nicholas," Nathaniel said slowly.

"What?" Cecilia's voice cracked in disbelief.

"I've had him locked away," Nathaniel went on. "I went to see him tonight and roughed him up again."

The single word echoed inside Cecilia's head: again.

Until this moment, she had only linked Nicholas's disappearance to Nathaniel; she had never imagined her husband was also using his fists on his younger brother.

"His health has always been fragile," she said, the worry slipping through. "What if something goes wrong because of you?"

Nathaniel let out a short, icy laugh. "If something happens to him, I'd call that good fortune on his part."

Silence collected between them; Cecilia had no idea how to answer.

"All right, you know everything now. Don't stay angry. Let's sleep. If I hold you, the nightmares won't come back."

She lay down beside him, yet the mattress seemed to push her awake; she rolled one way, then the other, sleep nowhere in reach.

Nathaniel drew her into his chest. "What's the matter?"

"I can't fall asleep," Cecilia admitted.

He pressed a kiss to the center of her brow. "Don't feel guilty. Nicholas earned every bruise he's wearing."

A quiet sigh escaped her.

"It's not guilt over him," she murmured. "I just hate putting you in a bind."

Nathaniel's arms cinched tighter. "I failed to shield you. And you still worry about me. I'm sorry."

"Enough," she said with a small smile. "I told you I'm fine. No more apologies." Then she added, "You've punished Nicholas more than once; let it end. Release him. I doubt he'll ever dare cross us again."

Nathaniel's brows slashed together.

How could there be a next time for something like that?

He drew a steady breath. "Leave it to me. I'll handle every angle."

The certainty in his tone told her he still had no intention of setting Nicholas free.

As his wife, she truly dreaded watching her husband and his brother tear each other apart.

"Nathaniel, let him go," she tried again. "We can simply cut ties afterward."

She had thought about turning

Nicholas over to the law, yet airing

family disgrace would shred

Nathaniel's reputation.

The best outcome she could picture was Nicholas nursing his bruises someplace

far, far away.

is impossible," Nathaniel said.

"If I free him, staying out

knew his parents especially Elena-coddled Nicholas blindly.

Once Nicholas smelled freedom, she would be the first to drag him home again. Cecilia's worry only deepened; surely they couldn't keep Nicholas chained forever. Nathaniel patted her shoulder. "Stop fretting. I've already decided what to do." She nodded. "All right."

A few days later, the weekend found everyone seated for dinner at Rainsworth Manor.

Elena pushed her food around, a cloud of worry dimming her usually bright face.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Cecilia finally asked, unable to ignore the mood.

"It's Nicholas," Elena sighed. "There's still not a single trace of him."

A heavy sigh slipped from her lips.

Cecilia searched for words, finding none that felt remotely helpful.

Just then, Nathaniel walked in. "Mom, we've got news about Nicholas."

Elena's eyes lit up. Wren, who had been half-watching television, shot to his feet. "Where is he?"

Nathaniel stepped closer and held out his phone; an active call filled the screen.

"Here—speak to him yourselves."

Elena snatched the phone first and

rushed out, "Nicholas, where are you?

Have you been th

swho finet

days?"

Cecilia blinked in surprise, listening as a familiar voice filtered through the speaker.

"Dad, Mom, I'm overseas right now," Nicholas said. "Don't worry about me; I'm all right."