He sat at the table without a word, his presence suffocating. Then, unexpectedly, he spoke.
“You don’t need to make breakfast for me anymore.”
Cecilia blinked, startled. “Did I do something wrong?”
His piercing gaze locked onto hers, his expression unreadable. “What I want is a wife, not a servant.”
The words hung like a challenge, but Cecilia responded automatically. “Okay.”
Her monotone reply only deepened Nathaniel’s irritation. He pushed back his chair abruptly and stood to leave. But before he could walk away, Cecilia grabbed his hand.
“Nathaniel,” she said, trembling, “do you… love someone else?”
His dark eyes narrowed, his voice icy. “What are you implying?”
Cecilia hesitated, her grip loosening. She had loved him for twelve years, long before their arranged marriage. But her love had become a one-sided battle. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she whispered, “If you do, you can…”
“Enough,” Nathaniel snapped, cutting her off. “You’re being ridiculous.”
He stormed out, leaving her alone in the suffocating silence.
Later, as the rain drummed against the windows, Cecilia stared at the television. The volume was cranked to its highest setting, yet the sound was faint. The screen displayed an interview with Stella Ross, a radiant woman whose confidence filled the room.
Stella, the internationally renowned singer, had returned to the country. The headline at the bottom of the screen read: “Stella Ross: Winning Back Her First Love.”
Cecilia’s blood ran cold. Stella had been Nathaniel’s first love, and despite the years that had passed, she still carried the same effortless beauty and charm.
The remote slipped from Cecilia’s trembling hand. Panic surged within her as the rain outside grew heavier, its relentless rhythm matching the pounding of her heart. Stella’s reappearance felt like a cruel twist of fate, a reminder that Cecilia could never measure up.
In her desperation, she began clearing the untouched breakfast. She reached for Nathaniel’s plate and noticed his phone on the counter. It vibrated softly, the screen lighting up with an unread message.
Her curiosity got the better of her. She picked it up, her heart sinking as she read the message.
Last updated on August 20th, 2025 at 11:21 pm
