Nathaniel’s calm exterior didn’t waver. “I know.”
“Then why haven’t you divorced her?” Zacarias pressed, his impatience palpable.
Nathaniel finally spoke, his voice calm and sharp. “Because she’s not worth the effort.”
Zacarias chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re ruthless, my friend. But Stella won’t wait forever.”
Nathaniel didn’t respond, handing Zacarias a purchase agreement instead. As Zacarias skimmed it, a flicker of unease crossed his face.
“You’re buying out the Smith Corporation?” he asked incredulously.
Nathaniel’s expression hardened. “Business is business.”
Even Zacarias, who prided himself on his lack of sentimentality, felt a pang of pity for Cecilia. She had loved Nathaniel openly, unabashedly, for years. That love had become a quiet tragedy, visible to everyone but Nathaniel himself.
Cecilia hadn’t expected Nathaniel to come home, but at midnight, the front door clicked open. She sat on the couch, her thoughts swirling like a storm.
Nathaniel entered with his usual precision, placing his coat and briefcase aside. For a brief moment, their movements mirrored those of a normal couple—a fleeting illusion.
“Don’t text me for trivial things again,” Nathaniel said coldly, his tone cutting through the quiet.
Cecilia flinched but quickly masked her reaction. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Her soft and subdued words seemed to irritate him even more. Without another glance, he disappeared into his office, leaving her alone in the silence.
Over the years, Nathaniel had spent countless nights in that office, his world entirely separate from hers. Cecilia, ever the dutiful wife, brought him a cup of ginger tea and placed it gently on the desk.
“Nathaniel,” she began, her voice trembling but steady.
He looked up, his expression flickering with something unspoken. He closed his laptop and hung up the phone, an unusual gesture of attention.
“You said you wanted to talk,” he prompted.
Cecilia met his gaze, her heart pounding. “I was going to ask if you’re free tomorrow morning… to finalize the divorce.”
Her tone was calm, almost detached as if she were discussing the weather.
Nathaniel froze, disbelief flashing across his face. “What did you say?”
“I want a divorce,” she repeated, her voice firmer this time. “I’m sorry for keeping you tied to this for so long.”
For a moment, Nathaniel said nothing. Memories flickered through his mind—Cecilia’s quiet smiles, unwavering loyalty, and how she had loved him without conditions.
His jaw tightened. “Do you think this is a game? The Smith Corporation is failing, and you think you can manipulate me with this? What do you want, Cecilia? Money? A child? Is this your way of trying to save your family?”
Cecilia’s eyes didn’t waver. “I don’t want anything.”
Her calmness unsettled him. She turned and left the office, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
Nathaniel felt something crack within him for the first time in years—a shadow of regret or perhaps guilt. Frustrated, he slammed his fist against the desk, crashing the cup of ginger tea onto the floor. The faint aroma lingered in the air, a quiet reminder of what he had just lost.
Last updated on August 20th, 2025 at 11:21 pm
