Chapter 5 Stay Optimistic

Cecilia returned to her room and forced herself to swallow mouthfuls of pills. She reached behind her ear, and her fingertips were covered in blood. The doctor’s advice echoed in her mind. “Ms. Smith, in many cases, the worsening of a condition is related to the patient’s emotions. You must be emotionally stable, stay optimistic, and actively cooperate with the treatment.” Optimistic? Easier said than done. Cecilia tried not to think about what Nathaniel had said. She leaned back against the pillow and closed her eyes. As dawn was just beginning to break, she still hadn’t truly fallen asleep. Perhaps the medication was working because she could hear a little better. Staring at the faint sunlight filtering through the window, Cecilia remained lost in thought for a long time. “The rain has stopped.” There was more than one reason for one to truly give up. It was a cumulative process. In the end, all it took is the last straw, which could be a cold word or a trivial matter… Today, Nathaniel didn’t go out. Early in the morning, he sat on the couch, waiting for Cecilia to apologize, to regret what she had done. They had been married for three years, and it wasn’t the first time Cecilia had thrown a tantrum. Yet each time, after the tears and the anger, it wouldn’t be long before she apologized. Nathaniel thought this time wouldn’t be any different. He watched as Cecilia emerged after washing up, dressed in one of her usual dark-colored outfits. She was dragging a suitcase and holding a piece of paper in her hand. When Cecilia handed the document to Nathaniel, he realized it was a divorce agreement. “Nathaniel, contact me when you have time.” After saying that curt sentence, Cecilia dragged her suitcase out the door. Outside, the sky had cleared after the rain. For a moment, Cecilia felt like she had been reborn. Nathaniel sat frozen on the living room sofa, holding the divorce agreement. It took him a long time to come to his senses. Only when Cecilia’s figure disappeared from view did he realize, belatedly, that she was gone. It was just a brief moment of frustration before he quickly returned to his usual indifference, not taking Cecilia’s departure seriously. After all, with just a phone call or a word from him, Cecilia would obediently return to his side, more eager to please him than ever. This time would be no different. It was the weekend after All Souls’ Day. In previous years, Nathaniel would always bring Cecilia back to Rainsworth Manor for a memorial. Inevitably, they would be subjected to the strange looks from the Rainsworth family relatives. Finally, he was alone. Nathaniel was in an exceptionally good mood as he drove to Rainsworth Manor. The spring breeze made him feel a lightness he had never experienced before. The Rainsworth family was a large clan, and every year around this time, many relatives would return for a memorial. Including the extended family, there would be no fewer than five or six hundred people. Among Nathaniel’s generation alone, there were seventy or eighty people, many of them exceptionally talented. That Nathaniel had managed to stand out among them and become the head of the Rainsworth family was no small feat. He was domineering and assertive, ruling with an iron hand. Not only his peers but also his elders harbored a sense of fear toward him. Fear aside, the private gossip about him was never in short supply. The once influential man had been deceived and had married a wife with hearing impairment. At Rainsworth Manor, Elena, Nathaniel’s mother, had instructed the servants early on, “Remember, when Cecilia arrives, do not allow her into the guest hall.” If not for the Rainsworth family rule that the eldest grandson’s wife must be present during the memorial, she would never have allowed Cecilia to make a public appearance. However, this time, Cecilia hadn’t come. Everyone was surprised. In previous years, the eldest grandson’s wife, Cecilia, was always the first to arrive and the last to leave, flattering and pleasing everyone. But today, she hadn’t shown up. Elena was chatting and laughing with several noblewomen when she heard that Cecilia wasn’t coming. Her elegant eyebrows furrowed slightly. The Rainsworth family’s memorial was a significant event. It wasn’t something Cecilia could just attend or skip on a whim. She approached Nathaniel and gently asked, “Nathaniel, where is Cecilia?” Nathaniel was chatting with a few childhood friends. When he heard this, his gaze turned cold. “She’s asking for a divorce and has left home.” As soon as he said this, everyone around him fell silent, each looking on in disbelief. Elena was even more shocked. In this world, apart from his parents, no one loved Nathaniel more than Cecilia. Seven years ago, when Nathaniel was almost stabbed, Cecilia had saved him with her own life. Four years ago, when they were engaged, Nathaniel had gone to Daprein for business and gotten into trouble. Everyone said Nathaniel was dead, but Cecilia refused to believe it. Without a second thought, she went to find him. In that unfamiliar city, Cecilia searched for him for three days before finally finding him, only to be blamed for meddling. After they got married, whether it was during illness and hospitalization, in daily life, or even when dealing with everyone around Nathaniel, including his secretaries and assistants, Cecilia was always careful, afraid of offending anyone. A woman like Cecilia, who couldn’t live without Nathaniel, had actually filed for divorce and chosen to leave after her father’s death. Why? Elena didn’t understand, but she was grateful that Cecilia had let her son go. “A woman like her could never be presentable. Divorce is for the best. She was never good enough for you.” As soon as Elena spoke, others chimed in. “That’s right. Nathaniel is a young, talented man in his prime, and Cecilia has been holding him back.” “Every time I see Cecilia, I think she doesn’t have the demeanor of a lady from a noble family, no taste, no morals. Moreover, she’s deaf. Nathaniel has been more than generous to stay with her.” The memorial quickly turned into a session of slandering Cecilia. It was as if she was the most despicable person in the world. Elena and the others forgot how many wealthy heirs had wanted to marry Cecilia back when her father, Regas, was still alive and Nathaniel’s position was unstable. They also forgot that it was the Rainsworth family who had proposed the marriage alliance between the two families. In the past, the Rainsworth family had only gossiped about Cecilia behind her back because Nathaniel was present. But now, they were bold enough to do it openly. Nathaniel should have been pleased, but for some reason, the voices grated on him. After the memorial, he was the first to drive away from Rainsworth Manor. By the time he returned to Daltonia Villa, it was getting dark. Nathaniel pushed the door open and instinctively tossed his coat by the entrance. After a while, when no one came to greet him, he looked up at the dark and silent living room, suddenly realizing that Cecilia was gone. Irritated, he picked up his coat, changed into a pair of slippers, and threw the coat into the washing machine. He couldn’t understand why he felt so tired today. Nathaniel went to the wine cellar to get some wine to celebrate Cecilia’s departure. When he reached the wine cellar and saw the locked door, he belatedly realized that he didn’t have the key. He didn’t like outsiders in his home, so the villa only had part-time workers, not a full-time housekeeper. After Cecilia had married into the family, she had taken care of everything herself. Nathaniel returned to the bedroom and searched everywhere but couldn’t find the key to the wine cellar. Annoyed, he picked up his phone and unlocked it.NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.