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Novel Catalog
Chapter 5 Stay Optimistic
Cecilia returned to her room, her heart pounding as she fought to swallow another mouthful of pills. She reached behind her ear to adjust her hearing aid, only to find her fingertips stained with blood. The doctor’s words echoed in her mind, “Ms. Smith, in many cases, the worsening of your condition is linked to emotional distress. You must stay emotionally stable, optimistic, and cooperate with the treatment.”
Optimistic? Easier said than done.
She tried to push Nathaniel’s cold words from her mind, but they clung to her like a shadow. Leaning back against the pillow, she closed her eyes, trying to find rest.
As dawn’s first light seeped through the window, Cecilia realized she hadn’t truly slept at all. But something had shifted—she could hear a little more clearly, the medication beginning to take effect. The faint glow of the morning sun filtered into her room, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch as her thoughts lingered on her decision.
The rain has stopped.
There was more than one reason a person might give up. It wasn’t always one single event. It was a process, a slow accumulation of small wounds and harsh words. And sometimes, it took just the final, trivial straw to break the camel’s back.
That morning, Nathaniel stayed home. He sat on the couch, waiting for Cecilia to apologize, to regret her words and actions. They’d been married for three years, and it wasn’t the first time Cecilia had thrown a tantrum. In the past, she had always come around. After the anger and tears, she would apologize, and everything would return to its usual uneasy rhythm. Nathaniel believed this time would be no different.
When Cecilia finally emerged, freshly washed and dressed in one of her usual dark-colored outfits, she was dragging a suitcase behind her. In her hand, she held a single sheet of paper.
She handed it to Nathaniel, her expression unreadable. The moment he saw it, his heart dropped—it was a divorce agreement.
“Nathaniel, contact me when you have time,” she said, her voice cold and detached.
Without another word, Cecilia turned and dragged her suitcase out the door.
Outside, the sky had cleared after the rain, and for the briefest moment, Cecilia felt a strange sense of rebirth, as though the weight that had been suffocating her for so long had lifted.
Nathaniel sat frozen on the sofa, staring at the divorce papers in his hands. It took him a long time to process what had just happened. When he finally snapped back to reality, he realized that Cecilia was already gone.
At first, there was only the briefest flicker of frustration. But soon, his usual indifference returned. He didn’t take her departure seriously. He was sure that with just a phone call or a few words from him, Cecilia would be back at his side, eager to apologize and resume her role as the dutiful wife.
This time, however, was different.
The weekend after All Souls’ Day arrived. In previous years, Nathaniel would have brought Cecilia with him to Rainsworth Manor for the family memorial. Despite the cold stares from the Rainsworth relatives, she had always put on a brave face, doing her best to please everyone.
But this time, Cecilia wasn’t with him.
Nathaniel drove to Rainsworth Manor alone, his mood strangely buoyant. The spring breeze outside made him feel lighter than he had in months, as though the burden of his marriage had been temporarily lifted.
Rainsworth Manor was a sprawling estate, and each year, the family gathered for the memorial. It was a large affair, with hundreds of relatives, many of whom were exceptionally talented or powerful in their own right. Nathaniel had risen above them all to become the head of the Rainsworth family, a position he ruled with an iron fist. His peers, and even the older generations, often looked at him with a mixture of respect and fear.
Though Nathaniel was used to whispers behind his back, today, the gossip was more biting than ever.
At the manor, his mother, Elena, had made her feelings clear. She’d instructed the servants, “When Cecilia arrives, make sure she doesn’t enter the guest hall.”
If not for the family rule that the eldest grandson’s wife must be present for the memorial, Elena would have never allowed Cecilia to make a public appearance. But today, Cecilia wasn’t there.
When Elena heard the news, she was momentarily taken aback. She had expected Cecilia to arrive early, as she always had, doing her best to please everyone, despite her obvious discomfort.
“Where’s Cecilia?” Elena asked, approaching Nathaniel.
Nathaniel, surrounded by childhood friends, turned to face his mother. The coldness in his gaze was unmistakable.
“She’s asking for a divorce,” he said flatly. “She’s left.”
The room fell silent. His words hung in the air, a stunning revelation. Elena was shocked, as were the others nearby.
To them, Cecilia had always been the dutiful wife, the one who tried her best to make Nathaniel’s life easier. How could she possibly ask for a divorce after all she had done for him? They all remembered how she had saved Nathaniel’s life years ago, how she had searched tirelessly for him when he was presumed dead, and how she had always been there, patient and eager to please.
But now, after her father’s death, she had walked away.
Elena’s face hardened as she processed the news. A woman like Cecilia could never be presentable, she thought. Divorce is for the best. She was never good enough for him.
The others quickly chimed in, their words laced with disdain.
“That’s right. Nathaniel is a young, successful man. He deserves better than someone like her.”
“Every time I see her, I think she lacks the grace of a true lady. No taste, no class. And she’s deaf. Nathaniel has been more than generous staying with her.”
The memorial quickly turned into a session of slandering Cecilia. Nathaniel should have felt relieved, but instead, the words grinded on his nerves. He didn’t want to hear it, didn’t want to be part of it.
When the memorial was over, he was the first to leave.
By the time Nathaniel returned to Daltonia Villa, the sky had darkened. He pushed open the door, tossing his coat by the entrance, expecting to be greeted as he always was. But when no one came, he looked around the dark, silent living room and realized with a jolt that Cecilia was gone.
Frustrated, he grabbed his coat, changed into slippers, and threw the coat into the washing machine. He didn’t know why he felt so drained. It wasn’t as if he cared. Or did he?
He walked to the wine cellar, eager to drown his thoughts with a drink to mark the occasion. But when he reached the locked door, he paused. The key, he thought, suddenly remembering. He didn’t have the key.
After Cecilia had married him, she had taken care of everything at home, from cleaning to managing the house. She had always been the one who kept everything running smoothly.
Nathaniel scoured the bedroom, searching for the key, but it wasn’t there. Annoyed, he unlocked his phone and began typing.
