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Novel Catalog
Chapter 71 Were We Deeply In Love
When Cecilia entered the office this time, Mason didn’t stop her.
Nathaniel stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, the bright light streaming through it illuminating his sharp, well-tailored suit. He was puffing away on a cigarette, the smoke swirling lazily around him, but his mind was elsewhere, replaying Cecilia’s words from the day before. She had suffered a miscarriage, and the child she had carried was now nothing but a distant memory.
The knock on the door broke his reverie, and he stubbed out the cigarette in his hand. “Come in,” he called, his voice measured but heavy with an underlying tension.
Cecilia stepped inside, her eyes briefly meeting his before her gaze shifted away. She paused at the door, taking in the figure before her. He hadn’t changed much since the last time she’d seen him, over a decade ago. Even back then, he had stood in the sunlight, effortlessly commanding attention with his presence. Today, he had the same effect.
Nathaniel’s gaze raked over her. He studied her with sharp, calculating eyes, taking in the details of her appearance, her delicate face, and the soft curve of her body that he hadn’t forgotten.
She closed the door softly behind her and walked toward him, her steps hesitant but purposeful.
“Mr. Rainsworth,” she began, her voice steady despite the flutter of nerves she felt, “after our conversation yesterday, I went through the past records. I misunderstood you before. We were married at one point. Also, there’s something I need to clarify with you. When I mentioned the blind date, I was standing in for my best friend.”
Nathaniel hadn’t expected her to come forward with an explanation. The surprise flickered across his face before he masked it. “So, you came to see me just to clear that up?”
Cecilia met his gaze, her eyes unwavering. “No. I’ve made up my mind. I want to regain my memories, but there are some things I don’t understand, and I need to ask you.”
She was standing close now, close enough that Nathaniel could feel her presence, see every small shift in her expression. His gaze dropped, noting the way her figure filled out the space around her, and then slowly rose to meet her eyes.
“What do you want to ask?” His voice was low, and his throat tightened slightly, betraying the storm brewing within him.
Cecilia’s next words cut through the quiet tension. “Were we deeply in love before?”
Nathaniel’s expression faltered for the briefest of moments, before his control snapped back into place.
Cecilia continued, her voice quiet yet firm. “I don’t remember many people or events, but I’m sure of one thing—I would never have married someone I didn’t love.”
The air between them thickened, heavy with unsaid words. Nathaniel’s eyes darkened as something unreadable passed through them. His chest tightened. Was it joy? Relief? Or something else entirely?
“Yes,” he finally answered, his voice surprisingly soft. “You loved me very much.”
His words were slow, deliberate, and as he spoke, his eyes glistened—eyes that had long been shielded from her, now raw with emotion.
Cecilia’s heart skipped a beat. She sensed the vulnerability in him, the change in the atmosphere around them. But she was determined, determined to understand this elusive bond between them, the one that had once brought them together.
With a sense of resolve, she took a small step closer to him, standing just a breath away. “I want to test if I truly love you,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. “Is that okay?”
Before Nathaniel could respond, her lips found his. The kiss was tentative, clumsy—a mere brush of softness against his lips. Nathaniel’s body tensed for a split second, taken by surprise, but then something deep inside him surged. He couldn’t help himself. He took control, pulling her closer, his lips more forceful now, eager for the connection.
The room seemed to close in on them. The heavy curtains drew the light away, plunging them into a dim, intimate darkness. The soft sounds of their kiss echoed through the room, mingling with the distant rain that began to fall outside.
Cecilia’s pulse raced, her mind alert, her senses sharp despite the overwhelming sensation that threatened to swallow her whole. She pinched her palm, willing herself to stay grounded.
But then, there were knocks at the door.
Thump, thump, thump.
“Nathaniel.”
It was Stella.
Cecilia quickly pulled away, her breath coming in short gasps. She pushed Nathaniel back gently. “Someone’s coming,” she said, her voice breathless and shy as she avoided his gaze.
Nathaniel stood still, the longing in his eyes as palpable as the air between them. The knock on the door persisted, and after a beat, the door swung open.
Stella stepped into the room, immediately noting the subtle flush on Cecilia’s cheeks and the glimmer of something unspoken in her eyes. As an adult, she didn’t need to be told what had just transpired.
She froze for a moment, then regained her composure. “What’s going on here?”
Nathaniel’s husky voice broke the silence, low and controlled. “What is it, Stella?”
Stella clutched an invitation in her hand, her fingers tightening around it as she walked up to Nathaniel, her gaze flicking between him and Cecilia. “Nathaniel, I’m releasing a new song tonight. I hope you’ll come. This song… was written just for you.”
The tension in the room was thick. Cecilia stood silently, her heart racing, her mind swirling with everything that had just unfolded.
And in that quiet moment, a part of her still wondered if the test she had set out to take would reveal the truth—whether the love they had once shared was still buried deep within them.
