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Novel Catalog
Chapter 72 My First Love
Nathaniel didn’t immediately respond to Stella’s invitation. Instead, his voice was cold and indifferent. “I don’t have time.”
Stella hadn’t expected him to reject her so decisively. The weight of his dismissal hung in the air. Her eyes flickered toward Cecilia, who was still sitting quietly by Nathaniel’s side. Something about their proximity unsettled her. As if compelled by an invisible force, Stella’s hand clenched into a fist, though she quickly hid the gesture.
Suppressing the discomfort gnawing at her, Stella forced a smile and addressed Cecilia. “Cecilia, would you like to attend? We have our university reunion after the showcase. Who knows, maybe seeing some familiar faces will help jog your memory.”
Nathaniel’s gaze turned toward Cecilia, his expression unreadable. Cecilia, sensing the pressure to respond, met his eyes. She had just voiced her desire to regain her memory to Nathaniel, and rejecting Stella felt difficult. After a brief pause, she nodded. “All right.”
Stella handed her the invitation, a thin smile playing on her lips as Cecilia left the office.
As Cecilia departed, Nathaniel couldn’t shake the pull to accompany her to the showcase. His resolve faltered under Stella’s persistent coaxing, and after a few moments of internal conflict, he agreed to attend.
Watching the interaction, Stella’s resentment towards Cecilia grew deeper. She had always known how to manipulate Nathaniel, but now, seeing Cecilia tug at his emotions so effortlessly, only fueled her frustration.
That evening, Cecilia arrived at the opera house, where the air was filled with excitement. The venue was packed with a mix of celebrities, media personnel, and former college classmates. The exclusive event, held by Stella, was a tightly controlled affair—only those with an invitation were allowed in, and no one else stood a chance of getting past the door.
Guided by the staff, Cecilia made her way to her designated spot. From here, she could see most of the venue. At first, she couldn’t figure out what Stella’s intentions were. But then, her eyes landed on a familiar silhouette in the front row: Nathaniel.
He said he wasn’t coming.
A quiet scoff escaped her lips. Every time Stella was involved, Nathaniel’s resolve seemed to crumble.
Stella, radiant and confident, was positively glowing with satisfaction. With Nathaniel present, the media flocked to her, and the cameras captured nothing but praise. As for the affluent college classmates who once dismissed Stella, they were now clambering for her attention, eager to win favor with Nathaniel.
But despite their attempts, they found themselves kept at a distance. Nathaniel’s bodyguards were strategically positioned around him, making it impossible for anyone to approach him directly.
From her seat, Cecilia watched as Nathaniel spoke quietly to one of his bodyguards. Moments later, a man approached her.
“Ms. Smith,” the bodyguard said respectfully, “our CEO has requested your presence.”
Caught off guard but with no reason to refuse, Cecilia stood and walked toward Nathaniel, feeling the eyes of everyone on her. The whispers began almost immediately.
“Isn’t that Cecilia?”
“Didn’t they say she was dead?”
“Did she really come back from the dead?”
The murmurs grew louder as Cecilia approached Nathaniel. As she sat down beside him, the eyes of the room seemed to follow her every move. She felt the weight of their curiosity pressing against her, but she kept her composure.
“Mr. Rainsworth,” Cecilia said, her voice calm, “why did you summon me? Is there something you need?”
Nathaniel’s gaze turned on her, sharp and unwavering. “Didn’t you say you wanted to recover your memory? I’m here to help you.”
A chill ran down Cecilia’s spine as she met his gaze. There was something in the way he looked at her—a sense of expectation, maybe even control. For a moment, unease coiled tightly in her chest, but before she could dwell on it, the lights in the room dimmed, and the focus shifted to the stage.
Stella stepped onto the platform. The spotlight hit her, accentuating her striking figure as she prepared to perform. Her eyes quickly found Cecilia sitting with Nathaniel, and for the briefest second, a flicker of something dark passed across her expression. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by a practiced smile.
Before beginning her performance, Stella took the microphone, her voice smooth and poised. “The song I’m about to sing is dedicated to my first love. The only person I have ever truly loved.”
There was a subtle shift in the air. Everyone in the room knew who she was referring to. Back in college, Stella had been a struggling student—someone who had latched onto Nathaniel, the heir of the Rainsworth family, to secure her future.
First love. The only one she ever loved…
It wasn’t a secret. Everyone in the room knew that Nathaniel had been Stella’s ticket to success. And now, as she performed, all eyes were on her, captivated by the illusion of love she wove with every note.
Some of their old classmates, who had once looked down on her, now vied for Stella’s attention, eager to get closer to Nathaniel, to bask in his influence.
But Nathaniel remained distant, his bodyguards blocking the crowd from getting any closer. As Cecilia observed, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of irony. No matter how much Stella performed, how much attention she garnered, it seemed nothing ever quite reached Nathaniel’s heart.
In the midst of all the admiration and praise, Cecilia sat quietly, her thoughts swirling. She had almost reached her goal earlier—when Nathaniel had drawn so close—but now, she realized, she still had so much to uncover.
The performance began, and the music swept through the air, but Cecilia couldn’t help but feel that the real drama was happening off-stage.
