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Novel Catalog
Chapter 9 Do Not Regret This
Nathaniel arrived at City Hall, glancing at his watch. It was exactly ten o’clock.
He was about to call Cecilia to check if she had arrived when his eyes caught sight of her standing beneath a large tree in the distance. Dressed in dark, somber clothes, she looked fragile, almost as if a light breeze could knock her over. The faint drizzle only seemed to emphasize her delicate frame.
Nathaniel’s thoughts drifted back to the Cecilia he had married—youthful, radiant, full of life. The contrast now was striking. She looked so thin, so lifeless.
He moved toward her, umbrella in hand. It took her a moment to notice his approach.
When their eyes met, Cecilia felt a strange sense of disorientation. It was as if the three years they had spent apart had both passed in the blink of an eye and yet stretched on endlessly. Nathaniel, unchanged—still handsome, still confident, now with an added air of maturity. And she, altered beyond recognition.
As he reached her, his gaze turned cold. He expected an apology, some kind of remorse.
She’s finally tired of the theatrics, he thought.
But to his surprise, Cecilia only said, “I’ve kept you from your work. Let’s go inside.”
His expression hardened, his voice icy. “Don’t regret this,” he said before turning on his heel and walking toward the building.
Cecilia watched him go, a sharp ache in her chest. Do I regret it? I’m not sure. She couldn’t quite answer her own question. All she knew was that she was tired. So, so tired.
When a person decided to leave, it wasn’t often out of anger. It was usually because the well of hope had run dry, and disappointment had filled every corner of the heart.
At the divorce processing window, the staff member asked if they were sure about their decision. Cecilia looked at Nathaniel one last time before answering firmly, “Yes.”
Her resolute tone caught Nathaniel off guard. For a moment, he felt an unfamiliar weight in his chest, as if something was slipping from his grasp.
After the formalities were completed, they were informed about the required cooling-off period. They’d have to return in a month to finalize the divorce, unless they chose to cancel the application.
As they exited City Hall, Cecilia turned to Nathaniel, her face unusually calm. “See you next month. Take care,” she said, her voice steady. Then, without another glance, she stepped into the rain and hailed a taxi.
Nathaniel stood frozen, watching the taxi disappear into the mist. His emotions were a mess, but one thing was certain: This must be liberation, right? He was free. No more tangled up with her. No more hiding behind a crumbling marriage.
Then, his phone buzzed. Zachary’s call.
“Nathaniel, is everything sorted?” Zachary asked, his tone casual.
“Yeah,” Nathaniel replied curtly.
“I hear there’s a cooling-off period. Don’t get too comfortable with the little deaf girl. She’s tricky, I bet she’s got more up her sleeve,” Zachary warned.
Nathaniel didn’t respond. Zachary had a point. After all these years, who could believe that Cecilia was truly giving up?
Meanwhile, in the back of the taxi, Cecilia stared out the window, watching the raindrops race each other down the glass. Her mind was distant, lost in thought. The driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror, his eyes widening when he noticed fresh blood trickling down her ear.
“Miss! Miss!” he called out, but Cecilia didn’t respond. Concerned, he quickly pulled over.
Cecilia blinked, confused. They hadn’t reached her destination yet. Why had he stopped?
The driver’s lips moved, but Cecilia stared at him blankly, realizing she couldn’t hear him. She raised a hand to her ear, her fingers brushing against the warm, sticky blood.
I’ve gotten used to this, she thought, an unsettling numbness settling over her.
“It’s okay,” she said, offering a weak smile. “I’m often like this—it’s not a big deal.”
Her hearing issues hadn’t always been this severe. Two years ago, after Zachary had pushed her into a pool at a social gathering, she had nearly drowned. The trauma had caused her eardrums to swell, and that’s when her hearing had started to deteriorate. At first, it was manageable, but now it was happening far more frequently.
The driver, still uneasy, insisted on taking her to the nearest hospital. Cecilia reluctantly agreed.
Dr. Zagon, her long-time physician, greeted her with concern as he reviewed her condition. “Cecilia, I’ve noticed you’ve been forgetting things. How long has this been happening?”
Cecilia sighed, her gaze distant. “It’s been happening more often. Just this morning, I had to remind myself why I was supposed to divorce Nathaniel. I had to check his texts to remember.”
Dr. Zagon’s expression grew serious as he examined her reports. “Your hearing issues are one thing, but the memory loss… It’s concerning. I recommend you undergo further psychological testing.”
Psychological testing.
The suggestion sent a chill through her. But she agreed, knowing deep down that something wasn’t right.
The test confirmed the doctor’s suspicions. Severe depression, which often led to memory loss, had taken hold of her.
Cecilia, feeling defeated but resolute, bought a notebook and a pen before heading back to her motel. She wrote down everything that had happened recently, leaving it on her nightstand so that when she woke up, she wouldn’t forget.
Later that night, she scrolled through her phone, searching for methods to treat her depression. She came across a quote: I hope you can do your best to heal yourself instead of fantasizing that someone else will save you.
The words hit her like a punch to the gut. She turned off her phone and closed her eyes, letting the darkness swallow her.
The next day, when she woke up, she found a string of unread messages from Paula, Magnus, and… Stella.
Paula: As you wished, the Smith family has now fallen.
Magnus: Go ahead, keep hiding. I’ve never seen a sister as cold-hearted and cowardly as you.
Stella: My condolences, Cecilia. Truth is, the Smith family can thrive better under Nathaniel’s control.
Stella (again): Considering the financial support I’ve received from the Smith family, if there’s anything you need, let me know. I’ll help if I can.
Cecilia stared at the screen, confused. What was happening? As she scrolled through the messages, a notification from the news app popped up, drawing her attention. She hesitated before clicking it, already dreading what she would find.
