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Novel Catalog
Chapter 94 Phony Public Relations Campaigns
Nathaniel’s sharp gaze flickered toward Zachary, a faint glint of amusement mixed with annoyance in his eyes. “You? Go in my place? Do you think I’m that desperate to avoid it?”
Zachary leaned back further into the couch, shrugging nonchalantly. “Not at all. But I know you. Charity events are as much a torture for you as they are for me. At least, this way, you can stay here and deal with whatever corporate mess you’ve got brewing. I’ll take care of the charity stuff. You can spare yourself the effort.”
Nathaniel’s lips curled slightly. “You’re right about one thing—it’s not exactly my scene. But I’m still going, Zachary.”
Zachary raised an eyebrow, not expecting Nathaniel to push back. He’d been hoping for an easy out, but clearly, Nathaniel wasn’t in the mood to give one. “Fine,” Zachary muttered, his tone laced with mock resignation. “But don’t say I didn’t offer. You’re doing this for her, right? Or is it more about keeping up appearances?”
Nathaniel’s eyes narrowed. “I’m doing it because I agreed to it. Simple as that.”
Zachary studied him for a moment, his mind briefly wandering to the uneasy shift in Nathaniel’s demeanor whenever Cecilia was involved. He didn’t know exactly what was going on with them, but it was clear that something had changed between them—something that went beyond business or charity.
“Well, good luck with that,” Zachary said, his voice casual but carrying an underlying note of intrigue. He stood up from the couch and made his way toward the door, but not before casting a glance at Nathaniel. “Just remember, Nathaniel, there’s a lot more to those events than just shaking hands and making speeches. If you really want to get to the heart of what’s going on, you might have to actually listen to people… and I’m not talking about the children. They’re not the ones you need to worry about.”
Nathaniel’s gaze followed him for a moment, the words hanging in the air long after Zachary had left.
Cecilia was already at the charity event by the time Nathaniel arrived, her presence at ease among the children and staff. She was standing beside a table where a group of children were gathered, all of them focused on a pile of brightly colored art supplies. Their laughter was like music to her ears, and for a brief moment, the tensions that always seemed to surround her and Nathaniel seemed to fade.
As she looked up and saw him approaching, her smile faltered just slightly, but she quickly masked it with the practiced grace she had perfected over the years. Nathaniel’s presence still carried a weight that made her heart skip a beat, and she couldn’t help but feel the past between them hanging in the air.
“Mr. Rainsworth,” she greeted him, her tone neutral, but there was a flicker of warmth in her eyes that hadn’t been there before.
Nathaniel nodded in acknowledgment, his gaze sweeping across the room before landing back on her. “Ms. Smith,” he replied, his voice steady, though there was an undercurrent of tension between them. “I see you’ve already settled in.”
Cecilia’s smile widened, but it was a little more subdued now. “Yes. The children are eager to meet you. They’ve heard so much about your company’s work.”
Nathaniel’s gaze softened slightly at the mention of the children, but it quickly hardened as he remembered the last thing Zachary had said. If you really want to get to the heart of what’s going on…
He wasn’t sure what Zachary’s cryptic words meant, but they echoed in his mind as he followed Cecilia over to the children’s table.
The children welcomed him enthusiastically, their excitement palpable, but Nathaniel felt oddly detached. He wasn’t used to being in a setting like this, and his instincts screamed to pull away and retreat to the safety of his office.
But there was something in Cecilia’s gaze that kept him there, that kept him from walking away.
As they interacted with the children, Cecilia glanced at Nathaniel from time to time, gauging his reactions. She could tell he was uncomfortable, but she didn’t press him. She was more concerned with seeing the impact of her efforts on the children. There was a sense of purpose here that she hadn’t felt in years, and it was something she wanted to share with Nathaniel—whether he liked it or not.
“You’re doing good work here, Cecilia,” Nathaniel finally said, his voice quieter now, the cool edge replaced with something closer to respect.
Cecilia looked at him, her eyes softening. “It’s not just me, Nathaniel. It’s everyone who cares enough to make a difference.” She paused, glancing at the children again. “This is what matters—what really matters.”
Nathaniel didn’t respond immediately. He found himself staring at her, her expression calm and resolute, yet carrying an undercurrent of something deeper. Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
He didn’t know what it was about her that kept pulling him back in, but he couldn’t ignore it. It was like a thread connecting them, no matter how much he tried to sever it.
For the rest of the afternoon, Nathaniel remained close by, observing as Cecilia worked with the children, seeing the way she interacted with them—genuine, caring, and full of warmth. It was a side of her that he hadn’t seen in a long time, and a side of her that he didn’t know how to handle.
As the event wound down, Cecilia turned to him, her smile faint but sincere. “Thank you for coming, Nathaniel. I know it wasn’t exactly your idea of a good time, but I’m glad you were here.”
Nathaniel stared at her for a moment, as if weighing his response. Finally, he simply nodded, his voice low. “It wasn’t as bad as I expected.”
Cecilia’s smile widened, just slightly, and she tilted her head. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Nathaniel couldn’t help but feel a flicker of something—something familiar, yet frustrating. Something that reminded him of why he had ever been drawn to her in the first place.
He wasn’t sure where things were headed, but he was starting to realize that there was more to this situation than just charity work, more to Cecilia than he had allowed himself to see.
And as he turned to leave, he couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever happened next, the thread between them was only getting tighter.
