Chapter 2300

The two of them exchanged a few playful words before Cecilia finally hung up.

It was almost time to leave work.

Cecilia had been about to call Charlotte and the others to go shopping and grab dinner, but before she could, Nathaniel pushed back his chair and walked straight toward her.

“Ceci, work’s over. Let’s head home.”

His eyes were bright.

Over the past year, Nathaniel had practically rooted himself at Jamieson Group. He had no intention of leaving.

Cecilia’s expression tightened. “I want to go out for a bit. You can go back first.”

“Where do you want to go? I’ll come with you,” Nathaniel replied immediately.

Cecilia fell silent.

He was always like this.

Even when she just wanted to shop with her friends, he wouldn’t let it happen.

“If you’re there, they won’t feel comfortable. So forget it.”

Nathaniel stepped closer and took her hand. “Whatever you girls want to buy, I’ll pay for everything.”

At this point, there was no avoiding it. If Nathaniel insisted on staying glued to Cecilia, then he had to stay on good terms with her closest friends.

Right then, Charlotte walked over carrying a stack of files. “Mr. Rainsworth, does Imminence Corporation seriously have no work to do?”

Since coming back, she’d seen firsthand how Nathaniel stuck to Cecilia like glue.

She used to think Sven was clingy—but Nathaniel was worse. It was a miracle her boss could tolerate him.

“Work can be handled by my team,” Nathaniel said calmly. “I’m the boss, not an employee.”

Charlotte nearly choked.

Realizing how that sounded, Nathaniel quickly added, “You’re different. You and Ceci are friends.”

He was a little too blunt.

If Charlotte and Cecilia weren’t so close, that comment would’ve landed much worse.

Still, blunt as he was, Nathaniel knew better than to offend his wife’s best friend.

“Come on. You girls go shopping—I’ll cover everything.”

But there was no way he felt comfortable leaving Cecilia alone with them.

Charlotte shook her head. “I’ll pass. I need to go home and spend time with my kid.”

Recently, she’d even started bringing her child along when she visited.

On weekends, Sven would come by too, and they’d all spend time together.

Lucille spoke up as well. “Same here. I need to get back to my kid.”

It wasn’t that they didn’t want to go out with Cecilia.

They just couldn’t deal with Nathaniel.

No one knew what went on in his head, but he insisted on sticking to Cecilia and tagging along everywhere.

And honestly, the moment he showed up, people started staring.

On top of that, if the girls wanted to vent about their husbands, they couldn’t do it with him around.

Between that and everything else, going home felt like the better option.

Cecilia watched them leave one by one, then turned to Nathaniel with a wounded look.

“That’s not it. They just wanted to spend time with their kids,” Nathaniel said, taking her hand again. “Come on, let’s go home.”

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

At least Lucille and Charlotte knew how to read the room.

Cecilia went with him anyway, dragging her feet the whole time.

Once she got into the car, she couldn’t hold it in anymore. “From now on, can we have at least a little personal space?”

Nathaniel froze for a second.

He looked at her. “We’re husband and wife. All my time is yours.”

Cecilia hesitated. “But…”

He just kept looking at her like that, and the words died in her throat.

She let out a breath. “Stop looking at me like that. I want to rest.”

She leaned back and closed her eyes.

Nathaniel quietly looked away.

Even he could tell she was pushing him away.

But there was nothing he could do.

He couldn’t trust her to go out alone.

Every time he thought about what had happened to her before, the regret came rushing back.

Sometimes he woke up from nightmares—seeing her hurt, over and over again.

But he never told her.

He didn’t want her thoughts to spiral in the wrong direction.