Chapter 2304

“Now that everything’s clear, you don’t have to stay by my side all the time anymore. I’m fine,” Cecilia said.

Nathaniel shook his head. “No. I’m not used to that yet.”

He had spent so long with her every day that the idea of suddenly being apart just didn’t sit right.

Seeing this, Cecilia could only fall silent for a moment, a trace of helplessness in her eyes.

“Fine. But you need to adjust—little by little.”

Having him cling to her constantly was exhausting.

She needed some space of her own.

Nathaniel nodded quickly. “Okay, okay. I’ll do whatever you say.”

The next day—

Nathaniel really didn’t follow Cecilia to work.

He only arranged for people to keep an eye on her, then used work as an excuse and “returned” to Imminence Corporation.

When Lucille and Charlotte heard that Nathaniel had gone back, both of them were stunned.

Lucille blurted out, “Since when did Mr. Rainsworth change like this?”

Charlotte lowered her voice. “Cecilia… you didn’t fight with him, did you?”

Cecilia shook her head. “No. We’re fine. I talked to him, and he agreed.”

Of course, she couldn’t tell them the truth—that Nathaniel had misunderstood her for an entire year.

“Oh… okay.”

Neither Lucille nor Charlotte looked convinced.

Cecilia just smiled and didn’t explain further.

Instead, she said, “Today, we’re going to shop, eat, and watch a movie—properly.”

For once, there wouldn’t be a third wheel.

Lucille and Charlotte nodded eagerly.

Meanwhile—

Nathaniel hadn’t gone back to Imminence Corporation at all.

He had boarded a plane and gone to see Nicholas.

Inside a dim, cramped room, Nicholas sat slumped over, looking half-dead. He clutched Jocelyn’s file in his arms, his expression blank.

Only when the door opened and light spilled in did something flicker in his eyes.

Nathaniel stepped in against the light, walking toward him one step at a time.

“Nathaniel…”

Only then did Nicholas dare speak.

The next second, Nathaniel grabbed him by the collar—

—and drove a punch straight into his face.

For a moment, Nicholas felt nothing.

Then the pain hit, slow and heavy.

Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.

“You… you came all this way just to hit me?”

He stared at Nathaniel, stunned, unable to understand why he’d suddenly been attacked.

Nathaniel shoved him aside. “Why did you lie to me?”

Nicholas froze for a second—then it clicked.

He threw his head back and burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! Nathaniel, don’t tell me you only found out the truth now?”

He had never touched Cecilia.

Yet for over a year, Nathaniel had believed he had.

That kind of torment… must not have felt good.

The sound of that laughter grated against Nathaniel’s nerves.

He stepped forward again and slammed another punch into Nicholas’s face.

This time, Nicholas’s head rang so hard he couldn’t laugh anymore.

“From now on, you’re staying here for good,” Nathaniel said, each word cold and final.

Nicholas’s pupils shrank instantly.

He lunged forward and grabbed Nathaniel’s leg.

“Nathaniel, I was wrong!”

In all these years, it was the first time Nicholas had admitted fault—the first time he had apologized.

Nathaniel looked down at him, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes at how broken Nicholas had become.

“Let me go. I’ll behave this time, I swear. I won’t go after you or Cecilia again,” Nicholas rushed out.

He had truly had enough of this place.

No daylight. No people.

Compared to the years he’d spent sick in a hospital bed, this was even worse.

Nathaniel didn’t respond.

He kicked Nicholas away and walked toward the pile of papers in the corner.

Realizing what he was about to do, Nicholas scrambled up and threw himself in front of him, blocking the way.

“I was wrong! However you want me to apologize, I’ll do it!”