<strong>Chapter 197 I Regret It</strong>


    Boom! A brilliant firework burst in the sky, fading as quickly as it appeared.


    Nearby, a girl squeezed her boyfriend’s hand and whispered, “Let’s be together forever.”


    As Cecilia watched them walk away, a deep longing stirred within her–a desire to experience a romance of her own. Since falling for Nathaniel, she had turned away every suitor, never allowing herself to be in a real rtionship. She had married him without ever knowing the true taste of love. Even now, that feeling remained elusive.


    Tears blurred Cecilia’s vision as she gazed up at the pitch–ck sky. In the silence, she whispered, “Dad, I regret it.”


    She regretted marrying Nathaniel, regretted choosing someone who never loved her.


    By half–past eight, the fireworks had ended, and the crowd had dispersed.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    When Mason arrived to pick Cecilia up, he found her standing alone by the river, her silhouette drenched in loneliness.


    He recalled his fiancée’s words from a few days ago. Loving someone means giving them a sense of security. How could he allow another woman to disrupt their rtionship?


    At that moment, he found himself feeling a twinge of sympathy for Cecilia.


    He pulled the car over and stepped out, approaching her with measured steps. “Ms. Smith, I’m here to take you home.”


    It took Cecilia a moment to gather herself. When she finally looked at him, she masked the disappointment in her eyes and replied politely, “Thank you.”


    Once they were in the car, Mason deliberately turned up the heat a bit.


    Although Cecilia’s health had improved over the years abroad, she was still noticeably more fragile than most. The cold wind had drained the color from her face, leaving her looking so pale and delicate that it seemed she might copse at any moment.


    As Mason nced at her in the rearview mirror, he offered an exnation for Nathaniel’s abrupt departure. “Ms. Ross was nearly killed by an obsessive fanst night. She’s still in critical condition at the hospital and expressed a wish to see Mr. Rainsworth onest time.”


    Obsessive fan, huh?


    Cecilia couldn’t help but let out a bitterugh. If Nathaniel had taken even a moment to look into it, he’d realize that wasn’t true. Besides, knowing Ste, I doubt she’s in any real danger. And with Sean still under Calvin’s control, how could he have possibly harmed her? No, she’s likely orchestrating this entire scenario herself.


    Cecilia responded with a soft hum and, after a moment’s pause, said, “I know. He told me.”


    Mason let out a sigh of relief. Having worked for Nathaniel for so long, he understood that his boss was genuinely in love with Cecilia. Otherwise, Nathaniel wouldn’t have spent years searching for her or put his work on hold for her. He even went so far as to purchase Cecilia’ste father’s belongings.


    It was just that Nathaniel struggled to express his emotions. If his love was an intensity of eight out of ten, he would only show a fraction of that–just a mere tenth.


    The streetlights cast a dappled glow on the road as Cecilia gazed absently out of the car window.


    When they finally arrived at Daltonia Vi, Nathaniel had not yet returned. After freshening up, Ceciliay down in bed and called Vivian and Jonathan.


    “How have the past few days been for you?” Vivian asked when Cecilia called. They hadn’t had a chance to catch up, as Cecilia had been with Nathaniel these few days.


    Cecilia briefly updated Vivian on her day, omitting the part about Nathaniel leaving her alone by the riverside due to Ste. She then inquired about Jonathan’s whereabouts.


    “Jon’s been going to bed early these days. Do you want to see him? I can call him now.”


    “There’s no need. Don’t wake him if he’s asleep.”


    “Okay,” Vivian agreed, unaware that Jonathan was not actually asleep. While eavesdropping on Cecilia’s call, Jonathan had been busy making money online.


    “My sc*mbag of a father isn’t all that bad. At least he found Granddad’s belongings. But I still need to work hard and make money so that Mom can live worry–free as soon as possible.” Jonathan had a remarkable talent forputers, but building billions from scratch was a daunting task, especially given his youth and humble beginnings.


    As he stared at the long string of numbers on his screen, a frown crossed his face. Just a few tens of millions. How long will it take to save enough for Mommy’s betrothal gift?


    Suddenly, a quote shed in his mind. Everything that can make money is written in thew.


    With renewed focus, he began typing furiously. “Taking money from my old man’s ount shouldn’t be illegal, right? I’m just collecting child support.”