Chapter 2044

Cecilia heard the news and, startled, went in search of Nathaniel. "How did you persuade Nicholas to agree?"

She remembered how every past attempt had met an unmovable wall.

Nathaniel did not mention the way he had bowed his head and begged Nicholas.

"Maybe his conscience woke up," he said lightly. "I only told him how well Meredith treats Dahlia."

Cecilia heaved a sigh. "Let's hope he truly turns over a new leaf."

"Mm." Nathaniel nodded once.

He spoke the hope, yet worry gnawed at him. Nicholas was not a man who shifted easily. Surrounded by shadows and no friends, he had built walls Nathaniel feared might never fall.

Inside Nicholas' private villa, his phone vibrated on and off, rattling against the desk.

He had ignored every call for days, refusing even to glance at the screen.

The name flashing now belonged to Jocelyn-and the device would not stop trembling.

Jocelyn's thumb hovered over the call icon, the bright screen reflecting in her anxious eyes. She had tried more than once, yet every attempt ended in the same blank silence—no answer, just the cold pulse of dial tones.

is no one answering?" she murmured,

resigning from the company, Jocelyn

whispered alarming news: Nicholas had vanished-phones dead, emails unanswered-and with him the momentum of countless projects

the glass, but the result

her, brow knit in confusion, watching her futile pattern of dialing and waiting. "What's going on with Nicholas? Has he decided he

Jocelyn admitted, the words escaping on a

attempt at calm, worry flickered unmistakably in Jocelyn's eyes-a storm cloud passing over a

after resting her phone face down on the coffee table, she sat in thoughtful silence, chewing at her bottom lip. "Yannick, I want to

mistakes Nicholas had made, one truth remained stubbornly clear to her: he had always treated her

look after Nicholas, but Nicholas had paid her generously, funds that kept her family warm and fed through winters that would have

of corporate life, teaching her

had seen a future in her before she

of unease slipping across his normally

had long recognized the complicated affection Jocelyn carried for Nicholas, telling himself that

Yannick said, the decision

breathed, relief

rose, slipped her arms into a light trench coat, and headed toward the door with purposeful

step beside her, determined to help trace the faint breadcrumb trail Nicholas

were the sleek downtown headquarters of

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