When Her "Death" Couldn't Break Him (Cecilia and Nathaniel)

Chapter 2048

"Keep it," Nicholas repeated, steel edging his tone-no room for refusal.

Yet Jocelyn remained motionless, stubborn as stone, her hands folded in her lap.

Nicholas exhaled in quiet frustration. "Can't you listen to me, just this once?"

Eyes lowered, she said, "I haven't done anything for you. When I resigned, you already paid me extra. I can't take more."

The words settled between them, a silence that stretched and deepened until even the clock dared not tick.

Nicholas lifted his cup again, then, almost against his will, asked, "And if something happened to me?"

"Huh?" Jocelyn's head snapped up. "Nicholas, what are you talking about?"

"Don't panic," he said, choosing each word carefully. "I mean hypothetically. If I'm gone, I'll have no real friends-only you. Can't I leave a portion of my money to you?"

Fear pricked the edges of her composure. "Don't say that, Mr. Nicholas. Nothing will happen to you. You've got family, and you'll have plenty of friends in time."

He shook his head faintly. "No... People think I'm easygoing, but I know most of them don't care for me at all," he confessed, disappointment clouding his voice. Seeing him like that only deepened her worry; a quiet, protective ache filled her chest.

Jocelyn's courage faltered the moment their gazes collided. Her fingers knotted together beneath the edge of the linen tablecloth, and when she finally spoke, her voice was scarcely louder than the rustle of candle flame. "Mr. Nicholas..."

her tone and-aware the air between them had grown too solemn-offered an easy laugh that never quite reached his eyes. "All right, that was just me joking. Let's call it

trust left Jocelyn no room to refuse, and she felt her last line of

murmured, lifting her chin in a tiny, resolute nod-trying, and half- failing, to mask the riot

curls of fragrant steam that drifted upward like slow choreography, filling the private

of sautéed sea bass onto her plate, speaking with a gentleness so casual it almost felt practiced.

first time anyone had served her with such deliberate care. Startled and shy, Jocelyn's cheeks

subject, his tone casual but probing.

question, then gave a quick, honest nod. "Mm-

mention of Yannick stirred an ache she had spent the

the question her

whether het heart still leaned toward Nicholas.

Yes, it does.

prayed the feeling would fade; it had not. Liking someone

of willpower, and her own will, it seemed,

finish dinner, I'll head home. You should

her as though memorizing light on water. "So you're

on marrying Yannick and building a quiet life. Work can wait until next year and when it

practical, but in truth, the decision was

it would not place her

him, to Yannick, and to the fragile balance of her

sting tightened Nicholas' throat;