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..."

eyes. "All right, that was just me joking. Let's call it this, then: I'll leave the money in your care. You hold on to

yet the weight of his trust left Jocelyn no room to refuse, and she felt her last line of retreat

nod-trying, and half- failing, to mask the

steam that drifted upward like slow choreography, filling the private room with the low

felt practiced. "Come on, eat while it's hot. I have no idea what

care. Startled and shy, Jocelyn's cheeks warmed. "I'm fine with anything," she confessed, the

passing her another chopstick-full, Nicholas changed the subject, his tone casual but probing. "Has Yannick been taking you out much these

blinked at the sudden question, then gave a quick, honest nod. "Mm- hmm. We

of Yannick stirred an ache she had spent the entire evening keeping buried.

question

morning whether het heart

Yes, it does.

would fade; it had not. Liking someone

her own will, it seemed, held no sway at

finish dinner, I'll head home. You should talk

set his fork down, studying her as though memorizing light on water. "So you're not planning to come back as

silence before she answered. "I'm sorry. Right now, I'm focused on marrying Yannick and building

practical, but

found, it would not place her beside Nicholas

run, that was kinder-to him, to Yannick, and to the fragile

tightened