Chapter 131
Chapter 131 At The Bar
Overwhelmed with emotions, Cecilia went to a bar. She ordered a few drinks, finding solace at the bottom of the glass. Only when she was drunk could she momentarily forget her troubles.
Meanwhile, Nathaniel spent over an hour in a cold shower before the effects of the drug started to subside.
When he stepped out in his bathrobe, he realized that Cecilia was no longer at home.
Upon querying the bodyguard, he learned Cecilia had gone to a bar alone.
Inside the bar, Cecilia was sipping her drink alone when a tall figure suddenly blocked the light in front of her.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.
Dazed, she lifted her gaze and saw Nathaniel’s handsome face.
“Why are you here?” When Cecilia spoke, her breath was always laced with the sharp tang of alcohol.
Nathaniel furrowed his brows. “When did you learn to drink?
In the past, she would get drunk with just one drink, yet he could see many empty glasses on the counter.
Cecilia didn’t expect him to bring up her drinking.
She paused for a moment, then feigned nonchalance. “I believe it was two years after we got married.”
Back then, during the days when Nathaniel wasn’t by her side, she could only rely on alcohol to numb herself.
A tightness gripped Nathaniel’s throat.
At that moment, he realized he had never truly understood her.
He snatched the wine glass from Cecilia’s hand and tossed it aside. “Let’s go. We’re heading home.”
Heading home… Cecilia’s eyes went a little misty.
The night breeze swept over her, carrying a touch of chilliness.
She staggered to her feet, readying herself to leave.
She hadn’t taken more than a few steps before Nathaniel’s strong hand swept her up into his arms. Suspended in mid–air, she instinctively clung to Nathaniel’s arm.
Nathaniel ignored her words. As he strode forward swiftly, he said, “You’re not allowed to drink alcohol in the future.”
Cecilia was nestled in his arms. She hadn’t heard clearly, nor had she asked or responded.
Nathaniel pushed her into the car and instructed the driver to get going.
At midnight, it started raining, leaving a slight chill in the air outside.
Cecilia was lightly dressed and shivering from the cold, huddled on one side. Seeing her like that, Nathaniel immediately pulled her into his arms to keep her warm. Summer hadn’t even passed yet. Why does she get cold so easily!
Leaning on Nathaniel’s strong shoulders, the aftertaste of the alcohol Cecilia had just consumed began to kick in, and with it, a surge of past regrets. “Nathaniel, I suddenly remembered when we got married.”
Nathaniel stiffened as he held her arm.
She murmured, “Other brides were carried off the car. Only I had to walk out on my own.”
A sudden heaviness weighed on his heart. “You seem to remember all these things quite clearly.”
Cecilia was so serene. All that remained in her eyes was self–mockery. “Perhaps people only tend to remember the bad in others…”
Nathaniel couldn’t help but tighten his hold on her hand. “You’re drunk.”
“I’m not drunk. I’m perfectly lucid.” Cecilia gazed up at Nathaniel’s sharp jawline. “You’re a remarkable man but not a great husband. I hope one day you can abandon your prejudices against me and set me free. Perhaps then we could be friends.”
Friends? Two hours earlier, she was still seducing me. Yet, after getting drunk, she said we should just be friends? I guess she’s spilling the truth now that she’s tipsy. A pang of inexplicable pain surged in Nathaniel’s throat as he recalled the time she confessed her feelings for him during their university days.
Back then, he was the one who said they could be friends.
However, she responded, “Love is selfish. It’s about possession. If you’re not willing to be my boyfriend, I won’t be your friend! If you can’t be my man, I’d rather treat you as if you’re dead.”
Nathaniel felt even worse, his gaze drifting toward the pitch–black night outside the car window. Subconsciously, his eyes reddened.
“You want to be friends with me?” he asked in a deep voice.
Cecilia nodded. “Yes.”