When Her Death Couldn't Break Him (Cecilia and Nathaniel) novel Chapter 1956

Nicholas stood at the mansion entrance, watching the car disappear into the distance, a shadow of sadness in his eyes. He was alone. The wind blew bitterly cold, and soon he began to cough, the sound rough in the quiet evening.

A housekeeper stepped outside and, upon seeing him, couldn't help but say, “Mr. Nicholas, it's freezing out here. Why don't you head back inside?”

Nicholas shook his head. “No, I need to go out.”

“Would you like me to grab you a coat?”

“No need,” he replied again, brushing the suggestion off and heading straight for his car.

To the housekeepers, Nicholas always seemed approachable, polite, humble, and without the airs expected of someone in his position.

Inside the car, his composed mask finally cracked, and a flicker of his buried anger appeared. He was driving, but he had no real destination in mind. For the first time, he realized just how isolated he had become.

He eventually found himself parked outside the residential area where Jocelyn lived. Sitting in the driver's seat, he stared up at her building, a heavy weight pressing down on his chest.

Jocelyn had quit her job some time ago, and since then, Nicholas had been on edge. More than once, he'd nearly lost control.

He had only ever felt like this once before—when he was abroad for treatment and found out that Cecilia had married his own brother.

He never thought that strange, helpless feeling would return, yet here it was again. It pressed down on his chest, robbed him of sleep, and scattered his thoughts. His entire life had been thrown off balance.

Coincidentally, or maybe not, just then, he saw Jocelyn walking with Yannick, grocery bags in the man's hand as the two chatted and laughed casually.

Suddenly, Jocelyn stopped in her tracks, eyes fixed ahead. She had spotted the license plate—it was unmistakably Nicholas' car.

Yannick noticed her sudden pause and asked, “What's wrong?”