Chapter 154 He was an Ex-Husband
Aurelia didn't feel any relief until she stepped into the elevator and exhaled.
She realized she might've been a bit greedy. Five percent of Heilbronn Group's shares was no small amount. When she first demanded it, she was angry and didn't think Nathaniel would agree.
Even if he did, she expected some negotiation. She never thought he'd just hand over five percent of the original shares as part of the divorce settlement.
It also showed her how much Chelsea meant to him. He was willing to give up a quarter of his wealth to make Chelsea happy, no questions asked.
Aurelia pulled her hand away from his and, looking at the people behind her in the elevator mirror, asked, "Do you want to reconsider?"
Nathaniel looked straight ahead, their eyes meeting in the mirror. "Keep it. Since this one's torn, I'll have Zack bring a new one for you to sign."
After that, they fell silence.
They both exited the elevator and walked out of the hospital.
Aurelia had driven there, so she headed straight to her car, with Nathaniel trailing behind.
"Do you need a ride?" he offered.
Aurelia hadn't slept all night and felt exhausted, but her mind was clear. She needed to stay sharp and not fall for any more of Nathaniel's advances.
She knew she couldn't resist temptation.
Since she decided to end things, she wanted to do it right and not get tangled up with him again.
"No, thanks. I'll call a driver," Aurelia replied.
Seeing her distant demeanor, Nathaniel didn't push it and turned back to his car. They both got into their respective vehicles in the same parking lot.
Nathaniel sat in his car, smoking a cigarette, watching as the driver she called arrived, picked her up, and drove her away before he started his car and headed to the office.
Before leaving work that evening, Nathaniel called home to let Betty know he'd be back for dinner.
Nathanielhad been crashing in the office lounge for a few days instead of sleeping at the villa. He felt like was crazy.
His assistant had taken his clothes to the dry cleaners, and he had no replacements left. If Nathaniel didn't go back soon, his clothes would start to smell. Now that he understood Aurelia's stance, he realized that even if he didn't return home for a month, she wouldn't call him.
This realization hit him hard. After finishing up at the office and giving Zack some time off, he drove back home.
As he walked in, he smelled food cooking, and Betty was busy in the kitchen.
He looked around but didn't see Aurelia. Normally, at this time, she'd be in the dining room with Betty, prepping dinner and coming up with new dishes for him to try.
He went upstairs to change and still didn't see Aurelia in the bedroom.
Aurelia hadn't taken much with her when she left, and the closet looked almost the same.
Nathaniel came out in his pajamas and saw the ring he had recently bought and personally put on Aurelia's finger on the bedside table.
At that moment, his heart skipped a beat.
Before Chelsea came back, Aurelia had worn the wedding ring Reed had bought for them for three years without ever taking it off. If that ring came off her finger, it would mean she had lost all hope.
Now, both wedding rings were in Nathaniel's hands.
It finally hit him that she might have left for good.
He rushed downstairs to the kitchen, where Betty was serving soup, and asked, "Has Aurelia come back?"
Betty, not catching on at first, relayed Aurelia's parting words, "Mrs. Heilbronn said she's going on a trip and will be back in a few days."
Nathaniel kept rubbing his forehead. He knew Aurelia had moved out of Bloom Villa while he was away, without even giving him a heads-up.
In her mind, he was now just an ex-husband.
"When did she leave?" Nathaniel asked again.
Betty placed the soup on the table and set the utensils neatly, only then realizing that their relationship was in trouble once more.
Not even knowing when Aurelia left for a trip was a clear sign that they had argued again.
After a moment of recollection, Betty answered, "She left the morning after the yacht trip with a suitcase. She said she was going on a trip and would be back in a few days. I thought you knew about it."
Nathaniel's face darkened completely. At this moment, he had no appetite for dinner; he was full of anger.
During their time at the hospital, they had many opportunities to talk, but she hadn't mentioned a word about her plans.
Aurelia probably thought he didn't need to know about it, as she was already a free woman, with only the final formalities left between them.
After returning home, Aurelia slept for a long time. At noon the next day, a hospital caretaker called her.
"Ma'am, could you please come over? Reed couldn't sleep all night, even with the sedatives the doctor prescribed. I noticed he slept well during the day when you were here. We've tried everything. Could you come and comfort him?"
Concerned for Reed, Aurelia changed clothes immediately, remembering that she had dressed a bit lightly the last time and ended up with a headache when she returned. This time, she wore a knitted sweater as a precaution.
Arriving at the hospital, she found Reed lying on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling without speaking.
Seeing him in a worse state than when she was there, her heart ached. Aurelia entered the room, and Reed finally shifted his gaze to her, reaching out a hand.
Aurelia sat by the bedside, holding his hand, and asked gently, "Mr. Heilbronn, why aren't you sleeping? Do you want me to stay with you?"
Reed closed his eyes for a moment before speaking, "Aurelia, don't leave."
"I won't leave, Mr. Heilbronn. Take a rest. I'll stay here with you," she reassured him.
Reed was acting like a child, not letting her go. So, Aurelia stayed by his side, telling him some funny jokes she had read online. In just a few minutes, she heard his even breathing as he fell asleep.
The two caretakers quietly left the room, relieved that Reed had finally fallen asleep.
Outside the room, Dr. Grant also breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't prescribed sleeping pills due to potential side effects, opting for mild sedatives instead. Little did he know how severe Reed's insomnia was, with him staying awake almost the entire night.
Now, Reed was sleeping soundly, thanks to Aurelia's presence. If he had known, he wouldn't have bothered with the sedatives and would have asked Aurelia to stay by his side.
Reed slept for over six hours, even missing lunchtime, which showed how exhausted he had been.
During this time, Aurelia stayed by his side, only leaving to use the restroom.
When Reed woke up and saw her still there, he visibly relaxed. "Aurelia, guess who I saw?" he said.
Aurelia was taken aback. "Who did you see in your dream, Mr. Heilbronn?"
Seeing her by his side made Reed feel at ease, and he finally felt like talking. "I saw your grandmother, Penelope. She scolded me, saying I was an untrustworthy old man who had caused you so much suffering."
Aurelia couldn't hold back her tears at his words.
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