Chapter 302 Seeking Abuse
Seeing Joe off, Aurelia started tidying up the house, lost in her thoughts. Jacob's excited shout snapped her back to reality.
"Whoa, there's a LEGO set of magical dinosaurs!" Jacob exclaimed, holding the newly opened box like it was a treasure. This limited edition set had just come out this year, and he'd been begging Aurelia for it. She'd tried to get it from the official site but had no luck.
"Mom, who sent these gifts? This guy's awesome! He even got the limited edition ones," Jacob said, his eyes wide with excitement.
Aurelia paused for a second. "It was a man you haven't met. He was my boss when I worked at Imperick."
Jacob's eyes lit up. "Thank him for me, Mom. I love it."
Aurelia smiled. "If you like it, go ahead and play."
Jacob couldn't wait to tear into the other toy boxes. Each one he opened made him happier. Robots, toy cars, building blocks, dinosaurs—everything he loved was there. Soon, toys were scattered everywhere, turning the living room into a chaotic playroom.
Aurelia felt a bit troubled. Joe hadn't brought Dahlia this time, and cleaning up the living room was going to be a hassle. These little tasks were more exhausting than drawing all day.
As she picked up the boxes, she silently cursed Nathaniel, that troublemaker. He was great at giving gifts but left her to deal with the mess.
Meanwhile, Nathaniel's eyelids twitched. He was agitated and had no appetite. His stomach hadn't fully recovered, and he couldn't eat much.
Oscar had ordered a table full of dishes, showcasing new recipes from his restaurant. He'd invited Nathaniel to dinner out of pity, having seen how miserable Nathaniel's life had been without Aurelia.
Oscar was annoyed by Nathaniel's lifeless demeanor. Why hadn't he regretted it sooner?
"If you're not going to eat, just say so. Do you think the ingredients are free?" Oscar snapped.
Nathaniel sat there, looking defeated. After a long pause, he asked, "Do you have any alcohol?"
Oscar was frustrated. He'd told Nathaniel countless times to ditch Chelsea, but Nathaniel seemed bewitched. Now that he wanted Aurelia back, everyone thought he deserved some setbacks. Nathaniel needed a harsh wake-up call.
"I have wine, but I'm not sharing it with you. Upset?" Oscar retorted.
Nathaniel pinched the bridge of his nose, not in the mood for Oscar's banter. His mind was filled with thoughts of Joe, the way he talked about Aurelia with such tenderness.
Aurelia had been around other men before, but this time Nathaniel felt particularly defeated, especially knowing she and Joe had a child together. For a woman, having a child with a man meant she had given him her whole heart.
The more Nathaniel thought about it, the more suffocated he felt. He might have lost her completely four years ago.
Oscar didn't care if Nathaniel ate or not. He started eating and said, "This grouper is really good. Aurelia used to love this dish from my restaurant. Now it's even better. I wonder if she still likes it. I'll invite her and her kid to try it someday."
Oscar added, "Oh, and Joe too. If I'm inviting, I'll invite the whole family. What's the point of leaving one out? By the way, my dad and Joe have some business connections, so they're kind of friends."
Nathaniel was already feeling down, and Oscar just kept piling on. "Do you think they'll invite me to their wedding? They probably will, right? Joe's big on relationships. Anyone who's done business with him should get an invite. When the time comes..."
"Can you just shut up?" Nathaniel finally snapped. What kind of friend said stuff like that?
He'd come to Oscar because of his past good relationship with Aurelia, hoping Oscar could give him some advice or maybe put in a good word for him. But Oscar, this lousy friend, not only didn't help but kept hitting him where it hurt. He realized he'd made a mistake in choosing friends.
Oscar finally shut up, was quiet for a few seconds, then burst out laughing. "Seeing others happy as a family, you feel bad now? Aurelia must have felt worse before. That Chelsea couldn't go a day without causing trouble. Not only was she a nightmare, but she also tried to harm Aurelia. Luckily, Aurelia had good luck."
Nathaniel's face looked even worse. He'd been sick for days and had lost a lot of weight. He spoke weakly, "What do you think I should do to make her forgive me?"
Oscar took a bite of food. "Go through everything she went through, and maybe there's a chance."
Nathaniel didn't respond, just silently picked up his suit jacket from the rack, saying, "I'm leaving."
He went downstairs, got into his car, and thought about what Oscar had just said. Maybe there was some truth to it. He lit a cigarette, thinking that from now on, he would endure whatever Joe did to him, even if it meant jumping through hoops.
After finishing his cigarette, he turned the steering wheel and drove onto the main road. It had been a while since he visited his psychologist. He decided to go now.
In a narrow alley, a few old men were playing chess. Nathaniel slowly drove in and parked his car outside a courtyard.
Mark Bryant had been his psychologist. Years ago, he was highly sought after at Imperick, but he stopped seeing patients after retiring. During a business trip in Melicia, Nathaniel had once helped him, and they had hit it off, becoming friends despite their age difference.
These old neighborhood houses were only liked by older people. When Nathaniel arrived, Mark was sitting in the courtyard, fanning himself. Mark lifted his eyelids and saw Nathaniel, then sneered, "You haven't been here for a while. Are you cured?"
Nathaniel sat down on a nearby chair with a defeated look. "Dr. Bryant, I haven't had hallucinations for a while, but I have other symptoms."
Mark's expression changed, and he sat up straight. "Really? I actually cured your hallucinations? I've treated many patients in my life, and you were the most peculiar. I thought you'd never get better."
Mark chuckled, focusing entirely on the first part of Nathaniel's statement. When Nathaniel had come to him four years ago, he was almost deranged, frequently unable to distinguish between dreams and reality, and his mental state had been on the verge of collapse.
Fortunately, under Mark's treatment, Nathaniel had gradually improved over the years and hadn't had any major issues. Nathaniel's case was indeed classic. If he truly cured him, he could publish another paper.
Nathaniel felt frustrated. Didn't he have a single friend who cared about him? He had just mentioned new symptoms, and Mark didn't say a word of concern, instead laughing happily, just like Oscar.
Nathaniel felt he was just seeking abuse. Did he have any good friends at all?
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