Chapter 515 I Don't Want to Try Anyone Else
At this hour, it was the dead of night on Nathaniel's side—the kind of deep, silent darkness meant for sound sleep.
Aurelia brightened the bedside lamp, surprised to receive his video call. "Why aren't you sleeping at this hour?"
But Nathaniel's attention was fixed on the background behind her. "Aurelia, are you at my place?"
"I stopped by your grandfather's. The kids said they wanted to sleep at your house tonight."
Nathaniel's brow twitched. "What do you mean 'my house'? That's our home."
Aurelia quickly corrected herself. "Right, right—our home. Marcus and your grandfather are flying back to Imperick tomorrow, so I came to see them off."
Nathaniel sensed her dismissive tone but felt helpless to address it. "Uncle Marcus mentioned the flight tomorrow."
Aurelia asked the question that had been weighing on her mind. "I feel like your grandfather's personality has completely changed since his illness. Even when he was sick before, he remained optimistic. Today he gave me a key to a house in Imperick, saying it contains his collection from all these years—everything for Jacob and Dorothy."
Nathaniel fell silent for a long moment before responding. "That house contains his most precious treasures. My grandfather trusts you. Keep the key, and give everything to the children when they're older."
He sighed deeply. "God, I wish I could come home and hold you while you sleep."
"How are things on your end? Are you with Joe?"
Nathaniel nodded. "Joe's in the next room. We'll be back soon. Wait for us."
Aurelia's expression grew serious. "Are the authorities about to move?"
Nathaniel couldn't bring himself to answer. A knock echoed from the door, and he glanced toward it. "Aurelia, it's getting late. Get some sleep. Tomorrow morning, take the kids downstairs for breakfast—Grandfather's refrigerator is well-stocked."
After ending the call, Nathaniel opened the door to find Joe standing there with his security detail.
Nathaniel was buttoning his shirt. "Time to go?"
"We're leaving early to scout the terrain and get a feel for the area." Joe handed him a gun. "Keep this close. For protection."
That night, Aurelia's mind raced with anxious thoughts, preventing any restful sleep.
The next morning, after getting the children washed and dressed, she brought them downstairs. The refrigerator was fully stocked, so she prepared a simple breakfast of porridge, eggs, bread, and Reed's favorite pasta. By the time they finished eating, Zack was already waiting downstairs to drive Reed to the airport.
Marcus descended with two suitcases in tow. Since one car couldn't accommodate everyone, Aurelia followed in her own vehicle until Reed's flight departed, then returned to the Semona estate with the children.
It was the weekend, and she needed to use this time to help her aunt prepare for the birthday celebration in two days.
Cathy called Aurelia into the house. "Aurelia, do you understand why I'm making such a grand affair of this?"
"It's a birthday party—it's good to celebrate."
Cathy shook her head. "You sweet, naive girl. You've seen the guest list, designed the invitations yourself. Didn't you notice how many eligible young men I've invited?"
Aurelia's heart sank. "Grandmother..."
Cathy drew her closer. "Don't be shy. At your beautiful age, you can't continue living in solitude. This time, Grandmother will help you choose—our whole family will help. Surely we can't all be blind, can we?"
Aurelia looked troubled. "Grandmother, it's really not necessary. Love can't be forced. It doesn't develop overnight—it requires time and compatibility."
"I know, which is why you young people should give yourselves more opportunities. Make new connections, take time to get to know people, and discover who you're truly compatible with. You must look forward, not trap yourself in a corner of your own making. Your life stretches far ahead."
Aurelia broke into a cold sweat. "Grandmother, do you still think so poorly of Nathaniel?"
Cathy paused thoughtfully. "After all this talk, you still can't forget him. He certainly has business acumen—carries his grandfather's flair. But he hurt you. His recent actions have shown his commitment, and I've softened my stance somewhat, but I remain concerned. A broken mirror can never be perfectly whole again. Even when mended, cracks remain—cracks that become permanent scars in your relationship. Every future argument or moment of anger will resurrect those wounds, making you want to destroy each other all over again. Why endure such pain when you could try someone new?"
Aurelia kept her head down. "Grandmother, I don't want to try anyone else. So... doesn't he deserve a fair chance to compete with others?"
Cathy sighed in resignation. "We'll see how he performs going forward."
For the next two days, Aurelia couldn't reach Nathaniel. He didn't answer calls or respond to messages, and Joe was equally unreachable. Before leaving, Joe had promised repeatedly that he would bring Burry back in time for Cathy's birthday celebration.
Now, with no way to contact them, Aurelia was nearly frantic with worry. She was preparing to have Zack contact private investigators abroad to discover what had happened—if necessary, she would fly there herself to find them.
Then Joe's wife approached her. "Aurelia, Joe just sent a message. He said they can't take calls for the next few days, but he wanted me to tell you not to worry. They've found Burry, everyone's safe, and they'll be back tomorrow in time for Cathy's birthday party."
Aurelia felt her heart settle back into place. "What exactly did his message say?"
Joe's wife showed her the phone—a string of encrypted numbers that would be incomprehensible to anyone unfamiliar with Joe's characteristic phrases and expressions.
Aurelia reasoned that they must be unable to use their phones freely, which explained the communication blackout. As long as they returned safely, that was all that mattered.
Aurelia and her grandmother busied themselves preparing Burry's room, positioning it adjacent to Aurelia's own. With thoughtful attention to detail, Aurelia stocked the room with everything a young woman might need, then waited for their return.
Joe had taken a private jet for this mission. That morning, he sent another encrypted message to his wife indicating their departure. Based on the timing, they would arrive that evening, just in time for the birthday celebration.
With her thoughts consumed by the three people on that plane, Aurelia helped coordinate the household preparations while completely neglecting her office responsibilities.
As seven o'clock struck, guests began arriving for the birthday celebration. The Semona Family estate had never witnessed such festivity—Cathy had invited every influential figure, including those with minimal business connections to the family.
Cathy summoned Aurelia to her side, where she greeted guests with distracted courtesy, her mind elsewhere entirely.
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