Chapter 544 I Know Everything You Have Been Hiding from Me
Aurelia listened to Zack's words, feeling her heart shatter.
How could she ever reject him or abandon him?
"How bad is his condition now?" she asked, her voice barely steady.
Zack sighed heavily. "Mrs. Heilbronn, since you already know, please be patient and understanding with him. Mr. Heilbronn is going through hell. His condition really requires professional treatment at a proper rehabilitation center—not just medication, but psychological therapy too. It's nearly impossible to overcome this alone.
"If you research it online, you'll see how difficult it is. The fact that he's managed to stay clean this long through sheer willpower puts him ahead of ninety-nine percent of people in his situation. Please convince him—nothing is more important than his health."
Aurelia's grip on the phone tightened until her knuckles went white. "I understand."
After hanging up, she sat in the living room until the early hours, researching everything she could find about addiction and recovery.
The next day, she slept until nearly noon—a new pregnancy symptom that left her constantly drowsy, compounded by her late night of research.
Nathaniel was propped against the headboard, quietly reading a book with careful, measured movements.
Watching his profile, Aurelia felt the comfortable intimacy of an old married couple settling over them.
"Nathaniel," she murmured, reaching out to circle his waist with her arms.
She could feel distinctly that he'd lost more weight recently. That demon was torturing him, and if there was a way to restore his original health...
Her heart clenched painfully. "I need to discuss something with you."
Nathaniel closed his book, assuming she had thoughts about their wedding plans. "What is it?"
Aurelia hesitated for a moment. "I know about everything you've been hiding from me."
Nathaniel froze completely, and after a long pause, he tested the waters cautiously. "What do you think I'm hiding?"
Aurelia's eyes reddened with unshed tears. "I've done my research. Your current condition is nearly impossible to overcome alone. What if we went to a rehabilitation center together?"
She continued quickly, "This isn't something to be ashamed of. You were victimized by someone else. Since it's already happened, I'll help you overcome it. We should choose the most effective approach. With your condition, if you cooperate fully with treatment, you can usually break free from that demon in about three months. The children and I will be waiting for you at home."
Nathaniel's throat worked painfully as he swallowed. He'd thought his secret was perfectly hidden, unsure where he'd slipped up. "Aurelia, if I go to rehab, everyone will know. Aren't you afraid of what people will think about your husband being a..."
Aurelia gave him a gentle pat. "What are you talking about? Do you really think I'm the kind of person who can't tell right from wrong?"
Nathaniel licked his dry, cracked lips. "What about when word gets out? How will the other children at preschool treat Jacob and Dorothy?"
Aurelia's voice caught with emotion. "You helped the police break up a drug cartel. You're an unsung hero. No one has the right to mock an unsung hero."
Nathaniel leaned his head back, breathing shallowly as thoughts raced through his mind. He'd considered overcoming this alone, defeating it without anyone knowing.
Since returning from Elvenia, even when he felt like dying, he hadn't took drugs. Every time the withdrawal tortured him, his mind filled with images of Aurelia, the children, and Reed's unwavering integrity. He felt he'd failed these loved ones, nailing himself to a pillar of shame, believing his condition was unforgivable.
Now, hearing Aurelia speak of it so matter-of-factly, the knot in his heart suddenly seemed to loosen. He'd been victimized by criminals—that's how he'd become addicted. He'd also shown restraint by not using since then. He bore no guilt, had done nothing wrong. There was nothing shameful about it.
Seeing his silence, Aurelia took his hand and squeezed it gently. "I found a place yesterday, not far from our home. Would you be willing to go there?"
She placed his hand on her belly. "By the time you come back, I should be in my third trimester. You'll be just in time to be with me for the delivery. Don't leave me alone this time."
Nathaniel's fingers found the cesarean scar on her abdomen from Jacob and Dorothy's birth. He'd hoped to be with her throughout this entire pregnancy, but now that seemed impossible. Given the current situation, this matter couldn't be delayed. He needed to resolve it early so he could still be there when the baby was born.
After a long silence, Nathaniel pulled Aurelia close. "Aurelia, I'll do whatever you think is best."
Tears spilled from Aurelia's eyes, soaking into his pajama shirt. "Then I'll make the arrangements and get everything ready. We can go tomorrow, okay?"
Nathaniel nodded silently.
Aurelia packed his daily necessities with meticulous care—socks, underwear, toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, everything down to the smallest detail, all organized neatly in his suitcase.
Nathaniel's emotions had been on a roller coaster these past few days, plunging to valleys and soaring to peaks. Now he tried to maintain a calm mindset, simply viewing himself as a patient and letting her handle the arrangements.
In Reed's final days, he shared a piece of wisdom: a man should listen to his wife if he wanted a good life, because Aurelia was one of the pillars who held their family together. Later, Nathaniel realized that she had not just been a pillar—she had been everything to them. Without her, what kind of family could they have had?
Watching her bustle around all day, filling the suitcase completely while still consulting her list to make sure nothing was forgotten, Nathaniel felt overwhelmed with gratitude.
The next day, they dropped Jacob and Dorothy off at preschool together. They lingered outside the school gates for a long time before finally starting the car toward the rehabilitation center.
Watching Nathaniel being taken away, Aurelia felt an emptiness settle in her chest, mixed with a spark of hope. She prayed that after this final hurdle, their little family's future would hold nothing but ordinary, peaceful joy.
She would take good care of the children and wait for him to come home. Soon, all five of them would live together in safety and happiness.
With Nathaniel's departure, the Heilbronn Group was temporarily placed entirely under Marcus's management. The sudden responsibility left him struggling to adapt to such a massive undertaking.
Fortunately, the Heilbronn Group's office building was on the same street as Karma Jewelry, so Marcus could easily visit Aurelia to discuss both company matters and issues concerning Burry.
Recently, Karma Jewelry had created quite a buzz online. As the founder, Aurelia's design journey had been uncovered by internet users, along with all her awards and past creations.
Many netizens were amazed to discover that several seasonal collections from the Heilbronn Group had also been designed by Lolly, leading to widespread online campaigns calling for a collaboration between the Heilbronn Group and Karma Jewelry.
During his lunch break, Marcus stopped by Karma Jewelry.
"Aurelia, have you been online lately?" he asked.
Aurelia had naturally seen the online buzz. She had to admit, a collaboration with the Heilbronn Group seemed like an excellent idea.
"Marcus, what are your thoughts on a collaborative collection?"
Marcus had been overwhelmed lately—he could barely keep up with Burry's situation, and now he was being forced to manage the company. Aurelia and Nathaniel really had no mercy.
"I don't care what you two want to do. Just don't cut into my profit share."
Aurelia smiled. "The online response is pretty strong, and there's significant buzz. I think it could be a bestseller. Why don't we create a collaborative collection and see if we can make it go viral?"
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