Chapter 554 Stick Closer Then
After two months apart, Aurelia had missed him terribly and worried herself sick.
Her finger traced along Nathaniel's eyebrow—even his brow bone seemed more pronounced now, though thank God he'd made it through this ordeal.
She wasn't the only one who'd been worried sick.
Every day inside, Nathaniel had thought about his family, afraid she was struggling alone with severe morning sickness while juggling company responsibilities, afraid she wasn't eating properly without anyone to look after her, afraid she had no one to turn to when exhaustion overwhelmed her.
But the hardest days were behind them now.
"Aurelia." Nathaniel gazed at her, all the words he'd rehearsed during his absence suddenly forgotten. He cupped her head and kissed her lips, pouring every emotion into that single kiss.
After several minutes entwined in the leather chair, Aurelia pulled away. "Nathaniel, you should head home and wait for me. I still have work to finish."
Nathaniel's throat tightened—he felt oddly dismissed.
On the drive back, Zack had briefed him extensively on recent company developments. Aurelia had been managing the Heilbronn Group's design department single-handedly, keeping everything running like clockwork. She juggled responsibilities between Karma Jewelry and the Heilbronn Group, spinning like a top from dawn to dusk.
Watching her now—so composed and capable—he couldn't help but marvel at how extraordinary she was. Brilliant at everything she touched, and stunning to boot.
How had he gotten so lucky to marry such a woman?
"Aurelia, can't work wait just a little longer?" He was fishing for an excuse to steal more intimate moments with her.
But Aurelia was nothing if not principled—this was the office, after all. A quick kiss was fine, but anything more belonged at home. Besides, she genuinely had unfinished work.
She cupped his face, her hand sliding up to ruffle his bristly short hair with the tone one might use to soothe a large dog. "Be good and wait for me at home."
Nathaniel sighed in resignation—he wouldn't interfere with her work. But he didn't want to go home either. With both children at school, what would he do alone in an empty house? Better to watch her work.
Nathaniel rose from the chair, yielding her workspace, and settled onto the sofa instead. Aurelia pulled out financial reports from the accounting department, completely absorbed in her review.
When she finally stretched and looked up from the documents, she found Nathaniel still sitting there, calmly sipping tea as if he planned to wait until closing time.
Meanwhile, the company group chats were buzzing with excitement. Employees from both Karma Jewelry and the Heilbronn Group had created private discussion groups to gossip about Aurelia and Nathaniel's romance:
[Mr. Heilbronn came back and didn't even go to his own company—went straight to Karma Jewelry instead. Hey, folks across the street, is our Mr. Heilbronn planning to join Karma Jewelry? Can someone ask if he's bringing the Heilbronn Group's design department as a wedding gift?]
[Right?! You guys get to witness all this sweet romance while we can't catch a glimpse of either Mr. or Mrs. Heilbronn. We're feeling pretty neglected over here.]
The Karma Jewelry employees responded: [No chance to ask—Mr. Heilbronn's been in Mrs. Heilbronn's office and hasn't come out once. But welcome to the Heilbronn Group folks to come witness their love story. You come, we'll roll out the red carpet!]
Aurelia picked up her water glass and took a sip. "Why are you still here?"
Nathaniel shrugged. "Thought I'd wait and we could leave together."
Then he pushed his luck further. "Any chance of knocking off early today?"
Aurelia had actually been planning exactly that—why else would she be rushing through her workload? She wanted to finish early so they could pick up the children together. The kids would be thrilled to see Nathaniel.
But in her memory, Nathaniel was always the one buried in work. She'd never seen him this relaxed, this genuinely at ease—even skipping his own company entirely. She'd assumed he'd have mountains of business to catch up on.
"Is Mr. Heilbronn abandoning his company?" she teased.
Nathaniel glanced at her desk with perfect composure. "I think I could get used to being a kept man."
Aurelia was speechless.
That afternoon, Aurelia locked away her design drafts and left early to collect the children. She'd told them that morning about Nathaniel coming home, but hadn't mentioned he'd be joining the pickup.
The children spotted Nathaniel and ran at full speed, both launching themselves into his arms. He'd missed them desperately too, scooping one up in each arm and settling them in the car.
Dorothy clung to his neck, refusing to let go. "Daddy, why do you always leave me and Jacob and Mommy? You're not going away again, are you?"
Her big eyes were innocent and wounded, tears threatening to spill.
Nathaniel held her close, soothing her. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay with you all from now on."
Jacob, meanwhile, wore a stern expression, his mouth set in a tight line. "You missed Mommy's birthday!"
Nathaniel rubbed his brow—in his two-month absence, he'd completely missed Aurelia's birthday. The children adored him but harbored just a touch of resentment.
Aurelia stepped in to ease the tension. "Alright, let's head home before we get stuck in traffic. Tonight your daddy will make your favorite steaks!"
By dinner, Nathaniel had won the children over with a home-cooked meal, and once they were asleep, it was just the two of them again.
After his shower, Nathaniel stretched out on the new king-size bed Aurelia had bought—pure bliss. Finally, he was home.
Aurelia changed into her nightgown and rolled directly into his arms, making up for the cold shoulder she'd given him earlier. "Nathaniel, did you miss me?"
She already knew the answer but couldn't resist asking—somehow it carried more weight coming from his lips.
Nathaniel chuckled softly, answering honestly. "I missed you like crazy."
Aurelia lifted her head, meeting his gaze directly. They stared at each other for several heartbeats without speaking. Then Aurelia tilted her chin up to kiss him, trailing from his prominent Adam's apple to his jaw before finally reaching his lips.
After a moment of tender exploration, Aurelia paused for breath. He was like a human furnace. "Nathaniel, the bed gets really cold this time of year without someone to share it."
Nathaniel's large hand traced along her back. "Then you'd better stay close."
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