Chapter 539 The Fool

Memories of the past enveloped Nicholas, fueling his growing discontent.

“I went to the banquet, but I have no idea where Nathaniel went. It’s quite late. Are you still looking for him?”

“Yes. Since you have no idea, I’ll be heading back.”

Perhaps the past had cast a certain light on Nicholas, subtly altering Cecilia's perception of him. Regardless, she never considered him a bad person.

Just as Cecilia was about to enter her car, Nicholas arrived first.

“I’ll accompany you to find him.”

Cecilia immediately declined. “No need. You should go rest.” She felt incredibly guilty for waking him so late.

“No way. It’s late, and I can’t let you look for him alone,” Nicholas insisted. Before Cecilia could respond, he was in the driver’s seat. “Let’s go. I’ll drive.”

Seeing the situation, Cecilia found it difficult to refuse. She nodded. “All right.”

Nicholas drove toward downtown. The two hadn't spent time alone like this in a long time.

“Did he disappear during the banquet?”

“No. It was after,” Cecilia answered.

Nicholas pulled out his phone. “I’ll have someone look into the nearby surveillance footage.”

“There’s no need to trouble yourself. I’ve already checked. However, part of the path falls under a surveillance blind spot, and that’s where he disappeared,” Cecilia replied honestly.

“Let’s have someone investigate. Find out which vehicles and people passed through that blind spot,” he said.

“All right.”

Nicholas called his subordinates, instructing them to find information about Nathaniel overnight. As they neared the hotel, he slowed the car, facilitating their search. Tudela was neither large nor small, yet finding one person there felt like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Cecilia initially thought Nicholas wouldn't find anything. To her surprise, he received a call shortly afterward. He stopped the car, his expression serious.

“What’s the matter?”

“Ceci, stop searching,” Nicholas said abruptly.

Cecilia was puzzled. “Why?”

“I assure you, he’s fine. There are some things it’s better you don’t know,” Nicholas said, putting away his phone.

However, his secrecy only intensified Cecilia’s desire to understand.

“You should tell me. If you keep this from me, I might not be able to sleep all night.”

Only then did Nicholas hand her his phone. Cecilia’s face paled instantly at the photo: Stella assisting a drunken Nathaniel into a hotel.

Cecilia felt a wave of self-ridicule. She had let her guard down because of his self-righteous words before he went to the hotel; she even went to pick him up. And after he didn't return, she'd searched for him in the dead of night.

“After I returned, I inquired about what happened between you two. I know he treated you poorly all those years, but I never imagined he would still…” Nicholas clenched his fists in frustration.

Cecilia pushed aside her vexation, her gaze fixed on a face identical to Nathaniel's. “It’s my own fault. I thought his amnesia had changed him.”

“Didn’t he already regain his memory?” Nicholas asked.

Cecilia stared in disbelief. “What?”

“I heard from Nathaniel’s doctor that most of his memories returned last month. Didn’t he tell you?”

Nicholas’s words struck Cecilia like a bolt from the blue. It took her a long time to regain her composure. His recent actions, including the promise he made last night—that he wouldn't hurt the children once he regained his memory—filled her mind. He had regained his memory long ago, yet continued to deceive her. I’ve been a fool!