When Her Death Couldn't Break Him (Cecilia and Nathaniel) novel Chapter 416

Chapter 416 I Am Sorry
Nicholas finally heard the question he had been anticipating. His lips barely moved as he spoke. “Ceci, you visited the Rainsworth family when you were very young. Have you ever heard about them having twins?”

Cecilia shook her head.

If she had known that Nathaniel had a twin brother, she would have questioned whether she had mistaken the man she loved. But throughout her childhood, whenever her parents took her to Tudela to visit the Rainsworth family, no one had ever mentioned that Nathaniel was a twin.

Nicholas explained, “From the moment I was born, I suffered from a severe condition. I was extremely sensitive to the cold, terrified of sunlight, and spent most of my early years confined to an intensive care unit. My family even feared at one point that I might not survive. Because of this, my existence was kept a secret from the outside world.”

He continued, “Later, when my health improved slightly, I returned to the Rainsworth family. But I was still incredibly weak, and I had very little interaction with the outside world. The only person I connected with... was you.”

Nicholas' voice softened as he recalled those memories. “The reason I initially told you I was my elder brother, Nathaniel, was because I was afraid you'd reject me due to my illness. Secondly, the Rainsworth family didn't want anyone seen as weak or useless to be exposed to the public.”

Cecilia listened in silence, finally understanding the complexities of his situation.

“I'm sorry,” she said quietly, her voice tinged with regret. “I was unaware of all this. It wasn't that I deliberately avoided seeing you, or pretended not to recognize you. I was simply at a loss for how to face you, what to say when I encountered you.”

“I've never forgotten how you helped me when we were young. Those memories are still clear in my mind,” Cecilia added, her eyes welling with tears that she could no longer hold back.

Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming guilt. The very reasons that had driven her away from Nicholas, the one who had once loved her so deeply, now weighed heavily on her heart. Nicholas reached out to wipe her tears away, but Cecilia instinctively flinched and turned her face away. His hand froze in mid-air.

“Do you remember the promise we made when we were younger?” Nicholas asked, his voice steady but filled with emotion.

Cecilia looked up at him.

“Do you remember promising to marry me when I returned?” Nicholas continued, emphasizing each word with care.