Chapter 156 Chapter 156
A whole minute passed. The silence at the table became deafening. Cecille still hadn't picked up the bowl, leaving Caroline in an embarrassing position.
“Mom.”
Nicholas' voice cut through the air, low and dangerous. He frowned, his gaze fixed on his mother.
“Carol served you soup. Why aren't you taking it? Don't you like black chicken today?”
Before Cecille could respond or prolong the power play, Nicholas acted.
He stood up, took the bowl from Caroline's hands, and placed it on the table in front of Cecille with a firm thud.
“Or did you want me to do it?” he asked, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. “Isn't it enough that your daughter-in-law is being filial and respectful? Don't make her carry unnecessary weight.”
With that, he took Caroline's hand and gently pulled her to sit down, protecting her.
Cecille clenched her jaw.
She had done that on purpose. She wanted to show Caroline who was boss, she wanted to make her feel small.
But her son's intervention only made things worse.
Just thinking that Nicholas was scolding his own mother to protect that girl made Cecille's blood boil.
There were many things about this daughter-in-law that she disliked. And what Nicholas had just done only confirmed her worst fears.
Her son was completely bewitched.
She had only made the girl wait a few seconds, and he was already acting like a knight in shining armor?
The seed of hatred, planted by Sheila, was beginning to take deep root in Cecille's heart.
Cecille looked at the bowl of soup in front of her. She wanted to sweep it off the table with a violent gesture, but her upbringing prevented her. Instead, she opted for aggressive passivity.
“I haven't been feeling very well lately,” she said, pushing the plate slightly away. “I don't think my stomach could handle this right now.”
Nicholas stared at her intently. His dark eyes seemed to see through his mother's flimsy excuse.
Elisabeth, however, immediately believed her daughter-in-law. “Why? Have you caught a cold, dear? Have you asked the family doctor to examine you?”
Cecille smiled, a fragile, pained smile designed to elicit sympathy. “I did catch a cold, yes, but it's nothing serious. I'll be fine with a little rest. Thank you for your concern, Mom.”
Elisabeth continued to give advice about health and teas.
As her son, Nicholas was expected to show concern. But he remained silent, impassive. In fact, upon hearing the mention of a “cold,” his expression became even more somber and cynical. He knew that his mother's only illness was wounded pride.
...
The rest of the meal passed in a “pleasant” atmosphere—if one ignored Cecille's icy silence.
She, who was usually the center of attention and talked a mile a minute, remained silent, responding only in monosyllables when Elisabeth addressed her.
At first, Elisabeth didn't notice. But as dinner progressed, the matriarch, who was anything but foolish, began to sense the strangeness in the air. She cast an appraising glance at her daughter-in-law and sighed inwardly, glimpsing the truth: maternal jealousy.
Nicholas had no intention of spending the night at the Wolf residence. As soon as the cutlery was put down, he signaled that they would leave.
The longing and need in Cecille's eyes were evident and almost palpable.
“Nick, you haven't been back in so long...” she lamented, her voice trembling. “Don't you want to stay a few more days? At least one more night? You and your brother are the same, always rushing, always leaving after a few hours.”
She looked around the empty dining room. “We don't have many people in this huge house.” Without you two around, your grandmother and I sometimes go days without anyone to really talk to.
Elisabeth also seemed reluctant to let them go, but her wisdom prevailed. She didn't ask them to stay.
Her grandson had grown up. He was a man now, with his own life and empire to manage. And, more importantly, he had his own family.
He surely wanted to spend time alone with his new wife, away from the eyes of the older generation. Elisabeth understood that perfectly.
“Nick, Carol... Grandma knows you have your own business and your privacy, so I won't keep you here.” The matriarch smiled benevolently. “But come back home when you're free, okay? Bring life to this place.” She looked at her grandson seriously. “And you, Nick... take care of yourself. Grandma knows you've taken on the weight of the company and are working twice as hard. But you're not a machine. Don't overwork yourself. You're a family man now.”
You no longer live only for yourself; you have to think about your wife.
Nicholas nodded respectfully. “Grandma, I know. I'll take care of myself.”
He knew that very well, even without his grandmother's reminders.
In the past, he had nothing but ambition and duty, so work consumed his soul. But now... things were different.
The mere idea of having someone waiting for him at home—or rather, going home with him—was enough to make him want to walk out on important meetings. No matter how vital the work was, nothing could beat the desire to be with Caroline.
Elisabeth held Caroline's hand, reluctant to let go.
“Carol, my dear, listen to Grandma. Nick is the kind of man who forgets to eat and sleep when he's at the office. You need to be his guardian. Keep an eye on him, make him rest. Before, he had no one to pull his ear, but now that you're here, I can sleep peacefully.”
Caroline smiled, feeling the warmth of responsibility and affection. “Don't worry, Grandma. I'll take care of him.”
Then, with a gleam of expectation in her eyes, Elisabeth dropped the bomb:
“You're already officially married on paper and you've come to visit us... But what about the ceremony? Have you decided when the real wedding will be? The party?”
Caroline's smile froze.
The question was so abrupt that she panicked. A public wedding? With guests, press, and white dresses? That wasn't part of the discreet “agreement” she had imagined.
“If you plan to do it soon,” her grandmother continued excitedly, “I can consult the astrologers to choose an auspicious date for you. It has to be grand!”
Caroline was stunned, her throat dry. “Um... Grandma, we...”
She looked at Nicholas, asking for help with her eyes.
Sensing her nervousness, Nicholas squeezed Caroline's hand firmly and intervened gently:
“Grandma, we're in no hurry to have the ceremony.”
He smiled at the matriarch, but his tone was definitive.
“Carol is still in college. She has exams, studies... we don't want to add the stress of organizing a huge wedding right now. We're not thinking about doing that anytime soon. We can talk about parties when she graduates.”
Caroline exhaled the breath she didn't even know she was holding and looked at him with immense gratitude. He had saved her again.