Heiress' Househusband is a Secret Billionaire - Chapter 115

Chapter 115: She Is His World
Spinning on his heels, Nathaniel headed toward his bedroom, his steps steady yet slow due to his lack of spirit. The lights above showered on his tall figure, casting faint shadows on the floor.

‘Oh… almost 2:30 already.’

Nathaniel thought as he briefly looked at his wristwatch. The summer sun would rise over the horizon soon but, he had yet to sleep.

Nathaniel was pretty much still awake, especially after the talk with Andrea.

He didn’t expect to hear his mother bringing up Elsie. Despite knowing Andrea was worried about him, Nathaniel forced himself to remain with his decision.

Looking for Elsie?

It was not impossible, but…

After her disappearance, he was like a lost wanderer at night who longed for the luminous moon and stars in the sky.

Despite his yearning, he knew that he couldn’t ever reach them.

“Haa…”

Another sigh escaped Nathaniel’s lips. He didn’t know how many times he had done so tonight.

Pushing the door open, the familiar comforting scent of lavender welcomed Nathaniel back to the bedroom. The moonlight sneaked in through the slits between the curtain, illuminating the interior of the room.

‘I miss her. I miss her more than anything tonight.’

Nathaniel sat on the bed, turning on the table lamp. The warm orange glow brightened the area of the bed. Extending a hand, he reached for the topmost drawer of the bedside table.

A white envelope, slightly crumpled all over, lay inside the drawer. Nathaniel pursed his lips, slowly getting the paper out. His fingers traced the slightly worn-out envelope.

This was the sole letter Nathaniel received from Elsie not long after her disappearance. For over five years, he kept it near as if it was the most precious treasure.

Nathaniel remembered the first time he received the letter. Immense fear shrouded his heart, for he believed that Elsie had only penned about her hatred and wrath on the paper.

But… his assumption was far from the truth.

Instead of reading of her contempt and rage, he was told to live happier instead.

‘Elsie… my love.’

Nathaniel carefully took the letter out of the envelope. Once the letter was unfolded, Elsie’s familiar, neat handwriting appeared in his line of sight.

Nathaniel’s brown eyes lingered from the first sentence. Despite knowing its content, he read everything slowly as if this was his first time doing so.

As Nathaniel reached the end of the short letter, tears glazed his eyes. He shook his head lightly, trying to fight the throbbing sensation from his heart.

Elsie was safe and perhaps… even happier than when she was with him.

How was she now? Had she recovered from what he put her through?

Had she met a new man? Someone who swore to love her and treat her well?

Pursing his lips, Nathaniel tried to suppress bitterness from leaking out of his aching heart. He inwardly reminded himself that he had no say if Elsie indeed had moved on.

She was his world.

The moon and the stars he yearned for, the sky he looked up to, the breeze that embraced him gently and the ground he worshipped.

Nathaniel met Elsie over two decades ago in Norvonna when he began living in an orphanage. Having just lost his mother, his sole support, he was a quiet and withdrawn young boy.

Most of the children avoided him but, not her.

On the very first time they interacted, Elsie suddenly sat on the bench occupied by Nathaniel. He ignored her, not in the mood to engage even for a simple conversation.

Without saying anything, the young Elsie placed a strawberry candy in the space between them. She sat there for a few minutes before leaving.

‘She’s weird,’ was what Nathaniel often thought.

The same thing happened a few times.

Different fruit-flavored candies, toffee and chocolates; Elsie gave them to Nathaniel despite them not talking to each other at all.

Somehow, he kept the wrappers in a small box instead of throwing them away, placed inside his locker. Gradually, the numbers continued increasing.

Until one day, Nathaniel mustered up his courage to approach Elsie first. He remembered looking for her in the library when she was busy doing her homework.

“H-hello. Do you want a candy?” asked Nathaniel nervously while putting a grape candy on the table.

Elsie seemed surprised to see Nathaniel appear next to her. Her warm green eyes widened under her soft blond fringes.

For a second, he was reminded of the fairies he used to see on the children’s TV shows.

“Sure! Oh, my name is Elsie.”

“I’m Nathaniel.”

“Your name is cool! May I call you Niel?”

“…sure.”

That day marked the first time they spoke to each other.

Nathaniel and Elsie were among the oldest children in the orphanage. The younger ones kind of idolized the girl as she was genuinely affectionate with them.

Seeing Elsie as a loving elder sister figure, the younger children often sought her.

Because Nathaniel started tagging along with whatever Elsie did, he began to integrate smoothly with the other children. They also invited him to play or do things together even without her presence.

Once, Elsie told Nathaniel the younger ones wanted to approach him from the first day of his arrival but, they were hesitant.

“You always had scowls on your face! The kids were scared, you know?”

Hearing Elsie’s teasing remarks, Nathaniel touched both corners of his lips, pushing them upward. He almost grimaced seeing how scary his smile looked in the mirror.

Haha… his smile was as creepy as the evil queen in the fairytale.

Nathaniel not only presented his happy front to Elsie but, the scars and sorrow hidden beneath his facade.

The first time it happened, Nathaniel didn’t mean to share at all.

“…what are you doing here, Niel?”

She found him in the backyard one midnight in summer. Still clad in her pajamas, she carefully approached him who hid behind a big tree.

“Elsie…”

Surprised, Nathaniel blankly stared at Elsie. He didn’t realize she had seen the tears streaming down his face.

For the first time, he cried in her arms as the weight of the world came crashing down on him.