Once Upon a Time I Loved You - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Nathan looked at Kathleen in disbelief, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something. However, the police didn’t give him the chance.

Kathleen stood by, unaffected. She watched until she was sure that Nathan was being taken in for questioning and would no longer bother her Then, she called David, “Can you come pick me up now?”

“Where are you? I’ll be there right away.” David didn’t ask why. He just came as quickly as he could.

Kathleen stood alone by the roadside, looking fragile and vulnerable, as though a breeze could blow her away. When she saw David approach, she asked softly, “Is Mr. Atwood okay?”

“He’s fine. He’s just a bit confused. Don’t worry. I’ve explained everything to him,” David said reassuringly.

Kathleen nodded and said, “Good.”

David had questions, but he stopped himself from asking about her sudden sadness. It wasn’t until they returned home, and he handed her a cup of hot drink, that he gently asked, “Did Nathan regret his decision?”

David was a gentle person, but he wasn’t naïve. He had sensed that their disagreement about her relationship went beyond the boundaries of merely being close family friends.

Kathleen nodded. “But I don’t.”

She looked up at David and stared at him intently. In her determined gaze, there wasn’t a hint of nostalgia and reluctance to let go of the past. “From now on, he and I can only be close family friends or strangers. It’s up to him which one he chooses.”

The past was in the past–she wanted a fresh start.

At the police station, Nathan endured hours of questioning before his assistant, Kevin Cooke, arrived with the necessary documents to vouch for him. With that, he was released and could finally breathe in the fresh air outside.

Kevin, sensing Nathan’s foul mood, reduced the sense of his own presence and just tagged along quietly in the background. Just then, Kelsey arrived with tears brimming in her eyes as she rushed toward Nathan.

“Nathan, you have to help me! I’m at my wit’s end. I thought I’d be safe abroad, but they’ve still found me…”

She sounded pitiful, as if she couldn’t survive without his intervention. But Nathan had seen her true colors. He asked wearily, “How much money do you need?”

Kelsey, overjoyed, was about to name a generous sum when she noticed him checking his phone. His expression shifted. From the way he looked at her, he seemed to wish she were dead.

“What’s wrong, Nathan?” Kelsey shivered and cautiously moved closer to him.

Nathan let out a cold laugh. “Did you look like this when you sent those messages to Kathy?”

Kelsey froze for a moment. Then, she forced a smile. “What messages? Kathy disappeared, didn’t she? How could I have contacted her?”

She thought it was impossible. Kathleen should have given up on Nathan by now. Nathan didn’t bother to respond. Instead, he held up his phone to show her the screen.

Just moments ago, a private investigator he’d hired back home had made a breakthrough and forwarded him the recovered messages.

Kelsey looked at her past taunting messages to Kathleen. She panicked momentarily before coming up with excuses. “Nathan, I didn’t send those! Someone must be trying to frame me yes, it must be Kathleen. She’s never liked me…”

“Enough!” Nathan barked.

Silence filled the air. The atmosphere was so tense that even breathing in the air felt laborious.

Nathan’s hand, which was holding the phone, trembled as he questioned Kelsey one last time. Looking down at her, he asked, “Were you the one who drove Kathy to leave the country?”

At that moment, he pieced the previously ignored clues together, and the truth became painfully clear.

Kelsey was afraid but unwilling to let go of this cash cow. She softened her voice, trying to appeal to him. “Nathan, I’ve always liked her. Why would I do that to her…”

Her voice trailed off as she noticed his icy gaze. She realized he wouldn’t tolerate another lie. This time, things wouldn’t be easily resolved. Nathan’s mind buzzed with rage and regret, yet he couldn’t turn back time. He could only blame himself.

No longer willing to spare Kelsey another glance, he said coolly, “I warned you that Kathy is my limit. I only wanted you around to make her realize her true feelings and understand my importance. But harming her was never part of it. You can leave now.”

Kelsey trembled, reaching out to grab his sleeve. However, Nathan stepped away disdainfully, leaving her hand hanging in the air.

“I really didn’t…” she whimpered desperately.

Nathan, filled with disgust, turned his back on her without another glance. Just then, his phone rang. It was the housekeeper from back home, calling to report on the progress of the investigation. 

“Mr. Meyer, the specialists you hired have restored the surveillance footage. You were right- someone indeed provoked Kathy.”

The veins on Nathan’s hand bulged. “Who was it?”

He had his suspicions, and as he asked, he slowly turned to look at Kelsey.