Chapter 222 A Past in Flames
Only Nolan’s mother and younger brother were left behind.
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From the way Nolan spoke, Eliza could tell clearly–his mother had never liked him. Between a cold, distant father and a cruel stepmother, Nolan’s nerves had been worn to shreds over the years.
Those days must have been worse than death.
He used to sneak back home just to see his mother, only to be met with rejection. With no income and no support, his mother had already come to see him as nothing more than a bargaining chip. She believed that if Nolan behaved in the Hayes family, they’d one day take both of them back.
But that belief had always been a one–sided fantasy.
The Hayes family never intended to bring her back.
Growing up in such a twisted environment, Nolan finally snapped.
He planned it for a long time–then set fire to the entire Hayes estate.
That blaze wiped out the cruel grandmother, the heartless father, and the vindictive stepmother. All gone in a single night.
But the woman who had once treated her husband as her whole world broke down completely the moment she learned what had happened.
Unable to accept the truth, Nolan’s mother went mad.
That night, Nolan lost every last one of his family members.
“I remember… you had a stab wound once. That person was…” Eliza trailed off, her voice faint.
“It was my mother.”
Nolan said it calmly, as if he were talking about someone else’s life.
Eliza couldn’t believe it. That a mother could stab her own son.
But it was true.
That day had been her birthday. Nolan had gone to see her–and she’d stabbed him.
That was why Nolan never talked about it before. No matter how many times Eliza asked.
By the time Nolan finished his story, it was already deep into the night.
Eliza never imagined his past would be like this. The living room fell into silence.
“So… do you regret it?”
Eliza could understand why Nolan would choose to burn down the Hayes family. In his shoes, she’d probably have done the same.
She wasn’t the saintly type.
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Chapter 222 A Past in Flames
“If I had the chance to do it over again, I’d still do it.”
His voice remained calm, as if he were recounting someone else’s tale.
“So would I.”
Her sudden answer made Nolan pause.
“If it were me, I’d do the same. And I’d be far more brutal than setting a fire.”
Killing someone was easy. Making them wish they were dead–that was the real art.
If that was the standard, she was probably far more ruthless than Nolan.
Nolan looked at her serious expression and gave a faint smile. “It’s late. Get some sleep.”
He said this often before, but Eliza never thought much of it.
Tonight, though… it hit differently..
“I–I’m going to bed then.”
She stood up–then realized her hand was still in Nolan’s.
His deep gaze was filled with quiet amusement.
“You’re holding my hand. How am I supposed to go?”
“I’ll walk you upstairs.”
Her face flushed even redder.
The house was quiet. Just the two of them. And now she was officially his girlfriend.
Images that were definitely not suitable for minors began flashing through her mind.
She admitted it–she wasn’t all that innocent.
Especially after she’d already seen his body.
He held her hand all the way up the stairs. She was stiff the entire time.
At the door to her room, he finally let go. “Here we are.”
“…Goodnight.”
Just as she turned to go, she felt herself pulled into a warm embrace.
Nolan leaned in and whispered against her ear, “Goodnight.”
Her ears were the most sensitive. The moment he got close, her whole body felt like jelly.
Then he turned her to face him–and gave her a soft kiss.
Right on the forehead.
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Chapter 222 A Past in Flames
By the time she recovered from the shock, he was already gone.
Eliza touched her forehead, dazed.
That’s it? He just left?
Wasn’t that a little… abrupt?
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The next morning, Eliza got up and walked out to the dining area.
The table was already filled with freshly cooked food–Nolan had prepared everything before he left.
He must’ve gone out early.
A small sticky note sat on the table.
“Heat up the food. The driver will take you to school. Wait for me after class.”
His handwriting was clean and elegant.
Eliza used to cook for herself every day. But ever since Nolan moved in, she’d already started getting used to his cooking.
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