Nathan fell ill on the third day after the wedding was canceled.
I only heard about what happened later, from a former Sterling Group employee who told me the story over drinks.
He said Nathan's fever had reached 104 degrees Fahrenheit. His secretary had rushed him to the hospital, and when he finally woke up, the first thing he did wasn't ask about the company or the Bennett family.
He reached for the shattered old phone beside his pillow.
When Cecilia came to visit, the nurses had just changed his IV. The strong smell of disinfectant hung in the room.
She frowned as she stood in the doorway.
"Couldn't you move him to a private room? The smell is so strong."
Nathan leaned against the headboard, his face ashen.
He didn't even look at her.
Cecilia handed the flowers to the caretake
