Ch. 1041..1050
Chapter 1041 A Keen Eye
A nurse approached and asked, “Whose phone keeps ringing?
Jonathan quickly ended the call, silencing the noise just in time. The ringing stopped abruptly, and the nurse didn’t come over to investigate.
Jonathan wanted to ascend to the third floor, but the stairway leading up was completely sealed off. It was so tightly closed that not even a fly could make its way in.
He had no choice but to wait in a corner on the second floor, waiting for the surgery upstairs to be completed.
At the sales department of Orion Corporation, Cecilia felt an unsettling uncase. A nagging sensation told her that something was about to happen, but she couldn’t quite identify what it was.
Paula’s passing wouldn’t have stirred such a profound feeling within her.
A subordinate knocked on the door and relayed the message to Cecilia, “Boss, Ms. Evans has asked for you again.”
Coming back to her senses, Cecilia asked, “Where is she now?”
“The office next door.”
“Understood. I’ll be right there. Focus on your work.”
Cecilia rose to her feet, a wave of dizziness washing over her. She reached out to steady herself against the corner of the table, the uncase in her heart intensifying.
“Boss, are you okay?” The subordinate hurried forward to support her..
After steadying herself, Cecilia waved her hand. “I’m fine, don’t worry.”
With that, she gradually walked outside.
In the adjacent office, Cassandra, Miranda, and Jessica were chatting and laughing.
When Cecilia arrived, they fell silent at the same time.
“Ceci, if I hadn’t sent someone to call you over, when were you planning to come?” Cassandra demanded.
Miranda chimed in, “Cecilia’s mother has passed away. Cassandra, you need to be understanding.”
Cassandra propped her chin on her hand. “What are you talking about? No one can come back from death. She can’t let her mother’s passing interfere with everyone else’s work, can she?”
Cecilia, listening to Cassandra’s words, thought she was utterly heartless. Outsiders may not know Paula is her birth mother, but has she forgotten about that, too?
with you.” Cecilia stepped
“When have lever interfered with others‘ work? I’m here now to coordinates
forward, handing over the revised report.
Without even glancing at the report, Cassandra said, “Miranda, could your look over this for me? I trust
Miranda took the report and opened it to have a look.
She had to admit Cecilia was really quite competent. Despite having only been at Orion Corporation for a short time, the reports she produced were virtually flawless.
“Well? Are there any issues?” Cecilia asked.
Miranda couldn’t find any mistakes, so she had no choice but to hand it over to Cassandra. “I’ve checked it, and there’s nothing majorly wrong.
Only then did Cassandra impatiently glance at the report, her lack of interest evident. A moment later, she said, “I’m done reviewing it.”
“When is Jamieson Group planning to take over?” Cecilia asked.
“What’s the rush?” Cassandra replied indifferently, turning back to continue her lighthearted conversation with Miranda and Jessica, entirely dismissing the topic of work. Cecilia realized they were unlikely to genuinely cooperate with her. Rather than waste time on this, it would be wiser to explore other avenues to get the job done.
She retrieved the report and left the office.
Once she left, Jessica couldn’t help but chuckle. “That look on her face was hilarious.”
Cassandra wore a triumphant glint in her eyes. “If there’s anything you need her to do, just let me know. I’ll make sure she gets it done.”
At that time, Cassandra was practically the god of Orion Corporation.
“All right.” Both Miranda and Jessica promptly agreed.
Upon returning to her office, Cecilia found her thoughts drifting back to the various projects that Nathaniel had insisted she take on. She began to delve into her research.
Nathaniel had a keen eye for opportunities. Securing these projects would undoubtedly propel the sales team to the forefront of the month’s performance rankings.
Immediately, Cecilia ordered her subordinates to get to work.
Chapter 1042 This Company Seems Familiar
At the private hospital on Maple Road, Jonathan remained in the corner, anxiously watching the seconds tick by. Meanwhile, the surgery taking place upstairs showed no signs of concluding.
When noon arrived, the doctors didn’t even eat lunch.
Elliot sent him a text message: Hote’s it going?
Jonathan replied: There’s been some progress, but I’ll need to wait a little longer before I can return.
By the time he finished typing, Jonathan noticed that the previously closed door upstairs had swung open. One by one, individuals in white lab coats descended the stairs. Zachary was among them.
Zachary’s expression was grave as he addressed the group. “I appreciate all your efforts. I’ve arranged a meal for everyone. Please, go ahead and cat.”
“Thanks alot, Mr. Sinclair.”
Jonathan watched the individuals in white lab coats, recognizing that several of the older figures were indeed renowned in the medical field. Among them was a neurology specialist he knew. At that moment, it became clear to him–Nathaniel was the one undergoing surgery inside.
“Why didn’t you just tell Mommy? Why insist on divorce?” Jonathan began seeing Nathaniel in a different light
After Zachary and his group left, Jonathan found himself unable to ascend to the third floor. The door had quickly shut, and several guards stood watch. With a clearer understanding of the situation, he decided not to linger. Instead, he discreetly slipped out with the doctors and nurses heading for their meal break and finally got home.
Elliot was struggling to continue fooling Vivian.
“Eli should be up at this hour. Why isn’t he out yet? I need to check on him.” Despite the protests from Elliot, Vivian made her way to the children’s room.
She pushed it open.
Elliot thought it was over, but to his surprise, Jonathan crawled out from under the covers.
“Vivian, I’m fine.” he assured her.
Vivian finally breathed a sigh of relief after seeing him safe and sound.
“It’s good that you’re fine. If you need anything, just let me know.”
Alright
Having fooled Vivian, Elliot quickly closed the door and approached Jonathan.
“Well? Did you find anything?”
Jonathan spoke with a serious demeanor. “There must be some hidden reason why se mbag daddy wanted to divorce Mommy.”
A myriad of emotions swirled in Elliot’s large eyes. “What could he possibly be hiding?”
Elliot was still upset, feeling that Nathaniel was too mean. How could he abandon us when I’ve finally accepted
Jonathan patted Elliot on the shoulder, offering words of comfort, “Perhaps we misunderstood him. I visited the hospital today. Zachary was there, performing a surgery alongside a group of renowned neurosurgeons.”
Neurosurgeons?
Elliot thought of Nathaniel, who occasionally suffered from memory loss.
“Are you saying he underwent brain surgery?
“I think so. The surgery must be risky, which is why he considered divorcing Mommy first.” Jonathan displayed a rational demeanor, analyzing the situation with clear, logical reasoning.
After processing this, Elliot lowered his head, pondering. “What kind of risk could have driven him to insist on divorcing Mommy? Could it really be death?”
Jonathan shook his head. “All we can do now is wait. In time, the truth will reveal itself.”
“All right then,” Elliot mumbled, his head bowed in thought. “Do you think you could forgive him if there really was a hidden truth?”
Jonathan hesitated to answer the question since nothing had been revealed yet.
“We’ll see once the truth comes out.”
He picked up his laptop and resumed his research on Imminence Corporation. Jonathan believed that Cecilia could collaborate with this promising company, which had far more potential than the declining Orion Corporation.
“This company seems so familiar,” Elliot casually remarked, glancing at his computer screen.
Chapter 1043 Did You Find My Sister
Jonathan asked in confusion, “Why do you find it familar? Have you come across this company before?
Elliot took the laptop over, studying the exterior photos of Imminence Corporation closely
“It looks like se mbag daddy’s company,” said Elliot.
Jonathan was completely taken aback, How could that be possiblet
At that time, Imminence Corporation was a formidable force in Tudela and across the country, striking fear at the mere mention of its name. How could it possibly be connected to Nathaniel?
Nathaniel had lost his sight. Flow could he possibly run a company like this?
“You must be mistaken,” Jonathan said.
“I’m not mistaken,” Elliot said, pointing to a section of the building in the picture. “While my memory for wordy isn’t as sharp as yours, I have a good eye for images, I’ve been to Daddy’s company several times, and always entered through here.”
Jonathan glanced at the spot he was indicating, noting that it wasn’t part of Imminence Corporation. He concluded it was merely a coincidence that the two companies were located side by side.
“This isn’t part of Imminence Corporation’s territory. His company probably isn’t very large,” Jonathan stated.
Elliot, hearing this, chose not to press further and accepted Jonathan’s perspective.
At Orion Corporation, while Cassandra and the others were still scheming against Cecilia, she had already completed her work for the next few days ahead of schedule and left, effectively thwarting their plans.
“She left just like that?” Cassandra was enraged.
An employee approached, “Ms. Evans, our boss said that if you have any issues, you can liaise with us. We are all familiar with the project.”
Cassandra shot them a glare, uninterested in lingering any longer.
She headed toward the CEO’s office upstairs.
“Where’s Nicholas?” Upon arrival, she discovered that Nicholas wasn’t there.
“Mr. Rainsworth mentioned that he’ll be busy for the next few days,” the secretary replied.
Cassandra was puzzled. Busy with what?
She was just about to call Nicholas when unexpectedly, her assistant called her first.
“What’s the matter?”
“Ms. Evans, I have updates on the person you asked me to investigate last time. The one who visited the Cassandra tensed up. “Look into that caregiver. Find Queenie’s daughter before she does”
“Yes, Ms. Evans.”
At that moment, Cassandra was too preoccupied to deal with Cecilia; she needed to find Queenie instead.
Upon arriving at the Jamieson residence, she overheard a conversation between the secretary and Queenie.
“How could the birth month be different?” Queenie asked.
She realized that the caregiver’s daughter and her own laughter were born in the same year, just in different months.
“Perhaps the adoptive parents were concerned that the child’s biological parents might come looking for her, so they intentionally made her appear older,” suggested the secretary.
Queenie thought it made sense. “That should be it. What’s the child up to now? Where does she live? Is she married?”
Anticipation filled her eyes. She couldn’t wait to see her daughter immediately.
The secretary handed her the documents. “Given the time constraints, this is all we could find for now. Please take a look.”
The d document contained the girl’s identification photo. Her name was Cassina, similar to Cassandra.
She wasn’t breathtakingly beautiful; instead, she possessed an understated elegance, her gaze tender. Once a nurse at a hospital, she was married to a company employee, and together they had a son and a daughter. As Queenie gazed at the document, her fingers traced over Cassina’s photograph, and her eyes filled with tears.
“Let’s go to the hospital now,” she said.
The secretary interjected, “Madam Queenie, Cassina and her family are on vacation. They won’t be back. for a few days.”
“How many more days?” Queenie asked impatiently.
The secretary tried to reassure her. “We’ve been searching for so long; what are a few more days?”
Queenie nodded. “That’s true.”
As the two conversed, Cassandra couldn’t contain herself any longer and barged in without even bothering to knock. “Mom, did you find my sister?”
Chapter 1044 Find Cassina
Seeing her barge in and immediately ask about her daughter, Queenie felt inexplicably upset.
“Who told you that?”
She hadn’t yet shared this matter with Cassandra.
Cassandra felt a bit awkward. Immediately, she put on an sensible, pretentious act. “I’m here to inform that I also have some leads about my sister.”
“What?” Queenie stood up excitedly. “What leads?”
“Ever since you told me about her, I had someone look into it, Cassandra repeated what Queenie had already found out. “I discovered that she is the daughter of the caregiver who used to look after Paula.”
Queenie’s excitement subsided after she heard that. “I just found out about this matter.
“So you already knew. I thought you were unaware, which is why I rushed over from the office specifically to tell you,” said Cassandra.
Queenie realized she might have misunderstood Cassandra and said, “Cassandra, thank you for being so understanding. If we find your sister, rest assured that your place in my heart will remain unchanged.”
Cassandra nodded. “I understand, Mom. When she returns, I’ll make sure to get along well with her.”
In truth, she harbored a deep resentment, secretly wishing for Cassina to be dead. There was no way she could ever get along with her.
“Good.”
In reality, all Queenie wanted was to find her biological daughter and make amends. She had never considered leaving her all of the Jamieson family’s wealth; after all, Cassina’s educational background. made it clear she might struggle to manage the family’s affairs.
Queenie understood that Cassandra was a scheming girl, but she also recognized that those with cunning minds were often the ones best suited to run a company without being exploited.
“By the way, Cassandra, Paula passed away, didn’t she? Did you go to visit her?” Queenie was never a heartless person.
After all, Paula was Cassandra’s biological mother. She might have severed their relationship, but she couldn’t sever their blood ties.
“Mom, haven’t I told you before?” Cassandra said, her voice firm. “You are my only mother. Paula merely gave birth to me. She never took care of me. Her death was her own doing, a result of her countless heinous acts.” She spoke ill of her biological mother without hesitation.
Even the secretary standing by frowned upon hearing that.
It was understandable for Cassandra to say that if Paula was really unkind to her. However, investigations revealed otherwise. Even after her marriage, Paula had often cared for Cassandra in secret. Just two months ago, she had given Cassandra all her savings.
suggesting that Cassandra get some rest.
“All right.”
Chapter 1045 I Will Collaborate With You
“You guys must find her before Queenie does this time. Once you’ve located her, figure out a way to obtain her biological samples.
Cassandra had initially planned to conduct a paternity test. If Cassina wasn’t Queenie’s daughter, everything would be fine. But if she was, Cassandra had no intention of showing her any mercy.
“Yes, Ms. Evans,” the assistant acknowledged.
Only after that did Cassandra hang up the phone, continuing her rest.
Cecilia drove back home after work.
She didn’t immediately return to Daltonia Villa, but instead drove to the fimeral home Magnus mentioned. Preparations for Paula’s funeral were already underway there.
For a long time, Cecilia stood outside, staring at Paula’s photo from afar. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed before she finally got in her car and drove away.
When she returned home, Vivian approached her. “How’s work?”
“It was fine,” Cecilia replied. “I’ve already finished all the work for the next few days. I’ll be staying at home.”
“That’s great! We can bake cupcakes together and even binge–watch shows,” Vivian said excitedly.
Cecilia nodded.
The two children also emerged from the room.
“You two finally decided to show up,” Vivian complained to Cecilia. “They’ve been hiding in their room all day. Who knows what they’ve been up to.”
Jonathan furrowed her brows, “What, do you want us to watch Keprarian dramas with you?”
Vivian was re speechless. I have to give it to this brat.
Cecilia watched their playful banter, a rare smile gracing her features.
“All right, you boys go play with each other. We adults will hang out ourselves,” she urged.
That finally shut the boys up.
Vivian pulled Cecilia toward the couch. “Let’s watch some TV. Once Lucille returns, we’ll have dinner.”
“All right.”
Inside the house, the atmosphere was warm and lively a stark contrast to the tense mood outside. Cecilia and Vivian sat together watching TV, awaiting Lucille’s return. When she finally arrived, the three women and the two children gathered around the table to share a meal.
At night, when it was time for Cecilia to go to bed, she received a message from the WhatsApp group with the other mothers.
Helen: I heard from Terry that Jon took a few days off. Is heck? Is everything okay?
Cecilla quickly typed: He’s fine. He took leave because his grandmother passed away.
In the eyes of the public, Paula was still the children’s grandmother.
Helen: I sec. My condolences.
The other mothers also began expressing their condolences.
Cecilia responded to every one of them.
She received another message from Meredith: I just found out today about Aubree’s breach of contract. I’m truly sorry. She really has no respect for me!
Meredith was talking about Hardy Group and Orion Corporation’s previous collaboration which was disrupted by Imminence Corporation, leading to Aubree breaching the contract. As a result, the project was handed over to Cecilia.
Cecilia knew that this had nothing to do with Meredith and Aubree. She replied: Meredith, it’s not Ms. Hardy’s fault. She told me Imminence Corporation offered a lower price. She was just considering the company’s development.
Meredith: Don’t explain on her behalf. From now on, I won’t turn to her for anything.
Meredith was genuinely disappointed in Aubree. She had made it clear to Aubree that Cecilia was a friend, yet Aubree still went back on her word. If it had been Meredith, she would have honored her promise, even if it meant taking a loss, and never would have put Cecilia in such a difficult position.
She then asked Cecilia: Ceci, how did you end up as a secretary at Orion Corporation? If you’re in need of a job, you should come to our company. I can arrange for you to be the general manager.
Cecilia smiled and typed: I was thinking of starting from the grassroots level.
The two chatted for quite a while, and when Meredith found out that Cecilia had become a manager in the sales department, she said generously: I’ll collaborate with you.
Chapter 1046 Free Of Charge
No matter what Cecilia said, Meredith insisted on collaborating with her.
Meredith: The Seiler family will collaborate with any company you work in in the future.
Ever since Cecilia helped Meredith drive away her rival Meredith considered Cecilia her closest friend.
Cecilia accepted her kindness.
Vivian, lying nearby, was jealous. “You’ve made quite a few friends behind my back, haven’t you, Ceci?”
Cecilia held her close and said, “But you’re my best friend. I even lent you my son. Why are you being jealous?”
Vivian thought that made sense. Not every friend trusts me enough to lend me their son.
Getting back to the main point, she couldn’t help but ask Cecilia, “By the way, Ceci, what project were you discussing with her? Can I assist in any way? You’re in sales, so you must have a lot of products to sell. right? I could help you promote them.”
She wanted to lend a hand in her best friend’s career Loo
Only then did Cecilia remember that Vivian and Jonathan were actually internet sensations with millions of followers.
Most importantly, their fans were all users of a skincare product the company was selling
“I almost forgot; I do need your help with something” Cecilia unlocked her phone and showed Vivian the skincare product.
This skincare product came from one of the branch companies. Its sales had been mediocre, which was why the higher–ups assigned it to the fifth department- the least successful and most overlooked team in the company.
Vivian took the phone from her, examined the photo, and said, “I’ve used this skincare product before. It’s pretty good.”
“Don’t worry, leave this matter to me and the two kids, she assured, patting her chest confidently.
“All right, I’m leaving it to you.”
“Drop the formalities with me.”
After discussing product promotion for a while, Cecilia grew tired and fell asleep.
The next morning, Vivian received the skincare product. She, along with the two kids, began brainstorming ways to effectively market it. In the past they had handled merchandise rather casually, but this time they knew they needed to put in more effort.
Learning that they could assist Cecilia, Jonathan and Eliot did everything they could, eager to contribute.
Cecilia watched the trio busy themselves and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast and fruit with the housekeeper. “You guys can relax. Just sell as much as you can.”
“Sure, don’t worry, Mommy,” Elliot said. “Jon and I have it all figured out. We’ll sell as much as you have in stock.”
Cecilia knew they had a lot of fans, but she didn’t hold out much hope.
To Cecilia’s surprise, the moment the live broadcast began at noon, orders started pouring in one after another. Since the company had largely overlooked this product, no one had anticipated the sudden surge in demand.
It was also Cecilia’s first time witnessing the power of an internet celebrity’s product promotion.
Sales were steady during the noon and afternoon when most people were still at work, but by evening. everything changed. In less than an hour, the entire stock was sold out, leaving Cecilia amazed at how quickly the products had vanished.
One of Cecilia’s subordinates, startled, called her. “Boss, all of our skincare products are sold out.”
Cecilia chuckled. “Yeah, I’ve hired someone for promotion.”
“Is it Jon’s Mommy, the influencer with millions of followers?” the subordinate asked, puzzled. “Hiring her must have cost a fortune!”
“It didn’t cost us anything. Just wait for this month’s dividend; you’ll see,” she said generously.
The fifth department managed to sell products that had previously struggled to move in less than a day, and the best part was that it was done at no cost. Meanwhile, panic spread in the other departments, especially the first department, as people began frantically calling Miranda.
Upon hearing the news, Miranda tuned into Jonathan and the others‘ live stream. That was when she realized why it was free of charge: the one behind it was Cecilia’s son.
She never imagined that a child could possess such incredible capabilities.
Chapter 1047 Are You There
“Why does this brat have so many fans? And how are his sales soaring?” Miranda was determined to find any evidence of fraudulent activity. How could they possibly sell out so quickly!
What she didn’t realize was that it wasn’t just mothers tuning into the live broadcast; George and Elena were also watching, both of whom doted on Jonathan and Elliot.
George knew that this was Jonathan’s career, so he would often spend generously, purchasing the goods Jonathan promoted. This time was no different.
He was such a fan of Jonathan that the butler at the Sinclair Manor was speechless.
“Old Mr. Sinclair, these skincare products aren’t meant for you,” the butler said, rolling his eyes inwardly. Even if you could use them, you wouldn’t need so many.
George didn’t bother about that. “No worries, I can use them for baths.”
Words eluded the butler. With the amount you’ve bought, you’d probably take a whole month to exhaust them all even if you used it for baths every day.
Meanwhile at the Rainsworth Manor, Elena also purchased lots of skincare products.
“Is Cecilia short of money again?” she asked her personal secretary.
The secretary was clueless, too. “I don’t think so.”
Elena let out a sigh. “If she’s not short of money, why would the children work so hard selling products on a live stream?”
The secretary really wanted to say, “They’re probably just bored.”
“Transfer another fifty million to Cecilia,” Elena said, determined not to let her grandkids suffer.
The secretary nodded. “Right away.”
After the secretary left, Elena clicked on Jonathan’s page and bought everything that hadn’t been sold.
“I don’t understand what’s going on with Nathaniel. The children are such angels, earning money at such a young age. Why on earth did he want a divorce?” Elena mumbled to herself, concerned that the kids- would suffer alongside Cecilia.
Despite Cecilia’s status as a renowned composer, Elena believed she couldn’t compare to the immense wealth and prestige of the Rainsworth family. Even if Cecilia earned hundreds of millions from a single composition, in Elena’s eyes, she remained a poor, pitiful figure.
Cecilia was just about to go to bed when she noticed an unexpected addition of fifty million to her bank account.
“Where did this come from?” She was puzzled.
Almost immediately, a text from Elena arrived: Don’t shortchange yourself or the kids. Buy whatever you want, and don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything. Just let me know.
given Cecilia even a single gift, let alone financial support.
Now, however, she spent extravagantly on them.
Considering it was from the children’s grandmother, Cecilia accepted the money.
She replied: All right, don’t worry. I won’t let them suffer
Elena, still concerned, responded: That’s good. I heard you’re in the sales department now. The sales department can be exhausting. If it gets too much, consider switching to another department. I’ll talk to Nicholas about it.
Cecilia: Thank you, but I’m managing fine right now. I’m not tired.
Elena had come to understand the kind of person Cecilia was. Once she made a decision, she was determined to see it through. During the meeting last time, Cecilia had made her proud, and she began seeing the younger woman in a different light. She realized that her daughter–in–law was far from just a pretty face; she possessed depth and resilience.
Elena paused for a bit before typing out another message: Good. About your mother, I’m sorry for your loss.
Cecilia was taken aback when she read those words. The Elena of the past would never have expressed concern for her family’s passing.
She exchanged a few more words with Elena before she finally closed the chat window.
Vivian was still downstairs, binge–watching a drama series. Alone and bored, Cecilia found her thoughts inevitably drifting toward Nathaniel.
Two days had passed, and Nathaniel had not sent her a single call or message.
News of Paula’s passing had made the headlines. There was no way he wouldn’t have known..
Cecilia couldn’t resist sending him a message: Are you there?
Chapter 1048 The Funeral
She pressed send, but after waiting for quite some time, she still received no response.
For some reason, Cecilia felt a bit uneasy, so she decided to call him.
The cold, mechanical voice of the automated customer service message echoed. “We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is currently switched off…”
Nathaniel’s phone is switched off?
Cecilia wanted to know what he was doing and thought about giving Mason a call. Just as she was about to do Vivian walked in through the door. “I’m here, Ceci.”
Vivian slid under the covers. “So, has your boss found out about your performance yet?”
The interruption caused Cecilia to forget about calling Mason.
“Of course. You guys are the best,” she praised sincerely.
Vivian took her hand. “I’ve realized now that being able to help you brings me immense joy and a great sense of accomplishment.”
Cecilia leaned on her shoulder. “Thank you, Vivian.”
“Cut that out. You should get some sleep. We have to go to the funeral parlor tomorrow,”
“Oh, yes. Let’s sleep.”
Tomorrow marked the final day of the vigil, and the day after, Paula would be laid to rest. When the time came, all of the Escobar family’s relatives would gather
Paula had never favored Cecilia, and as a result, the Escobar relatives shared that disdain. Even now, Cecilia hardly knew any of them, having been distanced from the family for so long.
She had made up her mind that tomorrow, she would reveal the truth to everyone at the funeral.
The following day, after breakfast, Cecilia left the house with Vivian.
“Mommy, let us go with you,” Jonathan expressed, worried that his mother might be treated unfairly or bullied at the funeral.
Elliot also chimed in, “Yeah, Mommy, please take us with you. We promise to behave ourselves.
Cecilia didn’t want the two children to get involved in the adults‘ disputes. She was well aware that if they attended the funeral that day, they would certainly face a lot of criticism.
“Behave yourselves and stay at home, okay? If you need anything, let Ms. Hills know.”
Vivian also said, “That place isn’t suitable for children.
Cecilia was pregnant and could barely take good care of herself. If the two kids were to be bullied as well, the two of them wouldn’t stand a chance against so many people.
situation, he acquiesced.
Assured, only then did Cecilia and Vivian left.
The journey to the funeral home wasn’t particularly long, taking less than forty minutes to arrive.
Outside, a mourning notice had already been posted. Magnus, donned in traditional mourning attire, was receiving the arriving guests. Upon spotting Cecilia and Vivian, he immediately came over.
Magnus approached. “Cecilia, you’re here. I’ll have someone bring you your clothes.”
Cecilia, however, rejected it. “I’m not wearing it.”
Wearing mourning clothes and showing devotion is a duty children owe to their parents. However, Cecilia was not Paula’s biological daughter, and over the years, she felt she had long since repaid any kindness Paula had shown her during her upbringing.
Magnus sensed the tension. “I know Mom wasn’t kind to you when she was alive, but she was still our mother. How can you not wear the mourning attire? If the Escobar relatives see this, it won’t reflect well on you.”
Magnus had changed significantly, maturing into a thoughtful young man. Cecilia felt a sense of contentment witnessing his growth.
“Once everyone has gathered, I have something to share with all of you, especially with you,” Cecilia said, her tone serious.
Magnus nodded. “All right, but for now, just wear your mourning attire.”
Once again, Cecilia refused, “I’m not wearing it.”
Vivian stepped in, her voice gentle yet firm. “Stop giving your sister a hard time.”
At that, Magnus reluctantly lowered his hand, a hint of awkwardness lingering in the air.
Some of the Escobars took notice, pointing and whispering among themselves.
Chapter 1049 Nicholas Is Here
“I can’t believe she refused to wear mourning attire when her mother died.” One scoffed
“Exactly. No wonder Paula never liked her. She really lacks a conscience.”
Those relatives discussed among themselves.
Concerned that Cecilia wouldn’t hear them, they approached under the guise of offering consolation. “Cecilia,” one said with feigned sympathy, “traditionally, one must mourn when their parents pass away. We understand you had your disagreements with your mother, but now that she’s gone, don’t you want her to rest in peace?”
“I heard you just arrived today. It was Magnus who kept vigil the past two nights, right? You really should stay tonight to be with your mother on her final night.
These people were surprisingly good at guilt–tripping.
Back when Paula was unkind to Cecilia, not a single soul stepped up to advise Paula to be kinder to Cecilia
“Apologies, I’m just here for a visit today. I won’t be staying overnight,” Cecilia stated, enunciating each word with clarity.
She no longer owed Paula anything.
Vivian chimed in, “It’s easy for you all to criticize Ceci, but you don’t even know half of it. Do you know how poorly Paula used to treat Cecil Ceci was almost killed by her! Why should Ceci mourn her now that she’s dead?”
The middle–aged women began lashing out instead of acknowledging their mistakes.
“Paula’s her mother who gave birth to her! She couldn’t possibly have done anything wrong!”
“Exactly! She gave birth to Cecilia, so even if she made mistakes, her merits and efforts outweigh them.”
“No wonder Paula often told us that she shouldn’t have given birth to her daughter. Now, I finally understand what she meant.”
Vivian felt the urge to tell them that Paula was not actually Cecilia’s biological mother, but Cecilia stopped.
her.
She wanted to wait until everyone had arrived before revealing the truth.
At that moment, a portly woman stepped forward, seizing Cecilia’s arm. “Come now, you ungrateful girl. Bow to Paula!”
Everyone was startled, and Cecilia, who was pregnant, couldn’t free herself from this strong woman.
Cecilia remembered her to be Paula’s cousin. She hailed from the countryside and often relied on Paula for support in the past.
“What are you doing? Let go of Ceci!” Vivian snapped back to her senses, trying to pull the woman’s hand away.
Vivian stumbled and fell, grazing her leg.
With this woman taking the lead, the other women all ganged up on Cecilia, forcing her to bow before Paula’s casket.
In their eyes, disrespecting one’s mother was considered a grave transgression.
They never stopped to question why Cecilia refused to mourn Paula.
They closed in around Cecilia, and by the time Vivian managed to rise, she could no longer see Cecilia, who was swallowed up by the crowd of women.
Magnus, watching from the side, hesitated but didn’t intervene. “Please be gentle. My sister is pregnant
He was hoping to make extra money and build up his network by organizing this funeral, so naturally, he wouldn’t dare to offend the guests.
Upon learning of Cecilia’s pregnancy, they were astonished. “You’re about to become a mother yourself. How would you feel if your son or daughter disrespected you? Let us teach you a lesson!”
Cecilia had already prepared herself, but she hadn’t anticipated the Escobars to be unreasonable shrews.
She regretted not letting Sven come along.
Recently, Sven had trained a group of fighters. I should be brought them along.
Cecilia knew that in her current state, she was no match for these people. She fiercely protected her abdomen and did not resist.
Seeing her cower instead of fighting back, they grew balder. They grabbed her roughly, dragging her toward Paula’s memorial picture and forcing her down, determined to make her kneel.
“What are you guys doing?”
At that moment, a cool, detached voice resonated. Everyone turned toward the sound and saw Nicholas, standing not too far away with a grim expression on his face.
Chapter 1050 Vivian Is Hurt
Most of the people present mistook Nicholas for Nathaniel.
Instead of letting Cecilia go, they complained, “Ah, her husband’s here. Your timing is perfect. Please discipline Cecilia properly. Her mother passed away, and she’s not willing to wear the mourning attire.”
From a distance, Magnus spotted Nicholas approaching. He couldn’t be bothered about these relatives anymore, rushing over. “Guys, you misunderstood. This is Nathaniel’s twin brother, the CEO of Orion Corporation.”
With that, he shot discreet glances at the Escobars.
The Escobars, who bullied the weak and feared the strong, suddenly adopted ingratiating smiles when they realized the man before them was the CEO of Orion Corporation.
“Sorry, I mistook you for someone else.”
Afterward, they continued to make Cecilia kneel. “Cecilia, stop being stubborn. Kneel!”
Nicholas spoke up once more. “Think this through. She’s carrying the Rainsworth family’s lineage in her womb right now. If you force her to kneel and something happens to the baby, can you bear the -consequences?”
Just one sentence from Nicholas caused them to release Cecilia.
One of them tried buttering Nicholas up. “Forget it. She can’t kneel because she’s pregnant.”
“Yeah, forget it”
Vivian had already called Zachary. She didn’t know who could come to their aid, and the first person who came to mind was Zachary
Zachary had finished performing surgery on Nathaniel. Upon learning that Cecilia was being bullied by the Escobars, he promised to be there shortly before hanging up right away.
“All right
Vivian, clutching her phone, rushed into the crowd. It was then she noticed that Nicholas had arrived and was protectively standing in front of Cecilia, preventing the Escobars from doing anything to her.
“Ceci, are you alright?” She approached, wrapping her arms around Cecilia.
Cecilia was fine, but Vivian had fallen and scraped both her elbow and feg, bleeding.
“I’m–fine.” Noticing Vivian’s injuries, Cecilia teared up.
She could tolerate being bullied herself, but she would never allow her loved ones to be harmed.
“Vivian, Jet’s go to the doctor first.”
“Okay.” Vivian thought that Cecilia was worried about the baby and immediately agreed.
As she was about to leave, Cecilia looked at Nicholas with gratitude. “Thank you.”
“Are you feeling unwell? Let me give you a ride.”
“No need.”
Cecilia instructed the driver to take them to the nearest hospital or clinic.
As the two of them got into the car, the Escobars were still grumbling. “How delicate! We didn’t even do anything to her.”
A hint of coldness flashed in Cecilia’s eyes.
“Perhaps we should go to a hospital. A clinic won’t do, Vivian suggested as she watched the driver pull up to a clinic.
Cecilia helped her out of the car. “It’s all right. We need to tend to your wounds.”
“Huh?”
It was only after Vivian was taken into the clinic for her wounds to be examined and treated that she understood Cecilia was more concerned about her than about herself.
She had been so worried about Cecilia earlier that she didn’t even notice her wrist and leg were bleeding.
While she was tending to the wound, Cecilia was outside making a phone call.
“Sven, how are the bodyguards I had you train managing?”
“They can handle basic emergencies without any issues,” Sven replied.
“Great. Could you ask them to stop by the funeral home?” Cecilia requested.
“All right.”
Without uttering another word, Sven sent twenty of his men as per Cecilia’s request.
After Cecilia ended the call, Vivian emerged from the treatment room. “Cecilia.”
“Feeling any better?” Cecilia asked.
“It’s nothing, just a minor injury.”
Cecilia’s gaze was filled with regret. Vivian wouldn’t have gotten hurt if it wasn’t for me.
“Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
The two of them returned to the funeral home, and as soon as they arrived, they noticed that the atmosphere was completely different from before, eerily silent.