Ch. 1331..1340

Chapter 1331 Take Revenge

Calvin watched him leave, his eyes filled with a chilling frost.

At that moment, his friend, Yannick, rang him up and said, "Hey, why are you stirring up trouble with Cecilia again? Isn't it enough being a stepdad to two kids? Are you planning to wait until she has twins and end up being a father to four?" Yannick was exasperated.

Calvin looked out the window and responded, "Don't spout nonsense. I came back this time specifically for work and just took the opportunity to check on her and take care of her." "Really?" Yannick found it somewhat hard to believe.

"Of course." With an air of nonchalance, Calvin said, "Cecilia has already made her decision to start anew with Nathaniel. I'm not so oblivious to the situation as to keep clinging to her." Only then did Yannick breathe a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear. There are plenty of women in the world. Take your time to find the right one."

"Yes. I understand."

Right then, there was a knock at the office door.

Calvin lifted his gaze toward the entrance, where Madeline was standing, a cup of coffee in her hand.

Cecilia knew Madeline was eager to learn, so she arranged for her to be Calvin's assistant.

Calvin gave her a nod.

Afterward, Madeline pushed the door open.

"All right. That's all for now," Calvin said into the phone.

Madeline entered the room, placing the coffee on the table. "Mr. Reese, your coffee."

"Okay."

Calvin gave a slight nod, not bothering to look at her.

Madeline stood awkwardly in place. "Mr. Reese, could you possibly assign me some work?"

She thought she would carry out some important tasks by assisting Calvin. To her surprise, it was merely doing odd jobs. Bewildered, Calvin looked up at her. This woman's face is stunning, inspiring a sense of tenderness in others.

Calvin simply admired her before asking her, "What kind of job do you want to do?"

"Huh?" Madeline was a bit confused, and she pondered for a moment. "I'm open to any job, as long as it's not menial work." After hearing that, Calvin didn't take offense. He casually handed her a project from his stack that wasn't particularly important.

"This project is yours to oversee. After the contract is signed, you'll receive a commission of ten percent."

Excitement filled Madeline's eyes after she heard that. "All right! Thank you, Mr. Reese."

She exited Calvin's office with a project in hand and felt as if she had struck gold.

Once she stepped outside, she noticed that the project was worth a million. With a ten percent commission, that meant she could earn a hundred thousand. For her, who wasn't earning much at the time, the money that could be made from this project was excessively abundant.

Once I have enough money, I'll take

Darren to court. Madeline knew that

she needed a stable income to

provide Amelia with a secure life before she could fight for custody in court.

en

After Bailey's funeral concluded, Cassandra could finally relax for a while.

However, she understood that after this incident, Queenie's fondness for her had dropped to zero.

In private, Cassina looked for her and asked, "Ms. Evans, could you tell me why did you harm my mother?"

Cassina had the answer in her heart, yet she couldn't help but ask.

"What do you think? I did it because I

feared she would reveal that you're not Queenie's biological daughter," Cassandra said, feigning concern for her. "Cassie, think about it. Isn't it safer if fewer people know this secret? I'm helping you here."

Is it safer if fewer people know about it? I'll remember those words. Cassina cast her gaze downward and said, "I understand."

Cassandra put on a show ofnoveldrama

magnanimity and said, "Don't worry.

I won't hold it against you for

complaining about it to Queenie. We will still be close sisters in the future."

en

"Okay." Cassina gave a stiff nod.

Once Cassandra had left, Cassina's eyes were filled with ruthless hostility.

"Just you wait. I'll definitely have my revenge."

Cassina clenched her fists. Those past couple of days, Queenie had agreed to take her to the company for some learning experience.

Despite her fears that Cassina would bring up the death of Bailey again, Cassandra chose to turn a blind eye and did not intervene.

Chapter 1332 Foster The Bond

Cassina made up her mind that she would secure her footing in the Jamieson family. She knew she needed to build her own influence before she could eliminate Cassandra. Cassandra had never imagined that such an ordinary woman could harbor such cunning intentions.

After she had fallen out of favor with Queenie, Cassandra had no choice but to return to the Rainsworth residence.

Nicholas rarely returned to the Rainswroth residence, choosing to stay at the company every day instead. At home, it was just her and Elena.

Elena spent her time either visiting her two grandsons at the preschool or socializing with various high-society ladies, indulging in self-care. She essentially paid no attention to Cassandra. Alone at home, Cassandra was stewing in her loser's frustration.

Miranda approached and said, "Cassandra, it's clear that you're showing now. Has Nicholas not been around lately to keep you company?" Cassandra was filled with anger. "No. Every time I asked him to come home, he would always use working overtime as an excuse."

Upon hearing that, Miranda couldn't help but add fuel to the fire, saying, "You know that Cecilia has recently started a company, right?" "How could I not know? She somehow managed to acquire Evans Group without my knowledge." Cassandra clenched her fists. "Where did she get her capital from?" Miranda feigned confusion.

In fact, she had managed to grasp a few things.

"It's all thanks to Nathaniel and Elena," she said.

Cassandra didn't believe Cecilia was that capable.

Previously, Miranda was worried that Cecilia wouldn't be able to stand up to Cassandra. However, to her surprise, after several encounters, it was Cassandra who ended up suffering setbacks. Miranda was at ease then, eagerly anticipating the clash between the two. It's even better if they fight to the death.

"You are also a daughter-in-law of the Rainsworth family. You're Elena's daughter-in-law as well. The child you're carrying is also a descendant of the Rainsworth family. How could Elena be so partial?" Miranda said. Cassandra was already in a bad mood, and hearing what Miranda had said only made her more displeased.

She changed the subject, asking, "How's Adrian doing?"

Whenever Adrian was mentioned, the expression on Miranda's face would become incredibly unpleasant.

"How else could he be doing? He's half-paralyzed." Miranda never expected it to be this severe. Nathaniel was ruthless. After all, Adrian was his cousin.

Seeing her in a state even more miserable than her own, Cassandra felt significantly relieved.

"Are you really just going to let it go?" Cassandra asked.

"Of course not, but I don't really have a good solution right now." Miranda sighed.

At that moment, her phone started ringing.

Upon picking it up, Miranda saw that it was a call from Felix's teacher. "What's the matter?"

"Ms. Miranda, the school is hosting a parent-child activity this afternoon. It seems Felix hasn't informed you, so I thought I should let you know. Are you available to attend?" the teacher asked gently. en

The thought of her current position in the parents' association made Miranda frown. "I'm busy.

She then ended the call.

"What's wrong?" Cassandra asked.

Miranda told her about the upcoming parent-child activity.

"Will Cecilia be going as well?" Cassandra asked. "She's nearly due to give birth. Can she even participate in an activity like that?"

Both individuals wanted the other to go stir up trouble with Cecilia and then sit back and watch the ensuing conflict unfold. Miranda quickly grasped her meaning.

She feigned distress and responded, "Parent-child activities were always something Adrian and I attended together. Now that Adrian is in the hospital, I just don't have the heart for it."

With that, she asked Cassandra, "Cassandra, would you and Nicholas mind going in my place?"

Cassandra was about to decline, but Miranda interjected, "You haven't spent much time with Nicholas recently, have you? I'll call him later and ask him to spare some time. It could help foster the bond between you two, don't you think?"

Upon hearing those words, Cassandra didn't give it much thought and immediately agreed.

Afterward, Miranda was persuading Nicholas earnestly.

Upon learning that Cecilia would also be there, Nicholas agreed to go.

An hour later, Cassandra and Nicholas were seated in the car, heading toward the international preschool together.

Chapter 1333 A Mistake

After finishing her tasks for the day, Cecilia also headed to the preschool.

Zachary and Vivian also attended, representing Jonathan's family in the competition.

With a look of distaste, Jonathan eyed the two of them and said, "You better not hold me back."

Zachary furrowed his brow. "Brat, do you really think I'm the kind of guy who would become a burden?"

Vivian was also heartbroken. "Jon, you've really hurt my feelings."

Cecilia was nearby, unable to resist saying to Jonathan, "Jon, remember to be polite. Mr. Zachary and Ms. Kennedy have given up their rest time for you."

Upon hearing what Cecilia said, Jonathan immediately dropped his look of disdain. "Well, then. Thank you."

"That's more like it," Zachary said.

If it weren't for his grandfather insisting that he and Vivian go there under the pretense of getting used to taking care of a child, he really wouldn't have wanted to participate in such a dull event. The main issue was that it was still very hot outside.

Before the parent-child activity began, Jonathan approached Cecilia and asked, "Mommy, is he not coming?"

He had started to see Nathaniel in a new light but was disappointed when he didn't show up for the parent-child activity.

Cecilia snapped back to reality and said, "I didn't tell your daddy because Mr. Zachary and Ms. Kennedy said they were coming."

Daddy? Jonathan was particularly displeased with that form of address. "Mommy, have you forgotten the words you once spoke?"

Cecilia was somewhat bewildered. "What words?"

"It's nothing." Jonathan was starting to get angry.

Though he was living comfortably in Sinclair Manor, he had always kept a close eye on Cecilia and Nathaniel. To his surprise, their relationship had improved, and they didn't even bother to inform him. Jonathan then walked toward Vivian and Zachary.

Cecilia watched as the boy left in a huff, stubbornly angry. She initially thought it was because Nathaniel hadn't shown up.

Hence, she immediately called Nathaniel.

"Do you have some time now?" she asked.

Nathaniel was in the middle of a meeting, but he didn't hesitate to respond, "Yes. What's the matter?"

"Jon has a parent-child activity today. I didn't inform you because Zachary and Vivian were already attending. However, he seems to be upset. Could you come over?"

en

Cecilia felt a bit embarrassed. I should have mentioned this sort of thing beforehand.

"All right. I'll be right there."

After hanging up the phone, Nathaniel stood up and said, "You all continue the meeting."

The top executives exchanged bewildered glances, puzzled as to why Nathaniel had suddenly left.

Mason knew almost instantly that it was because of Cecilia. Only Cecilia had the power to pull Nathaniel out of a conference room.

"Let's continue with the meeting," Mason suggested. "Feel free to express your thoughts. I'll take note

to Mr. Rainsworth."

of everything and report net

At the entrance of the preschool, Cecilia sat on the bench, waiting for Nathaniel's arrival.

Meanwhile, Nicholas and Cassandra's car was heading in this direction.

"Parent-child activities inevitably involve some physical activity. Given your pregnancy, are you sure you can handle it?" Nicholas asked. Cassandra gave a slight nod. "No problem. If Cecilia can participate even with her big belly, why can't I?"

Whenever Cecilia was brought up,

.nét

there was a noticeable shift in Nicholas' expression. Howeverche didn't show much, merely stating, "As long as you're okay."

Just as Cassandra was about to reach the entrance of the preschool, she received a phone call.

It was a call from Ralph, and he was asking her to find some specialists to examine him, claiming that he was in excruciating pain.

Cassandra was off to the side, humoring him.

Nicholas was the first to get out of the car, heading toward the entrance of the preschool.

Cecilia spotted him from a distance. At first, she mistook him for Nathaniel. She supported herself with a hand on her waist and quickly walked toward him. "How did you get here so quickly? I thought it would take some time."

Chapter 1334 A Secret Code

Cecilia wore a smile as radiant as a blooming flower, walking toward Nicholas while bathed in light. Her eyes seemed to hold a universe of stars and sea within them. Nicholas was left stunned, taking a while before he could regain his bearings.

The sunlight was blinding. Nicholas remained silent, mirroring Nathaniel's demeanor perfectly.

Unaware of her mistake, Cecilia said to him, "Let's go."

Nicholas knew she was mistaking him for Nathaniel. He didn't correct her, simply accompanying her as they continued walking forward.

Cecilia was pregnant and moved slowly. Noticing that Nicholas remained silent, she said, "Take some time to talk with Jon later. He's probably a bit upset. I didn't think it through and should have called you over." Nicholas responded with a simple hum, careful not to say too much and disrupt the tranquility of the moment.

Behind them, after finishing her phone call, Cassandra stepped out of the car. From a distance, she saw the retreating figures of Nicholas and Cecilia walking together.

Her eyes narrowed, filled with indignation, as she briskly walked toward the two individuals.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel's car had also arrived.

Cassandra moved quickly, swiftly catching up with the two. Disregarding everything else, she asked Cecilia, "Cecilia, have you no shame?"

Upon hearing a familiar voice, Cecilia turned around, only to find Cassandra glaring fiercely at her.

Nicholas furrowed his brows. "Cassandra, stop messing around."

At that moment, Cecilia realized she had mistaken the person.

"Are you Nicholas?" she asked uncertainly.

Cassandra took two steps forward, swiftly grabbing onto Nicholas' arm. "If not? Did you think it was Nathaniel?"

Cecilia had never anticipated that she would make such a blunder. The key point was that Nicholas hadn't informed her earlier that she had mistaken him for someone else. "Sorry, I made a mistake," Cecilia said.

Cassandra scoffed. "Mistake? What a joke! Are you suggesting that Nathaniel was also about to come over? I think you're clearly trying to seduce Nicholas. How can you be so shameless? Nicholas and I are already married!" Upon hearing Cassandra's words, Nicholas tightly gripped her wrist. "Enough. It's all just a misunderstanding."

Cassandra's anger intensified when she saw how fiercely Nicholas defended Cecilia. "Misunderstanding? Do you guys think I'm a pushover?"

After she finished speaking, she broke free from Nicholas' grasp, ready to hit Cecilia.

In a rush, Cecilia instinctively protected her belly as she stepped back.

Fortunately, just as Cassandra's hand was about to strike, a figure rushed over, pushing Cassandra away.

Cassandra staggered back several steps, nearly toppling over.

Nathaniel then stood protectively in front of Cecilia, asking, "Are you hurt?"

Cecilia's complexion was somewhat pale, but she shook her head and said, "I'm fine."

She then turned to Cassandra once more. "You see? I really did mistake him for someone else. The sun was just too bright earlier. Besides..."

She glanced at Nicholas and stopped talking.

A wave of unease washed over Nicholas, leaving him speechless.

Nathaniel didn't know exactly what

had transpired. He turned to Cassandra and said, "Do you remember what happened to your father? If you don't want to end up like him, you better behave yourself!"

With those harsh words, he took Cecilia with him as he departed.

When they were walking, he had a vague inkling of what had happened.

"Did you mistake Nicholas for me?" Nathaniel seemed a tad bit jealous.

Cecilia wore a face of guilt. "I'm sorry. I genuinely didn't notice earlier. I never imagined he would just happen to show up." Seeing her like that, Nathaniel felt considerably more at ease.

After some thought, he suggested, "How about we establish a secret code for our meetings in the future? That way, you won't mistake me for someone else."

Cecilia was somewhat baffled. "What secret code?"

Chapter 1335 Playing Favorites

After a moment of contemplation, Nathaniel proposed, "How about this? Every time I come to see you in the future, I'll first take your left hand. What do you think?" Initially, Cecilia found it somewhat troublesome, but considering what had just occurred, she felt the hassle was justified.

"All right."

Unapologetically, Nathaniel took her hand and led her forward.

Cecilia had come to realize that there were many facets of Nathaniel's immaturity. Apart from their appearances, he was truly different from Nicholas.

Holding hands, the two of them walked forward.

Behind them, Nicholas wore a gloomy expression, while Cassandra's face had turned beet red.

She was aware that there had been a misunderstanding earlier, yet she couldn't help but feel resentful. Why did both Nicholas and Nathaniel choose to side with Cecilia?

"Nicholas, if you had to choose between me and Cecilia, who would you pick?" asked Cassandra.

Nicholas turned to look at her, his eyes consistently gentle as always.

"This kind of question holds no significance whatsoever."

Cassandra's throat tightened, and she clung tightly to Nicholas' arm. "I need you to answer me. Do you actually like me, or do you like Cecilia?" she asked. I'm clearly no less than Cecilia, so why would Nicholas be fond of Cecilia? Cecilia merely met Nicholas before I did. Had I met Nicholas first, there's no doubt he would fall for me.

"You're my wife. Needless to say, I like you," Nicholas replied with a smile.

His smile didn't hold a shred of warmth.

Cassandra, however, fell for it. "Really? In that case, I want you to come back and keep me company tonight."

After hesitating for a good while, Nicholas nodded in agreement.

"All right."

Cassandra managed to turn her tears into laughter, cheerfully linking arms with Nicholas as they walked ahead.

Inside the preschool, Felix watched as everyone else's parents arrived. He didn't have a hint of disappointment on his face. Instead, he wore an expression of pride.

That was because he knew that the person who would participate in the parent-child activity with him that day was none other than Nicholas.

Dante approached and asked, "Felix, where are your parents?"

"My dad is still in the hospital, so my mom asked my uncle to come over," Felix said with a sense of pride. "My

uncle happens to be the boss of Orion Corporation. I'm sure to take first place today."

Dante, however, didn't seem bothered by it. "That's not necessarily the case," he said. "Jon is accompanied by Mr. Zachary and Aunt Vivian."

Felix was also aware of Zachary. "Mr. Zachary is nothing compared to Uncle Nicholas. Hmph! Also, your aunt is nowhere near as good as Aunt Cassandra." Though he had reconciled with Jonathan, he couldn't help but compete with Jonathan in secret, each trying to prove who was more formidable. Upon hearing those words, Dante felt somewhat deflated.

Indeed, Cassandra was a renowned dancer, while Nicholas was the CEO of Orion Corporation.

He had heard from his parents a while ago that their participation in the parent-child activity this time wasn't about competing or winning. Instead, it was an opportunity to get to know the parents of other children, especially those who held power and influence.

"Uncle Nicholas! Aunt Cassandra!"

As he was speaking, Felix had already spotted Nicholas and Cassandra. With a smug smile, he rose to his feet and headed their way.

The parents who had gone there, one after another, turned their gazes toward Nicholas and Cassandra.

Even though Cecilia and Nathaniel arrived first, they were instinctively overlooked by others.

Interestingly, it was Meredith and Helen among the few who greeted Cecilia. "Cecilia, over here."

Meredith had already severed ties with the Turner family and was then single. Her visit that day was merely to catch up with Cecilia and her group of best friends.

Cecilia gave a nod and scanned her surroundings. Upon spotting Jonathan, she instructed Nathaniel to go over.

"Please, we just attended Eli's parent-child activity a few days ago, and today we're attending Jon's. We mustn't let him feel that we're playing favorites."

"All right," Nathaniel responded.

After he finished speaking, he walked toward Jonathan.

Cecilia knew that when Nathaniel made a promise, he kept it. Thus, she felt reassured to go find Meredith.

The moment Meredith saw Cecilia, she immediately inquired about how her company was doing.

Chapter 1336 Get That Car

"It's pretty good. Everything is proceeding in an orderly manner."

"That's good. If there's anything you need help with, don't hesitate to tell me," Meredith said, holding Cecilia's hand. "I may not have all the resources in the world, but I do have a circle of friends I can introduce you to." "All right, I won't stand on ceremony, then," Cecilia said with a smile.

Helen also came over and said, "Ms. Cecilia, if there's anything you need our family's assistance with, feel free to reach out to me."

"Sure," Cecilia readily agreed.

Priscilla also came over, albeit a bit embarrassed. Along the way, she introduced Cecilia to a few unassuming parents.

To Cecilia's surprise, she managed to secure several collaborations there. Indeed, making more friends never did any harm. Cassandra and Nicholas were together, their gazes occasionally drifting in this direction.

"They're just a bunch of nobodies," Cassandra murmured.

Most of the mothers had received the news from Miranda that day. They had learned that Cassandra's maternal family was the prestigious Jamieson family. One by one, they tried to curry favor with her. A look of satisfaction filled Cassandra's eyes.

"Ms. Evans, I heard there's a relay race later. It's not good for you to run while pregnant. Perhaps you could ask the teacher to cancel the race," a mother of a child suggested pleasingly.

The other mothers nodded in agreement. "Exactly! They should cancel it. How could one possibly run while being pregnant? The child's well-being is the priority."

Felix, standing among them, was somewhat displeased. "No! It shouldn't be canceled! The prize for the relay race is a limited-edition car. Jon and I both want it. I'm determined to get it!" Though it was a limited-edition car, to him, it held no particular value.

Ever since Jonathan joined the preschool, he always seemed to fall short in comparison. He yearned for a chance to outshine Jonathan just once.

Upon hearing that Jonathan was also interested, Cassandra couldn't help but say, "No worries. I can join the activity. It's just that I have to run slower." After she finished speaking, she looked at those mothers, not holding back at all. "You all would let me win, wouldn't you?"

Naturally, the mothers didn't dare to offend her, nodding their heads in unison. "Don't worry. You're pregnant, so we'll all take care of you." "That's right!"

That's basically cheating, right? Jonathan was attentively listening off to the side when a large hand suddenly scooped him up.

His body was suspended in mid-air, and the entire ordeal had left him terrified, yet he feigned composure.

"Who is it? Put me down quickly!"

Nathaniel turned him around. "It's me."

When Jonathan saw Nathaniel's face, there was a chill in his eyes.

"Why are you here?"

"Am I not allowed to be here?" Nathaniel retorted.

"Put me down now!"

Jonathan was not accustomed to being held by others.

Nathaniel didn't let him go. Instead, he pulled him aside and asked, "Are you also after that limited-edition car?"

"I guess," Jonathan said nonchalantly.

In truth, he really desired that limited-edition car. He could dismantle it and examine its internal structure and design. Nathaniel gently set him down before beckoning Zachary to come over.

He pointed to the prize and said to Zachary, I'm counting on you today. If we win, I'll gift you a real one However, if we don't, I'll send you off to aid work in Alendor."

Zachary really wanted to roll his eyes. What a domineering person I'm participating in his son's eventnoveldrama

on his behalf, yet he's still threatened me.

"It's just a toy, right? I get it. I get it," Zachary responded, unconcerned.

At first, Zachary found it quite simple, not feeling any sort of challenge at all.

However, once the event began, everyone, as usual, split into two teams. Zachary's group was in opposition to Cassandra's.

He was surprised to find out that these parents were actually letting the opponent win.

Chapter 1337 Just A Joke

Cassandra's team of parents were running as if their lives depended on it. On the other hand, Zachary's team appeared entirely indifferent to the outcome of the race, deliberately underperforming. "What on earth are these guys doing?"

Yawning, Jonathan said, "It's quite simple really. They're all trying to gain their opponent's favor."

"Why aren't they trying to gain my favor?" Zachary was taken aback.

"Compared to Nicholas and the Jamieson family, I believe you're not in the same league, Mr. Zachary," Jonathan bluntly stated.

Zachary was at a loss for words.

However, he had promised to give the car model to Jonathan, so he couldn't go back on his word.

Zachary made his way toward the victorious Cassandra and her team.

"Felix, would you consider selling this car model to me? In return, I'll buy you anything you want in the future. How does that sound?"

For the first time, Felix had triumphed over Jonathan, a smug smile spreading across his face.

"No way. I won this fair and square. If Jon wants it, he'll have to get it himself."

Felix was not going to have anyone spoil his rare victory.

Zachary's expression turned grim as he turned to look at Nathaniel, praying that the latter wouldn't really send him away.

Jonathan wasn't as childish as Felix. He stepped forward and said, "Mr. Zachary, I don't want it anymore. It's just a model, right? It's not a big deal."

Upon hearing these words, Cassandra couldn't help but respond sarcastically, "It might just be a model, yet some people still can't obtain it, can they?" Felix dared not upset Jonathan, so he spoke in a hushed tone.

"Indeed, it's even beyond the reach of Jon."

Jonathan cast a dismissive glance at him, then took Zachary's hand. "Mr. Zachary, let's go check out the other events," he suggested. "Alright," Zachary readily agreed.

He had figured out that Cassandra had done it on purpose, having already arranged everything with the parents ahead of time.

Upon seeing Jonathan desiring other prizes, Cassandra also directed her gaze toward the other parents.

Nathaniel and Cecilia were both watching when Vivian scoffed, "I can't believe the nerve!"

"Indeed, whatever Jon wanted, they would all fight for it," Meredith concurred. "Should we go and

the teacher? This is not fair at all."

Nathaniel spoke reassuringly. "Don't worry, Jon is no ordinary child. He won't let them push him around."

He had a great deal of confidence in his son.

Even though Cecilia was worried, she agreed with what Nathaniel had said.

Just as expected, aside from the car model earlier, Jonathan won all the other prizes by thrashing his competitors.

After giving the other parents a hard

time, he made his way over to an

area where the children were having theirown competition and took a seat.

"I've always wanted this antique abacus."

The parents were all taken aback.

l.ne

the children were to compete among themselves, especially in mental arithmetic, no one would be a match for Jonathan,

Their attempts to curry favor with Cassandra and Nicholas started to feel increasingly futile.

Indeed, among all the children in the class, none could compare to Jonathan. He successfully obtained the antique abacus.

By then, Cassandra and her allies had realized that Jonathan had been fooling them all along.

"Darn it, I can't even beat a kid." Cassandra clenched her fists in frustration.

Jonathan purposefully glanced in their direction. "Cheating is useless in the face of absolute strength."

His mental arithmetic was so quick that even children with calculators couldn't keep up.

Zachary watched in silence as Jonathan demonstrated his skills. it reminded him of his childhood with Nathaniel.

Nathaniel was really something else. I, along with the other children, merely served the sideshow.

"Could you put in a good word for me with your dad later?" Zachary whispered.

Jonathan could tell how much effort Zachary had put in on his account. "Mr. Zachary, my daddy was just joking with you."

Chapter 1338 Why Did You Marry Me

"Ah..." Zachary sighed in relief. From his many years of knowing Nathaniel, he knew that sometimes Nathaniel was serious. However, this time, it was indeed no more than a joke.

Nathaniel walked over. "I appreciate what you've done today."

Zachary was somewhat taken aback. "Nathaniel, you aren't mentally preparing me for my punishment later, are you?" Nathaniel rolled his eyes at him. I can't believe how paranoid he is.

Ignoring Zachary, Nathaniel took Cecilia to find Jonathan.

Vivian hadn't expected Zachary to be so intimidated by Nathaniel. She couldn't help but express her surprise. "So, there is someone who can put you in your place, even though you always act so high and mighty in front of me." Zachary furrowed his brows. "Have you forgotten the promise you made to me before?"

Vivian suddenly remembered how she had used Zachary to drive Ernest away previously. Seeing that things were going well, she promptly apologized, "Sorry, I just forgot. My apologies."

Only then was Zachary satisfied.

Not far away, Cassandra watched as Zachary and Vivian bickered. She then saw Cecilia and her family laughing harmoniously. Finally, she turned to look at Nicholas, who wore an indifferent expression on his face. The two of them stood together, resembling complete strangers more than a married couple.

"Nicholas."

"What is it?" Nicholas asked, looking down at her.

"The event is pretty much over. Let's head back."

Cassandra initially planned to take advantage of the day's events to bond with Nicholas. However, he always declined such seemingly ordinary activities, citing poor health. "Alright."

Nicholas had long been wanting to leave.

Cassandra followed closely behind him, and the two of them got into the car, one after the other.

"Nicholas..."

Just as Cassandra was about to say something, Nicholas' phone rang.

Not long after he took it, he told Cassandra, "You should go back first. There's a minor issue at the office that I need to attend to."

"What's the matter? I'll go with you."

"No need."

Nicholas didn't give Cassandra a choice. After getting out of the car, he promptly hailed another one and hopped in.

When Cassandra stepped out, he had already left.

She stood there, alone, staring blankly at the departing vehicle. Her heart was brimming with a deep sense of indignance.

"Nicholas, if you don't love me, why

did you marry me?" Cassandra

murmured to herself, feeling a certain heaviness in her heart

She had always been self-centered, but this was the first time she cared so much about someone else.

Behind her, the sounds of cheerful chatter from Cecilia's family filled the air. Cassandra glanced back at the lively group, her eyes brimming with envy.

She climbed back into the car and commanded, "Drive."

"Understood."

Back at Rainsworth Manor, Cassandra was eagerly awaiting Nicholas' return, giving him a call.

He sent a message: I'm swamped tonight. Rest early. Don't wait up for me.

Upon seeing the message, Cassandra smashed her phone onto the ground. "Liar! Nicholas, just you wait!"

Cassandra was considering

reaching out to Queenie to pour out her sorrows when she suddenly remembered her current situation She was no longer the favored one. Thus, she had no choice but to swallow her grievances in silence.

Meanwhile, on the top floor of Orion Corporation, Nicholas was in his office, dealing with some paperwork.

Noticing that it had gone dark outside, Jocelyn couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Nicholas, are you not going home again tonight?" "Mmm-hmm, I'm not." Nicholas nodded in agreement.

Jocelyn was somewhat concerned about his mental and physical well-being.

"Mr. Nicholas, you should get some rest. Constantly working isn't good for your health."

Nicholas paused, glancing at Jocelyn before shifting his gaze to the inky darkness of the night outside.

"Jocelyn, I saw Cecilia's family today, and they seemed extraordinarily harmonious."

That should have been mine! However, it doesn't matter. Soon, I will reclaim everything that belongs to me.

Chapter 1339 Not In Vain

Jocelyn let out a sigh. "Mr. Nicholas, you will find your own happiness in the future, so don't overthink it."

Nicholas turned to look at her. "I know."

Jocelyn then went to fetch medicine for him.

His health had begun to deteriorate again, necessitating the commencement of treatment.

After taking his medicine, Nicholas returned to his private break room to rest.

Jocelyn busied herself, tidying up his room and the outer office space for him. She also ordered his meal.

Once she had finished her tasks, and after Nicholas had eaten, she left the office.

Once she stepped outside, it was already past eight in the evening, and she was feeling hungry.

However, she was already used to having her dinner after eight o'clock. Yet she felt a mild stomachache for some unknown reason.

Jocelyn didn't pay it any mind. She hopped into her car and drove back to her rented apartment.

Ever since Cassina joined the Jamieson family business, she began nurturing her own team.

Since everyone believed that she was Queenie's biological daughter, they quickly switched allegiances to her.

Another reason was that Cassandra was overly arrogant and domineering. The employees of Jamieson Group simply didn't like her.

At that moment, Cassina sat in the spacious office, taking in everything around her.

"Mom, I promise you, your life won't be lost in vain!"

She picked up her phone and dialed Cecilia's number.

Meanwhile, when Cecilia saw Cassina's call, she was somewhat puzzled. "What can I do for you?"

"Ms. Smith, I'm grateful for the assistance you've provided me in the past. I'm currently working at Jamieson Group. I heard that you've established your own company and are in need of partnerships. I would like to propose a collaboration between us. What do you think?" Cassina felt she owed Cecilia an apology and this was her way of making amends.

Coincidentally, Cecilia was racking her brains on how to approach the Jamieson family and how to exact revenge on Queenie.

"Of course that would be wonderful. Whenever you have time, come over and we can discuss it in detail."

"Alright, I'll come over today."

After packing up, Cassina went to see Cecilia.

Queenie had also learned from her secretary that Cassina was seeking to collaborate with Cecilia. She didn't intervene, saying, "Cecilia did help Bailey after all. Cassina is just trying to return the favor. There's no harm in that.

"But we kidnapped Cecilia's son back then,

scarred and even left her face et

Won't she seek revenge on

Ms. Cassina?" The secretaryo expressed her concern.

Queenie shook her head. "I don't think so. If she wanted revenge, why would she help Bailey?"

"That's good then."

Nevertheless, Queenie was burdened by a nagging question in her mind, which was why Cassina harbored such animosity toward her at the hospital that day. Even though she hadn't raised Cassina, she was still the latter's biological mother.

"Keep a closer eye on Cassie and Cassandra, I don't want any more incidents happening between them."

"Understood."

Queenie's concerns were indeed warranted.

Behind the scenes, Cassina had already hired someone to eliminate Cassandra in order to get rid of the last person in the world who knew her secret.

In the afternoon, Cassina and Cecilia signed a contract.

"Ms. Smith, I really don't know how to express my gratitude." Cassina asked, "Can we be friends from now on?"

Cecilia gave a smile, politely responding, "Of course."

When Cassina left, she cast Cecilia a few glances.

"Ms. Smith, I truly thank you."

She stood there for a long while before she finally decided to leave.

Charlotte walked over, looking somewhat puzzled. "Boss," she asked, "why do I get the feeling she's acting as if we're about to part ways forever?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's just a hunch," Charlotte said.

Cecilia handed her the contract. "Go through it and see if there's any issue."

Charlotte took the contract and from the very first glance, she was taken aback. "Boss, this isn't the contract we were just working on!"

Chapter 1340 The Trap

Upon hearing this, Cecilia quickly checked.

She had initially assumed that the contract had been altered to favor the Jamieson family. However, to her surprise, the contract essentially allowed them to collaborate for free.

"Did she make a mistake?"

Just as Cecilia was about to call Cassina to inquire, a piece of paper fell out of the contract.

Cecilia then saw what Cassina had written: Ms. Smith, both my mother and I are ingrates. Thank you for treating us so kindly. I truly have nothing to repay you with. You must accept this contract. It's a token of my sincere gratitude.

"I really didn't see that coming," Charlotte exclaimed in disbelief. "This contract must be worth over a billion, and she handed it over to us for free?"

When Cecilia tried to call Cassina, she found that the line was engaged.

She instructed Charlotte, "Lottie, hold off on this contract for now." "Alright."

Charlotte understood and nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, Cassina sent the contract over to Cassandra for review.

Outraged, Cassandra questioned, "Are you out of your mind? Why are you using the Jamieson family's money to subsidize Cecilia?"

"I didn't want to feel too guilty toward her. After all, I took her place, and she is such a wonderful person-" said Cassina.

Before Cassina could finish her sentence, Cassandra instantly became wary and cut her off, "What nonsense are you talking about? I don't want to hear such things ever again."

"But that's the truth!" Cassina deliberately provoked her.

"Where are you right now? I'll come find you." Cassandra was worried that the foolish Cassina might accidentally expose her.

Cassina had been waiting for her to say that and promptly sent her an address.

"I think we should be a bit nicer to Cecilia..." Cassina continued.

Cassandra quickly said, "Wait for me. I'll be right there."

She was completely unguarded. Once she stepped outside, she simply instructed the driver to head toward the given location. "Step on it."

Upon her arrival, Cassandra realized how desolated the place was and there were no other vehicles in sight.

From a distance, she saw Cassina standing alone.

Without giving it much thought, Cassandra immediately stepped out of the car. "What are you doing here?" Upon seeing Cassandra finally approaching, Cassina clenched her fists subconsciously.

"Ms. Evans, you're finally here."

Somewhat irritated, Cassandra replied, "Yes, what about it?"

She gradually moved closer, when suddenly, about seven or eight burly men appeared all around her.

The driver who brought Cassandra was quickly restrained, and only then did Cassandra realize she had been set up. "Cassina, what are you planning to do?"

A chill glint flashed in Cassina's

eyes. "Didn't you tell me that anyone who knows the secret must

My

mother is already gone, so die

how can I still let you live?"

Cassandra had never imagined that Cassina would have such audacity.

Her voice trembled as she asked, "You wouldn't dare!"

"Why wouldn't I?" Cassina glared at her fiercely. "Don't assume that only wealthy heiresses like you know how to harm others. I have the means and the power to do so just the same!"

en

Cassandra was about to make a call when Cassina stepped forward, snatching the latter's phone in one swift move.

"No one can save you now."

Upon hearing these words, Cassandra was utterly terrified. "Cassie, I'm sorry," she pleaded. "Please, let me go. I won't dare to do it again."

Cassina watched as Cassandra,

who was just acting high and mighty

a moment ago, transformed into the current pitiful state. It was a sight that brought her great satisfaction.

"Now, you're sorry? It's too late!"

Cassina furiously hurled Cassandra's phone away.

Then, several burly men gradually cornered the latter.

This sight instantly reminded Cassandra of the past, causing her to retreat step by step. "Don't come any closer!"