Ch. 1461..1470

Chapter 1461 Twist Of Fate

Nicholas' usually friendly expression froze.

""Really? What a coincidence then."

He had always kept Cecilia hidden away, but he never expected that they would end up meeting like this by a twist of fate.

He didn't know whether it was Nathaniel's luck or his misfortune.

"Anyway, you shouldn't be fooled by his outward appearance. Also, if you're facing trouble at the company, you should have told me earlier," Nicholas said gently.

Cecilia lowered her head. "I don't want to trouble you with everything. I want to be independent."

She then looked up at Nicholas. "I don't want to move. Can we stay here? I will handle the company issues on my own."

When she thought about how Lysanna had treated her, she was determined to make her pay for it.

"Please." She reached out and held Nicholas' arm. "Please?"

Faced with Cecilia's pleading, Nicholas felt helpless, but he still insisted, "No, I need to be at ease."

Cecilia's mood instantly plummeted. "But I really want this job, and I don't want to leave. Why is it that you insist on leaving? I don't understand. Your brother's business is his. He can't force me to do anything, can he?" Nicholas' face was somewhat pale. "Enough, no more talking. At most, I can allow you to handover your work to your colleagues within the company. After that, we're leaving this place together."

When Cecilia heard this, disappointment filled her eyes.

In this past year, she had been going along with Nicholas because she liked him.

Yet now, he wouldn't even agree to this one thing for her.

Cecilia fell silent and stopped speaking.

Nicholas could tell she was angry and tried to comfort her. "Don't be mad. Once we move, you can continue to look for another job."

Then, he covered his mouth and began coughing.

Cecilia originally didn't want to pay attention to him, but when she heard his coughing, her heart softened.

"Why are you coughing so badly? Is your old illness acting up?" she asked.

Nicholas knew she still cared about him, and he used that to his advantage.

He coughed as he said, "It might be the weather. I'm fine, don't worry about me."

"If you really don't want to leave, I'll stay here with you, but..." He trailed off, coughing. "I'm really worried

Chapter 1461 Twist Of Fate.

Seeing this, Cecilia had no choice but to compromise.

"Okay. Once I'll handle things at the company, then we leave here."

Nicholas instantly sighed in relief.

At the same time, he felt incredibly guilty.

He knew using Cecilia's sympathy wasn't right, but he had no other choice.

After they got home, Cecilia poured Nicholas a glass of tea.

 

"Here, drink some tea, and remember to take your medicine later. You always have a hard time getting better when you catch a cold." "Mm." Nicholas watched her every move, feeling incredibly happy.

Cecilia chatted with him for a while. Seeing that it was almost time for work, she started getting ready to leave.

Nicholas stopped her. "Do you want me to accompany you?"

"No, I want to handle my matters by myself."

Cecilia thought she couldn't be behind Nicholas forever

Nicholas didn't say much more. "If anything unexpected happens, tell me right away."

"Mm." Cecilia nodded.

She then got ready to take a taxi to the company.

Nicholas was worried about her, so he insisted on having his driver take her there. Outside the company, her colleagues were buying breakfast and gossiping.

"Ms. Zabel, are you saying Cecilia went to keep Mr. Whitaker company yesterday?"

Chapter 1462 Gossiping Behind Her

Lysanna sipped her milk, nodding with a half-smile.

"Isk tsk, I really couldn't tell. She acted so high and mighty the other day at dinner, but it turns out she's so rotten behind the scenes."

"Don't say that. She might be Mrs. Whitaker by now. We can't afford to offend her," Lysanna teased again.

"Tch, she isn't worthy of being Mr. Whitaker's wife. There are plenty of beautiful women in the world, and they're all mistresses. What's there to be afraid of?" another female colleague sneered. Lysanna raised an eyebrow.

At that moment, someone spoke up, "Is that a limited edition Bentley? Is it an important client arriving at the company?"

As the person finished speaking, everyone turned to see Cecilia stepping out of the Bentley.

Lysanna was momentarily stunned.

But she quickly snapped out of it. "Did you see that? It must be Mr. Whitaker's car."

"Lysanna, you really are something. You were right all along. This person is truly bad."

After Cecilia got out of the car, she immediately spotted Lysanna in the crowd. She clenched her fists involuntarily.

Lysanna had originally been worried that Cecilia might retaliate against her, but now, seeing Cecilia stepping out of the luxury car, she assumed Cecilia was just like her.

With no shame, she took a few steps toward Cecilia. "Cecilia, did you have fun yesterday? You should thank me."

Thank her?

Cecilia raised her hand and swiftly slapped Lysanna across the face.

Smack! Everyone around heard it, turning to look in their direction.

Lysanna's face burned with pain, and she stared at Cecilia in disbelief. "You actually slapped me? If it weren't for me, would you even be able to take a luxury car to work today? You're just a b*tch,, and now you want to act all high and mighty?" Her colleagues were all watching the drama unfold, pointing and whispering about Cecilia.

Cecilia realized that these people had mistaken Nathaniel's car for Keelan's.

She didn't bother to explain and raised her hand again, delivering another slap to Lysanna's face.

There was only so much she could tolerate. Lysanna could no longer hold back and tried to retaliate by striking Cecilia.

Cecilia didn't dodge. Instead, she grabbed Lysanna's wrist and coldly said, "You knew all this and still dare

Chapter 1462 Gossiping Behind Her

Lysanna's face turned pale.

"What... what do you mean? Are you threatening me?"

55%1noveldrama

 

"Do I really need to threaten you? Believe me, with a single word from me, you could be out of the company. And don't even think about working in this industry again," Cecilia warned.

Lysanna was actually fooled. She immediately retracted her hand and covered her face.

"Cecilia, you'fe repaying kindness with enmity."

Repaying kindness with enmity?

Cecilia really didn't understand how Lysanna came up with that line.

She ignored Lysanna and walked toward the company.

Seeing Cecilia leave, the other colleagues approached Lysanna, their expressions full of sympathy. "Cecilia is too much, huh? Now that she's climbing up with a rich man, she even has the nerve to slap people." Lysanna's face hurt badly, and it felt like it was swelling

If she had known, she wouldn't have messed with Cecilia. Now she had given Cecilia a powerful backing.

However, she didn't know that Keelan wasn't Cecilia's support at all. He was actually on his way to the company now, planning to find trouble with her.

After Cecilia arrived at her workstation, she started looking for her tumbler.

Fortunately, Lysanna, being careless, had left the tumbler there, and the water was still inside.

Chapter 1463 The Evidence

55%

 

Cecilia kept the tumbler and then went to the security room to review the surveillance footage.

She handed the security guard a large sum of money, and soon she received the video from after work the previous day. Watching the footage, it was clear that Lysanna had indeed added a packet of something to her own tumbler. Good. Now I have the evidence.

However, to be on the safe side, Cecilia pretended to go to the bathroom but actually went to a hospital for testing, to see if there were any drugs in the water tumbler.

The round trip took quite a bit of time, and to outsiders, it seemed like she was skipping work.

"Now, because she's backed by a big boss, she doesn't care about anything. She's openly skipping work. She went to the bathroom and spent over an hour there," someone muttered, envious. Cecilia didn't care about their gossip.

Sitting on the other side, Lysanna listened but dared not speak up.

She had heard from Thomas that Keelan was coming over soon and had specifically requested to meet her.

Lysanna felt a bit scared. Now that Mr. Whitaker got Cecilia, is he here to help her get back at me?

She was so anxious that she couldn't focus on her work fearing she might get fired by her boss.

Finally, Keelan arrived, still furious.

"Lysanna, get over here," Keelan ordered.

Scared, Lysanna stood up and walked toward the break room.

Seeing Keelan arrive, everyone assumed he was there to stand up for Cecilia. Those who hadn't liked Cecilia before quickly fell silent, no longer daring to badmouth her. Cecilia observed everything, feeling that human nature was truly terrifying.

In the break room, Keelan immediately started scolding Lysanna, "Do you know that you almost got me killed yesterday?"

Lysanna looked confused. "Mr. Whitaker, what do you mean? How could I have harmed you?"

"That Cecilia is not just an ordinary person!".

Keelan could still clearly remember the pressure that man in the presidential suite exuded yesterday. He hadn't slept well that night and had switched to a different hotel. He felt like he might have offended someone he shouldn't have.

Lysanna was even more confused.

Chapter 1463 The Evidence

 

something to you last night? Did she complain about me? Don't forget, if it weren't for me, how would you have gotten her?" Lysanna sneered.

Keelan grew even angrier. "Nonsense! Get her? I didn'tven touch a single finger of hers yesterday."

Lysanna froze for a moment. He hadn't touched her? So, Cecilia lied to me earlier. I can't believe the b*tch lied to me. She even slapped me. Just you wait!

"Mr. Whitaker, so you're angry over such a small thing? It's not that serious. I'll think of a way to make her behave and properly accompany you. How about that?

Keelan was getting more frustrated. "Are you really that stupid, or are you pretending not to understand? I've told you, I can't afford to offend Cecilia! From now on, I don't think there's any need for me to continue cooperating with your company." "Please, Mr. Whitaker..."

Keelan wanted to leave. He had an uneasy sense that staying there would only lead to more trouble.

Lysanna immediately chased after him, but Keelan shook her off.

She was filled with panic. If Keelan canceled the cooperation with the company because of her, her boss would definitely not let her off the hook.

Lysanna continued to chase, but just as she was about to reach the door, there was a loud bang.

 

Chapter 1464 Hit By A Truck

Lysanna's pupils dilated in shock.

Not far away, Keelan had been hit by an enormous truck and flung over ten meters. Judging by his condition, even if he survived, he would surely be disabled. She trembled uncontrollably, her entire body shaking.

A crowd quickly gathered outside, filled with people of all kinds.

By the time Lysanna regained her composure, she realized that with Keelan's accident, the cancellation of the collaboration might no longer be an issue. With a mixture of fear and relief, she returned upstairs

"Ms. Zabel, what happened?" everyone started questioning her.

They watched her as if it were a spectacle, thinking she might soon be fired.

After all, there was no real friendship at work. Everyone was a competitor. If Lysanna were fired, the position of the CEO's secretary would open up again.

Lysanna's face was pale as she spoke slowly. "Just now, when Mr. Whitaker went outside, he was hit by a large truck."

"What?"

Everyone was taken aback.

Even Cecilia found it hard to believe. Someone who had been perfectly fine moments ago had just been struck by a truck? Before long, the sound of an ambulance siren echoed from downstairs.

Many employees rushed outside to watch the scene.

When they returned, they couldn't stop talking. "He was really hit. There's no saving him anymore. It's unbelievable, really."

One coworker glanced at Cecilia.

"Ms. Smith, don't be upset."

Cecilia sneered, "Why should I be upset? He had nothing to do with me."

"Nothing to do with you?" Everyone was flabbergasted, almost laughing at her words. "You're heartless! You came here today in his luxury car, and now that he's gone, you're already turning your back on him?" "Cecilia, how can you be like this? You had something going on with him."

Their words grew increasingly unpleasant, but Cecilia didn't take their words seriously.

At that moment, Lysanna also stepped forward to confront her. "Mr. Whitaker told me today that he had

Chapter 1464 Hit By A Truck

 

"Weren't you the ones who insisted there was something between him and me in the first place?" Cecilia said with a smirk.

Lysanna choked up, and the others were equally baffled

"If you really had nothing to do with him, then whose axury car did you come in today?" someone finally asked.

"That's my personal business. Do I need to report it to you?" Cecilia retorted.

Lysanna recalled Keelan's words and sneered, "Personal business? More like you're too embarrassed to admit it. If it's not Mr. Whitaker, it must be some other big shot, right?" After saying this, she stepped even closer to Cecilia.

"Earlier, you slapped me. Now it's my turn to return the favor."

Lysanna raised her hand, ready to strike Cecilia.

Of course, Cecilia wasn't going to just stand there and take it. She resisted, and the two women ended a full-on fight.

With similar builds and ages, Lysanna couldn't overpower Cecilia. Frustrated, she turned to the other coworkers. "Come help me! Let's teach this shameless woman a lesson!" The others exchanged hesitant glances, unsure if they should intervene.

up

in

But one of them, a woman Cecilia had offended on her first day, who also happened to be one of Lysanna's close friends, joined in.

Now it was two against one, and Cecilia was quickly overpowered.

Lysanna raised her hand again, ready to hit her. "Let's see if anyone can save you now."

As Thomas' personal secretary, she was accustomed to being arrogant and overbearing.

Cecilia thought she'd have to swallow this humiliation today, but unexpectedly, a voice came from the doorway. "Stop!"

It was Thomas, who had arrived at some point. Standing beside him was someone familiar-Nathaniel!

 

Chapter 1465 Who Is This

"What are you all doing? Lysanna, why are you hitting her?" Thomas scolded sternly,

Lysanna was quick to play the victim. "Mr. Stafford, it was Cecilia who attacked me first. I was just defending myself."

Thomas frowned deeply.

"Let go of her now."

Reluctantly, Lysanna released Cecilia. In a voice low enough for only the two of them to hear, she threatened, "You got lucky today. Just wait. As long as you stay in this company, you'll regret it."

Cecilia straightened her clothes, which had been disheveled during the scuffle with Lysanna and another woman, and calmly returned to her seat.

When the results came back from the hospital, she wouldn't be the one leaving first.

After the fight, Cecilia's hands and face bore scratches.

She lowered her head, tending to her wounds, paying no attention to either Thomas or Nathaniel.

Meanwhile, Lysanna noticed the tall, strikingly handsome Nathaniel and immediately approached him. "Mr. Stafford, who is this?"

Before Thomas could answer, Nathaniel ignored Lysanna entirely and walked straight toward Cecilia.

When his eyes landed on the scratches on her face and hands, he narrowed his gaze.

"Besides that woman, who else hurt you?" Nathaniel asked.

Startled by his sudden question, Cecilia looked up, her gaze meeting his intense and profound eyes.

There was something strange about the way he looked at her, something she couldn't quite put her finger

1. on.

She didn't respond, but Lysanna interjected, stepping forward. "You must be Mr. Rainsworth. This was all a misunderstanding. Don't be fooled by how innocent she looks. Just earlier, she slapped me twice outside." Such a handsome and wealthy man. She was determined to engage him further in conversation.

However, Nathaniel's expression remained cold. "If my wife wants to slap someone, why shouldn't she?"

Wife?

Lysanna froze.

Cecilia was equally stunned. Since when had I become his wife? I'm Nicholas' girlfriend!

Before Cecilia could process what was happening, Nathaniel added, "Would one million per slap suffice?" Lysanna was still in shock.

19:00 FI,

Chapter 1465 Who Is This

Nathaniel continued, "Do you know how much my wife's face and hands are worth?"

Lysanna hadn't expected Cecilia to have a husband, let alone one with both wealth and power.

 

She suddenly recalled that when she had replied to messages on Cecilia's phone the previous day, the sender's last name was also Rainsworth.

Cecilia said he was just her boyfriend. How are they already married?

At this moment, Thomas stepped forward as well. "Mr. Rainsworth, is Ms. Smith your wife?"

"Of course," Nathaniel replied without hesitation. "My wife doesn't enjoy staying home every day, so she took this job for fun. Who would've thought it would turn out like this? Clearly, there's no need for us to continue collaborating with your company."

Thomas immediately panicked. "Mr. Rainsworth, there must be some misunderstanding here!"

He turned to Lysanna.

"Lysanna, what's wrong with you? How dare you bully a colleague? You're fired."

Then he addressed the other employees present.

One by one, they lowered their heads in fear.

None of them had expected Cecilia's husband to be such a powerful figure. Moments ago, they had even been gossiping and slandering her.

Each prayed silently, vowing never to spread rumors again.

"Who else was involved in bullying Mrs. Rainsworth just now?" Thomas growled. He didn't mind firing all the employees present if it meant Nathaniel would be appeased.

"If you come forward now, I might be lenient. If I have to find out myself, don't expect to work in this industry again!"

A coworker who had joined Lysanna earlier stepped forward timidly. "Mr. Stafford, I'm sorry. I only disrespected Mrs. Rainsworth because Lysanna told me to."

Chapter 1466 Apologize Now

"Go collect your paycheck, and then get out!" Thomas happed without mercy.

"Yes,"

The employee hadn't expected to lose their job so suddenly and was filled with regret.

Meanwhile, Lysanna stood frozen in place, her face pale. She attempted to arguc, "Mr. Stafford, it really was her who started it." Thomas' fury intensified.

"You have the audacity to stay here? Apologize to Mrs. Rainsworth immediately, or consider yourself my enemy."

Tears welled up in Lysanna's eyes. She knew she couldn't afford to offend Thomas.

Yet, she felt unwilling to apologize to Cecilia.

Cecilia hadn't expected Nathaniel to hold so much sway. With just a few words, he had Thomas stepping in to defend her.

Lysanna looked at Cecilia and begrudgingly said, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Rainsworth. It was all my fault. I hope you can be magnanimous and not hold it against me." Cecilia didn't even glance at her. She picked up her vibrating phone and checked the message. It was the test report sent by the hospital.

As expected, traces of drugs were found in the water tumbler. The evidence was now conclusive.

"There's a saying online: if apologies were enough, we wouldn't need the police."

Cecilia calmly picked up her phone and called the police in front of everyone.

Thomas was a bit puzzled. For an altercation like this, calling the police seemed excessive. Handling it privately might have been more straightforward. However, as Cecilia spoke to the officer, everyone around her froze in shock.

"Last night, a colleague at my company drugged me and sent me to a man's room. I have surveillance footage and a hospital report as evidence." The murmurs among the employees began immediately.

"Oh my God! Wasn't it said that Cecilia went with Mr. Whitaker willingly last night? How has the story changed now?"

Lysanna really crossed the line. Drugging someone is illegal!"

"I can't believe she'd go that far. It's all because she's jealous of Cecilia's looks and her dancing skills."

"Jealousy destroys people."

Chapter 1466 Apologize Now

apologize, but now she dropped to her knees in front of Cecilia.

 

"Cecilia, I was wrong. I really know I was wrong. Please forgive me. Don't call the police. My life will be ruined."

Cecilia showed no sympathy for her belated remorse.

"When you tried to destroy me last night, did you ever think about how my life could be ruined too? It's easy to disregard consequences when it doesn't happen to you, isn't it?" Lysanna clung to Cecilia's pants, sobbing uncontrollably. "I don't want to go to jail. Please, I'm begging you to let me go this once. It's not entirely my fault. Mr. Whitaker made me do it." "Hah. Save those words for the police," Cecilia said coldly as she stepped back, shaking off Lysanna's grip.

Seeing no hope, Lysanna turned to Thomas for help.

Thomas rebuked her harshly. "How could you do something like this? And you expect me to help you? If I did, wouldn't that make me complicit?"

All hope lost, Lysanna collapsed onto the ground, utterly defeated.

Not long after, the police arrived and took her away.

Cecilia also went along to provide her statement, and naturally, Nathaniel followed her.

Cecilia looked at him curiously: "Why are you coming too?"

"I'm worried about you being there alone," Nathaniel replied.

"Thank you for helping me today, but I can handle the rest myself. You don't need to trouble yourself further," Cecilia said cautiously.

She remembered Nicholas's words and tried to maintain her distance from Nathaniel.

Nathaniel felt a sharp pain in his chest at her distant tone, as if a part of him was missing.

"We're married. It's no trouble at all."

Chapter 1467 Four Sons

Married)

Cecilia couldn't help but doubt if something was wrong with Nathaniel's head.

"Are you confused about something? How could I possibly be your wife?"

Hearing this, Nathaniel fixed his deep gaze on her, unwilling to look away.

"Not only are we married, but we also have four sons. Have you forgotten all of this?"

Married, with four sons!

1.

Cecilia was even more shocked. "Mr. Rainsworth, don't joke around. Whether or not I have children, I think I'd know that myself!" Seeing her current state, Nathaniel felt his heart ache.

"What exactly did Nicholas do to you? Why have you forgotten everything?"

Determined to prove himself, he said, "I'll call Eli and Jon right now. See them for yourselves."

He picked up his phone and,made a video call.

Elliot answered immediately. "Hey, sc mbag daddy, what's going on?"

It was the first time Nathaniel had actively called him. Elliot was a bit puzzled until he saw Cecilia's familiar face on the screen.

"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy, where are you? Am I dreaming? Is it really you?" Elliot exclaimed excitedly.

Cecilia was stunned.

"Are you my son?"

Elliot froze for a moment, then looked aggrieved. "Mommy, what are you saying? Of course, I'm your son! Don't you remember me, or are you joking with me?"

Looking at the adorable little boy on the screen, Cecilia couldn't believe it. Could she really have such a grown son?

She turned to Nathaniel. "You must be lying to me, right?"

On the other end of the call, Elliot continued calling out, "Mommy, what's wrong with you? Are you sick? Sc*mbag Daddy, hurry up and bring Mommy home! My brothers and I miss her so much." Nathaniel reassured the anxious Elliot on the other end. "Got it. You just focus on resting for now."

With that, he ended the call.

"Ceci, the boys and I are waiting for you to come home.

Suddenly gaining a husband and sons was too much for Cecilia to process.

Chapter Fios Four Cons

She turned her head away, avoiding Nathaniel's gaze.

There must be some misunderstanding"

If she really had such an adorable son, why didn't she have any memory of it?

Soon, they arrived at the police station, where Cecilia went in to file a report.

Nathaniel waited outside for her.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel had been gathering all the past information he had on his phone, ready to show it to Cecilia.

News of what had happened quickly reached-Nicholas

Nicholas soon arrived at the station, looking visibly concerned when he saw Nathaniel.

"Nathaniel, can't you leave Cecilia alone? Hasn't she already suffered enough in the past?

Nathaniel raised his head to look at Nicholas, his eyes tinged red.

"When I figure out why Cecilia ended up like this, I won't let you off the hook."

• Regret consumed him. He should have let Nicholas stay abroad forever.

Nicholas wasn't afraid of him. He walked straight inside and soon brought Cecilia out.

Nathaniel blocked their way. "Ceci, I've organized some things from the past. Take a look."

Nicholas shielded Cecilia behind him.

"Nathaniel, you're obsessed. Go see a psychiatrist already. Sons, wife-what nonsense are you spouting? You're seriously ill."

With that, he grabbed Cecilia's wrist and quickly led her to the car.

He had to get out of there as soon as possible. The longer Cecilia stayed and interacted with Nathaniel, the more dangerous it became.

Sitting in the car, Cecilia was lost in thought.

Nicholas claimed Nathaniel had mental issues, which explained the absurd things he'd said, but Cecilia couldn't shake the feeling that Nathaniel seemed perfectly normal.

Chapter 1468 Too Much She Could Not Understand

1

Besides, how could someone with severe mental issues work with foreign company executives?

Cecilia felt increasingly baffled.

"What's wrong, Geci?" Nicholas asked, noticing her silence after getting in the car.

"Nothing." Cecilia replied, shaking her head.

Nicholas reached out to hold her hand, but Cecilia instinctively pulled away.

"Are you hiding something from me?" Cecilia couldn't believe Nathaniel was just some crazy person.

Nicholas's Adam's apple bobbed nervously. "Ceci, you have to trust me. I'd never hurt you."

Cecilia knew he wouldn't harm her, but deep down, she was sure he wasn't telling her everything.

"I've been thinking about things from the past lately, and I realized many things are blurry. You said my parents passed away, but I can't remember how they died. And then there's Martha..."

Nicholas felt a surge of panic. "If you can't remember, don't think about it."

He tried to hold her hand again, but Cecilia dodged him.

Looking at her profile, Nicholas thought about all his efforts over the past year. He couldn't let everything fall apart now.

"Didn't you say you always wanted to see a sea of flowers? Look, I've got plane tickets. I even bought an estate there, full of beautiful flowers."

He handed her the tickets.

Cecilia glanced at them. The flight was for early the next morning.

"So soon? We're leaving already?"

Nicholas nodded. "Yes. I think staying here isn't good for your recovery. Didn't the doctor say that after some more treatment, your memory will come back? Then you won't need to keep asking me about the past." Cecilia hit her head.

"Why did a simple car accident leave my memory in this state?"

"Enough. Rest for a bit. You must be tired."

"Sure."

Cecilia nodded and closed her eyes for a nap.

For some reason, as soon as she shut her eyes, her mind was filled with the image of that adorable boy from earlier.

Chanter Lisa Too Much She Could Not Understand

ilusis acting, it was too convincing.

Feeling carsick. Cecilia drifted into a light sleep.

Her sleep wasn't restful. Shortly after dozing off, she had a dream.

11

In the dream, two identical boys held her hands and called out, "Mommy, why aren't you coming back? Mommy, we miss you so much." When the car arrived, Cecilia woke with a start, her forehead covered in a fine sheen of sweat.

"Did you have a nightmare? It didn't look like you slept well," Nicholas asked.

Cecilia didn't tell him the truth this time. "Maybe it's because the car is too stuffy."

Nicholas didn't press further after hearing that.

The two of them got out of the car, one after the other, unaware that someone was secretly taking pictures of them from a hidden spot.

After taking the photos, the person then quickly hid and sent them to Cassandra in Tudela.

When Cassandra saw the photos of Cecilia and Nicholas together, her hands began to tremble. "Cecilia!"

Isn't she dead? Why is she still alive and with Nicholas?

Cassandra picked up her phone and called the person. "Are you sure you didn't trick me with this photo?"

"Ms. Evans, how could I dare fool you? If you don't believe me, I can send you the videos I took."

Soon, Cassandra received a video. Sure enough, it was Cecilia.

Chapter 1469 How Could She Be Alive

Cassandra was overwhelmed with an unprecedented sense of panic. "How is this possible? How could she still be alive

She slowly crouched down, her hands tightly clenched

What should I do now? Cecilia is alive and has even taken my husband away. If Cecilia returned to Tudela, she might reclaim my place as the sole heiress of the Smith family. Cassandra's entire body trembled, her mind a chaotic mess. After a long while, she finally thought of

someone.

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

Stella had somehow managed to provide an alibi for herself regarding what happened back then.

Everyone had blamed Cecilia's disappearance on Cassandra.

Meanwhile, Stella had reappeared on the silver screen, becoming a hotshot celebrity.

At that moment, on set, Stella glanced at the incoming call.

She was about to hang up but hesitated before answering, curious about what Cassandra might want.

"Ms. Evans, it's been over a year since we last spoke. Why the sudden call? Don't tell me you're about to accuse me of causing Cecilia's disappearance again," she teased.

Cassandra ignored the sarcasm and got straight to the point. "Stella, Cecilia isn't dead."

The smile on Stella's face instantly vanished.

She wasn't shocked by whether Cecilia was alive or dead but by how Cassandra had found out.

"What kind of joke is this? Cecilia died a long time ago. Did you see her?"

Stella knew better than anyone that Nicholas had taken Cecilia and hidden her.

Nicholas would never let Cassandra find out. How could Cassandra have discovered this?

"She's overseas now, with..." Cassandra, off, unable to finish.

Stella quickly grasped the gravity of the situation. "It must be a misunderstanding. Don't overthink it. The dead can't come back to life. Besides, if Cecilia were overseas, why wouldn't she return to Tudela? Would she really abandon her child?" Cassandra fell silent.

She couldn't explain it either. Cecilia would never abandon her child.

Could it be that this person merely looked like Cecilia?

After ending the call, Cassandra carefully studied the photos and videos again. Could there really be someone in the world who looked exactly like her?

Chapter 1463 How Could the he Alive

Looks like Fll have to see for myself."

Cassandra immediately booked a flight.

To avoid drawing attention, she claimed she was visiting Ralph.

Ralph had been left with a crooked mouth and eye afte being beaten by Nathaniel's men. Perhaps due to his age, multiple treatments hadn't helped him recove Even the secretary who once claimed to love him unconditionally had abandoned him for someone else.

Desperate to restore his former glory, Ralph had gone broad for treatment.

Abroad.

After returning, Cecilia and Nicholas began packing their belongings.

"Only take what's absolutely necessary. Leave everything else behind," Nicholas urged, not wanting to waste time.

He had just received a call from Stella, who told him that Cassandra seemed to know Cecilia wasn't dead.

Watching Nicholas's urgency, Cecilia felt like this wasn't a move but an escape.

She didn't understand. We hadn't done anything wrong, so why are we escaping?

Once they finished packing, the two were about to leave when they saw multiple cars surrounding the mansion.

Nathaniel stepped out of the first car and blocked their path.

"Where are you taking Ceci?"

Nicholas set down the luggage in his hands and frowned at the vehicles blocking their way.

At that exact moment, Jocelyn called.

Chapter 1470 Marriage Certificate

What's the matter?" Nicholas asked as he answered the phone. #

"Mr. Nicholas, something terrible has happened. Many shareholders are selling off their stocks, causing our share price to plummet. And now Robert is attempting to reconvene a shareholders meeting," Jocelyn said in a hushed tone. Nicholas tightened his grip on the phone. "Stabilize the situation for now. I'll be back soon."

"Mr. Nicholas, I can't handle this alone. Even Mdin. Elena showed up, but Robert humiliated her in the meeting?" Jocelyn added.

She couldn't understand what could be so urgent overseas that Nicholas would neglect such a critical situation at the company.

Nicholas looked at the phone in his hand, then at Cecilia in front of him. He found it hard to make a decision.

Understanding the nature of the call, Nathaniel mocked him. "You can't even manage a company. How do you plan to take care of Ceci?"

After speaking, Nathaniel took out his phone and held it out to Cecilia.

"Ceci, look. This is our marriage certificate."

Cecilia stared at the photo of the marriage certificate on his phone, utterly shocked.

In the photo, she was wearing a white shirt, smiling as she sat beside Nathaniel.

The certificate clearly displayed their names: Cecilia Smith and Nathaniel Rainsworth!

Nicholas ended his call with Jocelyn without another word. "Ceci, documents like this can be forged as many times as you want. They're not reliable."

"Then why don't you let Cecilia return to Tudela with me?" Nathaniel retorted.

Nicholas was momentarily speechless. "She's not well enough to go back yet."

"What's wrong with her?" Nathaniel asked, concern evident in his voice.

"You don't even know about her health, and you claim to be her husband? Don't you think that's ridiculous?" Nicholas countered.

With that, Nicholas took Cecilia's hand right in front of Nathaniel. "Come on, Ceci. Let's go back to the room,"

Cecilia allowed him to lead her back, her mind a chaotic mess.

She no longer knew whether to trust Nicholas or Nathaniel.

Once they were back inside, Cecilia walked to the window and looked out. Nathaniel's cars were still parked outside.

Chapter 1120 Marriage Certificate

fierce confrontation soon.

Fintahed

Cecilla didn't want to see such a situation unfold. "Nicholas, don't do this. How about we stay here for now? On... we could go back to Tudela with him? It's been a long time since I've been home. I want to go back and see how things are. Hearing her words, Nicholas set his phone aside. For some reason, he asked her impulsively, "Ceci, do you love me?"

Cecilia was taken aback by the tenderness in his gaze. She hesitated, unable to answer directly. "I... I..."

A dull ache spread through Nicholas's heart.

Recalling everything they had been through, Gecilia finally said, "Nicholas, I like you."

Like, not love.

"I've admired you since I was a child, and I still do."

"Like? Admire?" Nicholas's eyes reddened, and he couldn't hold back a violent cough.

Alarmed, Cecilia immediately moved to fetch him some water, but Nicholas grabbed her hand first.

"Don't go!" He coughed violently. "Don't go..."

0

Cecilia's eyes filled with worry: "You're coughing too much. I'll get your medicine."

With a sudden force, Nicholas pulled her, and the two of them fell onto the couch together.

Nicholas pinned her down, leaving her unable to move

His hand brushed against her face. "Ceci... Ceci..."

He called her name repeatedly, then leaned in to kiss her.

As his lips touched her skin, Cecilia felt her entire body freeze, her blood seemingly stopping in its tracks.