Ch. 971..980

Chapter 971 She Is Just A Secretary

All of Miranda’s sales staff were at Cecilia’s disposal.

Before handing them over to Cecilia, Miranda held a meeting with the sales team leaders. “You are only lending her your time temporarily. Don’t treat her as your leader; she’s just a secretary, understand?”

Naturally, the sales department team leaders listened to Miranda.

“Yes, Ms. Miranda, we definitely won’t listen to her.”

“You can’t just ignore her completely. At least put in a half–hearted effort, got it?” Miranda said with a laugh.

Cecilia thinks she can replace me? Hah! She clearly doesn’t know her own worth.

“Understood.”

These team leaders, of course, were more than happy to laze about, but they also harbored some concerns. “Ms. Miranda, how long are we expected to keep this up? After all, we’ve got families to care for. If we don’t focus on our work performance, our monthly wages will be insufficient.”

It suddenly dawned on Miranda that she had completely forgotten to set a deadline for Cecilia.

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

“Ms. Smith, our staff has been asking, how long do you think you’ll need? They certainly don’t want to be idle following you around all day. Everyone here relies on their sales performance to put food on their table.”

Cecilia was engrossed’in studying the property’s owner, along with the various surrounding facilities and so on.

By now, she already had a plan in mind. “Half a month

Half a month? That’s quite a short amount of time.

Miranda wondered if Cecilia possibly knew Imminence Corporation’s suppliers.

“No, half a month is too long. Ten days at most.”

“Ten days?” Cecilia felt that ten days was too rushed.

“There are so many people in Team Five of the sales department, and you’re telling me you can’t se supplier in ten days?” Miranda retorted.

After some thought, Cecilia conceded, “All right then.”

There should be no issues as long as she quickened her pace.

Only after hanging up the phone did Miranda continue instructing her employees. She insisted that no matter what Cecilia was doing, they needed to inform her.

The six team leaders under her command nodded in unison. “Ms. Miranda, you can rest assured.”

“Good.”

After giving her instructions, Miranda handed them over to Cecilia,

The sales team lounged around idly as they waited for Cecilia to come in.

“A secretary managing us? What a joke!”

“Right? I wonder if she even knows how to manage a team.”

“Shh! She’s coming.”

When Cecilia walked in, everyone just pretended to settle down.

She pretended not to see, and after finding a seat, she addressed everyone, “Let’s start with a brief self- introduction from each of you. Keep it to a maximum of three sentences – the simpler and easier to remember, the better.”

Since Cecilia had made a bet with Miranda, she had no intention of losing.

As her words rang out, everyone exchanged glances, reluctantly starting to introduce themselves one by one.

Cecilia recorded their introductions, earnestly committing each one of them to memory.

Once everyone had finished introducing themselves, Cecilia spoke up again. “You all can return and rest this afternoon.”

“Huh?” Everyone was in disbelief.

Cecilia stood up. “What’s wrong? Don’t you want to rest?”

Those people initially assumed that Cecilia would assign them some tasks, but surprisingly, they were told to take a break.

Cecilia continued, “I’ve reviewed your performance. Team Five is the worst team in the sales department. Since you’re not making much money, you might as well take a break.”

These harsh words deeply wounded their pride, and they immediately retorted.

“Ms. Smith, what do you really know? Have you even seen our commission charts and that of the other teams? Have you reviewed our team’s regulations? How could a team like ours possibly generate any value?”

Cecilia had been waiting for their complaints. She had already reviewed the performance standards set by Miranda, and they were a complete mess.

Chapter 972 Getting Rid Of Her Shadow

“Then why do you all still want to slack off?” Cecilia pointedly referred to their work attitude just now.

The few men who had just rebutted Cecilia were now devoid of confidence.

“Making money is for oneself. I promise you this now: will become the manager of Team Five within ten days. If you want to start making money from this month, work hard. I don’t need any help from you; just do your own job well and don’t cause me any trouble.”

After she finished speaking, Cecilia walked away, leaving the group stunned.

Was Cecilia washing her hands of them?

She also said she didn’t need their help.

And what about her claim of becoming their manager within ten days? Was she just bragging?

Could it be another case of someone climbing the ladder through connections?

The members of Team Five were each lost in their own thoughts.

Cecilia didn’t bother with them either. After spending a solid three hours in the company, she clocked out.

Jessica asked with confusion, “Cecilia, are you leaving already?”

“Yes, I’m heading home early since I promised to have dinner with Eli today.”

“But it’s only four o’clock now.”

“So what? I want to cook for Eli myself.” Cecilia rolled her eyes at her.

Jessica was instantly rendered speechless, unsure of what to say next.

Worried that Cecilia would go to meet with the suppliers, she decided to leave work at the same time as Cecilia.

Unexpectedly, Nathaniel was there to pick up Cecilia before they really did head home.

For the next two days, Cecilia would leave work early. She would either spend her time composing in the music room or cooking for Elliot, not appearing anxious at all.

Since it was now the weekend, there was no need to go to work either.

Jessica was at home, watching over the family of three, feeling a mixture of envy and jealousy.

“Mommy, we haven’t really gone out since our last camping trip,” Elliot said, following Cecilia’s suggestion. He asked her, “Can we go to the park with Jonathan?”

“All right, let me ask Vivian.”

With that, Cecilia called Vivian.

Vivian had long wanted to arrange a meeting, so she readily agreed:

Cecilia was getting ready for a day out at the park when an idea struck her and she turned to Nathaniel, saying, “Vivian and I haven’t spent time together in a while. Do you mind not tagging along and being a third wheel today? Is that okay?”

Her coquettish tone instantly melted Nathaniel’s heart

Though he yearned to go with them, he couldn’t bear to refuse Cecilia.

“All right.”

Only then did Cecilia cheer up. She then casually asked Jessica, “Jessica, do you want to go to the park?”

Upon seeing that Nathaniel would remain at home all day, Jessica wouldn’t miss this rare opportunity to be alone with him. There was no way she would choose to go to a cr*ppy place like the park on a day like this.

“No thanks. I’ve been moving around too much lately, and my le… seems to be acting up again. I think it’s best if I stay home.”

“All right then, goodbye.”

With a smile, Cecilia bid them farewell.

She had known, without a doubt, that Jessica would choose to be alone with Nathaniel.

Nowadays, Cecilia had quite a bit of trust in Nathaniel, which was why she allowed him to stay. With him remaining home, she had essentially tied Jessica, her pesky shadow, there. With this, Cecilia could prevent Jessica from trailing her.

The mother and son duo soon left for the park.

Vivian, along with Jonathan, had been waiting in the park for a while. Spotting Cecilia, she waved. “Over here, Ceci!”

Cecilia led Elliot over, then bent down to take a good look at Jonathan, whom she hadn’t seen for a long time.

“Come, let me give you a hug.”

Jonathan’s face flushed instantly. He, too, yearned for an embrace, but he was already grown up. Would it be inappropriate to be hugged?、

While he was internally grappling with his dilemma, Cecilia had already embraced him.

“Mwah,” she said, planting a kiss on his cheek.

Jonathan felt as if his face was on fire.

How could Mommy be so sudden… I’m already grown up!

Chapter 973 Her True Colors

While Jonathan was still at a loss for what to do, Cecilia had already stood up, satisfied.

“Vivian, I hate to trouble you again, but could you please look after Eli for me today?” Cecilia requested.

Vivian was somewhat puzzled. “You mentioned on the phone that you had an important matter to attend to. What exactly is it? You’re being all mysterious.”

“Just some urgent work that requires handling even on a weekend,” Cecilia replied, unable to share the specifics with Vivian.

Although Vivian was still curious, she didn’t press further. “You’re pregnant now,” she reminded, “so you really must be extra cautious with work and such.”

Cecilia nodded. “I know.”

Afterward, she turned to Elliot and said, “Eli, Vivian will take you and Jon out to play today, so you must behave yourself, all right?”

Elliot was somewhat puzzled. He couldn’t understand why his mother would choose to send him away instead of letting him stay at home.

If I had stayed home, wouldn’t it save Ms. Kennedy the trouble?

The reason for Cecilia’s decision was that if she had left Elliot at home, Jessica would surely notice something wrong. And if Jessica continued to follow her, it would certainly be annoying.

“Don’t worry, Mommy. Even if I misbehave, Jonathan is here. He’ll set me straight,” Elliot said in a soothing tone.

He was well aware of his place. Normally, he could tease his older brother, but when it came to matters of great importance, he had to heed Jonathan’s words.

Jonathan also said, “Mommy, you can go to work. I’ll take good care of Eli.”

Vivian felt somewhat embarrassed.

With Jonathan around, he was far more reliable than her, even though she was the adult.

Moreover, both the Sinclair and Rainsworth families now had professional bodyguards stationed nearby, so there was no need for excessive worry about the children’s safety.

“Go on, but come back soon,” Vivian said.

“All right.”

Only then did Cecilia depart, though she did insist that Sven accompany her as a precaution.

With Sven around, no matter where she went, she wasn’t as scared anymore.

Cecilia had even discreetly asked Sven to recruit more trained individuals to serve as bodyguards.

She felt certain that it would come in handy in the future.

Sven was behind the wheel, and in no time, the two arrived at a plot of land that had yet to be developed. This place was merely six to seven kilometers away from the city center,

Cecilia surveyed the land, noting that it was indeed vast. She felt that Imminence Corporation had great ambitions too, possibly aiming to transform this place into a new business district.

If she were to succeed in taking away this piece of land, she wondered if the CEO of Imminence Corporation would be left in a state of despair.

At that moment, Nathaniel, who was at home, couldn’t help but sneeze.

He slightly furrowed his brows, sensing something was amiss, yet he couldn’t quite put his finger on it

“Nathaniel, are you coming down with a cold? I’ll make you a glass of cold remedy,” Jessica said.

Nathaniel responded with an icy demeanor, “No need.

“Then let me get you a glass of water,” Jessica said immediately, not waiting for Nathaniel to refuse again before she had already walked off.

Truthfully, Nathaniel was feeling a bit thirsty.

When Jessica went to fetch the warm water, her mind was filled with the words Miranda had said a few days ago, about her sleeping with Nathaniel.

She glanced around, finding herself alone. Immediately, she pulled out a tiny packet from her pocket, swiftly pouring the contents into the water before giving the glass a slight shake.

“Ms. Quill, do you need my assistance?”

The nanny came over and, upon seeing that Jessica hadn’t properly fetched the water, couldn’t help but ask.

The sudden noise nearly scared Jessica to death, and she almost dropped the glass she was holding onto the floor.

She turned around, visibly annoyed, and directed her words at the nanny, “No need.”

Previously, Jessica had always been pleasant toward the nanny, so her sudden change in tone to a colder one couldn’t help but strike the nanny as odd.

“What’s gotten into her?” the nanny muttered. “Mrs. Rainsworth asked me to keep a close eye on her, but I have no clue what I’m supposed to be looking for.”

When Cecilia left the house earlier, she was still worried about Nathaniel being harmed by Jessica. Therefore, she specifically instructed the nanny to keep a close eye on Jessica.

For one, it could potentially reveal Jessica’s true nature to the nanny.

Secondly, it was to ensure that Jessica didn’t lay a finger on Nathaniel.

The nanny didn’t overthink it. Her own thirst growing, she decided to get herself a glass of water. As she approached the water dispenser, she noticed a peculiar white powder nearby.

Chapter 974 Sending Them All Away

“What is this?” the nanny wondered aloud, puzzled.

Their home was well–staffed with servants, and Nathaniel was somewhat of a clean freak. There was never a speck of dust on the floor, so how could there be white powder near the water dispenser?

The nanny took a cloth, meticulously wiped away the powder, and then casually tossed it into the trash bin.

Meanwhile, Jessica had already passed the water to Nathaniel.

“Nathaniel, this is warm water.”

Nathaniel took the glass without a second thought and drank a few sips.

As Jessica watched him drink the water, her heartbeat involuntarily quickened.

Once Nathaniel had almost finished his drink, she promptly took his glass. “I’ll go rinse this out. If you want more water, just let me know, and I’ll pour more for you.”

Jessica knew that the glass held evidence. She swiftly moved toward the sink to rinse the glass thoroughly, ensuring there were no residues left inside.

The nanny had been discreetly observing her, finding her particularly odd that day, especially as Jessica washed the same glass over and over again.

In the past, when Jessica had to wash anything, she wouldn’t spend much time on it before asking the nanny to finish the job. She certainly never paid such close attention to washing a glass.

When Jessica turned around, she was startled to see the nanny again. “What are you doing here?”

“I just happened to be passing by. Why are you making a big deal out of nothing?” The way Jessica was acting had the nanny feeling as though she had done something unspeakable today.

Jessica let out a sigh of relief. “If you’re free today, why don’t you go out and have some fun? I’ll hold down the fort here.”

How was she supposed to make a move on Nathaniel if the nanny kept sticking around?

“I’d rather not. I don’t feel like going out.”

Earlier, Cecilia had told the nanny that she had to remain within the villa until Cecilia herself returned.

As a woman herself, the nanny understood. Even though Nathaniel was fierce and visually impaired, his wealth was undeniable. She knew there would be plenty of women who desired to gain something from him.

She said to Jessica, “Ms. Quill, you may not realize this, but many people covet a wealthy man like Mr. Rainsworth. I promised Mrs. Rainsworth that I would keep a close eye on him to prevent that shameless vixen from worming her way into his life.”

The nanny never would have imagined that Jessica was the shameless vixen she was referring to.

Barely suppressing her rage, she said, “With me here, rip one would dare to approach Nathaniel. You may leave now.”

She was afraid that once the effects of the drug kicked in, the nanny might notice something amiss.

“But, I promised Mrs. Rainsworth…” The nanny was still reluctant to just leave like that.

“Don’t push your luck!” Jessica could no longer hold back, raising her voice as she yelled, “You’re just a nanny for the Rainsworth family; do you really think you’re someone important? When I tell you to leave, you leave!”

Now was her chance to take Nathaniel for herself, and she couldn’t let anyone ruin it.

The nanny was utterly stunned, unable to believe that the usually amiable Jessica could harbor such contempt for her.

Nonetheless, she was but a mere employee, so she had no choice but to step out, albeit reluctantly.

Once the nanny had left, Jessica instructed the rest of the servants to leave as well before returning to the living room once more.

At that moment, Nathaniel’s throat felt dry, and heat was coursing through his body.

He tugged at his collar in aggravation and instructed, “Turn on the air conditioning and lower the temperature a bit.”

“Nathaniel, are you feeling warm? Do you want me to help you take off your coat?” Knowing the drug had kicked in, Jessica approached Nathaniel and reached out to help him remove his clothing.

Nathaniel could sense her approaching him, and his brows instantly furrowed tightly. “Get lost!”

Jessica jumped in surprise.

Fighting back her fear, she hugged Nathaniel in one swift motion.

Meanwhile, after the nanny had left the house, she noticed the other servants emerging as well. Upon inquiring, she found out they had all been sent away by Jessica.

Immediately, a vague sense of unease welled in her. She thought, She’s not our boss, Mrs. Rainsworth is, so why should we take orders from her?

With that thought in mind, she called for the other servants to return.

Everyone had just reached the main entrance, and as they pushed the door open, they were left utterly stunned by the sight before them.

Chapter 975 She Got Lucky

Clad in thin clothing, Jessica had fallen to the ground, her appearance particularly disheveled. Nevertheless, she continued to cling to Nathaniel’s leg.

“Nathaniel, don’t you like me even a little bit?”

The housekeepers all heard what Jessica had said.

The housekeeper finally understood that it was Jessica whom she needed to keep a close eye on.

Nathaniel had never kicked a woman before, but this time, he broke his own rule. He kicked her away and said sternly, “Get out!”

As his words fell, he turned to the crowd watching at the door and said, “Call the family doctor over.”

As time passed, he came to realize that someone had tampered with him.

At Daltonia Villa’s place, chaos reigned.

Cecilia was outside, in the midst of signing a contract with the landowner. “Will Imminence Corporation really break the contract?”

“How could Imminence Corporation possibly have spare funds to invest in constructing landmark buildings, given that they’ve bought up so many companies and taken on so many projects all at once?” Cecilia’s confidence was unwavering. “I’m from Orion Corporation. Aren’t you aware of Orion Corporation’s reputation in Tudela?”

The boss repeatedly nodded. “Of course, I trust Orion Corporation. It’s just that I’ve already made a commitment to Imminence Corporation. If I switch over to you, won’t they retaliate against me?”

“The business world is inherently unpredictable, but don’t worry, you’ll have the support of Rainsworth Group behind you in the future. Besides, if he seeks revenge on you, it would be against the law,” Cecilia said.

“Okay, I’ll sign it,” he agreed.

With a grand gesture, the boss handed over the deed of the land to Cecilia.

Today, Cecilla was fortunate. She had come looking for the owner of this piece of land, only to discover that the owner hadn’t yet signed the final agreement with Imminence Corporation, nor had he processed any transfers.

Today, she was determined to settle everything, leaving Imminence Corporation with no means of salvage.

Sven was also surprised by Cecilia’s performance that day. Initially, the boss had no faith in Cecilia at all. Yet, she displayed extraordinary confidence, swiftly managing to convince the boss.

When everything was finally taken care of, there was still a sense of bewilderment lingering in Cecilia’s heart.

To be honest, her success in acquiring this piece of land today was, to some extent, a matter of luck renowned composer.

The second reason was Orion Corporation.

In Nathaniel’s hands, Orion Corporation once surpassed all other companies nationwide, and its reputation was simply unmatched.

Cecilia had always been hesitant to make a move against Imminence Corporation, feeling that it was due to Nicholas‘ unstable footing. Additionally, the older generation’s fear of failure was another factor.

If it hadn’t been for these two factors, the boss surely wouldn’t have dared to sign a contract with her so casually.

Having received the contract, Cecilia had promised to complete the task within ten days. However, she managed to finish it in just four days.

Cecilia was planning to take care of some trivial matters when she received a call from her housekeeper.

“Mrs. Rainsworth, please hurry back, something has happened at home.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Let’s talk when you’re back,” the housekeeper said, unsure of how to broach the subject.

She had always believed that Jessica was a good woman, but she turned out to be different than she expected…

The housekeeper was too embarrassed to even mention Jessica.

Immediately upon Cecilia’s arrival, Sven was instructed by Cecilia to drive and pick up Elliot.

Today, Elliot and Jonathan visited an amusement park, and they had an incredibly good time. When it was time to leave, they found it hard to part ways with the fun–filled place.

“Okay, Ms. Kennedy, let’s hang out together again next time, okay?”

“Sure,” Vivian readily agreed.

Cecilia said goodbye, and she hurried home with Elliot.

Upon arriving at Daltonia Villa, from a distance, one could faintly hear the soft sobbing of a woman.

Upon drawing nearer, she recognized the voice to be Jessica’s.

What on earth had Jessica done this time?

Cecilia, hand in hand with Elliot, approached the entrance. Before they could even push open the doc someone had already emerged from within.

Chapter 976 What Are You Saying

“Mrs. Rainsworth,” the family doctor greeted Cecilia.

Why is Dr. Lazlo here?

Cecilia felt a pang of fear. Could it be that Nathaniel had lost his memory again?

She nodded to acknowledge Lazlo, then immediately went inside the house.

Upon entering, the housekeepers were standing, while Nathaniel was sitting on the couch. Jessica, dressed in thin clothes, was kneeling on the ground in a disheveled state.

Before her, startlingly, was the powder that the housekeeper had gathered while cleaning the table.

Upon seeing Cecilia approach, Jessica was unable to hold back her tears. “Cecilia, please let me and Nathaniel be together.”

Cecilia was completely bewildered.

What the heck? Even though you share no blood relation with him, I’m the legitimate wife here. Who do you think you are?

The housekeepers were also stunned.

Kneeling, Jessica crawled toward Cecilia. “Cecilia, I’ve loved Nathaniel since we were kids. I really, really like him. You wouldn’t understand this kind of love. I understand that your relationship with Nathaniel was solely familial, it was only because you two had a child that you stayed together. As long as you support me, I promise to treat Jon and Eli well. I will be a good stepmother to them, and I will never mistreat them. If you still have doubts, then I swear I won’t bear any more children in my lifetime. I absolutely won’t allow any other child to threaten their inheritance rights.”

Cecilia’s mind went blank as she listened to Jessica’s plea.

From the side, Elliot was seething with anger. “You’re talking nonsense. My mommy and daddy are deeply in love. You’re the one who’s not loved-”

Upon hearing Elliot’s words, Cecilia finally snapped back to reality.

She said to Elliot, “Sweetie, don’t mind her nonsense. She must be unwell. Please go and play with the housekeeper in your room.”

The housekeeper promptly stepped forward, taking Elliot away.

Once Elliot left, Jessica’s crying grew even louder.

At that moment, Cecilia was utterly clueless about what was going on. She turned her gaze toward Nathaniel, who remained silent.

“Nathaniel, what exactly happened?”

Nathaniel pinched the bridge of his nose, saying, “She drugged me.”

“Then you guys-” Cecilia’s heart had also started to race.

Before she could finish her question, Nathaniel abruptly out her off, “Of coune, nothing happened”

Only then did Cecilia breathe a sigh of relief. Had Jeut truly schemed to seduce her man in broad daylight, she would have ensured that woman met an unpleasant end.

“So you’re just going to let her kneel here?”

“I was waiting for your return, to ask how you intend to handle this,” said Nathaniel solemnly.

Another crucial aspect was to keep Jessica around, fearing that this woman might spew nonsense and falsely accuse him.

It was important for Cecilia to witness with her own eyes that he did not betray her. Otherwise, any future misunderstandings would be hard to clarify,

“Handle it any way you see fit,” Cecilia calmly replied.

The reason Jessica stayed here all along was because Niel favored her.

If Cecilia had mentioned driving her away, or anything of the sort, and if Niel found out, he would surely harbor resentment toward Cecilia.

Cecilia didn’t want to be the villain.

“Given the circumstances, send her back to the Quill residence,” Nathaniel said, his thin lips barely parting.

Upon hearing that she was to be sent away, Jessica immediately broke down, wailing. “I won’t go, I won’t go.

If you force me to leave, I’d rather die right here”

Once again, she was using death as a threat.

Jessica knew that if she were to die here, the relationship between the Quill and Rainsworth families would be irrevocably severed.

Moreover, Rainsworth Group would also gain a notorious reputation, particularly Cecilia, who would be utterly despised by people.

Sven didn’t care whether she was genuinely on the brink of death or just pretending to be. He stepped forward, ready to take her back by force.

Seeing them take it seriously, Jessica gritted her teeth and forcefully threw herself against the pristine white wall.

A loud thud ensued.

Chapter 977 She Knows

Blood trickled from Jessica’s forehead as she slumped to the ground, her body limp.

*I… I don’t want to leave this place…

She didn’t want to leave.

If she left now, she would end up with nothing.

Cecilia never expected this woman to be so ruthless to herself.

However, those who were ruthless to themselves would be even more ruthless to others.

Sven was somewhat at a loss. “Mr. Rainsworth, Ms. Quill is injured.”

“Take her to the hospital,” Nathaniel commanded icily.

He didn’t want to cause any harm, which was why he had never let Jessica leave.

“Noted.”

A few bodyguards stepped forward, escorting Jessica out.

On their journey, Jessica continued to grumble, “I like you so much, I don’t want to leave Daltonia Villa…”

Once the sound had faded into the distance, tranquility finally returned to this place.

Cecilia found a place to sit down, turning to Nathaniel with a concerned look. “Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

After all, Jessica had drugged him a little. If there was something wrong with the medicine, it could spell trouble.

“No need. Dr. Lazlo has already checked. There’s no major issue,” Nathaniel replied earnestly.

Cecilia finally felt at ease. “That’s good. If you ever feel unwell, you’ve got to let me know.”

It had been a long time since Nathaniel had seen her show such concern for him. He reached out and pulled her into his embrace.

Upon seeing the two people embrace, everyone else gradually left the room.

In the living room, only Cecilia and Nathaniel were left.

Leaning close to her ear, Nathaniel voiced his slight displeasure. “Why did you leave me alone at home today?”

It was impossible for Cecilia not to understand Jessica’s feelings toward him, yet she chose to ignore it. Clearly, Cecilia just didn’t care.

“Didn’t I tell you already? I made plans with Vivian. It’s not convenient for you to tag along.”

A pang of unease settled in Nathaniel’s heart. “If something were to happen between Jessica and me today, Cecilia choked up.

She had never even considered this.

“I trust you,” Cecilia said. “I don’t believe you would ever betray me.”

Cecilia paused for a moment before she continued to address Nathaniel solemnly. “Moreover, I had instructed the housekeeper at home to keep an eye on Jessica.”

She wasn’t that magnanimous. After all, Nathaniel was her husband. How could she possibly let other women get close to him without intervening?

Upon hearing her say that, Nathaniel became even more certain that she had long noticed Jessica’s interest in him.

So, she found out and didn’t even care. Would she act this way if she truly loved me?

“Did you enjoy yourself today?” Nathaniel subtly shifted the topic.

Cecilia was over the moon thinking about how she had secretly snatched a major project from Imminence Corporation that day. However, she didn’t feel it was the right time to share this with Nathaniel yet.

After all, the matter regarding the land was still unsettled.

“Right, I’m quite happy. But also a bit tired, let’s eat first and rest early tonight,” Cecilia suggested.

“Okay.”

Jessica was hospitalized, so the next day, Cecilia didn’t have to worry about her following him around. Using the excuse of shopping for clothes with Sven, she went out.

There were still some procedures left unfinished yesterday, but today they were finally completed in full.

Next, all she had to do was wait for the final approval.

This period might be lengthy, but everything has been set in stone, so it was impossible to change.

Monday arrived swiftly.

As usual, Cecilia went to work at the company. Everyone was waiting to see her make a fool of herself. After all, five or six days had already passed.

At that time, she hadn’t done anything, let alone attempting to snatch any projects from Imminence Corporation.

Jessica showed up again today. She was like a stubborn stain, impossible to get rid of no matter how hard you tried.

She stood before Cecilia, her head swathed in bandages, looking pitiful. “Cecilia, could you please plead my case to Nathaniel for me?” she asked.

 

Chapter 978 Utterly Unfair

Cecilia looked at Jessica, who appeared pitiful, with nothing but indifference in her eyes.

“Jessica, is there something wrong with my mind, or is it yours? You expect me to assist you in seducing my own husband?”

Choked with emotion, Jessica confessed, “But I genuinely love him.”

Cecilia chuckled. “The way you’re talking, it’s as if I don’t care for Nathaniel? Besides, even if you do like him, it doesn’t mean he reciprocates. Forcing a man’s feelings, that’s not cool, is it?”

Jessica pinched her palm.

“I…”

Cecilia was too busy to deal with her at the moment. “I have work to do now,” she said. “If you’ve got nothing else, don’t stand here and get in my way.”

Upon realizing that Cecilia couldn’t possibly help her, Jessica’s expression soured.

“You’re so out of touch with people’s feelings. I hope you get kicked out of the company soon, and don’t Come begging to me when it happens.”

After she finished speaking, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Cecilia felt that Jessica was not just annoying, but also insane.

Jessica was absolutely insane.

Cecilia took a deep breath, not wanting to let Jessica affect her mood.

After Jessica left, she found Miranda and informed her, “Cecilia is now at the office, just sitting there and not doing anything.”

“Are you sure?” Miranda couldn’t believe it.

“I’m certain of it. I glanced at her workspace and it was all filled with Orion Corporation’s meeting materials, nothing about the Imminence Corporation.” A cold glint flickered in Jessica’s eyes. “I think she was just stirring up trouble on purpose, wanting to draw everyone’s attention to her. She didn’t really have any substance.”

Upon hearing all this, Miranda didn’t say much.

“Okay, you just keep a close eye on her.”

Inside the company, the news of Miranda and Cecilia’s bet had also reached the ears of Elena and the others at Rainsworth Manor.

Elena was taken aback. “Are you saying that Cecilia and Miranda had a bet that the winner would become the manager of the sales department?”

The assistant nodded. “Yes, that’s the message we received from the company’s headquarters.”

“What bet did they make?” Elena asked.

“The bet was on whether Cecilia could snatch the project from Imminence Corporation,” the assistant replied.

Imminence Corporation was a name that Elena had heard of long ago. Ever since the company hard set foot in Tudela, it had been causing trouble for Orion Corporation, which had been a constant source of distress for her.

“Young people these days really have no sense of danger.” Elena quickly regained her composure.

She felt that Cecilia had barely started working at Orion Corporation before she was trying to bite off more than she could chew. It was as difficult as scaling the heavens.

It wasn’t a big deal if Cecilia lost, but it was unacceptable if it cost Elena her dignity!

“Go ahead,” Elena instructed her assistant to leave first.

“Okay.”

After the assistant left, Elena pondered over how to handle this matter.

Since Cecilia had made such a bold promise, Elena, as the mother–in–law, couldn’t afford to lose face.

“I always thought Cecilia was the type to live a quiet life, content with writing music every day. I never realized, she harbored ambitions of becoming a sales department manager,” Cassandra remarked, a hint of jealousy lacing her words.

Despite both of them being the daughter–in–law of Rainsworth Group, Cassandra had to stay at home every day to take care of her pregnancy, but Cecilia was even arranged to work at the company. It seemed utterly unfair.

Elena detected the resentment in her words and voiced out, “You’re unaware of Imminence Corporation. It’s impossible for Cecilia to seize the project they’re handling.”

After she finished speaking, she added another sentence.

“You’re pregnant, and your condition is only starting to stabilize. It’s best to rest and take care of the baby at home. If in the future you want to help Nicholas at the company, that’s also an option.”

“Okay” Only then did Cassandra feel relieved.

After soothing Cassandra, Elena stepped out to call Cecilia.

Intrigued, Cassandra followed quietly, eager to hear what she would say to Cecilia.

Chapter 979 Help From Elena

“Can I help you, Mom?” Cecilia found it peculiar when he received a call from Elena.

The latter was clearly annoyed. “Who gave you the right to casually make a bet with Miranda? How many years has she been with the company, and how many have you? You simply don’t understand Orion Corporation, let alone Imminence Corporation. Did you not know that she’s planning to embarrass you publicly at the company in a few days, with both me and your grandfather present?”

Although not fond of Cecilia, Elena had a clear understanding of who was family and who was an outsider.

She couldn’t possibly let Miranda walk all over her own daughter–in–law.

“I really had no idea about this,” admitted Cecilia, having just learned that Miranda had approached Aston and Elena. It could be that Miranda was worried about her not keeping her word, or perhaps she simply wanted to humiliate her in front of the entire Rainsworth family.

Elena’s disdain for Cecilia deepened as she heard this. “Let me tell you this: running a company is not the same as composing music. Besides, you’re now Nathaniel’s wife. If you lose to Miranda, where would that leave Nathaniel’s dignity?”

After a round of criticism, she then continued, “I heard you need a supplier from Imminence Corporation. I’ll send you some money. Use it to sort things out.”

In other words, Elena was willing to suffer a loss, even going as far as to pay the suppliers herself just to ensure others would continue to work with Orion Corporation.

However, this would essentially be cheating.

“There’s no need, Mom. I have my own plans. Don’t worry about it. I won’t embarrass Nathaniel, and certainly not you either.”

Cecilia paused before adding, “Still, thank you for your kind intentions. I appreciate it, but I need to get back to work now.”

With that, she hung up the phone.

Elena was flabbergasted. She had assumed that her intervention would have been met with gratitude, only for Cecilia to turn her down.

She doesn’t know what’s good for her! She can’t afford to be this ignorant.

With that in mind, the older woman had her own assistant personally handle matters with the suppliers.

Cassandra had been secretly listening in all along, aware that Elena was planning to aid Cecilia. Once alone, she gave Miranda a call.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Miranda. Elena is gearing up to help Cecilia. She has lots of connections money, so dealing with suppliers will be a piece of cake for her.”

Hearing this, Miranda finally understood why Cecilia was always so composed and unconcerned about failure at all.

“I was wondering why she’s so calm. It turns out she’s enlisted Elena’s help, huh?”

Miranda was also fearful of Elena, fully aware that given the latter’s influence, she was simply no match for her.

Now that Cassandra had informed her about this, though, all she needed to do was to find evidence of Elena assisting Cecilia. Exposing such deceitful tactics would be enough to bring about Cecilia’s downfal

“Thanks.” After expressing her gratitude, Miranda ended the call.

Now, she no longer needed to keep her eyes on Cecilia All she had to do was focus her attention on Elens.

Cecilia was still leisurely at work, preparing for the last day. She planned to wait until Miranda confronted her to publicly reveal that she had taken over a major project from Imminence Corporation.

Primarily, she had estimated that it would take Imminence Corporation a few days to realize that she had snatched their project.

It was previously mentioned that the head of the corporation would not be discussing matters with them until a few days later.

The woman remained at ease and carefree, causing the secretaries outside to believe she had completely given up.

She simply didn’t care, going to work when it was time and leaving when her shift ended.

On this day, a call came through from Magnus, whom she hadn’t been in touch with for a long time.

Chapter 980 Suing Ralph

“Hey, Cecilia. I’ve already filed a lawsuit against Cassandra,” Magnus announced excitedly over the phone.

Cecilia had never forgotten about this.

In the past, she had wanted to sue the Evans family herself and reclaim all the money that belonged to the Smiths.

However, she was not the real daughter of the Smith family. If the Evans household were to find out about it, the will she held would be deemed invalid.

After all, they had always believed she was his biological child.

“That’s good to know. I’ll provide you with all the evidence I have,” replied Cecilia. “The rest depends on you.”

All she could do now was to repay Regas‘ kindness for raising her by helping Magnus reclaim what was rightfully his.

“Alright. You’re the best.”

Magnus genuinely hadn’t expected her to be so understanding. Not only was she willing to let him sue Cecilia, but she had also agreed to let him have all the money, on top of offering to provide evidence.

“Okay. Stay focused on your work. You have my support,” the woman expressed sincerely.

“Don’t worry about me.” Then, Magnus couldn’t help but ask, “Has Mom been in touch with you lately?”

Cecilia’s face fell slightly upon Paula’s name being mentioned. “No. Why?”

“Nothing. I was just asking. She called me yesterday, insisting that I respect you from now on. She also said a lot of weird things.”

Leaning back in his chair with his legs propped up on the office desk, Magnus recalled how everything Paula had said to him the day before was all in defense of Cecilia.

He found it peculiar; it was as if Paula transformed into a completely different person now.

“Is that all, or is there more?” Cecilia was a bit on edge, unsure if Paula had revealed her true identity to Magnus.

“That’s it.” Magnus took a deep breath. “Don’t worry, Cecilia. I won’t let her trick me anymore. She’s sick now because of karma. I get it.”

Cecilia was somewhat displeased with what he had said, Though Paula had been unkind to her from childhood, she always loved Magnus exceptionally and had never done anything to wrong him.

Yet, now that she was gravely ill and on the brink of death, he was saying she deserved it.

“She’s in the late stages of cancer now. If you have the time, you should visit her more often.” Cecilia didn’t want him to have any regrets.

Upon hearing these words, Magnus became even more surprised.

However, he couldn’t be bothered to argue. He simply agreed nonchalantly, “Alright, whatever you say.”

After hanging up the phone, he didn’t bother about Paula anymore.

She neglected me for Ralph and Cassandra. Why should I care about her now?

Meanwhile, Ralph, who was on vacation, also received the lawsuit papers. He was in utter disbelief.

First, there was Paula filing for divorce and demanding a split of assets earlier this month. Now, her son was suing him for money.

“They’re all after my money! The Smith family’s money is mine now, and expect me to cough it back up? As if!”

Left with no other choice, Ralph could only return to the country with his secretary.

Back in the hospital, Paula lay in bed, finding even the simplest movements a challenge.

Every day, she found herself immersed in the melodies Cecilia had composed, feeling a unique sentiment each time she listened to them.

The caregiver continued to look after her as usual.

“It’s too bad there’s no antidote for regret in this world, the caretaker said.

Paula understood this as well. “You’re right, but there’s no point regretting. I brought this upon myself,” she remarked, gazing out the window. “Now, I’m just waiting for the divorce proceedings, and then I’ll go and make amends with Regas in the afterlife.”

The caregiver let out a sigh as she served Paula her food.

The latter sat up, suppressing her discomfort as she compelled himself to eat.

Nowadays, no matter what she ate, nothing seemed to have any flavor. But in order to hold on until the divorce and property division, she had no choice but to force herself to swallow her food.

“Ugh…” The woman finished everything, only to throw it all up again.