Ch. 991..1000

Chapter 991 Pushing Her Hard

Initially, Cecilia thought that Nathaniel was just teasing her. It wasn’t until bedtime, when he handed her a document to read, that she realized he was serious.

“Read it to me.”

Cecilia couldn’t believe him. “What’s wrong with you? I’m going to sleep now.”

“I’ve forgotten a lot about the past and need to catch up, so read it out loud for me.” Nathaniel was afraid of pushing her too hard, so he changed his approach.

Cecilia had no choice but to read it out loud to him.

As she recited it, sleep eventually overcame her.

Nathaniel took the documents from her hands and then pulled her into a tight embrace,

In the days that followed, Nathaniel took on the role of a mentor, constantly pushing Cecilia. He taught her how to manage employees and negotiate business deals, aiming to fast–track her success.

At first, Cecilia wasn’t too devoted to learning, until one day, upon returning to the company, she spotted Miranda there.

With triumph in her eyes, Miranda said, “Cecilia, I bet you never thought I’d come back, did you? Just so you know, I’m now the new manager of the top–performing department.”

Cecilia was at a loss of words.

Old Mr. Rainsworth is way too biased. Isn’t he afraid that his actions would drag Orion Corporation down?

As Miranda was leaving, she said, “There’s a rule in the sales department now–it’s the survival of the fittest policy. If your team continues to rank last, then the entire team will be dismissed and we’ll bring in new people to replace you.”

Although she mentioned the entire Team Five would be dismissed, she was essentially hinting for Cecilia to take a hike.

Cecilia couldn’t hold her temper back any longer.

“Don’t worry, if anyone’s leaving, it’s not going to be me.”

Immediately, she became even more diligent in learning from Nathaniel.

Nathaniel was truly an exceptional mentor. Although strict, he imparted knowledge that was beyond the grasp of others.

In just a week, Cecilia managed to get the majority of Team Five to behave and work diligently.

She boasted, “Aren’t I an impressive mentee? At this rate, Team Five won’t be at the bottom anymore.”

Nathaniel’s expression didn’t change..

“You still need to keep pushing forward.”

I have just over a week left.

It was the weekend, and Cecilia planned to take Elliot on an outing, but Nathaniel held her back to Continue learning.

After learning the news from calling Cecilia, Vivian couldn’t help but remark, “You’re not even his mentee! Isn’t he being overly domineering? Men are all the same. When you don’t love him, he’ll desperately pursue you. Now that you’re being slightly nice to him, he’s acting all arrogant again.”

“Next time. We’ll go next time.”

“Fine.”

Vivian had no choice but to agree.

Jonathan silently listened on the side and found it peculiar. Sc*mbag daddy had never specifically taught Mommy about work, so why did he suddenly start now?

Vivian sighed. “How inhumane!”

“Who’s inhumane?” Zachary approached, assuming she was once again secretly speaking ill of him.

“It’s none of your business.” Vivian rolled her eyes at him.

Zachary was truly untouchable, beyond reproach or reprimand.

“Let’s go. Grandpa asked me to take you two out on a date,” he said.

Despite her reluctance, Vivian still had to go. Suddenly an idea came to her. “How about we go find Cecilia?”

Zachary felt it was feasible because Nathaniel would have surgery in the coming week, so he wanted to talk to him.

“All right.”

The trio set off for Daltonia Villa like a family.

That day, something was off about the atmosphere in Daltonia Villa.

Cecilia was preoccupied with tackling economic issues, while Elliot didn’t escape the ordeal either. He was troubled by arithmetic problems.

“Daddy… I’m still just a child…”

Nathaniel tilted his head to look over. Even though his gaze wasn’t focused, it was enough to send a shiver down Elliot’s spine.

“Daddy, don’t be mad. I’ll do my homework properly.”

Chapter 992 Reconsider The Surgery

Elliot deeply missed his brother at that moment.

Chapter 992 Reconsider The Surgery

Elliot deeply missed his brother at that moment.

Although he could discern the good from the bad in people, he wasn’t adept at studying.

He resorted to using his fingers when the multiplication sums were too large.

Jonathan would’ve already gotten the answer through mental calculation if he was here.

The housekeeper stood to the side, her heart aching for her adorable Elliot, sympathizing with him for being on the verge of being overwhelmed by his studies at such a tender age.

The way parents are putting stress on their kids nowadays is just terrifying!

Cecilia watched as Elliot scratched his head, wanting to go over and lend him a hand.

She had barely taken two steps when Nathaniel cleared his throat. “Ceci, have you completed your task?”

All Cecilia could do was retreat, take her seat, and dutifully solve her own set of problems.

She truly hadn’t expected Nathaniel to be so stern. It felt no different from when she was in school.

“I haven’t solved them yet. I’m still thinking,” stammered Cecilia.

Nathaniel gave a noncommittal hum, then resumed his work.

Since it was a warm and sunny day, everyone was working and studying in the garden. When Zachary and/ his group drove up, they could immediately see the entire family busily working in the garden.

Vivian opened the car door and stepped out, waving toward the inside.

“Ceci! Eli!”

The moment her voice rang out, Cecilia and Elliot turned their attention toward the doorway.

A sparkle was evident in Elliot’s eyes.

At last, someone has come to rescue Mommy and me.

Zachary and Jonathan alighted from the car in a composed manner. The security guard promptly opened the door for them, and the trio proceeded to enter.

“Daddy, Mr. Zachary and Ms. Kennedy have brought Jon over,” Elliot said, casting a hopeful glance at Nathaniel. He was hoping for a bit of mercy from Nathaniel, wishing not to be burdened with homework anymore.

He was still just a child after all.

Nathaniel had not anticipated Zachary’s and Vivian’s arrival. Annoyance flickered across his eyes.

“Keep working on your homework,” he said.

The light in Elliot’s eyes vanished. He doesn’t love me anymore. Since I chose my own daddy, I’ll have to bear with When Zachary and Vivian came over, they saw Elliot, despite his young age, sprawled on the table working on problems meant for sixth graders.

Meanwhile, Cecilia was also flipping through some documents.

“Did we come at a bad time?” Zachary asked.

Vivian stepped forward. “Ceci, have you been reading these every day? The words fill the entire page, and there are so many of them, how do you manage to take it all in?”

Cecilia was on the verge of tears. Who would want to read such things? She was forced to do it.

“I was just looking at them for fun.”

Her gaze quickly fell on Jonathan. “Jon, come here, let me hold you.”

She was so tired at the moment, yearning to draw strength from an embrace.

Jonathan walked toward her, feeling embarrassed, only to be enveloped in her embrace shortly after.

Feeling a pang of guilt, Vivian watched the heartwarming scene of the mother and son.

“You must be missing Jon quite a bit, don’t you?”

I’m sure she does since Jon is Cecilia’s son, but Old Mr. Sinclair was so fond of Jon that he suggested that Jon temporarily stay with the Sinclair family. After all, Cecilia is pregnant and can’t take care of two boys.

Cecilia didn’t want to disappoint George, especially since he had recently discovered new health issues.

People of the same age as George, once their health started to decline, no one knew when they might pass away.

“Sure, no problem. We live close by,” replied Cecilia.

Vivian gave a nod, then added, “It’s finally the weekend, let’s take a break. There’s plenty of time to work later.”

Cecilia glanced at Nathaniel.

At that point, Nathaniel had no other choice but to agree to let the mother and son go out and have fun.

Immediately, Cecilia and Vivian went off to have fun elsewhere, while Elliot also went to play with Jonathan, leaving Zachary and Nathaniel alone.

At first, Zachary was somewhat puzzled about why Nathaniel had them studying every weekend. However, after everyone left, he gave it some thought and gradually understood.

“Nathaniel, maybe you should reconsider the surgery.”

Chapter 993 Fresh Gossip

The risk associated with the surgery was immense. Zachary couldn’t guarantee its complete success. If anything were to happen to Nathaniel, he would be even more indebted to Cecilia.

Moreover, he and Nathaniel had been close friends since childhood.

“If I don’t undergo the surgery, are you sure I can continue as I am now? Normal?” Nathaniel asked solemnly.

Upon hearing this, Zachary was instantly rendered speechless.

Of course, he couldn’t guarantee anything. After all, Nathaniel had experienced a bout of memory confusion not too long ago.

If Nathaniel didn’t remove the fragments from his brain soon, his life would be in danger. However, it was uncertain when this danger would occur.

“Instead of worrying about the unknown, why not take a gamble?” Nathaniel said, his voice deep and steady.

Zachary nodded. “Yeah.”

“If anything were to happen to me, you would take care of Cecilia and the children, wouldn’t you?” Nathaniel asked solemnly.

“Of course!” Zachary responded without any hesitation.

He was more than willing to not only take care of Cecilia and the children but also to provide for them

He owed his life to Cecilia and was also indebted to Nathaniel for his years of care and support.

“That’s great. I don’t have to worry then.”

With Zachary’s promise, Nathaniel finally let go of his lingering worries.

After all, in Tudela, the Sinclair family was one of the most prominent families. No one dared to cross them.

The two were engaged in a conversation, while on the other side, Cecilia and Vivian were discussing Cecilia’s work life at Orion Corporation.

Admiration filled Vivian’s eyes. “You’re incredible. Miranda must be fuming.”

“It was like that at first, but unfortunately, she’s now the manager of Team One, which is the top- performing department,” Cecilia said.

“How cliché!”

Vivian also understood that society wasn’t fair.

If one sought fairness, one needed to strive even harder to be stronger than anyone else.

“Right, something just came to mind that I forgot to tell you.” Vivian pulled out her phone and showed it Cecilia took a look at it.

Stella’s photo of her working as a club dancer in a bar appeared on the screen.

“I saw this a couple of days ago. I really didn’t expect her to end up like this. I’ve been meaning to tell you, but I forgot.”

After observing the video, Cecilia wasn’t particularly surprised.

The last time she saw Stella was at a class reunion, where she had exposed her affair with the third son of the Murdock family.

Stella’s best friend, Yvette, was not someone to be trifled with. Naturally, the Harrison family wouldn’t let Stella off the hook.

“She’s reaping what she sow,” said Cecilia.

Vivian agreed. “I’ve also heard that Yvette and the third son of the Murdock family called off their engagement. I wonder what happened.”

Cecilia didn’t hold anything back, sharing everything she knew with Vivian.

Vivian had learned a lot of gossip that day.

“Stella really has no boundaries, isn’t she Yvette’s best friend?”

“The kind of person she is, how could she possibly be real friends with anyone?”

Cecilia had long seen through Stella.

She didn’t feel sorry for Yvette either. It was Yvette’s own fault for not judging people accurately. Her best friend had betrayed her without her knowing it.

Their conversation was enthusiastic.

Before long, Zachary knocked on the door. Standing outside, he said to Vivian, “Vivian, we should head back now.”

Vivian had only been there for less than an hour, so she didn’t want to leave.

“Let me play for a bit longer.”

Zachary genuinely wanted to say that she lacked insight.

“Grandpa misses Jon.” He had no choice but to lie.

Only then did Vivian reluctantly bid goodbye to Cecilia.

Once they had left, Cecilia and Elliot had to buckle down and tackle their respective problems again.

 

Chapter 994 Nathaniel Is Acting Strange

Nathaniel was very responsible, he didn’t let Cecilia and Elliot rest throughout the entire weekend.

At night, Elliot’s dreams were all about his father tutoring him.

“I’ll learn well, please don’t be angry…” he continued to murmur in his sleep.

When Nathaniel passed by his room, he couldn’t help but walk in.

He lifted his hand to touch Elliot’s arm, waking the child quickly. In the dim light, he saw Nathaniel and felt dread as if he had seen a ghost.

“Sc*mbag daddy, I’m really tired, can I continue my homework tomorrow?”

Nathaniel listened to his soft and tender voice, feeling a pang of headache. “Doing homework isn’t the most important thing. The most crucial part is learning how to solve problems. Your health may not be the best, but you can’t lag behind others. How else would you take care of your mom that way? From now on, study on your own. Don’t let your health be the reason you fall behind, understand?”

Elliot didn’t understand why Nathaniel suddenly shared those thoughts with him, but he could sense that Nathaniel was unhappy.

“Okay, I definitely will,” he promised.

“Go back to sleep.”

Nathaniel quietly walked out, closing the door behind him.

Elliot had trouble sleeping, so he texted Jonathan: Jon, I think Daddy’s been acting a bit strange lately.

Just as Jonathan was about to go to sleep, he saw Elliot’s message and felt a bit annoyed. He replied: In what way?

Elliot: I can’t quite put my finger on it.

Jonathan: Then don’t mention it.

Jonathan wasn’t interested in Nathaniel’s affairs.

Elliot typed with a hint of disappointment: Okay.

Jonathan couldn’t stand to see him like this, so he asked: What happened?

Elliot shared how Nathaniel had been pushing him and Cecilia recently.

Elliot: It feels as if he’s a character in a TV show who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, making arrangements after his death.

Jonathan was taken aback. Making arrangements after his death? What kind of joke is this?

Jonathan: Don’t overthink it. How would anything happen to him? Go and get some sleep.

Elliot: All right.

Elliot obediently closed his eyes.

Meanwhile, Jonathan was also having trouble sleeping. If Nathaniel really does have a terminal illness, what should I do?

Jonathan didn’t want Nathaniel to meet his end too soon.

After all, he was still a child, unable to protect his mom.

He still hadn’t managed to uncover the person behind Imminence Corporation.

At preschool the next day, Jonathan was drowsy throughout the day as he hadn’t slept well the night before.

Recently, everyone at the preschool, whether it be the teachers or the other children, treated him well. The only exception was Felix. All he had to do was focus on his own matters.

The other kids had ostracized Felix recently, so he spent every day in solitude. It was a pitiful sight.

After all, he was just a child. Since his separation from Miranda, he didn’t think about harming anyone without any instigation from his parents.

“Jon.”

Observing that Jonathan was continually nodding off, he finally lowered his prideful head, walked over, and offered him his wet wipe.

“Wipe your face with a wet wipe. It should keep the sleepiness at bay.”

Jonathan had always been magnanimous, never one to hold petty grudges. However, he didn’t like accepting things from others. “No thanks.”

After being rejected by Jonathan, Felix felt even more defeated, thinking Jonathan was still angry with him and unwilling to forgive him.

As the previous sole heir of the Rainsworth family, how could possibly apologize to anyone? Forget it.

“Fine, don’t take it then. Do you think I’ll insist on giving it to you? It’s going in the trash.” Frustrated, Felix tossed the wet wipe into the trash bin.

Jonathan remained silent, ignoring him.

Felix’s face turned beet red.

During recess, all the children chose to play with Jonathan, completely ignoring Felix. Even when Felix offered them money, it was no different.

He could no longer bear with the loneliness.

“You’re all picking on me! I’m going to tell my great–grandpa!”

Chapter 995 You Better Behave

True to his word, Felix picked up his personal wristwatch and dialed a call to Niel.

“Great–grandpa, they all bullied me.”

Upon hearing that his great–grandson was being bullied at school, Niel immediately rushed there.

After he arrived, Felix informed him that Jonathan had forbidden other children from playing with him.

“Why is Jon like this?”

Felix’s face was flushed with frustration. “Great–grandpa, when can I see Mommy and Daddy? I miss them. Without them, everyone bullies me.”

Niel felt a deep affection for his great–grandson.

“Your parents made a mistake, but from now on, I will take care of you. Who dares to bully you? I’ll call Jon over, he needs to apologize to you!”

Meanwhile, Jonathan was quickly summoned to the office.

Upon seeing him approach, Niel couldn’t help but reprimand him.

“How old are you now? How could you bully Felix? You two are brothers after all!”

Instantly, Jonathan knew that Felix was accusing him unjustly again. “Great–grandpa, how have I bullied him?”

“He said you wouldn’t let the other kids play with him.”

Is this what you call bullying?

Jonathan felt absurd. “Great–grandpa, why did you just take his word for it? Why don’t you ask the other kids the reason they don’t play with him?”

Niel choked up.

Clearly, he hadn’t expected that Jon would actually talk back to him.

“You… Do you believe…”

Before Niel could even say something harsh, a phone call came through. Picking it up, he was surprised to find it was from George.

He could only temporarily suppress his anger and take the call. “Old Mr. Sinclair, what brings you to call me?”

“What’s with the formalities? Did you take Jon to your office alone? He’s your great–grandson too, so don’t you dare play favorites!” George didn’t mince his words.

Niel’s face instantly turned ashen. “He’s my great–grandson. This is none of your business!”

“I’ve already accepted Jon as my great–grandson. I’m warning you, if you don’t want to cause a rift between

After finishing his words, George hung up the phone.

Ever since Jonathan was kidnapped, he had assigned people to protect Jonathan around the clock. As a result, he was immediately informed when Niel took Jonathan to the office alone.

Sitting in the car, George urged the driver to speed up a bit.

Over here, there was a conflict between two children in kindergarten.

Over the other side at Orion Corporation, Cecilia and Miranda were still locked in competition.

Neither of the two sales departments wanted to yield to the other, unaware of the minor incidents that were happening inside the kindergarten.

Jessica was indeed a spy at inserted at Cecilia’s side, constantly observing and reporting back to Miranda.

Cecilia never drove her away. In fact, she wanted her to convey misleading information to Miranda.

Jessica was summoned to Nicholas‘ office at the top floor. Once inside, she was completely on edge.

“Nicholas, what do you need from me?“;

“Are you now completely unable to approach Nathaniel?” Nicholas asked calmly.

Jessica lowered her head awkwardly. “This is just temporary.”

“Heh.” Nicholas gave a cold laugh.

Jessica couldn’t help but tremble. “It really isn’t my fault. I was so close to succeeding. It’s all because of those housekeepers in the mansion.”

Originally, she had become quite familiar with the housekeepers, but ever since the incident with the drugging, these people had come to understand her true nature, and were absolutely unwilling to assist her.

“Given the circumstances, take good care of Ceci and avoid any further complications. I’m aware of your situation with Miranda. If you don’t want any trouble, you better behave.”

Chapter 996 The Fight

Jessica nodded repeatedly and said, “Yes.”

In this world, there was probably no one who was more afraid of Nicholas than Jessica.

In truth, when she was young and first met Nicholas, she wasn’t afraid of him at all. In fact, she used to tease him in all sorts of ways.

Due to a severe illness, Nicholas‘ health was in decline. For most of the time, he was confined to a dimly lit room.

Jessica didn’t favor her cousin who always seemed sickly and weak. For a while, she often secretly followed Nicholas, even resorting to throwing stones at him.

Even when he had cracked open Nicholas‘ head, he had never gotten angry.

As a result Jessica grew increasingly bold.

On a rainy night, when Jessica saw Nicholas sneak back in, drenched from the rain, she couldn’t help but tease him, “Oh, where have you been? I’m going to tell Grandpa Niel that you’ve been sneaking out.”

However, she had hardly taken a few the way Nicholas looked at her. His gaze was so icy and terrifying. He looked as if he was a demon who had just escaped from hell.

Even now, Jessica could still vividly rem“Nicholas came before her.

Nicholas seized her by the hair. Then, he forcibly led her to a nearby pond and submerged her head under the water.

Every minute that passed didn’t threaten her life, yet it made her acutely aware of the pain.

During that ordeal, which lasted for over half an hour, Nicholas didn’t utter a single word.

Ever since that incident, Jessica no longer dared to provoke Nicholas. In fact, she would even tremble at the sight of him.

When Jessica stepped out of the office, she still felt a bit unnerved.

Upon reaching the sales department do. Miranda found her demeanor rather odd, as if her mind was elsewhere. “What were you doing upstairs?”

“It’s nothing much. Nicholas just asked me to show a document to Cecilia.”

Miranda snatched the document from her hands, gave it a quick scan, and returned it to her only after ensuring there were no issues.

“You have to remember that we’re on the same team. If you want to win over Nathaniel, you need to listen to me.”

“Yes.” Jessica nodded absentmindedly.

Miranda didn’t bother with her anymore. That month, she was determined to make Cecilia leave Orion Corporation.

When Jessica returned to Cecilia’s office, she no longer had the inclination to pry into anything.

Just as Cecilia was about to ask her what was wrong, a phone call came in at that moment.

She took the call. It was from a kindergarten teacher.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ms. Smith, please hurry to the kindergarten. Jon’s two great–grandfathers have gotten into a fight over him.”

Jon’s two great–grandfathers had a fight? Are you kidding me?

“Okay. I’ll be right there.”

Cecilia was aware that George was still unwell. She immediately picked up her phone and called Vivian to ask her to accompany her to the kindergarten.

What on earth had happened that led to the two elderly people fighting?

The relationship between their two families was really good.

When Cecilia hastily left the office, Miranda assumed she was going to negotiate a deal, so she followed her out because she was plotting to snatch her client.

However, Cecilia had instructed the driver to head straight for the kindergarten.

Upon arriving at the kindergarten, Cecilia stepped out of the car and made her way to the office that Jonathan’s teacher had mentioned. There, she found two elderly people who had already been stopped. Despite this, they still looked flushed and flustered.

“Old Mr. Sinclair, you’re being unreasonable. Didn’t you hear what the other kids said? They refused to play with Felix because he was violent, not because of Jon. Why are you blaming him?”

Despite being aware of his fault, Niel still defended himself, saying, “I only just found out myself. Besides, as Jon’s real great–grandfather, how can I not care about him?”

Before Cecilia had a clear grasp of the situation, her gaze fell upon two children not far away from them.

Chapter 997 The Two Families

Jonathan stood with his arms crossed over his chest, looking extremely calm.

Meanwhile, Felix was utterly bewildered. Why is Great–grandpa siding with Jon?

His heart swelled with increasing jealousy.

Miranda trailed after Cecilia. At first glance, she thought her son had been bullied.

“Felix, did Jonathan bully you again?”

She pushed aside Cecilia and rushed in.

Cecilia was somewhat speechless. What did she mean by that?

Had she even figured out what had happened?

Only then did Niel and George realize that the mothers of both children had arrived.

“How did you all get here?” Niel asked first.

Miranda hesitated, unable to respond that she had been following Cecilia.

Cecilia didn’t respond either. Instead, she asked, “Grandpa, Old Mr. Sinclair, what exactly happened here?”

Only then did George tell Cecilia about Felix’s complaint. He also mentioned, “The other children claimed that they avoid him because he likes to hit them.”

Upon hearing this, Miranda was instantly displeased.

“Cecilia, you must be the one who told the children from the other families not to play with Felix. You seem to be trying to isolate our Felix.”

After hearing that, Cecilia couldn’t help but scoff with a hint of mockery.

“If that’s true, I’m rather powerful, aren’t I? After all, Felix is the great–grandson of the Rainsworth family. Who will dare to ostracize him?”

George immediately defended Cecilia, saying, “Ceci and Jon have always been nice. The problem lies with you. You just don’t know how to guide your child.”

After speaking, he turned to Niel and said, “Old Mr. Rainsworth, your granddaughter–in–law was scheming to snatch the Sinclair family’s business using underhanded tactics just a few days ago. You should think about this carefully.”

At first, the two elders merely argued over their children, causing no real harm. However, when George lodged that complaint, Niel instantly lost his temper.

“Miranda, have you forgotten the rules of the Sinclair and Rainsworth families?”

Despite being in business, the Sinclairs and Rainsworths had no competition between them. Moreover, they had a good relationship and had long ago agreed to stick to their own lanes in their respective industries and ensure they never overstepped their boundaries.

Upon being accused by George, Miranda was at a loss for words. She lowered her head and muttered, “Grandpa, this might be a misunderstanding.”

“Let’s just treat this as a misunderstanding, but don’t misconstrue my well–behaved great–grandson anymore. If you cause any more trouble about today’s incident, we’ll have a serious problem!” George coldly scolded.

Miranda no longer dared to speak recklessly.

Startled, Felix also dared not lodge another complaint.

He hadn’t expected that George was behind Jonathan’s back.

“Aren’t you supposed to be at work right now? Don’t meddle too much in the children’s affairs,” Niel intervened.

Only after soothing her son did Miranda leave.

Cecilia, on the other hand, was in no rush to leave.

She pulled Jonathan aside and asked him privately, “Jon, you didn’t isolate Felix, did you?”

Although Felix was at fault, he was merely a pawn manipulated by adults. After all, he was only a four–year- old kid.

“Of course not. I just didn’t want to be friends with him,” said Jonathan.

“That’s good. He has received his punishment now. Let’s not treat him the way he treated others.”

“All right.”

Jonathan nodded emphatically.

After settling the matter, Vivian also hurried over. “Oh my, my dear Grandpa, why are you getting into arguments at your age? You had me worried sick!”

Vivian genuinely regarded George as her own grandfather.

George felt somewhat wronged. “Isn’t it all because of you and that brat, Zachary?”

“Why are you blaming us?” Vivian was somewhat baffled. Why was he blaming his descendants when he was the one getting into a fight?

“If you had given me a great–grandchild sooner, would I have had to bieker with that old geezer?”

Chapter 998 My Real Mother

Every time George thought about how Niel kept referring to Jonathan as if he wasn’t his own great- grandson, he would get angry.

Vivian hadn’t expected that the conversation would circle back to the topic of having great–grandchildren.

When George couldn’t stop coughing, Vivian immediately patted him on the back.

At that moment, Zachary also came over.

“You’re clearly not well, yet you still insist on going out. If there’s anything you need, can’t you just ask me?” Zachary was helpless.

George’s coughing became even more severe.

Viviani glared at Zachary. “Can you stop talking? Grandpa is coughing so badly now. How can you bear to reprimand him?”

After she finished speaking, she comforted George again.

“Grandpa, please don’t be upset, it’s all Zachary’s and my fault. Besides wanting a great–grandchild, is there anything else you desire? We’ll try our best to fulfil it. After all, didn’t we agree that we should first fall in love, then get married?”

George’s coughing subsided a bit. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. He couldn’t help but ask, “Is it possible for you two to consider a baby before tying the knot?”

Both Zachary and Vivian were rendered speechless.

At that moment, Cecilia also came over. Having heard George’s words, she marveled at his open- mindedness.

Meanwhile, Niel and Miranda had already departed.

George explained further, “In today’s society, it’s quite normal to be pregnant before marriage. Nobody is going to ridicule you for that. You should give it a try and see if my grandson, Zachary, is up to the task.”

Vivian was even more at a loss for words.

Zachary’s ears had even turned red.

“Grandpa, if you keep spouting nonsense, I’ll send you to a retirement home. Maybe I’ll even find you an old lady to keep you company.”

It was George’s turn to feel specs.

Cecilia couldn’t help but laugh as she watched the interaction between the grandfather and the grandson.

Once the matter at hand was resolved, Jonathan headed off to class. He noticed Felix standing alone to one side and made his way over to him.

When Felix saw him approach, he instinctively stepped back, assuming he was about to strike him.

Jonathan was not a petty or vindictive person. “Starting from now, you need to straighten up and be honest. The most important thing is to stop causing trouble for Eli. If you can do that, I can forgive you!”

Upon hearing this, Felix stared at him with wide eyes.

“Really?”

“However, the condition is, you must be my sidekick and listen to everything I say from now on.”

Jonathan had no intention of playing.second fiddle to anyone else.

Felix clearly didn’t want to either, but considering how he had been struggling recently whenever he was alone, he agreed to the condition.

“All right.”

Deep down, he still admired Jonathan.

And just like that, the conflict between the two was resolved.

Realizing it was getting late, Cecilia decided not to return to the office and headed to Daltonia Villa instead.

As soon as she returned home, the security guard handed her a letter.

“What is this?”

The security guard approached her and said, “An elderly lady dropped this off. She said you’ll understand once you see it.”

When the elderly lady arrived, she was hunched over and wore a hat and mask, leaving the security guar elueless about her identity.

Cecilia took the envelope, opened it, and discovered it was an invitation to attend a divorce court case.

Upon closer inspection, Cecilia realized that Paula was planning to divorce Ralph. And she wants me to attend the proceedings?

Cecilia was somewhat confused about what was going on.

Just as she was about to call and inquire, her phone rang. She picked it up and saw that it was a call from Cassandra.

“What?”

“You saw the news, didn’t you? Paula is filing for a divorce from my father. Did you have anything to do with it?” Cassandra questioned.

Cecilia had just returned and simply didn’t have the time to catch up on any news, let alone be aware of the news about Paula’s impending divorce.,

“This is so amusing. Aren’t you Paula’s daughter? Since she’s the one divorcing your father, why are you asking me instead of her?”

As was her habit, Cecilia routinely turned on the recorder.

Chapter 999 Can You Help Me

Cassandra was ruthless. If Paula had treated her poorly, then her decision to sever their mother–daughter relationship could be justified.

However, Paula’s kindness toward her was without reservation.

In the end, she still acknowledged the more influential Queenie as her mother.

Cecilia didn’t feel like indulging in a lengthy conversation with her. “Didn’t you tell me that blood ties can never be changed? You carry Paula’s blood in your veins.”

Cassandra was utterly infuriated when Cecilia threw her own at her.

“Regardless, tell Paula to drop the lawsuit! She doesn’t have much time left. If she agrees to withdraw, my father has promised to take care of her affairs after her passing.”

The whole family was cold–hearted.

Cecilia didn’t appear to show any sympathy for Paula. “Do as you please.”

She promptly ended the call.

At the Evans residence, Ralph couldn’t help but ask, “How did it go?”

Cassandra shook her head. “This stubborn girl simply refused to lend a hand.”

“Your mother never ally liked her as a daughter. Even if she helps, it will be pointless.” Ralph sighed. “Now, Paula wants a divorce and Magnus is after my wealth. I was doing just fine overseas, but they forced me to come back.”

Cassandra made another call to Magnus.

It was the first time Magnus received a call from his high and mighty sister, Cassandra. He nonchalantly picked it up.

“Oh, when has my beloved ballet–dancing sister started thinking of her little brother?”

Cassandra listened to his eerie and sarcastic and responded irritably, “Drop the lawsuit immediately, or I won’t let you off easy.”

“I’m really scared,” Magnus said into the phone in a mocking tone.

Seething with anger, Cassandra gritted her teeth in frustration. “Don’t get too cocky just because you’re in some rundown company now. Believe it or not, I can bankrupt you in a heartbeat,” she threatened.

“Do it then,” he said.

The big boss behind Magnus‘ current company was none other than Nicholas.

Cassandra never imagined that Magnus, who used to be utterly worthless, now had the audacity to act defiantly in front of her.

“You wait and see.”

With that, she ended the call.

Ralph had also overheard the previous conversation. “Magnus must be facing another bankruptcy with his new company. That’s why he’s planning to sue me and get his hands on some money!”

“In his dreams!” A cold glint passed through Cassandra’s eyes. “Dad, don’t worry. Whether it’s Paula or Magnus, neither of them will have a chance to go to court.”

If the concerned party couldn’t attend, they couldn’t proceed with the lawsuit..

In an instant, Ralph understood her intentions and nodded. “Th the only way to go.”

That evening, Paula’s condition worsened at the hospital. Her severe abdominal pain kept her tossing and turning and unable to sleep.

She had initially planned to hand–knit a scarf herself, but until now, she had only managed to finish half of it.

Nicholas and Magnus arrived. Upon seeing her in such a state, a glimmer of sympathy finally appeared in Magnus‘ eyes.

“Mom, are you okay? I’m going to call the doctor.”

“Don’t go… It’s pointless…” Paula struggled to get the words out.

The most a doctor could do when they arrived was administer pain relief medication. They couldn’t offer any other assistance.

The pain finally subsided after a long while. Paula looked at Nicholas and Magnus in a daze and said, “Mr. Rainsworth, thank you for visiting me again.”

Nicholas sat down. “Don’t worry about it. If there’s anything you need, just let me know.”

Paula kept nodding. “Thank you.”

She had hesitation in her eyes. Nicholas noticed something and asked Magnus and the caregiver to leave the room.

Once they had left, Nicholas said, “Just tell me what you need. There’s no one else here.”

Tears streamed down Paula’s

“Can you help me win the divorce lawsuit?”

She knew that she would definitely not be able to outmatch Ralph if she relied solely on herself.

She might not even be able to attend the court hearing

Chapter 1000 The Lawsuit

Upon hearing this request, Nicholas didn’t immediately agree. Instead, he said, “You are Cassandra’s biological mother, thus technically my mother–in–law. And Ralph is father–in–law. It will be inappropriate for me to interfere in your legal disputes.”

Upon hearing this response, Paula didn’t lose hope.

She knew Nicholas didn’t visit her for Cassandra’s sake.

“The person I’ve wronged the most in my life is Ceci. It seems that it’s going to be hard for me to atone. However, I will do everything in my power to reclaim what’s rightfully mine. I want to make amends to Ceci…”

Nicholas silently listened to her words, offering no response.

When he left the hospital, he spoke to Magnus.

“Ensure that your mother is well protected for the time being.”

Magnus was somewhat puzzled. “Has something happened?”

Just do as I’ve told you,” Nicholas said.

“Okay.”

Magnus didn’t press for more information. After all, it didn’t really concern him.

After parting ways with Magnus, Nicholas hopped into his car and made another call, this time to his team of lawyers.

He wanted Paula to win!

However, such matters couldn’t be openly discussed.

Upon returning to Daltonia Villa, Cecilia scrolled through the recent news on her phone. As expected, she came across the news about Paula filing for a divorce lawsuit.

The headline read: Once a globally renowned dancer, she plans to sue her second husband for divorce now that she is terminally ill. The reasons behind it are deeply poignant.

After reading the article, Cecilia realized it was nothing more than a ploy by some minor media outlets to boost their views. It hadn’t even made it into the top ten trending topics.

Clearly, Paula was no longer the renowned dancer she once was, nor did she command the attention of others anymore.

Cecilia pulled out the envelope that Paula had given her once again. The hearing date was set for the day after tomorrow.

She decided to attend and see what exactly Paula had in mind.

Before long, the day of the court hearing arrived.

Cassandra accompanying Ralph. The two of them were engaged in a conversation, occasionally breaking into smiles, though she couldn’t discern what they were discussing.

After dropping off Elliot, Sven also came along with Cecilia.

“Do you want me to go over and take a look?” he asked Cecilia.

“No need, they’re coming over,” said Cecilia, looking toward the distance. Cassandra had noticed her and was heading their way.

Cecilia stood still. When Cassandra arrived, she first glanced at Sven standing behind her, then asked, “Why are you here?”

“Of course I’m here for the hearing,” said Cecilia.

“You’re likely to be disappointed then.”

With a smug expression on her face, Cassandra turned around in her high heels and walked away.

Cecilia caught something from her words and said to Sven, “Go check on Paula at the hospital”

“All right.”

Without uttering another word, Sven drove toward the hospital.

On the other hand, the trial was about to commence, yet Paula was nowhere to be seen.

Cecilia was seated in the audience seat. Cassandra was not far away from her.

“Has the plaintiff not arrived yet?” someone asked.

The ringtone of Cecilia’s phone pierced the silence, startling her. Seeing Sven’s name on the screen, she swiftly answered the phone. “What did you find out?”

“Somebody was stopping Paula at the hospital, but it’s been sorted out now. She should be able to get here within the next ten minutes.”

“All right.”

Sven was always a reliable person.

This time, Cecilia wasn’t acting out of a desire to help Paula. Instead, she wanted Ralph to understand that karma always comes around.

As time passed, everyone became increasingly restless.

“Is the hearing going to happen?”

“I really don’t know.”

One by one, they whispered to each other. Just as the judge was growing impatient too, the door was pushed open from the outside.

When Cecilia caught sight of Paula, her pupils contracted.