Chapter 255 Is It So Hard for You to Admit That I Like You?
"Did you find the problem?" Alaric didn't give Cecilia much time then asked her.
Cecilia replied,"All the contracts were signed by Charles."
Alaric continued, "And?"
Cecilia said, "The amount is 25 million dollars, matching the private transaction amount."
"Look again," Alaric reminded.
It seemed there was another key point to grasp.
Cecilia calmed down and looked again.
She suddenly shivered, "They're all for purchasing building materials."
"Correct," Alaric nodded. "I checked the contract dates. The dates are just a week after the Flower Beach International land was bought.Bbefore any contractors had even bid, these materials were already being purchased, and the amount wasn't small. If it wasn't because the project was urgent, then someone needed money urgently."
Cecilia asked, "You mean, these are a few fake contracts?"
Alaric nodded, "If I'm not mistaken, Charles' approval limit for contracts is under eight million dollars. So, this 25 million dollars was split into three contracts to bypass Theodore's approval."
Cecilia listened quietly, genuinely shocked by Alaric's analytical ability.
Cecilia thought,'He didn't even work at the Lockhart Group, so how could he know so much about its operations?'
"So the key point now is, as long as we can prove these three fake contracts have nothing to do with Theodore, many things can be resolved," Cecilia confirmed.
Alaric nodded.
Cecilia continued, "So now, my main task is to investigate the partners of these three contracts and get them to testify in court as valid evidence."
"I've already arranged for Cassius to handle it," Alaric said directly.
Cecilia stared at him in a daze.
Alaric added, "By tomorrow morning, he should be able to give me an accurate response."
Cecilia just looked at Alaric.
She knew Alaric wasn't as he appeared to outsiders.
But she didn't think that Alaric was awesome to this extent.
She tried to stay calm and said, "William, who reported my dad by his name, seems very suspicious. He had already fled, but now he's suddenly back. I suspect someone is secretly instigating him."
Alaric replied, "Don't worry, I've already planted a spy around him. So, we'll be able to get evidence once there's any trace of it."
So whatever she could think of, Alaric had already thought of.
"So, Ms. Lockhart, are you still angry?" Alaric asked her.
"When was I angry?" Cecilia retorted.
She just thought Alaric was a bit childish sometimes.
She thought to herself, 'I just think Alaric can be a bit childish sometimes.
'I always assumed that anything Alaric gave me would be the usual trinkets for women—perfume, jewelry, stuff like that. I couldn't care less about any of it.
'I never imagined that he'd do so much for me.
'Quietly and without fuss, he had just gone ahead and done it.
'If he'd been a bit more straightforward, I wouldn't have said such harsh things.
'But it's Alaric's fault for playing the cool guy. If he'd just come clean right away, I wouldn't have felt the need to say all that!
'The recent unpleasantness wasn't entirely my fault.'
"In other words, Ms. Lockhart, would you be willing to sleep in the same bed with me?"Alaric asked. Cecilia said, "Alaric, don't push your luck."
Alaric replied, "I've done so much for you,Ms. Lockhart, and you haven't thought of thanking me at all?"
"...Aren't you doing it for yourself?" Cecilia forced herself to come up with a reason.
Alaric's expression changed slightly.
"We're in the same boat now. If I go down, do you think you'll be fine?" Cecilia said matter-of-factly.
Alaric smiled; he seemed to smile, too.
Anyway, she saw his lips curve up for a second.
He suddenly bent down, his face close to hers.
Cecilia froze; she was like a statue, not moving at all.
Every time Alaric got close, it made her heart race.
He her chin, his eyes meeting hers, and he asked word by word, "Is it so hard to admit that I like you?"
At that moment, Cecilia could only feel her heart pounding, each beat echoing fiercely.
She thought, 'What does it mean…
'To admit that he has feelings for me… Yes, I'm just unwilling to believe that Alaric has genuine feelings for me. I'm afraid of being deceived.'
Right now, however, she felt like she was caught in a no-win situation.
"Cecilia, what have you been through that has made you into the person you are now?" Alaric didn't force Cecilia to answer.
Because he couldn't force her.
He just really wanted to know what earth-shattering events 22-year-old Cecilia had gone through that changed her so completely from head to toe.
"You can investigate me," Cecilia said directly.
"Do you think I haven't done that?" Alaric raised an eyebrow.
Because he hadn't found anything, so he was asking her.
Cecilia's silence once again made Alaric quiet.
With Cecilia, he had always been compromising.
She just didn't believe it.
He spoke, quickly compromising, "Whether you want to sleep with me is up to you. I won't force you."
After saying that, Alaric stood up from the sofa and went straight to bed.
Cecilia just watched Alaric's figure.
She used to think he was childish.
Now she felt he seemed a bit hurt.
Her throat tightened.
Alaric really knew how to play with people's hearts.
If that day ever came, she might actually die by his hand.
Cecilia still got up and left.
She walked out of the room.
Alaric looked in the direction of the door.
His face was visibly extremely gloomy.
He let her choose, and she really chose to leave?
He thought, 'I give her the choice, and she actually chooses to leave?! Doesn't she see that I'm just trying to be a gentleman?! Doesn't she see I'm already in bed, waiting for her to join me?!
'Cecilia, seriously?'
The door suddenly opened.
Alaric's expression was still frozen. But the moment he saw Cecilia, his face returned to its usual calm demeanor.
Cecilia couldn't help but smile, pretending not to see.
"I'm bringing my laptop in to copy those three files you found. I don't want to be digging through them tomorrow," she said, making it clear that she just wanted to get things done.
In other words, she had decided against spending the night with him.
So, she refused to sleep with him.
"Suit yourself." Alaric maintained his signature arrogance without missing a beat.
Cecilia really didn't want to expose Alaric.
She quickly copied and archived the files, closed her laptop, and walked to the bathroom.
Alaric smirked, clearly satisfied.
Cecilia showered quickly, and after finishing, she naturally got into Alaric's bed.
At first, they were just lightly touching.
Later, Alaric held Cecilia tightly.
Cecilia really didn't dare to resist, afraid of touching Alaric's wound.
She nestled in his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat.
Strangely, he gave her a sense of security.
Cecilia pondered, 'Alaric is really slowly invading my senses.
'He is making me accept and even trust his presence more and more.'
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