Chapter 262 I Might Really Fall in Love with You
After blow-drying her hair, Alaric put the hairdryer down.
He said, "All done."
Cecilia touched her soft hair, "Thanks."
"A verbal gratitude?" Alaric clearly expected more.
"Didn't you initiate this?I didn't ask you to dry my hair," Cecilia said ungratefully.
Alaric's expression changed slightly.
Ignoring him, Cecilia got up from her seat, but before she could react, Alaric suddenly swept her off her feet.
"Alaric!" Cecilia gasped in surprise.
She couldn't believe how strong he was. In one swift move, he lifted her off the ground and placed her on the bathroom counter, giving her no chance to respond. He pressed her down and kissed her.
She thought, 'This damned man, can I stab him to death with a knife?'
After a long time, Alaric released her and said, "I never accept verbal gratitude."
She thought, 'Asshole.'
Alaric said, "Next time, Ms. Lockhart, be more proactive."
Cecilia thought, 'Proactive? Not a chance.'
Alaric continued, "By the way, Cassius will come over later to give me the documents."
"Didn't he say he'd give them to you before the court session?" Cecilia asked.
"'Someone' wasn't reassured," Alaric replied.
Cecilia pressd her lips.
She just had the feeling that Alaric seemed to care about what she had to say.
She was just casually mentioning it.
As long as the evidence was solid, he shouldn't need much eloquence, just express it clearly.
"Let's go downstairs for dinner," Alaric said, holding Cecilia's hand as they left the bathroom.
Cecilia looked at their intertwined fingers and suddenly said, "Alaric, I think one day, I might really fall in love with you."
Alaric said, "Be more confident, remove the 'might'.
"Just like my love for you. It's like a storm, unstoppable." It was a simple statement, but it carried the weight of a vow.
Cecilia had started to believe it.
She really did.
Alaric was genuinely in love with her.
Two days later, Theodore's court day.
News had already erupted early that morning. With a case involving one of the four major families of the Yakurosean Empire, the public was naturally abuzz.
Cecilia and Alaric had headed to the Lockhart Mansion at the crack of dawn and then accompanied Theodore to the courthouse.
By the time they arrived at the grand entrance of the courthouse, a throng of reporters was already gathered.
As soon as Theodore and his entourage stepped out of the car, the journalists swarmed them, leaving no room to breathe.
Augustus did his best to shield them, maneuvering through the press to avoid the crush of bodies.
"Mr. Lockhart, is it true that you are involved in bribery and tax evasion? Can you briefly talk about your current feelings?"
"Mr. Lockhart, Ophelia has always accused you of being unfilial and even said your inheritance rights were forged. What do you have to say about that?"
"Ms. Lockhart, what do you think about Mr. Lockhart's case? What are the chances of winning?"
"Mr. Whitaker, now that you've become a civil servant, do you know that if Mr. Lockhart is sentenced, it will greatly affect your career?"
The barrage of questions was relentless.
The reporters pressed in, creating an impenetrable wall of noise and bodies.
"Mr. Lockhart, are you silent because all the accusations are true and you have nothing to say?" a reporter shouted.
Cecilia's expression darkened noticeably.
She hesitated for a moment.
Theodore grabbed Cecilia's arm. "No point in wasting time with them."
Cecilia held back. At this moment, Alaric gave Augustus a stare.
Augustus used brute force to push the reporters away.
Then he protected them as they struggled to walk into the court.
"Mrs. Ophelia Lockhart is here!" one reporter suddenly shouted.
A portion of the reporters quickly shifted their focus.
The remaining reporters, finding no new information from Theodore's side, followed the others over.
In an instant, the crowd around Theodore thinned out.
In the back, reporters rushed to question Ophelia. "Mrs. Ophelia Lockhart, are you worried about your son's trial now that you're here in person?"
"I'm not worried. If he's guilty, he deserves whatever punishment comes his way. I'm here to make sure the court delivers a fair judgment, so I can at least account for my ancestors and the Lockhart family's honor," Ophelia said firmly.
"So you believe Mr. Lockhart is indeed guilty?"
Ophelia replied, "Why else would so many in the prosecution be investigating him so thoroughly? There's always a reason behind such actions. I trust the prosecution's judgment."
"There were claims from Mrs. Lockhart that Mr. Lockhart has been ungrateful to you. Is there any truth to that?"
Ophelia said, her anger palpable, "I'm old enough that I shouldn't be making things up. If it weren't for Vincent sticking by me all these years, I'd have been six feet under by now! Heaven does have eyes—ungrateful people should face their due consequences."
"Mr. Vincent Lockhart, do you have any thoughts on the case against Mr. Theodore Lockhart?" a reporter asked Vincent, who had been supporting Ophelia.
"It's hard for me. But he's broken the law, and he must face the legal consequences. That's what he deserves."
"If Mr. Theodore Lockhart is imprisoned, will you be taking over the Lockhart Group?"
"That's a matter for later. The Lockhart Group is still Theodore's. If he's imprisoned, it'll be up to him to decide what happens next. I'll just do my part," Vincent responded with an air of grace.
"Mr. Vincent Lockhart, are you always this accommodating?"
"As the elder brother, isn't it my duty?" Vincent replied with a sense of responsibility, clearly contrasting with Theodore's earlier indifference. "Thank you for your hard work. It's getting late; we need to head inside for the hearing."
With that, Vincent helped Ophelia toward the courthouse.
Andrew and Juliana, naturally, followed closely behind, displaying impeccable manners.
Cecilia watched the family's performance with a critical eye.
Her gaze was cold.
She would make sure they understood that stepping into the courtroom and coming out again would be like entering entirely different worlds.
"Cecilia, Alaric and I are going this way," Theodore said, stopping as they entered the courtroom.
Cecilia looked at Theodore.
Then her gaze shifted to Alaric.
Alaric gave a slight nod.
That simple gesture gave her a sense of reassurance.
Perhaps, trust between people was built in a single moment.
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