Chapter 271 Best Versions of Ourselves
"Grandma." Cecilia looked to the doorway, where she saw Ophelia, Andrew, and Juliana.
Their expressions were clearly strained, their faces reflecting a depth of discontent and disbelief.
It was evident they had never imagined such a disastrous turn of events.
According to the Yakurosean Empire's laws, Vincent's sentence would start at a minimum of five years. If it was confirmed that William was indeed acting under Vincent's orders, the severity of the case would likely double.
Just thinking about it felt satisfying.
Cecilia grabbed her father's arm and strode toward Ophelia with purpose.
Ophelia's face was a picture of anger and frustration.
"Don't you dare gloat in front of me!" Ophelia spat through gritted teeth.
"I'm not gloating, Grandma," Cecilia said with a bright, disarming smile, "I just wanted to remind you of something. A few days ago, you were on the media, vehemently asserting Theodore's guilt and claiming that Uncle was the most dutiful and caring toward you. Now, with reporters swarming outside, I hope you'll take good care of yourself. After all, the media's harsh words are quite akin to your own."
"Cecilia, enough with the showboating!" Ophelia snapped.
"We're not getting any special treatment. Everything is being judged fairly by the court. If you have any doubts, you can always file an appeal."
Ophelia's rage was palpable.
"By the way, I almost forgot. There's something important I need to tell you," Cecilia said, as if a sudden realization struck her, "Grandma, you mentioned wanting to sever ties with Dad. After discussion, we've decided to respect your wishes. So, from now on, Dad will officially cut off all connections with you."
"Don't you dare try to intimidate me! Just because Vincent's in trouble doesn't mean I'm scared of you."
"Oh, I'm sure you're not afraid. After all, you've never treated Dad like a son. No mother would act this way toward her own child."
"Enough! I don't have time to waste on your nonsense."
"Neither do I." Cecilia's expression turned cold. "Just so you understand, severing ties with Dad means you'll need to move out of the Lockhart Old Mansion immediately. That property is in Dad's name, and since you no longer have a connection with him, you have no right to stay there. Also, the $50 thousand monthly allowance Dad provided you will be cut off. You'll need to adjust your spending habits accordingly. Lastly, the staff who attended to you were hired and paid for by my mother. Since you no longer need their services, we'll be bringing them back to our Lockhart Mansion. Please make arrangements for your own care to avoid any inconvenience."
"Cecilia, you…" Ophelia's face turned a livid shade.
"I suppose I can't call you Grandma anymore, can I? After all, you're no longer connected to Dad. From now on, I'll just refer to you as 'An elderly lady.'" Cecilia offered a faint, almost mocking smile. "Farewell, An elderly lady. Take care."
Ophelia's face was a mask of fury.
Andrew, still grappling with the situation, quickly interjected, "Grandma, I'll take care of you. Cecilia, stop threatening her!"
Cecilia smirked. Andrew's true colors were hardly a mystery to her.
When he stood to gain something, his lips would be stained with flattery for his grandmother.
But once Ophelia ceased to be a source of benefits, he would definitely abandon her.
Curiosity gnawed at Cecilia's mind.
She thought, 'How would Andrew, whom Ophelia has doted on since his birth, take good care of her?'
"Let's go, Grandma," Andrew said as he helped Ophelia leave. She looked relieved, taking one last parting jab. "It seems all women are a burden. Only my dear grandson can be counted on."
Cecilia remained silent, content to await the dramatic reversal of fortunes.
"Cecilia, treating your grandmother this way…" Theodore, ever so dutiful, couldn't help but interject.
Cecilia thought, 'But he doesn't really know the extent to which she put our family in dire straits for the sake of Vincent's clan in my past life.
'I do.
'So why should I show mercy?'
"I was serious about what I said before, Dad. Tomorrow, we need to reclaim the estate, the allowance, the staff," Cecilia stated firmly.
"That's too harsh," Theodore objected.
"We need to teach Grandma a lesson. Otherwise, she'll never understand who truly cares for her." Cecilia was unyielding.
"But…"
"Dad, just listen to me. I won't really let Grandma go under."
As Cecilia spoke with such conviction, Theodore couldn't help but recall how Ophelia had kicked him while he was down.
"Alright, I'll follow your lead. But if anything happens to your grandma, we can't just stand by and watch," Theodore conceded.
Cecilia nodded.
"Let's go. The press is outside waiting." Seraphina chirped in, her excitement palpable, "I want the world to know my godfather is a good man."
Cecilia shot Seraphina a look of exasperation while Theodore gazed at her with a mixture of indulgence and amusement.
They climbed the towering courthouse steps, flanked by a sea of reporters waiting for them.
In the distance, Andrew and Juliana struggled to support the ailing Ophelia as they made their way out, clearly looking disheveled.
"Mr. Lockhart, with the truth finally coming to light, do you have any comments?" a reporter shouted.
"Ophelia had previously insisted on your guilt, claiming Vincent was the dutiful one and even pushed for you to step aside as chairman. Now your brother has been arrested instead. What's your take on this? Do you feel betrayed by Ophelia's favoritism towards Vincent?"
"Ms. Lockhart, have you always believed in Mr. Lockhart's innocence?"
"Mr. Whitaker, it's said this is your first lawsuit, and it's made national headlines. How does it feel to have such a high-profile debut?"
"Mr. Whitaker, since marrying Cecilia, your life seems to have taken off, and it's not just you—Ms. Lockhart's life has changed as well. Can you share what's made you both so successful and continually improving after your marriage?"
The barrage of questions was overwhelming.
Theodore, who had always been uncomfortable with the media, was clearly eager to escape.
But Cecilia, on the other hand, was no longer inclined to remain silent or low-profile.
Turning to the reporters, she said, "I've always had faith that my father was innocent, so the outcome wasn't a surprise. As for my grandmother's favoritism, we've grown used to it. As long as she's happy, that's what matters. Regarding Alaric's first lawsuit and our personal growth… isn't it natural to strive to be the best for the ones we love? We simply want to give each other the best versions of ourselves, nothing more."
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