Chapter 276 Dig Her Own Grave
Cecilia sneered, "When you give money to a beggar, at least they can muster a smile and a few kind words. But some people can't even manage basic respect; they just lash out at anyone they can."
"How dare you, Cecilia! I'll make sure you regret this, you ungrateful wretch! I'll tear you apart!" Ophelia spat, advancing on Cecilia with the intent to strike.
Cecilia took a step back.
At that moment, security guards quickly moved to block Ophelia, though they didn't lay a hand on her—merely stopping her from reaching Cecilia.
Theodore instinctively shielded Cecilia.
Theodore was increasingly disheartened by his mother's actions. Cecilia watched Ophelia's outburst with a cold gaze, memories of her childhood flashing through her mind.
She remembered the times she had to accompany her parents back when her grandfather was still alive. Things were bearable then, but after his death, and with the inheritance going to their family, Ophelia began taking out her frustrations on Cecilia. No matter what Cecilia did, she was always berated. There were even instances when Ophelia would pinch her in private.
There were times, returning from the Old Mansion, that Cecilia would be covered in bruises. As a child, she was too scared to speak up, but the trauma lingered, leaving deep scars on her childhood.
If it weren't for her second chance at life, seeing everything clearly, Cecilia might still be trapped under Ophelia's shadow—timid, lacking confidence, and afraid to assert herself.
"Get your hands off my grandmother!" Andrew, unable to watch any longer, stepped forward and kicked one of the security guards in the stomach.
The guard, caught off guard, fell to the ground.
Andrew saw nothing wrong with his actions. He shouted, "Touch my grandmother again, and I'll make sure you regret it!"
The guards had only been blocking Ophelia and had not been aggressive.
"Andrew, take down that nasty Cecilia!" Ophelia ordered.
Fueled by anger, Andrew advanced towards Cecilia, ready to strike.
The guards tried to block him, but they hesitated to actually confront Andrew. Several of them were kicked by Andrew in the process.
At that moment, Theodore's frustration boiled over.
He clenched his fists, preparing to intervene as Andrew approached Cecilia. Cecilia grabbed Theodore's arm, her voice icy. "I've called the police."
Andrew froze, stunned.
Cecilia held up her phone, displaying the ongoing emergency call. She enunciated each word clearly, "This is the Lockhart Group Chairman's office. We are under attack; please send assistance immediately."
"Are you out of your mind, Cecilia?!" Andrew exploded.
Cecilia's cold smile didn't waver. "One more punch, and you'll be joining Vincent in prison. Better start preparing for that."
Andrew's fists were clenched tightly, shaking with barely contained rage.
At that moment, he hesitated, fully aware that Cecilia was no longer the pushover she used to be. The woman he could once torment with ease was now a formidable force.
"You've got two minutes to get your grandmother and mother out of here," Cecilia said, her voice calm but carrying an undeniable authority, "Otherwise, I'll report them for unauthorized entry and disrupting our business operations. I'm not kidding."
Andrew's spine chilled at her words.
"Two-minute countdown!" Cecilia's icy tone left no room for argument as she addressed her phone.
Grinding his teeth, Andrew turned to Ophelia, clearly seeking her guidance.
Ophelia, seeing Cecilia's resolute stance and knowing she wouldn't be getting any money today or any benefit from the situation, was seething with frustration. Nevertheless, she was intimidated. She spat out, "Cecilia, you'll pay for this. Mark my words, I won't forget."
With a final venomous glare, Ophelia stormed out, taking Vivienne, Andrew, and Juliana with her.
As they left, the Lockhart Group finally returned to a semblance of peace.
Cecilia instructed the remaining security to take the injured guard to the hospital and ensure he received appropriate compensation for his injuries.
Once everything was settled, Cecilia turned to Theodore, who was visibly distressed.
Sitting in his opulent office chair, Theodore still seemed unable to fathom why his own mother would treat him this way.
Cecilia took a seat opposite him and offered comfort. "Dad, it's not your fault that Grandma treats you this way. You don't have to carry the burden of her mistakes. It's not worth it."
"I just don't get it. Why, throughout our lives, has she always shown such favoritism toward Vincent, despite us being her sons too?"
"Grandpa and Grandma's relationship was always strained. Grandpa favored you, so Grandma took it out on you. And with Grandpa leaving all the inheritance to you, Grandma couldn't handle it. But it's not our fault. Grandpa knew Vincent and Grandma weren't fit to run the Lockhart Group. Clearly, Grandpa's choice was the right one. If he'd given the inheritance to Vincent or divided it equally, the Lockhart Group would have been in ruins by now."
"Cecilia, you truly are my wonderful son," Theodore said, a hint of warmth in his smile.
It was clear that Theodore had been swayed by her words.
"Do you understand now?" Cecilia asked, her tone earnest.
Theodore replied, taking a deep breath, "I do. From now on, I'll leave handling her affairs to you."
"I'll take care of it, don't worry," Cecilia assured him confidently.
"Good. Now, get back to work," Theodore said, nodding.
Cecilia rose and headed towards the door.
Just as she opened it, Theodore's secretary appeared, looking tense and urgent.
"What's going on?" Theodore asked, his expression turning serious.
Theodore's demeanor with Cecilia was worlds apart from how he was with others. With Cecilia, he was doting; with everyone else, he exuded authority.
"MIr. Lockhart, Ophelia has called in a large number of reporters. They're blocking the company entrance, and it's creating a major disruption," the secretary reported hastily.
Theodore's earlier relief vanished, replaced by a scowl.
Cecilia turned to him. "Dad, you said you trust me to handle this, do you mean it?"
Theodore hesitated for a moment.
"Absolutely," he finally said.
"Then leave it to me," Cecilia said firmly.
Theodore nodded decisively.
Years of Ophelia's actions had drained him of any remaining patience.
Cecilia returned to her office and went straight to the floor-to-ceiling windows, observing the scene below. Reporters had surrounded Ophelia at the entrance of the Lockhart Group, creating a media frenzy.
Without a doubt, Ophelia was using this opportunity to attack them publicly, portraying them in the worst possible light.
"Ms. Lockhart," Rose said, approaching her from behind.
"Did you get everything recorded?" Cecilia asked.
"Everything's recorded," Rose confirmed.
"Send it to the media and make sure they arrange for immediate coverage," Cecilia instructed.
"Understood," Rose replied.
As Rose left, Cecilia allowed herself a cold smile.
She had anticipated this move from Ophelia and had made sure Rose recorded the entire confrontation in Theodore's office.
Now, Cecilia was ready to show Ophelia exactly what it meant to dig her own grave.
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