Chapter 649 The Arrival of Francis
Seraphina was torn.
Facing Sebastian right now, she had no clue how to react.
She just watched as Sebastian cautiously reached for her hand again.
She always felt like Sebastian was bending over backward for her, trying so hard to earn her trust and love.
She let it happen.
This time, when Sebastian held her hand, she didn't pull away.
Sebastian held her hand tight.
He said, "Honestly, without that twenty percent share, I feel relieved. Holding onto those shares was a burden, not just because it messed with our relationship, but also because I felt like I didn't deserve such a big chunk. Now that it's gone, I feel free. Without the shares, I won't feel any pressure when I'm with you."
"Seraphina," Sebastian called her softly.
Seraphina looked back at him.
Sebastian asked, "Can we really start over? Can we really be together?"
Seraphina didn't answer. It seemed hard for her to nod when faced with Sebastian. Sebastian noticed her silence and held back his frustration.
The old Seraphina would have jumped into his arms without a second thought, but now there was a clear distance between them.
Sebastian hid his dissatisfaction well, still showing a gentle demeanor. He said, "It's okay. I know you can't accept it all at once. I'll give you time, as much time as you need."
Seraphina didn't want Sebastian to be so humble towards her.
The more he acted like this, the more uncomfortable she felt.
The more she wanted to break free from this relationship.
"Alright." Sebastian seemed unwilling to say more.
Seraphina always felt that Sebastian was trying to ease the tension.
To keep their relationship going, Sebastian was always very cautious.
"Don't overthink it; leave the Everhart Bank stuff to me. Just focus on living a happy and simple life, and don't worry about anything else. All I want is to see you carefree," Sebastian said as he pulled Seraphina into his arms.
Seraphina lay on his chest, overwhelmed by all the information she had received that day. It was so much that she found it hard to process, yet it seemed she had no choice but to accept it. The Whitaker Villa, decked out with lights and festive decorations, was buzzing with life and energy.
Anyone who didn't know might think someone was getting married!
In fact, it was just to celebrate Alaric's birthday.
Alaric got off work on time.
When he got home, he saw the unique decorations.
He didn't think birthdays were that important, but Cecilia's meticulous arrangement gave him some anticipation.
He thought, 'Maybe life does need a bit of ceremony.'
He walked into the hall in a good mood, wanting to give Cecilia a hug.
But then his steps suddenly halted. He stood there, staring at Francis in front of him.
For a second, he couldn't believe that the person standing in front of him was Francis, his younger brother.
Francis felt uneasy under Alaric's gaze, he said, "Am I interrupting your private time?"
Alaric's eyes flickered.
He turned to look at Cecilia.
Cecilia said, "I invited Francis."
Francis smiled brightly and said, "It's rare that Cecilia remembers me! I thought you both had forgotten about me after you left."
Alaric pursed his lips, and the expression on his face was puzzling to Cecilia.
She was actually very anxious about whether Alaric would accept Francis's arrival.She wasn't sure if inviting Francis was going to be a pleasant surprise or a shock for Alaric.
But in this world, Alaric had no other family. Though he never said it out loud, Cecilia could sense his deep longing for connection. His strong feelings for Terrence and Maeve, along with his bond with Francis, revealed the emptiness he carried inside.
"Isn't this Francis?" Suddenly, Cassius's voice came from behind.
Cassius walked in from outside, looking much more relaxed than Alaric.
Francis looked at Cassius and politely said, "Cassius."
"It's rare for you to leave that island, how did you get here?" Cassius asked casually.
His laid-back attitude lightened the mood in the hall a lot.
Cecilia took this chance to walk over to Alaric, then held his arm intimately, clearly trying to please him silently.
Alaric sighed softly.
What could he do to Cecilia?
What ill intentions could Cecilia have? All she wanted was to see him happy.
"Cecilia invited me," Francis replied. "Cecilia is way better than Alaric. When Alaric left, it was like he disappeared—just a kite with a broken string. It's Cecilia who actually remembered me."
Cecilia felt a bit shy being praised by Francis.
She knew how risky it was to bring Francis back from the island.
But with her extra ten years of experience, Francis's true identity had never been revealed, which meant the noble family was unaware of his existence. As long as they stayed discreet, he would continue to fly under the radar.
So she mustered the courage to bring Francis to Serenovia City.
"Francis." At this moment, another male voice sounded in the hall.
Dashiell walked in from outside, also very surprised to see Francis.
"Dashiell." Francis smiled at Dashiell.
Francis always seemed easier to get along with than Alaric.
He was gentle with everyone.
In contrast, it was obvious that Cassius and Dashiell still had a bit of fear when it came to Alaric.
"You really came?" Dashiell was a bit surprised, but seemed to have known.
That day, Cecilia called him and mentioned wanting to bring Francis to Serenovia City. Dashiell agreed, thinking that Francis, who had been on the island, could use a change of scenery. Moreover, Francis and Alaric had always cherished their time together, even though they never said it, their bond was deeper than most brothers. Dashiell believed Alaric would be happy to have Francis celebrate his birthday.
"Yes." Francis smiled brightly and said, "I couldn't refuse Cecilia's warm invitation."
Hearing this, Cecilia was speechless.
She felt that Francis was a bit mischievous.
Francis kept saying it was she who invited him. Was he trying to dodge the responsibility of coming here?
Clearly, Alaric was a bit displeased.
How could Francis be so sneaky?
Back when Cecilia called to invite him, he was as excited as a child!
"Now you see how mischievous Francis is!" Alaric whispered in Cecilia's ear.
His tone carried a hint of amusement.
Cecilia wrinkled her nose.
Who was she doing all this for?
"Since everyone is here, let's eat." George stepped forward respectfully and said.
Cecilia nodded.
The group walked to the dining room.
The dining room was set up in the villa's back garden, which was decorated very romantically.
With fairy lights, ribbons, balloons, flowers, and more.
Cecilia really put a lot of effort into Alaric.
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