Chapter 85 The Benevolent Heroine
Everyone stood in stunned silence, absorbing Cecilia’s poignant words.
Clearly, in this incident with Emily, the person most hurt was her, yet she was speaking up for Emily now.
"Dad," Cecilia spoke, her voice strained but determined as pain from her back radiated through her body. Caspian had not held back when he struck Emily.
"Everyone is born kind. If Emily has become what she is today, it is not solely her fault. Perhaps you failed to give her the care she needed. Maybe your methods of raising her were flawed, or perhaps you never truly understood her needs. When it comes to Emily, you all need to reflect," Cecilia continued, her voice imbued with sincerity.
Her words left Caspian speechless.
"Mom," Cecilia turned toward Arabella, "I know how much you’ve done for Emily, how deeply you love her. But do you truly understand what Emily wants? She kept saying that everyone else could go out and live their lives while she couldn't. Have you sheltered her too much, preventing her from growing independently and contributing to her current mindset?"
Arabella was also rendered speechless by Cecilia's assertions. She began to question the choices she had made regarding her daughter, wondering if she had loved too much or simply misunderstood what Emily really needed.
"Hasn't Emily suffered enough physical pain throughout her life? Will hurting her again really help? Our priority should be helping Emily return to a healthy mental state, rather than deepening her resentment towards us,” Cecilia said earnestly, her voice resonating with truth.
Cecilia’s heartfelt appeal moved everyone in the room. Even Rebecca, who had harbored a long-standing hostility towards her, found herself admiring Cecilia’s courage and wisdom in this moment.
Cecilia had not only revealed Emily’s true nature but also solidified her reputation as a compassionate and understanding individual. She had won the moral high ground entirely.
Rebecca, reflecting on the times Emily had bullied her, felt a wave of suppressed feelings. She gritted her teeth, struggling to conceal her emotions.
Emily, meanwhile, was shocked that Cecilia would defend her. While everyone else observed her plight coldly, it was Cecilia—whom she loathed—who stood up for her.
No. She wouldn’t accept Cecilia’s pity, nor would she permit Cecilia to appear as the hero in everyone’s eyes!
Just as she was about to push Cecilia away, Cecilia leaned in close, whispering in her ear, "If you really want your dad to beat you to death, keep going."
To the others, it seemed as though Cecilia was offering comforting words to Emily.
But Emily was indeed threatened by Cecilia’s words. She knew that if she responded to kindness with enmity now, she would completely sever whatever emotional ties she had left with her family. Her father might actually beat her to death in his next bout of rage.
She clenched her teeth, seething inside.
Emily realized that Cecilia’s actions weren’t out of genuine concern. Cecilia sought to win favor with the family, to endear herself to Emily’s parents, and possibly to earn Alaric’s love. Emily saw through Cecilia’s motives but felt powerless to thwart her.
"Emily, apologize to your parents," Cecilia instructed gently, her voice laced with quiet authority.
In this drama, Cecilia had managed to seize all the advantages. By contrast, Emily now appeared as the twisted, malevolent figure while Cecilia emerged as the benevolent heroine who repaid evil with good and upheld justice. In the family’s eyes, Cecilia was fast becoming a shining beacon, destined to enjoy their favor and respect.
Emily felt a deep sense of grievance, but under Cecilia's deliberate manipulation, she muttered pitifully, "I'm sorry, Dad, Mom. It's my fault. I let you down."
Caspian's intense anger began to wane, and Cecilia's earlier words had made him rethink his approach. He took a deep breath and addressed Emily more calmly, "What's the use of apologizing to me? You hurt Cecilia this time, so apologize to her quickly!"
Emily ground her teeth in barely contained rage, turning to look at Cecilia. While Cecilia's smile was outwardly gentle and kind, to Emily it seemed smug and victorious.
"I'm sorry, Cecilia. I won't do it again. And I won't like Alaric anymore," Emily said, her voice strained with bitterness.
Cecilia responded magnanimously, "It's okay. I understand why you like Alaric—because you haven’t met many other boys. Once you start meeting more people, you won’t feel this way anymore."
Emily forced herself to nod in faux repentance. As she did, her body suddenly went limp, and she collapsed. Cecilia caught her with a calculated grace.
Arabella’s maternal instincts overcame her again. Despite her anger and disappointment, Emily was still her daughter. Worry etched lines into Arabella’s face. "Emily," she said softly, her voice breaking.
"Mom, can I rest for a while?" Emily asked weakly, her demeanor pitiable.
"Help me take Emily upstairs," Arabella said to the servants.
Several servants hurried over and, aided by Arabella, escorted the frail Emily upstairs. With Emily's departure, a tense weight lifted from the hall, allowing a collective sigh of relief.
"Cecilia, you should go back to your room and take care of your back injury," Grace suggested, her voice tinged with concern.
Only now did others recall that Cecilia had been whipped. Caspian, feeling a swirl of guilt, spoke up hastily, "Cecilia, I may have been too harsh earlier. Go back to your room and let Alaric tend to your wound. If it’s serious, visit a hospital..."
"It's okay, Caspian. I can handle it. It's not that painful," Cecilia assured him, her smile straining but sincere. Her words, meant to comfort, only deepened Caspian’s guilt.
"Before I take care of my injury, I want to discuss Anna," Cecilia said, her tone turning businesslike.
Puzzled, everyone looked at her. "Regardless of Emily's actions, Anna did something unforgivable to her. I’m not suggesting Anna should be punished by Emily, but she probably doesn't dare to face Emily anymore. Therefore, I propose that Anna leave the Whitaker family."
Caspian nodded in agreement. "I'll provide Anna with some money to help her get started elsewhere."
"But Anna has been a servant here since she was young. She doesn't know any other job," Cecilia continued thoughtfully. "I've looked into her family's situation. Without her income, they’d struggle to make ends meet. So, I want to offer Anna a position at our house."
Caspian immediately agreed, impressed by Cecilia's thoroughness. "That’s a perfect solution."
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