Chapter 22
An icy smirk played on Cecily ’s lips.
"Why?" She asked knowingly.
Ever since her mother had gone missing, Raphael had brazenly brought his mistress and illegitimate daughter into their home, seizing everything her mother had owned.
Cecily was young then, but Raphael hadn't looked after her since.
Years had passed with no contact, and his sudden urgency for her return was just because of the incident from last night.
The security footage had also impacted Elysia, who was undoubtedly going to put on a show of her grief and play the victim.
Her father fighting for Elysia was something Cecily had grown accustomed to.
"Do you really have to ask? Don't tell me you don’t know what you did last night. Your sister came home with her face swollen, and you, her big sister, not only didn't help her, but you sided with someone else and slapped her. Cecily, what’s wrong with you?!"
"Your sister got really hurt, yet you're perfectly fine. Cecily, are you even human?!"
"Your sister was crying her eyes out. Shouldn't you, as her big sister, be looking out for her? Cecily, how could I have a daughter like you? Why don't you drop dead?!"
From a young age, Cecily knew her father despised her.
He despised her to the point where even the slightest grievance against Elysia meant Cecily should pay with her life.
But things weren't like this when her mother was still around.
Her cell phone was snatched away.
"Idiot, why haven't you died yet? A gold-digging man like you should just die from scalding water, choke on his food, or get hit by a bus."
Before Raphael could even react, the call was disconnected.
Aurelie tossed the phone onto the couch, "Why waste words on your stupid father? Is your life too long or what?"
Cecily chuckled, "No matter how outrageous he is, I see it as a dog's barking—it can't hurt me, so let him bark."
Aurelie raised an eyebrow, acknowledging the sentiment.
"Are you planning to go to the office today?"
"I need to stop by Watson family home first."
"What? Are you really going back there?" Aurelie looked at her as if she'd taken the wrong medication. "Why would you willingly go back to that den of wolves and tigers? Who knows how they'll tear into you? Are you asking for misery?"
Cecily arched an eyebrow with a casual air, "I need to go check on Grandma."
If she had any lingering affection for the Watson family, it resided solely with her grandmother.
Her grandmother was the only one kind to her after her mother disappeared from the household.
She would never forget those who'd hurt her, but the kindness she'd received was etched in her memory forever.
Plus, Aurelie had mentioned that her grandmother wasn't in the best of health, and now that she was back in town, she owed it to herself to visit her.
Hearing Cecily was going back to see Matilda, Aurelie's expression softened a touch, "You sure you'll be alright on your own? I can come with you, and if they try anything, I'll give them a piece of my mind."
Cecily chuckled, "I can handle it, don't worry."
"Are you sure, Cecily?" Aurelie was very concerned.
Cecily nodded. "I'll be fine. Oh, by the way." Standing up, Cecily fetched a document from her suitcase she had brought home the day before and handed it to Aurelie.
"This is my latest fragrance formulation. Could you drop it by the R&D department?"
Taking the document, Aurelie nodded, "Sure, and speaking of this reminds me of something."
"What's that?"
"Somebody sent a snooper to the company to dig up dirt on you."
Cecily leaned back into the couch, her delicate brows raised in inquiry, "Any idea who it was?"
With a glint of mischief in her eyes, Aurelie leaned in close and winked at Cecily, "Guess?"
"Elysia? Ophelia?"
"Wow! How did you know?"
Cecily smiled knowingly, "Elysia, as the lead perfumer of Flores Group, can't seem to match the sales of a small company's fragrance line. It's no surprise Ophelia is pressuring her. When Elysia feels the heat, she never thinks about improving. She aims to eliminate the competition causing her stress. It checks out she'd investigate me."
"And as for Ophelia, she's all about the bottom line. Disappointed by Elysia time and again, she'd naturally think about replacing her. And who better to do that than me, the one outperforming Elysia."
Aurelie clapped enthusiastically in agreement. "Looks like you've got their number."
Of course, Cecily had seen right through their schemes.
"But they're doomed to come up empty-handed. Not even our executives have met you face to face. They’re basically grasping at straws by trying to find dirt on you."
Cecily's lips curled into a subtle smile.
There was no way she was going to let them uncover anything.
After all, it wasn't time yet. They had taken too much from her, and she was determined to destroy them, piece by piece.
After tidying up, Aurelie headed to the office, while Cecily made her way to Watson family home.
Aurelie left the house earlier, and by the time Cecily emerged from the apartment, she was greeted by a tall, familiar silhouette at the doorway.
The man was dressed in a sharp black suit, and his indifferent expression was marred by a hint of fatigue. He leaned against his car, a cigarette pinched between his fingers as he took a drag. The swirling smoke partly concealed his strikingly handsome features.
With a luxury car and his good looks, passing women couldn't help but turn their heads.
Yet his cold aura was so intense that no one dared approach.
Cecily frowned; an expression often used by Aurelie popping into her mind. "Bad vibes."
Darian keenly noticed Cecily's gaze, casually lifting his eyes to sweep over her.
Cecily turned on her heel to leave.
The next second, Larkin, flanked by two burly bodyguards, stepped in her path with authority. "Miss Cecily, please stay," he said. The word 'please' sounded formal, but the approach was anything but.
Typical of Darian's team.
"And if I don't?" She challenged.
As the bodyguards moved forward, Cecily quickly raised her hand to block them, but they were trained to respond to her every move.
Before she knew it, she was standing before Darian.
Cecily was speechless.
"Mr. Fitzgerald, Miss Cecily is here," announced Larkin.
Cecily's gaze toward Darian was frosty. "Have you no regard for the law?"
Darian exhaled his last puff of smoke, crushing the cigarette butt underfoot while looking at her intently. "I need to talk to you."
"I don't want to listen."
It was obviously about last night's incident.
Cecily lamented her unlucky fate. Raphael defended Elysia without knowing the facts.
And Darian was probably here to take revenge on Ophelia’s behalf.
How did she end up encountering so many unhinged people in this lifetime? What had she done in a past life to deserve this?
"You have to listen." Darian asserted.
Cecily glanced toward the security guard at the door, "Sir, we've got a troublemaker over here, could you please call the cops? Thanks."
Darian furrowed his brows deeply.
Cecily felt a jolt of pain in her jaw as someone seized it, a hint of fury in his eyes, "Cecily, I just wanted to talk, really."
Cecily ground her molars together.
Why did he always like to pinch her chin? Did he not know it hurt like hell?
Probably not.
Cecily's hand shot up, gripping Darian's chin forcefully.
Darian's eyes narrowed dangerously.
This woman...
Did she have a death wish?
Larkin, standing to the side, was dumbstruck.
Cecily moved Darian's chin up and down, giving him a taste of his own medicine. "Darian, does it feel good when I pinch you like this?"
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