Chapter 556 Preparing for the Wedding
After a long while, the door was finally opened from the inside.
Cecily reached out and grabbed Aurelie's arm, her eyes scanning Aurelie up and down.
"Why were you so quiet just now? You scared me. I thought something happened to you." Cecily was worried.
Aurelie gave a bitter smile, "Did you think I would do something stupid?"
Cecily looked worried.
"Don't worry. I'll live well," Aurelie forced a small smile at Cecily.
Cecily noticed that Aurelie's smile was more distressing than her tears. With a pained heart, she gently embraced Aurelie, whispering, "You're not the one who deserves this. For those people, it's not worth it. Don't do anything foolish, alright?"
Aurelie squeezed her eyes shut, tears escaping from the corners.
Fearing a repeat of today's chaos, Cecily decided that Aurelie should stay at her house for the time being. At least there, they wouldn't dare to come and stir up trouble. But judging by the way things went today, it was clear they wouldn't let it go easily.
This debt was going to be a persistent headache until it was settled.
Meanwhile, at Lewis Manor, Lillian had seen the humiliating video of Aurelie and couldn't help but laugh triumphantly.
The group from the Miller family had been sent by her, and she was surprised by their effectiveness. Aurelie's situation was worse than she had anticipated. If not for Cecily's timely intervention, Aurelie might have been finished today.
"Lillian, what's got you so cheery?" Karen and Laura asked, noticing Lillian's amused expression.
Lillian looked up with a grin. "Mom, Aunt Karen, what brings you here?"
"We heard about the recent events and came to check on you," Karen said, settling next to Lillian. "What are you looking at?"
Lillian handed her phone to Karen, her pride evident. "This is Nathaniel's ex. If it weren't for Cecily, she'd be done for. Seeing her in such a mess, I'm naturally pleased."
Karen took the phone and, relieved that Cecily wasn't heavily involved, noted how over-the-top the video was. "These people aren't all part of your plan, are they?"
"Absolutely," Lillian said with a smirk.
Karen frowned. "Lillian, bullying Aurelie like this is a bit much."
"Too much? How am I being too much?" Lillian scoffed. "She brought this on herself. If she had just agreed to get rid of the baby and donate her uterus to me, I wouldn't have made things difficult for her. Just because she's friends with your future daughter-in-law doesn't mean she deserves special treatment. So what if she was with Nathaniel first? He still chose to get engaged to me."
Karen sighed. "You should keep a closer eye on Nathaniel. I'm not sure he's genuinely committed to you, especially considering what happened while you were abroad."
Laura quickly placed a hand on Karen's arm, silencing her, and looked anxiously at Lillian.
Lillian's expression darkened, her eyes narrowing with anger. "Aunt Karen, what do you mean by that?"
Karen, speaking without thinking, had meant to caution Lillian to reconsider Nathaniel's true intentions. After all, her overseas scandal was widely known, and not many men would accept that easily. But now, it was too late to take it back.
Lillian abruptly stood up, sweeping everything off the coffee table. She grabbed a fruit knife from the table and brandished it menacingly at Karen.
"Repeat what you just said about me being abroad," Lillian hissed, her eyes blazing with fury, as if she were ready to commit murder at any moment.
Karen instinctively shrank behind Laura, her voice trembling. "I didn't mean it like that! Just calm down!"
"Do you think I'm not good enough for Nathaniel? Do you think I'm not worthy of anyone?" Lillian screamed, her voice echoing off the walls.
"No, no, that's not it! I didn't mean it that way at all! Please, just take a breath!" Karen was practically shaking in her shoes.
It was her own reckless decision to follow her boyfriend abroad, which had ended in disaster—being swindled out of her money, raped by multiple men, suffering a miscarriage, and ultimately losing her uterus.
Brent had been the one to rescue her, bringing a battered Lillian back home, and now she didn't even allow anyone to mention it.
'I regret everything,' Karen thought, panic rising as she realized how volatile Lillian could become at the mere mention of that dark chapter.
"What were you trying to say, huh? Tell me!" Lillian brandished a knife, her intentions clear as day.
Karen felt tears prick at her eyes, hiding further behind Laura. "Laura, do something! She's not acting right!"
"Lillian, please calm down. Karen didn't mean it that way. You deserve anyone you want. Just put the knife down, and I'll have Karen apologize," Laura urged, her voice steady but firm.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean anything by it! You absolutely deserve anyone, I swear! Just calm down!" Karen blurted out, desperate to defuse the situation.
As Lillian processed those words, the wild look in her eyes began to fade. Laura shot Karen a knowing glance, and Karen wasted no time in making her escape.
Once outside the Lewis Manor, Karen felt a wave of relief wash over her, as if she had narrowly escaped a disaster. The driver couldn't help but ask, "Mrs. Lockwood, are you alright?"
"Just drive. Fast," she replied, her heart still racing.
She couldn't afford to provoke Lillian any further; it was clear she was a powder keg ready to explode.
"And find someone to tell Cecily to steer clear of Lillian. She's not in a good place," Karen added, her voice low but urgent.
No sane person would suddenly pull a knife on someone. Lillian seemed like a ticking time bomb, easily triggered by the slightest provocation.
With Cecily about to become part of the Lockwood family, Karen was determined to keep her safe from Lillian's unpredictable wrath.
Meanwhile, after tending to Aurelie, Cecily had her own matters to sort out.
The next day, members of the Lockwood family arrived to pick up Cecily.
Landon parked the car and leaned against it, lighting a cigarette as he waited for her to emerge.
Cecily didn't have much to pack—just a small suitcase filled with a few clothes, a mere token of her belongings.
"Not planning on staying long, are you?" Landon asked, extinguishing his cigarette and narrowing his eyes at her tiny suitcase.
"Why are you the one here?" she replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Evander had something come up, so I'm here to get you. Not happy about it?" Landon took her suitcase, arching an eyebrow at its lightness. "Seriously, this is all you brought?"
Cecily offered a cool smile. "I'm marrying into the Lockwood family. Why would I bring my old things?"
Truth be told, Landon had never believed that Cecily genuinely wanted to marry Evander. He always sensed she was hiding something. Despite his attempts to probe, he hadn't uncovered anything yet.
Their eyes locked, and Cecily felt a wave of pressure. Landon was a man of deep thoughts; she needed to tread carefully around him.
He broke the gaze first. "Once you're in the Lockwood family, they'll treat you well. Grandma and Mom have already had your room prepared. Let's go."
Cecily nodded. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it," Landon replied, a hint of amusement in his tone.
Half an hour later, they arrived at Lockwood Manor.
This wasn't Cecily's first visit. Back in school, she and Evander had gotten along well, often coming to the manor to hang out. Bella had always adored her, treating her like a beloved granddaughter.
If it hadn't been for Percy's knife aimed at her unborn child, she and the Lockwood family wouldn't have reached such a bitter impasse.
"Come on in; Grandma's waiting for you," Landon said, gesturing for her to follow.
"Okay," Cecily replied, trailing behind him.
In the living room, Percy, Karen, and Bella were gathered.
Cecily greeted them politely. Percy exchanged a few words before instructing Karen to take Cecily upstairs to see her room.
"Cecily, this will be your space from now on. I had it all set up for you and Evander, but he's away for work these next few days," Karen explained as they climbed the stairs.
Cecily nodded appreciatively. "Thank you, I really like it."
"Great! I'll have someone bring your luggage up. If there's anything you need or if something doesn't feel right, just let me know," Karen said, squeezing Cecily's hand warmly.
Karen was well aware of Percy's plans and understood that Cecily marrying into the Lockwood family was like stepping into a den of wolves. Yet, human nature was selfish. Despite feeling guilty about Cecily, she chose to prioritize her husband and her own interests. All she could do now was treat Cecily well.
Cecily, with her innocent demeanor, seemed genuinely touched by Karen's kindness.
After checking out the room, Cecily followed Karen back downstairs. As soon as they sat down, Percy wasted no time getting to the point. "Cecily, you and Evander are no longer kids. We expect you to get your marriage license and plan the wedding soon."
Cecily blinked in surprise. "So soon?"
Percy waved his hand dismissively. "What's wrong with moving things along? It's a happy occasion, after all. Don't you think?"
Cecily nodded slowly. "So, when are you thinking of setting the date?"
"Well, the sooner, the better, in our opinion. We've looked at the calendar, and the 2nd of next month is a great day for a wedding. We plan to hold it then."
Percy spoke with an air of authority, making it clear that he wasn't interested in discussing it with Cecily.
Cecily furrowed her brow slightly. "The 2nd? That's just next week—only five days away! Isn't that a bit rushed? Plus, Evander isn't even home right now. Will everything be ready in time?"
Percy chuckled, brushing her concerns aside. "Five days is more than enough time. You just need to pick out your wedding dress and get ready to be a bride. We'll handle the rest."
Cecily thought for a moment before responding. "I can agree to that, but I have one condition."
Percy raised an eyebrow. "What's your condition? Just say it, and if it's within our power, we'll make it happen."
"I want the Lockwood family to announce the wedding date publicly. When my ex-husband married Freya, it was a grand affair, and I want my wedding to have the same flair."
Cecily's request resonated with Percy. "Of course! Anything else you'd like?"
"Just that. Nothing more."
"Alright then, it's settled!" Percy said, clearly pleased.
Cecily smiled in agreement, though she couldn't shake the feeling of uncertainty. She wondered if five days would be enough time to gather the evidence she needed.
One thing was for sure: she knew Josep would make his move during those five days.
Josep was desperate to stop her from marrying into the Lockwood family, and she could only imagine the chaos he would unleash on the wedding day.
She looked forward to seeing what tricks he had up his sleeve and anticipated the moment when all their misdeeds would be exposed for everyone to see.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
