Chapter 561 Wedding Countdown
Aurelie's lashes fluttered slightly as she fixed her gaze on Nathaniel, her eyes calm and still, like a stagnant pool. Nathaniel raised an eyebrow but didn't make any move to respond.
Lillian, watching intently, urged him on. "Come on! Aren't you supposed to be helping me? I'm your fiancée, after all! She's the one who's got me all worked up. As my fiancé, you should be stepping in to defend my honor!"
Nathaniel chuckled lightly, nodding in agreement. "You've got a point there."
His gaze shifted to Aurelie, and an unreadable emotion flickered in his eyes. Aurelie felt a sinking feeling in her chest as the weight of his words hit her. Even though she knew Nathaniel would side with Lillian, hearing him say it out loud made her heart plummet, a wave of desolation washing over her.
Lillian's face lit up with triumph at Nathaniel's words. "As your fiancé, it's my responsibility to keep an eye on the crazies around me, to make sure they don't go off the rails."
"What did you just say?" Lillian's expression shifted, her excitement turning to shock.
"Nathaniel, let go of me!" she shouted, but Nathaniel had already grabbed Lillian, pulling her close without a hint of hesitation. "Let's get you home. You belong there. I'd hate for you to embarrass yourself out here."
"Nathaniel, I said let go! Can you hear me?" she protested, struggling against his grip.
"We'll take the wedding dress. Owe it for now," he said, dragging an infuriated Lillian with him as he shot a glance at Aurelie and strode away.
Lillian's hand was firmly held in Nathaniel's, leaving her no chance to escape. "Nathaniel, let go of me! I'm serious! I'm going to tell my dad, and you'll regret this!" she fumed.
With a sly smile, Nathaniel yanked her closer, his dark eyes glinting with a strange intensity. "Lillian, who else would want to marry you? Don't push your luck, alright?"
For a moment, Lillian froze, his voice unnervingly soft, but the dangerous glimmer in his eyes was something she'd never seen before. An icy chill ran through her, making her hesitate to continue her tirade.
Before she knew it, she was being shoved into a car, helpless to resist as she watched Nathaniel take her away.
Aurelie stood there, watching Nathaniel whisk Lillian away. She thought, 'What just happened? Was he actually helping me?'
Vivienne, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up, "He doesn't seem to have zero feelings for you," she noted, watching Aurelie's reaction.
Aurelie blinked, shaking her head. "No, Aunt Vivienne, he doesn't feel anything for me. I don't know why he didn't go along with Lillian today, but I know he doesn't care about me."
If he had even a shred of concern for her, he wouldn't have just stood by when she was being humiliated. That day, he could have stepped in, but he didn't. So, Aurelie dismissed any hope that Nathaniel had feelings for her.
"We should head back," she said, taking a deep breath to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over.
Vivienne gently patted Aurelie's shoulder, offering silent comfort. Aurelie managed a weak smile as they walked back together.
Meanwhile, Cecily had left the bridal shop and headed straight to the private hospital to check on Owen before visiting Percy, who was recovering from a car accident. She couldn't ignore the news about Percy's crash; it was impossible for her to pretend she didn't care.
When she arrived, she found only Karen in the hospital room. Cecily approached, concern etched on her face as she asked a few questions.
Karen looked worried as she turned to Percy. "How did this happen? Were you speeding or something?"
Percy didn't answer right away; instead, he squinted, deep in thought.
"Why aren't you saying anything? You're driving me crazy!" Karen exclaimed, her impatience bubbling over.
"I don't think this was just an accident," Percy said, his voice low and serious.
"Not an accident?" Karen's eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you saying someone did this on purpose?"
Cecily, who had been peeling an apple, looked up at Percy with concern. "Uncle Percy, are you saying someone is trying to hurt you? Should we call the police?"
Percy glanced at Cecily, hesitating for a moment before shifting the conversation. He didn't want to voice his suspicions in front of her. "Maybe I'm just overthinking it. It could very well be an accident. Don't worry too much about me. By the way, didn't you two go to try on wedding dresses today? How did that go?"
"Yeah, Cecily, how did the dress fitting turn out?" Karen chimed in, eager to change the subject.
"It went well enough," Cecily replied simply.
"I heard you ran into Darian and Freya at the bridal shop?"
Cecily nodded, although a hint of sadness clouded her eyes. "Yeah, we did."
Percy studied Cecily's expression, sensing the underlying emotions. "Did anything happen between you all?"
"No, I tried on the dress I liked and left right after," she explained.
Percy nodded, though he wasn't sure if he believed her. Karen, knowing Percy's suspicious nature, interjected to ease his doubts. "Not only did they run into Darian, but Nathaniel and Lillian were there too. Everyone's getting married, and the weather was lovely—perfect for a chance encounter. When I saw them, I took Cecily upstairs to avoid any awkwardness."
Percy raised an eyebrow. Hearing Karen's explanation eased some of his concerns. "Well, that is quite the coincidence."
After chatting for a while, Percy gently urged Cecily not to overexert herself and suggested she head home. She didn't argue, grateful for the reprieve.
Once Cecily left, Karen turned to Percy, her tone serious. "You were about to say something in front of Cecily. You're not suspecting her in this accident, are you?"
"Of course not," Percy shook his head, already having someone else in mind.
"Then who do you think is behind it?"
Percy's eyes narrowed, calculating and fierce. "Who else could it be? The one person who hates me the most and would love nothing more than for me to be out of the picture—Josep."
He had dirt on Josep, and with the news that Evander was set to marry Cecily, Josep was likely in a frenzy. The accident only solidified his suspicions.
"Damn it, I won't let him get away with this," Percy muttered through gritted teeth.
Meanwhile, at home, Josep was pacing, his mind racing with frustration. With Cecily and Evander's wedding date rapidly approaching, he knew he couldn't afford to wait any longer. If he did, the shares of Fitzgerald Group would slip right through his fingers and into Percy's grasp.
He grabbed his phone and dialed a number, his voice cold and commanding. "Get Cecily back for me. No matter what it takes, ruin her. I want to see how she plans to marry Evander in five days."
Meanwhile, the news of Cecily and Evander's impending wedding was sending ripples of panic through more than just Josep.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
