Chapter 589: What Kind of Moral Coercion Is This
Since Nathaniel had already taken Aurelie away, Cecily's goal was achieved, and she didn't want to continue arguing with the family.
After dropping her words like a mic, Cecily was ready to bounce.
But Barbara, seeing Aurelie was taken away, grabbed Cecily's arm in a panic, "You can't just leave!"
Gary, standing next to Cecily, squinted and shoved Barbara's hand off her.
Barbara was about to lose it, "You heartless bunch! You're all backing Aurelie against us. If you had lent us money back then, Joshua wouldn't be dead. It's all on you for being so cold. You're loaded, that money's nothing to you, but for us, it was everything. Now my husband's gone, and it's your fault."
Cecily couldn't believe Barbara's nerve.
"Why don't you admit that you didn't stop your husband from gambling, which led to his downfall? Instead, you blame me, someone who has nothing to do with your family, for not lending you money and causing his death," Cecily shot back.
"Aren't you and Aurelie tight? You didn't help her dad when he was in trouble, now that he's dead, you can't dodge the blame."
Cecily raised an eyebrow, "So, you're saying it's my job to pay off your debts?"
Barbara's face twisted with anger as she snapped at Cecily, "You could've saved a life with a little help, but now because you didn't, a life is lost. Don't talk to me about duty, just tell me if you feel any responsibility."
After ripping into Cecily, she turned to the crowd, "Everyone, look at this person. She's obviously loaded. If she had just helped, our family wouldn't be in this mess. But instead of helping, she's here throwing shade. I can't take it anymore."
It was a full-on guilt trip, and Cecily was seeing it all today.
She looked like she was ready to blame anyone she could find.
The crowd had mixed reactions.
People were murmuring, "If it's really like she said, that a little help could save a life, I think anyone would help. You do seem a bit cold-hearted, look at today's tragedy."
"Yeah, if it were me, I'd help if I could. You really have no sympathy, pushing a family to this point."
"There are all kinds of people in this world. Some, even if they have money, won't give a dime."
"I don't know what kind of trouble the deceased had to jump off a building. If you can help, just do it, don't be so cold and heartless."
Some folks were definitely buying Barbara's sob story and feeling sorry for her. Cecily just smirked, "Since you all have such big hearts, why don't you help? The deceased owed two hundred million dollars in gambling debts, their family can't pay it back, and they're hounding me to cover it. I have no ties to them, and I'm not that generous. If you are, go ahead and pay for them."
As soon as Cecily dropped that bomb, the people who were just calling her heartless went dead silent.
"Are you kidding? Two hundred million dollars, and you expect others to pay for you? What kind of guilt trip is this?" Someone blurted out, totally floored.
Barbara shot back, "It sounds like a lot to you, but what's that money to her, a rich family's daughter?"
"Doesn't matter if she's a rich family's daughter or the richest person on the planet, she doesn't owe you a dime. Where do you get off?" the guy retorted.
The crowd initially thought it was just a small amount, something they could chip in for. Most folks were quick to sympathize with the underdog.
But when they heard it was two hundred million dollars, they were like, "Is she for real?"
"I said she could loan it to us. We never said we wouldn't pay her back," Barbara stubbornly replied.
Cecily nodded, "If it's a loan, you should have some collateral. Even banks won't lend without collateral. Why should I?"
"You and Aurelie are so close, and you still want us to provide collateral to borrow money from you?" Barbara asked.
This time, Cecily didn't need to say a word. The guy from earlier jumped in, "Are you serious? Even brothers keep their accounts straight. You want to borrow that much without collateral? Sounds like you just want a free handout. Have you no shame?"
With her bluff called, Barbara plopped down on the ground, wailing and slapping her thighs, claiming she couldn't go on.
Cecily rubbed her forehead. Seeing this shameless act, she could only imagine how tough it must've been for Aurelie to deal with these people alone.
"Let's bounce," Cecily said to Gary, who was standing guard. Arguing here was a waste of time.
Gary nodded and escorted Cecily away.
When Cecily found Aurelie again, she was sitting on the couch, pale-faced, with bloodshot eyes but no tears, staring blankly into space, lost in thought.
Nathaniel stood beside her, silent, the atmosphere heavy and tense.
No one had expected today's outcome, and Cecily was shaken too.
"Aurelie?" Cecily called softly.
It took a while for Aurelie to slowly lift her head and look at Cecily, her eyes empty and confused.
She still couldn't wrap her head around why Joshua jumped. She knew his antics today were to pressure her.
He'd pulled stunts like this before, and she was almost used to it.
So she was sure Joshua was bluffing, but she never expected him to actually jump from such a high rooftop.
She saw his body grow cold and the blood spreading beneath him, a bright red pool, and she just stared numbly.
She didn't know how to react. Joshua was dead, and she no longer had to live in constant fear of him gambling again, racking up more debt, and forcing her to pay it off.
She should be relieved.
But she couldn't smile.
Memories came flooding back.
She remembered that before Sarah passed away, their family of three was so happy.
When she was little, Joshua used to lift her high above his head, let her sit on his shoulders, play the superhero when other kids bullied her, and give her candy when she cried.
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