Chapter14 You Shouldn't Have Crossed Him
Outside the bar, the evening breeze was cool, dispersing the alcohol smell from Miranda.
"Thank you, Mr. Prescott." Miranda stopped, genuinely grateful. "Back there, thank you for helping me out."
She'd thought Clifton was actually going to talk business with that man.
But seeing that guy get played like a fool, she belatedly realized Clifton had been standing up for her.
He'd seen the man trying to force her to drink, so in his own way, he'd gotten revenge for her.
Clifton turned his head. His eyes behind the mask seemed especially deep in the night.
"You're my wife." His voice was light. "It's what I should do."
Miranda's heart trembled slightly.
"Head back now?" he asked.
Miranda nodded.
A black Rolls Royce silently glided up to them. The driver got out, respectfully opened the door for Clifton, and helped fold up the wheelchair.
Inside the car, the atmosphere was somewhat quiet.
But Miranda's phone kept buzzing inappropriately. The screen showed message after message from Harrison.
"Miranda, have you lost your mind? Do you know who Clifton Prescott is?!"
"He's temperamental and ruthless. No one in our circle dares cross him! Stay away from him!"
"Don't think climbing up to him will get you anywhere. Someone like him is way out of your league! Don't end up getting used and not even knowing it!"
Message after message, full of condescending lectures and self righteous "advice."
Miranda looked at these messages, her brow furrowing tightly.
Then, expressionless, she long pressed, deleted, and blocked him.
All in one smooth motion.
At the Prescott estate.
Having already shared a bed once before, this time entering Clifton's bedroom, Miranda no longer felt the initial awkwardness and embarrassment.
She calmly went to the bathroom first to wash up and changed into a comfortable silk nightgown.
In the steamy bathroom, the suffocating anger Harrison had stirred finally completely dissipated.
When she came out, Clifton was still sitting quietly in his wheelchair, his back to her, looking out at the moonlight. A layer of lingering loneliness shrouded him.
Miranda's hand paused while drying her hair. She walked over and spoke gently. "Do you need help?"
Clifton didn't turn around.
Miranda thought he hadn't heard clearly and added, "I know a bit of martial arts. I'm pretty strong. Actually at the bar, even without you there, I could have handled that guy myself."
What she meant was that she wasn't as weak as she looked. He didn't need to feel burdened.
"No need."
Clifton's voice came, still in that cool, flat tone.
Miranda looked at his straight back, and that bitter ache rose in her heart again.
Was he embarrassed?
After all, he was once a proud man who stood at the top commanding respect. Now he needed help just to get into bed. What a blow to his self esteem that must be.
The more she thought about it, the more certain she felt.
Miranda walked to Clifton's side, came around in front of him, looked directly into his eyes with unprecedented seriousness.
"Clifton, even though we're married in name only, in my heart, you helped me. Taking care of you is my responsibility."
Before she finished speaking, not giving him a chance to refuse, she bent slightly, slipped her arms under his knees and behind his back, and with a flex of her core, lifted his entire body horizontally from the wheelchair!
Clifton's body instantly stiffened. His pupils contracted sharply!
He'd completely not expected Miranda to do this. This woman looked slender, but her strength was astonishing!
The instant she picked him up, he'd even instinctively tensed his legs, nearly kicking off from her to jump down!
But Miranda held him steadily, walked to the bedside in just a few steps, and gently placed him on the soft bed.
The entire process flowed smoothly without any awkwardness.
"There." She dusted off her hands as if she'd just done something insignificant.
Clifton lay on the bed, his deep eyes fixed on her, thin lips pressed into a cold, hard line.
After a long moment, he squeezed out words through gritted teeth, his voice deeper and colder than usual.
"Miranda, don't ever do that again."
Hearing his almost commanding tone, Miranda felt even more certain of her guess.
See? He was definitely uncomfortable.
Proud as he was, he was surely using this coldness to mask his inner vulnerability and embarrassment.
Miranda's heart softened. She nodded obediently. "Got it."
That night, she slept particularly soundly.
The next day was the weekend. After waking up, Miranda didn't go to the company. She thought since she rarely had free time, she could spend more time chatting with Clifton's grandfather.
But this rare leisure was completely shattered by an urgent phone call that afternoon.
The call was from her brother Christian.
"Miranda, get to the company! Dad's back. He's in a meeting at the project department right now trying to replace the head of Project Starlight!"
Miranda's head buzzed. Her heart sank straight down.
When she arrived at the company, the conference room door was slightly ajar.
Through the gap, she immediately saw Dominic sitting at the head of the table.
On his right sat Ariana, whom she'd refused to let join the new project.
Miranda sneered inwardly and pushed open the conference room door with force.
Bang!
The sudden loud noise startled everyone. They all looked over.
Seeing Miranda's ice cold face, Dominic's expression instantly darkened.
But Miranda didn't look at him. Instead, she walked straight up to him, her gaze like an ice tempered knife, speaking word by word. "Dad, shouldn't you be at home cooperating with the investigation? How do you have time to come to the company and 'guide' work?"
She deliberately emphasized the word "guide," full of sarcasm.
Being questioned publicly by her, Dominic felt embarrassed. He slammed the table hard. "How dare you! If I don't come, you siblings will run this company into the ground!"
He turned to look at Ariana, his tone unusually gentle. "Ariana, continue."
"Yes, Uncle." Ariana glanced at Miranda smugly, cleared her throat, and was about to speak.
"Continue what?" Miranda cut her off coldly. "Tell us how someone who can't even understand a project proposal is supposed to take over the Project Starlight I've poured my heart into?"
"Miranda!" Dominic was furious. "What does a girl like you know about company business? You've spent three years as a housewife. Your brain's turned to mush! Go home and keep your mother company. Stop causing trouble here!"
He looked at Miranda with disgust, as if issuing a final ultimatum.
"From now on, Ariana will be in full charge of this project. You, starting tomorrow, don't need to come to the company anymore!"
Miranda nearly laughed with anger at these words.
Looking at this self righteous man before her, she suddenly felt incredibly alienated.
"On what grounds?"
"Because I'm your father! Because I'm the chairman of this company!" Dominic roared.
Looking at Miranda's face that showed no fear but was instead full of mockery, his expression turned even uglier.
A fire burned in his chest.
If Ariana hadn't come crying to him yesterday, telling him that Arabella had secretly transferred all twenty percent of her shares to Miranda behind his back, he'd still be in the dark!
Such a major thing!
His wife hadn't consulted him! His daughter hadn't told him either!
Did they even consider him as a husband, as a father?!