Chapter 110
“Mr. Maynard carried you back,” Mylee explained. “He said you weren’t feeling well and even called the private doctor. The doctor said you were fine, probably just overtired. Mr. Maynard told me to let you sleep. He had business to attend to and left.”
Lucille nodded.
She really was exhausted–physically drained and emotionally spent.
“Oh, your grandmother called earlier. Mr. Maynard answered. He didn’t mention you were unwell, probably to spare her worry. He just said you were tired today, sleeping at home, and wouldn’t be going over.”
Mylee added.
”
Lucille nodded again. “Then bring me my phone, please.”
Mylee fetched her bag.
Luckily, her bag showed no signs of being searched. Cedrick must have been too preoccupied with the station matters to bother.
She took out her phone and called her grandmother first.
“Awake now, Lucille? I kept calling but couldn’t reach you. I was worried your session didn’t go well,” her grandmother’s concerned voice came through.
“Oh, Grandma, I had to check my bag during rehab, so I missed the calls,” Lucille replied vaguely.
“I know!” Her grandmother’s voice softened. “I called Cedrick later. He said you were exhausted from rehab and fell asleep at home. He even video called me so I could see you sleeping.”
Lucille managed a weak smile.
That jerk Cedrick. He was just terrified Grandma would find out what he’d done. Still, sparing Grandma the worry aligned with her own wishes.
After chatting for a while, her grandmother urged her to rest, and they ended the call.
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11:35
Chapter 110
Lucille saw a new message on her WhatsApp from Vivian–just a single question mark.
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Lucille replied with an OK sign.
They exchanged nothing more, both understanding perfectly.
Lucille believed she’d won this time, yet the win felt hollow.
This incident also made her realize with painful clarity: how powerless she was, how small a space she had confined herself to over these five years.
When Cedrick declared he would spare no expense, she knew he’d unleash the full force of Money Talks. But her foot wasn’t well, and after five years without socializing, she had no connections–no way to counter Cedrick’s “spare no expense.
She saw Vivian and Vivian’s boyfriend on her feed.
“1
These two young people were striving for their future, and between the lines, it was the passion and youth she and Cedrick never had.
Coincidentally, Vivian’s boyfriend was in IT.
So Lucille approached Vivian and asked her to see if her boyfriend would be willing to help her with a favor, promising generous compensation.
Vivian agreed without hesitation, not for anything else, but because she couldn’t stand the scene of Cedrick and Maricela showing up at the second–hand luxury store that day.
Lucille actually felt sorry because she had mobility issues and no one else to turn to. This was risky, but like Cedrick, she thought that if anything went wrong, she would do everything to keep Vivian’s boyfriend safe and take responsibility.
She also came up with a way to absolve Vivian’s boyfriend of liability. Vivian’s boyfriend said he would definitely use a secure method to contact her, including sending her surveillance videos.
Anyway, in this confrontation with Cedrick, she wasn’t afraid to lose because clearly Maricela’s issue was bigger, the evidence was rock–solid, and Cedrick wouldn’t gamble.
Her body was still aching badly. Mylee came to call her for dinner, but she didn’t want to
move.
11:35
Chapter 110
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“Bring it in.”
Except for the initial period after her injury when she had mobility issues, she hadn’t eaten in bed since.
Because she cherished the home she shared with Cedrick too much, she couldn’t bear any dirt in the wrong places. But now, whatever.