Chapter 76
288 Vouchers
The bagels she’d wanted to share with him, she’d already eaten alone.
When you stop expecting anything from someone, you won’t be so hurt anymore.
Lucille changed her shoes to head out when Cedrick followed her. “Where exactly are you going?”
Seeing her ignore him, he turned to Mylee. “Where is Mrs. Maynard going?”
Mylee looked just as blank.
Cedrick grabbed his car keys and hurried into the elevator after her.
Noticing his unshaven stubble shadowing his jaw, Lucille couldn’t help remarking, “Mr. Maynard, don’t you have anything better to do?”
Five years.
Five years without him ever following her so closely–unbelievably abnormal.
“I told you I’m on leave.”
He said.
Lucille watched the elevator doors close before asking flatly, “Oh?
So did Maricela turn herself in?”
Cedrick’s finger paused over the elevator button.
Lucille smiled faintly and fell silent.
Just as she’d thought–all thunder, no rain.
But it didn’t matter. She’d already filed a report anyway.
“Lucille, doesn’t Grandma love Bakery’s pastries?
Should we grab some on the way?
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Chapter 76
288 Mouchers
Then pick up groceries for dinner at her place?”
He sidestepped the topic.
“Sure.”
She replied.
Her tone was light, calm, utterly devoid of anger.
Cedrick almost couldn’t believe it. But remembering how gentle and understanding she’d always been, maybe she truly had let it go?
Or… after he didn’t come home last night, she felt threatened?
Trying to win him back?
Harlan’s words from last night echoed in his ears again: Cedrick, I’m telling you, you spoil women too much. Giving in to her every whim? Lucille loves you so much she’d risk her life to save you. You’re her entire world–she should be fawning over you, not the other way around!
Mark my words: stay out a few nights, give her the cold shoulder, and she’ll fall right back in line. She’ll cling to you like she used to!
Yes, Lucille loved him. He knew that. Loved him fiercely.
Back in high school, Harlan had once shoved a scrap paper covered with “Cedrick” scribbles in his face, teasing him about which girl was so obsessed.
He hadn’t known then.
Plenty of girls liked him–what did one piece of paper prove?
Years later, after marrying Lucille, he’d come home late one night to find her asleep at the table waiting for him. Beneath her elbow lay a Porilinese practice sheet, row after row of “Cedrick” filling the margins. Only then did he realize–the girl who’d covered that paper with his name… it was her.
No wonder she’d thrown herself in harm’s way to save him…
How could someone who loved him this much truly cut ties?
How could she genuinely not care if he stayed out?
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Chapter 76
289 (Vouchers
“Lucille.”
He grasped her hand. “That day when I took your ID, I actually wanted to-”
The elevator dinged, doors sliding open to the underground garage.
Lucille pulled her hand free and stepped out.
Watching her limping figure, Cedrick frowned and followed.
True to his word, he drove her to buy pastries first. When he suggested groceries next, Lucille refused. “No need. Grandma’s garden has better produce than any supermarket.”
She just didn’t want to go to the supermarket.
That fall taken by the girl he’d long left behind years ago hurt too much, hurt so badly she refused to remember.
“Alright, let’s go then.”
Cedrick listened to her, didn’t go to the supermarket for groceries.
But as the car kept moving, Lucille realized this wasn’t the way to grandma’s house.
“Where are you taking me?”
Lucille frowned and asked.
Cedrick didn’t answer, kept driving, murmuring softly to her, “You’ll know when we get there.
“I’m not going! I want to go to grandma’s house!