Chapter 29
Edward stared at her, his chest heaving.
He yanked open the car door and coldly ordered a pale-faced Rachel, "Get out."
After Rachel exited, he shoved Cecilia into the back seat, slid in beside her, and slammed the door.
The car didn't return to the Clifford Villa but turned onto a highway heading toward the suburbs. Finally, Edward slammed on the brakes at a deserted scenic overlook.
He unbuckled his seatbelt and pinned Cecilia against the door and seat. "Divorce?" He gripped her chin, forcing her to face him. "Cecilia, have you forgotten that only I control when this contract ends."
The pain in her jaw made Cecilia wince, but the mockery in her eyes only intensified. "Right, I forgot. Your contracts are always one-sided." She met his gaze fearlessly.
Edward's eyes darkened dangerously. "Say that again."
"Am I wrong?" Cecilia laughed, a bone-chilling sound. "You can parade your precious Rachel in front of me, and I'm supposed to applaud. But if I happen to run into a friend, I'm suddenly sleeping around. Edward, is this a double standard, or are you just pathetic?"
Edward's fingers tightened brutally on her chin. "Cecilia, you're asking for trouble."
"I'm just stating facts." Cecilia was in so much pain tears threatened to fall, but she wouldn't back down. "You had no problem taking photos to threaten me or using me to make Rachel jealous. But now that she's back, you want to kick me aside like a doormat and expect me to be grateful? Edward, keep dreaming!"
She shouted everything in one breath until her voice went hoarse.
Edward stared at her intensely. The air in the car froze. They faced off, breathing intertwined.
The next moment, he crushed his lips against hers. Cecilia was pinned hard against the car door, the handle digging painfully into her back, making her wince.
Just as she was about to run out of oxygen, her consciousness blurring, a jarring ringtone cut through the suffocating tension.
It was her phone. Cecilia reached for it, but Edward caught her wrist.
"Still thinking about work?" His voice was dangerously raspy.
Cecilia gasped for air, turning her head away, refusing to look at him. The phone kept ringing relentlessly.
Edward's patience snapped completely. He grabbed the vibrating phone. But the moment his fingers touched the screen, Cecilia instinctively lunged for it. In the struggle, someone's finger swiped the green answer button.
"Hello? Cecilia? Can you hear me?"
"Are you okay? Why aren't you answering messages? That supplementary agreement we need for tomorrow's meeting—did you lock it in your desk drawer yesterday? We're here—"
Cecilia froze. Edward looked at the phone screen, then at Cecilia's pale face. Was she really this concerned about work? Enough to fight for the phone even now?
An absurd rage at being ignored swept through him. He put the call on speaker.
The voice immediately amplified: "Hello? Hello? Cecilia? Why aren't you saying anything? It's so noisy there—what's that sound?"
Cecilia's eyes widened in horror. She looked at him, silently shaking her head. Don't.
But Edward just curved his lips in a cruel, vicious smile. He leaned in, his lips against her ear, speaking in a husky voice just loud enough for her and the caller to hear: "Cecilia."
On the other end, Cinda's voice paused. "Huh? Is that a man? Cecilia, who are you with?"
Cecilia's heart nearly stopped. She could imagine the office scene—the call on speaker, surrounded by colleagues working late, waiting for the document.
"Want a divorce?" Edward couldn't care less who was on the other end. He gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him, his tone carrying a vengeful satisfaction. "Fine."
The other end went instantly silent. Cecilia felt her blood run cold.
"When I'm tired of you," he whispered against her lips, "then I'll divorce you."
Then, addressing the still-connected phone, he added leisurely: "Now, no one gets to bother you."
With that, he reached out and ended the call. The phone screen went dark.
Cecilia's mind went blank, her ears ringing. People at work already gossiped about her relationship with Edward. She could imagine how by tomorrow, news of their divorce would spread throughout the entire company.
Edward was satisfied with her reaction. He liked seeing her this way—devastated and completely broken. He reached out to stroke her pale cheek.
A sharp slap echoed through the quiet car. Cecilia had used every ounce of strength to strike him across the face.
Edward's head jerked sideways. He seemed shocked that she'd dared to hit him. Cecilia's hand trembled, not from fear, but from pure rage.
There were no more tears or fear in her eyes—only a murderous hatred that would destroy them both.
"Edward Clifford," she looked at him, her voice shaking yet crystal clear, "you disgust me."
She pushed open the door and stumbled out.
Edward sat in the car, touching his stinging cheek with his tongue, his gaze growing even more intense.
Cecilia ran aimlessly forward, her mind echoing with Cinda's abruptly silenced voice and Edward's whispered promise to divorce her when he grew bored. The one thing in her life that proved her worth—her job—he had destroyed effortlessly. And he didn't even care.
Blinding headlights approached from behind. A van stopped beside her. The door slid open and several rough-looking men jumped out. The leader was Ian, the nouveau riche who had tried to get to her before.
"Well, if it isn't Cecilia," Ian instinctively glanced behind her. "Out for a late-night stroll alone? Where's Edward?"
Before Cecilia could answer, one of the men grabbed her wrist roughly.
"Boss, we missed our chance last time. She's delivering herself to us now—might as well take advantage!"
Cecilia's stomach churned violently. She struggled fiercely, breathtakingly beautiful in the darkness.
Ian had been hesitant, but the comment reminded him that he'd spotted Cecilia first, only to have Edward snatch her away.
With resentment and lust clouding his judgment, he made up his mind:
"You're right. This time I'm going to fuck her properly!"