Chapter 29
Felix walked into the parlor, and his mother jumped up, rushing over to him. His expression was somber, and his mother’s concern was palpable. She positioned herself in front of him, placing her hands on his shoulders and locking eyes with him.
“How did it go?” she asked, her voice laced with worry. “What did your father say? He disagreed, did he?”
“He did,” he answered in simplicity. “Cressida will take over, so I can’t have the share anymore.”
Amabel’s eyes widened in shock, still struggling to wrap her head around the announcement, despite not being entirely new to her. As a fellow director, she had strongly considered opposing Cressida's involvement. Still, Chairman Dawson had sent her home before the second emergency meeting even started, leaving her without a chance to voice her dissent.
Amabel's hands flew to her chest as she stumbled backward, but Rowan was quick to react, rushing to her side and catching her before she fell. “Calm down, Ma,” Rowan soothed, holding her tightly as she guided her carefully back to the sofa. “It's okay, sit down.”
Felix stepped closer to his mother, his eyes welling up with tears. “Mom…” he whispered, his voice trembling. “This feels like a nightmare. Is it true? Did Cressida really betray us? I just can’t wrap my head around it.”
Amabel’s gaze held Felix’s, her silence a testament to her turmoil. She'd seen Cressida's revealing expression earlier, but witnessing her son's distress made it even harder for her to process. The truth seemed to be staring her in the face, yet she couldn't bring herself to fully accept it.
Amabel’s head jerked back and forth, her voice rising in desperation. “No, no, no!” She couldn't tear her eyes away from Felix’s face. Her gaze locked on his as she continued to shake her head. “This can't be true. Cressida wouldn't betray us. She wouldn't betray me like that...”
A smile crept onto her lips as she grasped for a lifeline. “Maybe something is going on that she's been trying to tell me. Maybe Cressida’s doing this for us, for our good,”
Her voice cracked with emotion as she added, “I just need her to come back and explain everything. She must have gotten her plan.”
Rowan took a step forward, her head shaking slowly. “No, Ma, she doesn't have a plan,” she said firmly. “And even if she does, it's not for your benefit, but against you.”
Amabel’s confusion was clear as she asked, “What are you talking about, Rowan?”
Rowan’s expression was tinged with guilt as she explained, “I told you before that you can't trust her, Ma. You didn't listen, and by the time I could gather evidence, it was almost too late.” She hesitated, then continued, “After you left the house today, I heard noises and laughter coming from their room, so I… listened in.”
Amabel stood up abruptly while Felix turned to Rowan with interest. “So, what did you hear?” they asked simultaneously, their faces mirroring their curiosity.
“They’re making fun of you and Felix. I think Alaric has been onto you from the start. Remember how you told Cressida about your proposal and what you wanted from her?” Rowan narrated, her expression serious. “It sounds like they’ve been laughing about every private conversation you’ve had with her since the beginning.”
“I-”
Amabel opened her mouth to say something, but before she could complete her statement, the door slowly opened, and Cressida wheeled Alaric inside with a smile on their face.
As she watched Cressida and Alaric laughing together, Amabel’s anger simmered below the surface, rendering her speechless. For a moment, she was tempted to storm over and grab Cressida by the hair, but she bit back the urge, her hand clenched into a tight fist. Instead, she fixed them with a piercing stare, her eyes never wavering until they reached her front. And when Cressida breezed past her without so much as a glance, Amabel felt her anger spike even higher.
Amabel expected Cressida to at least acknowledge her, but as she watched her walk by, her patience snapped. She sprinted to their front, blocking their path.
“Don’t you have something to say to me, Cressida?” She demanded. A soft snort escaped her lips before she continued, “What went wrong? Didn’t we...?”
Cressida’s hands left the wheelchair as she locked eyes with Amabel. “What do you mean, don’t I have anything to say to you?” She shot back, her gaze unwavering.
“You-” Amabel responded, her upper lip curling into a retort, but Cressida cut her off, her voice firm.
“Okay, I’m not in the mood for an argument,” she said, and
Amabel folded her arms, a nod accompanying her words. “Yes, Chairlady Amabel…” she murmured, her tone laced with subtle mockery.
Amabel’s eyes widened in shock, her mouth hanging open. “Hun!” She exclaimed.
Cressida shrugged, her face scrunched up in confusion, her lips twisted slightly to one side. “Why are you surprised? Your husband’s the chairman, so aren’t you the chairwoman?” She asked.
Amabel wanted to respond, but before she could get a word out, Cressida cut her off again.
“Oh, wait,” Cressida said, her tone dripping with realization. “You’re shocked I called you by your name?”
Amabel’s eyes blinked rapidly as she attempted to regain her composure. But before she could speak, Cressida burst into laughter, the sound laced with mockery.
"Cressida clapped her hands, her laughter bubbling over as she tried to stifle a smile with her left hand. “You—” she began, but her words were swallowed by another burst of laughter. So, she let it wash over her, the sound echoing through the room as everyone’s eyes, including Alaric’s, fixed on her.
After nearly a minute of unbridled laughter, she finally composed herself. Her expression turned stern as she raised her eyebrows and locked gazes with Amabel.
“Let’s get one thing straight,” she said, pausing for emphasis. “You’re not my mother. You’ve never been like one, and you never will be.”
“Hun!” Amabel breathed, her voice laced with astonishment. Cressida’s words and reactions seemed always to catch her off guard, her mouth agape and eyes wide with surprise.
“I used to call you Mother because that’s what the situation demanded,” Cressida stated, her tone matter-of-fact. This time, Amabel showed no reaction, as if she’d steeled herself for the worst.
“You could have been a mother to me if Alaric had accepted you as one,” Cressida continued, slowly shaking her head. “But since he didn’t, I won't accept you as one,”
Uncrossing her arms, Amabel let out a short, heavy breath. “You asked what went wrong earlier? Nothing did,” she said, her voice steady. “I didn’t switch sides---I’ve never been on your side,”
Cressida’s words dripped with venom as she continued, “everything I said in the past—my pity, my promises, my tears—it was all a lie,”
A cold smile spread across her face. “Forget the past, ma’am, and get ready for what’s coming,” she paused, her eyes glinting with malice. “Do you remember what I said when you wanted to leave the house this morning?”
Not waiting for a response, she continued, “I told you’d reap what you sow. And now, you are,”
Cressida glanced over her shoulder at Felix, whose face was etched with anger, before refocusing on Amabel. “What you planted, that I said it’s only fitting that your son harvests it, he did,” she declared, a triumphant smile spreading across her face.
“And you know what’s even more interesting?” She asked, not waiting for a response. “This incident today is just the beginning. You don’t seem like the type to back down, and neither will I, so more is coming.”
Amabel’s eyes blazed with fury, her face twisted in rage. She gritted her teeth, her nostrils flaring. “Cressida!” she growled, pausing for a moment. “You'll regret betraying me!”
“I understand how you feel,” Cressida said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “But let’s be real. I didn’t betray you—I was never on your side to begin with. You’re not as perceptive as I thought you’d be,”
She smirked, her eyes glinting with amusement. “Alaric told me you’re smart and not easily fooled, but I have to say, it took less than a month for you to fall completely into my trap,”
Her tone was mocking, taunting. “All I did was behave like a monkey just to catch a monkey. Don't be angry, Ma. I'm not calling you a monkey---I'm just illustrating a point. No offense intended, of course.”
Felix’s anger boiled over, and he strode forward, grasping Cressida’s shoulder and spinning her around. “How could you do this?” He thundered, his voice shaking with rage. “How could you deceive me like this? I cared for you, I showed you love, I trusted you—and you just threw it all away like it meant nothing!”
“What did Alaric promise you?” Felix’s voice was a low, intense growl. He sneered, his voice with disdain. “You didn’t trust me, but you trust him? Does he seem like someone you can rely on? What exactly did he offer you to make you turn against me?”
Cressida’s eyes narrowed slightly as she gazed downward, sighing. When she looked up, her expression mirrored Alaric’s anger. “You’re a renowned entrepreneur, aren’t you?”
“How did you achieve that? I’m sure it wasn’t your intelligence that won you those awards,” she taunted. “Maybe you bribe your way to the top? Because with a brain like yours, you’d never win legitimately,”
Felix’s face contorted in confusion, his mouth opening and closing as if searching for words.
“How many times do I need to say it?” Cressida continued, her voice rising slightly. “I didn’t switch sides—I was never on your and your mother’s side to begin with. I never intended to be!”
Her eyes flashed with determination. “Being aligned with Alaric is treacherous, but I’m not afraid. I’m afraid of nothing,”
She leaned back slightly, her voice unwavering. “I’m walking with him to the end, and no one—neither you nor your mother—can stop me,”
She straightened up, taking a deep breath in and out. “I owe you no explanation, but I’ll say this---I’m on his side because I’m his wife. I’m fulfilling my responsibilities as his wife,” she declared, her voice steady.
She took a step closer to Felix, her lips inches from his ear. “The same responsibilities your mother failed to uphold,”
Alaric’s eyes widened in shock, but he was speechless.
Cressida stepped back, her gaze shifting to Amabel. She inclined her head slightly, a subtle smile playing on her lips. “This may be the last time you’ll ever get this from me. Savor the moment, because it’s your last privilege,”
Amabel’s gaze locked onto Cressida, her eyes blazing with fury. Despite the torrent of words swirling in her mind, her mouth seemed frozen, unable to form a response. She could only watch as Cressida grasped Alaric’s wheelchair and steered him toward their room. As Cressida walked away, Amabel’s gaze followed, her eyes fixed intently until they vanished from view. Even after they’d entered the room, her stare lingered.
After steering Alaric into the room, Cressida slightly opened the door, letting just her head out of the room with the door covering her body.
“Don’t waste your tears on what’s already done,” she said, her voice calm, yet piercing. “Save them for what's yet to come, because you're going to need them.”
“Be careful, mother and son. I’m a rock while you’re just an egg, so you shouldn’t dare throw yourselves at me,” she let out. “A word should be enough if you’re wise---without me saying it. You know what’ll happen if you dare do that, don’t you?”
Amabel’s face twisted in anger, but she remained silent, her eyes burning with a mix of fury and calculation. Felix’s eyes, however, gleamed with interest, his expression unreadable. The door creaked softly as Cressida pulled it shut, the sound echoing like a challenge.