Chapter 166 Honey Water
Saul had been chatting and laughing with a judge just a second ago, but when he caught sight of that tall, imposing figure at the entrance from the corner of his eye, he froze like someone had hit the pause button.
He rubbed his hands together excitedly, practically abandoning the judge beside him on the spot. His business smile instantly switched to an incredibly eager, fawning expression as he hurried over in quick strides, almost breaking into a jog.
"Oh my God, Mr. Chapman! You came in person!" Saul's voice rose with excitement, carrying an exaggerated tone of being overwhelmed with honor.
"Your presence here truly makes our humble little banquet shine! No, it's like turning a shabby room into a palace!"
As he spoke, Saul eagerly stepped aside, extending his arm in a welcoming gesture to clear a path for Rufus.
However, Rufus's gaze didn't linger on anyone.
His eyes cut straight through the crowded room, locking precisely onto Cecilia.
His stare carried an intense aggressiveness and probing intent.
But Cecilia simply lowered her lashes, expressionlessly cutting the steak on her plate with her knife and fork.
Rufus's brow furrowed slightly. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he walked slowly toward the main table.
The main table had originally reserved the best seats for Saul and the judges, but Rufus didn't even glance at them.
He walked straight to Cecilia's side.
There was only one empty seat there.
Without asking, he pulled out the chair and sat down.
Cecilia's body instantly tensed, her knife and fork scraping across the delicate white porcelain plate with an extremely harsh, piercing sound.
"This seat is taken."
She didn't look up, her voice cold and emotionless.
"Is it?" Rufus's deep voice sounded near her ear, carrying a hint of amusement.
"I don't see anyone."
He sat very close to her.
So close she could clearly feel the slight coolness from his expensive suit fabric.
She put down her knife and fork, picked up her wine glass, and prepared to leave.
However, when she glanced around, she realized the entire banquet hall was already packed.
If Cecilia got up now, she would immediately become the focus of everyone's attention.
Rufus saw through her predicament. A faint smile curved his lips, but he said nothing, just quietly watching her with those deep eyes.
Saul was smart enough to immediately see that Rufus's target tonight was Amelia.
Saul quickly came over with a wine glass to ease the atmosphere.
"Mr. Chapman, you're so busy, yet you still came personally to support us newcomers. We're truly honored!"
He cleared his throat and, facing everyone, announced excitedly: "Let me repeat the big news from earlier—Mr. Chapman has personally promised that the top three winners of our competition will have the opportunity to join the Chapman Group directly as core designers!"
"To show our gratitude to Mr. Chapman, I propose that Ms. Martinez, the well-deserved first place winner of this round, represent all of us designers in toasting Mr. Chapman!"
The spotlight instantly fell on Cecilia.
Isadora's face immediately turned pale, jealousy burning wildly in her chest.
Isadora had thought this was her chance, but Saul had directly called out Amelia's name!
However, Isadora quickly calmed down as a thought flashed through her mind.
This was a perfect opportunity to show her "generosity" and "thoughtfulness"!
Just as Cecilia was about to refuse, Isadora had already stood up with her wine glass, forcing an elegant smile.
"Mr. Chapman," Isadora's voice was so soft it could drip water, carrying just the right amount of concern, "Amelia hasn't been feeling well lately. She's always had poor health. How about I toast you on her behalf? Consider it my way of looking after her as a senior."
Isadora's words were flawless, showing both her "familiarity" with Rufus and her "care" for juniors, while also embarrassing Amelia.
Isadora looked at Rufus expectantly, waiting for his approval.
However, Rufus acted as if he hadn't heard Isadora at all. His gaze never left Cecilia's profile.
Isadora's hand holding the wine glass froze in mid-air, her smile gradually stiffening, embarrassment overwhelming her.
Rufus finally spoke, but to Cecilia.
"Not feeling well?"
He smiled faintly and snapped his fingers.
A waiter immediately bowed and approached.
"This lady can't drink alcohol. Get her a glass of hot honey water instead," Rufus said.
The waiter moved quickly. A glass of steaming honey water was respectfully placed in front of Cecilia.
Isadora and the others at the table looked at each other in confusion, not understanding what was wrong with a glass of honey water.
Only Cecilia looked at that clear, golden liquid, her heart turning ice cold.
She knew this was a naked test.
In her previous life, Cecilia was severely allergic to honey.
The kind that caused breathing difficulties, instant shock, and required immediate emergency room treatment.
Apart from Patrick and a few of her closest people, only Rufus knew about this.
Because Rufus had personally witnessed her near-death state during an allergic reaction.
Now, he was using this glass of honey water to force her, to verify that crazy, absurd suspicion in his mind.
If she was Cecilia, she would never dare touch this water.
If she wasn't...
Rufus leaned back in his chair, looking at her with a relaxed posture, his eyes full of confident control.
"Now you can drink it, right?"
Cecilia pulled her lips into a wordless smile.
Under everyone's astonished gaze, she reached out with her slender, delicate fingers and picked up that glass of warm honey water.
She didn't hesitate at all.
She drank the entire glass of sweet liquid in one go.
The sweet liquid slid down her throat without any discomfort, only an unfamiliar warm sensation.
This body didn't belong to Cecilia—it came from an unfortunate girl named Amelia who had died young.
Amelia's body wasn't allergic to honey.
Cecilia set down the empty glass and looked up, meeting his suddenly constricted pupils.
"Mr. Chapman."
"Is that enough now?"
Rufus stared at her intently.
His long fingers gripping the wine glass were so tense that his knuckles had turned a frightening pale white.
She drank it!
She actually drank it!
A surge of indescribable complex emotions rose in his chest.
There was the huge disappointment of his guess being wrong.
There was his stubborn refusal to believe.
And there was a trace of overwhelming panic that even he hadn't noticed.
Isadora beside them was even more dumbstruck.
She didn't understand what secret the honey water held, but she could read the unprecedented, almost shattered expression on Rufus's face.
She could also see that from beginning to end, Rufus's eyes held no trace of her, Isadora.
The entire room fell silent, the atmosphere frozen to its coldest point.
Saul on the side was sweating profusely with anxiety. He shifted his feet slightly but didn't dare stand up directly, so he desperately tried to signal Cecilia with his eyes.
Seeing her still completely unresponsive, just coldly confronting Rufus, Saul was so anxious he almost jumped. He silently mouthed to her repeatedly: "Attitude! Watch your attitude!"