Chapter 20 Anger
Charles's gaze was cold, unwavering even under Rufus's looming presence. "You don't need to know in what capacity I'm saying this. All you need to understand is that if you treat Cecilia poorly, I have every reason to take her away."
He shook his head slowly. "What I don't understand is why you married her if you don't care for her. And if you do care for her, how can you bear to treat her like this?
"Cecilia is sick — seriously sick. When she needed someone at her side, you weren't there. Instead, you chose to throw cruel words at her."
The image of her staggering out of the bathroom moments ago, pale and trembling, twisted something deep in Charles's chest.
Rufus only gave a careless shrug, as if the accusation barely registered. "At the end of the day, this is between me and Cecilia. She hasn't complained, yet here you are, championing her cause. I'll ask again — what exactly gives you the right to speak for her?" His words cut off Charles's momentum like a slammed door.
The truth was, Charles had no official claim. Without that, his defense of her carried no weight.
Rufus didn't even realize how much more comfortable he'd become acknowledging his connection to Cecilia. The resistance he once had was gone.
His eyes flicked between Charles and Cecilia, finally settling on her. Since he'd walked into the room, she'd barely spoken a word. Yet outside, he'd seen them talking — really talking. Was she silent now because she had nothing to say... or because she didn't want to speak to him at all?
The thought made his temper spike. "Women like Cecilia attract plenty of men eager to fight her battles. Don't fool yourself into thinking your efforts will be remembered."
The jab was sharp, the kind of insinuation that painted her as faithless. There are few things more humiliating than having your own husband belittle you in front of someone else.
Cecilia had thought herself immune to Rufus's cruelty, but the sting was still there. Every time she believed she'd grown used to his indifference, he found a new way to remind her how little she meant to him.
He didn't notice her disappointment — or if he did, he wouldn't have cared. Rufus was the kind of man who never considered the damage his words could do.
"I won't let you talk about her like that!"
Charles stepped in front of Cecilia, shielding her from Rufus. To an outsider, it might have looked as if they were the couple, with Rufus the unwelcome intruder.
Rufus's patience was gone. "I'm not interested in debating this. This visit is over. It's time for you to leave the room and give my wife some peace."
"And if I don't?" Charles's tone was defiant, his eyes flicking to Cecilia in silent reassurance — telling her she wasn't alone, not while he was here.
Her expression softened; she couldn't deny the surge of gratitude. But the more moved she felt, the more determined she was to push him away. Otherwise, she'd be repaying kindness with trouble.
Rufus gave a short, derisive laugh. "If you don't walk out now, I promise you'll regret it. Want to test me?"
His eyes darkened, that dangerous edge Cecilia knew all too well. He was serious.
Charles didn't flinch. Words like that didn't scare him.
Their gazes locked, an invisible clash sparking in the air. Neither man willing to yield, neither able to stomach the other.
Cecilia knew Rufus's methods. For him, the end always justified the means. Morality was a thin veneer at best. Against him, Charles would inevitably lose.
She wouldn't let Charles make an enemy of Rufus on her account. "Charles, I'm tired today. I want to rest. Come see me another time, alright?"
"No. There will be no next time," Rufus cut in before Charles could answer.
His bluntness left Cecilia speechless. She didn't argue, only sent Charles a pleading look.
Charles sighed. He'd never been able to refuse her.
He murmured a few parting words to Cecilia before leaving under Rufus's hostile stare.
The tension in the room eased slightly, but Rufus's simmering anger demanded an outlet. His tone was sharp, commanding. "Cecilia, this is the last time I'll warn you. Remember your place. Stop associating with people you shouldn't."
"He's not someone I shouldn't be around," she said quietly, for once speaking up to defend Charles.
That was enough to ignite Rufus's temper. His hands clamped down on her shoulders, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Stop testing my patience."
The pressure made her wince, tilting her head back to look at him.
Once, she'd loved his eyes — had imagined what it would feel like to be cherished within them. But that longing was gone, replaced with a cold detachment he could clearly see.
From this angle, he noticed how gaunt she'd become. The sight unsettled him; her face was hollow, almost unrecognizable.
"I don't want to hear another rumor about you. You know what I'm capable of."
"I know you want to die," he went on, "but there's a difference between dying peacefully and dying in despair. And if you go, your precious old classmate and that reckless fool from today won't be joining you. Don't blame me when I make sure of it."
It was a barefaced threat. Cecilia turned her head away, refusing to look at him.
Her silence only fueled his irritation. He was about to say more when Blair's attending physician rushed in, breathless.
"Mr. Chapman, Ms. Ember has collapsed!"