Chapter 254 Rufus's Morbid Affection
Over the next few days, with everyone's careful attention, Cecilia recovered quickly.
Dione completely changed from her usual proud manner. Every day, she personally cooked, making various hearty soups for Cecilia and bringing them to the hospital.
She and Mabel went from being polite at first to becoming so close they could talk about anything. They would sit together, poring over recipes and discussing Stefan and Cecilia's wedding plans. Their friendship surprised everyone.
Robert ran between the restaurant and hospital every day, keeping things running while telling Amelia funny stories from the shop to put her mind at ease.
Stefan stayed by her side constantly, feeding her, wiping her face, and even massaging her hands—doing everything himself so attentively that even the nurses were envious.
Cecilia enjoyed this hard-won warmth. The painful memories from her past life seemed to be healing bit by bit in this deep family love and romance.
That afternoon, there was an urgent international video conference at the company that Stefan had to personally chair. He did not want to go, but after Cecilia's repeated urging, he reluctantly left.
Dione and Mabel had made plans to go shopping together to pick out decorations for the upcoming wedding.
And Robert, at this time every day, stayed at the restaurant to keep things running.
For the moment, Cecilia was alone in the hospital room.
Two top-level bodyguards Stefan had assigned stood guard at the door, so security should not be a problem.
Thinking this, Cecilia leaned back on the bed, flipping through an interior design magazine, enjoying the rare quiet.
After some time, the hospital room door was gently pushed open.
Cecilia thought it was a nurse and did not look up, just casually asking, "Can I help you?"
No answer.
She felt something was off. Looking up, she saw who it was—her face went pale, and her eyes widened in shock.
Standing at the door was not a nurse, nor anyone close to her.
It was Rufus.
He wore a well-tailored black suit, holding a bouquet of white roses, with a kind of sick, gentle smile on his face, just standing there quietly, watching her.
His gaze—burning, obsessive, with a touch of unsettling madness—was like an invisible net, tightly enveloping Cecilia.
"How did you get in here?" Cecilia's voice trembled with shock and anger.
What about the bodyguards at the door? How were they doing their job!
Rufus put a finger to his lips, making a shushing gesture, then slowly walked in, casually closing the door behind him.
He walked very slowly. His leather shoes made no sound on the clean floor, yet Cecilia felt enormous pressure.
"They are unconscious." Rufus seemed to see through her thoughts, explaining with a smile, "I just let them rest for a bit. They will be fine."
Cecilia's heart sank.
To make the bodyguards Stefan had carefully selected "fall asleep," Rufus's methods were far more terrifying than she had imagined.
"Rufus, what exactly do you want?" Cecilia forced herself to calm down, looking at him coldly.
"I came to see you." Rufus walked to her bedside, gently placing the white roses on the nightstand. The white petals were stark against his black suit, creating a strangely beautiful effect.
"I heard you were hurt, badly." He reached out, seemingly wanting to touch Cecilia's bandaged forehead, genuine concern showing in his eyes. "How could you be so foolish? Why would you take that kind of risk for that old woman? She is not worth it."
Cecilia turned her head away, avoiding his touch, her eyes full of disgust. "What I do has nothing to do with you."
"How could it have nothing to do with me?" Rufus laughed softly. He sat down in the chair by the bed, crossing his legs, his posture elegant. "Amelia, everything about you has to do with me."
He stared at her, the madness and possessiveness in his eyes almost overflowing.
"I saw the news. The woman who pushed you is called Anna, right? I have already sent people to 'take care of' her. I promise, she will spend the rest of her life in endless pain and regret. Everyone who has hurt you—I will not let a single one off."
Rufus's tone was so matter-of-fact, as if everything he did was for her own good.
This sick logic made Cecilia feel nauseous.
"Amelia, come back to me." Rufus's voice suddenly became incredibly gentle.
He leaned forward, trying to grasp Cecilia's hand.
"I know you are still angry with me. Everything before was my fault. I was blinded by that vile woman, Blair, and did many things to hurt you. But now, I see clearly. The person I love, from beginning to end, has only ever been you."
"From when we met on that ship, you have been the only one in my heart. That emerald pendant—all these years, I have kept it with me, never let it go."
He started repeating that self-pitying speech again.
Listening to him, Cecilia only felt it was incredibly ironic.
"Rufus, have you forgotten that I personally smashed that emerald pendant to pieces?" Cecilia coldly reminded him.
Rufus's expression froze for a moment, but quickly returned to that gentle look. "It does not matter. If it is broken, I can have someone put it back together. As long as you come back, everything can return to how it was."
"Just break things off with Stefan. I will give you the most lavish wedding imaginable, and make up for everything I owe you—ten times, a hundred times over."
"Your parents, too—I will bring them over. I will give them the best life, make them respected elders. Our whole family, living together in harmony—wouldn't that be good?"
He painted a beautiful picture, his eyes full of hope for the future, as if everything he described would naturally come to pass.
Looking at him, Cecilia suddenly felt he might really be insane.
He was completely living in his own fantasy world, treating his obsessive, selfish possessiveness as so-called "deep love."
"A family?" Cecilia acted as if she had heard the biggest joke, shaking her head helplessly.
She looked at Rufus and asked seriously, "Rufus, does your so-called 'family' include my unborn child that you personally killed?"
The gentleness and smile on Rufus's face instantly froze.
"Amelia, I..." He opened his mouth, seeming to want to explain something.
"And my grandfather." Cecilia did not give him a chance, continuing to torture him with cold words.
"To free me from your clutches, he did not hesitate to use suicide to buy my freedom. You dug him out of his grave just to satisfy your twisted possessiveness. Rufus, when you talk to me about family, did you think about them?"
"No... it was not like that..." Rufus's face turned deathly pale, his breathing becoming rapid.
"Enough!" Cecilia cut him off sharply. She used all her strength to sit up. In those cool eyes burned a hatred carved deep over two lifetimes.
"Rufus, let me make this clear today. I, Cecilia, would rather die, would rather go to hell, than have anything to do with scum like you ever again!"
"You say you love me? But your love only makes me sick!"
She looked at Rufus's face, twisted with pain, feeling no satisfaction in her heart, only endless sorrow and disgust.
Rufus, provoked by her words, his eyes turned bloodshot. He suddenly stood up, grabbed Cecilia's shoulders, and shook her forcefully. "No! You cannot say that! You cannot treat me this way! I have done so much for you! I destroyed the Ember family. I sent everyone who bullied you to hell! I avenged you! Why cannot you see that?"
"That was not avenging me!" Cecilia was shaken until she felt dizzy, her wound beginning to throb with pain, but she still glared at him. "That was for yourself! To ease your pathetic guilt! You destroyed them just to prove how deep, how great your so-called 'love' is! You are a completely selfish madman!"
"I love you, Amelia, I really do love you!" Rufus's emotions completely collapsed.
Rufus roared, lowering his head, trying to use his own mouth to silence those words that caused him unbearable pain.
Seeing that twisted face about to press down on her, a flash of determination crossed Cecilia's eyes.
She used all her strength and slapped Rufus across the face.
The sharp crack of the slap was especially jarring in the quiet hospital room.