Chapter 18
Edward stared at her for a few seconds before finally yanking her off him, tossing her over his shoulder like a sack of flour, and striding into the bathroom.
Ice-cold water gushed from the showerhead, drenching them both.
Cecilia jolted from the freezing shock, but it temporarily subdued the scorching heat consuming her. She collapsed onto the cold tiles, gasping for air.
Edward towered over her, his expression unreadable in the shadows. He wanted submission, not a mess he had to clean up.
---
When Cecilia woke again, daylight flooded the room. Every inch of her body screamed with soreness. The dull ache at the back of her head served as a cruel reminder of last night's events.
Ignoring her discomfort, she rushed to the nightstand and pulled at the drawer containing Winston's journal. Locked. She tried for several minutes but couldn't open it.
A soft knock sounded at the door. Cecilia walked over and pulled it open.
The maid stood there. "Ms. Mellon, Mr. Clifford requested you join him for breakfast. Your phone is here."
Cecilia froze. Her phone? The color drained from her face as she immediately grabbed the device from the tray.
The screen lit up, flooding with notifications. Several were from Samuel, his messages dripping with concern.
[Cecilia, are you okay?]
[Where did he take you? Please call me back. Please.]
Below those were messages from her coworkers, but their tone had done a complete one-eighty. Joe, who had hurled insults at her just last night: [Cecilia, sorry about yesterday, I was too harsh. Take it easy, the project can wait.]
Another typically snarky female colleague: [Cecilia, your preliminary research was incredibly thorough. Huge help, thanks!]
Even Director Marlee had sent one: [Cecilia, your health comes first. I've approved three days of leave. Don't worry about work, the executive office is handling everything.]
This sudden wave of kindness left Cecilia stunned. As she recalled everything from last night, it clicked. Edward's phone call had changed everything.
Everyone now recognized her as Edward's woman, someone who still held his interest. He hadn't defended her; he'd merely declared ownership.
All her desperate efforts to prove her professional worth had instantly become a joke. A more sophisticated, more complete humiliation.
Cecilia suddenly let out a quiet laugh. As she laughed, tears spilled down her cheeks.
---
Wearing the loose silk nightgown, Cecilia descended the spiral staircase step by step. Edward sat eating at the dining table.
She stood across from him, refusing to sit. "Last night..." she began, "the drug in that water... afterward, I..." She wanted to know exactly how far she'd lost control. But the words died on her lips.
Edward's gaze settled on her pale face. "Wondering about your performance?"
Cecilia's breath caught.
He leaned back in his chair, his eyes traveling over her before finally pronouncing: "Terrible."
Those words shattered the last fragile remnants of Cecilia's dignity. Immense shame and rage washed over her like ice water, instantly clearing her mind. She said nothing, just turned and walked away.
She didn't even glance at the locked nightstand. She knew begging now would only invite deeper humiliation.
Behind her, Edward watched her resolute departure, his fingers unconsciously tightening around his coffee cup.
---
Legal Department.
When Cecilia appeared at the office wearing an obviously ill-fitting trench coat, her face deathly pale, everyone stopped working.
The employee nearest to her practically jumped from his chair. "Cecilia, you're here? Weren't you given time off? Your health should come first!"
Cecilia ignored him, walking directly to her desk and sitting down.
"Cecilia." It was Marlee. "I heard about last night. I was wrong before. That project put too much pressure on everyone, and I spoke without considering your feelings. Please don't take it personally, okay?"
Her words were carefully calculated, as if she were merely a boss concerned about her subordinate, not the instigator who had tied the department's annual bonus to an intern's performance.
Cecilia turned to look at Marlee. "Ms. Thomas," she spoke, her voice soft yet cold, "your coffee smells like a skunk sprayed it. Keep it away from me—I'm allergic."
The office fell instantly silent. No one had expected the typically reserved Cecilia to say something so crude and direct. Marlee's hand, holding the coffee cup, froze mid-air.
Cecilia turned back to her computer. This silent slap in the face spoke louder than any heated argument could have. Marlee glared at her for several seconds, then returned to her office without a word, teeth clenched.
Near the end of the workday, Rachel arrived.
Marlee, just emerging from her office, spotted her immediately. Her eyes darted calculatingly before her expression instantly transformed into perfect enthusiasm.
"Ms. Hughes, Mr. Clifford isn't in the office. May I keep you company?"
Rachel had initially looked disappointed, but perked up at Marlee's offer. She sized up the woman, noticing the "Legal Director" clearly displayed on her badge. "That would be nice."
Marlee promptly escorted Rachel out, thinking to herself that compared to Rachel, Cecilia was nothing but an ugly duckling!
As they walked, Marlee casually mentioned, loud enough for others to hear: "That intern in our department is so clueless, constantly chasing after Mr. Clifford. She doesn't understand her place or capabilities. She doesn't possess even a fraction of your elegance and class, Ms. Hughes..."
Her voice carried clearly enough for everyone nearby to hear. Cecilia heard it too, and though she didn't look up, she could feel their malicious gazes—contemptuous yet unable to hide their jealousy.
Cecilia had no time to care about such things. She focused entirely on her work. She knew professional competence was her last weapon against this absurd world.
As the workday neared its end, her phone vibrated on the desk.
[Come up.]
Cecilia stared at the message for several seconds before closing her laptop and standing up. Everyone in the office perked up, suddenly alert.
Cecilia walked through the rows of workstations and entered the elevator. It rose smoothly, the numbers steadily climbing. In the mirrored walls, Cecilia's reflection looked pale and numb, like a doll drained of its soul.
Top floor, CEO's office. Teddy wasn't there. Edward was alone in the vast office.
Something lay open on the desk in front of him. The brown, worn-edged leather journal had been opened, revealing its drawings.