Chapter 30
At the critical moment, a black luxury car raced toward them at an almost insane speed.
Before Ian and his men could react, Edward stepped out of the car, radiating a terrifying fury. His left cheek still bore the clear imprint of five fingers.
"Get lost."
Ian sobered instantly, his legs turning to jelly as he scrambled back to his vehicle. Seeing this, his thugs scattered in panic.
Edward looked at the trembling Cecilia and felt an unexpected pang in his chest. He removed his suit jacket, bent down to wrap it around her completely, and lifted her into his arms.
From nearby came a woman's voice, perfectly calibrated to sound anxious and urgent.
"Eddie! You finally came! I saw them harassing Cecilia and got so scared I told my driver to honk the horn. Thank goodness it brought you here!"
Rachel jumped out of a rideshare car, clutching her chest with a look of relief.
Edward hadn't heard any horn when he arrived. His movements stilled as he held Cecilia, his cold gaze sweeping over Rachel.
"You are following me?" Edward's voice was unreadable.
"I... I was worried about you. You looked so scary earlier." Rachel changed the subject. "I was afraid something would happen to you, so I called a car and followed... Cecilia, are you okay?"
Cecilia remained motionless in his arms, as if she'd lost all sensation.
Rachel moved closer to check on her, but Edward ignored her, turning to carry Cecilia back to the car. Before closing the door, he glanced back at Rachel. His expression was calm and unreadable, but it made Rachel's heart skip a beat.
After Edward left, Rachel opened her phone's gallery. In the photos, Cecilia was surrounded by several men, but due to the angle, it almost looked like she was flirting with them, leaving much to the imagination.
---
Cecilia leaned against the car window. Edward's jacket was large, enveloping her completely, still warm with his body heat and faint woody scent, yet she felt chilled to the bone.
Back at the Clifford mansion, Edward carried her through the living room, up the stairs, and finally placed her gently on the soft bed in her room. Cecilia didn't resist. Too much had happened tonight, and she was exhausted. The moment her head touched the pillow, she fell asleep.
In her haze, she felt someone tucking in her blankets. In her dreams, she thought sarcastically that the high-and-mighty Edward would never do something so gentle. She must be hallucinating.
Edward walked to his study and called Teddy. His voice was ice-cold. "Ian Johnson's pathetic company—by dawn, I don't want to hear its name again."
Teddy hesitated, confused. Wasn't the boss at a gala tonight? Why was he dealing with small fry like Ian?
"Understood."
"Also," Edward paused, "check the travel record of the rideshare Rachel took tonight. Find out when exactly she arrived at the overlook."
---
The next morning, Cecilia woke to a violent wave of nausea. She rushed to the bathroom and dry-heaved into the toilet, but nothing came up. She assumed it was just her stomach reacting to last night's shock and thought nothing more of it.
Edward didn't appear. The entire villa felt empty.
Over the next few days, Cecilia took time off work. She knew that phone call would have sparked countless rumors at the office, and the thought drained her motivation to work.
One day, as she crossed off a date on her calendar, her hand suddenly froze. Her period was almost two weeks late.
A wild, terrifying thought shot through her mind.
Cecilia changed into the plainest clothes she owned, put on a mask and hat, and slipped out the back door. She took a taxi to a private gynecology clinic far from home.
After a series of tests, she sat in the consultation room, her fingertips ice-cold. The doctor slid an ultrasound report across to her.
"Congratulations, you're six weeks pregnant. Your progesterone is a bit low, so be sure to rest and avoid overexertion."
Pregnant. Six weeks.
Cecilia's mind went blank as the world spun around her. She left the clinic in a daze, clutching the thin medical report.
Between her and Edward, beyond that cold contract, there would now be a living, breathing life. This child's arrival would bind them even tighter, making it impossible for her to break free easily.
What was she going to do?
Meanwhile, in a rundown bar across town, Ian was downing cheap liquor, one glass after another. His company had declared bankruptcy overnight, all assets frozen, with banks at his door demanding payment. He'd gone from a respected CEO to a hunted outcast.
This was all Edward's doing.
"Edward, Cecilia, this isn't over!" he slammed his glass on the table, eyes bloodshot.
A woman in a trench coat and sunglasses sat down across from him.
"Mr. Johnson, interested in making a comeback?" she asked.
Ian raised his bleary eyes to examine her. "Who are you?"
The woman removed her sunglasses, revealing Rachel's delicate face.
Rachel slid a phone toward him. On the screen played footage of him surrounding Cecilia that night—filmed from a bystander's perspective.
Ian sobered up considerably. "What do you want?"
"I can help you rebuild, make you even more successful than before." Rachel spoke deliberately, her voice tempting. "I have just one condition."
"What condition?"
"Cecilia is pregnant," Rachel watched with satisfaction as shock spread across Ian's face. "I want you to get rid of her. Take her somewhere remote where no one can find her, and let her deliver the baby safely."
Ian was stunned. "And then what?"
Rachel's lips curved into a smile. "The child will be mine, the money will be yours." She leaned forward, lowering her voice. "The Clifford family's first grandchild, brought home by me, Edward's rightful wife—perfectly reasonable. As for Cecilia... who cares what happens to a surrogate once she's served her purpose?"