Chapter 13
Samuel thought about Cecilia's hollow eyes at the police department and her numb voice on the phone. That wasn't coercion—it was despair. The despair of being trapped in a marriage cage with no escape.
What could he do?
---
Edward didn't return to the mansion.
Cecilia was glad for the peace and quiet. That unlimited credit card remained buried deep in her drawer. She had lost her freedom to leave the house.
On the third evening, the familiar Maybach pulled into the courtyard.
Edward walked in wrapped in cold air, and David respectfully took his coat. His gaze fell on the slender, motionless figure on the sofa.
For days, he had expected her to call, to question, to make a scene. Instead, nothing. She had been as quiet as a corpse.
"Seems you've been enjoying yourself," he said coldly.
Cecilia finally showed a reaction. She stood up.
"Mr. Clifford, welcome home."
This butler-like eagerness to serve completely ignited the anger Edward had been suppressing for days. He grabbed her wrist.
"Come upstairs with me."
The bedroom door slammed shut. Cecilia was roughly pushed onto the soft bed. She didn't struggle or beg.
This was part of her job, a service included in that million-dollar payment and her $200,000 monthly salary.
Edward's kiss descended, his intense cedar scent mixed with the faint smell of alcohol overwhelming her senses. Cecilia closed her eyes, like a small boat surrendering to a storm, allowing the giant waves to swallow and tear her apart.
Last time, in a moment of clouded consciousness, she had mistakenly called out a name that shouldn't have been spoken. What followed was an even more violent possession. The darkness and fury in his eyes then remained vivid in her memory.
So this time, she had to stay alert.
For several consecutive nights, sunset became her fixed working hours. She never resisted, never reciprocated. At first, she would silently recite legal codes in her head; later, she didn't even have the energy for that.
She was exhausted, body and soul.
Another night.
He gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him, searching for any emotion in those beautiful eyes, even if it was hatred. But there was nothing there. Only his own frenzied, agitated reflection.
Edward stopped all movement, leaned down to her ear, his breath burning hot, his voice ice cold.
"What's wrong? No more calling out names?"
Cecilia's body tensed slightly.
He laughed softly, a laugh full of malice and mockery. "Am I not as good as Samuel? Not as good as Winston? Can't satisfy you?"
The expected stiffening didn't come. Instead, Cecilia suddenly laughed.
She opened those empty eyes, and for the first time, they reflected his silhouette and a glimmer of contempt. "Mr. Clifford, a man who needs to insult women to prove his abilities... isn't that a bit pathetic?"
The violence in his eyes instantly froze, then darkened further.
But Cecilia acted as if she hadn't noticed. "Or should I pretend to be more enthusiastic? After all, I took the money."
The air went dead.
Edward abruptly got off her, silently began dressing, then stormed out. The massive door slam made even the crystal chandelier on the ceiling sway gently.
Cecilia lay on the messy bed, slowly raising her hand to cover her eyes.
After some time, David knocked softly at the door.
"Mrs. Clifford, there's a package for you from your mother's house."
Mother?
Cecilia's body stiffened. She put on her robe and took the worn cardboard box from David's hands.
She carried the box into her room and cut open the tape with a small knife. Inside were Winston's belongings.
At the bottom of the box, she felt a small, cold metal case. Opening it, she found an old-fashioned silver bracelet.
Cecilia turned it over and saw two names on the inner circle, somewhat blurred by time.
Winston Gray. Cecilia Mellon.
Winston had it made for her sixteenth birthday, saving his allowance for an entire year. He had sworn he would earn money to buy her an even bigger diamond bracelet someday.
Her nose suddenly stung, and the grievance and bitterness she had forcibly suppressed finally broke through the dam. She carefully put the bracelet on her wrist, the cold metal pressing painfully against her skin.
---
At the same time, a call came through to Tanner's phone.
"Hey, Mom."
"That ungrateful girl has hit the jackpot! Living in a mansion, riding in luxury cars! I called the police department, and they said she's with some big boss!"
Tanner's eyes lit up, a greedy light flickering in them. She's got money?
He remembered Cecilia's proud, stubborn face at the law firm that day, and his heart burned with excitement.
"Mom, don't worry. I'll handle this." Tanner hung up, already scheming.
As her brother, demanding a bride price was perfectly reasonable!
---
That evening, at the Summit Enterprises Group Building.
A greasy-haired man strutted in against the flow of people leaving.
"I'm looking for your CEO! I'm his brother-in-law!" Tanner shouted.
The security guards, seeing his sleazy appearance, hesitated before dialing the internal line.
Top floor, executive office.
Teddy reported with an odd expression: "Mr. Clifford, there's a Mr. Thomas downstairs claiming to be your brother-in-law. He wants to see you specifically to discuss Ms. Mellon's bride price."
Edward had just finished signing a document. At these words, his pen paused on the paper, leaving a moderate ink mark.
Brother-in-law? Bride price?
"Send him up."
Tanner was escorted into the ridiculously large office, his excitement growing with each step, as if he could see countless dollar bills beckoning to him.
"Mr. Clifford, let's cut to the chase. My sister can't just be with you for nothing. The bride price—don't you think it's time to settle up?"
Edward sat behind his desk, watching him with composed interest. "I wonder, Mr. Thomas, what price do you think Cecilia is worth?"
Tanner named an outrageous sum: "My sister is young and beautiful, plus she's a top university graduate. Ten million dollars doesn't seem unreasonable, does it?"
Edward said nothing, just nodded slightly to Teddy beside him.
Teddy pulled out a receipt from a folder and walked over to Tanner.
"Mr. Thomas, this is the partial medical bill for Ms. Mellon's younger brother, totaling $834,000. Additionally, the upcoming bone marrow transplant and rehabilitation costs are estimated to exceed $2 million. Mr. Clifford has already advanced all these expenses."
Teddy then produced another document.
"This is the prenuptial agreement between Ms. Mellon and Mr. Clifford, which clearly stipulates that Mr. Clifford paid Ms. Mellon $5 million as her personal property to resolve all her pre-marriage family issues. This money, to our knowledge, has already been deposited into Ms. Mellon's account."
Tanner stared at the astronomical figures. Five million dollars? Cecilia had gotten five million dollars!