Chapter 14
"According to custom, when the man's side pays a bride price, the woman's family generally prepares a reciprocal gift," Teddy said. "As Ms. Mellon's brother, what reciprocal gift have you prepared, Mr. Thomas?"
Tanner was stunned. Not only had he failed to get any bride price, now they were asking him for a gift in return.
Edward watched his eyes darting around nervously and gave a cold smile. "I'll give you two options. One, leave right now. Two, I'll have my legal department discuss with you the sentencing standards for extortion."
Tanner trembled with fear, looking into Edward's bottomless eyes. He felt like a mouse being watched by a hawk, even breathing became difficult.
"I... I was just joking, just a joke..." he stammered, waving his hands.
Tanner scrambled toward the exit. At the doorway, realizing he hadn't gotten a penny and had only made a fool of himself, he felt resentful.
As he passed Teddy, desperation made him bold. He lowered his voice: "Mr. Scott, I'm just looking out for Mr. Clifford. My sister has someone in her heart—some guy named Winston Gray. Looks a bit like Mr. Clifford, actually. Who knows who she's thinking about when she's with Mr. Clifford at night. Mr. Clifford's being made a fool..."
Teddy's eyes had turned cold enough to form icicles.
Tanner shuddered and dared not continue, meekly heading downstairs.
Teddy stood there, about to return to the office, when he realized Edward was already standing in the doorway, his face terrifyingly dark.
"What did he just say?"
Teddy's heart sank. "Just crazy talk, not worth repeating."
"I'll ask one more time."
Teddy's scalp tingled with dread as he repeated Tanner's words verbatim.
Winston.
The name Cecilia had whimpered when he'd pushed her to the edge of consciousness.
"Winston..."
The woman he'd bought for five million dollars was thinking of another man while lying beneath him.
Perhaps even... using him as a substitute for this Winston.
Edward grabbed his suit jacket from the chair and stormed out.
Teddy had never seen such naked rage from him. By the time he collected himself, Edward was already gone.
---
Cecilia sat on the carpet, carefully polishing the silver bracelet with a soft cloth in the dim light of the table lamp.
This was the only thing Winston had left her.
The bedroom door was violently pushed open, slamming against the wall with a crash.
Cecilia jumped, dropping the bracelet onto the carpet.
She instinctively bent to pick it up, but a shiny leather shoe stepped on it first.
She looked up to see Edward looming over her, radiating intense cold and fury. His eyes looked as if they could devour her alive.
"Mr. Clifford..."
Edward gave her an icy glance, then bent down to pick up the bracelet.
In the amber light, the two blurred names on the inner circle became clearly visible to him.
Cecilia Mellon. Winston Gray.
He let out a low, cold laugh.
He threw the cold bracelet at her face.
"So it was for him that you came to me? Because my face resembles his somewhat?"
Cecilia was completely bewildered.
What was he talking about?
"Or is it that when you're having sex with me, imagining I'm him makes you feel better?"
Cecilia froze.
"No, that's not it..." she reflexively denied. "You've misunderstood, it's not like that..."
"Shut up!"
He didn't want to hear any explanations. To him, all explanations were just cover-ups.
A tearing pain shot through her, making Cecilia curl up.
This was pure punishment and possession, meant to destroy.
She clenched her teeth, refusing to make a sound.
Her mind went blank with pain and humiliation.
After what felt like an eternity, just as she was about to suffocate, he suddenly stopped.
He gripped her face, forcing her to turn and look at him.
In the darkness, his eyes were frighteningly bright.
"Tell me," he enunciated each word, "who am I?"
Cecilia's foggy brain reeled from the question.
Who was he?
He was Edward, the CEO of Summit Enterprises Group, her creditor, her "boss."
She looked at him, her lips moving slightly, finally producing two hoarse syllables.
"...Mr. Clifford."
Edward abruptly pulled away from her as if he'd touched something utterly filthy.
The room instantly fell silent except for their heavy breathing.
Cecilia lay on the bed like a fish thrown ashore, completely still.
Edward turned his back to her and began dressing. He transformed back into the immaculate, lofty CEO of Summit Enterprises Group.
"Before dawn tomorrow," his voice was eerily calm, "get out of here."
---
It wasn't yet daylight.
Cecilia sat up in bed and began packing her things.
There wasn't much to pack.
The only thing she had brought was the cardboard box containing Winston's belongings.
She put the bracelet back on her wrist, then picked up the worn box and opened the bedroom door.
In the living room, David the butler was dozing on the sofa. Hearing movement, he immediately woke up.
"Mrs. Clifford, you..."
"Thank you for taking care of me all this time," Cecilia interrupted.
David sighed. "Let me drive you. It's too early to get a taxi."
"No need." Cecilia stepped back, avoiding his hand. "I'm leaving."
She walked straight toward the front door without looking back.
A blinding car headlight cut through the darkness as a fiery red Porsche 911 pulled up smoothly in front of the mansion.
A woman in a beige Chanel suit stepped out of the car.
It was Rachel.
Cecilia didn't want a confrontation—she was already emotionally drained. She quickly moved to leave.
---
In a dim rental apartment in the urban village, there was a sudden knock at the door.
Tanner crawled out of bed, ready to curse, but when he saw it was Samuel, his expression instantly changed to a fawning smile. "Mr. Hughes, what brings you here?"
Samuel didn't waste time on pleasantries. He opened his phone to show the glaring marriage certificate photo.
"She's married, Tanner," Samuel gritted his teeth. "You're watching your sister marry a man who abuses her however he wants, and you're doing nothing about it?"
Tanner stared at the photo, his mind buzzing.
That ungrateful girl Cecilia had actually married Edward?
But given Edward's attitude, even if he had married Cecilia, Tanner probably wouldn't get any benefits.
Tanner's eyes shifted calculatingly. Samuel was different, though. Young, impulsive, full of righteous indignation—the perfect sucker who'd walked right into his trap.
The sycophantic smile instantly vanished from Tanner's face, replaced by sorrow and helplessness.
He sighed heavily, blowing out a long smoke ring. "Mr. Hughes, you think I wanted this?"