Chapter 161 Birthday Surprise
Half an hour later, Cecilia and Calvin finally arrived at Vivian’s mansion.
Even through the closed front door, they could hear voices coming from inside.
“Calm down! We’re about to surprise your mom in a bit. Place the cake here, right here…
Cecilia chuckled to herself. The two little ones had fooled her, claiming they were too tired to accompany her to the airport.
So, they’ve actually been busy planning a surprise birthday celebration for me!
“It seems they’re in for a disappointment,” Calvin remarked.
“Why don’t we wait for a bit before going in?” Cecilia suggested, turning her big, pleading eyes on
him.
Calvin looked into her eyes. His throat tightened. “Alright,” he said.
The two of them simply stood outside the door, enjoying the cool evening breeze.
“How is Martha doing recently?”
“She’s been okay. I just need to bring all of you back as soon as possible.”
Cecilia frowned in concern. “I want to return soon as well, but Eli’s illness must be treated.”
“We understand,” Calvin said, looking down at her. “Don’t worry. Everything will be okay.”
Cecilia nodded, unsure.
Just as Calvin was planning to take advantage of the quiet moment to hand over the item he had brought for Cecilia, he heard the door behind him being pulled open.
“Ms. Kennedy, you’re really clumsy! You dropped the cake!”
“It wasn’t intentional, you know! If only you hadn’t mopped the floor and made it so slippery. Now, I have no choice but to go out and buy a new one…
When they emerged, they saw Cecilia and Calvin already waiting outside the door.
Elliot was the first to react. “Mr. Reesel
“Hello, you.” Calvin gently patted his head in greeting.
Vivian stared at the man blankly for a while before it finally clicked in her head. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Reese,” she said. “Thank you for taking care of us when we were young.”
“Your mother is my friend. It was the right thing to do,” Calvin replied.
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Chapter 161 Birthday Surprise.
“Well, okay them. Let’s go in and sit down,” Vivian said awkwardly.
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Then, she pulled Cecilia towards her and whispered quietly, “Cecilia, I’m so sorry about what just happened…”
“I heard it all through the door.”
“The cake…” Vivian chewed her lip guiltily.
“It’s late! It’s alright if we don’t have cake now. Let’s just go to bed earlier tonight.”
“Alright then.”
Once Calvin had settled down, Vivian teased Jonathan, “Jon, are you feeling sleepy?”
Jonathan thought that Vivian’s little trick was too obvious, but he played along.
“Yeah, I’m so tired.”
He let out a big yawn.
“Shall
“Shall I take you to bed then?”
Vivian turned to Calvin and Cecilia. “Your room is all set up. Feel free to chat. Jon and I are heading off to bed first.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
After tucking in Jonathan for the night, Vivian pulled Cecilia aside.
“I’ve arranged a big room for you two.”
Cecilia was bewildered by her statement. “For us?”
“Yes! There’s a king–sized bed inside. You can mess around as much as you want.”
“Don’t talk nonsense! We are just friends.”
“Okay, okay, if you say so. I’m going to bed now. Good night!”
Vivian hurried back to her own room.
Cecilia stared after her retreating figure helplessly. It seems I’ll be sleeping on the sofa tonight!
“Calvin, you must be exhausted after the plane ride. Let me take you to your room so you can
rest.”
Calvin approached her, gazing deeply into her eyes. “Didn’t we agree that I celebrate your birthday with you tonight?”
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Chapter 161 Birthday Surprise
“Then, let’s go to sleep once midnight passes?”
“Okay then.”
It was just a few minutes shy of midnight.
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Calvin, too, was watching the time. He was hoping to confess his feelings for her when the clock.
strikes twelve.
However, before he had his chance, the urgent ring of Cecilia’s cell phone cut through the silence:
“I need to take this. Cecilia said apologetically.
She pulled out her phone and the first thing he saw was Nathaniel’s name flashing mockingly at him from the screen.
Chapter 162 Master Of Deception
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“I’ll give you a minute to come out now,” Nathaniel’s commanding voice sounded through the phone.
Come out now?
Cecilia tightened her grip on the phone. She glanced out the window, “Are you outside?”
“What do you think?” Nathaniel responded.
He cut the call without another word.
Cecilia stared at her phone. Then, she turned to Calvin and said in an apologetic tone. “I’m sorry. Something unexpected came up, and I need to go home.”
Calvin wanted to ask her what was going on, but seeing her anxious demeanor, he didn’t press the matter. He simply nodded and said, “Alright, be careful.”
Cecilia grabbed her bags and left swiftly.
Silently, Calvin rose from his seat and moved towards the balcony. He watched as her silhouette vanished from his sight. A complex mix of emotions coursed through him.
Outside the mansion, a matte black Cadillac was parked by the gate, blending seamlessly into the night.
Cecilia approached the car uncertainly.
The car window lowered, revealing Nathaniel seated in the driver’s seat. His expression was steely, and his aura emitted a chill that seemed to lower the temperature within the car.
He glanced at Cecilia, coldly. “Get in the car.”
This was a private residential area.
Cecilia had no idea how he had managed to drive in. She pulled open the car door and slid into the passenger seat.
Nathaniel sped off, leaving the residential area behind.
Once they had left the compound, Cecilia realized that they were surrounded by bodyguards dressed in black.
She felt an inexplicable fear stirring within her.
Nathaniel broke the silence, asking in an icy tone, “Seems like you had a lot of fun today, huh?”
“It was alright.” Cecilia did not know what he was getting at.
“Were you also happy when you lied to me?” Nathaniel asked as he pressed the accelerator pedal.
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Chapter 162 Master Deception
to the floor.
The swiftly passing scenery outside the window heightened Cecilia’s fear.
“What do you mean Lied to you?” She feigned calmness.
Nathaniel had not expected her to play dumb. He slammed the brakes and brought thecant screeching halt.
The sudden stop almoor batted Cecilia’s head to the dashboard.
Before she could react Nathannel leaned into her space and gripped her arms tightly.
The night was pitch–black, and thadlight inside the car was dim. All Cecilia could see was Nathaniel’s face in front of hers. Itowever, the was oblivious to the hint of red that was wellin in the corners of his eyes at that intensen
“Stella was right,” Nathaniel said, prong out each word angrily. “You really are a master of deception.
His words struck Cecilia like a bold of thing
She glared at Nathaniel in disbelief, “What you say
say?
ΠΟ
“I saw you pick up Calvin from the airport today with my own eyes,” Nathaniel’s voice was lov he whispered angrily into her car. “You’re not returning to Daltonia Villa tonight because you. want to stay with him. right?”
“You were gone all night. Were you planning to sleep with him….
Before he could finish his sentence, Cecilia raised Herod.
Before her palm could land on his cheek, Nathaniel grabbed her wrist, halting her midair.
He sneered, “Caught red–handed by me again, aren’t you Youreeally can’t control yourself at huh? Why don’t you just keep lying to me?”
(Cecilia felt a deafening roar in her ears. Her vision becarne blurrcell hyna watery glow.
Henlips trembled as she said through trembling lips. Nathaniellyyouve really gone too far.”
His accusation hurt her.
Hidheartless!
Upon hearing those words, Nathaniel’s anger intensified. He raised his handbalapped her.
Hinffice was icy cold, and her body was trembling.
“Oh wolvent seen the worst of me vet
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Chapter 162 Master Of Deception
Cecilia jerked away from him.
“You jerk!”
Nathaniel ignored her cries and pressed on.
Cecilia had never experienced such humiliation before.
Nathaniel was too strong to resist. He pressed her face against the window.
“Haven’t you always wanted this? Today, I’ll fulfill your wish.”
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Chapter 163 What Day It Is Today
Cecilia knew that resistance was futile, so she silently endured.
Nathaniel, leaning over her, issued a stern warning in her ear. “If you dare to meet him again, I’ll make sure neither of you have it easy!”
Suddenly, he halted, his hand brushing against something damp. It was only then that he noticed the specks of crimson on his fingertips.
He turned Cecilia around and discovered that blood was trickling down from behind her ear, spreading across her cheek.
Nathaniel quickly removed her hearing aid.
“Why is your ear bleeding again?”
Cecilia could no longer hear what he was saying.
She reckoned he probably uttered some hurtful words. It was better that they went unheard.
Nathaniel asked again, “Do you have any medicine with you?”
His answer was met with silence.
Nathaniel knew she couldn’t hear him, so he had no choice but to drive toward the hospital.
The doctor treated Cecilia, but for a while, she still couldn’t hear.
After the doctor left, an eerie silence filled the ward.
Nathaniel prepared a cup of warm water and mixed in some medicine before offering it to her. Seeing her lack of response, he took out his phone and typed a message for her to read.
It read: Drink the medicine!
Cecilia found herself reminiscing about a night over a decade ago as she watched the man. engrossed in a conversation with her over text messages on his phone.
She was teased by her classmates, which momentarily caused her to lose her hearing. When Nathaniel picked her up, he discovered that she couldn’t hear and communicated with her through his phone.
This moment was strikingly similar to that night.
However, the Nathaniel of the present was no longer the tender–hearted young man he once was.
Her eyes welled up slightly, turning a faint red, and she said through her pale lips, “That won’t be
better.” necessary. It’s just the same old issues. I won’t get
A sense of unease inexplicably settled in Nathaniel’s heart.
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Chapter 162 Master Of Deception.
Cecilia jerked away from him.
“You jerk!”
Nathaniel ignored her cries and pressed on.
Cecilia had never experienced such humiliation before.
Nathaniel was too strong to resist. He pressed her face against the window.
“Haven’t you always wanted this? Today, I’ll fulfill your wish.”
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Chapter 163 What Day It Is Today
He continued typing: Who said so?
“The doctor.”
:
Nathaniel couldn’t be bothered to type anymore. He directly held the cup to Cecilia’s lips.
His impatience made him different from before.
Cecilia recalled that night when his car had encountered a problem.
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The two of them sat in the car, and because of her fear, Nathaniel spent the night keeping her company by chatting with her on his phone.
She took the cup and drained it in one gulp, then turned away and curled up in the blanket, ignoring him completely.
Nathaniel made his way to the balcony, lighting up one cigarette after another.
Cecilia had barely fallen into a light sleep when she was jolted awake by a nightmare. In her dream, she was in a car, where she was being taken advantage of.
She opened her eyes, her hand instinctively reaching out to grab the blanket, but unexpectedly, she touched a firm arm instead.
Glancing to the side, she noticed that at some point, Nathaniel had fallen asleep next to her.
She withdrew her hand, distancing herself slightly from him.
The man sensed her awakening and swiftly pulled her into his embrace.
“Can you hear me now?” Nathaniel asked in a deep voice.
Cecilia arched her eyebrows subtly, feigning ignorance, and didn’t respond to him.
Nathaniel lowered his head, kissing her forehead, then her nose bridge, and finally, her lips.
Cecilia clenched her fists.
The man’s kiss lingered before it finally ended.
He caressed her cheek over and over again, murmuring, “What should I do with you?”
Cecilia felt as if her heart had been pierced by a needle.
After what seemed like an eternity, she couldn’t help but break the silence with a question.
“Do you know what day it is today?”
For some reason, she just wanted to know if there was a chance he might remember.
Upon hearing Cecilia’s unexpected question, Nathaniel found himself taken aback.
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Chapter 163 What Day It Is Today
It’s the 9th of July. What day could it be?
“Hmm?”
:
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Aside from significant holidays and routine matters, he wouldn’t make an effort to remember any other dates.
A lump formed in Cecilia’s throat, spreading a bitter taste throughout.
“Never mind.”
Nathaniel found himself increasingly perplexed by Cecilia’s inscrutable thoughts.
He also felt that she was gradually becoming more distant from him.
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