Free Web NovelChapter 222: Chapter 225: Hurting Each Other
Collins relented. "Mr. Lockwood, I know I was wrong."
Ethan Lockwood shot him an exasperated glare. Just as he was about to wave him off, a sudden knock sounded at the office door.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—
"Mr. Lockwood."
Ethan Lockwood frowned impatiently and answered in a cold voice, "Enter."
The next second, the dark gray door was pushed open from the outside. Another secretary walked in quickly and said respectfully to Ethan Lockwood, "Mr. Lockwood, Miss Cecilia is here. She says she needs to see you."
"I’m not seeing her," Ethan Lockwood said, his tone cold and hard, without a hint of hesitation.
The secretary stood before the desk, hands clasped, a tentative expression on his face. "Mr. Lockwood, Miss Cecilia said she can solve the problem that’s been bothering you."
"..." Ethan Lockwood paused, his resolve wavering.
The secretary continued, "Miss Cecilia also said that you two were once the most compatible of partners. She believes that this time, you can join forces and execute the task flawlessly."
"..."
Ethan Lockwood’s sharp eyes narrowed, the cold resolve on his face melting into a sneer.
"Let her in." He sat back in his chair, casually crossing his long legs.
The secretary nodded and left the office, returning a moment later to usher in Cecilia Quincy, who had been waiting for some time.
"Ethan!"
Cecilia Quincy stood before Ethan Lockwood, her smile as sweet and brilliant as ever, but her eyes held less of their former infatuation and adoration.
Ethan Lockwood sized her up, his face expressionless. ’She’s actually pretty ordinary,’ he suddenly realized.
He hadn’t seen her in over a month, and she’d lost a significant amount of weight. The youthful plumpness was gone from her face, leaving her cheekbones slightly prominent. It diminished much of her usual sweetness, replacing it with a mature, almost haggard look, tinged with an irritating sharpness.
Her face had changed, but her style of dress was the same as always—sweet, pretty, and fresh.
A cream-yellow puffer jacket, paired with an off-white wool miniskirt and a pair of misty-gray, block-heeled tall boots.
Her hair was still long, black, and wavy, with princess braids on either side, adorned with two small, pearl-white bow claw clips.
Before, Ethan had loved seeing her dress like this. He used to think the style made her look cute and vibrant. But now, on the same person in the same outfit, it just felt discordant and strange.
He looked away in distaste, unwilling to spare Cecilia another glance.
"What are you doing here?"
Cecilia clearly saw the disgust in Ethan’s eyes, but her expression didn’t change. She turned her head to glance at Collins, who was standing awkwardly to the side, then looked back at Ethan.
Ethan gave a dismissive wave of his hand, gesturing for Collins to get out.
Collins took the hint. He brought the contract he was holding over to Ethan’s desk, then tiptoed out of the office, gently closing the door behind him.
CLICK—
The lock clicked softly shut, leaving only Cecilia and Ethan in the vast office.
Ethan Lockwood remained firmly seated, showing no intention of getting up.
"What are you doing here?" he asked again.
The corners of Cecilia’s lips lifted as she smiled at him gently. "Ethan, I’m here to solve your problems."
"Be specific." Ethan had no patience for games.
A cold glint appeared in her eyes, and the corners of her smile slowly drooped.
"...I’m here to help you deal with Felix Preston." Her tone was stiff, but she still tried to maintain a smile.
Ethan looked up at her, a faint crease forming between his brows. His expression was as placid as a pool of stagnant water.
He said nothing, his silence prompting her to continue.
Cecilia said, "The otome game Felix Preston developed is already dominating the trending charts. Judging from the buzz, the public anticipation, and the five-star reviews from beta testers, there’s a very high probability it’s going to be a massive hit."
"If his game launches successfully and becomes the hit everyone expects, it’ll only be a matter of time before he builds another Preston Group."
"Ethan, don’t you think I’m right?"
Ethan raised an eyebrow, countering with a question of his own. "Why are you still willing to help me?"
That livestream had caused them to completely drop all pretenses, laying bare all the ugliness and disgust they had hidden in their hearts for years.
And while they hadn’t officially broken up, they both understood that their relationship was on its last legs.
"Ethan." Cecilia tugged at the corners of her mouth in a bitter smile. "I’m not helping you. I’m helping myself."
"Sonia Quincy’s birth parents are Brianna Bell and Jackson Shaw. Jackson Shaw’s Shaw Technologies outclasses the Quincy Family in every respect, which naturally puts Sonia’s status a cut above mine. The one thing I can’t tolerate is being trampled under her feet. If Felix Preston makes a comeback now, Sonia won’t just be the heiress to Shaw Technologies—she’ll also be the lady of Volition Tech."
"I absolutely cannot allow that to happen! Sonia cannot be allowed to climb any higher!"
"Heh..."
After hearing her out, Ethan suddenly laughed.
"Cecilia, you’ve already lost to Sonia completely. Even if Sonia doesn’t become the lady of Volition Tech, her status is still leagues above yours."
"She’s not just the heiress of Shaw Technologies; she’s a mega-influencer with tens of millions of fans and a renowned jewelry designer in Aethelburg. Her design commissions are booked through August of next year. Ordinary people can’t even get on her list."
"And you? Your jewelry design studio has been open for ages. How many clients have you even had? Does anyone in Aethelburg even acknowledge you as a designer?"
"...Ethan, what are you trying to say?" Cecilia’s fingers curled, her hands balling into tight fists.
Her face was grim, but she was still smiling at Ethan. "Are you saying this because Sonia’s background is so dazzling now? Because she’s famous and capable, you’ve had a change of heart and want to rekindle your old flame?"
Ethan began, "I—"
"I know," Cecilia interrupted, her voice deceptively gentle. "It’s always been your style to treat people differently based on their status. You must be developing feelings for Sonia again simply because you’ve taken a liking to Shaw Technologies and jewelry design."
"What a pity, though, that Sonia already has a husband and a child. And you’re the one who handed her that husband on a silver platter, aren’t you?"
"The happy couple is doing just fine. If you’re actually entertaining any ideas, Ethan, you might find yourself coming up empty-handed."
"..." The smile on Ethan’s face froze completely. He glared at Cecilia, a furious rage churning in his eyes. But in the next instant, that anger was replaced by a sense of helplessness and regret.
"Cecilia, I think you’ve misunderstood me." He gently uncrossed his long legs and rose languidly from his chair. Then, he slowly rounded the long desk and walked toward her.
"When I said you couldn’t compare to Sonia, I wasn’t trying to put you down."
