My Child and I Married a Billionaire

Chapter 127: Chapter 127: They Slept Together?

Cecelia Archer really didn’t get it. ’Why on earth is he forcing me to stay?’

’He won’t let me drink, and I can’t get a word in. Does he think it’s fun to make me sit here like an idiot and watch them shoot the breeze?’

She really wanted to blow up, to ask Damien Vaughn what the hell he thought he was doing.

But it was Wyatt Wynn’s birthday, after all. What would it look like for an outsider like her to lose her temper?

Cecelia Archer swallowed her frustration and left the pavilion.

Gwen Morgan quickly caught up, linking her arm through Cecelia’s as intimately as she had on the way there.

"You’re not having a good time, are you? It seems like you really want to leave. That dense blockhead, Damien, can’t understand you, but I can. It must be awkward since you don’t know anyone else here and have no common interests or topics of conversation. Don’t mind him. If you really want to go, then just go. I’ll tell him for you later. I can see you out."

’No wonder she’s being so helpful,’ Cecelia Archer thought. ’When I asked her to come to the restroom with me, she tagged right along. So she had an ulterior motive all along.’

’See me out?’

’She must think I’m an eyesore.’

Cecelia Archer wasn’t the type to shamelessly overstay her welcome. She’d had more than enough of this party anyway, and since Gwen Morgan had laid it all out...

"Thank you, Miss Morgan. But you don’t need to see me out. I can just grab a cab. I appreciate the offer, though."

In response, Gwen Morgan pressed five hundred in cash into her hand, smiling as she stayed put. freēwebnovel.com

Cecelia Archer had no phone and no purse. All she had on her was that five hundred in cash.

After leaving the restroom, her only option was to find the front desk and ask for help.

"Hello. My phone is broken, and I need to leave for a bit. Could you please call a car for me?"

"I’m sorry, ma’am, but our resort is in a rather unique location. It’s not very convenient for taxis to come out here. If it’s an emergency, we can arrange for one of our cars to drive you. May I have your name, please?"

’The service at a high-end place like this really is on another level. They even have a car service,’ Cecelia Archer thought, and then gave her name.

To her surprise, the receptionist’s expression changed. "I’m sorry, ma’am. President Vaughn has given specific instructions that we are not to dispatch a car for you without his permission. If you need anything, please speak with him directly. My apologies."

A few minutes later, Cecelia Archer was back at the pavilion.

Damien Vaughn was leaning back lazily in his chair, a wine glass in hand. His expression was utterly smug as he watched her, but he feigned ignorance with his words.

"What took you so long?"

"Bad sense of direction. I got lost."

Cecelia Archer sat down, irritably grabbed a glass of wine, and downed it in one go.

"I’m hungry. Can we please find a place to eat?"

Speaking of food, Wyatt Wynn had already made arrangements.

"If you’re hungry, let’s start the barbecue! The weather’s been great lately, not too hot. Grilling under the blue sky and white clouds will be so much fun. All the ingredients are ready. Come on, everyone, today you’ll get to taste my cooking. I’ll be grilling for you myself!"

In a flash, staff members had arranged the barbecue ingredients and equipment on the lawn. They set up a few large umbrellas, and everyone sat down underneath them.

Aside from Cecelia Archer and Damien Vaughn, the others were like a group of kids, chattering away and having a blast.

Cecelia Archer was genuinely hungry, but watching their clumsy attempts at grilling, she figured she wouldn’t be eating anytime soon.

After they had been grilling for a while, Gwen Morgan excitedly handed a chicken wing to Damien Vaughn.

"This one looks like it’s done. I seasoned it just the way you like it, Damien. Here, try it."

Damien Vaughn leaned forward slightly and took the chicken wing. But instead of eating it, he turned and passed it to Cecelia Archer.

"Weren’t you hungry? You eat first."

Cecelia Archer took it and had a bite. The flavor was decent. ’It’ll have to do,’ she thought.

From then on, every piece of food handed to Damien Vaughn found its way to her.

By the time the barbecue was halfway through, Cecelia Archer was full.

"I’m sleepy. Can I go back to the room and get some sleep?"

Damien Vaughn was genuinely happy to see she had a good appetite today and had eaten quite a bit.

Getting sleepy after a full meal under the warm sun was perfectly understandable. Just as he was about to hand her the room card, Wyatt Wynn leaned in.

"I didn’t expect you to bring a date today, so I only booked one room. Are you two staying together, or... should I have them open up another one for you?"

The moment he asked, Gwen Morgan smacked him on the shoulder, clearly annoyed.

"Are you stupid? Can’t you do the math? The two of us girls can share a room, right? Why book so many? Here, Cecelia, this is the room card. You go on back and get some sleep."

’It must be so exhausting for her,’ Cecelia thought, ’having to keep her eyes and ears on us while pretending to barbecue.’

Without a single glance at Damien Vaughn, Cecelia Archer took the room card, stood up, and walked away.

Back in the room, she took a quick shower to wash off the smell of barbecue, then collapsed onto the bed and fell fast asleep.

She was jolted awake by the sound of Gwen Morgan returning to the room.

Gwen Morgan had just changed into slippers. The back of her shirtdress was a mess of wrinkles. She looked exhausted, pounding her back and rubbing her lower back as she walked further into the room.

Cecelia Archer had no idea how long she’d been asleep. She sat up and asked instinctively.

"You just got back? What time is it? Were you guys grilling all this time?"

"It’s a little past five. The party ended a while ago."

Gwen Morgan ran a hand through her hair, flopped onto her own bed, and then suddenly asked Cecelia.

"Do I look awful? Damien dragged me off for a ’nap’ all afternoon. My makeup’s completely worn off."

"His stamina is as incredible as ever. He’s completely worn me out; my back is killing me."

Cecelia Archer froze. ’What in the world did she just say?!’

As if afraid Cecelia hadn’t heard clearly, Gwen Morgan rolled over, sat up to face her, and ran her slender fingers along her own neck.

"I told him not to kiss my neck, but he just had to. Did he leave a mark? Wyatt is having another gathering tonight. How am I supposed to show my face?"

Cecelia’s gaze followed Gwen’s fingers to her neck. Sure enough, two large, red hickeys stood out starkly on either side of her collarbone. They were impossible to miss.

’Damien and she got back together. They slept together.’

’Great.’

’So that’s why he insisted I stay. He wanted me to see this.’

Cecelia Archer felt a bitter laugh rising in her throat.

’This is all so pointless. So completely and utterly pointless.’

’He could have just told me his girlfriend was back. I would have taken Candy and left the Vaughn residence without a fuss. Was all this subterfuge really necessary?’

Seeing Cecelia Archer just sitting there, stunned into silence, Gwen Morgan reached out and shook her.

"What’s wrong? Are you still half-asleep? Why aren’t you answering me? Does my neck look really bad? Seriously, will I be able to face people later?"

’She knows the answer perfectly well, yet she still has to ask. Does getting my validation give her some kind of special thrill?’

’Fine. I’ll give her the satisfaction she’s looking for.’

’As long as I can get out of this wretched place, I’ll do anything. At this point, I’d wish for them to get married on the spot. Happily ever after, have a bunch of kids, the whole nine yards.’

"It’s a little obvious," Cecelia said. "But everyone knows about your relationship, so there’s no need to hide it. It’s not like you have anything to be ashamed of."

"Pfft."

Hearing this, Gwen Morgan broke into a happy smile.

"That may be true, but I’m a girl, I still have to worry about my reputation. I should at least try to cover it up, even if it doesn’t do much. I happened to bring my compact powder today. I’m going to go take a shower. Cecelia, could you do me a favor and help me apply some afterward?"