Zayne Warner stood nervously beside her, and just then, his phone rang. Walter Warner’s voice ca through, the anger palpable even over the call, "Zayne, where have you gone? Get back here imdiately!"
Zayne quickly glanced at Cece. Seeing that she wasn’t paying attention, he felt relieved and smiled at her, "I’m just going to take this call. The doctor will examine you in the anti."
Cece nodded obediently, "Go ahead, Senior Warner, do what you need to."
Zayne walked to the window, holding the phone to his ear as Walter’s voice on the other end was nearly explosive, "Where are you? Who was the woman speaking just now?"
Zayne felt guilty, as he had previously promised his father to sever ties with Cece but was now secretly eting up with her. If his father found out, he’d likely have a fit.
He downplayed it, saying, "Dad, I’m just out with so friends. It’s broad daylight, I’m not going to get into any trouble. You don’t have to keep such a close watch on , I know what I’m doing."
Walter wasn’t calling to investigate his whereabouts; hearing this explanation, he dropped the issue. He then lowered his voice and said solemnly, "No matter where you are, get back ho imdiately. Sothing’s happened at the Somrs Family, and we need to pay them a visit."
Zayne asked, "What’s happened to the Somrs Family?"
Recently, his family had been arranging for him to et Haylie Somrs, the daughter of the Somrs Family. Due to his unclear relationship with Cece before, his family was worried he might rekindle his feelings for her and create a scandal, so they were eager to arrange an engagent for him. With the limited ti, they had to choose from the less prestigious families.
Haylie was of suitable age and had a good reputation; the Warner Family was quite pleased with her.
As for Zayne himself, as long as she wasn’t Cece, any other person was the sa to him.
He had long lost the qualification to love Cece; his love had already entered the grave, and marriage was rely a facade. As long as it appeased the family, it didn’t matter to him.
So, during this period, the Somrs and Warner families had close contact, but lately, there hadn’t been any word of the Somrs Family encountering difficulties. How had sothing suddenly happened?
Walter’s voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction, "It’s Haylie Somrs who had an incident. Co ho first; we’ll talk about it there."
Zayne felt torn. Cece had just suffered a major blow and desperately needed soone by her side at this ti. If he left, what would happen to her?
He hesitated for a mont and asked, "Dad, could we go in the afternoon? I can’t leave right now."
Walter was sowhat displeased, "No, you must co back imdiately. I’m heading to the Somrs Family in half an hour, and if you’re not back by then, don’t bother coming back anymore!"
Having spent years in the military, Walter carried an imnse authority in his gestures and his voice. While people were used to it generally, once he got angry, even Zayne feared him.
Recognizing there was no room for negotiation, Zayne had no choice but to agree.
He hung up and walked over to Cece, asking the doctor, "How is she?"
The doctor shook his head, "The external injuries aren’t severe, but there are so minor tears in the lower body which need stitches. Beyond that, we need to start HIV preventative dication ASAP, and as for other potential diseases... further testing is required soon."
The implication being that a hospital visit was unavoidable.
Zayne paused for a mont, looking at Cece with a heart full of pain, "Cece, should we head to the hospital?"
Without eliminating those risks, he couldn’t relax.
Cece hadn’t considered the serious consequences of not going to the hospital. The thought of those diseases made her shrink back in fear. After hesitating for a while, she said, "Senior Warner, I’ll go by myself in a couple of days."
She still didn’t want to arouse suspicion by going to the hospital at this juncture.
Zayne had to agree, sighing, and looked at her with tender love, saying, "As you wish. If you need to accompany you, just say the word."
Cece nodded, hesitantly looking at Zayne, "Senior Warner, if you have sothing to attend to, just go ahead. The doctor has already finished examining here."
She had heard Zayne on the phone earlier; although she didn’t know what was said, she gathered the person on the line wanted him to go imdiately.
She didn’t want to leave Zayne with the impression that she was troubling him.
Moreover, after what she’d gone through, she didn’t know how to face Zayne. Though she didn’t like him, she didn’t want to appear so pathetic in front of a man who admired her.
Zayne hadn’t expected her to perceive this. Seeing her made his heart ache even more. He had deliberately lowered his voice while talking to his father, yet she still sensed it, indicating her current vulnerability and tension.
How he wished he could stay with her, but following his father’s orders was unyielding, so he could only bitterly say, "If you’re not in a hurry, just wait here for . I’ll co back to see you later."
Cece nodded, gently saying, "Alright, I promise."
Zayne’s heart was full of reluctance, but ultimately he could only bid her farewell and leave.
The family doctor also soon left, and Cece’s phone rang. She glanced at it, seeing it was Kylie Dalton calling. A wave of resentnt swept over her, but she took a deep breath and didn’t answer.
She wasn’t sure what to do next, and before coming up with a strategy, she didn’t want any further entanglents with Kylie Dalton.
After a while, Mason Jacobs called, but Cece irritably tossed the phone aside and didn’t answer. She wasn’t ntally prepared yet.
Mason’s phone rang twice; Cece didn’t answer, and eventually, it stopped ringing, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
But little did she know, chaos was already unfolding outside.
Zayne arrived ho in a hurry, just in ti to catch Walter heading out. Walter impatiently waved at him, "Hurry up and change your clothes. How did you end up so dirty?"
Zayne glanced down at himself. So dirt and gri had gotten on him when he was holding Cece. Fearing Walter’s scrutiny, he hastily went upstairs to change.
After changing clothes, Walter had already prepared everything and turned to leave, "Let’s get moving! Stop dawdling!"
Zayne knew nothing, and just got into the car. It wasn’t until he was in the car that he had a mont to ask, "Dad, what exactly happened with Haylie Somrs, for you to personally go over?"
Walter pushed his glasses up, a displeased glint in his eyes behind the lenses. After a pause, he opened his phone and handed it over.
Zayne took it and saw it was a video. After just a few seconds, he imdiately closed it, looking at his father in disbelief, "Dad, is this Haylie Somrs?"
Walter nodded.
Zayne couldn’t believe it, "How is it possible? She’s the Somrs Family’s heiress, and they have bodyguards accompanying her when she goes out, right? How could sothing like this happen?"
Walter shook his head, "I spoke with the Somrs Family on the phone, and they explained that she was called out by friends, not expecting any trouble."
Holding the phone, Zayne was at a loss, eventually mustering the courage to ask, "What about and her..."
Walter couldn’t hold back his anger when he got onto this topic. He suppressed it but with much difficulty before managing to not curse out loud, only speaking with agitation, "The Somrs Family deceived us. They tried to keep this from us even after the video got leaked. When I called to confront them, they denied it until I slapped the video in their face, and only then did they acknowledge it."
Zayne Warner was not particularly surprised; given this kind of situation, where the other party is a girl, it’s understandable that the family would want to cover it up. Just like Cece...
Thinking of Cece, his heart ached again. At least Haylie Somrs still had the Somrs Family to protect her, but Cece was all alone, and only he could lend a helping hand.
He didn’t associate Cecilia Quincy’s ordeal with Haylie Somrs; they weren’t people from the sa circle and had never heard them ntion knowing each other.
It must have been a coincidence.
Walter Warner looked at Zayne Warner, his face stern, and said, "When we get to the Somrs Family, aside from asking for an explanation, the most important thing is to annul your engagent to Haylie Somrs. If the video hadn’t been released, maybe it would be different, but since it has, we absolutely cannot let Haylie marry into our family, understand?"
Zayne Warner felt a sense of relief and quickly nodded, "Dad, I understand."
Soon, they arrived at the Somrs Family’s ho.
When father and son entered, Haylie Somrs was not present. Only Mr. and Mrs. Somrs were in the living room. Upon seeing them, Mr. and Mrs. Somrs were extrely hospitable, standing up to greet them in person.
However, Walter Warner didn’t give them any face, and directly sat down on the sofa with a forceful presence.
Mr. and Mrs. Somrs exchanged glances, feeling sowhat anxious. Mr. Somrs hesitated and began, "Relatives, with this matter happening, we also found it difficult to accept, so we chose to conceal it. Please don’t be angry."
He paused, then sighed, seeming to have aged several years in an instant, "Haylie is innocent..."
She was his only daughter, his affection and indulgence were beyond words.
Walter Warner kept a stern face and, though seeing their plight made him feel sympathy, his attitude was different when it ca to his own family. He maintained his facade and said after a while, "Let’s set aside the concealnt for now. The marriage between Zayne and Haylie cannot go on."
Mr. and Mrs. Somrs were struck as if by lightning and quickly said, "Relatives, Haylie is a good child. Is there a way to..."
Currently, the two children are only engaged and not yet married officially. If the Warner Family calls it off now, the Somrs Family would be dood.
Walter Warner shook his head and stated decisively, "I understand your love for your daughter, and I’m willing to be sympathetic, but the Warner Family’s code of conduct is clear, and I cannot tarnish it, so the marriage must be called off."
Mrs. Somrs began to cry, looking at Zayne Warner like a lifeline, chokingly said, "Zayne, you’ve spent a lot of ti with Haylie, your feelings..."
Mrs. Somrs hoped for an indirect resolution, but didn’t expect Walter Warner had already briefed Zayne on their way there, and Zayne did not have affection for Haylie.
Thus, he spoke too, bluntly refusing, "Auntie, I have no feelings for her, I’m very sorry."
He never wanted to marry Haylie anyway, and now he could openly avoid the marriage, which he was eager for. Although such political marriages were inevitable, postponing it would buy him ti.
As long as he wasn’t married, he could openly cherish Cece.
Mrs. Somrs didn’t expect him to be so heartless, stunned there, she just cried, unable to speak.
Forced into a corner, Mr. Somrs had no choice but to agree to Walter Warner’s demands.
Upstairs, after knowing Zayne Warner and his father were coming, Haylie Somrs, having been sent upstairs by her parents, heard Zayne Warner’s words and bit her sleeve, tears streaming down.
After experiencing such an ordeal, she had fantasized whether Zayne Warner would gently support her if he knew, telling her not to be afraid. He was such a good person, would he not despise her?
But now, her dreams shattered. He left her no warmth, saying he had no feelings for her.
Haylie Somrs watched Walter Warner and Zayne Warner being sent out by her parents and could no longer hold on, slowly sliding to the floor, tears gushing out.
What to do? What should she do in the future?
She thought keeping this matter buried in her heart, never telling anyone, would let her live in peace.
But she never dread that those hooligans who ruined her had fild a video and, wanting to make money, released it online.
Soone on the internet recognized her, and in just half a day, it beca a sensational scandal.
Now, she had lost her love, her marriage, her dignity.
Everything was gone.
Thinking of how Rosalind Jacobs said Elara Hale was behind it all, Haylie Somrs was full of resentnt, blaming Elara Hale and Rosalind Jacobs!
She had a good life, and they ruined it!
She would not let these two off the hook!
anwhile, Cecilia Quincy, who had just returned to the Jacobs Family, found herself equally mired in turmoil.
She had rested for an afternoon at Zayne Warner’s apartnt, and only in the evening did she return, with fresh clothes and covered bruises with powder. As for the tears below, Zayne’s family doctor said it could heal slowly, no need for stitches.
As long as she didn’t share a bed with Mason Jacobs during this period, it shouldn’t raise suspicion.
As for the child... She forgot to ask the family doctor, nor did the doctor ntion whether she miscarried, the lower abdon rely ached vaguely, she was unsure whether she miscarried or not.
She could only find a ti to visit the hospital for a check-up.
Even if she did miscarry, it didn’t matter much; the child was rely a ans for marrying into the Jacobs Family, even if lost, she could stage a scene to cover it up.
Cecilia Quincy prepared herself ntally for a long ti before returning to the Jacobs Family as usual.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she entered, she felt a cold, low-pressure atmosphere. Kylie Dalton and Mason Jacobs sat on separate sofas, not speaking, while the attending servants trembled in fear.
Mason Jacobs held a cigarette in hand, an ash pile at his feet, no servants dared approach to clean.
The room was filled with smoke, Cecilia Quincy coughed uncomfortably, her weak body aching with each cough.
Yet no servants stepped forward to support her.
Kylie Dalton and Mason Jacobs both looked up at her.
Cecilia Quincy felt a tightness in her heart; Kylie Dalton had always scorned her, looking at her with disdain was normal. What was unusual was that Kylie usually hid it well in front of Mason Jacobs, but today she displayed her feelings so candidly.
Even more unusual was that Mason Jacobs’s gaze held the sa disdain as Kylie’s!
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