Chapter 134: Julian Fletcher’s Deep Regret

Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Julian Fletcher’s Deep Regret

"He ran off?" I furrowed my brow. What on earth is Julian Fletcher trying to do?

"Did he go looking for you?" Madeline Quinn asked.

"No, I’m at..." I’m currently staying at the villa Asher rented for me. There’s no way Julian Fletcher could find me here. Unless... he went to the Lancaster estate?

"Could he have gone to the Lancaster estate?" I shot up, getting out of bed to put on my shoes. "He’d better not die on their doorstep. That would be so unlucky."

After hanging up, Madeline Quinn and I both rushed over to the Lancaster estate.

Sure enough, there at the gate of the Lancaster estate was Julian Fletcher, barely able to stand.

’What is wrong with him? Why isn’t he recovering in the hospital? What’s he doing here looking for me?’

Julian Fletcher’s face was deathly pale. The moment he saw me, he couldn’t stay upright and leaned against the wall. "Cece..."

’He’s calling me Cece?’

’The lunatic. He’s looking for a substitute again.’

I frowned. "Julian Fletcher, if you’re going to die, don’t do it on my doorstep."

Julian Fletcher pushed himself up and stumbled toward me, suddenly pulling me into a forceful hug. "Cece... I’m sorry."

I shoved him away as if I’d been electrocuted, glaring at him with pure rage. "What is wrong with you?"

Julian Fletcher lost his balance and fell to the ground. Blood started seeping from the wound on his abdomen again, soaking through his shirt.

"I shouldn’t have... distrusted you." He seemed utterly convinced I was Cecilia Caldwell. ’He’s probably just like Asher, looking for something to cling to for his fragile heart.’

"You have the wrong person," I said in a low voice.

"I know you’re Cece... When I was dying, I saw Silvia Lynch," Julian Fletcher whispered, as if he’d gone mad.

I froze, then suddenly rushed forward in a panic. "What did you say?"

’Who did he say he saw?’

"Silvia Lynch..." He seemed to have trouble believing it himself. It was all like a dream.

But he was stubbornly convinced his dream was real.

’Cecilia Caldwell hadn’t died; she had been reborn in Silvia Lynch’s body.’

I took a deep breath and instinctively glanced around.

"Maybe it was just a dream," Julian Fletcher said, his voice hoarse. "At least... let me make it up to you..."

’He meant that whether I was Cecilia Caldwell or not, he wanted to assuage his guilt toward her by making it up to me.’

’Honestly, it’s pretty disgusting.’

"Cece... believe me. Whatever Sebastian Lancaster can give you, I can give you too." Julian Fletcher’s gaze burned as he looked at me, reaching out a hand in panic. "Cece, come back with me, okay? If you insist on using Sebastian Lancaster... then use me instead."

He sounded like he was begging.

Begging me to use him.

I sneered and took a step back.

’Back when I was completely devoted to him, willing to rip my own heart out for him, he avoided me like the plague. Now, he’s begging a woman who looks like me to use him.’

’All just to make up for how he wronged me in the past.’

’How pathetic.’

"Julian Fletcher, you’re pathetic," I said grimly, looking at Madeline Quinn and Zeke Shaw, who had just arrived. "I think he needs to be checked into a mental hospital. He actually thinks I’m Cecilia Caldwell."

Madeline Quinn gave me a complicated look and whispered, "Do you think... if Cece were still alive, she would have really let it go?"

"Heh. I was an idiot once. If I didn’t let it go, would I be asking to die a few more times?" I said sarcastically.

Madeline Quinn smiled, then suddenly pulled me into a tight hug.

I was a little stunned. "What... what are you doing? We barely know each other."

"I think you’re pretty great, and I want to be your friend." Madeline Quinn held out her hand to me. "Hi, Silvia Lynch. Let’s reintroduce ourselves. My name is Madeline Quinn, and I was Cecilia Caldwell’s best, best, best friend."

’She said we were the best, best, best. She always said important things have to be said three times.’

I looked down, smiled, and took her hand.

’Living again, I not only have to protect myself, but I also have to protect the friend I care about most.’

’In fact, in the moment before I died, I swore an oath: If I could do it all over again, I, Cecilia Caldwell, would only care for those who cared for me and only love those who loved me.’

’I was a fool in the past. People have to grow and change bit by bit, but the price of my growth was far too steep.’

"President Fletcher, if you keep acting crazy like this, I’m really going to have to call a mental hospital," Zeke Shaw said with a frown. He genuinely thought Julian Fletcher had lost his mind.

As an atheist, he could never believe in things like rebirth and souls.

Julian Fletcher was about to say something else when Mrs. Fletcher and Erin Whittaker arrived.

"Julian!" Mrs. Fletcher and Erin Whittaker rushed over to hold Julian Fletcher. "Why did you sneak out? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Erin Whittaker’s eyes were red too as she shot me a vicious glare. "Silvia Lynch, are you still pretending to be Cece to seduce Julian? You’re trying to kill him!"

’Erin Whittaker was pinning the blame on me.’

"It has nothing to do with her. I’m the one who came looking for her," Julian Fletcher explained in a low voice.

"You shut up!" Mrs. Fletcher was furious and slapped Julian Fletcher across the face. "You didn’t cherish Cece when she was here! What did you do when I told you to cherish her? And now you’re acting all lovesick and desperate over such an obvious imposter!"

Mrs. Fletcher was a typical iron lady. She glanced back at me, her voice low and laced with threat. "Silvia Lynch, I don’t care if you’re imitating and studying Cece to get at the Lancaster Family or the Fletcher Family. If you hurt my son, I won’t let you off easy!"

’I glanced at Erin Whittaker. Her ability to stir up trouble is as strong as ever. It really has been her talent since childhood.’

"Mrs. Fletcher, the man I married is Sebastian Lancaster, and I am now carrying a child of the Lancaster family. Even if I were plotting against someone, it wouldn’t be your son. Compared to Sebastian Lancaster, he’s a long way off." I gave a cold laugh and continued, "Instead of doubting my motives, you should open your eyes and take a good look at the venomous woman standing next to you. Not only did she cause Cecilia Caldwell’s death, but she also wants to suck the Fletcher family dry. And the most terrifying part is... the moment Julian Fletcher had his accident, she was already trying to use him to get to the mysterious president of Astraeus Group."

Erin Whittaker’s face paled. "What nonsense are you spouting!"

"Auntie, Julian, don’t believe her! This woman is an accomplice to a murderer! She’s a bad person!" Erin Whittaker said frantically, clearly losing her composure.

"Heh..." I pulled out my phone, then paused for a second. ’That bastard Sebastian Lancaster threw my phone in the water. Luckily, all my recordings are uploaded to the cloud.’

I logged into my account and pulled up the recording of my conversation with Erin Whittaker at the hospital. "Come, come, Julian Fletcher, Mrs. Fletcher. Have a good listen. This is the proof that while your son was unconscious, Erin Whittaker knelt and begged me to help her seduce the president of Astraeus Group."

’I raised an eyebrow and lifted my chin proudly at Madeline Quinn. I’ve learned my lesson the hard way.’

’After being killed by this woman once, I know I have to record any private meeting with her.’

Listening to the recording from my phone, Erin Whittaker was stunned. She shot a panicked glance at Julian Fletcher and hurried forward. "Don’t try to sow discord! I just... I just wanted the president of Astraeus to help Julian! I was afraid he wouldn’t wake up and Mrs. Fletcher would be overwhelmed with the company by herself..."

Erin Whittaker looked back at Mrs. Fletcher in a panic. She had worked so hard to get back in her good graces over the past few days.

"How hilarious. One minute you’re trying to seduce the president of Astraeus Group, the next you’re slitting your wrists to die for love. Your acting skills are really top-notch," Madeline Quinn added, twisting the knife.

The expressions on Mrs. Fletcher’s and Julian Fletcher’s faces had already turned grim.

I smirked at Madeline Quinn.

Madeline Quinn and Zeke Shaw gave me a thumbs-up.

"I have things to do, so I won’t keep you all. President Fletcher, if you’re sick, go see a doctor. The Lancaster estate is not a crematorium; we don’t need you here wailing and weeping." I said grimly, glancing at the time. I still had to meet Lucas Grant and had no time to entertain Julian Fletcher’s little drama of regret and redemption.