Chapter 153: He Said Sebastian Lancaster Is Dead

Chapter 153: Chapter 153: He Said Sebastian Lancaster Is Dead

"Julian, she’s not Cece..."

My last moment of consciousness was of Erin Whittaker, crying and screaming that I wasn’t Cecilia Caldwell.

"Cece is already dead."

I knew she was scared, panicking.

’But what was she panicking about? She was so confident back then, so certain Julian would marry her. Why is she crying now?’

...

When I woke up again, all I could see was pure white. I had awoken in a place that felt both exceptionally familiar and strangely foreign.

It was the Fletcher estate—the bedroom I had lived in for many years.

My gaze felt dull. I tried to lift my arm, but my body wasn’t quite under my control.

"Cece..." A familiar voice called my name.

"Miss, it’s time to eat." The person calling me was the family’s housekeeper, Mrs. Wright.

My head ached. As I sat up, I looked down at my clothes, my mind in a daze.

This nightgown... It was a gift from Mrs. Fletcher.

"Miss, the Young Master is back." Mrs. Wright smiled at me from the doorway.

Everything was so familiar, yet so strange.

"That killer still hasn’t been caught. Julian, you have to make sure you protect Erin."

"It’s not safe these days. That killer is so ruthless—they’ve killed so many people and still haven’t been caught."

Downstairs, Jake Abbott and a few others were talking about the killer. The scene felt strangely familiar.

Erin Whittaker sat on the sofa, dressed as always in a white dress, looking as gentle as still water.

She was the first to see me, and her eyes flickered with unease.

I flinched instinctively. I didn’t know why, but my body started to tremble.

’It was as if some part of me was programmed to be afraid of them...’

My body was still trembling, but I had a feeling it wasn’t out of fear.

A thought flashed through my mind: ’Kill them. All of them deserve to die.’

My own thoughts startled me. I shrank back, numb, my breathing growing rapid and heavy.

"Cece?" Julian came upstairs and looked at me, a nervous expression on his face. "Don’t be afraid. They’re just here for a get-together. Let’s go eat with them."

Julian’s voice was exceptionally gentle, a far cry from the one in my memories.

I shrank back in fear, watching him warily. "Don’t... don’t touch me."

"Cece... you’re still angry with me, aren’t you? I was wrong before. I’ll never hurt you again," Julian said with deep sincerity, as if making a vow.

He held out his hand, silently asking me to trust him.

I stared at his hand, my vision blurring.

’What am I thinking? I actually want... to break his hand.’

"Cece?" Seeing me spaced out, he reached for me.

"AH!" I screamed and scrambled backward.

I wasn’t afraid of Julian. I was afraid of the thoughts inside my own head.

"Cece... are you okay?" Erin was walking up the stairs, one step at a time. "Come on down and eat."

Her smile was gentle.

I watched her with suspicion, my pupils dilating slightly.

"Cece?"

I walked toward Erin, one step at a time.

"AH!"

A sudden, bloodcurdling scream, and Erin went tumbling down the stairs.

When my mind cleared, I stared at my hands in horror.

’I actually... pushed Erin down the stairs.’

Just a moment ago, a voice in my head had urged, ’Push this wicked woman down the stairs...’

Julian stared at me, aghast. Everyone downstairs was stunned.

They just stared at me, their eyes wide with terror.

This time, everyone had seen it clearly. I had pushed Erin down.

"Julian..." Fortunately, Erin’s fall hadn’t been too serious. She had sprained her ankle and gotten a bump on her head, and she looked at Julian with tear-filled, red-rimmed eyes.

Julian stood frozen, his fists clenched. "Jake... take Erin to the hospital."

Erin bit her lip, holding back whatever she wanted to say. She looked at Julian with an expression of despair and indignation, before turning to shoot a venomous glare at me.

I tilted my head, looking down on her from my position on the stairs. I didn’t know why I was smiling, but... I felt surprisingly good.

"Cece... you were in a car accident. You need to rest, okay?" Julian urged me back to my room before hurrying downstairs. "No one is to breathe a word of what happened today to anyone."

Jake Abbott gave me a terrified look and quickly nodded.

The others all lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

Erin burst into tears from the pain. She indignantly shoved Jake away, tried to stand, took a few steps, and collapsed back onto the floor.

I descended the stairs one step at a time, my eyes fixed on Erin.

Erin looked at me in terror, shrinking away as if she were terrified, and scrambled to hide behind Julian. "Julian... don’t let her near me."

Julian quickly stepped forward to block my path. "Cece..."

"I just pushed her. Why aren’t you calling the police?" I asked, looking at them suspiciously. My gaze settled on Jake Abbott.

Jake Abbott backed away in fear. "Uh... we’re all friends here. You definitely didn’t mean to. It was Erin... she fell on her own... Yes, that’s right! I saw Erin fall all by herself!"

Erin bit her lip in silent resentment.

"Cece, it wasn’t you. Erin fell on her own. You didn’t push her," Julian quickly explained. "You’re exhausted. Go upstairs and rest."

"But I... I did push her..." I looked at Erin. "I pushed you, didn’t I?"

Julian frowned and shot Erin a warning look.

Erin’s eyes were red. The moment she spoke, tears streamed down her face. "No... It was me. I fell on my own."

My mouth fell open, then I smiled. I leaned in and whispered in Erin’s ear, "You’re so strange. I clearly pushed you, yet you say I didn’t... Just like before, when I clearly *didn’t* push you, yet you slandered me."

Erin’s body went rigid. She stared at me, aghast, and shot to her feet. "Julian... she..."

Seeing Erin speechless gave me a deep sense of satisfaction.

My head felt foggy. My memories felt jumbled and chaotic.

"Erin, you’re injured. Go to the hospital," Julian warned in a low voice.

Erin turned, her eyes red, muttering under her breath, "She’s not Cece at all... She’s not."

Jake also turned and fled as if he’d seen a ghost.

Only Julian remained by my side.

"Aren’t you going to go with her? Don’t you love her?" I asked, confused.

"Cece..." A flicker of panic crossed Julian’s eyes. "You’re remembering things wrong... I don’t love Erin. The one I love is you."

"Cece... your memory is a little jumbled from the car accident. We’re already together, and you’re pregnant with my child," Julian coaxed softly.

I eyed Julian with suspicion, then glanced down at my stomach. Suddenly, a sharp pain lanced through my head.

’Is that right?’

’I’m pregnant.’

"If you’re not hungry, just get some rest. You can come down to eat later." Julian took a glass of water and a few white pills from the housekeeper. "This is medicine to protect the pregnancy. Be a good girl, take it and get some sleep."

I numbly took the pills and swallowed them under Julian’s watchful gaze.

Only after I had turned and started back upstairs did Julian finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Are you sure Sebastian Lancaster is dead?"

"The rescue team searched for a long time but couldn’t find a body. They did find some of Sebastian Lancaster’s clothes and bloodstains at the foot of the mountain, though. After a fall from that height, there’s no way he could have survived."

I hid behind the door, listening to the conversation between Julian and his assistant.

Sebastian Lancaster...

My head... it hurts so much.

"Sebastian Lancaster."

"Asher..."

"Cece, don’t be afraid, I’m always here."

"Julian Fletcher! Get your ass out here and hand over Silvia Lynch!" A commotion erupted outside. It was Madeline Quinn.

"Julian Fletcher, Silvia Lynch is Sebastian Lancaster’s wife. By taking her, you are committing unlawful imprisonment."

"Madeline Quinn, you can take her. But let’s see if she’s even willing to go with you," Julian said in a low voice, sounding supremely confident that I wouldn’t leave with anyone.