Chapter 232 - 230: Dog Bites Dog

Furious, Lisa Upton suddenly pointed at Vivian Sheridan, turning on her. "Especially you, Vivian Sheridan! You claim to be Cecilia Sterling’s best friend from high school, yet you deliberately told me she was back. You were banking on me contacting her. I’m not the one who wanted to see Cecilia made a fool of—you are!"

Vivian Sheridan’s eyes went wide with panic. "What are you talking about? It was an accident!"

"Hmph! An accident?" Lisa Upton sneered. "Cecilia Sterling just exposed you, and you still won’t admit it? I knew you were doing it on purpose from the very start!"

"I know your type all too well. The only reason you could be friends with Cecilia was because you outdid her in every way. You got better grades and scored eight points higher on the college entrance exams. Your family was wealthier, so your clothes and lifestyle were more extravagant than hers. You weren’t even jealous when Hector Mason was chasing her, because you were dating Chuck Warner from the next class over, and his family was just as well-off as Hector’s!"

"But Cecilia is different now. We all saw it—she’s more beautiful than she was two years ago. She has money, looks, and a boyfriend. She has everything you envy. That’s why you couldn’t stand it. You’ve been subtly steering the conversation, trying to make everyone suspect she got where she is today through shady means. Vivian Sheridan, you’re the most disgusting person here. You orchestrated everything that happened today!"

Lisa Upton’s sharp words struck a nerve, and the others in the room slowly began to realize the truth.

’That’s right. If Vivian Sheridan hadn’t told Lisa Upton, Lisa would never have known Cecilia was back.’

"You—you’re slandering me!" The dark side of Vivian Sheridan’s heart had been ruthlessly exposed by Lisa Upton, and she was both panicked and furious. "You’re the one who’s stuck living in Cecilia’s shadow! If you weren’t, you wouldn’t have been so insistent on parading Hector Mason around to spite her. You know exactly what you were trying to prove! You have no faith in your relationship with Hector because you know you can’t compare to Cecilia in any way, and you think he’s never really gotten over her!"

"Bullshit!"

"Look who’s getting defensive!"

A vicious fight suddenly erupted in the private room. Seeing the two go at it, the others had no desire to intervene. They simply stood up, grabbed their coats, and left, leaving Vivian Sheridan and Lisa Upton to air each other’s dirty laundry.

After this ordeal, however, they no longer dared to underestimate Cecilia Sterling. Seeing was believing. Whatever Cecilia had done in Lorcain, the fact that she could chat and laugh so comfortably with Evren Warner meant she had reached a social stratum they could hardly hope to attain, no matter how hard they tried.

Cecilia Sterling hadn’t been exaggerating!

Meanwhile, Cecilia Sterling was dining alone in another private room upstairs.

Evren Warner had arranged for a spread of The Crimson Candle Inn’s signature dishes for her. To ensure Cecilia could enjoy her meal in peace, he specifically instructed the staff not to disturb her for any reason other than serving the food.

He didn’t even use the opportunity to join her, instead giving her the space to herself.

As for Cecilia, the moment she stepped out of that private room, she had already cast those people she would likely never meet again from her mind. The exquisite food and fine wine before her tantalized her senses, and she suddenly felt ravenous. Free from distractions, she began to eat.

*

The Lantern Festival had not yet arrived, but Lily Sterling was already preparing to leave for the film set.

Although Jasmine Sterling knew Lily would be leaving early, she couldn’t help but complain when the day finally came. "Why is your break so short? That film crew is unbelievable, rushing to start filming before the New Year’s festivities are even over."

Seeing her mother pack her suitcase, unable to hide her reluctance to see her go, made Lily Sterling’s heart ache. She stepped forward and gave her a gentle hug. "Mom, we have a table read before filming begins. The cast and crew are all seasoned veterans, so as a newcomer, I have to get there early."

"I know, I know. I just can’t bear to let you go." Jasmine Sterling patted her daughter’s hand and then clicked the suitcase shut. "Be safe while you’re away filming. If anything comes up, make sure you tell your older sister, you hear?"

"I will."

Ethan watched them and asked curiously, "Sis, are you playing a supporting role again?"

"That’s right. It’s a movie about human trafficking. I play the abducted child after she’s grown up. The lead actress is the acclaimed Danielle York; she’s playing the mother who lost her child, who is also my character’s birth mother."

Ethan’s eyes lit up. "That’s a great subject, Sis! Realistic dramas like that often win awards."

Lily Sterling smiled and nodded in agreement. "The script is based on a true story, and it’s true that this kind of subject matter is popular with the major awards. That was part of why I chose it, but the main reason is that the script itself is fantastic and the character is so well-developed."

Jasmine Sterling grasped her daughter’s hand encouragingly. "Give it your all. A film like this has real social significance. I’ll make sure everyone I know goes to see it when it’s out."

Ethan sighed. "I have to go back to school after the Lantern Festival, too. And who knows how much longer our big sister will be home."

Speaking of Cecilia, Jasmine Sterling glanced at the time and muttered, "Your sister’s been gone for a while. Why isn’t she back yet?"

Cecilia had gone to her aunt Yvonne Sterling’s house.

In past years, her aunt’s family would spend the New Year at her uncle’s hometown and return around the fifth or sixth day. This year, however, they didn’t get back until it was nearly the fifteenth.

As soon as they were back, Cecilia hurried over with some sweet rice balls and other cooked dishes that her mother had prepared in advance.

However, on her way back, she ran into someone downstairs from her building.

It was Hector Mason.

He had pursued Cecilia for two years, so he knew where she lived and had obviously come here specifically to find her.

"You blocked me on WhatsApp, so I came here directly."

Hector Mason stepped forward. The sky had not yet fully darkened, allowing Cecilia to see his face clearly.

During the reunion, Cecilia hadn’t paid much attention to how Hector Mason looked now. Seeing him up close, she realized his appearance had changed a great deal. In high school, she had found him boyish and charming, but that youthful innocence had faded, and he no longer seemed as vibrant.

’It could also be that after seeing men like Shawn Lane and Saul Thorne so often, Hector Mason just seemed rather plain in comparison.’

"I blocked everyone. There was no need for you to come find me."

Cecilia’s tone was cool and distant, making it clear she held no lingering feelings for Hector Mason.

"I broke up with Lisa Upton."

Cecilia looked at him and nodded. "Congratulations!"

"I wasn’t with her because I loved her. It was just... she went to the same university for me, and I was moved by that. I never..."

Hector Mason was eager to explain, but Cecilia had no desire to listen.

She cut him off. "I’m not interested in what happened between you and her."

"Cecilia, I like you. It’s always been you."

"Stop!" Cecilia scoffed at his heartfelt confession. "You just broke up with someone, and now you’re saying this to me? It’s disgusting."

"You’re insecure and sensitive to the bone. If you were like that with Lisa Upton, how do you expect to handle me now?"

"Besides, I have a boyfriend. And even if I didn’t, you’re not even close to being good enough."