Chapter 522 - 518: 5000 Grams, 10 Jin

The hospital suite was certainly more spacious. It had a separate small living room, so Duane no longer had to stand guard right outside the door.

"This bed is fully automatic. Here, Zelda, let Mom adjust it to a comfortable position for you to lean back. It must be tiring to lie flat all the time." Mrs. Yates personally attended to her, having become visibly more attentive and caring toward Zelda Warner after listening to Cecilia’s advice.

Seeing that her words had taken effect, Cecilia couldn’t help but smile at Zelda Warner.

But this was no time to get complacent. ’The old woman is easily swayed. She took my advice to heart for now, but if Tony Yates whispers something in her ear later, she’ll likely switch sides again.’

"Zelda, dear, what are your thoughts on Phoebe’s hundred-day celebration? I’d like to throw a big party. Phoebe is my only granddaughter, after all." When the older woman spoke again, she was already thinking about the baby’s hundred-day banquet.

Hearing this, Zelda Warner quickly replied, "Mom, that’s a bit hasty, isn’t it? Phoebe was just born."

"Not at all, not at all. You have to plan these things well in advance nowadays; there’s so much to consider," Mrs. Yates said. "Besides, it’s not just to celebrate Phoebe’s hundredth day. I also want to host a banquet to thank you. You went through so much with the pregnancy and birth. It makes my heart ache for you."

Regardless of whether the sentiment was genuine or not, any woman who had just given birth couldn’t help but be moved upon hearing such words from her mother-in-law.

But even as she was moved, Zelda Warner didn’t forget Cecilia’s instructions: to keep mentioning how much she missed Jeb. With a sentimental expression, she lowered her gaze and said, "Mom, please don’t say that. Phoebe is Jeb’s and my child. I’d willingly go through any hardship for her. Besides, Jeb hasn’t been sentenced yet. If we get the verdict at the end of the month, and if it’s good news, it won’t be too late to start planning then. We’d be celebrating two joyous occasions at once."

Hearing Zelda’s words filled Mrs. Yates’s heart with immense relief. She grabbed Zelda’s hand, her voice thick with emotion. "Good girl. Seeing you still thinking of Jeb... it gives me such a complicated feeling. I also feel like our family has let you down, leaving you all alone to raise Alex and Phoebe. Don’t you worry. Mom will take good care of you. I won’t let you suffer the slightest grievance."

"Mom, what are you saying? Aren’t we family? There’s no need to talk about who let who down."

"Yes, yes, you’re right. We’re family. Such a good girl."

Cecilia watched the scene unfold and found it surprisingly heartwarming. ’Even though the old woman is only acting this way because of what I told her, she gets into her role so easily. Her emotions seem seventy or eighty percent genuine; it’s not entirely a performance.’

Zelda Warner sensed this too. After all, Jeb was a devoted son; his mother’s concern for him couldn’t possibly be fake.

Cecilia quietly slipped out of the hospital room and into the small living area. Seeing her, Duane stood up. "Cecilia."

Cecilia raised a hand, gesturing for him to sit back down.

"I had you put people on Tony Yates. Any movement from his end?" Cecilia asked.

In truth, ever since Tony Yates had harassed her sister-in-law, Cecilia had been wary of him, so she’d had Duane put him under covert surveillance.

She didn’t know him well, so it was better to be cautious. She couldn’t wait for him to cause trouble before coming up with a plan.

Duane shook his head. "No major moves. He’s just been going to the company headquarters more often. Back when the boss was around, he was the type to just collect his dividends and loaf around. Now, he’s suddenly showing up at the office regularly."

"Oh, and he’s been to the bar a few times. But the managers there are all the boss’s trusted men. Even if he has some scheme, it’ll be useless. I’ve already spoken to them. No one will give him the time of day, and he won’t be able to dig up any information."

"I’m not worried about the bar," Cecilia murmured. "The private assets my brother entrusted to my care are almost all in my sister-in-law’s name. Even if Tony has ideas, there’s nothing he can do. The corporation, on the other hand..."

She thought for a moment before asking Duane, "How many shares in the corporation does he hold?"

"I’m not sure about that, but the boss probably wouldn’t have given him much, right?" Duane ventured a guess. "Five percent, tops."

Cecilia pursed her lips. Duane asked hesitantly, "What is it, Cecilia? Are you worried he’s going to try something behind the scenes at the company?"

"It’s not out of the question," Cecilia said in a low voice. "But it’s just speculation for now. After all, he doesn’t seem like the type to accomplish anything major. Still, we can’t afford to be careless."

’Ambition and desire are the greatest catalysts for unlocking a person’s potential. With a gold mountain that large sitting in front of him, even someone as useless as Tony Yates would try his damnedest to find a way to claim it.’

"Keep a closer watch on him. Log everyone he meets with, especially high-level members of the board of directors. If anyone is in close contact with him, I need to know immediately."

"Got it. Don’t worry, Cecilia."

"And Alex," Cecilia added. "Assign two more people to shadow him to and from school. We absolutely cannot let anything happen to that boy."

Duane nodded in understanding. "I’ll arrange it immediately."

Just then, a thought struck Cecilia. She suddenly remembered what Mrs. Yates had said about preparing for the baby’s hundred-day celebration in advance.

’Phoebe had been born under her care. She, the baby’s aunt, was the first person Phoebe saw when she was wheeled out of the delivery room. Cecilia felt a unique bond with this child.’

’She had to prepare a grand gift.’

「Phoenix Gold」.

After entering the shop, Cecilia took off her sunglasses and glanced at the screen facing the entrance. It displayed: "Today’s Gold Price: 0.07 Dollars/gram."

’It had been over a year since her rebirth. Every time she saw prices after the currency devaluation, she would still subconsciously do the conversion in her head.’

’Seven cents a gram. Multiplied by ten thousand, that was equivalent to the 700 Dollars a gram she was used to.’

She subconsciously raised an eyebrow. ’After converting, this gold price really isn’t cheap.’

’Come to think of it, this was the first time she had set foot in a gold shop in the past year.’

"Hello, ma’am. We have gold, platinum, and sterling silver jewelry. Please let me know what you’re looking for, and I can show you some options."

Cecilia’s aura screamed "wealthy," and an eager salesclerk immediately came forward to assist her.

Cecilia didn’t waste any time. She looked at the clerk and asked directly, "Do you take custom orders?"

"We do offer customization services. What did you have in mind, ma’am?"

"A longevity lock. For a baby’s hundred-day celebration."

Customers with a clear objective usually led to a quick sale. The clerk’s eyes lit up. "Would you like to see the styles we have in-store first, ma’am? We have dozens of different gold longevity locks."

"No, thank you. I’m not looking for the kind you can hang around a neck." Under the clerk’s puzzled gaze, Cecilia explained softly, "Those are all too small."

"Then... what kind were you looking to order?"

"A solid longevity lock. 5,000 grams."

"Huh?" The clerk’s eyes went wide as the beautiful woman in front of her casually stated the number. "You said... 5,000 grams?"

Cecilia smiled sweetly and nodded gently. "That’s right. Eleven pounds."