Chapter 437 - Four Hundred And Thirty-seven: Getting Married, We Are?
The third point of view:
"Why did you summon Cecil here, darling?" Cecil's mother was the person to ask this time.
It had taken them all by surprise when Vincent suddenly announced their long-gone daughter would be home for a visit. At first, it had pained the woman that Cecil wasn't here to reclaim back her position as a Vincent but a simple visitation, but then she had to make do with the man's decision. Since her husband allowed her a visit, there was a high chance he might revoke his disownment edict.
As usual, her husband kept the reason for Cecil's visit from her like he always does. The woman wasn't bothered by that but suspicion grew in her heart, how could Cecil's son look like Fernandez? Didn't he claim the son wasn't his? Could it be that her daughter had been accused wrongly from the very start?
"I summoned you here," Vincent began, "To explain to us the reason you kept Fernandez's son away from him for eighteen years,"
Although Cecil had an inkling she was going to be the center of discussion, it still made her blood boil when the issue was brought up. How dare they? How dare he?
"What?!" The rest of the family members were shocked by the revelation.
"Sister!" Erica was the one who spoke up, "This is crazy? Do you know how long Fernandez has been trying for a male child? Yet, all this while you kept his son - aah!"
No one saw it coming, all they knew was that Erica was talking and the next they knew, a shoe was hurled at her face.
"Shut. Your. Trap!" Cecil was up on her feet, chest heaving and glaring down at her elder sister who had a stunned expression.
Erica's lips were busted from the shoe thrown at her with her eyes wild; she never imagined Cecil would do that. The Cecil they knew was always meek and naive and adored her sisters. This crazy woman wasn't their sister.
"Cecil!" Both mother and the eldest sister Annie were astonished. Was this their cultured daughter and sister? What happened to her?
If only they knew pregnancy hormones helped to bring out Cecil's wild side.
Even Vincent and Fernandez were taken aback by her outburst. This was the first time they were seeing this side of her.
Meanwhile, Emerald chuckled at the side. He wasn't ready to stop her from releasing her pent-up anger and frustration. His job was to make sure his wife was protected and supported while she bullied whoever she wanted.
"Who do you think you are? How dare you judge me?!" Cecil yelled, chest heaving as she loomed over Erica, and for the second time, fear entered Erica's eyes. These couples were a crazy pair.
"Cecil, sit down!" Vincent commanded, his own anger rolling out.
"Don't you use that tone on me!" Cecil whipped around to him, eyes blazing, "I'm just a visitor here, not your daughter you can control however you want!" She didn't care, that man stopped being her father eighteen years ago.
Vincent shook with anger, he never trained his daughter to turn out this way, "You insolent - !"
"Yes!" Cecil confirmed, "I'm that insolent daughter that you chased off crudely eighteen years ago without hearing her side of the story! You choose to believe a stranger more than your daughter! A stranger who claimed the child in my womb wasn't his..." she faced Fernandez this time," So let it remain that way, " and she sat down at last - not because of her father's order but because she wanted to.
Fernandez didn't accept the accusation," How was I supposed to know when they were sleeping around? What was the possibility you weren't trying to pin a child that wasn't - " Fernandez got cut when his eyes accidentally met with Emerald and he nearly choked on his words.
If it wasn't the fact that Vincent was here, he wouldn't dare to come here - the man could still remember the way Emerald broke his hand. Well, he didn't need to worry too much since the giant would be gone tonight.
Miguel had promised him and soon his adversary would be removed from his way. When Emerald makes the journey of no return - dies - Cecil would be all alone and exposed, and then, not only would he take Pedro, he would snatch her as well. No one would stop him. Even if they suspect him, there would be no evidence. In the end, Emerald's death would be ruled out as a result of a clash between two rival gangs.
"You've heard him already," Vincent supported, "He had no idea and you're very much responsible for putting him in a spot where he couldn't trust you,"
Oh, they were putting the whole blame on her? She had played the slut - in their opinion.
"I'll say you're a fool for not trusting your woman. If you had truly loved Cecil, you would have covered her sins, not flash her lingerie to the public and feed her to the wolves to feast on," said Emerald, who had been quiet all this while.
Fernandez went red in the face and he retorted," And you love her? " he was so mad. Of all people Cecil had to fall with, it was this gangster? Like have good taste - it was a great insult to his past to have dated a woman like her. [A/N: And you want to bed a woman like her? Oh please have some dicknity!]
"More than you ever did," Emerald said challengingly, their eyes met and held.
Both of them started a staredown, waiting on who would look away first or maybe not, because when a sinister smirk crossed Emerald's features, the hairs on Fernandez's busy stood on edge and he looked away - that man was a devil.
Vincent ignored both men's mental fight and went ahead to say, "I know you must feel resentful for having accused your pregnancy falsely, plus being chased out of the family, which is why I'm taking back my words. You're welcome back, daughter."
"What?!" The whole family was shocked - most especially Erica. No, no, this was not happening.
"Oh my God!" Cecil's mother gasped, cupping her mouth from emotion. This was good news. However, she rejoiced too soon.
Cecil was not moved by that proposal, instead, she asked Vincent, "What's the catch?"
"What?"
"I know you. You don't participate in dealings that aren't profitable or beneficial to you?"
"Nothing is free in this world. You made a mistake, you pay for it," Was his response.
"What do you mean by that, darling?" Cecil's mom spoke up, she didn't like where this was heading.
"The fact that you kept Fernandez's son away from him for eighteen years is crime enough and for that, you will hand the boy over to him," he commanded authoritatively
"Bite me!" Cecil said.
"Cecil!" It wouldn't be surprising if Vincent suffered a heart attack at this rate.
"Listen to your father, Cecil. Pedro has a better future with me," Fernandez argued with her.
"No, my son would not turn out to be an asshole like you. He would never come to you and talk about a 'better future', I already have everything you could ever give him,"
"You mean that little company of yours compared to my empire? And could you stop using the past against me?"
Cecil threw her head back and laughed mockingly, "So what am I supposed to do? Forget the past?" her face darkened, "News flash, you're in for a huge loss,"
"Your stubbornness cannot help you this time, Cecil," Vincent informed her, "We would have to fight in the court of the law, and trust me, you of all people should know the law would favour the partner with a stable home than a single mother with a promiscuous lifestyle," he then claimed," Fernandez would give you visiting rights if we settle this peacefully and you can return to the family and be the Vincent you were born to be, "
Cecil understood that comment's undertone: her returning to the family meant that she would never be with Emerald. Vincent doesn't approve of him. But then, who was he fooling? She knew Fernandez, that proud asshole would never release her son to her once Pedro gets to him.
"All the better. I'm sure the court would be interesting to know why Fernandez never searched for me for God damned eighteen years. They would be interested in the story of Vincent's promiscuous daughter,"
Vincent's jaw ticked, he was about to lose it.
"Moreover, my fiancé and I…." she interlocked their fingers, "Are getting married soon,"
Emerald's head spun around to give her a look that says, "We are?"
Cecil continued, "That no longer makes me a single mother," they all understood what she was trying to say and that made Fernandez snap.
"You bitch!" he hurled up to his feet
"Don't you dare talk to my daughter that way, you son of a bastard!" Cecil's mother shot up to her feet defensively before Emerald could.
Compared to everyone else, Cecil was more astonished. Her mother was speaking up for her?
"You destroyed my family the first time! How dare you think of a second attempt! Who the hell do you think you are,"
"Grace!" Vincent tried to caution her but the woman whirled around to him with blazing eyes.
"And you!" She looked at her husband with disdain for the first time. She had always been enduring his insults abd maltreatments, hoping he would change, but the reverse was the case. She was tired of his oppression. She was tired of this marriage.
She announced, "I'm so tired of you, which is why I'm getting a divorce!"
"Mom!"