Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Showing Her Attitude
When the neighbor saw that he genuinely seemed to know nothing, an expression of disgust was plain on her face.
"Something this huge happens, and you don’t even know? What kind of boyfriend are you? You’re the president of a company, for crying out loud, but you can’t even spare a little for funeral expenses? It’s true what they say, the richer the man, the stingier he is. No wonder Cecilia doesn’t want to marry you anymore. To..."
Cecilia Croft had other plans for her wedding day, so she had already told the neighbors not to come and that the wedding was canceled.
Her grandmother had been a prideful woman, so Cecilia didn’t want them coming to gawk at their misfortune and disturb her grandmother’s peace, even in death.
Now that the neighbor was bringing it up, she naturally rushed out, not wanting the woman to reveal too much to Jude Sheridan.
She opened the front door, stepped outside, and cut the neighbor off, her eyes full of apology.
"I’m sorry, Auntie Walker. I’ll handle this myself."
Auntie Walker nodded, shot Jude Sheridan a wary glance, then leaned in toward Cecilia Croft and said, "If you need my help with anything, just give me a yell."
Cecilia Croft nodded.
After Auntie Walker went back inside, Jude Sheridan turned to Cecilia Croft, his face a mask of guilt and remorse.
"Cecilia, for something this important, why didn’t you even call me? If you had just told me, I would’ve rushed back from the city next door to be with you."
Cecilia Croft gazed calmly at his face, her eyes showing no trace of emotion.
"And spoil your fun? You so rarely get a moment to relax. Why would I want to ruin your good mood?"
Jude Sheridan’s face paled, and a guilty look flashed in his eyes.
"Cecilia, I wasn’t there to spend time with Jessica Keller. I was with a client from a partner company. I only brought her along so she could learn a few things."
Cecilia Croft watched him in silence.
"I see. President Sheridan has such a charitable heart."
’So thoughtful, to take such good care of an intern from a partner company.’
Jude Sheridan was so taken aback he couldn’t form a reply.
He didn’t know how much Cecilia Croft had found out, so he could only test the waters cautiously.
"Cecilia, we’ve been together for so many years. I’ve never done anything to cross the line. I hope you can trust me."
Cecilia Croft just gave a placid "Oh," saying nothing more.
Jude Sheridan was speechless.
He took a deep breath, studying Cecilia Croft’s expression with a deep, searching gaze.
Seeing no trace of anger in her eyes, he breathed a small sigh of relief.
’Cecilia must not know much. She’s probably just heard a few baseless rumors.’
’If she had solid proof, there’s no way she’d be this calm. She’d definitely confront me.’
"Cecilia, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t there for you when your grandma passed away. I realize now how wrong I was, and I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you."
Cecilia Croft looked at him, a faint smile playing on her lips.
’His idea of "making it up to me" is to secretly start a family with another woman and have an illegitimate child who’ll one day fight me for my inheritance?’
Jude Sheridan didn’t see the mockery in her eyes. Thinking his apology had earned her forgiveness, he stepped closer and reached out to hug her.
Cecilia Croft deftly sidestepped his embrace, her gaze turning cold.
Jude Sheridan awkwardly pulled back his outstretched hands.
"Cecilia, I know you’re still angry with me, but we’re about to get married. I don’t want you to walk down the aisle holding onto this."
He sounded sincere, his eyes filled with deep regret and self-reproach.
Cecilia Croft watched his face in silence before speaking slowly.
"So maybe we shouldn’t see each other for the next few days."
Jude Sheridan was instantly on guard.
"Why?"
’Could it be true, what the neighbor said? Does she really not want to marry me anymore?’
Cecilia Croft’s expression was placid, betraying none of her true feelings.
"I need some time alone to calm down. I wouldn’t want to be emotional on our wedding day, would I?"
Her explanation was reasonable, and some of Jude Sheridan’s suspicion subsided.
"But I can’t feel at ease with you here by yourself. I want to stay and keep you company."
’He was afraid that if Cecilia had time to calm down, she’d find out more.’
’He had to stay by her side during this time to stop anyone else from telling her too much.’
He reached for Cecilia Croft’s hand, but she shook it away.
Jude Sheridan’s face darkened at such a blatant rejection, but he forced himself to suppress his temper.
"Cecilia..."
Cecilia Croft cut him off. "I’m more worried you won’t dare to stay."
With that, she stepped into the courtyard, and Jude Sheridan hurried after her.
As he entered the living room, Jude Sheridan’s eyes were immediately drawn to the funeral portrait hanging in the center of the room.
The old woman had been a stern teacher in life. She only ever showed a hint of warmth in front of Cecilia Croft; the rest of the time, she was serious and rarely smiled.
Jude Sheridan glanced at the portrait and hastily looked away, feeling as though the old woman’s stern gaze was piercing right through him, seeing everything he had done.
He walked stiffly to the sofa and sat down, but he could still feel a sharp gaze fixed on him, sending a chill down his spine.
Seeing his guilty posture, Cecilia Croft sneered inwardly.
’She was willing to bet Jude Sheridan wouldn’t be able to stand it here for even two nights.’
"I had just gotten home when my grandma passed. One moment, she was telling me she wanted to see you. The next, while I was trying to call you, she was gone."
Jude Sheridan jolted and quickly explained.
"I was so busy then, I must have missed your call."
Cecilia Croft nodded. "Mm, I know. You were in a meeting. Jessica Keller answered your phone. I asked her to tell you my grandma had died. She said that for an old person to pass away peacefully is a blessing."
As she spoke of that night, Cecilia Croft’s eyes couldn’t help but turn red.
’It wasn’t because she felt aggrieved, but because she still couldn’t believe her grandmother was well and truly gone from her life.’
Jude Sheridan’s eyes filled with disbelief. He quickly pulled out his phone to check his call log.
He couldn’t find any record of the call from that night and realized Jessica Keller must have deleted it.
He gripped the phone so tightly the veins on the back of his hand stood out.
Cecilia Croft watched him calmly as she recounted everything that had happened that night, from calling the ambulance to the paramedics confirming her grandmother’s death, to her arranging the funeral all by herself.
Seeing her red-rimmed eyes, a heavy, panicked feeling clogged Jude Sheridan’s chest, and his heart ached for her.
"Cecilia, I’m sorry."
This apology came from the heart.
But Cecilia Croft just smiled and said softly, "It doesn’t matter anymore."
As she spoke, she glanced up at her grandmother’s portrait and murmured.
"They say that when an old person passes, their spirit lingers for a while in the house where they lived their whole life. If you’re truly sorry, then you can stay here in the living room and repent to my grandmother. Perhaps in the dead of night, her spirit will visit your dreams and make her feelings known?"
Panic flared in Jude Sheridan’s eyes. "Cecilia..."
Cecilia Croft’s eyes were sharp as she looked at him. "Are you scared?"
Jude Sheridan shook his head. "Of course not."
Cecilia Croft replied, "Good."
With that, she turned, went into her bedroom, and locked the door.
Jude Sheridan sat stunned in the living room. Though he was clearly alone, his mind played tricks on him, making him feel as if he were surrounded.
