Chapter 50: Chapter 50: An Unspeakable Pose
In his younger days, Fourth Master Sawyer had lived a life on the razor’s edge. His sharp gaze swept over the men on the floor.
The air was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
The men he brought took charge of the thugs.
Cecilia Croft and Sebastian Hawthorne then left the room.
As Assistant Scott came out, he thoughtfully closed the door for Boss Sawyer.
Once outside, Cecilia Croft let out a huge sigh of relief.
Sebastian Hawthorne stood beside her, his eyes lowered to her slightly pale face. His tone was tinged with faint, unreadable amusement.
"Had this all planned out?"
Cecilia Croft pursed her lips and gave a slight nod.
"Yes. A triple failsafe."
Before contacting Sebastian Hawthorne, she had already reached out to Fourth Master Sawyer.
She had met Zane Keller’s wife before, but she had never had any dealings with Fourth Master Sawyer.
She’d heard he was an eccentric man, and after three years, she couldn’t be sure if he still intended to pursue that old matter.
After all, for a man who doted on his daughter, bringing the matter up again would be like rubbing salt in the wound. Moreover, the man behind these thugs was Zane Keller.
That was her first failsafe.
She had told Giselle Sullivan that someone was blackmailing her and had asked to meet at Maplewood Court. She hoped Giselle would immediately report it to the police if she couldn’t get through to her phone. That was her second failsafe.
The third failsafe was the man standing before her—the one she was least certain would even work.
She hadn’t expected him to arrive so quickly, or that he would have been lying in wait in the hotel all along, saving her from suffering the slightest bit of humiliation or harm.
She had no desire to put herself in danger.
But she was terrified they might actually have incriminating evidence against Vantage.
If the shares Sebastian Hawthorne held became worthless, she would be guilty of business fraud.
He would surely hold her responsible for it. Just like all those years ago, he would retaliate against the Croft Group.
The Croft Group couldn’t withstand another blow.
Regardless, she had to find out the truth.
Now that the crisis was averted, she explained her triple failsafe to Sebastian Hawthorne.
With a smile in her eyes, Cecilia Croft looked at him with a calm, gentle gaze. She was proving to Sebastian Hawthorne that she was adaptable, someone who could handle a crisis calmly and think on her feet.
A person like her would make an excellent partner.
She hoped that by doing this, she could make Sebastian Hawthorne recognize her capabilities. Then, after returning to the Croft Group, she might have the chance to sit across from him and negotiate a partnership.
However, the praise she expected never came.
Instead, she watched as the man’s eyes darkened, bit by bit, until they were a pair of deep, shadowed pools.
"It seems I’ve underestimated you."
For some reason, she felt his words carried a hidden barb.
He hadn’t praised her; he’d taken a jab at her instead.
Although his reaction was not what she’d expected, she composed herself, pursed her lips, and offered her thanks.
"Mr. Hawthorne, regardless, thank you for coming so quickly."
Sebastian Hawthorne stared at her intently.
"You thought I wouldn’t come?"
Cecilia Croft nodded, answering honestly.
"Yes."
After all, she had only told Sebastian Hawthorne that someone claimed to have evidence of Vantage’s crimes and wanted to meet her at Maplewood Court. If the evidence proved to be genuine, she was willing to buy back the shares he held.
Perhaps she’d been proven wrong by him so many times recently that she’d grown wary.
That’s why she’d been a little crafty when she sent him the message.
If Sebastian Hawthorne sensed something was amiss, she had given him the precise address.
If he chose not to save her, it would have been understandable.
His long, slender hand with well-defined knuckles reached out and gripped her chin. His handsome face drew closer, his breath hot against her skin.
"Your taste in men is truly terrible."
"You... How can you make it so personal?" Cecilia Croft didn’t move, hardly daring to breathe.
’I have to admit,’ she thought, ’this man is handsome enough to make anyone blush and their heart race.’
Sebastian Hawthorne let out a low chuckle.
The feeling of their breaths mingling intimately made Cecilia Croft’s eyelashes flutter.
’If I’d never met Jude Sheridan, maybe this man and I would have already...’
The thought flashed through her mind, and she quickly averted her gaze from Sebastian’s.
’It must be the aphrodisiac incense in this room,’ she thought. ’It’s addled my brain.’
His mood seemed to lift slightly, and he released her chin.
Seeing his smile, Cecilia Croft felt a rush of boldness and quickly said,
"Mr. Hawthorne, please give the Croft Group a chance."
The Croft Group just needed one opportunity.
Sebastian Hawthorne looked down at her, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"I just saved you, and you’re already pushing your luck?"
His words made Cecilia Croft blush, and she gave an awkward laugh.
He didn’t give a clear answer, nor did he refuse. He just gave her a deep, meaningful look before striding away.
Cecilia Croft shamelessly followed him into the elevator.
Assistant Scott ambled along behind them, sighing theatrically from time to time.
"So easy to please."
Cecilia Croft didn’t understand, but the man beside her shot a death glare in his direction.
"One more word out of you, and I’ll put you in charge of the borderlands project."
Assistant Scott immediately shut his mouth and put on a fawning expression.
"Cousin, what are you talking about? My delicate skin isn’t suited for a place like the borderlands. How could I possibly survive?"
He tried to step into the elevator as he spoke, but Sebastian Hawthorne kicked him right back out.
Caught off guard, Assistant Scott tumbled to the floor and struck a comically delicate pose.
"Cousin, you’re so cruel."
Cecilia Croft watched this all unfold, dumbfounded, her gaze flickering between Assistant Scott and Sebastian Hawthorne.
She couldn’t help but feel that there was something... not entirely platonic between them.
’No wonder there hasn’t been a single romantic scandal about him since he broke off our engagement.’
Her gossipy expression must have been too obvious, because the moment the elevator doors slid shut, the man beside her shot a sharp glare in her direction.
"Get your mind out of the gutter."
Cecilia Croft muttered an "Oh," and guiltily looked away.
When the elevator reached the ground floor, Sebastian Hawthorne shot her a sideways glance before walking out.
Cecilia Croft followed at a leisurely pace. As her eyes wandered, she immediately noticed a world-famous mural directly opposite the elevator doors.
Cupid and Psyche.
As she continued toward the exit, she saw that all the murals hanging on the walls were of the sort to make one blush.
She had been too nervous to notice them when she came in, her attention drawn only to the largest piece.
Now that she had calmed down, she could take a closer look at her surroundings. The paintings on the walls and the carved reliefs mostly depicted... unspeakable acts between two people.
Cecilia Croft’s face burned, and she quickened her pace unconsciously.
She was so focused on walking that she didn’t see the two steps ahead. Her foot found empty air, and she pitched forward.
She cried out in alarm.
Sebastian Hawthorne, who was just ahead of her, heard the noise and reacted in a flash, catching her before she fell.
He looked down at her, their gazes locking. The tips of both their ears turned as red as if they’d been seared by a flame.
