Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Specially Giving Myself to You
Cecilia Croft didn’t fall asleep until the early hours of the morning.
When she woke up the next morning, her sister was already gone.
She rubbed her eyes and turned on her phone to check the time. It was already past nine.
A moment after the phone powered on, all sorts of notifications flooded the screen.
A large portion of them were from Jude Sheridan.
Just looking at the familiar number made Cecilia Croft feel disgusted.
Without even reading the messages, she deleted his contact and blocked his number in one fell swoop.
Giselle Sullivan and Mr. Fisher had also sent her a few messages, mostly just checking in and expressing their concern.
After the scene at the wedding yesterday, they probably all thought she was heartbroken.
In truth, she wasn’t that sad.
Perhaps it was because ever since she discovered Jude Sheridan’s affair, she had replayed every detail of the wedding in her mind countless times, which had diluted the pain over that period.
Cecilia Croft replied to Giselle Sullivan and Mr. Fisher, then got up, grabbed her pillow, and went back to her own room to get ready.
She hadn’t forgotten the mission Ruby Croft had given her.
’No matter what, I have to get a job at the Hawthorne Group today!’
After washing up, Cecilia Croft went downstairs to find that Auntie Zane had already prepared breakfast.
Seeing her, Auntie Zane quickly brought the breakfast out from the kitchen.
"Your sister left early this morning. Before she left, she told me to make sure you ate your breakfast properly."
Hearing this, Cecilia Croft sat down at the dining table and took a sip of milk.
"Did my sister eat breakfast before she left?"
Auntie Zane nodded.
"Miss Ruby hasn’t eaten breakfast at home in years. She asked me to prepare it when she got up today. She seemed to be in a very good mood, probably because you’re back, Second Miss."
Cecilia Croft nodded. "From now on, you have to help me make sure she eats breakfast, too."
Auntie Zane fell silent for a moment, then reminded her softly,
"Second Miss, I’m resigning next month."
Only then did Cecilia Croft remember that Auntie Zane had told her just last night that she was leaving the Croft family.
The Croft family home felt different now, with so much changed. It left a bitter taste in her mouth.
’It’s a good thing I’m back, so at least Ruby won’t have to face this loneliness by herself.’
Auntie Zane wanted to return to her own family, and Cecilia couldn’t very well ask her to stay. She could only entrust Auntie Zane with interviewing new candidates according to the rules her grandfather had established.
She had to go for an interview at the Hawthorne Group today and really couldn’t spare the time.
Just after she finished breakfast, a call came in from Ruby Croft.
As soon as Cecilia Croft answered, her sister’s cool, clear voice came through the line.
"Walk-in closet, last compartment on the left. There’s a gift bag under the suit. Take it with you."
It was noisy on her end; Cecilia could occasionally hear an assistant giving a report in the background.
After saying this, she hung up immediately, not even giving Cecilia Croft a chance to respond.
Cecilia Croft put her phone away and headed upstairs. ’My sister is so thorough. She prepares everything for me.’
’Before long, she’s going to spoil me into a blissfully useless person.’
’I must have been out of my mind all those years to abandon my family for Jude Sheridan.’
Cecilia Croft happily changed into the suit Ruby Croft had prepared for her and picked up the gift bag beside it.
Inside the gift bag was an exquisite brocade box.
She opened the box and saw a pair of delicate men’s sapphire cufflinks, understated yet luxurious.
The design looked familiar. Cecilia Croft examined them closely, and a distant memory flashed in her mind. She realized these cufflinks seemed to be from one of her own design sketches.
When she was fifteen or sixteen, Cecilia Croft had aspired to become a famous jewelry designer.
Her study was filled with her wild, imaginative designs. She never expected her sister to actually have one of them made into a real product.
The rush of memories from so many years ago moved her.
Cecilia Croft took the gift bag and sent Ruby Croft a message before heading out.
Sister, don’t worry. I will definitely win over Sebastian Hawthorne today, get a job at the Hawthorne Group, and complete the mission!
She attached a loyal puppy sticker.
Ruby Croft didn’t reply.
Grabbing a random car from her sister’s garage, Cecilia Croft set off for the Hawthorne Group headquarters.
Unsurprisingly, since she didn’t have an appointment, she was stopped by the receptionist at the front desk.
The young receptionist had a friendly smile and seemed harmless, but she absolutely refused to let her in.
Cecilia Croft had no choice but to take out her phone and call Sebastian Hawthorne.
The receptionist maintained her polite smile as she watched, but her eyes seemed to say, ’I’ll just sit back and watch you put on your little show.’
Cecilia Croft: "..."
The phone rang and rang with no answer. The receptionist’s smile became even more polite and wary.
Fortunately, when she called a second time, the call connected.
But the person who answered remained silent.
Cecilia Croft steeled herself and spoke.
"Mr. Hawthorne, it’s Cecilia Croft."
Sebastian Hawthorne: "My phone has a contacts function."
Cecilia Croft: "..."
’If I didn’t need something from him, there’s no way I could continue this conversation.’
"I’m downstairs at your company right now. To thank you for taking me home last night, my sister prepared a gift and had me bring it to you."
Silence.
A long silence.
"Mr. Hawthorne?" she asked, confused.
But the call was disconnected.
Cecilia Croft lowered the phone from her ear and stared at the "Call Ended" screen in silence.
The receptionist was silent too, but her smile was now laced with vigilance, as if she was worried Cecilia might try to force her way in at any moment.
"Is it okay if I call Assistant Scott?" she asked with an awkward smile.
The receptionist nodded, her smile unwavering. "Of course."
Cecilia Croft pressed her lips together and took a step to the side.
The receptionist immediately shuffled over to follow her.
Cecilia Croft: "..."
’So dedicated.’
Cecilia Croft’s call to Assistant Scott hadn’t even connected when she saw Sebastian Hawthorne emerge from the elevator, surrounded by a group of people.
The people around him were giving reports. He listened silently, his gaze fixed on the phone in his hand.
Cecilia Croft quickly hung up and walked toward him.
"Mr. Hawthorne."
She was here on a mission, so she couldn’t help but sound eager.
The receptionist hurried after her, grabbed her arm, and then quickly bowed her head, apologizing cautiously.
"I’m so sorry, Mr. Hawthorne. This is my fault. I’ll have security escort her out immediately."
She had already pegged Cecilia Croft as one of Mr. Hawthorne’s crazed admirers.
The last time, her colleague had failed to stop one of Mr. Hawthorne’s delusional fans, allowing the person to sneak into the company, and had lost her job over it.
The receptionist wanted to cry but had no tears, already silently mourning the job she was about to lose.
Cecilia Croft: "..."
’Are all the receptionists at the Hawthorne Group this dedicated?’
’It’s a good thing I haven’t seriously offended Sebastian Hawthorne. Otherwise, would it be this hard just to see him in the future?’
"That won’t be necessary. You can go."
Sebastian Hawthorne’s expression was indifferent as he reached out and took the gift bag that Cecilia Croft hadn’t even offered him yet.
Cecilia Croft quickly let go. Noticing the inquisitive gazes of the high-level executives around Sebastian Hawthorne all fixed on her, she suddenly felt inexplicably nervous.
"My sister specially asked me to come over and give myself to you."
She said this with a completely serious expression, oblivious to the slip of the tongue she’d made in her nervousness.
Sebastian Hawthorne stood before her, his eyes narrowed slightly. His dark, deep gaze was fixed on her, and the corner of his mouth curved into a faint, unreadable smile as he remained silent.
