Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Who Else Is Worthy of Him?

Angry words?

She wasn’t the least bit angry.

"I’m being serious," said Cecilia Croft.

Just as she finished speaking, a call came in from Assistant Zimmer.

"President Croft, the car is fine. Jessica Keller didn’t try any funny business."

Cecilia Croft grunted in acknowledgment, put her phone away, then turned, opened the car door, and started the engine, relieved.

The car pulled out of the parking spot and stopped right in front of Jessica Keller.

Jessica Keller was being held by security guards. Seeing Cecilia Croft stop in front of her, she momentarily forgot to curse.

Cecilia Croft rolled down the window and gave her a playful, mocking smile.

"You can come to Vantage and pester him all you want, but coming here to bother me? Not happening."

With that, under Jude Sheridan’s stunned gaze, she slammed on the gas and sped off.

Big Mason had driven over in his own car and parked next to Cecilia Croft’s. Once Cecilia left, he stopped blocking Jude Sheridan and got into his car.

As he was leaving, he also paused his car in front of Jessica Keller and spoke to her.

"Did you hear what President Croft just said?"

Jessica Keller bit her lip hard. Her face was haggard, and she looked so pale and weak it seemed she might faint at any moment.

Big Mason didn’t press her further. Enduring Jude Sheridan’s murderous glare, he drove away.

"President Sheridan, we’ll take her away now."

Seeing the dark expression on Jude Sheridan’s face, the security guards tried to lead Jessica Keller away.

Jessica Keller struggled violently.

"Jude! You can’t do this to me! You said you would protect me, you said you would..."

Jude Sheridan’s brows knitted together, his eyes as cold as if they were coated in frost.

"Let her go."

Upon hearing this, the security guards released her and spoke respectfully.

"Well then, President Sheridan, we’ll get back to our duties. Call us if you need anything."

They couldn’t afford to offend either Cecilia Croft or the man before them, Jude Sheridan, so their only choice was to turn and leave this place of conflict.

They had only taken a few steps when the crisp sound of a slap echoed from behind them.

Both of them paused, exchanged a look, but neither dared to turn and look back.

They could only quicken their pace.

The moment the security guards let go, Jessica Keller had spread her arms, intending to embrace Jude Sheridan.

Before her hands could even wrap around his waist, the man’s palm landed squarely on her face.

Jessica Keller stood frozen in shock, clutching her face, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"Jude..."

"You didn’t behave," Jude Sheridan said, his voice frigid.

Jessica Keller bit her lip hard, a flash of resentment in her eyes.

She used to think she was special to Jude Sheridan, and with the leverage of a child, she had acted without restraint.

But now...

The baby in her belly was gone, and she knew full well that if it came down to a choice between her and Cecilia Croft, Jude Sheridan would never choose her.

So she didn’t dare to act presumptuously in front of him.

"Didn’t I tell you not to come to Vantage during this time? Not to show your face in front of her? Are my words just wind in your ears?"

He raised his hand again. A flicker of nervousness crossed Jessica Keller’s eyes, and she instinctively squeezed them shut, thinking he was about to slap her again. Instead, he simply moved her hand away from her face.

The pads of his fingers gently caressed her reddened cheek.

A blush immediately crept up Jessica Keller’s cheeks.

"Jude, I know I was wrong. I’ll never do something like this again. Please don’t be angry."

Jude Sheridan narrowed his eyes, his face grim as he looked at her.

"What were you wrong about?"

Jessica Keller bit her lip. "I was wrong to come looking for you, and wrong to go to Cecilia."

"It’s just that since I lost the baby, I’ve had this weight on my chest, and I wanted to vent."

Jessica Keller carefully reached out and wrapped her arms around Jude Sheridan’s waist.

He didn’t push her away. Jessica Keller sighed in relief and rested her head against his chest.

"Jude, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me."

Jude Sheridan’s expression darkened slightly as he said in a low voice,

"Jessica, I’ve already made it very clear to you. Our child came at the wrong time. We had to lose it."

"This is a critical time for Vantage. If you keep causing trouble like this, I’ll really wash my hands of you."

Jessica Keller’s eyes were red from crying as she huddled in Jude Sheridan’s arms, weeping silently.

’It’s all Cecilia Croft’s fault!’

’It’s her fault for blowing things up and affecting Vantage, forcing Jude to make me suffer!’

...

After leaving Vantage, Cecilia Croft called Sebastian Hawthorne.

Sebastian Hawthorne probably hadn’t left work yet. If she drove directly to the Hawthorne Group’s Silvercrest branch now, she should be able to make it in time.

The call was answered almost as soon as she dialed.

Sebastian Hawthorne’s deep voice came through the line.

"What is it?"

Cecilia Croft kept her eyes on the road ahead as she stated her purpose.

"Mr. Hawthorne, have you left work? I’m on my way to the branch office now. It’s a good time to discuss the Vantage matter with you."

Sebastian Hawthorne’s tone was low. "I’ve already left the office. Come to my place to discuss it."

Cecilia Croft raised an eyebrow.

’Didn’t he say he was busy? Why did he get off work so early?’

When she didn’t answer, Sebastian Hawthorne added calmly,

"I’ll be waiting for you."

With that, he hung up first.

Cecilia Croft had no choice but to turn the car around and head toward Sebastian Hawthorne’s residence.

She drove to the entrance of Sebastian Hawthorne’s residential complex, and a young, well-trained security guard jogged over.

Cecilia Croft was about to cooperate with the registration process when the young guard glanced at her license plate, then used his walkie-talkie to call a colleague to let her through.

Seeing the barrier gate rise, Cecilia Croft was taken aback for a moment.

’Don’t you have to register to enter a high-end complex like this? Why did they just open the gate for me?’

The young guard seemed to notice her confusion and offered a polite and respectful smile.

"Mr. Hawthorne already called ahead."

Cecilia Croft let out a dazed "Oh," started the car, and thanked the guard as she drove past him, heading directly for Sebastian Hawthorne’s underground garage.

Just as she parked the car and entered the elevator, her phone vibrated.

She picked it up and saw it was a message from Sebastian Hawthorne.

[Password: 745730.]

Cecilia Croft froze. He just gave her the door code, just like that?

But then she remembered how Sebastian Hawthorne had given her his payment password directly last time, so she didn’t overthink it and replied.

[Got it.]

The elevator doors opened.

Cecilia Croft entered the code and went inside.

"Mr. Hawthorne, I’m here."

As soon as she stepped inside, she smelled the delicious aroma of food.

A flicker of confusion appeared in Cecilia Croft’s eyes.

’What’s the occasion? Sebastian Hawthorne is actually cooking himself?’

Cecilia Croft received no reply. She instinctively looked for shoe covers at the entryway but found none. She did, however, spot a brand-new pair of women’s slippers.

She stared at the slippers for a few seconds but ultimately didn’t reach for them.

’These were probably prepared for the mistress of the house.’

’As a subordinate, how could I touch something belonging to the lady of the house?’

With no shoe covers and no suitable slippers for her,

Cecilia Croft could only choose to go barefoot.

"Mr. Hawthorne..."

She peeked her head into the kitchen, only to see a man in a white chef’s uniform bustling about inside.

’So Sebastian Hawthorne isn’t the one cooking.’

’Right. A pampered man like him would never cook.’

’Thank goodness. Otherwise, if he were rich, knew how to cook, and was handsome to boot—if he had all his skills maxed out—who would possibly be worthy of him?’