Chapter 152: Chapter 152: Can Only Have the Title of a Friend

Ash Quillan had been entertaining guests at noon, so he hadn’t been able to properly host his good friends.

Before the meal was even over, he left the main table and came over specifically to greet them.

"I’ve arranged an after-party for tonight. None of you should leave. Head to the winery and wait for me."

The Quillan family’s winery was right next to the manor.

Everyone could see he wasn’t in a very good mood, so no one brought up the idea of leaving.

Cecilia Croft glanced at Sebastian Hawthorne beside her. Seeing he had no plans to leave either, she leaned in and spoke softly.

"If my sister decides to leave later, I’ll go with her. That way, I won’t have to trouble you for a ride home."

Upon hearing this, Sebastian Hawthorne glanced down at her and lowered his voice.

"Suit yourself."

Cecilia Croft could hear the displeasure in his tone and pursed her lips slightly.

She had come with him; not leaving with him would be a slight to him.

Remembering how attentive Sebastian Hawthorne had been to her today, she added in a small voice.

"Don’t be angry. I’ll treat you to dinner tomorrow."

It was all thanks to Sebastian bringing her today; otherwise, she never would have won so much money.

"Alright."

Seeing the coldness in his expression fade as he replied, Cecilia Croft finally breathed a small sigh of relief.

’Sebastian Hawthorne was her patron; she couldn’t afford to offend him.’

Jade Golding sat across from them, watching Sebastian Hawthorne and Cecilia Croft exchange intimate glances as if no one else existed. She instantly lost all appetite.

After the meal, the guests began to leave one by one.

The people at the main table were still chatting.

Since Ash Quillan hadn’t left yet, they planned to head to the winery first and wait for him there.

After arriving at the winery, Cecilia Croft went to the restroom.

She had just reached the counter to wash her hands when she looked up and saw Wendy Rhodes approaching from behind in the mirror.

"Cecilia, I didn’t realize you were so skilled, managing to seduce Sebastian into being so attentive to you."

She stood at the sink next to Cecilia’s, turning to the side to look at her with eyes full of scorn.

Cecilia Croft finished washing her hands and pulled a paper towel from the dispenser to dry her fingers. Her eyes remained on her own reflection in the mirror as she spoke softly.

"Thank you for the compliment."

Wendy Rhodes hadn’t expected Cecilia Croft to be so shameless. Her expression darkened, and dropping all pretense, she said through gritted teeth.

"Let me give you some advice: know your place. The Croft family’s current standing in Karthus doesn’t even qualify you to carry the Golding family’s shoes."

Cecilia Croft kept her eyes on the mirror, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Does that mean Miss Golding gave you the opportunity to carry her shoes? If so, my sincerest congratulations."

Wendy Rhodes’s expression changed dramatically, and she raised her hand to slap Cecilia Croft.

With quick reflexes, Cecilia Croft caught Wendy Rhodes’s wrist.

"We were having such a nice chat, why the sudden violence? Did I strike a nerve? Or is it that Miss Golding won’t even give you the chance to carry her shoes?"

"That can’t be right. You suck up to her so much, yet she still looks down on you?"

Cecilia Croft’s rapid-fire questions left Wendy Rhodes feeling breathless.

She never expected that Cecilia Croft, once groomed by the Croft family to be the model of a proper socialite, could be so sharp-tongued.

Gritting her teeth, she could only manage to spit out a few words.

"You shameless bitch."

Cecilia Croft raised an eyebrow, gave Wendy Rhodes a shove, and released her hand in the same motion.

"Even if I am shameless, it’s not your place to lecture me. Who are you to warn me?"

Wendy Rhodes stumbled back a few steps before regaining her balance. The strength of Cecilia’s grip on her wrist made her realize she couldn’t win a physical fight against her.

Even though she was burning with rage inside, she didn’t dare try to strike Cecilia Croft again.

"Don’t you know my cousin and Sebastian are getting engaged? You’re just the other woman."

"Sebastian is only interested in you right now because you’re new and exciting. How long do you think he’ll dote on you? Given the sorry state of your Croft family, you think you can marry into the Hawthorne family? In your dreams."

A radiant smile played on Cecilia Croft’s lips as she leaned in closer to Wendy Rhodes and whispered.

"You know Sebastian is spoiling me right now, yet you still have the nerve to come lecture me. Aren’t you afraid I’ll whisper a few sweet nothings in his ear tonight?"

Wendy Rhodes’s expression contorted. Glaring at Cecilia Croft with pure hatred, she squeezed a single word through her teeth.

"Bitch."

The smile on Cecilia Croft’s lips widened. She averted her gaze from Wendy Rhodes and said nonchalantly.

"We both know who the real bitch is."

"You’re so desperate to lecture me, aren’t you just fighting for the chance to be that bitch yourself?"

"Too bad Sebastian seems to prefer me. He won’t even give you a second glance."

Wendy Rhodes was clearly staggered by Cecilia’s words, her face turning deathly pale.

"You’re lying!"

"You..."

Seeing her on the verge of a meltdown, Cecilia Croft raised a finger to her lips and let out a soft, "Shhh."

"Your cousin is already upset enough today. If you cause a scene here and make things worse, you’ll be the only one who ends up embarrassed."

Wendy Rhodes’s face froze instantly.

Cecilia Croft shot her a cold smile and turned to leave.

’When I first returned to Karthus, I was pleasant to her purely because we used to be classmates.’

’But she provoked me time and again. If I just kept smiling, I’d really be letting her walk all over me.’

Wendy Rhodes’s eyes were fixed on Cecilia Croft’s retreating back. She took a sharp, deep breath, her stomach churning with a rage that had nowhere to go.

’I’ve been watching Cecilia all day, waiting for a chance to teach her a lesson when she was alone. I never thought I’d be the one getting schooled in the end.’

When Cecilia Croft returned to the main hall of the winery, she looked up and saw Jade Golding and Sebastian Hawthorne sitting at the bar.

Jade Golding was smiling, her eyes full of affection as she spoke to Sebastian Hawthorne, though Cecilia couldn’t hear what she was saying.

The corners of Sebastian Hawthorne’s lips were curved up slightly; he was visibly in a good mood.

When he saw her return, his gaze shifted to her, the smile still playing on his lips.

’He must have been having a really nice chat with Jade Golding, so he’s extending some of that good cheer to me.’

Cecilia Croft quietly averted her gaze. Instead of walking toward them, she headed over to her sister, Ruby Croft, who had just entered with Ash Quillan and the others.

Sebastian Hawthorne watched her change direction, and his deep eyes darkened instantly.

Jade Golding observed the change in Sebastian’s expression, her hand tightening slightly around her wine glass.

’Earlier, after Cecilia went to the restroom, Sebastian followed her. He came back out just a moment later, looking to be in a very good mood.’

’I was worried that Wendy, who had followed Cecilia in, might say something to displease Sebastian that would end up implicating me.’

’So when Sebastian came back out, I went up to him and asked a few probing questions. But he just smiled and didn’t answer, though his good mood was plain to see.’

’Now, Cecilia walked straight over to Ruby Croft without even sparing him a glance, and his expression immediately soured.’

’How could I not guess what that meant?’

’I just don’t understand what on earth Cecilia Croft has that she can so easily sway Sebastian Hawthorne’s emotions.’

’After all, I’ve been by his side for so many years, yet all I’ve ever been is a "friend."’