Faux Vows, True Desires

Chapter 461

After a brief silence, the woman's demeanor softened considerably as she addressed Cecilia. "Ms. Yates, what happened between your man and me was an accident. He probably doesn't even remember what I look like because he was plastered that night."

"I came to talk to you because I want to discuss the situation. I'm pretty sure you folks don't want the baby I'm carrying. It's tough to raise a kid on my own, so here's what I propose. You give me a lump sum to cover the termination at the clinic, plus a little extra for my trouble, and then we go our separate ways. You won't hear from me again."

Her plan hadn't gone as smoothly as she'd hoped, and she wasn't sure if she could get the rest of the money. It seemed smarter to try and get something from Cecilia while she could.

After all, she wasn't really pregnant. The test results she showed Cecilia were given to her by the man who had hired her to con Cecilia.

She thought this would be an easy job, but Cecilia wasn't playing into her hands, leaving her at a loss.

Cecilia stared at her for a full minute, making her increasingly nervous while she tried to maintain an air of righteousness. It was quite the performance.

"Miss, you haven't told me your last name yet."

"My last name is West."

Of course, that wasn't her real last name. It was just another lie to deceive Cecilia.

Cecilia didn't believe she would reveal her true identity. If she claimed her name was West, then that's what Cecilia would go with.

"Ms. West, if it turns out the child you're carrying is my man's, and you don't want to keep it but just want the money, you'll get it. But not from me. It'll come from your child's father, provided you can prove the baby is indeed his. You can't just expect us to take your word for it. He's not short on cash, but he's not a charity either. You claim that it was a drunken mistake, but just how drunk was he?"

Ms. West replied, "So drunk he blacked out, which is why he doesn't remember my face."

Cecilia chuckled, "Are you sure about that?"

Her question made Ms. West hesitate.

But she insisted, "Yes, he was stinking drunk, could barely stand."

"If he was that wasted, how could anything have happened between you two? Was he even able to have an erection?"

Ms. West was at a loss for words.

If Owen was truly incapacitated by alcohol, he wouldn't be able to perform.

Those kind of drunken escapades usually involved people who were not that far gone; it was the alcohol driving their impulsivity.

But someone completely knocked out? They wouldn't be able to stir up any trouble.

"I misspoke. He wasn't that drunk. He could walk on his own."

Cecilia smirked, "If he was sober enough to walk, he'd be even less likely to get involved with you. Do you even know who you're trying to pin this on? Who put you up to this to sabotage my relationship with my man?"

Ms. West's complexion shifted as she tried to remain calm. "Ms. Yates, like I said, I don't know his name, but I recognize him. Nobody sent me to destroy your marriage. I just thought the child was his and felt you both should know so you can decide what to do about it."

"You come here without doing your homework. I'm not married. He isn't my husband, so there's no spousal relationship to speak of."

Cecilia methodically punctured Ms. West's falsehoods.

"I might as well tell you that the man you're trying to trap is the CEO of the Ikella Group, Owen Martinez. You've heard of Owen, right? He's quite famous around Pinehurst. He's been madly in love with Miss Ruby Scott for over a decade, remaining faithful to her, not even entertaining the company of other women. Even his secretary is male. A man like that, how could he possibly have a fling with you when he's sober? And when he's not, how could he? How could you be carrying his child?"

Ms. West's face turned ashen.

Owen!

The man she was trying to trap was Owen!

Just like Cecilia said, Owen was a big deal in Pinehurst, and she had heard about his unrequited love for the Scott family heiress, envying Ruby for not appreciating the devotion of such an outstanding man.

"Ms. West, I suggest you come clean. Who sent you here?"

Whoever put her up to this wasn't very clever.

They hadn't done their homework before sending Ms. West on this errand, full of flaws.

Not even bothering to dig into the background of the Serendipity Cafe.

Ms. West suddenly stood up, grabbing her purse, ready to leave.

Cecilia swiftly grasped her wrist.

Ms. West tried to shake off Cecilia's grip, but couldn't, so she started hitting Cecilia with her purse.

Cecilia was trained in self-defense and, although she typically disliked physical confrontation, especially with other women, she wouldn't hesitate to retaliate if provoked.

As Ms. West swung her purse, Cecilia's temper flared. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

She grabbed the purse, yanked it forcefully, and with a flick of her wrist, sent it flying into a corner.

Then she pulled Ms. West back, firmly seating her down, and sternly commanded, "Sit down!"

Cecilia's series of moves were fluid like a practiced dance, leaving Ms. West frightened and staring at her in shock, too scared to move again.

Stammering, she said, "Ms. Yates. I don't want the money anymore. I'll take care of the baby myself. Please, just let me go."

Cecilia scoffed. "The man you've accused isn't even here yet. What's the rush? You said you weren't afraid of a face-to-face confrontation. Let's wait until he arrives; you can sort it out with him. Don't worry, if the child is his, he'll definitely pay you."

Ms. West sat there in silence, realizing there was no escape with the two burly bouncers guarding the door.

What should she do?

If only she hadn't been so greedy for a few thousand dollars. Little did she know she'd be walking into a trap—a trap that was now closing in on her.

And to think, she had underestimated Cecilia.

"Here, drink some water. Oh, it's gone cold. I'll have someone bring you a fresh warm cup," Cecilia said, her tone slightly softened but Ms. West was already petrified.

Cecilia didn't care whether she was frightened or not and had a waitress bring another cup of water.

Ms. West gripped her mug of warm tap water, gulping down half of it in one fierce go, then held onto the cup, clearly at a loss.

Across the table, Cecilia settled into her chair, her bright, wide eyes fixed on her.

Feeling the weight of Cecilia's gaze, Ms. West's anxiety mounted, her mind racing with thoughts.

She knew exactly why Cecilia was eyeing her like that.

After a moment of careful consideration, Ms. West ventured cautiously, "Ms. Yates, if I lay it all out, the whole truth, will you let me go? Maybe put in a good word for me with Mr. Martinez? I really don't want to be on his bad side—he could ruin me as easily as swatting a fly."

Given Owen's standing, seeking revenge on her would be as simple as that.

"You're free to tell the truth; I'm not holding you captive. And why should I vouch for you with Mr. Martinez? You should've thought of the consequences before you decided to go through with this," Cecilia retorted, her voice cool and measured.