When Steven turned back to look carefully, Cecilia had already disappeared.
He frowned slightly.
He must be obsessed, even mistaking a passerby for Riane.
Just then, his phone rang. He picked up the call with a commanding tone.
"The tracker shows that Riane is here in Star City. Do whatever you can to find her this time and get her latest song!"
Meanwhile, Cecilia had settled into the car arranged by her trusted butler, heading to their destination.
She was back in Star City now, and her butler, Edwin, had everything planned for them.
Emma was excited in the back seat, while Cecilia was a little bit tired.
"Mommy, we’re finally back here. We must find my brother this time!"
Cecilia patted Emma's head lovingly.
"Right, once we find him, we'll be a reunited family forever."
Emma thought for a moment. "Can we find Daddy too?"
‘Daddy…’
Cecilia froze before quickly composing herself.
"We don’t have a Daddy. Why don’t you find us one?"
Though she was only joking, Emma took it seriously.
"Okay!"
Cecilia touched Emma's head. "It’ll be a while before we arrive at the hotel, so get some sleep."
Emma hummed in response, laying on Cecilia’s lap as she dozed off.
Cecilia looked through her messages, opening one sent by Frank two days ago.
"I’ll let you cancel the engagement. Come back and return the ring to the Kingsleys. From now on, we’re cutting ties!"
When she read this, she smiled wholeheartedly.
This stupid engagement was finally over.
An hour later, they arrived at the hotel.
"Emma, go to the restaurant bar downstairs with Edwin to eat something first. Mommy will come to you after checking in."
She leaned over and touched Emma's head. "I'm sorry for making you eat simple food from the hotel restaurant. Mommy is still busy since we have just returned. After I’m done, I’ll take you to eat a special and delicious chef-made ice cream puff!"
"Okay…" Emma nodded and followed Edwin to the restaurant bar obediently.
She actually knew her mother was going to her grandfather's house soon, as if she was going to break off her engagement.
Could her fiancée be… Daddy?
‘Well, I have to go and see!’
Emma looked at Edwin, then turned back to Cecilia. Her eyes scanned around, numerous plans swimming in her head.
On the other hand, Cecilia went to the front desk. Just after she finished checking in, she turned around only to see Samuel and her half-sister, Sophie.
The two were walking out of the hotel with interlocked arms, looking very intimate.
What an unlucky day.
She was about to turn around and leave, but Samuel had approached her first.
He was surprised and said, "Oh, isn't this... Cecilia? Why are you here?"
She raised her eyebrows, about to reply.
However, Sophie suddenly interrupted her.
"Sister! Why didn't you tell me you were back? I missed you so much!"
As she said that, she was about to hug Cecilia.
Cecilia rolled her eyes in her mind, pushing Sophie away.
Although it was a weak push, Sophie somehow landed on the ground.
What a great actor.
Cecilia sneered and prepared to leave, but Samuel wasn’t planning on letting her go.
He helped Sophie up furiously, scolding, "Cecilia, what is wrong with you? Sophie was kind enough to hug you, but you pushed her!"
She looked at the two with amusement. She looked at their intertwined hands, along with Samuel’s other hand on Sophie’s waist.
Sophie was about to cry as she said, "Maybe my sister found out about our relationship, so..."
Samuel raised his head as he yelled, "So what if we’re together? How could I like you, a mute? From the beginning to the end, I only wanted to marry Sophie! Don't think about me anymore!"
Cecilia almost laughed out loud.
Who made him so confident? Sophie?
No wonder her father was anxious for her to return and cancel the engagement. It turned out Sophie finally wormed her way into the Kingsleys.
If he got what he wanted, then Cecilia was useless now.
Despite that, Cecilia didn't care. She just wanted the engagement over with.
Sophie started pretending again, "Samuel, please don’t say that. She’s not actually mute; she only got aphasia after her mother died..."
Cecilia’s eyes narrowed at her words.
How dare Sophie mention her mother!
It was because of her and her mother to begin with that…
Clenching her fists, Cecilia was about to respond when she suddenly got a message from Emma.
[Mommy, why aren't you here yet? I'm almost done eating.]
Cecilia's heart softened, and she immediately replied.
[Mommy will be here soon.]
Putting away her phone, she prepared to leave.
The world had important things, but eating with Emma was more important.
As for these two, why bother with them?
In the restaurant bar, Cecilia looked at ‘Emma’ sitting obediently and smiled.
"How come you ate so much, but you still look like you could eat more? You must be really hungry."
The child looked up in surprise, revealing his delicate little face under his hat.
"By the way, where is Edwin? Did he go upstairs first?" Cecilia looked around.
Then, her phone suddenly rang.
“Cecilia, where the hell have you been? Come back quickly to cancel the engagement. I don't have that much patience to wait for you!”
After saying that, Frank immediately hung up the phone without waiting for her response.
He always did. Since she became mute, he never bothered to listen to her responses.
Cecilia's eyes darkened.
She touched the child’s face, her tone gentle as she said, “Listen, go upstairs by yourself in a while. Mommy has to do something."
She kissed the little boy on his forehead.
"Farewell kiss."
After saying that, she turned and left.
She didn't notice that the boy had frozen on the spot.
He indeed shared the same features Emma did, and he even wore the same hat. The only exception was his slightly different face from hers.
It was normal to confuse the two.
In another corner, Steven ended the call and saw his son, Alex Lawrence, standing still.
Walking over, he asked, "Are you ready to go, Alex?"
No response.
He poked Alex’s face slightly. "What's wrong?"
Alex raised his head. "Dad, I've decided that I want desserts every week! No—I want them every day!"
He had a rare smile that left Steven confused about the sudden change.
"Huh?"
Steven was confused.
Alex had always claimed that only little girls ate dessert. He said he would never enjoy eating such sweet things as he was the heir to the wealthiest family in Star City.
Moreover, he found Steven coming to this place for dessert every week to be girlish, and he disagreed with it. Every time they came here, his face would be sour.
It had only been a few minutes, but how did he change his mind so quickly?
Steven really couldn’t understand this little guy.
Defeated, he sighed, "Alright, then. Should I get you another one?"
Back at the Morrison mansion, preparations for Sophie and Samuel's engagement party were in full swing.
Unwilling to be part of it, Cecilia quietly slipped upstairs.
"Samuel, marrying you is my greatest fortune; I don't want anything else."
She almost gagged hearing Sophie’s fake voice.
Samuel wasn't any better, showering Sophie with promises. "You like listening to Riane, right? I've arranged for her to sing at our wedding!"
Cecilia nearly choked on her water when she heard that.
‘What? How come I didn’t know about this?’
Sophie's mother and Frank were overjoyed, nodding their heads.
“Truly a perfect match...”
"We should’ve brought them together earlier; it was all Cecilia's fault."
"Speaking of which, why isn’t she here? Tell her to return the engagement ring and get lost already."
Cecilia scoffed, ready to leave.
Suddenly, a child's voice echoed throughout the hall, "My Mommy never agreed to singing for you!"
Cecilia turned toward the familiar voice.
‘Emma? How did she get here?!’
She was at the hotel just now!