Chapter 100: Chapter 100: Sebastian Hawthorne Saw Jude Sheridan’s Text Message

Cecilia Croft’s head was still a bit dizzy when she woke up.

She opened her eyes, rubbed them, and froze when she saw her surroundings. A flash of astonishment crossed her face.

She was lying in an unfamiliar bed.

The room’s decor was a cool-toned palette of gray and white, making it feel exceptionally stark.

She silently took in the room’s design for a long moment before carefully lifting the blanket to peek underneath. Seeing her clothes were still on and perfectly intact, she let out a quiet sigh of relief.

’Thank goodness.’

Just as she was breathing that sigh of relief, a man’s deep voice sounded from the doorway.

"Did you think I was going to do something to you?"

Cecilia Croft snapped her head up toward the doorway. Sebastian Hawthorne was standing there in loungewear, watching her with an indifferent gaze that held a faint hint of disdain.

"Of course not."

She got up with a sheepish smile, too embarrassed to stay in the bed any longer.

Sebastian Hawthorne glanced at her and spoke in a low voice.

"With a tolerance like yours, you’ll still drink whatever anyone pours for you?"

Cecilia Croft looked embarrassed.

"I thought I could handle a single glass of red wine."

’She never thought a single glass of red wine could knock her out.’

Sebastian Hawthorne glanced down at her, his expression condescending.

"So, you’re admitting to me that your judgment isn’t very good?"

His sudden question—and its potential implication for her job—made the previously relaxed Cecilia Croft snap to attention.

"Mr. Hawthorne, no one is perfect. While I may have been overconfident about my alcohol tolerance, I assure you, my professional skills are beyond question. You can trust me on that."

Sebastian Hawthorne gave her a look but said nothing. He simply turned and walked out of the bedroom.

Cecilia Croft hurried to get out of bed. She started to follow him, then stopped, turned back to straighten the sheets and comforter, and only then did she walk out.

The man, his expression a mask of indifference, was leaning back against the living room sofa. His hands were folded together with natural grace, and his detached gaze was fixed on her, as if he were waiting for a more persuasive argument.

Cecilia Croft took a quiet breath to steel herself, then walked over to stand beside him.

"Mr. Hawthorne, I..."

She had just begun to speak when he cut her off.

"I didn’t pass over all the talent at my company just to choose you and listen to you make excuses. Vantage has a shareholders’ meeting tomorrow. You will attend on my behalf. As far as anyone knows, you’re still a Vantage shareholder."

"Just know that I’m not a patient man. I expect Hawthorne Group to acquire eighty percent of Vantage’s shares within three months. Then, your assignment will be complete."

After speaking, Sebastian Hawthorne picked up Cecilia Croft’s briefcase from the sofa and set it on the table.

He then tossed her phone on top of it.

The gesture clearly conveyed, ’Do the job, or get lost.’

’Cecilia Croft also wanted to get this job over with quickly so she could go back to Karthus and help her sister.’

"Okay, Mr. Hawthorne."

She had no complaints about the sudden pressure Sebastian Hawthorne had just put on her.

She bent down to pick up her briefcase and phone. As she headed out, she said softly.

"Then I’ll be leaving, Mr. Hawthorne. I’ll report directly to Vantage tomorrow."

Sebastian Hawthorne didn’t respond, or even look at her.

Cecilia Croft pressed her lips together and left.

Once she was in the elevator, she let out a sharp sigh and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

’Maybe it was because Sebastian Hawthorne had helped her so many times before, or because he and her sister, Ruby, had been classmates. His name had been a constant presence since she was little, so she held a strange, inexplicable trust in him.’

’Around him, she found herself unconsciously letting her guard down, occasionally even forgetting the vast difference in their social standing.’

’She had to remind herself of her place. She absolutely could not entertain the idea that she and Sebastian Hawthorne could ever be friends.’

’She had to stay sharp at all times and fully demonstrate her professional skills to him. That was the only way to secure a potential partnership between the Croft Group and the Hawthorne Group.’

By the time Cecilia Croft had calmed herself, the elevator had reached the ground floor.

She was about to take out her phone to hail a car when Sebastian Hawthorne’s driver pulled up in front of her.

The driver got out and opened the rear door for her. "Miss Croft, Mr. Hawthorne asked me to drive you home."

A flash of surprise flickered in Cecilia Croft’s eyes.

’She couldn’t believe the man who’d just been sitting on the sofa ignoring her could be so considerate.’

’For a moment, she felt a strange flicker of warmth.’

Her head was still spinning a little, and it was the hottest time of the afternoon, when hailing a car in this area was notoriously difficult.

So she didn’t refuse. She ducked into the car with a polite smile.

"Thank you so much. I appreciate the trouble."

The driver smiled politely back. "Don’t thank me, Miss Croft. You should thank Mr. Hawthorne. He was the one who figured you wouldn’t be feeling well after drinking and told me to come get you. I’m just following orders."

Cecilia Croft smiled faintly. An image of Sebastian Hawthorne’s indifferent face and his venomous tongue flashed in her mind. "That wasn’t his exact wording, was it?" she asked quietly.

A flicker of embarrassment crossed the driver’s eyes, but years of professional training helped him keep his smile in place.

"Mr. Hawthorne’s bark is worse than his bite. He’s actually very concerned about you, Miss Croft."

Cecilia Croft could see the truth in the driver’s eyes. She pressed her lips together and looked out the window.

’She knew it. That man and his venomous tongue would never pass up an opportunity to put her down.’

Seeing that his passenger had fallen silent, the driver added in a low voice.

"When you got off the plane, Mr. Hawthorne carried you himself. Honestly, in all my years as his driver, I’ve never seen him show such concern for a woman."

Cecilia Croft’s eyebrow twitched at his words, a faint, unnatural blush warming her cheeks.

’Why did that sound so familiar?’

’It sounded like a classic line from one of the CEO romance novels she read back in high school.’

’The only thing missing was the driver telling her, "I haven’t seen the young master this happy in years."’

’No wonder the women in those novels always fell for it.’

’Hearing it made her happy, too.’

’If only...’

’...she hadn’t seen with her own eyes how uniquely chivalrous Sebastian Hawthorne was with Jade Golding.’

When the driver received no response, he glanced in the rearview mirror. He saw Cecilia Croft gazing out the window, lost in thought.

Her expression was unreadable; she didn’t seem touched or affected by his words at all. He decided it was best to stay quiet and not initiate any more conversation.

Cecilia Croft composed herself. Feeling her phone vibrate, she took it out.

An unknown number had sent her several messages.

[Cecilia, I know you’ve seen my messages. Since you’re coming for the meeting, just message me back.]

Cecilia Croft frowned at the message. She already knew it was from Jude Sheridan.

Frowning, she scrolled up. There were a dozen or so messages, all marked as read.

Most were from Jude Sheridan, begging for forgiveness, professing his loyalty, and telling her how much he missed her. He even tried to use Vantage to play the sympathy card.

’No wonder Sebastian Hawthorne had been so cold to her just now.’

’He must have seen these messages.’