Chapter 14: Chapter 14: He Would Feel Heartache?

Cecilia Croft’s cool gaze swept over Jessica Keller’s wronged expression as she spoke in a measured tone.

"You can’t even handle a simple task like serving tea."

"Then fire her."

Jessica Keller’s eyes instantly reddened, and tears threatened to fall.

Jude Sheridan frowned, not nodding immediately.

A faint smile touched Cecilia Croft’s lips as her cool gaze shifted to the man beside her. "What, can’t bear to let her go?"

Jude Sheridan’s eyes were guarded, his deep voice betraying no emotion.

"Cecilia, you once said you wanted to build Vantage into a company with a great work environment, a place where employees feel supported and comfortable. If you fire someone over one small mistake, won’t everyone else be forced to walk on eggshells every day?"

He was throwing her own words back in her face.

Cecilia Croft met the man’s gaze, her own eyes filled with utter indifference.

"Weren’t you the one who just said I could have her fired anytime I was unhappy? Well, right now, I’m very unhappy."

Jude Sheridan frowned in silence, his deep eyes fixed on Cecilia Croft, revealing a hint of impatience and hesitation.

Cecilia Croft watched him with a smile in her beautiful eyes, not backing down in the slightest.

Silence fell over the conference room.

Jessica Keller’s sobs shattered the silence as she apologized in a hushed voice.

"I’m sorry, Cecilia. I was wrong. I’ll clean it up right away. Please, don’t fire me."

As she spoke, she crouched down to pick up the broken pieces. The moment she touched a shard of the teacup, it pricked her, and blood welled up on her fingertip.

She didn’t dare ask Jude Sheridan for help. Head bowed, she continued picking up the shards with her injured finger, her intermittent sobs making her seem like a delicate white flower, battered and broken by a storm.

Cecilia Croft pulled her gaze away and glanced at the man beside her.

The suppressed anger in Jude Sheridan’s eyes was practically boiling over.

"Cecilia Croft! Do you have to be so unreasonable? She didn’t make any real mistake, yet you’re firing her without a second thought! This is Vantage, not Grandeur Enterprises, and I will not let you throw a tantrum and do as you please!"

Cecilia Croft simply watched him explode, a smirk on her lips and not a trace of anger in her eyes, like a detached spectator watching a play.

"Do I need to remind you there’s a security camera in this conference room? Shall I pull up the footage and let the whole company see what she was doing to you under the table during a serious meeting?"

Jude Sheridan was instantly silenced.

Jessica Keller, clutching the broken pieces of the cup, stopped crying.

Cecilia Croft chuckled, her laugh laced with mockery.

"Or perhaps... President Sheridan enjoys this sort of thrill?"

Jessica Keller’s face turned an impossible shade of red as she quickly took the blame.

"Cecilia, it’s my fault. I don’t know what came over me. I was just..."

Jude Sheridan, likely afraid she would only dig herself into a deeper hole, cut her off with his eyes slightly closed. He turned to Cecilia Croft.

"Fine. I’ll make her leave right now."

Jessica Keller’s face went pale. She stared blankly at Jude Sheridan, tears welling in her eyes.

Jude Sheridan didn’t look at Jessica, his tone much gentler as he spoke to Cecilia.

"You’re not angry anymore, are you?"

Cecilia Croft found the whole charade tiresome. Just as she was about to stand up and leave, Jessica Keller dropped to her knees.

"Cecilia, please don’t fire me! My parents are in poor health and have expensive medical bills every month. I’m still paying off student loans from college, and the payments are huge."

"Please, I’m begging you, let me keep my job at Vantage. I promise I’ll never have such thoughts again."

She was a picture of pitiful beauty, her face streaked with tears, a far cry from the smug provocateur who had sent Cecilia those texts a few days ago.

Out of the corner of her eye, Cecilia Croft saw Jude Sheridan’s hand clench at his side. His face remained a mask, but she imagined his heart was probably aching for the other woman.

Sensing her scrutinizing gaze, Jude Sheridan made a show of relaxing and reached out to wrap an arm around her.

"Shall I walk you back?"

Cecilia Croft shook her head. "That’s not necessary."

She pushed Jude Sheridan’s hand away and walked out of the conference room.

Jessica Keller scrambled on her knees to get in front of her.

"Cecilia..."

Cecilia Croft stopped, a smile playing on her lips.

"Ms. Keller, you’re overdoing it."

"You’re clearly not in any condition to work. Why not just embrace your role as a kept little bird in a cage?"

The color drained from the face of the man beside her at her pointed words.

Jessica Keller immediately lowered her head, saying nothing.

Jude Sheridan’s face stiffened, a flash of guilt in his eyes.

"Cecilia..."

Cecilia Croft smiled, her gaze falling on the reddened back of Jessica Keller’s hand.

"Look, your hand is already red from the burn. It’s bound to get worse later. What kind of work could you possibly do anytime soon?"

Her gentle tone seemed to relax Jude Sheridan’s tense nerves. He walked naturally to her side, wrapped an arm around her waist, and murmured softly to placate her.

"It’s my fault you had to deal with this unpleasantness on one of your rare visits to the office. I’ll cancel all my appointments today and spend time with you."

Cecilia Croft didn’t answer. She glanced back and saw Jessica Keller slumped on the floor, her face ashen as she glared with resentment.

The hand Jude Sheridan had on her waist tightened slightly.

’He’s afraid I’ll make things difficult for his little damsel again.’

Cecilia Croft flung his hand off and walked straight to her office door.

She stopped at the door and gestured for Jude Sheridan to open it.

Jude Sheridan took a deep breath, the picture of weary indulgence, and unlocked the door.

Cecilia Croft stood in the doorway, her beautiful eyes turning cold.

The office layout hadn’t been changed, and the photo of her and Jude Sheridan was still on the bookshelf. But now, the room was filled with personal items that were not hers.

She walked into the office and pulled a golf club out from behind the door.

Jude Sheridan frowned and moved to stop her.

"Cecilia..."

Cecilia took the opportunity to land a blow on him with the club before proceeding to demolish the entire office.

Jude Sheridan didn’t try to stop her again. Holding an ice pack from Assistant Zimmer to his cheek, he stood to the side and watched, his handsome face cold and hard.

Only when the office was smashed beyond recognition did Cecilia Croft casually toss aside the bent golf club.

There was a casual finality to her movement, as if she had completely let something go. A knot formed in Jude Sheridan’s stomach; he had the sudden, inexplicable feeling that Cecilia Croft was about to walk out of his life for good.

He frowned and finally spoke.

"Feel better now?"

This time, he didn’t approach her, just watched from a distance.

Cecilia Croft calmly smoothed the stray hairs on her forehead and flashed Jude Sheridan a smile.

"Much better."

She was the very picture of nonchalance.

Jude Sheridan’s brow furrowed, but he remained silent.

Cecilia Croft strode out of the office.

Jude Sheridan followed at an unhurried pace. Spotting a scratch on her palm, he reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Your hand is hurt."

The adrenaline must have been pumping, because Cecilia Croft hadn’t felt any pain in her hand at all.

Jude Sheridan took her hand, intending to lead her to his office, but Cecilia Croft snatched it away in disgust, unwilling to be touched by him.

"It’s just a small cut. It’s nothing."

A heavy, uncomfortable feeling settled in Jude Sheridan’s chest.

His face cold, he closed the distance between them aggressively, a thick wave of frustration rising in his eyes.

"You’ve screamed, you’ve smashed things, I let you do it all. But don’t mess with your own health. Are you trying to provoke me? Make me feel bad? Is that why you want to walk away hurt like this, just to make me feel guilty?"

Cecilia Croft stared at him, her face cold and unresponsive. ’How laughable,’ she thought.

Jude Sheridan wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into an imprisoning embrace.

"Cecilia, don’t be like this. It’s already breaking my heart."