Accidentally Yours, My Super Rich Second Husband-Chapter 230: Boundaries and Realizations

The fragrant aroma of her mushroom risotto hit her senses, but it felt like a blur, her mind still spinning from what Cedric had just said. She forced herself to focus, reminding herself not to let this throw her off balance.

Cedric, however, seemed completely unaffected. He picked up his steak and took a slow, deliberate bite, savoring it as if nothing unusual had just been said. He chewed thoughtfully, almost as if he hadn’t just dropped a bomb on their conversation.

Delphinia couldn’t help but notice how effortless it was for him, how he seemed so... unfazed. How is he doing this? she thought, staring at him for a moment before tearing her gaze away. He was still chewing, looking at the steak like it was the most important thing in the world. He didn’t even flinch when he’d just told her something that could have rocked her. No apology, no explanation—just a cool, calm enjoyment of his food.

She took a deep breath and picked up her spoon, trying to maintain her composure. She was still hungry, after all.

She scooped a bite of risotto, the creamy texture soothing against the tension in her jaw. She chewed, forcing herself to concentrate on the taste, on the way the flavors mixed together.

But as she ate, her mind raced. Was Cedric seriously trying to manipulate her, trying to push her into some kind of corner? She wasn’t sure, but the more she thought about it, the more it started to feel like that. He wants to confront me, she thought with a strange clarity. He wants to challenge me. Maybe he even wants to threaten me, in his own subtle way.

She took another bite of her risotto, chewing slowly, carefully. She needed the energy if this conversation was going to turn into an argument. She couldn’t afford to get rattled.

The thought made her lips twitch in the slightest of smiles. Let’s see how far he’ll go.

Finally, Cedric set down his fork and knife, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and leaned back in his chair, his hands folding neatly across his chest. Delphinia mirrored him, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she tilted her head slightly, studying him with a mixture of curiosity and annoyance.

Delphinia mirrored him, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she tilted her head slightly, studying him with a mixture of curiosity and annoyance.

"So, what’s that all about?" Delphinia asked, breaking the stillness with her cool, controlled voice. She wasn’t playing along anymore. "About me replacing Lydia? What exactly do you want to say, Cedric?"

"Lydia is a good mother."

Delphinia blinked. The abruptness of his words took her aback. "I don’t doubt that."

Cedric nodded, his fingers lightly tapping against his glass. "She’s been through a lot, you know. She’s done everything in her power to be there for him."

Delphinia exhaled slowly. "I don’t doubt that either."

Cedric’s eyes bore into hers. "Then you should understand why I’m being cautious."

A pause stretched between them. Delphinia wasn’t foolish; she knew exactly what he was implying. She let a few seconds pass before responding. "You think I’m trying to take her place and make Ashton turns his back on her."

Cedric didn’t confirm it outright, but the slight shift in his expression told her enough. "Don’t you think you’re being too close to Ashton to the point there isn’t any space left for Lydia?"

Delphinia leaned back in her chair, expression calm but firm. "I have no intention of taking Lydia’s place. I would never try to replace her."

Cedric’s jaw tightened. "Then what do you want?"

She met his gaze without wavering. "To be Evander’s wife and to be someone Ashton can trust. That’s it."

Cedric scoffed lightly, shaking his head. "It’s not that simple."

"It is to me."

His fingers curled slightly on the table. "Look, I don’t know what your plan is, but—"

"I’m not Lydia," Delphinia interrupted, her voice even. "And she’s not me."

Cedric stared at her, studying her carefully, as if trying to pick apart every layer of her words.

She sighed and looked away briefly before returning her focus to him. "You’re protective of her. I understand that. But I don’t need to prove anything to you, Cedric. My relationship with Evander is my own. My bond with Ashton, whatever it may become, will be built naturally, not through force or manipulation."

Cedric remained silent for a long moment, as if weighing her words. Finally, he exhaled, rubbing his temple. "Just...don’t make things complicated for Ashton."

Delphinia tilted her head, a small, knowing smile forming on her lips. "I think you mean, ’Don’t make things complicated for Lydia.’"

His lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn’t deny it.

"You know," she said again, "love indeed can make someone do anything, can’t it?" 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Cedric’s gaze snapped to hers, and Delphinia could tell he hadn’t expected her to say something like that.

She wasn’t trying to be cruel, not really. But it wasn’t lost on her that she had finally reached the part of Cedric that he had so carefully shielded from everyone else. He wasn’t just a man trying to be the protective friend. He was a man who had buried his feelings so deep that no one could see how much he was struggling.

Delphinia glanced at her meal and then back at him. "Cedric, I’m not your enemy. You don’t have to like me, but you also don’t have to treat me like some sort of intruder."

She stood, reaching for her purse. "But since you clearly have no interest in actually getting to know me, I think we’re done here."

Cedric watched her, but he said nothing.

Before she left, she paused beside him, lowering her voice just enough for only him to hear. "You don’t have to like me, Cedric. But at least respect Evander enough to trust that he knows what he’s doing."

Then, without waiting for a response, she walked away, leaving Cedric sitting in silence.