Chapter 5

Just as Celia was about to greet her, Misty said, “Zoe, I know you’ve had a hard life before, but you’re Mrs. Hayes now. You need to uphold the Hayes family’s image, so you should improve your appearance.”

At that moment, Celia clenched the faded cuffs of her shirt. She could not remember how long it had been since she bought new clothes. She saved every penny she had for her grandmother’s medical bills and could not bear to spend a cent on herself.

Suddenly, a warm hand held hers. She looked up and saw Agatha say sternly, “How do you want her to change? Should she wear gold and silver like you, looking so gaudy and tacky?”

Misty instantly flushed at being lectured by Agatha, and in front of Celia, a new junior at that.

“Old Mrs. Hayes, my heart just aches for what Zoe suffered in the past.” She reacted quickly and handed a bank card to Celia. “This is a gift from me. Go buy yourself some new clothes.”

“I can’t accept this!” Celia instinctively refused. She was not the real daughter of the Joneses, so she had no right to take the money.

Misty’s expression froze as resentment piled in her heart. She felt that this little girl was playing tricks and deliberately making things hard for her.

“Zoe looks beautiful and doesn’t need those flashy things!” Agatha became increasingly fond of her granddaughter-in-law and seemed to reminisce. “You look so much like your mother!”

Celia thought that Agatha was just speaking casually and did not dwell on it.

“This is a gift from me.” Agatha opened a box and revealed a bracelet.

Celia did not know much about jewelry, but she could sense its value. By the side, Misty clenched her fists tightly, her eyes fixed on the bracelet.

That bracelet was meant only for the wife of the Hayes’ family head!

Misty had coveted it for years but had never even touched it. Alas now, it was landing in this little girl’s hands?

This little bitch stole what belonged to her as soon as she joined the family!

“Old Mrs. Hayes...”

“Call me Grandma!”

“Grandma...”

“Since you called me Grandma, you must accept my gift!”

Celia accepted the bracelet in a daze. The warmth from Agatha reminded her of her own grandmother. She decided to hold on to the bracelet for now and return it to Agatha when she left the Hayes.

“Julian has a difficult personality. You must have suffered, child.” Agatha stroked her head lovingly. “However, I believe that with time, you two will have a good marriage!

“Okay...” Celia lowered her head guiltily. She was just a stand-in bride. How could she have a good marriage with Julian?

On the way back, she sighed in relief. She did not expect Old Mrs. Hayes to be so kind and warm, but she seemed to have sensed hostility from Julian’s second aunt-in-law. Was she being too sensitive?

However, her instincts were correct. At that moment, Misty was fuming inside, ordering Linda furiously, “Make things harder for her! Find a way to drive that little bitch out of the Hayes’!”

...

In the CEO’s office, Julian finished his work and pulled up the surveillance footage of the house.

He wanted to see how Zoe, that fake and greedy woman, was throwing around her weight after becoming Mrs. Hayes.

Unexpectedly, he saw Celia being completely ignored when she went downstairs, and her making her own breakfast.

She was calm and did not cause a scene. She was not annoying at all.

If she had been pretending in front of him yesterday, then who was she pretending for today? There was no one except for the servants, and he was not around either.

Julian’s frown deepened. It seemed this woman was not as bad as he thought.

When he saw Linda lounging on the couch and munching on nuts, his expression darkened. He knew that Linda worked for Misty, but he had never paid her much mind.

After all, ants like her were beneath his notice. However, treating his new wife like this was the same as not respecting him as well.

Of course, that did not mean he would stand up for his greedy and fake ‘wife’.

He had no interest in any woman besides the one from that night. He just wanted to find her as soon as possible to make it up to her and protect her...

During lunch, Celia cooked for herself again and made a simple meal.

She also washed the dishes by herself. Linda and the other servants completely ignored her, but she did not mind.

After cleaning up, she silently left the house and went to the hospital to visit her grandmother.

Linda looked at her back and sneered smugly. “Look. That wench is so easy to bully!”

When Celia arrived at the hospital, her grandmother had just woken up from a nap. The old woman’s tired face instantly lit up with a smile the moment she saw her.

“Grandma, are you hungry?”

Celia heard that her grandmother had not eaten well for lunch and specially brewed some chicken soup, patiently feeding it to her. Then, she brushed her grandmother’s white hair.

She also grabbed a basin of hot water, crouched by the bed, and gave the old woman a warm foot bath.

Her gentleness and patience made the old woman look at her with eyes filled with love and gratification for having such a caring granddaughter.

“Sweetheart, all I want is for you to marry a good man. Then, I can go in peace.”

Celia’s heart stuttered, her eyes welling up in tears. “Then, I shall never ever get married so that you’ll stay with me forever!”

“Silly girl. Don’t talk nonsense!” The old woman also teared up. “Can you promise me that you’ll take finding a boyfriend seriously?”

Celia lowered her head. She only told her grandmother that Zoe had covered the medical expenses, but she did not mention the stand-in marriage.

Although she was just a fake Mrs. Hayes, she could not get involved with other men for the time being and cause trouble.

“Grandma, I’m off to work at the hospital now!” Celia changed the topic, her beautiful eyes sparkling.

She had graduated this year and got hired at a hospital a few days ago. The salary they offered was quite lucrative.

“Good! My Cece is so capable and can earn money now. I’m so happy for you!”

Celia had dinner with her grandmother before leaving the hospital.

Back at the Hayes’ residence, she stood at the door for a long time and did not dare to go inside.

Would Julian come back tonight?

Although he was impotent, men like him seemed even more terrifying.

Celia’s mind pictured the image of a 200-pound man carrying her to bed...

“Enough! Stop thinking about it!” She tapped her head to chase away those frightening thoughts.

She opened the door, but no one was in the living room.

When she went straight to the bedroom, she heard the sound of running water coming from the bathroom!

The next second, the bathroom door opened.

A tall and burly man walked out, drying his hair with a towel. His sharp and cold eyes stared at her.

It was him!

Celia’s eye twitched. After a long time, she finally found her voice.

“Why are you here again? This is Julian’s and my room. How dare you enter without permission? Who exactly are you?”

“I’m Julian...”

Celia’s breath hitched. He was Julian...?

“...’s closest confidant.” Julian let out a wicked smirk.

Celia almost burst with anger. It was clear that he was scaring her on purpose!

She could not help but glare at him, but the man said indifferently, “I’m very close to him, so I can come and go into his room as I please.”

“That was before. I’m staying in this room now too!” Celia’s face flushed in anger.

However, the man remained cold and ordered, “Turn around!”

His low voice was so authoritative that she instinctively obeyed.

Celia turned around and heard the sound of clothes rustling behind her.

Was he changing his clothes?

Her cheeks burned in an instant as her heart raced. How could this man be so shameless?

“Come here!” he ordered.

This time, Celia did not listen to him. She turned to leave, but his cold voice rang out behind her.

“It seems you’re not worried about me telling Julian about your pregnancy test.”

Celia froze. The man’s slender finger lazily pointed to the black leather belt on the bed.

“Help me with that.”