Chapter 226

Cynthia lingered over Ruby's portrait. She whispered, "Goodbye, my idol. I'm putting my dreams on hold. I hope to pursue them again someday and be like you. I hope to see you again, too. It's a shame I lost the little bunny hairpin you gave me."

Cynthia never forgot the hairpin, though she couldn't remember where she'd lost it.

As she left the television building, her phone vibrated. She glanced at the caller ID, frowned slightly, then answered. It was Justin. "Cynthia, are you back in Roncrity?"

"Yes, I returned today," she replied coldly.

"Why didn't you come home? Come for dinner tonight. Selena will cook your favorite braised short ribs," Justin said, quickly adding, "Bring your fiancé."

Cynthia frowned. "Fiancé?"

Justin chuckled. "Isn't your relationship with Jonathan public knowledge? He proposed on television, and you accepted. Your marriage is practically settled."

"Selena and I raised you for over twenty years, like our own daughter. Even though Jonathan comes from a prestigious family, he should still visit me, his future father-in-law, shouldn't he?"

Cynthia's eyes grew cold. She thought Justin should know she and Jonathan hadn't spoken for seven days since the proposal. After the rescue, she'd received only one text from Shirley: "[Why aren't you dead yet?]" Receiving Susanna's heirloom at the Bennett manor had saddened her; she realized her own family didn't truly care. Now, she felt Justin's coldness and selfishness again.

She replied, "I'll be back tonight, but I won't stay for dinner." It was Saturday. Jonathan planned to obtain their marriage license on Monday. He'd even chosen a sharp-looking outfit for the occasion.

Overjoyed that Cynthia was returning, Justin missed the rest of her message. "Great! You're marrying Jonathan soon? Wonderful! Get it done quickly. I fully support you."

Cynthia's voice was impatient. "If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up."

Still elated, Justin replied, "We'll chat later," but Cynthia hung up.

He immediately found Selena, who was looking through old family photos. "Hurry and prepare dinner. Cynthia's coming home tonight!"

Selena looked up. "Why are you so excited?"

"Cynthia's marrying Jonathan!" he exclaimed. "I never thought I'd become the father-in-law of the richest heir! Cynthia's a blessing!"

As Selena went to the kitchen, she said, "That's not what you said when you wanted to cut ties with Cynthia."

[J:13 Wed]

Justin's face stiffened. "Let's not bring up the past. Besides, you were just as cold to her for the last three years. Do you have the nerve to criticize me?"

"I may have been cold, but I never expected anything from her," Selena retorted, filled with regret. She'd been mean to Cynthia to appease Shirley, never imagining the harm it caused. She felt undeserving of being Cynthia's mother. Now, Cynthia's wealth and prominence didn't matter; only her happiness did. Selena planned to stop interfering in Cynthia's life. Dealing with Shirley was headache enough; she lacked the energy for anything else. Shirley constantly demanded money—ten thousand dollars initially, escalating to fifty or even one hundred thousand, with increasing frequency. If Selena refused, Shirley accused her of neglecting her. It was driving Selena mad.

Justin ignored Selena. "We raised Cynthia for twenty years. Isn't it reasonable for her to repay us? She's set to become the young mistress of the Bennett family and hold a position in Bennett Group. A little favor from her would secure the Jones family's success in Riverton."

A longing look crossed his face. "Cynthia isn't ungrateful. She acted rashly, feeling wronged. Besides, I gave her twenty percent of the company's shares—I was fair."

Selena couldn't help asking, "Are those shares even worth anything now?" Her words stung.

Since Shirley's plagiarism scandal, Velorix was labeled a copycat and sued by Miss Y. Cynthia had settled things, but Shirley's reputation was irreparably damaged. Velorix's stock price plummeted to a historic low, threatening bankruptcy. That's when Justin remembered Cynthia. "We need to hold onto Cynthia. Shirley is useless, nothing but trouble. Cynthia exceeded my expectations, finding such a powerful ally. The union of the Jones and Bennett families will ensure no one disrespects us. The bank manager, Kent, approved my loan application—held for six months—at a low interest rate after hearing about Cynthia's marriage."

He grew increasingly excited, oblivious to Shirley outside the door. Her anger had caused her nails to scratch the wood. She returned to her room, slamming the door and smashing things inside. She screamed inwardly, "It's always about Cynthia. Why is she back? And so ostentatiously?"

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