Chapter 524: Meeting Up With Magnus

At the café, Magnus stirred his coffee. He had been waiting for some time. When Cecilia entered, he stood abruptly, forcing a smile. "Cecilia, have a seat."

Cecilia ignored his attempt at cordiality. "I heard from the security guard you were looking for me. What's the matter?"

"Mom has been diagnosed with late-stage cancer," Magnus said, enunciating each word, his gaze fixed on her.

Cecilia stared, disbelief etched on her face. "What did you say?"

"The police called yesterday. Mom collapsed in jail. They took her to the hospital, ran tests, and discovered a late-stage brain tumor," Magnus explained.

Cecilia looked at him intently, then scoffed. "Are you asking me to write a settlement agreement? To save her life?" Paula had been pampered her entire life. How could she possibly have cancer, let alone a brain tumor? Martha had no other relatives; Cecilia was considered her foster daughter. A settlement agreement from Cecilia could result in a lighter sentence for Paula.

"Cecilia, are you heartless? She's our mother! Are you really going to watch her die? She already told me the housekeeper committed suicide," Magnus said, his voice laced with anger.

Cecilia's face hardened. "Suicide? My mother was murdered by Paula."

"Who do you consider your mother? She was just a housekeeper, a lowly—"

Slap!

Before Magnus could finish, Cecilia slapped him. He stared, incredulous. "You hit me over a housekeeper?"

"Martha wasn't just a housekeeper to me. She was more of a mother than Paula ever was. So watch your mouth!"

Magnus's cheek burned. Cecilia's fierce glare silenced the insults he'd been about to hurl. An inexplicable fear of his sister washed over him.

"Fine, let's not talk about her. Let's talk about our actual mother. No matter how wrong she was, you shouldn't have driven her to prison, right?"

Driven to prison? Cecilia let out a bitter laugh. "Was it I who drove her there? All Martha and I wanted was peace. She kept coming after us, relentlessly! She wouldn't leave us alone! If I had a choice, I'd rather never have been born than be her daughter! Tell her faking illness won't work. Even if she truly has cancer, I won't let her off easily!"

Cecilia grabbed her bag and left. Outside, a cold wind howled, rain and snow stinging her face.

Magnus left the café, watching Cecilia's retreating figure with growing worry. He called Paula at the hospital.

"Mom, Cecilia doesn't believe you're sick. If she finds out you faked an illness to get bail, she won't let it go."

Paula, lying in a luxurious hospital room receiving a massage, frowned. "That ungrateful wretch. Does she really want me dead?"

Prisoners have a right to life; those with cancer can apply for medical parole. Paula had exploited this loophole with a fraudulent medical report. Exposure would make it far harder to repeat.

"Mom, Cecilia's always been soft-hearted. I think she's just posturing. If you play weak, she won't make things difficult."

Magnus remembered his childhood: Cecilia always took the blame for his misbehavior. Once, he'd given her one of Paula's discarded dresses, and she'd been overjoyed for days.

"Just sweet-talk her, send her a gift—I'm sure she'll write the settlement agreement."