Chapter 3

When Cecily spoke with such assurance, Isabel's eyes flickered with surprise, and her voice held a trace of shyness. "You know about Cly and me? Does he bring me up often?" Remembering Evelyn's words about how much he adored Isabel, Cecily nodded slightly. "Yes." Isabel's face flushed deeper, and her eyes brightened with delight. "Cly was a year ahead of me in university. He was the brilliant, gorgeous guy everyone had a crush on. But he fell for me the moment he saw me. He pursued me for ages before I finally agreed to give him a shot. "Once we started dating, he completely doted on me. He'd sit in on my classes and study with me in the library, cover the whole campus in roses for our anniversary, and even brood for days when someone admitted they had feelings for me. "We dated all four years, and everyone knew I was his one and only. He promised over and over that we'd get married after graduation. But I wasn't ready to be just someone's wife. I had bigger plans for myself. "So I said no to his proposal, left him, and went abroad to continue my studies. I knew he never truly moved on from me all these years, and that's exactly why I decided to return. I still had some doubts when my plane touched down in Jorleton. "But when I saw him braving the storm to drive to the airport and help me with my bags, I knew nothing had changed. I've been under the weather these past few days, adjusting to the climate, and he's been by my side the entire time. "I can sense he's working up to talking about us giving things another try, but he hasn't quite brought it up yet. That got me wondering if he's developed feelings for that other woman, and that's why I needed to ask you." Cecily listened quietly as Isabel talked about the past, feeling nothing. Instead, she smiled. "He wouldn't randomly suggest getting back together since he cares about you that much. I bet he's planning something special." Isabel's anxiety faded at her words. She waved goodbye but accidentally dropped her phone into the pond. Without thinking, she reached down to grab it, lost her balance, and tumbled headfirst into the water. Startled by her sudden fall, Cecily immediately turned her wheelchair around to call for help. But the moment she turned around, she spotted Clyde sprinting toward them. He dove straight into the pond without hesitation and yanked Isabel to safety. Isabel choked up several gulps of water before gradually catching her breath. It wasn't until then that Clyde's panicked, anxious look began to fade. Cecily watched his reactions. She was about to call for a doctor when he suddenly turned on her. "You pushed Isabel into that pond and didn't lift a finger to help. Now you think you can just walk away like it never happened?" Cecily never imagined he would misinterpret her so badly. "She only fell in because she was trying to grab her phone. I didn't push her, and I would never leave her to drown—" Clyde gave her a freezing glare and interrupted, "Grab her phone? I was gone for a while, and suddenly Isabel just happened to show up at the pond and fall in? If you didn't make this happen, then who did?" Without hesitation, he shoved Cecily and her wheelchair into the water, his voice cold as steel. "Cecily, I've put up with you constantly hounding me for Evelyn's sake. But when it comes to Isabel, I'm done. You've crossed the line, and now you'll deal with what's coming to you!" He motioned to his bodyguards to seal off the area and prevent anyone from helping her. The icy water surged into Cecily's nose and mouth, forcing her to choke and struggle for breath. She thrashed wildly in the water. Her movements reopened the wounds on her legs, turning the water crimson around her. Her strength ebbed away as excruciating pain wracked her body, making her limbs shake violently. She felt herself slowly sinking deeper. As darkness crept at the edges of her vision, the last thing she saw was Clyde walking away with Isabel cradled in his arms. There was no way to know how long it had been before Cecily opened her eyes and met Evelyn's concerned gaze. "I was only away for a few hours. How did you wind up in the pond? The doctor said you might not have pulled through if they'd gotten you out just a minute later. You nearly gave me a heart attack." Recalling what had happened before she passed out, Cecily stayed silent. She wanted to explain everything to Evelyn, but she bit her tongue. Clyde was her brother, after all. She shook her head slightly, her voice barely above a whisper and heavy with exhaustion. "I'm alright. Don't worry."