Married to the Coma CEO: My Mask Fell Off

Chapter 5 Professor Summers

The next day, the sun shone brightly, casting a warm glow over the day.

Annie, the housemaid, was busy organizing the latest fashion pieces from Cross Enterprises' department store. The company manager stood nearby, overseeing the task.

When Cecilia appeared, Annie immediately placed a cup of coffee in her hands, a small gesture of politeness.

"What's all this?" Cecilia asked, gesturing toward the overflowing selection of clothes in the living room.

"Ma'am, these are the garments Mr. Cross had delivered for you to choose from," Annie replied, her voice respectful.

Cecilia's mind drifted back to a few hours earlier, when she had been tending to Theodore's wound and accidentally overheard his conversation with Neil.

Theodore's voice had been sharp. "Look at her. What is she wearing all the time? So plain, so lacking in taste."

"Are you talking about Mrs. Cross?" Neil had asked cautiously.

"Who else would I be talking about?" Theodore replied dismissively, before flipping through a fashion magazine, signaling the end of the conversation.

She selected a few pieces to try on, knowing this was part of the game now.

Annie quickly got to work, ironing the garments and preparing them for Cecilia to wear. One outfit stood out—a stunning royal blue strapless gown.

"Mr. Cross loves blue," Annie commented, holding it up. "If you wear this tonight, you'll certainly be the center of attention. It's the Cross Enterprises executives' cocktail party after all."

Cecilia smiled but didn't share Annie's enthusiasm. "What Theodore likes doesn't matter. What matters is what I like."

With that, she slipped into a daring deep red V-neck gown instead.

*****

Later that evening, they arrived at the rooftop banquet hall of Cross Enterprises, their car pulling up to the grand building.

The limousine came to a stop, and Theodore, ever the gentleman, extended his hand to Cecilia.

Together, they entered the venue, and the entire room seemed to pause. The air was thick with chatter, the clink of crystal glasses, and the glow of candlelight.

Gentlemen in perfectly tailored suits and ladies in luxurious evening gowns sipped champagne and mingled, surrounded by delicate macarons and swan-shaped profiteroles on the tables.

Theodore and Cecilia's entrance was nothing short of commanding.

Theodore wore a crisp black shirt, the fabric clinging to his muscular frame, while his deep-set eyes and sharp features exuded an air of aristocratic superiority. Every movement he made seemed deliberate, refined—he was a man who belonged in this world.

Cecilia, in her vivid red gown, turned heads immediately. The dress hugged her curves perfectly, accentuating her flawless complexion and delicate figure. Her every step made the skirt sway, drawing the eyes of nearly every man in the room.

Theodore noticed the way she moved with an innate grace, far from the awkward girl he had once assumed her to be. There was an elegance to her that didn't fit the image he had of someone raised in the countryside. 'And she's trained in rehabilitation medicine,' he thought. 'Where did she learn all that?'

Curiosity stirred within him. He turned to Neil, his voice low but insistent.

"Find out everything about Cecilia. I want her complete personal details."

*****

The high-ranking managers gathered around Theodore, greeting him with deference, their eyes filled with respect.

A few board members discussed the latest market trends nearby, while Lucas, having been pushed aside by the crowd, seized the first opportunity to speak with Theodore.

"Your legs will get better. I'm sure of it," Lucas said warmly.

Theodore, though he wasn't particularly fond of his cousin, felt the need to acknowledge his support.

"I've been unconscious for quite a while, but I appreciate your help."

"Glad I helped," Lucas said softly.

Meanwhile, Cecilia was surrounded by a group of men, all vying for her attention.

Victor Carter, one of the company's executives, casually swirled his glass of red wine in one hand, his eyes lingering a little too long on Cecilia.

"Such an enticing figure," he remarked lecherously, his gaze clearly not subtle.

Cecilia, unphased, smiled and answered with perfect grace. "Thank you for the compliment. As a woman, I do take pride in my body. But as for you, well..."

She glanced pointedly at Victor's midsection. "Let's just say I don't think you're as well endowed as you seem to think you are."

Victor's face reddened, his jaw tightening with embarrassment as the men around them chuckled.

*****

Theodore, though amused by Cecilia's sharp retort, was quick to take offense at Victor's disrespect.

After all, Cecilia was now his wife.

His voice dropped to a low growl.

"She's my wife."

Victor, still trying to maintain his bravado, smirked. "She's not even a real Finch. If you get bored with her, feel free to send her my way."

Theodore's expression hardened into something colder, more dangerous. He took the empty glass from Cecilia's hand with a deliberate slowness.

"I don't think you understand me. I said, Cecilia is my wife."

Victor's smile vanished, and he immediately dropped his gaze, his arrogance deflated. "I apologize, Mr. Cross. It won't happen again."

*****

Neil approached Theodore with a report. "Mr. Cross, the guest we invited isn't coming tonight."

Theodore frowned, clearly frustrated. "What's the reason? We've already invited her three times. She said she would consider coming if we offered company shares."

Neil's voice faltered with embarrassment. "I'm really sorry."

Cecilia, intrigued by the event's scale, asked casually, "Who was this guest you were hoping to invite?"

Neil hesitated and then explained, "It was Ms. Summers from Aegis Robotics. She's an expert in international rehabilitation."

Cecilia's eyes flickered. She paused and then asked almost instinctively, "Wait. Is it May Summers?"

*****

Theodore chuckled, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "You know her?"

Based on the information, May Summers wasn't just the CEO of Aegis Robotics. She was also a professor at a prestigious university and a highly respected expert in the field of rehabilitation, with impressive credentials for someone in her early thirties.

She was the international specialist Eleanor had tried to bring in several times but who had consistently turned down the offer to treat Theodore's legs.

Neil's voice was hopeful. "Do you really know Professor Summers?"

Cecilia didn't want to expose too much of her own identity, especially not in front of these people.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I've heard of her, but no, I don't know her personally."