He Locked Me Up, I Married His Nephew

Chapter 3

She'd barely reached the changing room door when she heard a muffled, breathy moan from inside. Amelia's voice.

"Derek, it's a changing room... Why did you follow me in...?"

Then came Derek's low, coaxing murmur.

"Couldn't help it. You're stunning tonight. The second I walked into that ballroom, all I wanted was to ruin you completely."

A sharp gasp from Amelia.

"Derek, that hurts..."

A soft chuckle from Derek.

"Sorry. Must be my wedding ring. Did it dig into you?"

Amelia whimpered, "Can't you take it off?"

Her plea didn't move him.

If anything, it only seemed to get him going. He let out a wicked little laugh.

"Can't. You'll just have to take the pain."

Hearing that, Cecilia looked down at the matching band on her own ring finger and felt her stomach turn.

She never thought their wedding rings, supposed to stand for fidelity and purity, would end up as props in his nasty affair with Amelia.

Face hard, Cecilia pulled the ring off and tossed it into a nearby trash can.

Then she composed herself and knocked on the changing room door.

"Amelia, I brought you a change of clothes. Are you in there?"

She made a show of pushing the door open.

A loud slap sounded as Amelia slammed her hand against the door from the inside, her voice cracking. "Wait! Cecilia, don't come in... Just pass the clothes through, that's fine."

Cecilia nodded along and handed the dress through the gap.

But she casually added, "Didn't Derek walk you up here? Where is he? Let me call him so he can drive you home later."

She pulled out her phone.

Amelia's voice came through the door, strained but steady.

"Cecilia! Derek went to handle some business. Better not bother him."

Cecilia smiled.

"Alright. I'll wait right here until you're done changing. That way no one else comes to give you a hard time."

Amelia went quiet. All that came from the room was the rustle of fabric.

A few minutes later, she emerged, face flushed crimson.

Cecilia put on a concerned look. "You're soaked in sweat just from changing clothes?"

Amelia couldn't meet her eyes. She answered distractedly, "It's stuffy in there. Got a little hot."

Cecilia didn't press further.

They'd barely been back in the banquet hall for a minute when Derek appeared too.

Cecilia's eyes instinctively went to the ring on his left hand. There was still an unmistakable damp smear on it.

Her chest tightened.

Because in all the years she'd known him, Derek had always been the picture of restraint and composure.

He'd always said they should keep their distance before marriage. She hadn't even held his hand until their wedding day.

But apparently, none of those rules applied when it came to Amelia.

Still, she supposed she should be grateful. Good thing Derek had never really shown her any affection—it made letting go that much easier.

Cecilia looked away. But Derek frowned and spoke up. "Cecilia, where's your ring?"

Funny. He could still notice that, even now.

She glanced at her own bare hand and feigned surprise. "Oh my god, where did it go?"

Derek sighed. "Forget it. I'll have the hotel staff look for it after the banquet."

Cecilia nodded.

After dropping Amelia off at the Brooks residence, the air in the car turned frigid.

Cecilia used to talk his ear off. Now, silence stretched between them all the way home.

Back at the villa.

The moment the car stopped, Derek's low, warning voice cut through the quiet. "Cecilia, I know you pulled strings at the banquet tonight. See that it doesn't happen again."

Cecilia froze. Bitterness crept into her chest.

So this was the power of the plot?

She'd done nothing this time. Absolutely nothing. And Derek still found a way to pin it on her.

In the old days, she'd have thrown a fit.

But now she just nodded calmly. "Fine."

Derek paused mid-motion, his hand on the door handle.

His eyes narrowed as he studied her. Something felt off. Cecilia had been different ever since she came out of that psych ward.

After a moment's thought, he pulled out a black credit card and held it out to her.

"You're not a Brooks heiress anymore. The only thing keeping you in the lifestyle you're used to is your title as Mrs. Hayes. So behave yourself.

"If you try anything else against Amelia, I'll make sure the entire city of Rivermoor has your name erased."

Cecilia stared at the black card in his hand. She dropped her gaze and let out a bitter laugh.

"Erased?"

"The only way you erase someone for good is when they're dead. Derek, is that what you want? For me to die?"