Rejected No More: I Am Way Out Of Your League, Darling!

Chapter 59:

She had mastered this technique over the years, crafting the image of a loving, supportive stepmother everyone admired.

The housekeeper could only stare in stunned silence, knowing the stark contrast between Katrina’s words and her actions. What was she even saying now? Just moments ago, this woman had been barking orders and laying claim to anything she fancied.

The housekeeper’s anxiety surged as she glanced at Cedric, silently praying he wouldn’t be fooled by Katrina’s sudden change in demeanor.

Cedric remained unmoved, his expression cold and unreadable as he pulled a chair over and settled into it with deliberate calm. His sharp gaze flicked briefly towards the movers handling the fish tank.

“So, the fish tank and the fish that I gifted aren’t good enough? Is that it? Are you saying my gift doesn’t suit this house?” His words cut through the room like a blade, the underlying warning impossible to miss.

Caiden sprang to his feet, his face draining of color.

“No! Of course not! How could we ever think that? Your gift is, naturally, the best of the best!” He knew all too well that Cedric, despite his youth, was infamous for his ruthless business acumen. One snap decision from him could dismantle entire empires or obliterate competitors. He wasn’t someone to provoke lightly.

Standing there with an awkward, forced smile, Caiden tried to salvage the situation. But Cedric didn’t even glance at him, his attention fixed coolly on his phone.

The atmosphere in the room was suffocating. Caiden and Katrina stood rigid, while the movers exchanged uneasy glances, unsure whether to proceed or abandon the task.noveldrama

The silence stretched unbearably, thick with tension, until one of the movers hesitantly broke it.

“Should we keep moving?”

The question shattered the stillness, but instead of diffusing the tension, it seemed to amplify it. Caiden’s gaze darted nervously towards Cedric, whose finger had paused mid-swipe on his phone screen. That small motion alone made Caiden’s throat tighten as he swallowed hard.

“Of course, we’ll leave the fish tank exactly where it is,” Katrina chimed in with a saccharine smile, desperate to defuse the situation.

“But perhaps we could take a few of the other items? Just the ones that don’t quite fit the decor here?”

Her greed peeked through her polished facade, unable to suppress her true intentions.

Daniela’s furniture was a testament to impeccable taste. The sofa, made of solid rosewood and adorned with buttery-soft leather cushions, far surpassed anything Katrina could boast of at home. It was only natural that she wanted to take the best pieces back with her.

As for the fish tank and Cedric’s other gifts? Those could wait. Once Cedric left, she’d return to claim them. Her plan was already clear in her mind.

“Mr. Phillips, would that be alright?” Caiden’s voice was tentative, measured with caution.

Cedric, however, didn’t even lift his head. His attention remained fixed on his phone, his finger scrolling as if oblivious to the tension around him. He neither agreed nor refused, leaving Caiden in a painfully awkward limbo. The oppressive silence in the room grew thicker.

Then, the faint creak of a door opening upstairs broke the stillness. Everyone except Cedric exhaled in relief.

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