Chapter 298: To Heaven in a Moment
Cecelia Archer held her daughter’s hand tightly. "Don’t be scared, Candy. We haven’t done anything wrong, so there’s nothing to be afraid of."
"Hello, Grandfather. It’s been a long time."
The two of them approached the old master, and Cecelia greeted him with quiet dignity.
But she was met with the old master’s scornful smile.
"Indeed, it has been a long time. I thought I’d never see you again in the Mortal World. Turns out you’re more capable than I imagined."
Cecelia was speechless.
"And you. Whose bastard are you, exactly? Still parading around in front of me. You’ve got some nerve, too."
Candy was speechless.
Fearing his demeanor would frighten Candy, Cecelia pulled her daughter behind her.
"She’s just a child. The grievances between adults have nothing to do with her. If you have a problem, direct it at me. Grandfather... no, Mr. Vaughn, can you please tell me directly why you’ve summoned me here today?"
The old master had originally planned to talk with Cecelia properly, to ask her who had sent her to get close to Damien, and what exactly she was trying to accomplish.
But the moment he saw her still feigning innocence and playing dumb, the old master’s temper flared.
He shot a sharp glance behind him, and bodyguards immediately rushed forward, grabbing Cecelia by the arms. Candy was swept up into another man’s arms as well.
"Worthless things! Throw them off!"
’I thought the old master was an intelligent, reasonable man,’ Cecelia thought. ’If I just clearly explained what happened and why I kept it from him, he would understand. I never imagined...’
The bodyguards were immensely strong and ruthlessly efficient. The instant the old master finished speaking, she was dragged to the edge of the rooftop like a leaf in the wind.
Cecelia was slammed against the rooftop ledge. Her body scraped painfully against the brickwork as her head was forced over the edge.
Candy suffered the same fate. A tall, burly bodyguard carried her to the ledge, dangling half her body over the side.
"Ahh! Mommy!"
Cecelia had no time to defend herself. She struggled desperately, trying to wrench her arms free to plead with the old master.
"Mr. Vaughn, this is between us adults! It has nothing to do with the child! Why are you doing this to Candy? She’s only three years old! She doesn’t understand anything!"
The old master was completely unmoved by her hollow pleas.
"She’s just a bastard. You feel heartache for her, but have you ever considered that my daughter-in-law—the cherished eldest daughter of the Bell family and Damien’s only mother in this world—was pushed to her death by you just like this? Did she deserve to die? Do you think you don’t have to pay a price for your actions?"
Cecelia had no idea how to explain it to him.
"I know anything I say now is useless. Nothing can be proven. But every word I’m saying is the truth. I didn’t kill her. I didn’t kill her! I really, truly didn’t kill her!"
"So you’re saying there was a third person at the scene? Then why didn’t the security cameras capture them? Why couldn’t the police find any inconsistencies? All the evidence points to you and you alone! Do you think you can escape responsibility just by being stubborn to the bitter end?"
Cecelia was at a loss for words.
’The old master had said the same thing right after it happened, and he clearly still believed it. He was utterly convinced this was the truth, and nothing could change his mind. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone to all this trouble to drag me here.’
’But I can’t bear the thought of Candy dying.’
’She’s so little. She hasn’t had a chance to experience this beautiful world.’
’But what choice do I have?’
’Maybe she was just unlucky from birth. She shouldn’t have ended up with me as her mother.’
’At least we’re together today. On the road to the afterlife, I can protect her. It won’t be like last time, when she had to be all alone and terrified.’
"I don’t know why! I don’t know why something so absurd happened to me, but it did! Since you don’t believe me and are determined to see me dead, then I’m doomed one way or another. I won’t fight you anymore. I’ll accept this as my fate. But, Mr. Vaughn... my daughter is my only family in this world, my only connection. I want to hold her. Let us go together. That’s not too much to ask, is it?"
’So, she does have a guilty conscience. She knows she can’t fool me, so she’s decided to just accept her fate.’
’A woman with such clumsy schemes and a flair for the dramatic. A foolish woman I can see right through. How could Damien be so utterly captivated by her?’
"Fine. I’ll grant you your wish. Give the bastard to her. The two of you can go. You should have faced this day long ago."
The men released Cecelia, and a bodyguard handed Candy to her.
Cecelia hugged Candy, pressing their heads tightly together. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she forced herself to comfort her daughter.
"Candy, you always used to ask what heaven is like, didn’t you? Mommy doesn’t know either, but we’re about to find out. We’ll go see it together, and we’ll be together forever and ever, never to be separated again. How does that sound?"
"Mommy, I’m so scared. But if I’m with you, I’m happy. I’ll listen to you."
"Okay. Close your eyes. It’ll be quick, sweetie. Let’s count one, two, three, and then we’ll get to see heaven."
The mother and daughter closed their eyes, clinging to one another. A bodyguard seized Cecelia again.
’She could feel her body being shoved against the hard, cold bricks again. All it would take was a slight push, someone lifting her feet and shoving her forward, and she and Candy would vanish. They would be free.’
But just at that moment, a deep, furious voice suddenly cut through the air.
"Stop! What do you think you’re doing? Let them go, all of you!"
’Damien Vaughn was here!’
Cecelia and Candy’s eyes snapped open, and they both turned toward the sound of the voice.
Seeing the tall, elegant figure of Damien Vaughn after so long, Candy began to kick her legs and wave her arms in excitement.
"Daddy, you came! I knew you’d come save us! Oh, Daddy!"
"Come hold me! I missed you so much, Daddy! Daddy!"
His face grim, Damien Vaughn walked straight past the old master without a single glance. He went right up to Cecelia and took Candy into his arms.
Candy threw her arms around his neck, and for the first time in a long while, father and daughter pressed their cheeks together.
At that moment, Damien felt a mix of elation and sorrow he had never experienced before.
’It had been a long time since he’d seen this child, but the moment he laid eyes on her, he felt an uncontrollable urge to cherish and love her.’
"You finally sent Daddy a message. How could I possibly not come save you?"
With that, Damien shot Cecelia a cold look.
"Even a three-year-old knows to message me the moment she’s in trouble. And you?"
Cecelia was speechless.
Damien didn’t press the issue with Cecelia. Instead, still holding Candy with one arm, he wrapped his other around Cecelia’s shoulders.
They looked for all the world like a family of three.
"We’ll talk more when we get back. Let’s get out of here first, for the child’s sake."
With Damien taking charge, no one dared to stop them. But the old master wasn’t about to let them come and go as they pleased.
Seeing his grandson—who had appeared out of thin air, who looked at him without a shred of respect, who was clearly blinded by infatuation—the old master’s fury intensified.
He slammed his cane on the ground with a THUD, THUD.
"Halt! Damien Vaughn, do you take me for dead? I summoned them here. Did I say they could leave? And you’re just going to take them?"