Chapter 12 Let Lydia Marry Him

As hope welled up inside me, Cecilia said, "I asked her to come." Her voice was calm and measured, giving no hint of her intentions. But when I stole a glance at Sterling, I noticed a fine sheen of sweat already forming on his forehead. The four of us entered the room. Cecilia guided me to sit on a two-seater sofa, while Sterling and Judith took seats opposite. Carter began pouring tea for us. Still holding my hand, Cecilia got straight to the point. "Liddy, I've heard everything from Wendy about the wedding." At that moment, Sterling's composure broke. He shot up, pointing at Wendy and shouting, "You traitorous wretch! Have you been bought off by Lydia?" As he spoke, he grabbed the teacup from the table and hurled it straight at Wendy. Wendy couldn't dodge in time. Scalding tea drenched her, and the cup shattered on the floor. "Enough!" Cecilia commanded sternly. To Wendy, she said, "Go change your clothes. Don't come back until I call for you." Though Cecilia had always seemed gentle and kind, she was the matriarch of the Fairchild family—her words carried weight. At her command, Sterling immediately sat back down, fists clenched, still eager to explain. Cecilia turned to me. "Liddy, Wendy told me that on the wedding night, it was you who stayed with Dominic, wasn't it?" I nodded hesitantly, unsure why Cecilia was asking about this. Then she continued, "Wendy also said that even after the truth came out, Nona hasn't moved in with Dominic yet." At this, Judith sprang to her feet. "That's because President Hawthorne feels guilty toward Nona! He wants to pick a perfect plot of land and build her the dream home she's always wanted!" My heart ached inexplicably. Dominic truly went to great lengths for Leona. How could such deep affection be shaken by just a few words from me? Yet just as I thought Cecilia had come to restore justice for me, she said instead, "Enough. You were in the wrong from the start. And Liddy has already spent the night with Dominic. A girl in that position—how can she marry anyone else? Let Liddy marry into the family." I stared blankly, needing five full seconds to grasp the meaning of her words. Judith and Sterling reacted the same way. Only after I understood did Judith shriek shrilly, "No! Absolutely not! We can't let her marry Dominic!" I stammered, "Grandma… this…" My emotions were a tangled mess. Truthfully, I had long abandoned any hope for him. "The Hawthornes will never agree," Sterling said coldly, invoking the Hawthorne name. His words snapped me back to reality. In Swan City, the Hawthorne family stood at the pinnacle of power. Though the Fairchilds were influential, their business empire paled in comparison. Logically, without the Hawthornes' approval, Cecilia's decision alone meant nothing. Cecilia glanced at Judith, signaling her to sit. Once Judith obeyed, Cecilia continued, "Do you really think a family like the Hawthornes would consider an alliance with us without deeper reasons?" This question struck me. Given the Hawthornes' status and Dominic's position as head of Skyreach Group, the Fairchilds would hardly be first in line for a marriage alliance. So why us? Cecilia revealed the truth: in their youth, she and Mr. Keaton Hawthorne had been childhood sweethearts. Back then, she was a lady of high society, while he was merely a poor boy. Society forbade their union. Decades later, as elderly people, they met again and arranged this marriage. As Cecilia spoke, her eyes softened with tenderness. Clearly, her bond with Keaton Hawthorne had been profound.