QT: Against My Will-Chapter 605 - 10.17 - Cease and Deceit - Rebirth Of The Heart
"Knox!" Daniel called out.
"Dad?" Knox looked up.
"Knox, are you alright?" Daniel asked, running toward his son in concern.
"I’m okay, Dad," Knox said, holding back his tears, "I didn’t call mom because I was afraid she might worry."
"Mm, good job," said Daniel, stroking his head. The complexity of their relationship hung between them, unspoken but palpable.
Edward stood up, plopping a marshmallow into a cup of milk, and handed it to Knox, "Here, buddy."
Daniel’s hand shot out, striking it away. The cup flew from Edward’s grasp, milk and marshmallow scattering on the grass, "Don’t play the good guy with us. I wouldn’t put it past you to orchestrate this whole kidnapping just to come out looking like the hero. The Ashtor family will be stripped of their noble titles no matter what you do," he warned, taking his son away.
Knox looked up in shock, his eyes darting back to the silent Edward and XiaoPu’s stunned face.
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"Should I expect a ’cease and deceit’ letter for unauthorized acts of kindness?" Edward muttered to Seraphine, who suppressed a smile behind her hand.
(A/N: ’Cease and deceit’ reffers to a notice, usually from an attorney or court, instructing someone to stop a specific action immediately. )
"I’m afraid I’ll get one too," XiaoPu joined the joke at Daniel’s expense with a grin, "Because of my connection with the Ashtors, Knox’s parents have been scrutinizing my every move."
Seraphine laughed, patting XiaoPu’s shoulder, "Yet you still persisted to be Knox’s friend. That’s quite admirable from you."
"I don’t know if our friendship will last for long. Knox had been recomending me to cut my ties with the Ashtors too," XiaoPu dipped his marshmallow into his cocoa milk, his voice downcast, "You know, my parents asked Daniel for help to pay off the debt they owe you. I don’t know how they were able to succeed, probably with some bad rumors about you again... Starting from next month, they will start working again and will no longer accept your checks." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
Edward draped a jacket over his wife’s shoulders, "Thanks for the heads up, buddy."
Seraphine added, "Just remember, if anyone ever tries to keep you away from us, we won’t just stand by idly—we’ll step in just like we did today."
XiaoPu nodded slowly, the weight of their promise settling in his heart. "I know you will," he said softly. Something had prevented him from visiting them today, and they literally showed up in the blink of an eye.
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"Do you know who was the little boy with Seraphine?" Daniel inquired, turning to Knox.
Knox glanced over, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "I don’t know," he replied, "Dad, they saved me and kept me company until you arrived. I don’t think they are bad people."
"You’re still young, Knox. Sometimes, the nicest people often mean to harm you the most." A shadow passed over Daniel’s handsome features as memories surfaced, ’Did they give birth to another son?’
He remembered the stir that Seraphine and Edward’s first son, a child prodigy whose talents had sent waves through academic circles, had created. The child, however, met with a tragic accident and mysteriously died.
Daniel had tracked down the person behind Knox’s kidnapping, uncovering that a woman who bore a grudge against his wife was responsible. The woman had tried to disrupt their lives many times before, but never to this degree.
Once he confirmed her involvement, Daniel took measured steps to ensure that she and her accomplices faced the consequences of their actions.
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The following day, whispers of scandal swirled around a particular female celebrity. There was no talk of Knox and XiaoPu’s incident, only hushed speculations about the woman and her shameful past.
Daniel and Isabelle harbored a growing distaste of seeing Edward’s and Seraphine’s content life together. Deep down, they yearned to witness the downfall of the cheating duo.
Daniel fantasized about the moment Seraphine’s love would turn to disdain. A day, when she would abandon Edward, followed by the ruin of his once-glorious life.
Isabelle craved the moment Edward would realize the gravity of his infidelity. Her rise to become a top model and the most beautiful woman of the year was an achievement not everyone could achieve. As her fame grew, she looked forward to the moment Edward would see just how much he had lost.
However, their expectations were yet to be met. Since the tragic loss of their first son, Seraphine and Edward remained within the confines of their home. Public sentiment slowly shifted from infatuation to pity. Many felt that karma dealt a ruthless hand to the young pair.
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With so little drama surrounding Edward and Seraphine, the public eventually grew bored. Their attention drifted away, seeking a new subject for their relentless scrutiny. Of course, Daniel and Isabelle would forever remain as their number one topic.
When William caught sight of Seraphine in her body-hugging black dress, a gasp escaped him involuntarily. The dress clung to her contours, accentuating her silhouette with an elegance that was both striking and undeniable.
"Seraphine? What are you doing here?" he inquired, his gaze still fixed on the stunning elegance of her attire.
Seraphine turned to William, her eyes reflecting the anticipation of the evening. "I couldn’t miss this concert," she replied with a hint of excitement. "There’s a piece being performed that I’ve always wanted to hear live."
"Alone?" William looked around.
"Sadly, yes," Seraphine gestured to William’s right side, "You both look so dashing today."
"Thanks," XiaoPu raised his hand to greet Seraphine, donning a simple blue tuxedo that matched William’s.
"..." William found himself speechless, watching Seraphine glide toward the VIP booth, which boasted the best view and acoustics in the venue. No wonder he couldn’t get that venue no matter how much he offered!
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XiaoPu nudged William, pulling him back to the present. "You should stop looking in her direction," he advised, gesturing towards the stage, "Strange rumors will spread about you again."
William nodded, a trace of sadness in his tone. "I pity her, though. She must feel so lonely. Perhaps I should’ve invited her to join us," he mused.
"Why would she want to join us when she’s already secured the best seat in the house?" XiaoPu questioned, his words slicing through any notion of sympathy from William.
"..." William focused on the performance, occasionally checking how Seraphine sipped on her cocktails, ’I hope there is no alcohol in them.’ The more he looked, the more he began to believe that she was getting intoxicated.
Once the performance ended, Seraphine continued to stare at the stage dreamily, sighing in content, |"Thank you for getting me the best seat and drinks. Everything was amazing. I really enjoyed it."|
|"Anything for you, Sweetie."| Xuan Mu browsed the internet. Just a few keywords, and he had already found her. People shared and reposted the pictures they took of her before and during the concert.
Seraphine’s black dress and composed posture offered a visual narrative of elegance tinged with solitude. The pictures seemed to echo the silent music of her inner world, a hauntingly beautiful snapshot of a woman enveloped in her thoughts amidst a crowd of admirers.
|"I’ll be there to pick you up in fifteen minutes,"| Xuan Mu said, putting on his jacket as he left their home.
Understanding that one partner couldn’t satisfy every need, they had accepted the limitations within their relationship.
She was well aware of his tone-deafness, which starkly contrasted with her love for music. Making him accompany her during fashion shows was like forcing a fish to climb a tree.
He had also spared her the discomfort of feigning interest in things where she found no joy — like going through muddy swamps or dense underbrush, which were often necessary to get the specific dietary items for his beloved pets.
