Chapter 254 - 253: Sebastian Lancaster Also Set Up a Grand Scheme

Chapter 254: Chapter 253: Sebastian Lancaster Also Set Up a Grand Scheme

"Don’t trust anyone. Don’t trust *anyone* around you..." Lynn grabbed my wrist frantically, her eyes betraying her panic and fear.

An oppressive aura radiated from Julian Fletcher as he glared at Sebastian Lancaster, then turned to Lynn in alarm. "Is this what you were too afraid to tell me?"

Lynn cowered behind Julian Fletcher, her grip on my wrist vice-like, refusing to let go.

Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she didn’t look like she was lying.

"Daddy... wants to protect you. And I have to... protect you too." Lynn shook her head, crying, begging me not to be with Asher.

"Cece, Lynn never told me any of this. She just told me to take you away, to get you away from Sebastian Lancaster... To think he’s actually one of them—from the organization." Julian Fletcher was furious, his gaze on Asher a mixture of anger and suspicion. "Sebastian Lancaster, what the hell are you planning to do to her!"

"Cece." Asher reached out, pulling me into his embrace. He shot a warning look at Julian Fletcher and Lynn. "Julian Fletcher, stay away from her!"

"Sebastian Lancaster, you’re the one who should stay away from her!" This was likely the first time Julian Fletcher was hearing any of this from Lynn. He angrily shoved Sebastian Lancaster aside and pulled me toward him. "I won’t let you hurt her again."

Asher’s pale fingers tightened around the handle of his umbrella, his tense gaze fixed on me.

"Cecilia Caldwell... don’t trust him. I’ve thought he was terrifying from the very beginning—a complete madman." Julian Fletcher squeezed my wrist. "Come with me..."

"Heh... A madman and a madwoman. Aren’t they a perfect match?" From the car, Erin Whittaker spoke through clenched teeth, clearly afraid I would leave with Julian Fletcher.

She was afraid that if I left with Julian, he would abandon her.

I glanced back at her and gave a deliberate smile. "I’ve said it before. You want me to go with you? Fine. Get rid of her. I don’t want to see her."

Erin Whittaker was instantly on high alert, looking at Julian in a panic. "Julian... you know my situation. I’ll die if I leave you."

She would cling to Julian for dear life.

Julian fell silent for a moment. "Cece, I can send her away..."

I laughed. "Don’t trouble yourself. Even if you send her away, you’ll still be responsible for her. You’ll support her with your money and take care of her behind my back, won’t you?"

Erin Whittaker’s eyes reddened as she looked at Julian. "Julian..."

Julian opened his mouth, flustered, but didn’t know how to explain. Clearly, I’d hit the mark.

"Cece... I promise you, I’ll never let her live with us again. I can send her away... but she’s still an employee at the Fletcher Group. Given her current condition... I can’t just fire her," Julian explained softly, as if trying to placate me.

I pulled my hand from Julian’s grasp and shook my head.

’He still doesn’t get it.’ Love, at its core, is selfish. No one would be okay with their partner unconditionally caring for another woman...

Especially when that woman was Erin Whittaker—the one who got ’Cecilia Caldwell’ killed.

’How laughable.’ Julian was so caught up in his own self-pitying narrative of deep love and regret that he couldn’t see where he’d actually gone wrong.

"Cece..." Asher finally spoke, holding the umbrella over my head.

He himself was standing completely in the rain.

Even when Julian had yanked me away, Asher’s umbrella had remained steadfastly over my head.

"You’re connected to the organization?" I asked, looking at Asher.

Asher lowered his gaze and said nothing.

"Since when?" I asked again.

The rims of Asher’s eyes were a little red. Just a moment ago, he looked like he wanted to tear Julian apart, but now he was just putting on a pitiful act.

’But it seems his little act really works on me.’

"The year... our escape failed." Asher looked up, meeting my eyes. He offered no explanation, but his gaze pleaded for my trust.

’That was the year I had the car accident, lost my memories, and was living an ordinary life alone... the year I got entangled with Julian and fell in love with him...’

I took a deep breath, a burning sensation searing my throat.

’What on earth had he been doing all on his own, behind my back?’

"Cece, he admitted it." Julian frowned at Asher, reaching to pull me away. "This madman is genuinely dangerous."

"Sister... come with us." Lynn grabbed my wrist, trying to lead me away.

Julian wanted to take me away, too.

But every time, Asher would just stand there. Even when the sadness in his eyes looked like it was about to spill over, he never once asked me to stay.

’Before, I thought he didn’t care—that my presence was less important than the secrets he was protecting.’

’But now... I think I understand why he never tried to make me stay.’

He didn’t want me to go, yet at the same time, he did.

He was, in fact, deeply conflicted.

"So that’s how you managed it," I said, pushing Julian’s hand away. I snatched the umbrella from Asher’s hand and threw it to the ground.

’If we’re going to get soaked, we’ll get soaked together.’

Why should he be the only one getting drenched while holding an umbrella for me! "If you’re soaked to the bone, what’s the point of me standing under this umbrella? We promised we’d face everything together."

’I knew it. I knew he must have been doing something in secret all these years.’

’He was afraid that getting involved with the organization was too dangerous. He was afraid he would die, afraid it would break my heart.’

’That’s why he kept saying, over and over, that it would be better if I forgot him...’

With red-rimmed eyes, Asher picked up the umbrella and once again held it over me to shield me from the rain.

This time, he stood under it with me.

My own eyes burned as I looked up at him.

We didn’t need many words between us.

"Cece..." Julian’s hands trembled as he clenched them into fists, his knuckles turning white.

He seemed to finally understand that I wasn’t going with him. "Why... why do you have to trust that madman?"

"His love is for me and me alone. He’s capable of not even loving himself..." I murmured, raising my hand to grasp Asher’s, my voice firm.

I would trust him unconditionally, even if it meant being shattered into a million pieces.

Even if he really was deceiving me.

Lynn lowered her head and closed her eyes, tears falling like pearls from a broken string and hitting the ground. She shook her head over and over. "You’ll regret this. You will regret this..."

She kept saying I would regret it. She wanted to take me away. She acted terrified of Asher, and she said she’d seen him at the organization.

Even though she has autism, which means she doesn’t lie, that she’s sincere...

...I could still sense something else in the way she looked at Asher. Beyond the fear, there were other emotions.

’She definitely knows Asher. It’s not as simple as just having seen him once...’

My woman’s intuition told me her sadness was real, but her words... they might not have been meant for me.

I had the strange feeling she was saying them for Asher to hear.

She wanted to take me away, and Asher didn’t stop her. But when I chose not to go, Asher didn’t reject my decision either.

’So, when Lynn said someone would regret it...’

’She wasn’t just talking about me, was she? She was talking about Asher, too.’

’Asher, what in the world are you planning? How many more things are you hiding from me?’

’He’s involved in the organization’s "Rebirth Project." And selling the Lancaster Group’s shares to Astraeus—that was definitely not just Asher acting on a whim.’

’The person pulling the strings has set up a massive net, a monumental puzzle. And Asher... he seems to be one of the architects.’

I couldn’t see through it, couldn’t get a clear picture of anything. All I felt was a sense of panic.

I’m afraid... that he’s thrown himself into a game he can’t win. A dead end.

I’m afraid he hasn’t left himself any way out.

"A madman belongs with a madwoman... Julian, let’s go," Erin Whittaker piped up, urging Julian to leave.

Julian didn’t move, remaining motionless in the rain.

He didn’t know what he could possibly do to win me back...

"Still haven’t given up? She only has eyes for that madman. Besides, she isn’t Cecilia Caldwell; she just has Cecilia Caldwell’s memories." Erin Whittaker sneered, as if struck by a sudden realization. "No wonder Sebastian Lancaster was so sure she was Cecilia Caldwell. It’s because he’s the one who created her, isn’t he..."

’Was Asher the one behind the scenes, having Silvia Lynch imitate Cecilia Caldwell, ultimately replacing her and becoming her?’