My Child and I Married a Billionaire

He unconsciously applied more force, yanking Cecelia Archer in front of him until their noses were almost touching.

His large hand gripped her chin. He scrutinized every part of her face—her eyebrows, nose, eyes, mouth—his heart trembling with rage.

"You may not know me, but I know you. I’d recognize you even if you were turned to ash."

"Cecelia Archer, you went to such great lengths to get close to me. Weren’t you so brave, so capable? I haven’t been destroyed yet, so why are you suddenly afraid to admit who you are? Is it because you’ve already achieved your goal, or do you have another plan with Shane Grant?"

They were far too close. His warm breath on Cecelia’s face instantly reminded her of all those nights they had spent tangled in bed. It made her think of the child she had just lost, and of the sight of Damien Vaughn holding Gwen Morgan.

Cecelia’s heart throbbed with a sharp, stabbing pain.

She desperately wanted to push his hand away and demand what right he had to speak to her in that tone, but...

"I really don’t understand what you’re saying. I’m sorry, my name is Luna Linden, not Cecelia Archer. Please let me go, sir. And this is my car; you shouldn’t be in here. Please show some respect."

Damien Vaughn stared into her eyes. He could clearly see the fear in them. ’Still playing stubborn even now?’

"Still pretending? Aren’t you just afraid I’ll drag you back to face legal consequences? I can tell you this much: as long as you tell me exactly what happened that day, I won’t hold you responsible for anything that wasn’t your fault."

"Cecelia, don’t be afraid. Just tell me the truth. What really happened that day?"

His words struck a chord deep in Cecelia’s heart.

She wanted so badly to trust him, to tell him everything that had happened. But Cecelia was afraid it was a trap.

’He’s the CEO of the prestigious Vaughn Group, after all.’

’His mother died under mysterious circumstances, and the whole city is watching.’

’If he doesn’t bring the killer to justice, how can he face public opinion?’

’Besides, it’s not just him. There’s the Old Master, Gwen Morgan, and the Bell Family.’

’Even if he doesn’t press charges, will they let me go?’

’He and Miss Morgan are childhood sweethearts, a perfect match. Their misunderstanding has been resolved and they’ve reconciled. What reason would he have to bother with me now?’

’He’s just trying to trick me into confessing!’

"How many times do I have to tell you I’m not Cecelia? Sir, you’re really hurting me. Please let go! If you don’t get out of my car, I’m going to scream for help!"

’I’ve already laid my cards on the table, and she’s still acting?’

For the first time in his life, Damien Vaughn regretted not listening to his mother.

’How did I never see it before? How did I not realize she was such a conniving, vicious, and cruel woman?’

"Whether you’re Cecelia Archer isn’t up to you to decide. We’ll know for sure once we take you to the station for a fingerprint match."

She didn’t cherish the chance he was giving her. A menacing glint appeared in Damien Vaughn’s eyes. He kept one hand clamped on her chin while reaching back with the other to shove the car door open.

With a kick—THUD!—he sent the door flying wide open and ordered Cecelia,

"Get out!"

Cecelia’s heart pounded even faster.

’So it’s finally come to this.’

’Just a second ago, I was telling myself it would be fine. Now, he’s about to drag me to the police station?’

’I won’t go! I can’t go! I can’t die like this, with my name uncleared!’

"What are you trying to do? Rob me? I’m sorry, this car isn’t mine, and I don’t have any money. You’ve got the wrong person!"

’Still pretending?’

Damien Vaughn applied a little more pressure, his grip turning her cheeks red.

"I told you to get out."

"COUGH—COUGH—" Cecelia struggled as if for her life.

"This is a crime! There are security cameras everywhere, you won’t get away with this! Let me go! Or I’ll really scream!"

"Scream. Go ahead. Want me to call the police for you?"

Damien Vaughn was amazed by her stubbornness. As he spoke, he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

It unlocked instantly with facial recognition. He opened the keypad and immediately dialed 9-1.

Seeing he was about to press the last digit, Cecelia frantically snatched the phone from him.

"Don’t call! I don’t want to bother the police over something so minor!"

"Really. You’re still young. I don’t want to hold this against you. You can just go."

Even though he believed she was a cruel and vicious woman, the mention of the police and the sight of her panicked, guilty expression made Damien Vaughn’s heart soften for no reason.

He just wanted to find out what really happened that day. He just wanted to know if she was truly involved in his mother’s death.

He loved her to the point of abandoning all principles and bottom lines.

He had even thought that if Cecelia had done it, it must have been an impulsive act, and he wouldn’t truly hold it against her.

But why did Cecelia have absolutely no trust in him?

Ultimately, he couldn’t bear the thought of her suffering in jail. Damien Vaughn didn’t bother with the phone she’d snatched, and even the force of his grip lessened slightly.

"Is Candy with you? Is she okay?"

Cecelia hadn’t expected him to suddenly ask about Candy.

’Is she okay? How could he even ask that?’

’He threw her into that under-qualified orphanage—to call it an orphanage is being generous. To put it bluntly, it was a... How could she possibly be okay?’

She almost blurted out an argument, but Cecelia held her tongue.

"Now who’s Candy? What are you talking about?"

’It’s one thing for her to deny who she is, but she’s going to disown her own daughter?!’

Damien Vaughn was genuinely worried about Candy.

Ever since the incident, he had people searching everywhere for any sign of her.

He’d never paid attention to missing children before, but now his desk was piled with hundreds of photos of them.

Every time a new batch of photos arrived, his heart would leap into his throat. When he saw that Candy wasn’t among them, a wave of disappointment would wash over him. The torture was driving him mad.

But this woman, Cecelia, was actually claiming she didn’t know Candy!

The flicker of compassion Damien Vaughn had just felt for her was instantly extinguished, and his anger flared to its peak.

"You don’t know Candy either? Cecelia Archer, are you even human? You..."

BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ—

Just as he was speaking, Cecelia’s phone began to vibrate.

In the enclosed space, the sound seemed unusually loud.

Besides Candy, Annie, and Shane Grant, no one else would be calling her at this hour. Of course, Cecelia wasn’t going to answer in front of Damien Vaughn. She just pretended not to hear it.

But Damien Vaughn’s cold gaze shifted to her pocket.

"Aren’t you going to answer that?"

Cecelia forced herself to look at him calmly. "It’s probably my husband, calling to ask when I’ll be home. I don’t want him to worry."

"Your husband? It’s been two months and you already have a husband? Perfect. Let me see who it is."

Damien Vaughn assumed it was Shane Grant calling. He reached for the phone to expose her lie, but Cecelia reacted as if he’d stepped on her tail, frantically covering her pocket.

"Don’t go too far! What do you want?"

"You’re a murderer, a fugitive from the law. What right do you have to say I’m going too far?"

Damien Vaughn grabbed her neck with one hand and snatched at the phone with the other. Cecelia flailed, trying to block him, but he overpowered her in a matter of seconds.

The moment the phone landed in his hand, Cecelia’s face turned deathly pale.

"Don’t answer it! Give it back!"

Damien was about to answer, but when he saw the number on the screen, he threw the phone down at Cecelia’s feet with a CLATTER.

It was Candy, calling from her watch phone. He remembered her number.

Candy was safe.

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