Chapter 42
This awkward meal seemed to cost a century, and when it
Kendric inquired about their plans for the afternoon.
“What’s the plan for the afternoon?” he asked.
landed.
Celeste replied with irritation, “I’m going to take my dad out for a stroll.”
Kendric called over his assistant Luke, “what’s on the agenda for the
afternoon?”
“Mr. Melville, you have no other important schedule for this afternoon.”
Kendric nodded.
Celeste had a bad feeling, “what do you mean…”
“Go back home and change your clothes, and then we will all go out
together this afternoon,” he decided.
Celeste had no desire to GO OUT WITH HIM!
She had spent the morning planning the outing, scouting for attractions and
restaurants, her heart brimming with excitement about taking her father out
for a good time. But now, her enthusiasm had been ruined by Kendric, and she
couldn’t muster the slightest interest.
She didn’t want to cause a scene with Kendric in front of her father, so she just sat silently in the car.
In Melville’s villa, Madelyn was spending her afternoon tea time with some other ladies in the courtyard.
Kendric strode past without a sideways glance. He held Celeste’s hands, so
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she trotted along behind him.
Kendric’s arrogant demeanor was nothing new to these ladies. But they
were astonished that Celeste didn’t greet them!
One of the ladies mocked, “Madelyn, why didn’t Kendric’s fiancée bother to
greet us?”
Madelyn raised her coffee cup and let out a forced smile. “Perhaps she
didn’t notice us.”
The ladies put on an act of surprise, “she doesn’t treat you so rudely like this at home, does she?”
One of them let out a subtle chuckle. “Seems like she’s forgotten her
manners.”
Madelyn furrowed her brows in thought. This wasn’t how Celeste used to be. She used to be respectful and well–behaved. She wouldn’t dare to disobey any of Madelyn’s orders.
Madelyn wondered what had come over Celeste lately. Every time they met, Celeste would respond with sharp words and coldness.
Mrs. Brown noticed Madelyn’s scowl.
After everyone had left, Mrs. Brown came to Madelyn specially, “Madelyn, would you like some advice on how to teach your daughter–in–law to be more respectful towards you?”
Mrs. Brown whispered, “do you remember the family tutor I told you last time, Annmarie?”
Madelyn recalled that Mrs. Brown did say she had hired a family tutor for
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her daughter–in–law, specializing in etiquette. Since then, her daughter–in–law
not only became well–versed in manners but also exceptionally obedient to Mrs.
Brown.
Madelyn took a sip of coffee.
For the sake of convenience, Kendric changed into a set of casual clothes.
He was tall and well–proportioned, and any outfit he wore made him pleasing to
the eye. After changing his clothes, he glanced back at Celeste, who was
wearing a deeply resentful expression.
He leisurely buttoned his shirt, “why aren’t you changing your clothes?”
Celeste took a deep breath. Despite inwardly cursing this jerk hundreds of
times over, she maintained a calm tone.
“Kendric, you should know that I don’t want to go out with you.”
Such straightforward refusal should have been clear to any normal person. However, Kendric was far from normal. In his world, he was the one who gave orders, not the one taking them.
When he told Celeste to go out with him, it wasn’t a request for her
agreement. It was a command for her to prepare herself.
“My dad doesn’t come by often, and I want to offer him a happy journey,” Celeste tried to make herself sound reasonable.
“You don’t want to stay with me,” he finally said.
Celeste knew he was about to get irritated again, but she calmly reiterated, “That’s right, Kendric. I don’t want to go out with you, and frankly, I don’t want
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to be in the same space with you.”
“Okay, you don’t have to come out with me. It’s better for you to stay at
home, so I won’t have to worry too much about whether you’ll run away again,”
he said angrily.
In that moment, various possible outcomes flashed through Celeste’s mind-
arguments, compromises, standoffs.
She couldn’t change Kendric. She couldn’t alter his consistently arrogant attitude, and she couldn’t influence any decision he made.
“Kendric… please don’t do this,” Celeste lowered her head, “please don’t treat me this way again.”
Kendric remained silent. His face, filled with icy indifference, seemed to say, “you ask for it.”
Countless thoughts raced through Celeste’s mind. He wouldn’t compromise, then she would have to be the one to give in. For the sake of her father… she really didn’t wanna ruin her father’s good mood.
She mustered her composure and slowly walked over.
She walked right up to Kendric. Her clear eyes reflected only his figure.
That’s why Kendric had always liked her eyes.
Her voice softened, “Kendric, from the time I moved into this
family until today, I’ve had very little time with my dad. It’s rare for him to come here, and I really want…”
Kendric enjoyed the long–lost tenderness from Celeste. Her voice and her expression were reminiscent of the way she used to be when she deeply loved
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him.
He reached out to touch her cheek, and Celeste resisted the urge to push
him away.
Cade
He bent down and kissed her eyes, “let go with you, and come back as
soon as possible.”
He compromised, but Celeste didn’t feel happy about it. Because it was the result of her once again setting aside her pride in front of Kendric.
“Okay.”
At the moment when Celeste walked out of the room with her back to Kendric, the tenderness in her eyes disappeared in an instant.
She bumped into Cade at the door. Her icy, emotionless gaze sent an inexplicable chill down Cade’s spine.
Cade couldn’t help but recall the scene he had witnessed just moments ago. His boss had been boiling with rage one second, but the next moment, after a few soothing words from Celeste, he had transformed into a gentle, harmless kitten.
Cade was fully alert. Like the others, he had grown used to underestimating Celeste.
For the first time, he started to reconsider, thinking that maybe this woman wasn’t as stupid as they had all believed.
Rod From Caged Love
