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Novel Catalog
Chapter 40 A Swift Rejection
Zachary stood there, completely at a loss for words. His mind was spinning, trying to figure out what he should say to Cecilia. Should he apologize for the past? Should he ask where she had been all these years? Or perhaps there was something else he could say to make her understand?
But before he could gather his thoughts, Cecilia simply brushed past him, never even sparing him a glance. Zachary was taken aback, staring in disbelief as she continued on her way.
He turned around, hoping to catch up with her, but by the time he looked back, Cecilia had already gotten into her car and instructed the driver to leave. “Let’s go,” she said softly, her voice as serene as ever.
Zachary stood frozen, watching the sleek black Bentley pull away. It took him a moment to regain his composure, his heart still pounding. He reached for his phone, intending to call Nathaniel and report that Cecilia had returned.
However, as he thought about Nathaniel’s actions toward Cecilia over the years, Zachary hesitated. He knew better than to jump into this too quickly. After all, he was a selfish man, and seeing Cecilia again only brought back a whirlwind of emotions.
He wrote down her license plate number and sent someone to track down her current address. He needed to know more about where she was living, and he couldn’t help but wonder about her intentions now.
Meanwhile, Cecilia remained calm in the back of her car, gazing out the window. Her mind was at peace, but a question lingered: How did Zachary end up at the cemetery?
Images of past encounters, where Zachary had bullied her, flashed through her mind. She felt a familiar discomfort in her ears. To soothe the irritation, Cecilia removed her hearing aid, a precaution she had learned to take over the years. Her hearing impairment, which had been mild at first, had only worsened because of the stress Zachary had caused. The ringing in her ears, the occasional bleeding—these were things she had grown used to, though they still left her with a lingering sense of resentment.
At times, Cecilia regretted saving Zachary in the first place. If she had just let him be, she wouldn’t have had to endure the suffering he had caused her. But she also knew that dwelling on the past wouldn’t help her now. The most important thing was saving Elliot, her son. She couldn’t afford to be distracted by anything else.
To avoid any unnecessary complications, she chose to act like she didn’t know Zachary. There was no need for him to become involved in her plans. Besides, she knew he would do anything for Stella’s sake.
As the car sped towards her home, Cecilia’s phone rang. It was an agent from Central Media, the largest entertainment company under Rainsworth Group’s umbrella.
“Ms. Cecille, is this you?” the agent asked. “We’ve heard about your recent composition, and we’d love to discuss the possibility of purchasing the rights to your song. Rest assured, the compensation will be substantial.”
Cecilia’s pen name, Cecille, had gained her recognition as a talented composer, and many in the industry admired her work. The agent on the phone quickly explained that Central Media was eager to promote her compositions, especially since Stella Ross, one of their biggest stars, was interested in performing her music.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not currently looking to collaborate,” Cecilia replied, her tone polite but firm.
The agent, eager not to lose the opportunity, quickly tried to convince her, “Ms. Cecille, if you allow Stella to perform your song, it will surely become a sensation. You’ll be able to reach a wider audience.”
But before he could continue, Cecilia cut him off with a sharp laugh. “If it were anyone else singing it, maybe we could continue this conversation,” she said, before hanging up the phone.
At Central Media’s headquarters, the agent stared at his phone in disbelief. He had just received one of the most unexpected rejections of his career.
He shook his head and turned to Stella, who had been anxiously waiting by his side. “She turned us down, Stella,” he said, his voice tinged with frustration.
Stella raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting that outcome. “Did you not tell her that she could name her price?” she asked, her tone cool and calculated.
“I did. I offered her everything, but she still refused,” the agent replied.
Cecille’s reputation as a composer was well known, especially after her song Girl in the Alley had been remixed and became an international hit. The various versions of the song had enjoyed massive popularity in different countries, and anyone who knew anything about music knew that a composition by Cecille was bound to be successful.
Stella’s entertainment career, however, had recently stalled. She was in desperate need of a hit, and a song by Cecille could provide the breakthrough she needed.
“Does she know I’ll be the one singing it?” Stella asked again, her voice tinged with hope.
The agent nodded, repeating the details of his conversation with Cecilia. He could only wonder what had caused the famous composer to turn down such a lucrative opportunity.
