《The True Lady Strikes Back novel (Cecilia and Christopher)》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¡°Dr. Larson, what are you still waiting for? Hurry up and draw the blood! Julia has rpsed and is in need of a blood transfusion!¡± Sophia Yancey paid little attention to her unconscious biological daughter in the hospital bed as she urgently hastened the doctor, who was holding a blood collection bag. The doctor exined hesitantly, ¡°Mrs. Yancey, Ms. Cecilia Yancey has already lost a significant amount of blood and still hasn¡¯t regained consciousness. Drawing more blood from her would be harmful to her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only 400 ml, and this country girl is in good health. She¡¯ll be all right.¡± ¡°But Ms. Cecilia Yancey already had 400 ml of blood drawn three days ago, and she¡¯s injured and losing more blood today. If we draw another 400 ml from her, it could be life¨Cthreatening. The most we can do is 200 ml.¡± Hearing this, Sophia remained unfazed and even grabbed the doctor¡¯s cor, scolding angrily, ¡°Enough with this nonsense. Just get it done!¡± In her view, drawing blood from Cecilia Yancey would, at worst, leave thetter weakened. But if they didn¡¯t give Juliana Yancey a blood transfusion immediately, Juliana would be in unbearable pain. Though Ceciliay on the hospital bed, unable to open her eyes, she was conscious of her surroundings. A chilling emptiness gnawed at her heart as she listened to her biological mother¡¯s heartless words. She had been switched at birth with Juliana and had only reunited with the Yancey family three years ago. 12:32 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers Cecilia had believed that by giving her all, she would finally earn the approval of her family, but all she had really been was a mobile blood bank for Juliana all this time! Just as these bitter thoughts consumed her, she felt a familiar, prickling pain. It was Sophia who, sensing the doctor¡¯s reluctance to draw the blood, took matters into her own hands and collected the blood herself. Her actions were so practiced that it was clear she had done it numerous times in the past. The cold needle prated Cecilia¡¯s skin like a sharp de thrust into her heart. In a sudden burst of resolve, she opened her eyes, swiftly removed the needle, and sat up. Sophia was startled by Cecilia¡¯s unexpected moves. Staring at the fresh blood trickling from the puncture mark, the former couldn¡¯t help but feel concerned. However, her concern wasn¡¯t for Cecilia¡¯s well¨Cbeing but rather for the precious Rh¨Cnegative blood going to waste. Hence, without any regard for whether the needle had been contaminated, Sophia hastily retrieved the bloodncet from the floor and jabbed it into Cecilia¡¯s arm at the puncture mark once more. Her emotional maniption continued. ¡°Ceci, I know you¡¯re a kind¨Chearted and good child. I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t want to see Julia in pain, would you?¡± Cecilia withdrew her arm and applied pressure with her fingers to the still¨Cbleeding puncture mark. Acting as if she hadn¡¯t overheard the doctor and her mother talking, she firmly stated, ¡°Mom, I had already transfused my blood to Juliana three days ago, and I¡¯m injured and losing blood again today. If more blood is taken, I could go into shock 12:32 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers or, worse, die.¡± Sophia dismissed her daughter¡¯s words, smiling with apparent affection. ¡°Ceci, I understand it hasn¡¯t been fair to you, but Julia-¡± Cecilia had gotten sick of her mother¡¯s fake smile and instantly interrupted thetter, questioning, ¡°Will Juliana die if I don¡¯t give her a blood transfusion now?¡± ¡°Ceci, don¡¯t be so stubborn. Let¡¯s just give Julia the blood transfusion she needs. Otherwise, she¡¯ll be in a lot of pain.¡± Hearing this, Cecilia sneered, ¡°She might be in pain, but I¡­ might die!¡± She continued probing, ¡°Mom, before you took my blood, did you even check with the hospital to see if they had Rh¨Cnegative blood avable? Did you ask about transferring blood from another hospital?¡± Sophia found herself at a loss for words in the face of Cecilia¡¯s question, a pang of guilt settling in her heart. She had indeed never considered this aspect, as each time Juliana fell ill, she would immediately request Cecilia¡¯s blood,pletely forgetting that the hospital had its own blood supply. ¡°Ceci, I¡¯m sorry.¡± She offered a perfunctory apology, then turned to the doctor at once and urged, ¡°Hurry and check if there¡¯s any blood avable in the blood bank. If not, arrange to get some from another hospital!¡± After the doctor left, Cecilia, leaning against the bed and carefully avoiding her shoulder wound, dered loud and clear, ¡°I won¡¯t give Juliana blood anymore.¡± Upon hearing that, Sophia instantly let go of the blood collection bag she was holding and reached out to grasp Cecilia¡¯s hand. ¡°Ceci, it was I who made a mistake by not considering your 12:33 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers feelings, but please don¡¯t say things out of anger. How is Julia supposed to survive without your blood?¡± Cecilia retracted her hand and responded coldly, ¡°She wasn¡¯t birthed or raised by me. I¡¯m not obligated to be responsible for her life or death.¡± Just then, the ward¡¯s door was forcefully pushed open, and Gordon Yancey, the father of Cecilia and Juliana, strode in. He had overheard Cecilia¡¯s words earlier, so his face was filled with outrage. ¡°Yes, you have no obligation to care about Juliana¡¯s life or death, but you are my biological child. My blood flows through your veins, and after every blood draw, I give you 40,000 dors. I¡¯ve never treated you unfairly!¡± In other words, he was implying that Cecilia had benefited from this arrangement yet pretended otherwise. Cecilia initially presumed that her heart wouldn¡¯t ache anymore, but these words did wrench at her heart at once. It was agonizing and almost unbearable. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Yet, after the pain subsided, she felt an overwhelming sense of relief. She reached for her phone on the nightstand and began tapping on it. Ding! When the phone notification chimed, Cecilia spoke calmly. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve returned you all the money I earned from selling my blood over the past three years. Consider it repayment for bringing me to this world, then.¡± Gordon was initially furious at her response, but as he nced at the bank¡¯s iing text message, his pupils briefly constricted. There was over 1.2 million dors deposited into his ount! 12:33 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers In essence, over the span of three years since Cecilia¡¯s return to the Yancey family, she had undergone blood transfusions for Juliana on more than 30 asions, a stark contrast to an average person¡¯s typical limit of donating blood just twice a year. He gripped his phone tightly, his guilt manifesting in his gaze on Cecilia as he began, ¡°Ceci¡­¡± Unfortunately, before he could continue, the ward¡¯s door was abruptly pushed open once more. Jonathan Yancey, the eldest of the Yancey siblings, entered with a sense of urgency and informed, ¡°There¡¯s no blood avable in the hospital, and we can¡¯t secure any from other hospitals as well. Julia has lost consciousness due to the pain.¡± After delivering the dire news, he turned his gaze toward the pale¨Cfaced Cecilia, anticipating her to take the initiative to offer up her blood. To his dismay, she merely raised her eyes and fixed them on him, her gaze resembling an endless, icy abyss. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you, Jon, but I won¡¯t be selling my blood to Juliana anymore. Kindly find another mobile blood bank for her.¡± The term ¡°mobile blood bank¡± hung heavily in the air, conveying an unspoken but powerful message that was akin tonding invisible ps on the faces of the trio. While not explicitly stated, Cecilia¡¯s role within the Yancey family was to be the rescuer for Juliana. Their fleeting sense of guilt quickly vanished when they witnessed Cecilia¡¯s reluctance to save Juliana. Sophia made an emotional appeal, saying, ¡°Ceci, Julia has always been so kind to you and shares everything nice with you. How could you turn your back on her like that?¡± Gordon mentioned past support she had received from 12:33 +5 vouchers Juliana. ¡°Ceci, don¡¯t forget, every time you got into trouble before, it was Julia who spoke up for you, preventing your expulsion from school.¡± Jonathan, too, attempted to urge Ceci to repay Juliana. ¡°Remember when you were kidnapped? Julia was the one who found the clues, and then you were saved. You owe her your life, so giving her a blood transfusion is only fair.¡± Hearing these words, Cecilia genuinely couldn¡¯t help but let out a cynical chuckle. She gazed at the three of them and sarcastically questioned, ¡°Did I ask her to be kind to me? Did I ask her to speak up for me? Did I ask her to rescue me?¡± Cecilia knew that Juliana¡¯s kindness toward her was merely superficial. In fact, behind Cecilia¡¯s back, Juliana had ndered and plotted against the former, thus tarnishing Cecilia¡¯s reputation. Even that kidnapping incident had been orchestrated by Juliana. Of course, Cecilia had attempted to expose Juliana¡¯s hypocrisy and even presented evidence. s, the Yancey family not only refused to believe her but also used her of being jealous of Juliana, hence making false usations. Gordon, Sophia, and Jonathan stared at the ¡°cruel and unscrupulous¡± Cecilia with profound disappointment. They believed that not publicly acknowledging her as part of the family had been a wise choice. Gordon ordered sternly, ¡°Cecilia Yancey, you must draw your blood to save Julia today!¡± With that, he stooped down to pick up the blood collection bag from the floor. The blood on the needle had already coagted and been 12:33 trodden upon, but he seemed unconcerned about it as he held the bloodncet and approached the hospital bed. ¡°Stretch your arm out. Don¡¯t make me get rough with you!¡± Cecilia released her hand that was pressing on the puncture mark. The bleeding had stopped, but the numerous puncture marks remained visible, some old and some fresh. Instead of extending her arm, she lifted the nket, got off the bed, and gathered her personal belongings in preparation to leave. However, Jonathan blocked her path. ¡°Ceci, must you really be so heartless and fall out with your family?¡± Cecilia sneered, ¡°When have you people ever treated me as family? Step aside. Don¡¯t push my limits.¡± Knowing that there was no more room for negotiation, Jonathan reached out to grab Cecilia¡¯s shoulder. Unexpectedly, she swiftly sidestepped, easily evading his grasp. Simultaneously, she delivered a forceful knee strike to his abdomen. Jonathan let out a muffled groan and doubled over in pain. His face turned as white as a sheet, his eyes showing disbelief. He had already remained wary of Cecilia¡¯s actions but didn¡¯t even get to see her movements clearly before he was hit. Gordon, witnessing her willingness to hit Jonathan, grew increasingly displeased. He threatened, ¡°Cecilia, if you dare to leave this room, I will disown you as my daughter!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I exactly want.¡± With those words, Cecilia opened the door of the ward and walked out without a backward nce. As she passed the adjacent ward, she nced at Juliana lying in The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers the bed, and a cold smile worked its way across her face. She mused, ¡°Juliana Yancey, the real show¡¯s about to begin!¡± Now free from the constraints of the Yancey family, Cecilia was determined to repay every ounce of harm Juliana had inflicted upon her. Cecilia made a phone call after leaving the hospital. ¡°Professor Foster, I¡¯d like you to see a new patient. It¡¯s Juliana Yancey in Quilton Central Hospital.¡± After ending the call, Cecilia hailed a taxi and returned to the Yancey residence. Her personal belongings were still there, so she needed to pack them up before leaving. At present, the three individuals in Cecilia¡¯s ward were still in a state of shock. They couldn¡¯t fathom that Cecilia, who had always been obedient and amodating, not only resorted to violence but also agreed to sever ties with the Yancey family. After all, she had strived to be the darling daughter of the Yancey family, working hard to fit into the upper ss. She was always willing to fulfill their wishes and remained amodating andpliant. Jonathan spected, ¡°Mom, Dad, could it be that Cecilia is upset because we all rushed to save Julia but ignored her when the ident happened? Is that why she¡¯s deliberately doing this to show her displeasure?¡± That was the only reason he coulde up with. ¡°She can¡¯t possibly want to give up her position as the daughter of the Yancey family and return to the countryside to be a farmer, right?¡± he pondered. Sophia nodded in agreement and said with annoyance, ¡°Ceci is seriously too unreasonable. Given Julia¡¯s fragile health, it¡¯s only 12:33 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers natural for us to show her more affection.¡± Gordon sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on this for now. Our priority is to save Julia.¡± The trio returned to Juliana¡¯s ward, and the family of six discussed how to get Rh¨Cnegative blood. Unbeknownst to them, Juliana, who was pretending to be unconscious, was secretly thrilled to learn of Cecilia¡¯s falling out with the Yancey family. In reality, her illness had been cured a year ago through multiple blood transfusions. However, she had bribed the hospital doctors to put on a show alongside her. On one hand, it was to torment Cecilia, and on the other hand, it was to sway the Yancey family in her favor further. Sympathy for the weak always worked. She thought, ¡°How dare a brainless country bumpkin dream of taking my ce as the first daughter of the Yancey family? Over her dead body!¡± With this in mind, Juliana allowed her eyshes to flutter and gradually opened her eyes. She adeptly portrayed herself as weak, vulnerable, and suffering from excruciating pain, her acting utterly convincing. ¡°Dad, Mom, Jon, please don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m fine, really.¡± Just as she finished speaking, Gordon¡¯s phone rang. Seeing that it was thendline in the Yancey residence, he promptly answered it. ¡°Mr. Yancey, Ms. Cecilia Yancey has returned and is packing her belongings in her room. It seems like she¡¯s nning to leave,¡± said the butler. ¡°Stop her! She won¡¯t be going anywhere until I return!¡± 12:33 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers With that, Gordon disconnected the call furiously. ¡°Cecilia is seriously out of control now. She¡¯s actually thinking of running away from home. I¡¯ll go get her and make sure we get blood for Julia!¡± he informed the rest. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 At the Yancey residence, Cecilia had already packed away her personal belongings. She didn¡¯t take anything that the Yancey family bought for her. Even the clothes she wore were the same ones she had on when she arrived three years ago. Cecilia nced at the room she had stayed in for three years, slung the bag over her uninjured left shoulder, and turned to leave without hesitation. Just as she exited the room, the butler stopped her. ¡°Ms. Cecilia Yancey, Mr. Yancey said you cannot leave until he returns.¡± As the butler had received plenty of favors from Juliana and was on Juliana¡¯s side, he frequently made things difficult for Cecilia, twisting her words and looking down on her. Cecilia had already tolerated his behavior for a long time. At present, she obviously wasn¡¯t going to stand for it anymore, which was why she raised a leg and kicked him in the knee. With a muffled thud, the butler fell heavily to the floor. He clutched his almost shattered kneecap and howled in pain. Those who didn¡¯t know might even assume he was wailing over someone¡¯s passing if they heard him. The housekeepers didn¡¯t dare to step forward, and all of them looked at Cecilia fearfully as if unable to recognize her. Even their attitude toward her unconsciously became respectful as well. Cecilia ignored the housekeepers and looked at the butler, who was still howling in pain. She dug her ear impatiently and stated coldly, ¡°How noisy.¡± Immediately after saying that, she reached out and fractured 1710 12:33 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers his jaw. The intense pain nearly made the butler faint. He writhed on the floor, suddenly not knowing whether to cover his mouth or clutch his knee. After dealing with the butler, Cecilia didn¡¯t leave and instead sat down on the couch. She did so not because she was frightened by the butler¡¯s words, nor was it because she had lingering feelings for the Yancey family. Her main reason was that she was still officially recognized as a member of the Yancey family. Half an hourter, apart from Sophia, who stayed in the hospital to look after Juliana, the other five male members of the Yancey family returned home. It seemed they intended to drag Cecilia to the hospital even if she refused to go. Meanwhile, the butler, who had been rolling on the ground, behaved as though he had seen his savior and instantly crawled to them in a bizarre posture. His clothes had been soaked with sweat, leaving a long trail of moisture on the floor. Gordon looked at the butler, who was drooling as his jaw had been dislocated, and asked in disgust, ¡°How did this happen?¡± The butler pointed at Cecilia, his eyes filled with hatred. Cecilia looked over and raised an eyebrow. ¡°What? Can¡¯t I even deal with a servant?¡± Jonathan immediately responded, ¡°Of course you can.¡± With that, he instructed a housekeeper to take the butler away. After all, if they wanted Cecilia to donate her blood willingly, they had to cater to her a little. Right then, the five men and Cecilia were the only people left in the living room. 12:33 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers Cecilia stood up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to to the newspaper to cut off our rtionship publicly.¡± Gordon noticed she was only carrying one bag and reckoned she was merely putting on a show, for he didn¡¯t believe that she would leave with so few possessions. ¡°Ceci, you need to control your temper. We do treat Julia better because of her poor health. We didn¡¯t Today was Quilton University¡¯s school anniversary celebration. As Juliana had a piano recital, all members of the Yancey family attended it. However, an ident urred when a light near the rear of the auditorium¡¯s ceiling fell without warning. At once, the six members of the Yancey family, who sat in the front row, rushed to the stage to protect Juliana, even though she wasn¡¯t in any danger. Nobody had thought to help Cecilia, who happened to sit in the danger zone in the back row. Afterward, the Yancey family did feel slightly guilty. Yet, Juliana abruptly rpsed, whereas Cecilia was purely injured, so their guilt for Cecilia was instantly reced by concern for Juliana. Now, seeing that Cecilia was unwilling to help Juliana due to this matter, they found her extremely petty. Cecilia listened to Gordon¡¯s insincere exnation and exposed his hypocrisy right away. ¡°Mr. Yancey, if you had just said youpletely forgot about me at that time, I¡¯d still have some respect for you. Instead, you¡¯re trying to use established facts to cover up your favoritism. How disgusting.¡± Upon being chastised, Gordon turned red with rage and lost 12:33 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers his cool. He raised his hand in an attempt to p Cecilia. Unexpectedly, she ignored the impending p and simply stared intently at Gordon. ¡°If he truly dares to hit me, I¡¯ll cripple his hand!¡± she fumed inwardly. Gordon felt uneasy under her gaze, but he couldn¡¯t swallow this insult from his daughter. Therefore, he pped her without second thoughts. Cecilia rapidly leaned back and turned her head, causing his hand to pass over her face and bring upon a gust of wind that ruffled her hair. Her eyes were frosty as ice as she grabbed Gordon¡¯s wrist single¨Chandedly and forcefully twisted it downward. With a loud crack, the man¡¯s wrist became dislocated, and his whole arm hung limp. If not for the fact that they were rted by blood, his hand would¡¯ve been totally crippled by now. Gordon uncontrobly cried out as the intense pain struck his wrist. He looked at Cecilia in disbelief as his lips quivered in his rage, so much so that he even forgot the pain. Ignoring his fury, Cecilia pulled out a sheet of wet tissue that was on the coffee table and unhurriedly wiped the fingers that had touched him as if they had been soiled by something filthy. Jonathan strode forward and admonished, ¡°Cecilia Yancey, you¡¯ve lost your mind!¡± Cecilia looked up, her gaze utterly frigid and no longer carrying the warmth it used to have. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve lost my mind, so you guys better not mess with a lunatic like me, or I don¡¯t know what will happen next.¡± 12:33 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers Jonathan¡¯s attitude softened when he saw how defensive she was. ¡°Tell me, what will it take for you to give Julia a blood transfusion? Is 200 thousand dors enough?¡± She sneered, ¡°Have you been Juliana¡¯s simp for so long that you can¡¯t understand simple words anymore?¡± She thought, ¡®Do they think I¡¯m deliberately throwing a tantrum to extort more money? Pfft! What a joke! I don¡¯t even want this family anymore, so why would I care whether Juliana lives or dies?¡® Humiliated by her straightforward words, Jonathan dropped his pretense of gentleness and looked at her disdainfully. ¡°It¡¯s been three years since you returned to the Yancey family, and you still haven¡¯t shaken off those bad habits of country people? Can¡¯t you learn from Julia and be an elegantdy? Look at how uncouth and vulgar you are!¡± Amused, Cecilia pressed her tongue against the back of her teeth and smirked mockingly. ¡°What should I be like, then? Willingly be Juliana¡¯s mobile blood bank? Dream on!¡± She continued firmly, ¡°Your precious Juliana is your business. I won¡¯t sacrifice myself for you people anymore. If you continue saying things that piss me off, I don¡¯t mind shutting you up with my fists!¡± Upon hearing this, Gordon was deeply disappointed. ¡°What? Bullying your ssmates in school isn¡¯t enough? Now, you want toy hands on your family, too?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who started it, Mr. Yancey? You simply failed.¡± Gordon looked at his limp arm, unable to retort a single word 12:34 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers in response. Jackson Yancey, the fourth Yancey sibling, had no interest in listening to Cecilia¡¯s nonsense any longer. He purely wanted her to hurry to the hospital to save Juliana with a blood transfusion. Hence, he walked up to help relocate his father¡¯s wrist, then stared at Cecilia while cracking his knuckles threateningly. ¡°Go and give Julia a blood transfusion!¡± He was only two years older than Juliana, so the two had the closest rtionship, and she was practically the apple of his eye. Cecilia knew that Jackson was pretty physically adept. He was not only a professional racing driver but also a youth boxing champion. Regardless, she was not afraid at all. ¡°Must I win against you in order to get rid of you bloodsuckers and cut ties with the Yancey family?¡± At her audacious words, Jackson made the first move and taunted, ¡°We¡¯ll talk after you win against me!¡± Cecilia stood motionless. As Jackson¡¯s leg swept toward her, she raised her elbow to counterattack, took a step forward, and hit his chest with her fist. Jackson rapidly retreated. Just as he moved one step back, his neck was hooked by one of her backpack¡¯s straps. Meanwhile, the other strap was held in Cecilia¡¯s hand. With a hard yank, Cecilia made Jackson involuntarily stumble toward her. Her fist which was already charged with force thennded heavily on his chin. The sound of teeth shing sent shivers down the others¡® spines. 12:34 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers The next second, Cecilia¡¯s elbow struck Jackson¡¯s spine as she tightened the strap of her backpack. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Jonathan was both shocked and incensed when he saw his younger brother choking and gasping for breath. ¡°Cecilia, stop!¡± Hearing this, Jeremiah Yancey and Jayden Yancey, the second and third Yancey siblings, respectively, immediately stepped forward, wanting to save Jackson. ¡°Stay right there if you don¡¯t want him to die!¡± Cecilia bellowed. Despite struggling to breathe, Jackson stubbornly provoked, ¡°Go ahead! Kill me if you dare!¡± It never crossed his mind that Cecilia was so formidable that she could subdue him in less than ten seconds. Cecilia snickered, increasing the pressure of her grip. ¡°You think I don¡¯t dare to?¡± She then looked at her father. ¡°Can we go to the newspaper now?¡± Seeing that Jackson¡¯s eyes were already bulging, Gordon hurriedly urged, ¡°Ceci, release Jack first. We can sit down and talk it out.¡± ¡°I have nothing to say to all of you. All I want is to have nothing to do with you people.¡± ¡°All right, we¡¯ll do as you say.¡± Atst, Cecilia let go of Jackson and slung her bag over her shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then. Take your personal information documents, and we¡¯ll go to the newspaper.¡± Gordon immediately helped Jackson lie down on the couch. He then stared at the Cecilia he longer recognized and questioned solemnly, ¡°Have you thought it through? There¡¯s no more turning back, even if you regret thister on!¡± 12:34 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers ¡°My only regret is returning to the Yancey family three years ago. You¡¯re merely persuading me to stay so that I can continue being Juliana¡¯s mobile blood bank. Let¡¯s just go our separate ways from now on. If anyone st* pidly messes with me in the future, I will surely retaliate!¡± With that, she nced upstairs, motioning for her father to fetch the papers needed. Gordon still didn¡¯t believe she would cut ties with the Yancey family, so he reminded her, ¡°Ceci, that¡¯s enough pretense.¡± Cecilia knew they were conceited, but she didn¡¯t expect it to be to this extent. She thought, ¡®Where did they get the confidence to think I¡¯m dying to be a part of the Yancey family? If it weren¡¯t for¡­ Forget it. Now¡¯s not the time to think about that. She enunciated each word resolutely, ¡°Go get the documents needed, Mr. Yancey!¡± ¡°The Yancey family will soon realize I¡¯m not pretending. I truly want nothing to do with them anymore!¡± she thought. As Cecilia¡¯s tone left no room for negotiation, Gordon fixated his gaze on her, genuinely wishing he could look into her head to see what was on her mind. ¡°I¡¯ll have to inform your mother about your disowning first.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll give you all three days. If you don¡¯t handle this matter well, I¡¯ll publicly disclose Juliana¡¯s identity as an imposter!¡± Cecilia knew the Yancey family too well, so she naturally knew their vulnerabilities. As expected, all five men exploded in unison, shouting, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± ¡°I will if you don¡¯t let me leave the Yancey family!¡± 12:34 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers She was confident the Yancey family would absolutely choose Juliana over her. Thus, she would certainly be able to break free from them. When Cecilia turned to leave, Jeremiah stopped her. ¡°Ceci, haven¡¯t you always wanted your own recording studio? Give Julia a blood transfusion, and I¡¯ll give you one.¡± To him, Cecilia¡¯s tantrum was unimportant, and acquiring a recording studio was a cakewalk. His priority was to make Juliana suffer less. Cecilia was a junior in the music department at Quilton University. She and Juliana were in the same department but had different majors. Although they attended the same university, Juliana had had her own recording studio since freshman year. Cecilia, on the other hand, could only trade her blood in exchange for a recording studio, and after falling out with the Yancey family, no less. She looked at Jeremiah, who was pretending to be so charitable, and scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re truly such a good big brother to Juliana!¡± Hearing this, he said impatiently, ¡°If you think that¡¯s not enough, I can also record a song with you.¡± Jeremiah was the Top Idol Singer and could bring Cecilia a lot of poprity, something many people could only dream of. Indeed, Cecilia used to want him to record a song with her. She wasn¡¯t eyeing his poprity. Instead, she simply wanted her brother to dote on her as he did to Juliana. However, now that she had seen the true nature of the Yancey family, she didn¡¯t want anything from them anymore. After scanning the five Yancey men icily, she stated, ¡°Even if you guys give me the entire Yancey Corporation, I still won¡¯t 12:34 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers transfuse blood to Juliana again. Remember, you only have three days.¡± With that, she pushed Jeremiah out of her way and left the Yancey residence. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Seeing that Cecilia had really left, Jayden quickly chased after her. Juliana was still waiting for a blood transfusion in the hospital, so he could not let Cecilia leave just like that. However, Jonathan stopped Jayden and said in a low voice, ¡°Let her go. She will definitely return by herself in three days. After all, she has found the excuse.¡± In Jonathan¡¯s opinion, she did not continue to make a scene but gave them three days simply to leave a n B for herself. He did not believe that Cecilia, who had been used to livingvishly and extravagantly, could still live the hard life she did before! At this moment, Jackson had already regained his senses. He snorted coldly with his exceedingly swollen chin, slurring, ¡°How could a woman like her, who pounces on every wealthy man, possibly give up the position of the daughter of the Yancey family?¡± Hearing this, Gordon remembered the over 1.2 million dors that Cecilia had returned to him. He interjected in a deep voice, ¡°Shut up. Ceci is not a person who¡¯s greedy for money. She¡¯s returned me all the blood transfusionpensation today.¡± The ridicule in Jayden¡¯s eyes became even more apparent. ¡°Dad, you mustn¡¯t be softhearted to her. This is just a show she put on to raise her price. Believe it or not, it won¡¯t just cost 40,000 dors to make her give Julia a blood transfusion next time!¡± Jonathan chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s right. She didn¡¯t even agree to my offer of 1 million dors just now. Clearly, she wants more. Dad, don¡¯t be fooled by Cecilia. She¡¯s not st* pid, so there¡¯s no 12:34 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers way she¡¯ll give up the good life with us and run back to the countryside to farm.¡± ¡°Dad, don¡¯t just look at thepensation she returned to you. I¡¯m sure she took away the expensive jewelry we gave her. The total valuees up to at least 2 million dors.¡± Seeing the few of them talking endlessly, Jeremiah interrupted impatiently, ¡°Who cares what Cecilia does? I¡¯m absolutely not going to stop her if she wants to leave. If she wants toe back, I can also pay for her living expenses. But the most important thing now is Julia¡¯s illness.¡± Everyone¡¯s attention immediately went back to Juliana once they heard that, and Cecilia soon slipped their minds. Meanwhile, after Cecilia left, she took a taxi to a condominium near Quilton University. Back then, when the Yancey family fetched her back home, they had assumed she was an illiterate who only knew how to farm. As they were embarrassed by her, they donated an indoor swimming pool to Quilton University in exchange for the school to enroll and let Cecilia enter the music department. They imed to want to cultivate her artistic skills and make up for herck of education with manners and talent. At that time, Cecilia did not know the Yancey family well, so she did not want to reveal her past, nor did she want to refuse their kindness. That was why she agreed. After attending university, she found that what she was being taught was way too simple, so she made a deal with the chancellor. Except for the asions where attendance was mandatory, she would arrange her own schedule at her will. Following that, Cecilia bought a condo unit near Quilton University and spent most of her daytime there. 12:34 45 vouchers Because of this, Juliana told the Yancey family that Cecilia often skipped sses to fool around outside. Cecilia couldn¡¯t tell them what she was doing at the condominium, but no matter how she exined and guaranteed, no one would believe her. Even when Cecilia showed them her satisfactory academic scores, they only believed in Juliana¡¯s usation that the former had bought the answers. Thinking of this, Ceciliaughed self¨Cdeprecatingly. She had believed that sincerity would beget sincerity, but all she got in return was to be hurt and trampled upon. Now, she had seen through things and finally freed herself. She walked to the door of her condo unit, entered the passcode, and looked into the peephole. The door opened after the iris recognition was a sess. The unit consisted of three bedrooms and one living room, decorated in a cold, gray shade, and only equipped with essential furniture, which made the entire ce look empty. Cecilia closed the door and went to the study that also functioned as a temporary lounge. She put her backpack on the desk, took out the medicine kit from the cab, and went into the bathroom. She then took off her ck T¨Cshirt. The gauze wrapping her right shoulder had already been soaked in blood, and a part of her sun¨Ckissed back was also dyed red. This wound was sustained when she helped someone while the ceiling light in Quilton University¡¯s auditorium fell. Her movements when dealing with Jackson at the Yancey residence had been too great earlier, causing her wound to tear. Cecilia turned sideways, looked at the wound through the 340 N?velDrama.Org owns all content. 12:34 The True Lady Strikes Back mirror, and tore off the gauze expressionlessly. S**y +5 vouchers At once, blood flowed down the wound across her shoulder de and her beautiful waistline, dyeing her light blue jeans a dark red. Upon closer observation, one would be able to see that her bronzed skin was covered with light pink scars. Yet, not only were they not ugly, but they even added a touch of tough beauty to her. Cecilia cleaned the wound with alcohol and poured a special medicinal powder, which quickly stopped the bleeding. Next, she briefly wiped down her body, changed into a bathrobe, and exited the bathroom with the medicine kit in her hands. Unprecedented rxation washed over her as shey on the four¨Cfoot¨Clong roway bed. She took out her phone, and then ordered some daily necessities, clothes, groceries, kitchen utensils, and necessary home appliances from a nearby supermarket. When Cecilia was about to put down her phone and rest after making sure she did not miss out on anything, a call unexpectedly came in. The number was encrypted, disying only thest three digits. In an instant, she sat up and answered the call with a serious face. ¡°Evan.¡± A gentle male voice was heard. ¡°Ceci, have you left the Yancey residence?¡± Cecilia was aware that she wouldn¡¯t be able to hide her fallout with the Yancey family from the Shaw family, but she did not expect Evan Shaw to receive the news so soon after she left the Yancey residence. 12.34 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers ¡°Evan, you didn¡¯t spy on me, did you?¡± Evan did not deny it. ¡°I¡¯m not spying but protecting you. Since you¡¯ve left the Yancey residence,e back, then. Grandma misses you very much.¡± Now that Evan had known about it, there was no need for Cecilia to hide it from him anymore. Shepressed her pale lips and said, ¡°Evan, you know as well that I didn¡¯te to Quilton to simply reunite with my family. I have a more important thing to do.¡± ¡°Ceci, I will investigate what happened back then. If the person who hides in the dark finds out about your identity, you will be in danger!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡± ¡°But I am. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you. Juste back to the Shaw residence, okay?¡± Cecilia refused, ¡°No, Evan. No one can persuade me to change my mind. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s you or Grandma ine.¡± That brutal betrayal had happened because of her, causing five human lives to be taken. Hence, she was determined to find out the truth in person! Herst sentence stopped Evan¡¯s following words. He sighed helplessly. ¡°Ceci, protect yourself. You¡¯re never alone. Even if the Yancey family isn¡¯t your family, the Shaw family is.¡± Ever since she had memories, Cecilia had been learning all kinds of murdering skills and fighting with might and main alongside herpanions in the assassin organization. When she was eight years old, the assassin organization was disbanded by the police, and she was sent to an orphanage because her family couldn¡¯t be found. Due to the hostility that she had developed since she was 12:34 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers young and her cold¨Cblooded nature, the children in the orphanage regarded her as a monster. Only Evan dared to approach Cecilia. Even when she beat him to a pulp, he would still give her all the delicious food and interesting stuff. Subsequently, the Shaw family found their lost child, Evan, and they also took Cecilia back to the Shaw residence. After having a home, Cecilia finally lived like a human. Her expression became gentler, and there was even a faint smile on her face as she recalled the Shaw family. ¡°Evan, I¡¯ll go back to see Grandma ine during the summer break.¡± A smile also appeared on Evan¡¯s face when he heard that. ¡°Okay. Do you need me to do anything about the Yancey family?¡± ¡°No, I can handle it myself.¡± ¡°Ceci, take good care of yourself. Don¡¯t let yourself suffer any grievances. I¡¯m always here for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Evan. If you find any clues, please let me know.¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯m hanging up, then.¡± After the call ended, It was unknown how ¡­. fell into a slumber. long she had slept, but she was awakened by the ringing of her phone. Apparently, the things that she ordered had arrived. She smoothened her bathrobe, tied the straps tighter, and got up to open the front door. The service of the supermarket was truly splendid. The staff even carried the things into the living room before leaving. As there was a bunch of stuff, they upied nearly half of the living room. It took Cecilia an hour to unpack everything. 12:34 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers After throwing her new clothes into the washing machine, she went to cook in the kitchen. Since the morning, all she had was only a few sips of water. Thus, she cooked two simple homemade dishes and pasta and had a full meal. In truth, Cecilia had never had a full meal in the Yancey residence. It was not that the food they provided was not tasty, but they wanted her to be adylike woman. She was really tired of having to eat her food in small, measured mouthfuls. When she was done eating, herundry was also washed and dried. Cecilia put on a body¨Chugging T¨Cshirt and jeans, tied the hair covering her eyebrows into a top knot, then put on smoky makeup before heading out. At present, the sun had long set, and the afterglow of dusk had also gradually faded as if covered with a dark gauze. Cecilia hailed a taxi at the entrance of the residential area. ¡°Skyhaven Club, please.¡± Skyhaven Club was Quilton¡¯srgest entertainment establishment. It looked vintage and resembled a giant mansion. It was renovated to look resplendent and luxurious, exuding extravagance everywhere. Furthermore, it had a membership system, so not everyone could enter. Half an hourter, the taxi pulled over at nearly 110 yards away from Skyhaven Club. The driver exined, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss. Taxis aren¡¯t allowed to stop at the entrance of Skyhaven Club. You¡¯ll have to walk 12.34 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers over.¡± Cecilia paid the fare, got out of the car, and walked to Skyhaven Club. Right then, a limited edition Bugatti drove past her and pulled up at the entrance of Skyhaven Club. She recognized the car. As she expected, dressed in a suit, William Forte exited the car. William was Juliana¡¯s fianc¨¦. To be exact, he was initially Cecilia¡¯s fianc¨¦. However, as the Yancey family wouldn¡¯t acknowledge that Cecilia was their real daughter, the engagement became Juliana¡¯s. This was the only thing Cecilia had to thank Juliana for. Otherwise, she would have to put in effort to think of a way to get rid of this phndering dirtbag, William. Only after William entered Skyhaven Club did Cecilia walk to the entrance and take out her membership card. A look of surprise shed across the doorman¡¯s eyes, and he immediately lowered his head respectfully while making a weing gesture to her. Cecilia was used to this. Once she entered the ce, she walked through the lobby and went to the bar area. The lights in the bar were gorgeous and dim, and the sound of heavy metal was deafening. A group of men and women danced on the dance floor with enthusiasm. Cecilia bypassed the crowd, came to the bar counter, and ordered a cocktail. Whenever she was in a bad mood, she liked toe here, for the noisier the environment, the calmer her heart. While the bartender was making her drink, she scanned the 12:34 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers ce for William and quickly located him. William was sitting in the VIP booth seating, holding an enchanting woman in his arms and talking in her ear intimately. His touchy¨Cfeely hand wandered on the woman¡¯s thighs, and he even went so far as to slip it under her skirt as if no one was around. The corner of Cecilia¡¯s red lips quirked upward into a sly smile. Then, she took out her phone and deliberately sent an unclear photo to Juliana anonymously. Indeed, she did not like William, but she didn¡¯t think Juliana deserved this trash either. It had to be said that this trash came from the Forte family ¨C the richest family in Quilton. In other words, he was wealthy! Meanwhile, Juliana was still pretending to be sick in the hospital. Although the Yancey family used their connections and spent a lot of money to get Rh¨Cnegative blood, there had been a long dy, so she naturally could not immediately recover after the blood transfusion. After all, she was a frail person who almost died because Cecilia did not give her a blood transfusion. Therefore, Juliana had to lie on the hospital bed and use her fragility to make the Yancey family feel heartache for her and hate Cecilia even more. Hearing them berating Cecilia, she was simply over the moon on the inside. Suddenly, her phone sounded with a text message notification. Juliana picked up her phone on the bedside table and clicked on the message.. Her expression instantly changed once that unclear photo 12:34 The True Lady Strikes Back came into her view. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Although the photo was very blurry, Juliana was too familiar with William, so she recognized him at one nce. Seeing him embrace another woman so affectionately, she instantly exploded with rage. As such, she forgot she was supposed to be weak now and that the Yancey family were all paying attention to her. With a fierce expression, she vigorously tapped the screen and sent a message: [Who are you? Where was the photo taken?] Never in Juliana¡¯s wildest dream did she imagine William, who had always been so caring toward her, would secretly fool around with other women. His action was undoubtedly humiliating her. If the photos were to be exposed, she would be theughingstock of the aristocratic circle. At the thought of that, her expression became increasingly twisted, gloomy, and terrifying. This instantly caught the attention of the Yancey family, who were all shocked. They wondered how could the gentle, kind Juliana, who was like a delicate little white rabbit that needed their protection, have such a terrifying expression. Their piercing gazes instantly made Juliana snap back to reality, and her heart skipped a beat as her fingers, holding her phone, stiffened. Shortly after, her ferocious expression was reced by a look of aggrievement, and tears rolled down her face before she even spoke. Seeing Juliana in tears, the Yancey family naturally no longer cared about their astoundment and rushed tofort her one 12:35 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers after another. ¡°Julia, please don¡¯t cry. What happened? Tell me quickly. You¡¯re not in the best health. We don¡¯t want your eyes to get worse from crying,¡± urged Sophia. However, Juliana remained silent, and her tears poured even more as if she had experienced an immense injustice. ¡°Julia, did Cecilia send you a message to scold you? Quick, show it to me. I¡¯ll teach her a lesson for you!¡± After Jonathan finished speaking, he took Juliana¡¯s phone from her. Looking at the blurry photo on the phone screen, he, too, recognized the man in the photo to be William. At once, he was so furious that he almost smashed the phone. ¡°William has gone overboard! He merely came for a bit while Julia was in the hospital, iming he had business to attend to. Turns out, he¡¯s at the bar fooling around with another woman!¡± he informed the rest. Once that statement was made, the Yancey family immediately saw red. Without dy, Gordon sent the photo to William and called thetter on the phone. Meanwhile, the bar was extremely noisy, and William was deeply engrossed in thepanionship of beautiful women, so he did not even hear the relentless calls from the Yancey family. It was not until he grew dissatisfied with the kissing and touching and wanted to head upstairs to the private room for a more intimate interaction that he realized his phone was ringing. Feeling irritated, he took out his phone and wanted to turn it off. To his shock, he discovered it was Gordon calling, and there were dozens of missed calls, all from the Yancey family. 12:35 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers He hurriedly made his way to a well¨Cinsted restroom to answer the call. ¡°Mr. Yancey, I was in a meeting just now. My phone was silent, so I didn¡¯t hear your call. Is there something urgent you need from me?¡± Gordon sneered. ¡°A meeting? I suppose you haven¡¯t seen the photo I sent you, have you?¡± ¡°Photo? What photo?¡± William asked while exiting the call interface and opening the message sent by Gordon. When he saw that blurry photo, all colors drained from his face. For a moment, he did not even know how to exin himself. Upon receiving no response from William, Gordon shouted angrily, ¡°How could you treat Julia like this? I need to reconsider your marriage to her now.¡± With that, he hung up the phone. Panicked, William immediately tried to call back but realized he could not get through. After all, everyone from the Yancey family, including Juliana, had blocked William¡¯s phone number. William looked at the photo and roared furiously, ¡°Who¡¯s the one who has nothing better to do than to take photos of me secretly?¡± After his outburst, he left the restroom and prepared to go to the hospital to visit Juliana. Seeing the woman waiting for him, he grabbed her hair hotly and shoved the phone to her face. ¡°You despicable wench! Were you the one who hired someone to take pictures of me and you to send to Julia? How dare you try to harm me! Believe it or not, I¡¯ll destroy you!¡± Tears streamed down the woman¡¯s face as she felt like her scalp 12:35) The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers was being torn off, so she could not see the phone screen clearly at all. However, William¡¯s words made her understand what had happened. She quickly denied her involvement. ¡°Mr. Forte, I didn¡¯t do anything. You have to believe me.¡± The man did not bother to argue with her and pushed her away in disgust. ¡°Remember! If anyone asks about tonight, you must say that you seduced me, or else¡­¡± The woman knew she could not afford to provoke him, so she repeatedly assured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Forte! I¡¯ll never betray you.¡± William then strode away. He thought, ¡°I absolutely can¡¯t let this marriage fall through! Without the support of the Yancey family, I won¡¯t be able to take over Forte Group!¡± When passing by the bar, he suddenly stopped and looked at where he previously sat. A sudden realization struck him, and he looked at Cecilia, who was drinking a cocktail. ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Of course, he did not recognize Cecilia. He merely assumed she was Juliana¡¯s friend who discovered his infidelity and exposed him to Juliana. Cecilia ignored William and continued to drink as if he was invisible. She pondered, ¡°This jerk has been helping Juliana in harming me since long ago. I¡¯m purely collecting some interest today; the real deal is yet toe!¡± Seeing her ignore him, William became infuriated and reached out to push her. 12-35 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers Yet, Cecilia swiftly evaded him, causing him to push nothing but air. This made him lose his bnce and fall to the ground, ending up on his knees beside her. She pretended to be startled and immediately stood up, then ¡°identally¡± stepped on William¡¯s hand, even crushing it hard with force. ¡°Aah!¡± William cried in pain. ¡°Get lost!¡± Cecilia continued to step on it for a bit before finally moving her foot away. She deliberately said loudly, ¡°Oh my, fancy seeing you here, Mr. Forte. I¡¯m not royalty, so why are you greeting me on your knees? I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t deserve such a grand gesture!¡± That remark caught the attention of many people, and they began to gesture and point at William. ¡°Geez, Mr. Forte is truly getting more ingenious with his flirting these days. How did hee up with such a unique pickup approach?¡± ¡°I know, right? Everyone, let¡¯s quickly learn from him. With such sincerity, which woman can possibly resist?¡± ¡°Well, it seems that beauty is doing a good job resisting. Not only is she not touched, but she¡¯s even mocking Mr. Forte.¡± Several others continued chiming in as well. Nheless, after making a few jokes, everyone quickly shut up, as no one dared to really make fun of William. ¡°Mr. Forte, hurry and get up! It seems the beauty isn¡¯t falling for this.¡± Hearing that, William was practically foaming at the mouth. He thought, ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t want to get up? I would have if it weren¡¯t for my knees hurting so bad!¡± Seeing the man not moving, the crowd assumed he was too embarrassed. 12:35 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers Hence, someone said to Cecilia, ¡°Gorgeous, considering Mr. Forte¡¯s sincerity, why not lend him a hand and help him up? Making a scene won¡¯t benefit you in any way.¡± She chuckled softly. ¡°Mr. Forte has a fianc¨¦e, for crying out loud. How would I dare?¡± William, not wanting to be aughingstock, slowly stood up while holding onto the bar counter. After steadying himself, he raised his hand and wanted to p Cecilia¡¯s face. ¡°You despicable wench! You¡¯re totally asking for trouble!¡± To his dismay, she grabbed his wrist and swung it right back, following his momentum. Smack! William¡¯s handnded heavily on his own face. His handsome face instantly swelled, and the imprints of his fingers were clear as day. It was evident how immense the force behind the blow was. Cecilia approached him, who was in a daze from the hit, and asked, ¡°Mr. Forte, how much are you willing to offer to buy the photos that I have? What I sent Juliana was a blurry image, but I can absolutely provide the journalists with high¨Cresolution ones.¡± Those words snapped William out of his reverie. He stared at the smugly grinning woman and snickered as his tongue touched the inside of his sore cheek. ¡°You¡¯re plotting against me on the Forte family¡¯s territory? Do you have a death wish or something?¡± With that, he yelled, ¡°Someone,e and capture this despicable wench!¡± He pondered, ¡°Ha! So what if you send the photos to the journalists? In Quilton, no journalist dares to risk their life by exposing the Forte family¡¯s scandal!¡± 12:351 The Troe Lady Sirikes Back The bodyguards of Skyhaven Club, upon hearing themotion, swiftly surrounded Cecilia. Atst, the onlookers realized the situation was gettingplicated, and the timid ones began to step back, fearing they might get caught up in the mess. The manager of the establishment immediately ran over and asked reverentially, ¡°Mr. Forte, what happened?¡± Even though Skyhaven Club was established by the Forte family, William was not the owner. Besides, running a proper business meant they could not just publicly apprehend people without good reason, as it could harm their reputation. William, of course, would not reveal that his scandal had been photographed. With a stern expression, he ordered, ¡°Mr. Xanders, this woman was thieving. Quickly apprehend her for investigation.¡± ¡°As long as she¡¯s arrested, it¡¯s up to me to decide what to do with her!¡± he mused. Anthony Xanders, the manager of Skyhaven Club, naturally would not arrest someone solely based on William¡¯s words. He looked at Cecilia, who appeared to be keeping herself out of the matter, and queried, ¡°Miss, do you have anything to say about that?¡± ¡°Sure! Could you help me call the cops, Mr. Xanders? Mr. Forte is already an adult yet still seems unaware of what a false usation charge is. We need to get the cops here to enlighten him about it.¡± Upon hearing that, everyone felt that Cecilia had gone insane. After all, what good would it do to win this momentary battle? If she pissed William off, it would undoubtedly lead to her gruesome end! Anthony was a diplomatic person. He smiled and replied, ¡°You 12.351 The That Lach Strom Rack must be joking, Miss. At Skyhaven Club, we handle all matters internally. There¡¯s no need to involve the cops.¡± That statement made William extremely smug as he believed Anthony was siding with him. He thought, ¡°This woman must have lost her mind to dare to scheme against me in Skyhaven Club. Just wait and see how I deal with herter! Hmm, she does have a pretty face.¡± Cecilia did not miss the sinister glint in William¡¯s eyes. Seeing the jerk foolishly heading down the path of no return, she picked up her unfinished ss of cocktail and took a sip. Without any concern for her situation, she asked with a beam, ¡°Tell me, then, Mr. Xanders. How do you intend to handle this?¡± Anthony did not answer Cecilia but gazed at William instead. ¡°Mr. Forte, are you certain thisdy was thieving? If you¡¯re certain, I can arrange for a body search, but if nothing is found, you¡¯ll have to bear the consequences.¡± He would not favor anyone but strictly follow Skyhaven Club¡¯s protocols in handling the issue. The rules set by Christopher Forte applied to everyone. Even Fabian Forte, Christopher¡¯s father, must adhere to them, let alone William. Those stirring trouble at Skyhaven Club could face consequences ranging from losing a finger to missing limbs, depending on the severity of the matter. William¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Feeling humiliated, he lowered his voice and berated, ¡°Are you out of your mind, Mr. Xanders?¡± He pondered, ¡°I¡¯m a member of the Forte family, for Pete¡¯s sake! Does this Anthony Xanders not want to make a living anymore?¡± 12.35 The True Lady Strikes Back +5 vouchers However, Anthony ignored William¡¯s words and continued, ¡°If your previous statements are false usations, kindly apologize to thisdy and providepensation.¡± Cecilia had already anticipated this oue, so she watched coolly as William seethed with rage. ¡°Mr. Forte, I¡¯m a pretty generous person. You not only falsely used me but also attempted to assault me. At the very least, you shouldpensate me with 1 million dors. However, out of respect for Mr. Christopher Forte, I¡¯ll give you an 80% discount and settle for just 200 thousand dors.¡± Anyone could tell she was ridiculing William, but they had no idea where she got her confidence. Seeing Cecilia not only p his face but also humiliate him, William was so incensed that his veins were bulging on the side of his face. He sized her up, noting her in attire that did not seem to be worth more than 200 dors altogether, and his gaze turned scornful. ¡°Your life is not even worth 200 thousand dors, and you dare to ask for 1 million dors? Are you Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ying me for a fool? Dream on!¡± His words also served as a reminder to Anthony to control this irrational, insane woman. Anthony turned to Cecilia and said in a businesslike manner, ¡°Miss, Skyhaven Club has a set ¡°I know. Compensation depends on the membership level, right?¡± She retrieved her membership card from her bag and ced it on the ck bar counter. ¡°Well then, Mr. Xanders, how much should Mr. Forte