My Child and I Married a Billionaire novel Chapter 223

Chapter 223: Chapter 223: You Owe Me Too

Cecelia Archer was left speechless by his words.

Her mind was a chaotic mess, but she still possessed a basic sense of human decency. This was...

Seeing her standing there frozen and dumbstruck, but not completely stupefied, Damien Vaughn reached out and impatiently pulled her to her feet.

"Compared to your brother’s backbone, you’re just making me look down on you. Look at the state you’re in now."

"You were right about one thing. I’m not short on the paltry sum he offered, and I won’t be unreasonable and drag him into our affairs. That’s why I brought you here today—so you could return the money to him. If I gave it to him directly, he’d feel pressured and would never accept it. But if it comes from you, and he sees you’re safe, he’ll definitely take it."

As he spoke, Damien Vaughn opened the glove compartment in front of Cecelia, took out a card, and tossed it onto her lap.

"I’m giving you five minutes. Go on, hurry back."

The surprise was so sudden that Cecelia didn’t even have time to thank him. She grabbed the card, bolted out of the car, and ran after her brother.

Her brother rode his electric scooter into the residential complex, parked it, and carried Rocky inside. Just as he placed the boy on the bed and was about to pour himself a glass of water, there was a knock at the door.

He didn’t have any friends, so he couldn’t imagine who would visit at this hour. "Who is it?" he asked warily.

There was no answer.

He thought Rocky’s mother might have come, and feeling a little excited and a bit shy, he put on an act and asked again.

"Who is it?"

"Brother..."

June Archer thought he was hearing things. ’Why does that sound so much like Cecelia’s voice?’ He hurriedly pulled the door open.

When he saw Cecelia’s familiar face, he froze in shock for a few seconds before letting out a wail and pulling her into a tearful embrace.

"Cecelia, you’re okay? You’re out? SOB... Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? I was scared to death! SOB... I knew it, I knew Damien was a good person. He wouldn’t frame you..."

"It’s so cold out, why are you wearing so little? Are you crazy, dressing like that? Get in here, quick!"

Overjoyed and relieved, her brother pulled her into the house and looked her over from head to toe. She was a little thinner than before, but just as beautiful as ever. ’That’s my sister, all right.’ He couldn’t help but hug her again.

"The other day, Damien came to see me and said you were in trouble. I was scared to death. But I was absolutely certain you would never do something like that. Thank God you’re back... Quick, tell me what happened. How did they clear your name? Was it Damien who got you out? And Candy? She wasn’t dragged into this, was she? Is Candy okay?"

Looking at one of only two relatives she had in the world—a man who would willingly give his life for her, a man who, despite his own ragged clothes and haggard appearance, was shedding tears over her safety—Cecelia was once again overcome with emotion, her face streaming with tears.

She didn’t dare tell her brother the truth for fear of scaring him, so she had to make something up.

"Damien never believed I could do something like that from the very beginning, but someone else had already called the police, so we had to go through the process. He couldn’t do anything about it. And now, the process is over and I’ve been released. He was the one who picked me up. And he adores Candy, how could he ever let her get involved? Candy is doing great."

"Tonight, Damien insisted on taking me out for a nice meal to welcome me back. It was too late, so I didn’t bring Candy. Brother, I’m so sorry for making you worry."

"Hah, I’m your brother. Who else would I worry about if not you? Don’t say things like that at a time like this. All that matters is that you’re safe. So, you’re saying Damien is here too? Why didn’t he come in?"

"He feels a little awkward."

Cecelia took the opportunity to pull out the card and press it into her brother’s hand.

"You sold your apartment and offered him the money, making things so formal and distant. Now he’s too embarrassed to see you. I also heard that you and my sister-in-law are on the verge of divorce because of me..."

Cecelia choked up again.

"Brother, please, don’t be foolish. Even if not for yourself, for Rocky’s sake, you can’t break my sister-in-law’s heart like this. I’m fine now. You should buy your apartment back and bring her home."

It was true. June Archer had his share of complaints about his wife when she was around—she was gluttonous and lazy, and she yelled at him all day.

But now that she was really gone, having no one to look after the child had become a huge problem.

"Now, don’t just remember the favor you owe Shane Grant. You owe me one too. Which are you planning to pay back first?"

Cecelia fell silent again.

When she’d asked him for the card just now, she hadn’t thought this far ahead. Now she was caught in a dilemma.

Seeing her conflicted expression, Damien Vaughn tapped on the steering wheel.

"You can choose to pay them both back at the same time. Don’t overthink it. I’m not doing this for you. It’s because you said something very true at the last Vanguard Properties meeting. Although the Grant Group as a whole is no match for the Vaughn Group, they are our teachers when it comes to real estate. Therefore, I’ve decided: the international airport project will be done with the Vaughn Group."

What?

Cecelia stared at him in disbelief.

Damien Vaughn repeated himself. "But I have a condition. Tomorrow, I’ll have my people spend the day drawing up the terms for our two companies’ partnership. The day after tomorrow, at eight a.m. sharp, you will come to my office for a meeting. I see you’re the one running point on everything for the Grant Group now, so I hope you actually have some say. Don’t make me get everything ready only for Shane Grant to refuse to partner with us."

Cecelia was so excited she almost jumped out of her seat.

Tonight had been a real rollercoaster!

She had cried her eyes out earlier, but at least it was ending on a high note!

’Damien Vaughn wants to partner with the Grant Group? This will definitely be a win-win!’

"President Vaughn, you are a truly, truly capable businessman! To get things done, your vision is truly expansive. I really admire you! An outstanding entrepreneur like you deserves to be filthy rich, I mean it!"

’Look what life has turned her into,’ he thought. ’A sycophantic bootlicker.’

Still, having known her for so long, this was the first time he’d heard her praise him like this. Damien Vaughn found it rather pleasant.

"Alright, that’s enough nonsense. When we get there, have Candy come out to meet you. I want to see her."