When Her "Death" Couldn't Break Him Novel

Phoebe fetched a checkbook and filled in the amount and her name.

Chelsea grew anxious. ”Mom, you can’t give her that much. At most, give her a hundred thousand. That’s more than enough to cover the meals. In fact, they’d still be making money.”

”Quiet!” Phoebe snapped, her eyes icy. ”Haven’t we lost enough face already?”

She could tell from Heather’s face that she was trouble. It was better to pay her off than let Chelsea’s reputation take real damage.

Chelsea didn’t even have a boyfriend yet. If this woman smeared her name, future prospects would be even harder to find.

Heather hadn’t expected to collect six million so easily. She reached out for the check, but Phoebe drew it back.

”Write us a receipt,” Phoebe said, ”so there’s proof we’ve paid. I don’t want you showing up for more when the money’s gone.”

”That’s only proper,” Heather agreed.

She wrote the receipt, pocketed the check, and left.

Watching the old woman’s triumphant exit, Chelsea fumed. ”Mom, can’t you see she’s a con artist? I saw online that she tried scamming Cecilia just a few days ago.”

”When did that happen?” Phoebe asked, puzzled.

”Just two days ago. It was all over the internet. You can check for yourself,” Chelsea said.

Phoebe looked up the news and quickly got the gist.

”How could Cecilia have such a grandmother?”

”She isn’t Cecilia’s grandmother at all,” Chelsea explained. ”No blood relation. According to the reports, she never even helped raise Cecilia.”

Phoebe let out a long sigh.

”None of this is our business. Six million for peace and quiet is a fair price.”

She then laid out for Chelsea just how bad the fallout could have been.

Chelsea couldn’t care less about idle gossip. ”Other people’s mouths belong to them, Mom. You can’t control every word they say.”

With that, she glanced out the window.

”Mom, you see now, don’t you? Rushing me into blind dates only creates headaches. Let me go out and unwind this time. I promise behave. I just want to catch up with Cecilia and the friends she hangs out with, all right?” Chelsea clung to Phoebe’s arm, wheedling like a spoiled child.

Phoebe was hopelessly indulgent when it came to her daughter. Seeing Chelsea like this, she could

only sigh and nod, ”Fine. You can go.

I really can’t say no to you ne

”Thanks, Mom!”

Unable to wait another second, Chelsea grabbed her purse and dashed out the door.

The moment she was outside, she texted Cecilia: [Cecilia, are you free? Can we meet?]

Chelsea had almost no friends in Tudela.

Cecilia read the message, realized her schedule was clear, and invited Charlotte to go along to the meetup.

Chelsea wasn’t sure where to hang out, but both previous trips to Elite Club had ended in disaster, so she begged Cecilia to take her there once more.

Cecilia agreed with a helpless smile.

When they arrived, Chelsea was already waiting outside.

”Cecilia, Charlotte!” She waved enthusiastically at the pair.

Hearing Chelsea’s voice, Charlotte looked flustered. ”Ms. Rainsworth, just call me Lottie, like the boss does.”

Chelsea burst into a dazzling grin.

”All right, Lottie. Then, you call me Chelsea. ’Ms. Rainsworth’ sounds way too stiff. Besides, you saved my life.”

Ever the extrovert, Chelsea hooked her arm through Charlotte’s.

Charlotte wasn’t shy by nature, but Chelsea’s exuberance left her a bit at sea.