The True Lady Strikes Back novel (Cecilia and Christopher)

Chapter 25

Cecilia indeed had something to attend to. Tonight marked her once-a-month shift at Skyhaven Club.

After quickly checking her phone and confirming a message from Mr. Xanders urging her, she left the recording studio complex after bidding farewell to Calvin.

As she stepped out of the music department, Yvette hurried over and affectionately linked her arm with Cecilia's.

"Ceci, you are truly amazing. My admiration for you knows no bounds," Yvette exclaimed.

Cecilia chuckled. "Ms. Yates, you've encountered a variety of talents. Is such an admiration necessary?"

"Absolutely necessary! Now, I find myself listening to your songs every night to fall asleep."

"I didn't expect my songs to have such a hypnotic effect."

"It's not hypnotic; it's pure auditory bliss."

After Yvette finished speaking, she continued by asking, "Ceci, it's mealtime now. Has Uncle Calvin invited you to dinner yet?”

Cecilia gently pulled her arm free and replied, "Yes, he did, but I have prior commitments tonight and can't join you for

dinner."

Yvette pouted in disappointment. "I've been waiting for you for hours; what a shame."

Seeing her childlike disappointment, Cecilia couldn't help but smile and offered, "Are you planning to head to Skyhaven Club? Let me treat you."

Despite being the favored child in the Yates family, Yvette's parents enforced strict rules that prevented her from going to places like nightclubs where various people with different intentions gathered.

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Surprised, she looked at Cecilia and asked, "Ceci, do you visit there often?"

"Not too frequently. I visit when I'm feeling down or when work calls for it."

"Work? What kind of work do you do at Skyhaven Club?" "You'll see when you get there. Will you be coming?"

Yvette hesitated and replied cautiously, "I should let Uncle Calvin know first."

Later on, she gave Calvin a call.

She didn't have high hopes, but to her surprise, Calvin agreed.

"Don't drink alcohol, and don't accept drinks from others. I'll pick you up at ten."

"I understand. Thank you, Uncle."

Half an hour later, Cecilia and Yvette arrived at Skyhaven Club.

This time, they entered through the staff entrance.

In the backstage area, the stylist was already waiting.

Cecilia signaled a Skyhaven Club staff member and instructed, "Take Ms. Yates to the booth seating and bring her some refreshments."

"Yes, Ms. Yancey."

Every employee at Skyhaven Club was aware that Cecilia held a diamond card, so they treated her with utmost respect.

Suppressing her surprise, Yvette left the backstage area.

As she arrived at the booth seating, curiosity got the better of her, and she couldn't help but inquire, "What kind of work does Ceci do at Skyhaven Club?"

"I'm sorry, but internal information is considered confidential," the staff member replied.

"Alright, I'll ask Ceci later."

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Precisely at eight o'clock, the bar's lights suddenly dimmed, and cheers erupted throughout the venue.

Yvette was startled and appeared somewhat bewildered.

Amidst the subdued lighting, she fumbled her way to her seat which was located on the other side. She leaned toward the man seated beside her, who was enthusiastically cheering, and asked, "Um, may I ask what you guys are cheering about?" The man's attention remained fixed on the runway as he casually responded, "Is this your first time here?"

Yvette grew cautious and decided not to reveal the truth. She responded, "Well, not exactly, but I've never seen such an extravagant setup before."

The man wasn't interested in whether she was telling the truth or not and explained, "Everyone's excited because 'Anonymous' is performing a drum show at Skyhaven Club tonight. You're quite fortunate; many people couldn't even secure tickets." Yvette was at a loss for words as she struggled to grasp the significance of the situation.

Suddenly, a blinding spotlight illuminated a corner of the runway, revealing a massive drum kit.

A woman dressed in a tight leather jacket, with dreadlocks and a skull-patterned mask, sat in front of the drum kit.

Amidst the bustling bar, it felt as if someone had hit the pause button, and an absolute silence descended upon the venue. The drumstick in the woman's hand struck a suspended cymbal.

Clang! With a crisp sound, the bar's lights returned to their normal state.

Following that, a dense and rhythmic drumbeat filled the air, igniting an electrifying atmosphere throughout the venue.

As Yvette listened to the pulsating drumbeat, a surge of passion

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coursed through her, and an irresistible urge to hit the dance floor overcame her. She wanted to lose herself in wild dancing. However, she held back, well aware of the crowded dance floor and the possibility of encountering someone with improper intentions.

Yvette wasn't particularly fond of heavy metal music, but for some inexplicable reason, the drumbeats resonated with her emotions and excitement. Unconsciously, she had already downed two cups of the fruit drink and nibbled on quite a few pieces of fruit and snacks, all while Cecilia remained absent. As she reached for another pistachio and glanced toward the corner of the runway, a realization suddenly struck Yvette.

Yvette could only see a silhouette from the dimly lit corner.

However, she now did not doubt that Cecilia was the person behind the drum kit.

The pseudonym "Anonymous" was the sort of casual nickname only Cecilia would pick, much like the earlier nickname "Anonymous Songwriter." Meanwhile, Christopher sat by the railing on the third floor, his

gaze fixed on Cecilia in front of the drum kit, gently swaying a glass of red wine.

The crimson liquid inside seemed to possess a life of its own, flowing gracefully along the glass's rim.

Seated across from him, Calvin couldn't contain his curiosity and inquired, "Christopher, how did you become interested in Cecilia?"

The two of them were completely unrelated.

Even though Cecilia worked at Skyhaven Club, her visits were limited to once a month, and she had never interacted with Christopher.

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Yet, the man before him had quietly passed along the diamond card.

Christopher's hand, which had been elegantly swirling the glass, suddenly came to a halt, and his unwavering gaze remained fixed on Cecilia.

"She's truly special, and she elicits a sense of sympathy in me." Calvin raised an eyebrow and remarked, "I didn't expect someone as seemingly emotionless as you to say that."

"The bad side is for enemies, the good side is for her." "It seems like you're deeply involved in this, but merely observing won't help you win her over."

Christopher withdrew his gaze and emptied his glass. "No need to rush; I have a plan."

After stating that, he fixed Calvin with a cold, penetrating stare. "Cut all ties with the Yancey family, and I'll bear any resulting consequences."

Calvin uncrossed his legs and asked, "Are you planning to ruin the Yancey family?"

Despite the Yancey family currently ranking as the Third

Prominent Family in Quilton, the city was dominated solely by the Forte family.

If the Forte family severed connections with the Yancey family and the Yates family followed suit, the Yancey family would swiftly lose its status among the aristocracy.

Christopher nodded. "I won't spare anyone who harms Ceci, but I can't make it too obvious. She doesn't appreciate others meddling in her affairs."

Calvin had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes.

"Then, why are you getting involved?"

"I don't want her to become overly burdened. When she takes

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action, I'll silently add fuel to the fire.

"Helping secretly without drawing attention is much more challenging than offering direct help."

Christopher placed the empty glass on the table and then redirected his gaze toward downstairs, where Cecilia was located. His once cold and stern expression softened. "It's worth doing for her."

Calvin couldn't quite grasp what made her so valuable.

While Cecilia had her strengths, she was nowhere near Christopher's league, especially when taking their respective backgrounds into account. The gap was substantial. "Christopher, I must remind you that compensating Yates Corporation for a breach of contract involves a substantial sum of money."

Moreover, ruining the Yancey family would come at a significant cost.

Christopher lacked many things, but money was not one of them.

"Give me the list of cooperation agreements between Yates Corporation and Yancey Corporation, and I won't skimp on your compensation."

Seeing that he was determined, Calvin didn't attempt to persuade him any further.

"Alright, I'll get it for you tomorrow."

Despite being the CEO of Yates Corporation, the company wasn't solely his, so he could only allow Christopher to use the penalty fees for compensation.

The drumming suddenly ceased, signifying the monthly drumming festival had come to an end.

Calvin clicked his tongue in amazement. "Making money off you is a breeze. It's 200 thousand dollars for just one

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drumming performance!"

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Christopher looked in the direction where Cecilia left and said with a smile, "She deserves it."

After saying that, he suddenly remembered something else.

"Make sure to send me a copy of the 'The Palace' soundtrack as soon as it's available."

"Since when did you start liking songs?"

"It's not about liking songs; it's about liking everything about Cecilia."

Even Christopher found himself surprised by how strongly he was fond of Cecilia.

Perhaps it was because she reminded him of someone from his

past.

Realizing that he still needed to test Cecilia, Christopher made his way downstairs, with Calvin closely trailing behind.

Cecilia had changed back into her usual attire, but Yvette stared at her as if she didn't recognize her, carefully examining her from head to toe.

"Ceci, I'm lost for words to express my admiration for you. Are you even human?"

After her initial remark, she hastily waved her hands to clarify, "I'm not insulting you; I'm praising you."

Cecilia simply shrugged. "I need to make money; I don't have much of a choice."

Yvette, who was sipping her fruit drink, nearly choked on her words.

"Ceci, are you still in need of money?"

Just the compensation Cecilia received from Yates Corporation. for her songs as the "Anonymous Songwriter" amounted to a significant sum.

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Not to mention, it was at least millions of dollars per year. Cecilia signaled a waiter and was initially about to order an alcoholic drink but changed her mind, opting for a fruit drink instead.

After her previous experience of drinking too much and clinging to Christopher, she didn't want to repeat that embarrassment.

While waiting for the fruit drink, she answered Yvette's question.

"Very much so, because I have someone to take care of, and the expenses are quite substantial."

Yvette quickly suggested, "Then sign a contract with Yates Corporation. My uncle will surely make you a megastar."

She had barely finished speaking when Calvin chimed in, "I strongly agree with Yvie's idea. What do you think, Ms. Yancey?"

Given Cecilia's beauty and talent, elevating her to stardom would be a breeze.

Although Cecilia needed money, she wasn't keen on becoming famous.

Fame often brought along a multitude of troubles and complications she'd rather avoid.

"Mr. Yates, I appreciate your great kindness, but I don't want to enter the entertainment industry."

Calvin proposed an alternative. "You can be a pure singer. Just sing, and we'll handle the promotion, albums, and everything else for you."

"I don't like to be tied down."

Hearing this, Christopher proposed, "I have a record company that I can offer to Ms. Yancey. I own 40 percent of the shares and won't interfere with the company's management. You just

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need to give me a share of the dividend."

Calvin looked at Christopher in surprise, silently questioning him with his eyes, "Since when did you start a record

company? Why wasn't I informed?"

In reality, Christopher didn't currently own a record company, but he could establish one at any time.

Due to their prior awkward encounter, Cecilia couldn't meet Christopher's gaze directly.

She quickly declined, saying, "No, thank you, Mr. Forte. I don't know how to run a company, and I'm afraid I'll ruin your business and make you lose all your investments."

Christopher didn't press the matter further, allowing an uncomfortable silence to descend.

Yvette sensed the tension between Cecilia and Christopher, and suggested, "Let's all have dinner together."

Just as Cecilia was about to decline, both men agreed. With Yvette acting adorable, Cecilia reluctantly gave in.

In the end, the four of them headed to the restaurant at Skyhaven Club.

Before entering the private room, Cecilia excused herself to use the restroom.

Upon her return, she coincidentally bumped into William.

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