Chapter 194 Shock

Chapter 194: Chapter 194 Shock

Rafael continued, lowering his voice as though he had only just remembered something important. "Actually, Daisy told me earlier that she wasn’t feeling very well after working all day. She looked exhausted too."

It was a lie. A carefully chosen one. Rafael knew exactly which words would make Grandpa James worry without making anyone else suspicious.

He had learned long ago how to manipulate conversations, how to plant seeds of concern without revealing his true intentions. He had heard that Daisy had been rushing around all day and he knew that James would believe that she had pushed herself too hard.

James’s eyes immediately widened, worry flooding his face. His hand tightened on the arm of his chair. "She told you she wasn’t feeling well?"

Rafael nodded, his expression sincere. He met James’s eyes with a look of genuine concern. "Yes. She gestured to me that she was tired."

James’s expression changed at once, his playful demeanor replaced by genuine concern. His jaw tightened and his eyes grew sharp with worry. "Oh, yes, yes. That must be it!" He looked toward the hallway, suddenly restless. "That girl... Huff! Why didn’t she tell me properly?"

Rafael gave him a sympathetic look, his voice soft and understanding. "Maybe she didn’t want to worry you on your birthday."

James frowned, his brows drawing together. "That makes it worse! She shouldn’t keep things like that to herself."

He immediately began looking around for someone who could accompany him, his eyes scanning the crowd. His gaze landed on a few nearby relatives, then moved to the staff. "I need to check on her. Otherwise, I’ll keep worrying all night."

Rafael nodded solemnly. He stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on James’s shoulder. "Of course, Grandpa. You should check on her."

His face remained perfectly innocent but behind that harmless expression, his eyes briefly flashed with calculation. Everything was moving exactly where he wanted it to. The seeds were planted and now he just had to wait for them to grow.

Rafael immediately followed beside Grandpa James, keeping his expression concerned and innocent as they made their way through the hallway. His steps were slow, matching the old man’s slower pace and his face was carefully arranged to show nothing but worry for Daisy’s well-being.

"Grandpa, which room is theirs?" Rafael asked, slowing his steps to match the old man’s pace.

James glanced toward the staircase and then down the corridor, his brow furrowed with concern. "I know their bedroom. The third room."

Rafael nodded, his expression serious. "Alright. Let’s check on her."

The two continued down the hallway together. Grandpa James walked a little slower than Rafael, his concern growing with every step. His hands clasped behind his back and his shoulders were tense with worry.

"She worked all day preparing everything for tonight," he murmured, more to himself than to Rafael. "That girl never knows when to stop. She should have rested instead of exhausting herself."

Rafael remained silent, though the corner of his lips almost curved upward. He kept his gaze fixed ahead, his expression carefully neutral. He knew what they were about to find and he had to maintain his composure.

Soon, they reached the third bedroom. The door was partially open, a sliver of light spilling out into the dim hallway.

Rafael’s eyes immediately flickered toward it. A faint smile touched his lips, gone almost as quickly as it appeared.

Perfect.

Grandpa James, however, didn’t notice the expression. His attention was entirely on Daisy. He pushed the door open gently and stepped inside without hesitation.

"Daisy?"

There was no immediate answer. James looked around the room, still expecting to find her resting somewhere nearby. He assumed that if Daisy was feeling unwell, Cedric would probably be with her, taking care of his wife.

After all, they were a married couple and if they had been having a private or intimate moment together, James naturally assumed they would have locked the door. Since the bedroom door was already open halfway, he didn’t think there was anything inappropriate happening inside.

He took another step forward. "Sweetheart, are you alright?"

Behind him, Rafael entered quietly. His expression remained composed but there was unmistakable anticipation hidden in his eyes as he waited to see what Grandpa James would discover.

And indeed, the moment Grandpa James stepped farther into the room, his eyes widened. His breath caught in his throat and his entire body went rigid.

For several seconds, he simply stood there. His mind seemed to stop processing what he was seeing. The color slowly drained from his face, leaving him pale as he stared toward the bed. His mouth opened slightly but no words came out. The scene before him was far too shocking, far too humiliating and far too painful for him to immediately understand.

Then the shock turned into anger and then disappointment. His hands trembled at his sides, and his eyes burned with a anger he hadn’t felt in years.

"Cedric!"

His voice thundered through the room, echoing off the walls like a crack of thunder.

Cedric froze. He had been completely lost in the moment, his mind clouded by the strange heat that had overtaken him. But the familiar voice immediately snapped him back to reality. He hurriedly pulled himself away from Jessica’s body and looked toward the doorway.

His blood ran cold.

Grandpa James was standing there. His face was pale. His eyes were wide with disbelief. His hands were shaking and his entire frame seemed to tremble with barely contained rage.

For one horrible second, Cedric couldn’t even breathe.

Damn.

His mind went completely blank. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

He stared at his grandfather as the reality of what had just happened crashed over him like a tidal wave.

Behind James, Rafael appeared. He widened his eyes dramatically, perfectly portraying shock. "CEDRIC! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?!"

Cedric’s head snapped toward him. Rafael looked absolutely horrified. But for the briefest fraction of a second, something unreadable flickered in his eyes before he quickly returned to his shocked expression. Cedric didn’t have time to think about it. He immediately grabbed the blanket and pulled it over himself, trying desperately to cover up.

Jessica was equally startled. She hurriedly grabbed a pillow and held it against herself, her face turning bright red as she realized who had walked in. Her eyes darted between Cedric and the old man.

The room became unbearably silent. The only sound was the ragged breathing of the three people in the room.