Mr. CEO, You Have Lost My Heart Forever!

Silvanburg's seasons were always like spring, but this winter was exceptionally chilling.

Cecilia stood before the full-length mirror, clad in a thin wedding gown with a voluminous and heavy train that accentuated her increasingly skeletal frame. Despite her fair complexion and delicate features, she appeared even more emaciated, yet she remained the most beautiful bride of the day.

Bang!

The bedroom door was kicked open.

"Cecilia! What have you FUCKING done now?" Alston's handsome face exuded an imposing aura, his dark eyes tinged with a chilling glint.

He threw a stack of old newspapers at Cecilia's face. "You shameless bitch, how did you convince my mother? How could she agree to this ridiculous marriage?!"

Cecilia furrowed her brows, instinctively touching her small abdomen. The gown was huge, but her eight-month belly was too large to conceal.

Alston's gaze fell on her belly, his eyes filled with disdain and mockery. "And you're carrying someone else's bastard!"

"It's not..."

It's not a bastard.

Cecilia instinctively rebutted, but Alston cut her off, grabbing her by the neck and sneering, "Not a bastard? Then is it my child? It seems like tonight is the first time we've met!"

Cecilia's neck creaked under his grip, but her hands instinctively shielded her abdomen.

"Let go of me..." Cecilia's face flushed as she struggled, her eyes fixed on Alston. "If something happens to me, you won't fare any better!"

Alston's gaze darkened abruptly, and he loosened his grip.

Cecilia slumped to the ground, her slender neck marked with red imprints.

She lifted her trembling hand to touch them, breathing heavily, locking eyes with him as she gritted her teeth. "Didn't your mother tell you? Your three brothers all died of cancer. Your family has a genetic defect, and you can't escape it. You have an eighty percent risk of leukemia, and coincidentally, I'm a suitable match."

"You're lying!" Alston clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. "That's just a risk!"

"It's a high risk! Your mother has only you left, and with an eighty percent chance, she wouldn't dare to gamble!" Cecilia smiled coldly. "I promised your mother I'd be ready to donate bone marrow for you anytime, but you have to marry me."

Alston's expression turned uglier. He remained silent for a moment before disdainfully saying, "Cecilia, I can promise you anything except marriage."

"Except marriage, I want nothing." Cecilia's gaze was firm, her tone almost stubborn.

Alston pulled her up from the ground, gripping her chin tightly, his cold eyes tinged with redness. "Why? Have you gone mad? Even if you have to walk down the aisle alone with this fucking bastard today, you still insist on marrying me? Don't you know I only want to marry Marian?!"

Cecilia's ears buzzed, her stomach churning violently. His words, like sharp blades, seized her heart.

Her nose tingled. She bit her lip, took a deep breath, and forcefully suppressed the tears in her eyes. Then she lifted her chin, meeting his gaze coldly. "You're here about Marian's disappearance, aren't you?"

"Marian's disappearance is indeed related to you!" Alston's thin lips curved into a sneer, his strong fingers almost crushing her jaw.

"I don't have that much power. It was your mother's help." Cecilia smiled bitterly, pointing to the marriage contract on the dressing table behind her. "The wedding is over; all that's left is the marriage license. Your mother will only see Marian safe once she sees the signed paper today."

"You're fucking insane!"

Alston was instantly annoyed and swung his arm forcefully.

Cecilia, too weak to resist, was thrown out abruptly, her belly hitting the edge of the table. A sharp pain surged through her.

"AH!!" Her belly tightened as waves of intense pain struck her.

Cecilia clutched her belly, her face drained of color, her delicate eyebrows furrowed deeply. "Take me to the hospital, quickly. Take me to the hospital-"

Alston's gaze darkened as he crouched down, glaring at Cecilia. "Tell me, where is Marian? Tell me, and I'll take you to the hospital!"

Soon, the pure white wedding dress was stained red with blood. Cecilia's hands, trembling as they rested on her belly, were instantly soaked in blood.

"I don't know! She didn't tell me."

Cecilia bit her lip tightly, panic overtaking her as the intense pain in her abdomen made her terrified.

She felt like she might go into premature labor after being bumped by Alston, as if she were about to give birth too soon.

"Are you still lying to me?"

Alston's expression was blank, his eyes like the deep sea. For a moment, something flickered in his gaze, but it disappeared instantly.

At the moment of eye contact with him, Cecilia's heart skipped a beat. She saw ruthlessness in his eyes, just like eight years ago.

She knew begging him was useless, so she dragged her wet hem, soaked in blood, and reached for the phone on the dressing table.

Alston suddenly stood up, one step ahead of her. Grabbing the phone, he pulled out the SIM card right in front of her.

"What are you doing?"

Cecilia's voice choked with tears, the sobs in her throat impossible to suppress. A wave of helplessness and grievance invaded her limbs. The dull pain in her chest even surpassed the pain of labor contractions.

Alston ignored her, walking straight into the bathroom.

Moments later, Cecilia heard the sound of the toilet flushing.

"No-"

Cecilia froze, her head buzzing. She couldn't believe her ears.

She knew what Alston was doing. He must have flushed her SIM card!

For Marian, he forced her to this extent. Even if she died here, he wouldn't show an ounce of pity.

As soon as Alston came out of the bathroom, he reached out and unplugged the landline fixed on the dressing table, tearing apart the phone line completely.

Cecilia couldn't bear it any longer. She slipped and fell to the ground, clutching his trouser leg as she pleaded, "I'll do anything, but my child must be safe! I don't want to marry you anymore. Please save my child, I beg you."

"Alston! This is YOUR child too!"

"Mine?" Alston sneered. "I've already told you-tonight is the first time we've met! I wouldn't FUCK a woman like you!"

He picked up the paper from the dressing table and waved it in Cecilia's direction. "This is what you want, isn't it? You want me to sign this?"

Cecilia was in too much pain to respond, cold sweat streaming down her forehead. But even the physical agony couldn't compare to the chill in Alston's eyes. There was murder in his gaze-a hatred so deep it seemed he truly wished for her death that day.

Alston stared down at her with disdain, his black eyes as cold and unyielding as ice frozen for millennia. "Fine. If you manage to survive today, I'll sign it."

He grabbed the key, stormed out of the room, and slammed the door shut with a deafening bang.

Then, Cecilia heard the sound of keys turning outside the door.

Cecilia's trembling fingers pressed against her swollen belly as she crawled toward the door.

Blood smeared the doorknob as she desperately tried to turn it, but no matter how hard she tried, the lock wouldn't budge.

Yes, she had guessed correctly. Alston had locked her in.

To vent his anger and exact his revenge, he had severed all her connections to the outside world. He intended for her to die in their wedding room, even if it meant framing her for murder.

"Come back, Alston! Come back! This child is yours! You can abandon me, but you can't abandon our child! You can't!"

Cecilia was in so much pain, almost numb.

Yet every time she felt like giving up, her belly would contract again, as though her baby were urging her to fight on. She didn't know if it was an illusion, but she felt her baby's eagerness to enter the world, even if only for a brief glimpse.

Cecilia could betray anyone, but she could never betray her child-this innocent little life.

She dragged herself toward the dressing table, her trembling hands grabbing a pair of scissors. With a loud rip, she tore open her wedding dress, revealing her round, taut belly.

Bending over with all her strength, she took the first aid kit, leaving a trail of blood behind her, crawled step by step toward the bathroom.

Lying in the bathtub, she filled it with warm water in an attempt to alleviate the pain.

As the night wore on, the contractions grew more intense. Her water broke, but still, the baby did not come out.

During her prenatal checkups, the doctor had warned her that the baby was in a breech position and that she would likely need a cesarean section. But now, in this dire situation, how could she possibly have one?

Cecilia gritted her teeth, pouring every ounce of strength into giving her baby a chance at life.

By the time dawn approached, she had completely exhausted her strength. The baby still hadn't emerged, and she could no longer feel its movements.

Panic set in.

Her mother had died of illness, her father had remarried, and Alston didn't want her anymore.

In just over twenty years of life, she had lost everything she could lose.

But she couldn't lose this child. She would give her life if it meant her baby could survive.

Biting down on a towel to stifle her screams, Cecilia grabbed the scalpel from the first aid kit. With trembling hands, she made a shallow incision along her belly.

She had once studied medicine, but never in her wildest nightmares did she imagine she'd use her skills like this-on herself.

For over ten agonizing minutes, Cecilia endured. She didn't know how she managed it, only that when her vision blurred and consciousness began to slip, she heard a loud, piercing cry.

Her baby had come into the world.

Blood poured from her body, soaking the bathtub in a sea of red.

At that moment, as she cradled her child, all her strength left her. She couldn't even lift her eyelids as darkness enveloped her mind.

In the haze of unconsciousness, Cecilia saw herself from eight years ago, and she also saw Alston, who had kissed her so passionately.

She also saw Marian, panicked and pleading, eight months ago...

Eight months earlier, Marian had found her in tears.

"Cecilia, help me!" Marian had cried. "They've been hiding it from me. I just found out that Alston's three brothers all died of cancer! He'll die too-sooner or later!"

"Please, Cecilia, I don't want to be a widow. They're forcing me to have a child with Alston to ensure the family has an heir. If I do this, my life will be ruined. But you-Don't you love him so much? Please help me. , they just need a child in their family, they don't care who it is."

Cecilia felt dizzy, and the next moment, her mind was filled with images of a man and a woman entangled naked.

If only they could have stayed in that night when he loved her. If only everything had remained in that fleeting moment of happiness. How good would it be?

But how could things in this world be turned back with 'if'?

Cecilia felt her strength draining completely. Her mind filled with fragments of memories, and in the end, she saw an illusion of Marian holding a bloody child, slowly approaching her, smiling sinisterly.

"Cecilia, thank you. Thank you for giving birth to Alston's child for me. I'll take good care of him, for both you and Alston. Now, go ahead and die in peace. I'll continue your life for you."

Cecilia smiled bitterly, a tear slipping from the corner of her eye.

It was fine. It was better this way.

After all, Alston loves Marian now.

Now, with her gone, there would be nothing standing between them.

Three years later.

The towering FC Group building, reaching into the clouds, stood prominently like a landmark in the heart of Silvanburg's center.

Cecilia emerged from the conference room carrying a stack of documents. Her assistant, Tara, and secretary, Stacey, immediately held their breath, hastily attempting to conceal the gossip magazine in front of them. But it was too late.

"Ma... Madam," Tara stammered, timidly glancing at Cecilia before quickly lowering her head.

Cecilia set down the documents and cast a glance at the magazine cover.

The man on the cover looked as handsome as he had three years ago. His refined features had only matured with time, exuding a sensual charm.

Alston wore a light blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, confidently embracing the woman beside him. His smile was carefree, as if he didn't remember he was married.

The woman beside Alston was FC Entertainment's latest rising star-tall and voluptuous, not particularly stunning, but bearing faint hints of Marian in her features.

The headline read: 'Sandy Jeffery Stays Overnight at The Baycrest Manor, Adding Another to Alston Faber's Harem.'

"Sandy Jeffery? Her face is average, but she's a bit overweight," Cecilia remarked, her clear eyes scanning the page. Her tone was unusually calm. "Notify her manager to have her lose twenty pounds, or our marketing department won't promote her."

Tara and Stacey froze in shock. They had expected Cecilia to be upset or distressed, but her complete detachment caught them off guard.

Not only that, she subtly punished the other party.

Sandy was known for her curvy figure, but even at her heaviest, she couldn't have weighed over a hundred pounds. Losing twenty pounds would leave her at eighty pounds with a height of five foot seven.

What would she look like then?

If she couldn't lose the weight, and the marketing department refused to promote her, what difference was there between that and being abandoned?

It was well-known that FC Entertainment's artists either had to win over the PR department or the marketing team to gain prominence.

The PR director, Radford, was a college classmate of their director. Without marketing support, Sandy's prospects were bleak.

"What's wrong? Didn't you hear me?" Cecilia asked, tapping the table.

Tara, feeling worried, whispered, "Director, are you alright?"

Cecilia's gaze dimmed.

If this had been three years ago, she might have clung to that magazine and fallen into a deep depression for days. Ten years ago, she might have drowned her sorrows at a bar, drinking herself into oblivion.

But now, she truly was fine.

No matter how deep emotions ran, they couldn't withstand the erosion of time.

Moreover, in these three years, Alston had given her nothing but bone-chilling despair and endless waiting.

"I'm fine," Cecilia replied, straightening her posture and smiling brightly. "But what about you? Oakwood Residences is launching soon, and Alston needs to appear. How will we explain today's headlines to the media? Quickly inform the PR department so they can align the story and not disrupt the launch."

Tara was startled. "Does that mean the opening ceremony will proceed as usual tomorrow?"

Cecilia's eyes sparkled as she casually responded, "As usual."

She took a few steps forward, then paused, turning back with a smile. "If possible, bring Sandy along. I want this project to generate as much momentum as possible."

"Alright, I'll arrange it,"

Tara said quickly, knowing Cecilia never went back on her word. She hurried toward the general manager's office on the sixty-eighth floor.

***

"Sir, this is the speech the marketing department just sent over. They mentioned you should attend the ceremony tomorrow as usual, with no need to avoid it," Secretary Boyce said, handing over the documents.

A large hand reached out to take them. The leather strap on Alston's wrist and the prominent veins on the back of his hand complemented each other.

Alston glanced at the documents, a hint of darkness appearing in his otherwise calm eyes. "Didn't Cecilia see the magazine this morning?"

"She... she did," Boyce gritted his teeth.

"What was her reaction?" Alston asked casually, flipping through the documents.

"No reaction," Boyce answered, lowering his head.

Everyone knew about the indifferent relationship between him and Cecilia.

Alston's eyes darkened further, something fracturing within the icy depths of his gaze.

Seeing Alston's silence, Boyce assumed he had accepted the situation and continued, "The marketing department also suggested that you bring Sandy along to enhance the ceremony's grandeur. Oakwood Residences is the largest project in the eastern district, and this year's real estate performance heavily depends on it."

"Bring Sandy along? Hah..." Alston let out a mocking laugh, his lips curling into a blade-like smirk. "Was that the marketing department's idea, or Cecilia's?"

Boyce's expression shifted slightly as he lowered his head. "It was Director Cecilia's suggestion."

Alston lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag before exhaling lightly, half his face veiled in smoke.

That woman really had some skills.

She not only carried someone else's child and manipulated his mother but also effortlessly married him.

In these three years, she had even gained his father's approval, who personally brought her into FC Group.

Starting as a small manager in the marketing department, she climbed her way to become the director and even joined the board of directors.

The once-infamous and scorned socialite hadn't been ostracized by FC Group's clearly tiered corporate culture but instead had successfully established her own reputation in the workplace.

Alston couldn't shake the feeling that Cecilia was too scheming.

Ever since driving Marian away three years ago, she had plotted step by step. It wasn't just about marrying him-she aimed to seize everything. Somehow, she had ingratiated herself with his family, even winning over his stern father.

"Sir?" Boyce called out to him when he seemed lost in thought.

"Hmm."

Alston remained composed, showing no trace of the anger boiling within him.

"As for tomorrow's opening ceremony, are you attending?" Boyce asked. "I recall you have a meeting scheduled with Mr. Trafford."

"Of course, I'll go," Alston replied, his gaze sharp. "If I don't, am I supposed to watch Oakwood Residences' success slip into someone else's hands?"

Boyce's lips twitched slightly. Could spouses really be referred to as "someone else"?

He didn't dare question it, only nodding. "Understood. I'll make the arrangements."