For a moment, Cedric stared at her, his smirk faltering slightly. It wasn't often someone caught him off guard, and Moira's audacity seems to amuse him more than irritate him.
A low chuckle escaped his lips, and he leaned in, his voice in a low tone. "You know, Moira, I wasn't expecting this…"
His words trailed off as his gaze dipped, lingering momentarily on the curve of her neckline.
Moira noticed the flicker of his attention, her lips curling into a smirk as her brows arched. "What?" she spoke in a slow voice. "Do you want to see more of it?"
Her boldness seemed to catch him off guard for the briefest of moments, but Cedric quickly recovered, his smirk deepening as his gaze returned to hers.
"I love that boldness of yours," Cedric said. "There aren't many people who carry themselves with the kind of audacity you do."
Moira's lips tightened, unimpressed by his flattery. She removed her hand from the wall, brushing off his words as if they held no weight. Her gaze sharpened as she straightened her posture, her tone steady and unyielding.
"If you want to marry me," she said coolly, "you play by my rules. Otherwise we're done here."
Cedric chuckled. "I have to admit, I'm starting to like you."
"Really?" Moira replied, a sly smile playing on her lips. "Well then, show up at my house dressed to impress at exactly 12 p.m. And please, be ear—"
"Moira?" a voice interrupted.
Moira froze mid-sentence and turned around, her eyes narrowing as they landed on the figure approaching her. It was Emma, her stepsister.
Her brow furrowed in confusion. Wasn't she supposed to be abroad? What on earth was she doing here, of all places?
Emma didn't wait for an answer. With a bright smile, she walked forward and wrapped her arms around Moira.
"I missed you so much," Emma said.
As always, she played the part of the sweet younger sister to perfection, her every gesture carefully crafted.
Moira smiled faintly. "I missed you too," she replied, her voice steady.
Emma pulled back, still clutching Moira's hands as she tilted her head. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I had no clue at all!"
Moira removed her arms from Emma's grasp, her smile never faltering. "I wanted it to be a surprise. If I'd told you, you would've gone straight to father, and that would have ruined my surprise."
Emma's lips curved into a sweet smile. "Of course," she said lightly, but her gaze flickered briefly with irritation before landing on Cedric. Her expression shifted into delight. "Hi, Cedric," she said, her voice overly sweet.
Cedric glanced between the two women, his sharp eyes lingering on Emma before settling on Moira. "I have to leave now," he said, his tone deliberate. "I'll see you tomorrow at your house."
"Okay," Moira replied, her voice calm.
As Cedric walked away, Emma's eyes followed him.
"Now, you can stop the facade," Moira sharply said.
Emma spun around abruptly, her expression twisted with fury. "Why were you with him?" She demanded.
Moira raised an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest. "Why can't I be with him?" she countered coolly. "Is he someone I'm not allowed to be around?"
Emma's eyes narrowed, her tone dripping with venom. "I don't know why you came back, but if it's just to frustrate me, you've made a big mistake."
Moira tilted her head back and laughed, the sound sharp. "Frustrate you?" she echoed. "Do you really think you're that important?"
She leaned in slightly, her voice calm. "You're the least of my problems, Emma. Don't flatter yourself."
Moira brushed past Emma with a shove, her heels clicking against the floor as she walked away without a backward glance.
Emma's face twisted in fury, her voice rising in a sharp yell. "Moira, don't get too cocky! You'll regret ever stepping your foot here!"
Without breaking her stride, Moira raised her hand, giving a wave with the back of her hand. Emma's eyes burned with anger as she watched her step sister disappear into the shadow, her clenched fists trembling at her sides.
Meanwhile Cedric walked to the parking lot. A man standing by his car straightened, quickly opening the passenger door for him. "Boss, you're here early," the man remarked.
Cedric slid into the seat, his expression unreadable. "I've done what I came here to do," he replied coolly.
The man closed the door with a firm click before moving to the driver's seat. As he started the engine, he glanced at Cedric in the rear view mirror. "Boss, do you really meet her?"
Cedric smirked faintly, his gaze fixed out the window. "I did. But she doesn't seem to remember me." "
The driver nodded thoughtfully. "It's been a long time," he said. "I'd be surprised if she did."
"Let's change topic," he said. "Did he tell you where it is?"
The driver let out a frustrated sigh. "No, boss. He's kept his mouth shut no matter what we've done to him."
Cedric's jaw tightened, a flicker of irritation crossing his face before he nodded. "Take me there."
"Understood, boss," the driver replied, shifting gears and pulling out of the parking lot.