Wife You Discarded is a Billionaire's Crush novel Chapter 121

Having taken the helm of the Zephyr Group, Cedric had dealt with every kind of person imaginable. He could read Liliana's half-hearted compliance as clearly as daylight.

"What is it?" she asked, a shiver of unease running down her spine under his intense gaze.

"I'm craving that lemon-herb tilapia you make," Cedric said, stepping closer. He reached out and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

His voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable weight, a subtle pressure that was uniquely his. His cool fingertips grazed her cheek, sending a tingling jolt through her entire body.

Liliana hesitated for a moment before turning her head away and rising to her feet. She managed a faint smile. "Alright, I'll go make it."

She agreed without protest and walked straight downstairs.

Cedric's hand froze in mid-air. He watched her retreating back, an eyebrow arching high. She still couldn't bring herself to refuse him, even though he could see the weariness etched in her features. It was only natural for her to be upset; he had, after all, manipulated the situation to stop the divorce.

But she should be thankful he still had a use for her. The day she no longer held any interest for him would be the day her regrets were truly too late.

Liliana didn't realize it was a test. She just wanted to avoid another fight. In her current state, she didn't have the luxury of lashing out or the power to say no.

The fish was a bit of a disaster, thanks to Erma having scorched it earlier. But Cedric was in a surprisingly good mood and ate most of it himself.

"Madam's cooking is wonderful!" Erma praised, then added casually, "If you ask me, Madam, you should just quit your job and focus on taking care of the Young Master. He loves your food so much!"

Liliana had just put a bite of food in her mouth when Erma's words caught her completely off guard. She couldn't swallow and couldn't spit it out, and ended up choking. She spun around, covering her mouth as she coughed violently.

"Oh, dear! Let me get you a bowl of soup to help with that!" Erma exclaimed, rushing into the kitchen.

"Madam is young," Erma chimed in, oblivious to the subtle shift in tension between the couple. "She wants to make a name for herself, not just be a homemaker. A lot of women are like that these days…"

Cedric let out a sudden, unreadable smile. It was impossible to tell if he thought Liliana was unworthy of "making a name for herself," or if he simply found her attempt to transition from housewife to career woman utterly laughable.

He didn't press the issue, though, and Liliana felt the knot in her stomach finally loosen.

The next morning, Liliana bought breakfast from the cafe downstairs and took it up to a bench on the rooftop to eat. Halfway through her meal, her phone rang. It was Juniper Sewell.

"Liliana, you called off the divorce with that jerk Forrest and went back to him? You didn't think a little thing like that was worth mentioning? Are we even friends anymore?!"

At the mention of Cedric, Liliana's breakfast suddenly tasted like cardboard. "I wasn't trying to hide it from you," she explained. "I just… I haven't had the right chance to tell you."