?Chapter 824:


    After a thoughtful pause, Lillian suggested, “Maybe it’s time to let this go. Cedric’s involvement onlyplicates matters. If he starts resenting you, then why bother? Why not make life easier? If it all falls apart, maybe it’s best to divorce Cedric. That way, neither of you has to deal with any mess. Sounds better, right?”


    Dani’s hand trembled slightly at Lillian’s words. She tried to ignore the quiver, giving her palm a gentle squeeze to soothe the growing ache.


    Lillian offered, “It’s better to end things soon than to let the agony linger. If you can’t face him, I’ll handle it.”


    Dani’s gaze drifted, her expression clouded by distant thoughts. “Lillian, you just don’t understand.”


    Lillian’s gaze fixed on Dani, confusion etched across her face. “What’s there to misunderstand? You managed perfectly well before Cedric came along. Even if he backs off now, who’s to say the future won’t bring more heartache? Your rtionship is bound to dwindle. Wouldn’t it be wiser to part on good terms now while some fondness remains?”


    The memory of Cedric’s determined face earlier that day shed in Dani’s mind, reigniting the trembling in her hand. This time, the pain was sharper.


    Lillian caught the subtle change instantly, her voice faltering. “You…”


    She paused, her features etched with shock.


    Dani’s battle with depression had been a closed chapter, one that hadn’t resurfaced in years. Yet now… “Is it because of Cedric?”


    Lillian had never anticipated that Cedric’s influence on Dani would be so profound.


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    It had never been about curing depression—it was about keeping it in check, knowing it would alwayse and go. The moment emotions spiraled, the symptoms found their way back. It all showed in the symptoms—proof that emotions weren’t just in the mind.


    “Don’t worry about it. Just a minor thing,” Dani insisted.


    Lillian’s brow furrowed with concern. “Did something happen at Phillips Group today? Did Cedric say something to upset you?”


    Dani’s fingers caressed her numb palm as she reached for her phone, her expression veiled and unreadable. “No. What could he possibly say to me?” For a moment, Lillian considered it, but she knew Cedric wasn’t the type to do that.


    Yet, as they arrived at the charity event that evening and glimpsed the figure in the red dress standing beside Cedric, both Dani and Lillian froze.


    Fury ignited within Lillian, propelling her forward with fiery resolve.


    Meanwhile, Dani was rooted to the spot, her reaction stifled by shock. Her world narrowed to the sight of Cedric, standing beside him Lydia—the undeniable center of attention.


    Lydia was radiant, her allure magnified by the vivid red dress clinging to her curves. She leaned towards Cedric, her head tilted in a gesture of intimate familiarity, her every word dripping with effortless, seductive charm. Cedric stood regally, his silhouette sharply tailored in a custom-made suit, cradling a ss of wine. A faint smile yed at the corners of his mouth.


    Dani, clutching her purse as if it were a lifeline, felt the room suddenly tighten around her. Her breath became shallow; the whispers and stares of the gathered elite felt suffocating.


    Every gaze seemed maically drawn to her and Cedric—this was the kind of drama the high society thrived on.


    They all remembered Cedric’s protective aura around her, and now, here he stood, barely a year into their marriage, with another woman by his side.


    For the elite, ravenous for thetest tale of intrigue, this was a feast.


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