Chapter 115: Chapter 115: She’s Truly Flexible

As Sebastian Hawthorne rounded the front of the car to get into the driver’s seat, he saw Cecilia Croft looking at him with a hint of pity.

He immediately reached out and flicked her on the head. "You’d better get that junk out of your head."

The flick hurt a little. Cecilia Croft quickly covered her forehead, her expression guilty.

Cecilia Croft moved her lips, wanting to say something, but then she realized that anything she said would just be rubbing salt in Sebastian Hawthorne’s wound, so she kept her mouth shut.

Sebastian Hawthorne glanced sideways at her. Seeing how unusually quiet and well-behaved she was in her seat, he spoke in a calm voice.

"There’s nothing between me and your sister."

Cecilia Croft nodded.

"I know."

’It was her sister who didn’t want anything to do with him, after all.’

’Just like how she’d proactively withdrawn back then after hearing what he said. She hadn’t wanted a scene where she’d be fighting her sister over a man one day.’

’Her sister had doted on her since they were children, so she must have felt the same way.’

’Sebastian Hawthorne was first rejected by her when she broke the engagement, and then he wasn’t even good enough for her sister. Even if he now claimed he had no interest in her sister, she would still act like she believed him.’

’After all, men have their pride.’

’Besides, the Croft Group still needed Sebastian Hawthorne’s help, so of course she wasn’t going to offend him.’

She was just thinking all this when the man in the driver’s seat actually voiced her thoughts.

"I have no interest in your sister, either."

Sebastian Hawthorne had laid his cards on the table, hoping she would stop with her wild speculations.

Perhaps because she had already prepared herself for it, Cecilia Croft appeared very calm and simply nodded lightly.

"Oh."

’In that moment, Cecilia Croft felt she could be a master psychologist. She had perfectly grasped Sebastian Hawthorne’s entire emotional journey.’

Her response was too calm. There was no trace of shock or surprise, not even a hint of delight in her eyes. Sebastian Hawthorne glanced at her, his heart feeling as if it had been ripped in two, and he slammed on the brakes.

Due to inertia, Cecilia Croft was thrown forward before the seatbelt yanked her back.

Her back hit the seat hard. She was stunned for a few seconds, then turned to look at the man beside her.

She saw Sebastian Hawthorne glaring at her, his expression furious, with a raging fire seemingly suppressed in his eyes.

Cecilia Croft: "..."

’Was it because he thought her answer was too perfunctory? Or that she didn’t believe him? So...’

’...he’d flown into a rage out of embarrassment?’

"I believe you! I do."

Cecilia Croft raised her hands to grip the seatbelt tightly, looking at Sebastian Hawthorne with wide, pleading eyes. To convince the man before her that she truly believed him, she didn’t even dare to blink.

Sebastian Hawthorne watched her performance with a frown, let out a soft breath through his thin lips, suppressed the anger in his eyes, and looked away, restarting the car to drive out of the underground garage.

Seeing this, Cecilia Croft remained even quieter.

The atmosphere in the car instantly plummeted.

She didn’t dare mention her sister again, terrified that anything she said would be like dancing on his landmines.

After the car left the underground garage, Cecilia Croft’s gaze fell on the man beside her again. Although his expression had returned to calm, his long, elegant hands were still gripping the steering wheel tightly.

The veins on the back of his hands stood out, betraying his inner turmoil.

’In all these years, there had never been any gossip about Sebastian Hawthorne, which showed how devoted he was.’

’After all, he’d been in love for so many years and had genuinely wanted to marry, only for it to end in nothing. It was understandable that he would feel bitter and resentful.’

The atmosphere in the car was too suffocating. It reminded Cecilia Croft of the heavy feeling from when she had insisted on breaking off her engagement with Sebastian Hawthorne.

It was like a stone pressing on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

Cecilia Croft took a deep breath, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke softly.

"Mr. Hawthorne, are you free tonight?"

Sebastian Hawthorne didn’t answer right away. He glanced at her, and his tight grip on the steering wheel loosened slightly.

"What are you planning?"

His tone was a bit stiff, clearly still suppressing some emotion.

Cecilia Croft wanted to liven up the atmosphere and make it less heavy, so she picked up her phone and waved it.

"Play a game."

Sebastian Hawthorne: "..."

He glanced at her. Her eyes were bright, her face held an eager-to-please smile, and her long, beautiful lashes fluttered. He finally let out a soft sigh and agreed.

"Fine."

’What was he even getting worked up about with her?’

’She’s heartless.’

Cecilia Croft grinned. "I saw today’s update. There’s a new skin that’s super hard to get. Did you buy it? Let me leech off you, oh great and honorable VIP 10."

Sebastian Hawthorne: "Bought it."

Cecilia Croft: "Awesome! I read the description, and I’m totally in love with this skin. Don’t worry, I won’t leech for free. I’ll carry you and get you some wins."

Sebastian Hawthorne hummed in acknowledgment and said calmly, "This skin’s design isn’t as good as the one you designed. You have a real talent for game design. Have you ever considered going into this line of work?"

Cecilia Croft looked out the window. "I’ve thought about it, but I never acted on it."

’At first, it was a lack of funding. Later, it was because Jude Sheridan didn’t like the gaming sector.’

’When Vantage was just starting out, they had argued about it. In the end, they followed the path Jude Sheridan had planned, and it was successful, in a way.’

’Over time, her own way of thinking seemed to have become shackled.’

Sebastian Hawthorne looked at her lost expression and said calmly.

"In that case, why not have the Croft Group try a different path? Ditch the physical industries, travel light, and go down the entertainment route."

"For a company to have long-term development, it has to go through various reforms. Stubbornly sticking to the old ways won’t work. Being too nostalgic is a detriment to a company’s growth. If you want to hold on to the things you want to protect, you first need the ability to do so. Reform isn’t the end. Bankruptcy is."

Cecilia Croft was moved by Sebastian Hawthorne’s words. Where she had been somewhat lost about the Croft Group’s future, the fog before her eyes suddenly cleared.

She immediately turned to look at Sebastian Hawthorne, her eyes filled with gratitude.

"Mr. Hawthorne, I understand now."

"My sister was right after all. I really can learn things from being around you. I hereby declare you my life coach."

’Sebastian Hawthorne had given her crucial advice, so naturally, she had to give him a sufficient emotional payoff.’

’Perhaps her sister’s approval was also very important to him.’

Sebastian Hawthorne’s expression didn’t change much, but watching her cheerful appearance, the corners of his lips curved up slightly.

"I’ve already spoon-fed you the meal. Whether you can swallow it is up to you."

Cecilia Croft nodded like a bobblehead. "Even if I choke to death, I’ll definitely swallow it."

Sebastian Hawthorne chuckled, and the atmosphere in the car finally thawed completely.

"If you can manage to choke to death on that, it would just prove you’re a complete and utter idiot."

Faced with his sharp tongue this time, Cecilia Croft wasn’t annoyed at all. Instead, she grinned and leaned in, playing the part of a sycophant to the fullest.

"Then please, Mr. Hawthorne, teach this idiot more."

Sebastian Hawthorne: "..."

’She really is... remarkably flexible.’