When Her "Death" Couldn't Break Him (Cecilia and Nathaniel)

Chapter 2024 A New Stand

For as long as April could remember, Eloise had loved threatening her, and April had always submitted.

But that day, after a deep breath, April, still slightly stammering, said, "T-Then go ahead and complain. I'm not afraid."

Eloise was thunderstruck; her once-docile little cousin, little stutterer, suddenly had a spine.

"So you've grown bold, April? Talking to me like that? Believe me, I can come over right now and teach you a lesson!"

Hearing Eloise's vicious tone, April was still afraid.

Yet, she remembered Cecilia's words—she couldn't stay a doormat forever.

"Come if you want. I'm no longer the cousin you could bully at will. If you want to 'teach' me a lesson, I'm ready anytime."

She finished, then hung up.

Listening to the dead line, Eloise stood frozen.

She had never imagined April could transform in the span of a single conversation.

At first, she thought of tattling to April's parents, but then realized they'd side with their own daughter over a niece.

no choice

feared Eloise might go

parents had disfavored

her worry proved needless-Eloise

parents

Cecilia's present status, they began urging April to curry favor with her and stay

you start to change, things

next day, she reported

refused to play favorites; she arranged a

stellar, more than enough to satisfy the hiring standards at

April had blossomed into a poised young woman, though a trace of shyness still hovered around

"Cecilia."

nodded. "Hey, Eloise hasn't been giving you a

were right. Once I

rewarded her with a warm,

you

"Okay."

April's eyes as she turned and headed

Charlotte stepped up and

murmured, "Ms. Escobar doesn'toet