We Want Mommy Not You Daddy (Cedar) novel Chapter 85

Chapter 85

Cedar’s POV

I was already up at the first ring of my alarm–a habit ingrained over years of necessity. After making my bed, I headed to the bathroom when someone pounded on my door with enough force to wake the entire building.

Opening it, I faced two identically furious expressions. Elara and Selena–my adoptive mother and sister–stood glaring at me in my doorway.

“Cedar, are you deliberately ignoring what I told you?” Elara shoved my shoulder hard, her eyes practically shooting flames.

I felt my expression cool. “What’s the problem now?”

“You have the nerve to ask?” Selena’s voice rose to a shriek. “You promised to talk to Ridley Sterling about backing off our company. And what happened? Sterling Design Group just poached Wright Creatives‘ last major client last night! They’re deliberately trying to destroy us! You must have turned Sterling against us, didn’t you? Getting your revenge?”

Elara’s face contorted with rage. “It seems you don’t care about finding your birth parents anymore. Fine! I’ll destroy the only two items that could lead you to them. You’ll never know where you came from!”

I leaned against the doorframe, keeping my expression neutral despite the familiar pang those words always caused.

“You want my help but haven’t shown any good faith,” I said evenly. “You keep dangling information about my parents but haven’t produced anything in all these years. I’m starting to think it’s just another manipulation.”

After yesterday’s encounter with Ridley Sterling, I’d aged five years from stress. I wasn’t about to repeat the experience without something tangible in

return.

“Ungrateful little parasite!” Elara spat. “The Wrights saved your life, fed and clothed you, and this is how you repay us? I should have left you where we

found you!”

Selena joined in, her voice venomous. “You should know the truth–your parents abandoned you! That letter they left said anyone who raised you would be doing them a favor. My parents took pity on you, and now you bite the hand that fed you! I curse you to be abandoned in every lifetime!”

“What’s all this noise so early?” Mrs. Petrovich appeared, immediately defending me as usual. “Stop bothering Cedar. Her boyfriend was here yesterday in an expensive car – worth a fortune. They’re obviously close, and he won’t tolerate you treating her badly.”

Selena’s eyes widened in rage. “When did you get a boyfriend, you little-

“Cedar already has a son.” Mrs. Petrovich placed her hands on her hips defensively. “Stop pushing her around, or you will face the consequences.”

“So you did have a bastard child!” Elara lunged forward, hand raised to slap me.

I caught her wrist mid–swing and pushed her away. She stumbled in her high heels, nearly tumbling down the stairwell, her face turning an alarming shade of purple.

As she prepared to charge at me again, Selena held her back, calculation replacing rage in her eyes.

“Cedar,” she said coldly, “if you’ve managed to trap some rich man and give him a son, then go to him and get him to invest in Wright Creatives. If our company survives this crisis, we’ll consider our obligation to you fulfilled.*

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2:52 pm P

Chapter 85

I nearly laughed at her audacity. Any debt I might have owed the Wright family had been paid a thousand times over through years of exploitation and

emotional abuse.

Before I could throw them both out, my phone vibrated. Glancing at the caller ID, I quickly answered.

“Mr. Sterling, I acknowledged formally, watching Elara and Selena’s expressions shift from anger to shock.

“I left my charger on your couch last night, Ridley’s cold voice came through the speaker. ‘Bring it to me. My phone’s dying and I need it immediately.”

The call ended abruptly before I could respond.

Selena’s POV

I couldn’t believe my ears. “Was that Ridley on the phone?” I demanded, my stomach churning with dread.

“Who else would it be?‘ Cedar responded coldly.

“You’re that familiar with him?” I could feel my nails digging into my palms. “Why would his charger be at your place?”

Mrs. Petrovich smirked. “Didn’t I just tell you? Cedar’s boyfriend stayed over last night. Of course he left his charger behind. He’ll make you pay for treating

her this way.”

“Mrs. Petrovich, you should get to your morning shopping,” Cedar cut in while retrieving something from inside. “I need to get to work.”

She shut her door firmly and walked away, leaving Mother and me standing there in stunned silence.

“Mom, did that worthless girl sleep with Ridley Sterling?” I couldn’t process the possibility. “How could someone like Sterling be interested in an adopted

nobody?”

Mother clenched her teeth in fury. “No wonder she doesn’t care about Wright Creatives anymore. She’s wormed her way into the Sterling family!”

“Is her son Sterling’s illegitimate child?” The question made me feel physically ill. If Cedar had given Sterling a son, she would permanently outrank me. The very thought was unbearable.

“Impossible!” Mother hissed. “Everyone knows that he Sterling family has only one young heir. If Cedar had given birth to the Sterling heir, I’d eat my words and grovel at her feet! But she’s just a girl from nowhere with no background. Dreaming of marrying into the Sterling family is pure delusion.”

I exhaled in relief. Sterling was probably just playing with Cedar. Nothing serious.

“Regardless,” I said slowly, working through the implications, Ridley must still have some interest in her if he’s listening to her and targeting our company. All those clients abandoned us the moment Sterling Design Group made its move. If we can show those companies that Wright Creatives and Sterling aren’t enemies, we might still have a chance.”

“What are you suggesting, Selena?”

“Grandpa’s birthday celebration is coming up. We need to find an excuse to bring Cedar home for it, and ideally, invite Ridley too.” I smiled coldly. “When those fair–weather clients see Sterling personally attending Grandpa’s birthday, our problems will solve themselves.”

“Selena, you’re brilliant as always!”

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