Chapter 417 A Family

• Startled by Nicholas' sudden embrace, Cecilia stiffened, her body going rigid. She hurriedly wriggled out of his arms, her heart racing. “I'm already married,” she managed to say, her voice tinged with both confusion and determination.
• The confusion in her eyes was unmistakable, and her resistance was all too clear to Nicholas. His throat tightened as he processed her words, and after what felt like an eternity, he slowly withdrew his hand, his eyes clouded with a deep sadness. “Can we still be friends in the future?” he asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
• Cecilia, still shaken by the encounter, looked at him with a softness that had been absent earlier. “Mmm, we're not just friends now, Nicholas. We're also family,” she replied gently. “I'll attend your engagement party.”