Ignored When Chasing: Why Cry After I Got Engaged-Chapter 25: Don’t You Find It Dirty?

Looking for a rebound...

Cecilia Nathan frowned helplessly. "You’re overthinking it. I’m not looking for your substitute here."

"Is that so?" Damian Hawthorne loomed over her, his eyes meeting Cecilia’s. A barely perceptible smile touched his lips. "Then tell him to leave."

Cecilia glanced at Finn Hawthorne. He was just about to get up...

Chloe Sutton, who hadn’t left, stood up, afraid Damian would bully her friend. "I’d like to see anyone try!"

"Damian Hawthorne, we booked this area. You have no right to make anyone leave! Security!" Chloe stood and yelled for the guards outside, pointing at Damian. "Drag this troublemaker out of here."

A security guard walked up to Damian Hawthorne and made a "please" gesture.

"Sir, please leave on your own, or we’ll have to get rough."

They had just carried the tattooed woman out moments before.

Damian Hawthorne chuckled softly and shot Chloe Sutton a cold look. "This is your first time hosting this music show. You wouldn’t want the media to find out you’re here, would you?"

’A threat. A blatant threat.’

Chloe gritted her teeth in frustration, her expression almost crumbling.

Cecilia patted Chloe’s shoulder. "Chloe, why don’t you go on ahead? I need to have a word with Damian Hawthorne."

Chloe took a deep breath, shot Damian a venomous glare, and left with Finn Hawthorne. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Cecilia sat down, sinking into the sofa. Her petite frame was almost swallowed by the soft cushions.

Damian Hawthorne looked down at her, his eyes darkening when he caught sight of the faint curves revealed at her neckline.

When he had walked in, that man had been sitting right beside her, looking incredibly intimate.

’That man saw her figure, too.’

Inexplicably, Damian’s anger surged.

"Stay away from this Finn Hawthorne," Damian Hawthorne said, his tone utterly domineering. "I don’t like anyone with a face that slightly resembles mine doing anything intimate with you."

Cecilia let out a soft, scornful laugh. "Don’t worry, I’m not that promiscuous."

"I just felt sorry for him and decided to help him out. There’s nothing more to it."

"Sorry for him..." Damian’s lips curved slightly. "A man who works in a place like this needs your pity?"

Cecilia lowered her eyes and fell silent.

’She knew it was useless to say anything now. Damian would just assume she was looking for a replacement.’

"If you’re feeling lonely, you can come find me." Damian planted his hands on either side of her, his thin lips brushing against her ear. "I’m cleaner than the men here, and I won’t be eyeing the little money in your pocket."

Cecilia’s breath hitched, her eyes widening. "Damian Hawthorne, you..."

Damian gripped her chin, his lips drawing closer as he stared intently into her eyes.

His scent was overpowering, that familiar fresh fragrance lingering under her nose.

Cecilia’s heart quivered.

Just as their lips were about to meet, Cecilia turned her head to the side.

Damian’s lips brushed against her cheek.

"And you say you don’t like me anymore. You’re still wearing the same perfume."

Cecilia’s chest tightened. She lowered her lashes, avoiding his scrutinizing gaze.

His hand began to wander, just like it used to. Cecilia pressed her legs together and warned through gritted teeth, "Damian Hawthorne, don’t..."

The large hand stopped abruptly.

"I don’t want to take birth control pills anymore." Cecilia’s voice was pleading. "Damian Hawthorne, please, just let me go."

’Back then, she had been too naive.’

’She’d slept with him, thinking it would make him stay, but an old flame could never compete with someone new.’

’It was time for her to pull away.’

Damian gave her a deep look, then shifted and sat down beside her.

"Cecilia, stay with me."

’He couldn’t stand seeing her with other men.’

"My mom actually likes you a lot; she’s just bad at expressing it. And after all these years you’ve been with me, I’ve gotten used to it," Damian said, sounding somewhat nonchalant as he toyed with a lighter in one hand. "Stay with me. I can provide for you."

"Stay with you? And be the other woman to you and Serena Hughes?" Cecilia’s words shattered the beautiful fantasy. "Damian Hawthorne, I don’t want to be a mistress."

’Serena’s appearance had made her retreat.’

For a long time, Damian was silent.

Cecilia gave a bitter smile.

’If Damian had chosen her, it wasn’t that she wouldn’t have given him a chance.’

’But from beginning to end, the one Damian chose was always Serena Hughes.’

’No matter what happened, he would never give up on Serena.’

’To be honest, Cecilia was even a little envious.’

’Someone had finally made this devil-may-care man want to settle down. It was just a shame that someone wasn’t her.’

"Serena Hughes came to see me again today." Thinking of Serena’s actions, Cecilia’s expression grew cold. "It seems you haven’t managed to convince her."

"She can be a bit willful." When he spoke of Serena, Damian’s tone softened unconsciously. "Don’t argue with her. She’s not as sensible as you."

’Not as sensible as her...’

Cecilia smiled but said nothing.

’She was just *too* sensible.’

’Unfortunately, the sensible one is always the one who suffers.’

"I have no intention of arguing with her. If I can’t afford to provoke a woman with something wrong in her head, I can at least avoid her."

Cecilia’s words made Damian raise an eyebrow slightly. "It’s good that you can think that way."

"As for the competition, we’ll stick to the original plan."

"Is that why you came here today?" Cecilia looked up and laughed mockingly. "Don’t worry, I won’t be participating in this competition. I wouldn’t deign to take part in a music show that isn’t pure."

"Serena came to you because of that music score?" Damian narrowed his eyes, seemingly contemplating something.

"Yes, she still hasn’t given up." Thinking of what Serena had said, Cecilia found it increasingly ridiculous. "She said that if I don’t give her the score, she’ll tell your mother about my chemical pregnancy."

"Perfect. I don’t want to attend your family dinner anyway. I’ll trouble you to explain to your own mother that her grandchild is gone."

Damian lowered his gaze, took out a cigarette case, and pinched a cigarette between his fingers.

"The doctor said Grandpa only has three months to live." After speaking, he looked at Cecilia, his tone softening. "I hope you can keep the miscarriage a secret. At least, let Grandpa live out these last three months peacefully."

Hearing that the old man only had three months left, Cecilia’s lips parted in disbelief.

Damian’s maternal grandfather was a veteran who had fought in wars in his youth and earned illustrious military honors.

But now he was over ninety, and even a robust constitution was nearing its end.

"Are you saying you want me to keep pretending to be pregnant to deceive your grandfather?" Cecilia frowned, considering the feasibility of his proposal.

Her intuition told her she shouldn’t agree, but Cecilia had met the old man, and he had always been kind to her.

"Grandpa wants to see me get married." Damian lit the cigarette, his brown eyes holding an unreadable emotion. "The marriage isn’t happening, but we can at least give him a grandchild to look forward to."

"I’m sorry, I can’t do it." Cecilia refused flatly. "I don’t want to lie to an old man."

"Serena Hughes knows about my miscarriage. Aren’t you afraid she’ll tell your grandfather? Wouldn’t the blow be even greater for him then?"