Ignored When Chasing: Why Cry After I Got Engaged-Chapter 28: You Give Birth, I’ll Raise

"Can’t keep it?" The corner of Damian Hawthorne’s mouth lifted into a half-smile. "Cecilia, the child is mine. I have the right to be responsible for its life."

"Responsible..." Cecilia Nathan’s voice was dry and hoarse. "How will you be responsible for it? Can you give it a perfect family?"

"The heirs of the Hawthorne Family don’t need the support of a family." Damian Hawthorne’s smile vanished.

Cecilia Nathan’s breath caught.

’He was right. The heirs of the Hawthorne Family didn’t need the support of a family.’

Damian Hawthorne’s father had died young, and his grandmother had passed away early as well.

Among The Hawthorne Clan, almost every heir came from a broken home.

’But she was just an ordinary person.’

’She just wanted her child to have the good life of an ordinary person.’

’If she couldn’t give it a complete home, she would rather not have this child at all.’

’Perhaps that was an extreme way of thinking, but she had grown up in a single-parent home. Her family’s finances had always been tight, and the hardships she had endured growing up had all but drowned out any sweetness in her life.’

’She didn’t want her child to lead a miserable life like she had.’

’A child couldn’t choose to be born, but she could choose not to bring it into the world.’

"Cecilia Nathan, are you worried that the child won’t have a mother in the future?"

Suddenly, Serena Hughes’s voice cut in.

Only then did Cecilia Nathan notice Serena Hughes standing nearby. She had no idea how long she’d been listening.

As Cecilia Nathan frowned in hesitation, Serena Hughes said gently, "I’ve always loved children. Don’t worry, Mr. Hawthorne and I will take very good care of this child."

Cecilia Nathan’s chest tightened. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

"Just now, I confessed my feelings to Mr. Hawthorne. I couldn’t resist his pursuit, so I’ve decided to give him—and myself—a chance to be together."

After saying this, Serena Hughes turned to Damian Hawthorne. "Let’s raise this child together, alright?"

Damian Hawthorne said nothing, his eyes narrowing slightly, his thoughts unreadable.

’So they would "raise the child together." How wonderful.’

It was as if Cecilia Nathan’s heart were being bound tightly with wire, seeping blood drop by drop.

’So this was why Damian Hawthorne wanted to keep the child?’

’For her to give birth to the child, only for Serena Hughes to raise it?’

"To be honest, I’ve always been afraid of pain, so I don’t want to have children myself," Serena Hughes said, her voice soft and her expression a picture of sincerity. "When Cecilia Nathan’s child is born, I promise I’ll raise it as if it were my own."

Knowing that Cecilia Nathan’s child still existed drove her nearly mad with jealousy.

She knew she couldn’t erase the past between Cecilia Nathan and Damian Hawthorne, so she could only follow the path he had laid out.

She didn’t know why Damian Hawthorne wanted to keep this child.

But since Damian Hawthorne wanted to keep it, she had to go along with him.

’So what if she had to raise someone else’s child? Once she married into the Hawthorne Family, the child’s future would be in her hands.’

’The prerequisite, of course, was marrying into the Hawthorne Family.’

At this thought, Serena Hughes did her best to control her expression, forcing a magnanimous look onto her face.

"Thank you for your kind offer." Cecilia Nathan let out a cold laugh. "I’m not magnanimous enough to bear a child for someone else."

"How could it be someone else’s child? It’s Mr. Hawthorne’s child." Here, Serena Hughes lowered her head bashfully. "I love Mr. Hawthorne, so I’m willing to raise a child for him."

Serena Hughes’s words were both bashful and servile.

Cecilia Nathan almost laughed at the act.

’How noble of her, "willing to raise a child for Mr. Hawthorne."’

’Serena Hughes seemed to have forgotten that the baby was in *her* womb. *She* was the one calling the shots.’

"Then your wishful thinking has been for naught. The baby has no heartbeat; it can’t be saved." Cecilia Nathan had no intention of saying anything more to them. "You two just got together. It wouldn’t be right to have a child stuck in the middle."

"I wish you two a long and happy life together."

With that, Cecilia Nathan turned to leave, but Damian Hawthorne grabbed her arm. His tone was grave. "The baby... it really can’t be saved?"

"That’s right."

Cecilia Nathan lowered her eyes. A heavy stone seemed to be crushing her chest, making it impossible to breathe.

’It wasn’t as if she hadn’t considered keeping this child.’

’Because she had been on birth control for so many years, it would be difficult for her to conceive again in the future.’

’The doctor had asked her why she would put her body through such torment.’

’Cecilia Nathan hadn’t told the doctor that, in truth, she had never planned to live for very long anyway.’

’If it hadn’t been for Damian Hawthorne, she might have died after that accident.’

’Damian Hawthorne’s arrival had given her a new lease on life.’

Thinking of all this, Cecilia Nathan felt a sting in her nose. A dense, sharp pain, like a thousand needles, pricked at her heart.

She bit down hard on the tip of her tongue, desperately trying not to break down in tears right there.

Panting raggedly, she made her way to the staircase and slowly sank onto the steps.

Across from the window was a shopping mall.

Cecilia Nathan looked up, her long eyelashes trembling like a butterfly’s wings as tears welled in her eyes.

’She had thought Damian Hawthorne was her new lease on life.’

’And now, the man who had given her that life was pursuing another woman.’

"Don’t cry."

A gentle voice sounded beside her.

Cecilia Nathan looked up and saw a blurry figure.

Her tears finally spilled over.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but her throat felt as if it were being squeezed shut, and she could only let out a few sharp coughs.

"You’re an ugly crier."

Damian Hawthorne crouched beside Cecilia Nathan, frowning at the tears on her face. He instinctively reached out to wipe them away.

"I just went to ask the doctor, too."

"The doctor said that forcing you to carry the baby to term could lead to severe hemorrhaging and would be terrible for your health." Damian Hawthorne paused. "And what Serena Hughes said... that wasn’t my idea."

The corner of Cecilia Nathan’s mouth twitched, but she didn’t respond.

’It might not have been his idea, but it was the truth nonetheless.’

’If she really gave birth to this child, she would never be able to keep custody of it.’

’Because Damian Hawthorne would ultimately marry Serena Hughes.’

’The child’s stepmother was destined to be Serena Hughes.’

"Are you really going to marry Serena Hughes?"

Cecilia Nathan thought of what her assistant had told her.

A long time ago, Damian Hawthorne had already been in love with Serena Hughes.

’So that was why he hadn’t mentioned marriage all these years.’

’He refused to even mention marriage because he had always planned to marry Serena Hughes.’

"Serena saved my life."

After Damian Hawthorne said this, the air fell silent for several seconds.

That one sentence was all the answer she needed.

’Serena Hughes was Damian Hawthorne’s savior.’

’Sooner or later, Damian Hawthorne was going to marry Serena Hughes.’

"You were right. Even if this child were born, I wouldn’t be able to give it a complete family." Damian Hawthorne’s tone grew distant. "Just now, I was only trying to make my grandfather happy. I didn’t consider your feelings. I’m sorry."

Cecilia Nathan was surprised to hear an apology from Damian Hawthorne.

’But on second thought, Damian Hawthorne was partly responsible for what was happening to this child.’

"When’s the procedure?" Damian Hawthorne asked.

"Tomorrow."

"I’ll be there with you."

Damian Hawthorne stood up. At some point, he had lit a cigarette.

He leaned his lean frame against the railing. The wind caught the corner of his jacket, giving him a roguish, untamed air. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Cecilia Nathan lifted her gaze to meet his eyes.

He had light brown, almond-shaped eyes, their pale color holding an enigmatic allure.

Only when she looked into those eyes could she truly feel her own heart beating.

"When are you and Serena Hughes getting married?"

As if compelled by some unknown force, the question slipped from Cecilia Nathan’s lips.