Ignored When Chasing: Why Cry After I Got Engaged-Chapter 30: Got It Wrong

"Did you plan today’s proposal?"

Damian Hawthorne didn’t answer her directly.

Serena Hughes nodded shyly. "Maybe it was a bit rushed, but I..."

"It was indeed too rushed." Damian Hawthorne’s tone was slightly dismissive. "I’ve never been a fan of overly forward women."

"Then what about Cecilia Nathan?" Serena Hughes retorted heatedly. "She was much more forward than I am. Don’t you like her either?"

Damian Hawthorne’s lips curled into a roguish smile.

"There’s only one Cecilia Nathan in this world."

"I’m sorry. I was getting ahead of myself." Serena Hughes’s voice was already choked with tears. "I thought you liked me, Mr. Hawthorne. I thought you’d be happy if I took the initiative."

"I remember you used to say that no matter how forward a woman is, proposing is something that should always be left to the man." Damian Hawthorne’s tone held a hint of scrutiny. "Did losing your memory make you forget that, too?"

Serena Hughes’s eyes widened, and her heart gave a violent THUMP.

"No, I didn’t forget... I was just... afraid your grandfather would force you two to marry." At this, Serena Hughes lowered her head sadly. "My family isn’t well-off, so I just wanted to be brave this one time."

’She didn’t understand. Mr. Hawthorne was so good to her, so why wouldn’t he accept her confession?’

’After what happened yesterday, she was truly afraid of losing everything she had now.’

’She was afraid Cecilia would have the baby, and she was afraid Damian Hawthorne would fall in love with Cecilia.’

’She knew the gap between herself and Cecilia. Given the same circumstances, she couldn’t compare to Cecilia, whether in looks or talent.’

"Mr. Hawthorne, don’t worry. This is the first and last time," Serena Hughes said, feeling both ashamed and afraid.

’She could sense that Damian Hawthorne was genuinely angry.’

"You haven’t recovered your memory yet. It’s not too late to take the next step after you get it back."

Serena Hughes could only nod obediently.

’Yesterday’s proposal banquet had completely emptied her wallet.’

’She had thought she could achieve a meteoric rise after today, but it had all vanished like smoke.’

"I saw how forward Cecilia Nathan was with you before, so I thought you might like someone who takes initiative," Serena Hughes said, biting her lower lip, vexed and regretful.

Damian Hawthorne pressed his lips together, his brown eyes trembling slightly.

’A Cecilia who loved so recklessly... he had been moved by her, too.’

’He would probably never find someone who loved him like Cecilia did ever again.’

’It was a shame to give her up, of course.’

’But he had no other choice.’

’His life was a gift from the Serena of the past.’

’Without Serena Hughes, he didn’t know how many times he would have died.’

’But the Serena of today felt somewhat like a stranger to him.’

"Did you know Cecilia was having surgery today?"

Serena Hughes froze for a moment. "I... I didn’t know."

"I promised to be with her for the surgery, but because of you, I couldn’t even give her that comfort."

Damian Hawthorne’s voice was low.

Serena Hughes said guiltily, "I didn’t know about that, Mr. Hawthorne. I was impulsive today. I’m sorry..."

Just then, Damian Hawthorne’s phone vibrated a few times. It was a message from his assistant about Cecilia Nathan.

Damian Hawthorne mulled it over for a moment, then started walking toward the door.

Serena Hughes stood up nervously. "Mr. Hawthorne, where are you going?"

’She was in an unfamiliar old mansion, and having made a mistake, she was even more terrified of being abandoned.’

"I’ll have the driver take you home."

"And... and you?"

"I’m going to the hospital."

The color slowly drained from Serena Hughes’s face.

She slumped onto the sofa as if her soul had been drained from her body.

’Just as I thought. Damian Hawthorne was still going to see Cecilia Nathan.’

’He still cared about her.’

Thinking of how her meticulously planned proposal had come to nothing, Serena Hughes felt a flicker of anger amid her regret.

Suddenly, Serena Hughes jolted, shot to her feet, and rushed in front of Damian Hawthorne, holding up her phone to show him the news she had just scrolled past.

"Mr. Hawthorne, you’d better not go. Cecilia Nathan is in the news with Mr. Hugo Grant right now. The media found out Mr. Grant accompanied her to get an abortion."

"Mr. Hawthorne, perhaps... that child isn’t yours."

After Serena Hughes finished speaking, she felt a chill creep into the air around her.

Damian Hawthorne watched her quietly, his face unreadable.

Serena Hughes swallowed nervously and summoned her courage. "I’m not just making things up. It’s written all over the news."

"Mr. Hawthorne, could it be that the baby in Cecilia Nathan’s belly really isn’t yours? Otherwise, how could she have found someone to sign the papers so quickly when you didn’t show up?"

Damian Hawthorne’s lips curled. "Impossible."

"That child is mine."

Serena Hughes gave an awkward laugh. "I’m sorry, it was just a guess."

"You should read less of this baseless gossip in the future. And by the way, I give you money to improve your life, not for you to propose to me. From now on, leave things like that to me."

Leaving her with those words, Damian Hawthorne walked away without a backward glance.

Sitting in the car, Damian Hawthorne closed his eyes to rest, his mind filled with the image of Hugo Grant and Cecilia Nathan together.

’Hugo Grant had been single since birth and was known for being aloof around women, yet he clearly favored Cecilia Nathan.’

’He showed up when Cecilia was at her most vulnerable.’

’Hugo Grant was playing his cards well.’

At the thought of Cecilia Nathan eventually marrying someone else, Damian Hawthorne scoffed and subconsciously clenched his fists.

"President Hawthorne..." The young assistant, sitting in the passenger seat, glanced back in surprise. "I looked into that matter you were suspicious about again. It seems there really is a problem."

"Miss Serena Hughes... doesn’t seem to be the person we’re looking for."

As the assistant’s words fell, Damian Hawthorne’s eyelids lifted, his gaze turning cold and menacing.

...

「Korsyth Hospital.」

When Cecilia Nathan woke from her nap, she saw Hugo Grant still keeping watch by her side.

Hugo had peeled many apples and carved them into all sorts of shapes, as if he had been waiting for her to wake up.

Seeing the little trinkets carved from the apples, a small smile touched Cecilia Nathan’s lips.

’Who would have thought the notoriously aloof young master of the Grant family had such a whimsical, leisurely side?’

"You’re awake?" Hugo Grant took the plate away. "They’ve oxidized. Here, eat this."

As soon as he finished speaking, he picked up a food container from under the bed.

"I just had my family’s chef bring this over." Hugo Grant took out a bowl and ladled some for Cecilia Nathan.

Cecilia Nathan paused when she saw the nourishing soup.

’Fish maw and chicken soup—it was exactly what she needed to replenish her strength.’

"Hugo Grant..." Cecilia Nathan held the bowl of soup and voiced the question that had been weighing on her mind. "Why are you so good to me?"

’They were friends, yes, but there was supposed to be a certain distance between friends of the opposite sex.’

’But Hugo Grant didn’t seem to mind those societal conventions at all.’

’He was calm and restrained, maintaining a distance from her, yet at times he cared for her like family.’

’This side of Hugo Grant was impossible for her to figure out.’

Hugo Grant’s hand, holding the food container, paused. The movement was slight, and he returned to normal in just a few seconds.

"Because I consider you a friend."

’The same answer as always.’

’But those simple words made the stone in Cecilia Nathan’s heart feel a little lighter.’

’If he said they were friends, then friends it was.’

’Cecilia knew that with Hugo Grant’s personality, no one could force him to say something he didn’t want to.’

"However, after today, everyone is just going to assume we’re a couple."

Hugo Grant showed her the news report on his phone.

Cecilia Nathan’s entire body went rigid when she saw the content.

It said that Hugo Grant had accompanied her to get an abortion.

That Hugo Grant had signed his name on the surgical consent form.

That the child she aborted was his and hers.

"The news these days is just absurd." Cecilia Nathan’s brow twitched as she read.

Before she could even collect herself, a call came from Damian Hawthorne’s mother.

Seeing the name "Frances Bennett" on the screen, Cecilia Nathan fought the urge to throw her phone but ultimately tapped the answer button.

"Cecilia, how could you have gotten rid of the baby?"