Ignored When Chasing: Why Cry After I Got Engaged-Chapter 35: Just the Mistress

A girl who was tuning her violin saw Serena Hughes and immediately called out teasingly.

The moment she spoke, the room fell silent.

Everyone instinctively glanced at Cecilia Nathan, holding their breath.

They all knew the story between Cecilia Nathan and Damian Hawthorne, and between Damian Hawthorne and Serena Hughes.

Everyone in Korsyth knew that Cecilia Nathan had been pursuing Damian Hawthorne. But then, in the blink of an eye, he had gotten together with Serena Hughes.

"Serena, Mr. Hawthorne proposed to you, didn’t he? We all saw it," Tia Bennett said, happily sidling up to Serena Hughes with a radiant smile.

"I saw it too! Everyone’s talking about it, saying Mr. Hawthorne has finally found his soulmate. Serena, you’re so incredible, getting a man like Mr. Hawthorne to finally settle down." Claire Hale, heedless of who else was in the room, looked like she couldn’t wait to list off all of Serena’s glorious achievements.

’Who wouldn’t be excited? Her best friend was about to become a wealthy socialite, and she’d get to bask in the reflected glory.’

Hearing her friends’ compliments, Serena Hughes’s face turned a ghastly shade of purple.

The problem was, she had been the one to stage that proposal—she’d paid for it and hired the reporters herself. Even if she wanted to explain now, it was useless.

Serena Hughes pressed her lips into a thin line and instinctively glanced at Cecilia Nathan.

Cecilia Nathan remained expressionless, her eyes fixed on the sheet music in her hands as if she hadn’t heard a word.

The thought of how much Damian Hawthorne cared for Cecilia Nathan made Serena Hughes nearly insane with jealousy.

She didn’t know exactly *why* Mr. Hawthorne had grown so cold toward her, but it had all started right after Cecilia Nathan’s surgery.

After that day, Mr. Hawthorne was like a changed man, no longer as attentive or considerate as he used to be.

Serena Hughes refused to believe that Cecilia had nothing to do with any of it.

"Soulmate? More like a homewrecker," the girl who had been tuning her violin sneered unexpectedly. "It was obvious our TA and Damian Hawthorne were together. They broke up right after you interfered. If you’re not a homewrecker, then what are you?"

Hearing that word, Serena Hughes’s face flushed. "I’m not a homewrecker."

"What’s all this about a homewrecker? Do you even know the definition?" Claire Hale stepped in front of Serena Hughes, shielding her friend. "A homewrecker is someone who destroys a marriage. Did TA Cecilia Nathan and Mr. Hawthorne have a marriage? They weren’t even boyfriend and girlfriend, were they? Our Serena getting together with Mr. Hawthorne wasn’t ’interfering.’ They’re free to date whomever they want."

"Ivy Grant, stop throwing the word ’homewrecker’ around. Who’s the other woman, and who’s the one after her... that’s not even set in stone yet."

Ever since Serena took them shopping for designer bags, Claire Hale had been firmly on her friend’s side.

Cecilia Nathan might have been her TA, but the gifts Serena gave them were priceless. Anyone with half a brain would know whose side to take.

"Claire Hale, are you insane? Do you have any idea what you’re saying?" Ivy Grant crossed her arms. "The TA just finished helping you, and now you’re saying this right to her face? Claire, I think you’ve lost your mind."

Ivy Grant’s words sent a chill down Claire Hale’s spine.

Cecilia Nathan was the TA, and what’s more, she was close with their advisor. If Cecilia were to say something bad about her to the advisor, and the advisor decided to make things difficult, she might not be able to graduate.

To her surprise, however, Cecilia Nathan seemed to read her mind and said calmly, "Personal matters will not affect your ability to graduate."

Those words were the reassurance Claire Hale needed.

’Truthfully, she felt a pang of guilt for what she’d just said. But she was Serena’s friend; she had to defend her.’

’Ivy Grant was right. She really must have lost her mind for a moment.’

Thankfully, Cecilia Nathan didn’t seem to care. And that, paradoxically, made Claire feel even more ashamed of herself.

"Your graduation recital is coming up. You don’t want to drag your ensembles down, so you should be practicing." Seeing they were still eager to gossip, Cecilia Nathan quickly steered the conversation back on track.

’Actually, Claire Hale had a point.’

’She and Damian couldn’t even be considered boyfriend and girlfriend.’

’At best, she was just someone pursuing him.’

’As for Serena...’

Cecilia Nathan glanced up at a distracted-looking Serena Hughes.

Damian Hawthorne had said he wasn’t considering marriage this year. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have used the excuse of her having his child to placate Mr. Bennett.

But then the media broke the story that Damian Hawthorne had proposed to Serena Hughes.

Cecilia found this contradiction a little surprising.

"Cecilia Nathan..." After a moment’s thought, Serena decided to confront Cecilia with the question that was plaguing her.

"Did you say something to Mr. Hawthorne?" The swelling on Serena’s face had gone down, but her tone was aggressive. "Why is he treating me differently? It’s like... like I deceived him, like I’m his enemy."

"Whether you deceived him or not, wouldn’t you know best?" Cecilia Nathan raised an eyebrow, finding the question absurd. "Serena Hughes, that swollen face of yours is truly hideous."