Ignored When Chasing: Why Cry After I Got Engaged-Chapter 36: She Is Not My Fiancée

A double entendre!

Serena Hughes thought of the slap from her mother that had reddened her face, and a wave of sadness washed over her.

"I didn’t lie to Mr. Hawthorne... He only started being cold to me after he found out about your abortion." Serena Hughes’s voice was full of grievance. "Cecilia Nathan, Mr. Hawthorne told you to have the baby, so why did you have to get rid of it?"

Serena would have preferred Cecilia Nathan to have the baby. That way, at least Mr. Hawthorne wouldn’t feel so guilty.

The day Cecilia Nathan had her abortion was the same day he had proposed to her.

Even if Damian Hawthorne disliked Cecilia Nathan, the baby was still his. It was impossible for him not to care.

She even suspected that Cecilia had done it on purpose.

Serena Hughes emphasized the word "abortion," and the few people present all heard it clearly.

Getting pregnant out of wedlock and having an abortion were not things to be proud of.

Serena Hughes’s words dripped with sarcasm.

"If I didn’t get rid of it, would you have raised it for me?" Cecilia Nathan’s lips curled into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "Besides, the hospital scheduled my procedure. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to keep the baby; I couldn’t."

"Serena Hughes, if you want to be with Damian Hawthorne, then just be with him. Don’t go around trying to ruin other people’s lives."

Cecilia Nathan’s every word was sharp and pointed, leaving Serena Hughes no room for retort.

Serena Hughes was about to say more when Ivy Grant cut her off, annoyed. "Serena Hughes, if you want to discuss personal matters, you can do it after the TA session. This is class time. Could you please not waste everyone’s time because of your issues?"

After saying that, Ivy Grant quickly walked over to Cecilia Nathan and said pleasantly, "TA Cecilia, could you listen to this note again and tell me if it’s right...?"

Provoked by Ivy Grant, Serena Hughes’s expression grew darker.

She slumped into her chair. Claire Hale and Tia Bennett rushed over, concerned. "Serena, are you okay? Is your head hurting again?"

The last time, Serena had one of her episodes right here.

Seeing this, Ivy Grant rolled her eyes dramatically. "She’s really putting on a show."

Claire Hale was about to retort, but Serena Hughes stopped her with a shake of her head.

Cecilia Nathan paid no mind to Serena Hughes’s condition, focusing instead on earnestly instructing the other students.

Everyone here wanted to seriously study music. They were especially focused because many entrepreneurs and media representatives would be attending the upcoming graduation ceremony, which could lead to a contract on the spot.

Ordinarily, Serena Hughes would have been focused too, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to learn anything from Cecilia Nathan now.

Just then, Ivy Grant played a piece in front of everyone. Serena Hughes shuddered, her eyes fixed on Ivy and her violin.

She could tell that in just a few short days, Ivy Grant’s playing had improved by several levels.

While the quality of a violin can affect the sound, technique is what matters most.

Before, Ivy Grant’s violin playing was halting and lacked fluency. Now, her every move carried the air of a master.

Watching Cecilia Nathan teach so earnestly, Serena Hughes was overcome with jealousy and bitterness.

She stood up and said to Cecilia Nathan, "Cecilia Nathan, I’m not feeling well. I’m going to have to skip the rest of the class today."

"You’ve already missed five classes. I’ll have your instructor refund your fee. There’s no need for you to come anymore." Cecilia Nathan’s tone was cool.

She was genuinely saying it for Serena Hughes’s own good.

Serena was too emotional; it was impossible for her to learn the violin properly.

However, to Serena Hughes’s ears, those words meant something else entirely.

"What do you mean by that? Cecilia Nathan, I respect you as our TA, but no TA just kicks a student out, do they?" Serena Hughes shot to her feet, her face flushing a deep crimson. "I know you’re jealous of me, jealous that Mr. Hawthorne likes me, but business is business and personal is personal. How could you target me over a private matter?"

"I still have to perform at the graduation ceremony! You’re using your position to settle a personal score by not letting me practice. Are you going to take responsibility for my future?!"

As soon as she said this, as if overwhelmed by the shock, Serena Hughes’s body went limp.

"Serena!"

Claire Hale and Tia Bennett immediately caught her. Serena Hughes’s eyes were shut tight, her face pale, as if she had fainted.

"Quick, call 911!"

Tia Bennett yelled at the others.

Ivy Grant shot them a contemptuous look, but she didn’t hesitate to reluctantly dial 911.

Cecilia Nathan frowned as she watched the scene unfold.

Serena Hughes’s habit of fainting at the drop of a hat was truly exasperating.

Cecilia Nathan didn’t want to go, but she was just a TA and worried her supervising professor would be blamed, so she had no choice but to follow them to the hospital.

Before long, Damian Hawthorne arrived.

He was wearing black trousers and a simple jacket over a shirt with a loosened collar. With one hand in his pocket, he had a roguish air about him.

Upon seeing Cecilia Nathan, he raised an eyebrow slightly, glanced into the hospital room, and said teasingly, "You really know how to stir up trouble."

Serena Hughes had a brain injury. A smart person wouldn’t provoke a patient like her.

"The one who likes stirring up trouble is your fiancée."

’I’m not one to cause trouble, but I’m not afraid of it either.’

After all, Serena Hughes was the one in the hospital, not Cecilia Nathan.

Damian Hawthorne’s brow twitched. He swept his gaze over Cecilia Nathan, sizing her up.

In just a few days, she had lost a lot of weight. She was wearing a long dress that had been fashionable several years ago, which nearly swallowed her whole.

Her once-rounded chin had become much sharper, making her eyes look even larger. She looked like a resilient blade of grass, fragile yet tough, as if it might break in the wind.

Over the years, he had bought her plenty of clothes. He liked seeing her in sexy outfits, and to cater to his tastes, Cecilia Nathan had always dressed in the style he preferred.

In their recent encounters, he noticed that Cecilia Nathan would rather wear old clothes than anything he liked.

It was as if she were desperately trying to purge every trace of him from her life.

The hem of this loose, bohemian dress was slightly frayed. It was simple, yet it was an eyesore that made Damian Hawthorne’s eyes ache.

"She’s not my fiancée." Damian Hawthorne began, his voice faltering for a moment. "Last time... your procedure... I didn’t mean to miss it."

"It doesn’t matter." Cecilia Nathan smiled, light and breezy, as if she had expected him to say this. "Whether you were there or not, the procedure would have gone ahead smoothly."

"So you called Hugo Grant?" Damian Hawthorne’s thin lips curled into a smirk, a hint of wickedness in his expression.

Cecilia Nathan froze, then glanced up at him. "Yes. I needed a friend’s help."

"Just a friend?" Damian Hawthorne lifted his gaze, his narrow eyes half-closed. "Because Hugo Grant told me he likes you."

"Our Cecilia is so charming. Hugo Grant, a man who’s been single his whole life, actually told me he wants to pursue you." Recalling Hugo’s words, Damian Hawthorne’s tone was playful and probing. "You said you wanted to find a decent man. Is that decent man Hugo Grant?"

Cecilia Nathan looked astonished, her pupils trembling slightly.

’Hugo Grant... actually likes me?’

’How is that possible?!’