Ignored When Chasing: Why Cry After I Got Engaged-Chapter 44: Frances Bennett, the Fence-Sitter
Hearing that Frances Bennett was bringing Serena Hughes over, Cecilia Nathan arched a brow.
She knew Frances wouldn’t approve of Serena so quickly unless something about her had changed.
Frances Bennett led Serena Hughes into the office. The moment she saw Cecilia, Frances froze, then asked awkwardly, "Cecilia, what are you doing here?"
"I asked her to come," Damian Hawthorne interjected curtly.
Serena Hughes bit her lip, indignant at the sight of Cecilia. When she spotted the violin on the desk, however, her eyes lit up.
"Mr. Hawthorne, is that the rare violin I mentioned? I only brought it up in passing; I never thought you’d actually remember." Serena Hughes covered her mouth, her face a picture of delighted surprise.
Cecilia glanced at Damian Hawthorne, then lowered her gaze, a faint smirk playing on her lips.
’So that’s why Damian suddenly bought this violin. It’s what Serena wanted.’
"Cecilia, could you step out for a moment? Damian and I have something to discuss," Frances said, giving Cecilia a troubled look.
Cecilia nodded and turned to leave. As she did, her gaze fell upon the violin, and her lips curved into a subtle smile.
’Damian said he was giving it to *her*...’
Cecilia picked up the violin, placed it in its case, snapped the lid shut, and slung it over her shoulder—all in one fluid motion.
Seeing her walk off with the violin, Serena stood stunned for a few seconds before snapping back to reality. "Cecilia Nathan, what do you think you’re doing? Mr. Hawthorne spent a fortune on that violin! How can you just take it?"
"Cecilia, that violin..." Frances was also too slow to react.
’Didn’t my son buy that violin? What does Cecilia think she’s doing?’
"I gave her that violin." As soon as Damian spoke, the temperature in the room seemed to plummet.
Without a word, Cecilia took the violin and left.
This time, no one tried to stop her.
After Cecilia left, Frances’s expression changed completely. She eagerly pulled Serena in front of Damian. "Didn’t you used to like Serena? Well, Mom’s had a change of heart. I won’t stand in your way anymore. Since you two are already engaged, you might as well set a wedding date."
Seeing his mother’s sudden shift, Damian leaned back in his chair with a nonchalant air, twirling a pen between his fingers. "Why the sudden change of heart? And... when exactly did I get engaged to her?"
Serena’s face turned a ghastly shade of pale.
She had paid for that proposal ceremony herself. Damian had never publicly denied it, and over time, she had started to believe it was real.
But the truth was, Damian had never acknowledged it either.
It made it seem like the whole thing was just her own wishful thinking.
"News of your proposal spread all over Veridia. Are you telling me now that it was fake?" Frances’s tone soured. "Damian, just a few days ago you were saying you wanted to marry Serena. How can you have a change of heart after only a few days?"
She had always known her son was fickle when it came to romance, but she never imagined he could be *this* fickle. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
"Let me put it to you this way: you *will* marry Serena," Frances declared, pushing Serena in front of him. "Look at her. Doesn’t she resemble Miss Sinclair? She’s her granddaughter."
Damian lifted his gaze, his eyes falling on Serena.
He’d known for a while that Serena was Fiona Sinclair’s granddaughter, so this wasn’t much of a surprise.
Now that he looked, there was indeed a slight resemblance.
Perhaps because of her change in status, Serena’s fashion sense had shifted dramatically. She used to dress in a sweet, innocent style, but now she favored a high-end, classic designer look.
Under Damian’s stare, Serena nervously lowered her head and tugged on Frances’s arm. "Frances, let’s just go for now. We can discuss the wedding later. We shouldn’t pressure Mr. Hawthorne."
"Absolutely not. Your mother and I were the closest of friends. Before you were even born, I told her our families would be joined by marriage. Now that you and Damian are in love and your families are well-matched, isn’t it perfect?" Frances turned to her son. "Damian, I’m not listening to you this time. Your grandfather doesn’t have much time left, and he approves of this. Do you want to drive him to an early grave?"
Frances knew her son. Playing the grandfather card was sure to make Damian hesitate.
"As I recall, you used to want a marriage alliance with the Nathans of Aethelgard. Why the sudden change of heart?" Damian’s lips curved in a mocking smile, his brown eyes glinting with amusement. "Or is it that you don’t care about anything but background and status?"
"If you found out one day that Cecilia was also the heiress of a wealthy family, I’m sure that opportunistic head of yours would turn right back around, wouldn’t it?"
"Damian!" Frances cut him off, clutching her chest and gasping for air. "I’m your mother! All you need to know is that everything I do is for your own good."
"It hasn’t been easy for you to secure your position in the Hawthorne Family. A good marriage will help you." Frances’s voice was low and stern. "Besides, we both know Cecilia’s background. She could never be some wealthy family’s daughter. After all, not everyone is as fortunate as Serena."
"The Hawthorne Family isn’t what it used to be. We don’t need to rely on marriage alliances." Damian narrowed his eyes, crossed his legs, and gave a lazy smile. "But if you’re so determined to have one, why not aim for the very best? The Nathans of Aethelgard sound good to me."
At Damian’s words, the color drained from Frances’s face.
Speaking of the Nathans of Aethelgard, Frances had indeed harbored such pipe dreams before.
The Nathan Family was not only powerful and influential in Aethelgard, they were also fabulously wealthy. The family patriarch, Theon Nathan, had been the richest man in Veridia last year.
A family like that was leagues above even the Hawthornes.
A few years ago, she had run into Hayden Nathan at a business conference, and he had suddenly asked about Damian.
Frances, remembering that Hayden Nathan had a daughter, had excitedly exchanged contact information with him.
Hayden Nathan’s daughter had reportedly been kidnapped as a child. Afterward, the entire Nathan family had sheltered her from public view, and she was never seen again.
To this day, no one knew what Hayden Nathan’s daughter looked like.
She had indeed hoped to forge a connection with the Nathan Family, but after they exchanged contact information, she never heard from Hayden Nathan again.
Countless companies vied to work with the Nathans. Even if the Hawthorne Family secured a partnership, the Nathans might not give them a second glance.
The richest man in Veridia wasn’t just rich; he commanded a vast and intricate network of power.
"Do you really want an alliance with the Nathan Family?" This time, Frances wasn’t angry. Instead, she began to seriously consider the possibility.
Seeing Frances’s reaction, Serena gritted her teeth in resentment.
She had thought that having her mother bring her to Frances would seal the deal, but now Frances clearly had other ideas.
She knew Frances was an opportunist and a snob, but she never thought she could be *this* shameless about it.
The Nathans of Aethelgard. Even someone as uninformed as her knew how formidable that family was.
The Nathan fortune wasn’t built by a single generation starting from scratch. They had been exceptional for generations, each one lifting the next, accumulating their wealth over many years.
In other words, the Nathans had always lived at the very apex of society.
They didn’t need to curry favor with anyone or depend on anyone for their standing. Their accumulated wealth was enough to last them hundreds of lifetimes.
Damian was just saying it to be provocative, to get a rise out of Frances.
He never expected her to actually take him seriously.
’The Nathan Family? Who did she think she was, that she could just forge a connection with them?’
’Frances was truly delusional!’
The more Serena thought about it, the angrier she became, and her expression soured.
Seeing this, Frances realized she had gotten a little too carried away.
It wasn’t that she was an opportunist, she reasoned, but that she finally saw her son showing interest in a clear goal.
At the very least, he was no longer opposed to the idea of a marriage alliance.
Thinking of this, Frances said to Damian, "It’s your grandfather’s birthday soon. We’re planning on turning the family dinner into a proper birthday banquet—to lift his spirits and bring him some good fortune. When the time comes, I’ll invite the Nathans to attend."
