Ignored When Chasing: Why Cry After I Got Engaged-Chapter 54: Mr. Hawthorne, Do You Like Cecilia Nathan?
She might have been a little afraid of Cecilia Nathan before, but now that her status had changed, she wasn’t afraid in the slightest.
She was Fiona Sinclair’s granddaughter now, after all. Even among the other socialites, people had to show her some respect.
And what was Cecilia?
Just an orphan.
She wasn’t scared in the least.
Hearing this, Damian Hawthorne glanced up at her impassively. "Do as you please."
Then, with his hands in his pockets, he nonchalantly walked away.
It seemed he didn’t want to say another word to her.
Seeing this, Serena Hughes grew furious and flustered. "Mr. Hawthorne, wait!"
’This wasn’t how she had imagined it. Damian Hawthorne shouldn’t be acting like this.’
Serena Hughes quickly caught up to him. "Mr. Hawthorne, do you like Cecilia Nathan?"
Damian stopped short but didn’t turn around.
He was very tall. Standing so close, all Serena Hughes could see when she looked up was his broad back and shoulders.
After only a few seconds, Damian started walking again, ignoring her no matter what she called out.
Her threat to go after Cecilia hadn’t provoked Cecilia at all; instead, it had only managed to offend Damian.
Serena Hughes was so furious the tip of her nose and the rims of her eyes turned red.
’But she had planned everything out perfectly.’
’Damian Hawthorne was supposed to listen to the music, and then marry her.’
’But now, everything was ruined.’
Cecilia Nathan and Hugo Grant reached the street, where Hugo spoke in a gentle voice, "It’s a nice night. Your apartment is close by, want to walk for a bit?"
Cecilia glanced around. Her apartment complex was only a ten-minute walk from here; it really wasn’t far.
Autumn had just begun, so the nights were no longer as muggy as they had been.
"Sure, let’s walk." Cecilia nodded, and they started walking together along the roadside.
Just then, with a screech of tires, a motorcycle pulled to a stop in front of them.
The rider took off his helmet, revealing a handsome, roguish face.
"Taking a stroll? I’ll join you!"
Damian Hawthorne seemed absolutely delighted to see them.
The corner of Cecilia’s mouth twitched as she remembered what the girls in Korsyth used to say about Damian Hawthorne.
He was defiant and untamable, with a dangerous edge. Despite his unapproachable exterior, he was actually driven by intense desires.
And they weren’t wrong. Damian was obsessed with his image and loved pushing things to the limit. Take his motorcycles, for example. There was a dedicated underground garage at Hawthorne Manor filled with them—if not hundreds, then at least several dozen. Each one was custom-modified and worth a fortune.
Hugo Grant raised an eyebrow. "Is your girlfriend all better now?"
Damian ignored him and said to Cecilia, "Are you going to my grandfather’s birthday banquet?"
Cecilia chuckled. "What, did Frances send you to persuade me?"
’She didn’t get it. Was the Hawthorne Family really that desperate for a cook?’
Ever since she left the Hawthorne family, Frances Bennett had been trying every trick in the book to get her to come back and cook. Were they really that desperate for her food?
"This has nothing to do with her. I just want to know if you’re going." Damian’s gaze was intense. "Cecilia, you used to go to every banquet with me."
’It wasn’t just banquets. She had been there for every business deal, every party.’ 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢
But that was the past.
"Damian, the past is the past," Cecilia sighed. "Take Serena Hughes with you."
Without waiting for Damian’s response, she turned to Hugo Grant. "Let’s go."
"Cecilia," Hugo said, handing her an invitation. "I heard Frances Bennett uninvited you from the banquet. I was wondering if I might have the honor of having you as my date."
Cecilia stared at the gilt-edged invitation, momentarily stunned.
She had received an invitation just like this once before, when Frances Bennett had invited her as the heiress of the Nathan family.
"It’s fine if you don’t want to go. I just... want to be with you."
The moment Hugo finished speaking, the motorcycle’s engine roared to life, followed by a sharp double honk. It was easy to sense the rider’s displeasure.
With one foot planted on the ground, Damian Hawthorne lit the cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth.
He squinted, his eyes fixed on Cecilia.
He had heard Hugo Grant’s words loud and clear.
’That bastard Hugo was doing this on purpose.’
’He had just invited Cecilia, and before she could even answer, Hugo had to jump in with his own invitation.’
’He was deliberately challenging him.’
"Damian, you have a girlfriend. I’m sure you’re not short on a date, are you?" Hugo added with a smile.
Damian sneered. His palms were itching; he really wanted to punch someone.
"Cecilia, you’re coming with me," Damian said, his voice leaving no room for argument as he looked at her.
However, Cecilia merely glanced at him before turning to Hugo. "I’ll go with you."
"Cecilia!"
Damian’s voice was tight with suppressed fury, but Cecilia paid him no mind.
Hugo glanced at Damian, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "See you at the banquet, Damian."
Hugo gave him a little wave and then left with Cecilia.
Watching their retreating figures, the fury in Damian’s heart blazed even hotter.
"Girlfriend..." The corner of Damian’s mouth curled into a cold sneer. He pulled out his phone and made a call. "Find out how Serena Hughes offended Cecilia."
’Cecilia showing up at the bar today was already strange.’
’She was obviously there for Serena Hughes.’
"Mr. Hawthorne, I was just about to tell you. Miss Serena... she had the Sinclair family help her bring down the Sutton Company."
The Sutton family. Damian immediately thought of Chloe Sutton.
Damian’s expression grew cold. "Can the Sutton Company still be saved?"
"Gavin Sutton is planning to declare bankruptcy tonight. There might be a chance if we act before he makes the announcement..." the assistant said, sounding uncertain.
The Sinclair family didn’t pull any punches this time.
The Sinclairs have always been ruthless, and Fiona Sinclair adores Serena. She supports whatever Serena wants without a second thought.
"Do whatever it takes to save the Sutton family." After a pause, Damian added with a raised eyebrow, "And make sure Cecilia finds out about this."
"Let Miss Nathan know what? That Serena Hughes is the one who bankrupted the Suttons?"
The corner of Damian’s mouth twitched. "Think again."
"Oh, I get it!" the assistant exclaimed, enlightened. "I have to make sure she knows that you’re the one helping, President Hawthorne!"
"Mm," Damian grunted, clearing his throat. "Just don’t be too obvious about it."
"Right, President Hawthorne. I know *exactly* what to do," the assistant said with a chuckle before hanging up. He immediately got to work on his computer, fully focused on saving the Sutton family.
The Sutton Company was small, so saving it wouldn’t be too difficult.
Money could solve everything.
A simple cash injection into the Sutton Company would be enough to bring it back from the dead.
However, when Justin Bell arrived at the Sutton Company, he was stunned.
To his surprise, several other companies were also there to invest in the Sutton Company.
’Is this going to be a bidding war?’
"Well, well, if it isn’t President Hawthorne’s assistant, Mr. Bell." The coy, teasing voice belonged to a tall, slender woman with long, curly hair. She was dressed in a white pantsuit, her figure flawless. "Are you here to invest in the Sutton Company, too?"
Justin Bell had a bad feeling about this.
Hayley Shepherd was Hugo Grant’s assistant. Her being here could only mean trouble.
"What, is Miss Shepherd thinking of investing as well?"
"Oh, I wouldn’t dare dream of it," Hayley Shepherd said, twirling a lock of hair around her finger with a flirtatious smile. "This is on President Grant’s orders. As you know, he’s currently pursuing Miss Cecilia Nathan. And since Chloe Sutton is Miss Nathan’s friend, of course President Grant would want to help the Sutton family."
"And how much does your President Grant plan on investing?" Justin asked, a smile plastered on his face that didn’t reach his eyes.
’Anyone else would have been fine, but it just had to be Mr. Grant.’
’President Hawthorne hasn’t exactly been fond of Mr. Grant lately.’
’If he failed to secure the Sutton Company today—if he screwed this up—he could kiss his job goodbye.’
’He didn’t even have to think about it; President Hawthorne would have his hide.’
