Ignored When Chasing: Why Cry After I Got Engaged-Chapter 55: He’s Taken a Fancy to You?

"A hundred million, at least."

One hundred million!

Justin Bell was horrified.

The Sutton Company’s current market value was in the tens of millions at most. How could they get a hundred million?

The Grant family was certainly willing to spend.

Hayley Shepherd leaned in close to Justin Bell, her smile bewitching. "Justin, sweetie, how much is your boss investing?"

"Don’t worry, I won’t tell a soul. Just whisper it to me. I want to know."

Justin Bell’s face instantly flushed.

’It was always like this. That Hayley Shepherd, always using her good looks to tease people.’

"Miss Shepherd, please show some respect." Justin Bell put some distance between them. "Whatever the amount, it’s not the business of a mere assistant like me. In any case, we are set on helping the Sutton Family."

With that, Justin Bell went inside to find Gavin Sutton.

After Justin explained his reason for being there, Gavin Sutton politely poured him a cup of tea. "Mr. Bell, thank you and Mr. Hawthorne for your interest in our company, but I’ve already decided to let the Grant Family invest."

Justin Bell nearly dropped his teacup. "Mr. Sutton, whatever the Grant Family invested, we’ll offer double."

"It’s not about the money." Gavin Sutton said with a smile. "It was my daughter’s decision. She chose the Grant Family."

Justin felt faint, and the teacup in his hand shook.

’Chloe Sutton. Chloe Sutton chose the Grant Family.’

’It’s over. President Hawthorne is going to fire me.’

As he walked out of Gavin Sutton’s office, Justin Bell’s steps felt unsteady.

Hayley Shepherd was waiting in the hallway, arms crossed. When she saw Justin Bell, she smiled. "So? You failed, didn’t you?"

"..."

"Failure is the mother of success. Better luck next time."

With that, Hayley Shepherd walked over to Justin Bell and gave his shoulder a light pat.

Justin Bell took a deep breath and called Damian Hawthorne. "President Hawthorne... the Sutton Family chose the Grant Family..."

...

Meanwhile, Hugo Grant and Cecilia Nathan were downstairs from the Sutton Company building.

When Cecilia learned that Hugo had rushed to help Chloe at the first opportunity, her heart warmed.

’I could have helped Chloe’s father solve this difficult problem myself, but doing so would have exposed my identity and led to a host of other issues.’

’Hugo Grant had genuinely, truly helped me.’

"Thank you, Hugo. I’ll get the money together and pay you back."

"And where are you going to get it?" Hugo Grant smiled. "Sending Hayley to help the Sutton Company wasn’t the main point. I’m actually interested in the new AI robotics project they’re developing. You don’t need to feel indebted. With an investment like this, the Grant Family is the one getting a bargain."

Cecilia smiled but didn’t say anything, choosing not to call his bluff.

’If it were really such a bargain, the Grant Family wouldn’t be the only ones making a move.’

Just then, Chloe Sutton called.

"Cecilia, Damian Hawthorne’s assistant, Justin Bell, just came to our company."

Cecilia’s brow quirked. She was just about to ask why he was there when Damian Hawthorne himself appeared before them.

Damian Hawthorne’s lean frame was propped against a railing. He watched them with narrowed eyes, looking utterly relaxed.

He sized them up for a moment with a detached air, a mocking smirk playing on his lips. "You two have been seeing each other a lot lately."

Cecilia pressed her lips together. "And I’ve been running into you just as often."

It was as if Damian Hawthorne had put a tracker on her. She seemed to run into him everywhere.

"Justin Bell told me the Grant Family invested in the Sutton Company." Damian’s eyelids drooped as he gave a wry smile. "Hugo, you move faster than I thought."

Hugo could sense that Damian was genuinely angry this time.

"I just happened to hear about it and decided to give the Sutton Company a hand. Besides, I’m quite fond of their AI project. Don’t you think it has a lot of potential?"

"That piece of junk project?" Damian scoffed. "Since when did your judgment for projects get so terrible?"

"Damian Hawthorne!" Cecilia’s voice was ice-cold. "Don’t assume everyone is like you, only caring about profit. Hugo..."

"He what?" Damian’s long, narrow eyes narrowed. "He’s fallen for you?"

Cecilia’s breath hitched.

She didn’t understand why Damian was always bringing up her and Hugo.

’I’ve already explained things to him.’

"Damian Hawthorne, stop being ridiculous." Cecilia took a deep breath. "You’re supposed to be running a company, yet you sound so childish."

"Childish..." Instead of getting angry, Damian laughed. "You’re right. I am childish. It’s because I damaged my brain saving a certain someone a while back."

"..."

With that, he lifted his still-healing hand. "The doctor said my hand still needs to recover. Shouldn’t you do something for the person who saved your life?"

Cecilia glanced at his hand, her tone softening slightly. "What do you want me to do?"

"I’m hungry."

Damian Hawthorne watched her with a bored expression, his tone dripping with feigned helplessness.

But the fact remained that he *had* saved her just a while ago.

Cecilia took a deep breath and turned to Hugo apologetically. "Hugo, I’ll have to treat you to dinner another time."

Hugo’s gaze deepened, but he smiled and waved it off. "Alright. By the way, is it okay if I call you Cecilia?"

"’Cecilia’..." Damian interrupted with a grin. "I think you’d be better off calling her ’Big River’."

Cecilia’s eyelid twitched.

’Damian was clearly trying to pick a fight with me today.’

She looked at Hugo and said, "You can just call me Cecilia."

"Alright." Hugo’s lips curved into a smile; he was clearly pleased.

The smile vanished from Damian’s face. "Let’s go."

His tone was extremely impatient.

Cecilia followed Damian, saying as they walked, "I’m only making you one meal today."

"One meal a day." Damian paused, then added, "For a week."

Cecilia’s cheeks puffed out in anger. "Damian Hawthorne, I have things to do! I don’t have that kind of time."

"You used to say you’d cook for me whenever I wanted."

"That was before."

"My hand hurts. The doctor said I need proper nutrition." After saying this, Damian lifted his hand and grimaced as if in pain.

He looked as if he were seriously injured.

’He used his own car to shield hers, saving my life.’ The thought made Cecilia lower her gaze, her dark eyes growing calm.

The doctor had said that if it weren’t for Damian’s "selfless rescue," she might already be dead.

At this thought, Cecilia’s heart softened.

"One week! And only one week!"

’After this week, I won’t cook for him again, no matter what he says.’

A smirk touched Damian’s lips. "Alright."

"President Hawthorne!" Justin Bell ran over just as they were getting into the car.

He had just tried his best, but still couldn’t persuade Gavin Sutton.

This time, Gavin Sutton wasn’t interested in the money at all.

"President Hawthorne, Gavin Sutton still won’t budge. He said we should take our money and invest in other projects."

After Justin finished speaking, he noticed Cecilia Nathan was in the car, and the words caught in his throat.

"Oh, Miss Cecilia Nathan is here too..."

Cecilia recalled Chloe mentioning that Justin Bell had come to the Sutton Company. Seeing him now, she raised an eyebrow slightly. "What brings you here, Assistant Bell?"

"Sightseeing." Damian cut in, shooting his assistant a sidelong glance. "If they’re not interested, then so be it. We won’t force them."

"But didn’t you say you were very bullish on their company’s AI project? You even said it had a lot of potential..."