Ignored When Chasing: Why Cry After I Got Engaged-Chapter 57: The Bennett Family’s Birthday Banquet
"You have to go see just how ugly that woman is."
Serena Hughes’s words made Cecilia Nathan cough.
Serena Hughes said proudly, "Cecilia Nathan, say what you will, but your looks are leagues ahead of hers. When it comes to status, though, you really aren’t worthy of President Hawthorne. But that’s okay, as long as we team up..."
"Sorry, I’m not interested in teaming up with you."
Cecilia Nathan, of course, knew what Serena Hughes meant.
She had no interest in joining forces.
"You... Are you really okay with this?" Serena Hughes was astonished.
As far as she knew, Cecilia Nathan was deeply in love with Damian Hawthorne.
’Wouldn’t she be angry to hear the news that Damian Hawthorne is getting married?’
Cecilia Nathan’s tone was light and lazy. "I’ve been by Damian Hawthorne’s side for so many years, I’ve seen all kinds of women. If I got upset every single time, I’d have been dead long ago."
Serena Hughes’s breath hitched, and she was suddenly speechless.
Cecilia Nathan was right.
She had always turned a blind eye while at Damian Hawthorne’s side, appearing very magnanimous.
Otherwise, people wouldn’t have called Cecilia Nathan the most persistent bootlicker at Damian Hawthorne’s side.
’If she were honest with herself,’ Serena thought, ’she could never do that.’
"What if Damian Hawthorne marries that ugly woman?" Serena Hughes asked tentatively. "Cecilia Nathan, will you be driven to jump off a building again?"
Cecilia Nathan almost burst out laughing.
In the past, she had loved Damian Hawthorne. To stay by his side, she had done all sorts of outrageous things.
But that was the past.
"Serena Hughes, you can hide your despicable intentions, but I’m no fool." Cecilia Nathan’s tone grew colder. "What you did to Chloe Sutton... I’m keeping score. Sooner or later, I’ll make you pay."
With that, Cecilia Nathan hung up the phone.
Hearing her last words, Serena Hughes’s heart skipped a few beats.
Cecilia said she’d make her pay, and Serena didn’t for a second doubt that it was more than just an empty threat.
That day at the bar, if Damian Hawthorne hadn’t stepped in to help her, she would have been utterly humiliated on the spot.
Suddenly, Serena Hughes recalled a saying: those with nothing to lose are the most dangerous.
It was precisely because Cecilia Nathan had nothing holding her back that she could drag Serena down with her.
Serena Hughes sat on the sofa, feeling anxious and uneasy.
Just then, Serena Hughes saw Fiona Sinclair hurriedly answer a phone call, her expression chillingly cold.
"Grandma... what’s wrong? What happened?" Serena Hughes asked cautiously.
Although she often acted cute and spoiled in front of Fiona Sinclair, she rarely saw this kind of expression on her grandmother’s face.
"There’s trouble at the company." Fiona Sinclair stared at her. "Our company has run into the same problem as the Sutton Family."
Serena Hughes’s eyes widened, her expression flickering through a range of emotions.
"Serena, have you offended someone?" There were very few wealthy families in all of Korsyth capable of pushing the Sinclair Family into such a corner.
The Sinclair Family was famous and influential in Korsyth. Any business partner would show them some respect; it was rare for so many to demand payment at the same time.
"Then what do we do...?" Serena Hughes thought of Cecilia Nathan’s words, "I’m keeping score."
’Could Cecilia be behind all this?’
’No, she has no connections and no money. How could she possibly push the Sinclair Family into such a corner?’
"Grandma, I haven’t offended anyone. Could it be the Sutton Family? Maybe they found a powerful backer," Serena Hughes asked.
Fiona Sinclair mused, "The Sutton Family’s only backer is the Grant Family, and they don’t have what it takes to corner us like this. Serena, whoever is behind this probably has more tricks up their sleeve. You need to go to Damian Hawthorne. If necessary, get him to lend a hand."
After Fiona Sinclair finished speaking, Serena Hughes quickly lowered her head.
’Go to Damian Hawthorne? How could she possibly go to him?’
Damian Hawthorne’s attitude toward her was very strange right now. Forget about seeking him out; she felt nervous and afraid just seeing him.
"Grandma knows you have a lot of competition right now. Don’t worry, Grandma will take care of it for you." After speaking, Fiona Sinclair looked her granddaughter up and down, then nodded in satisfaction. "You and Damian are just missing that final push. Grandma will be the one to light that fire for you."
After Fiona Sinclair said this, Serena Hughes wanted to ask more but didn’t dare.
’Just missing that final push...’
Serena Hughes blushed, her heart pounding with nervousness.
She knew her grandmother had many tricks up her sleeve, and she didn’t want to ask what they were.
As long as she could be with Damian Hawthorne, she could bear any consequence.
Thinking of the Nathan Family’s heiress, Serena Hughes seethed with hatred.
「...」
News of the birthday banquet for Damian Hawthorne’s maternal grandfather quickly spread throughout Korsyth.
Damian Hawthorne’s grandfather, Axel Bennett, had been on the battlefield during Veridia’s early border conflicts and had earned military honors. Since childhood, Axel Bennett and his family had lived in the military compound.
Axel Bennett was an extremely prestigious figure in all of Korsyth.
Not only that, but the entire business world also respected him deeply. This was because he was a man of noble character and unconcerned with trivial matters. His greatest passion in life was philanthropy; for every ten dollars he earned, he would donate at least eight.
But even so, the Bennett Family was still very wealthy.
On the day of Axel Bennett’s birthday, all the major families of Korsyth came to wish the old man a long life.
"Sir, we’ve arrived."
Hearing the voice, Cecilia Nathan paused slightly and lifted her gaze, taking in the lively scene outside the window.
The Bennett Family’s estate was a manor spanning a thousand acres, located within a large park inside the second ring road.
This manor had been passed down through the Bennett Family for generations.
Its ancient and classical architecture had even become one of Veridia’s protected historical sites.
"Cecilia." After getting out of the car, Hugo Grant extended a hand to Cecilia Nathan.
Just as Cecilia was about to place her hand in his, a sharp gaze shot toward her.
Not far away, Damian Hawthorne stood in a navy blue suit, a nonchalant air about him. His lazy eyes were fixed directly on her.
Under the bright lights, Damian Hawthorne curled his lip and raised his glass to her. The tie around his neck was loosened, giving him an air that was both elegant and roguish.
A breeze blew past, and Cecilia Nathan suddenly felt a chill on the back of her neck.
Hugo Grant saw her looking at Damian Hawthorne and, understanding the situation, took hold of her arm.
"Cecilia, you’re here!"
Suddenly, Frances Bennett’s warm voice rang out.
Frances Bennett walked over quickly, first scrutinizing Cecilia Nathan from head to toe, then nodding with a smile. "This outfit looks wonderful."
Today, Cecilia Nathan wore a long, off-the-shoulder gown in a shade of charcoal gray. It hugged her hips, revealing her graceful curves, before flaring out at the knees in a fishtail silhouette.
The jewelry she wore featured large emeralds set among white diamonds, both exquisite and eye-catching.
Frances Bennett felt that the set of gems looked somewhat familiar, as if it were an antique from an auction.
But that particular set was worth hundreds of millions.
’Cecilia shouldn’t be able to afford it...’
A thought occurred to her, and Frances Bennett sighed softly. "Cecilia, why aren’t you wearing the Australian South Sea pearl necklace I gave you?"
’Although that necklace isn’t as valuable as an antique emerald set, at least it’s real, not a fake.’
Cecilia Nathan didn’t respond.
She hadn’t expected to run into Frances Bennett the moment she got out of the car.
"Come, Cecilia, I’ve prepared everything," Frances Bennett said, taking Cecilia Nathan’s hand. "We have everything ready now. You were the only one we were waiting for."
Seeing Frances Bennett acting so affectionately toward Cecilia Nathan, the surrounding people couldn’t help but stare.
Cecilia Nathan had always been known to the public as a "bootlicker" and rarely appeared at banquets like this.
Frances Bennett, in particular, had never approved of Cecilia. A scene of them talking so warmly was something almost no one had ever witnessed.
Not far away, Serena Hughes was watching Frances Bennett and Cecilia Nathan’s every move.
The moment she saw Cecilia Nathan, Serena Hughes’s eyes turned red with jealousy.
Cecilia Nathan was simply too beautiful.
Especially in that dress, which looked like it was custom-made for her. Cecilia had a classic "S"-shaped figure—curvy where she should be and slender where she shouldn’t.
Today’s simple yet elegant fishtail gown infinitely amplified the advantages of her figure.
Forget men; even she, a woman, couldn’t look away.
