Ignored When Chasing: Why Cry After I Got Engaged-Chapter 59: Accept Hugo Grant

Cecilia Nathan’s lips curled as she stared intently at Frances Bennett. "So, Auntie Frances, do you want me to be with Mr. Grant, or not?"

The question was thrown back at Frances Bennett.

The atmosphere tensed slightly.

Frances had just deliberately lowered her voice, but Cecilia made no attempt to do the same. As soon as she spoke, everyone nearby pricked up their ears and turned to look their way.

Everyone had been waiting for some drama to unfold. Cecilia’s question silenced the crowd, and people began to press closer, all of them buzzing with interest.

Frances Bennett’s expression shifted.

Fundamentally, she didn’t want the Hawthorne Family to become a public spectacle.

"You pursued Damian so relentlessly before. Now, not long after breaking up with him, you’re with Hugo. If word of this gets out, forget Damian and Hugo—you’re the one who will be the most embarrassed." Frances’s jaw tightened, her eyes filled with displeasure. "Even a rabbit doesn’t eat the grass near its own burrow. Behavior like this puts us all in an incredibly awkward position."

"Auntie Frances, Damian is already with Serena Hughes. Not even Damian has the right to interfere in Cecilia’s love life."

Hugo Grant’s voice, cool and impassive, cut in, which greatly displeased Frances.

’This boy from the Grant family is usually so respectful to me. To think he’d use that tone with me, and all for Cecilia.’

"Hugo, there are some things I need to talk to you about as well. Cecilia and Damian have a history, after all. I’m afraid your family won’t approve of this." Frances suppressed the fury in her heart. "And another thing, Damian is not with Serena Hughes yet. Where did you hear such gossip? It’s completely baseless."

Frances was still counting on the young lady from the Nathan family to arrive today, so she certainly didn’t want any premature rumors about Damian spreading.

Serena Hughes, standing off to the side, felt a sting of humiliation as she watched Frances deny her in front of so many people.

Fiona Sinclair was furious as well. Her face was ashen, and her chest heaved with anger.

’What does she mean, not together yet? He proposed to her! If that’s not being together, then what is?’

Just as she was about to speak, Serena quickly grabbed her arm, shaking her head with a pleading look.

Fiona Sinclair poked her on the forehead, exasperated by her daughter’s lack of backbone.

"Auntie Frances, you may not know this, but I’m the one who has been relentlessly pursuing Cecilia." Hugo Grant moved to Cecilia’s side, positioning himself slightly in front of her to shield her from the crowd’s stares. "She just hasn’t accepted me yet. But I’ll wait for as long as it takes."

Hugo Grant’s words sent a sudden chill through the crowd.

Hugo Grant was pursuing Cecilia?

And Cecilia hadn’t even said yes?

What a completely devoted man!

"Holy crap, I am so shipping this couple."

"Cecilia was always chasing after Damian Hawthorne. I never would have guessed Hugo Grant was secretly in love with her this whole time."

"This is so touching! Cecilia, just say yes to him!"

...

Someone couldn’t resist shouting it out loud.

Everyone was moved by Hugo Grant’s boldness.

This was at a Bennett family event, after all. What Hugo did was basically a public declaration of his feelings.

With so many people present, news that Hugo Grant was pursuing Cecilia Nathan would surely be everywhere by tomorrow.

Compared to Damian Hawthorne, Hugo Grant’s love was something he wasn’t afraid to show the world.

"Get together with Hugo Grant! He’s so sincere."

"Yeah, you’ve been Damian Hawthorne’s lapdog for so many years. It’s time you found someone who will treat you right."

The guests here were all rich and powerful, but they were all moved by Hugo Grant’s declaration.

The women in attendance were especially emotional, many with tears welling up in their eyes.

Putting themselves in Cecilia’s shoes, many of the women both sympathized with her and ached for her.

For a woman to have pursued Damian Hawthorne so devotedly for so long without ever being officially recognized, only to be upstaged by some unknown college student...

There’s an order to love—first come, first served. Before Serena Hughes showed up, Cecilia and Damian had been a fixture at each other’s side for years.

In the eyes of many, Serena Hughes was no different from the other woman.

It would be one thing if Serena Hughes outshone Cecilia in every way, but in terms of looks, there was simply no comparison.

The contrast was telling. Since Serena Hughes’s appearance, even those who once looked down on Cecilia began to feel she’d been wronged.

"President Hawthorne..." his assistant, Justin Bell, whispered to Damian Hawthorne, "they seem to be saying you’re not sincere."

Damian Hawthorne’s lips curved into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

He stood there with a devil-may-care slouch, acting as if he couldn’t hear a word being said.

’Hugo Grant is sincere? And I’m irresponsible?’

His gaze cut across the crowd, landing squarely on Cecilia.

Meeting his brown eyes, Cecilia quickly looked down, not daring to hold his gaze.

’She was afraid that if she looked into those eyes, her resolve would waver.’

Seeing her look away, a corner of Damian Hawthorne’s mouth twitched. He shot a look at his mother and then started walking toward her.

He knew Frances had started all of this.

"Damian..." Frances Bennett said, her voice laced with awkwardness upon seeing her son approach.

In truth, she was already regretting her actions.

’You don’t air your dirty laundry in public.’ She shouldn’t have brought up Hugo Grant and Cecilia in front of everyone.

Now the Grant family would surely have to get involved.

If Cecilia and Hugo actually got together, everyone in their social circle would laugh at her.

"You seem to have a lot of free time today," Damian said. The single sentence caused Frances’s face to go pale.

’Normally, even with his arrogant personality, her son would never humiliate her in front of so many people.’

She knew her actions today had infuriated him.

"Damian, how could you let Hugo Grant bring her here..." Frances said, her tone tinged with thinly veiled displeasure.

She had assumed Cecilia was here to help in the kitchen, not as Hugo Grant’s date.

Everyone in their circle knew that the companions brought to these banquets were rarely just "ordinary people."

Hugo Grant had brought Cecilia here today and publicly validated her importance in front of everyone. There was no telling what the headlines would say tomorrow.

"Didn’t you invite her yourself?"

"I invited her to help in the kitchen, how was I supposed to know..." Frances trailed off.

Damian’s gaze turned cold. "You wanted to send her to the kitchen *again*?"

Frances stammered, "I-I was just trying to sweeten the deal. You know the young lady from the Nathan family is a foodie. I figured since Cecilia is a good cook, I’d ask her to help out..."

"You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you?" Damian lazily shoved a hand in his pocket, a cryptic smile playing on his lips. "So, has Selina Nathan arrived yet?"

Frances pressed her lips together, silent.

’Has she arrived?’

The Nathan family had sent word that they would attend, but the banquet was about to begin, and there was still no sign of them.

’Could they have bailed?’

Just then, Frances’s assistant hurried in and announced with a smile, "President Bennett, the Nathan family is here."

"They’re really here?" Frances’s eyes widened as she asked nervously, "Is it Selina Nathan?"

Hearing that the Nathan family had arrived, Frances breathed a sigh of relief.

But it was crucial whether the arrival was actually Selina Nathan.

The assistant was about to answer when she saw someone approaching the entrance. A smile bloomed on her face. "She’s here."