Ignored When Chasing: Why Cry After I Got Engaged-Chapter 82: This Hugo Is Different, After All
Cecilia Nathan froze.
Damian Hawthorne tilted his head, his gaze landing on her face. He chuckled derisively. "I saw you staring at that name just now. Do you know him?"
’I can’t believe Damian was watching me this whole time.’
Cecilia put down the brochure and said with feigned composure, "No, I don’t."
"Mr. Hawthorne, they’re an idol group that blew up this year," the attendant added. "This is Miles Sinclair, the group’s leader and most popular member. The jewelry he’s endorsing today is from ’D’ brand. If you’re interested, Mr. Hawthorne, you might want to take a look at their collection."
"I don’t follow celebrities," Cecilia said, glancing at Damian and adding the comment at just the right moment.
"Whether you follow them or not is something you’ll only know for sure after meeting him in person." Damian raised an eyebrow, his expression noncommittal.
Cecilia said nothing.
’So, he did have a reason for bringing me here today.’
’This is what he was waiting for.’
"I’m not feeling well. I’m going to head back." Cecilia’s palms grew cold. She stood up, but her legs felt weak, and she stumbled, falling to the side.
Damian reached out and steadied her by the waist. The faint, woody scent from his clothes wafted around her.
"What are you afraid of?"
They had been together for years, after all. No matter how hard Cecilia tried to mask her emotions, she couldn’t suppress the flicker of panic and nervousness.
"I hear Miles Sinclair’s bandmates all call him Hugo. Cecilia, are you just fond of the name, or are you afraid this Miles Sinclair is *your* Hugo?"
Once she was steady on her feet, Cecilia forcefully pushed his hand away. "No. No one could ever be Hugo."
’My Hugo is already dead.’
At this thought, a pang of sorrow hit her, and her vision began to blur.
Seeing her like this, Damian’s throat went dry. A wave of regret washed over him, throwing his heart into turmoil.
"I’ll take you home."
Damian’s voice softened unconsciously.
Aside from the period when she was first chasing after him, where she had cried and thrown tantrums, Cecilia rarely made a fuss in front of him.
Even when Serena Hughes showed up, she said nothing, simply packed her things, and left.
Back then, some people had advised him that while Cecilia was a bit love-struck, she was at least obedient and didn’t cause trouble, so he should consider marrying her.
’Of course, marrying Cecilia was impossible for me.’
’I promised to marry someone else.’
’But why did his heart ache so much seeing her care so deeply for someone else?’
’That Hugo... he was different, after all.’
Just the mention of the name was enough to make Cecilia lose control of her emotions.
Thinking of this, Damian felt as if a shackle had clamped around his heart, making even a deep breath painful.
"No need. Just remember what you said." Cecilia slowly sat back down.
Damian’s breath hitched.
He had promised Cecilia that as long as she accompanied him to this event, her so-called "life-saving debt" would be cleared.
’To avoid being with him, she really was willing to do anything.’
"I’m going to get some air." Damian pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and slowly walked toward the smoking area.
A lounge and a smoking area were provided here for guests.
Damian opened the cigarette case, took one out, and was just about to light it when he heard a man’s voice.
"Hugo, she already likes someone else. This unrequited love of yours isn’t going to end well."
The man’s voice was tinged with anxiety.
Hearing the name "Hugo," Damian looked up and glanced toward the door.
His brown eyes darkened, his dark brows furrowed with complex emotions.
"You’ve come all the way to Korsyth, and you’re still not going to see her? Are you really going to wait until she’s married and then regret it?"
"I know she likes someone else. Bothering her now wouldn’t be good for her. I just need to know she’s happy." After saying this, Miles Sinclair pushed the door open. When he saw someone else was in the room, he immediately fell silent.
Damian’s suit jacket was open and his tie was loosened, giving him a lazy yet roguishly charming look.
"Mr. Damian Hawthorne?" The man next to Miles Sinclair saw Damian, his voice filled with surprise. "Are you the Mr. Hawthorne from Korsyth?"
The speaker was Miles Sinclair’s bandmate, Dylan Rhodes.
Dylan Rhodes loved gossip and always kept an eye on news about financial backers.
The Hawthorne Family of Korsyth had extensive investments, which naturally included the entertainment industry.
Damian Hawthorne, in particular, had made a huge name for himself in Korsyth’s business circles.
Not just in Korsyth, but all of Veridia knew Damian Hawthorne well.
A man who had been blind for years had, within a year of recovering his sight, turned a nearly bankrupt company into the number one enterprise in Korsyth. Never mind just Korsyth; looking back a hundred years, you could count people like him on one hand.
People even secretly wondered if Damian Hawthorne had been given a cheat code by the creator.
Although Damian Hawthorne primarily managed Hawthorne Enterprises, the corporation also had many entertainment companies under its umbrella.
Dylan Rhodes always made a point of getting on good terms with everyone, and the moment he saw Damian, the name popped into his head.
"Mr. Sinclair has someone he likes but won’t pursue her. Aren’t you afraid she’ll get away?" Damian raised an eyebrow. The cigarette between his fingers had been lit at some point, its tip glowing and fading in the dim light.
"Sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation."
But his tone held little apology.
Damian lifted his chin slightly, his eyes already sizing up Miles Sinclair.
Miles Sinclair stood still, his face devoid of any expression.
He was dressed in a black suit, his expression detached. His features were refined and sharp, and his seemingly gentle appearance was offset by an aura that kept people at a distance.
He wasn’t stunning at first glance, but he had a very distinctive look.
That kind of look was very popular in the entertainment industry.
Faced with Damian’s icy words, Miles Sinclair’s thin lips parted. "When I like someone, it’s not about possessing her. It’s about wanting her to be happy."
"Then Mr. Sinclair must have never truly been in love." Damian tilted his head nonchalantly, his straight nose and thin lips hinting at a ghost of a smile. "When a man truly loves someone, he becomes possessive."
Miles Sinclair looked up, his dark eyes as still as a stagnant pool.
"Mr. Sinclair, you’re still too naive. It’s better to give someone happiness than to just watch them be happy. But... I’m afraid you won’t get that chance." Damian crushed the cigarette butt, stuck one hand in his pocket, and slowly walked toward the exit.
"Is that how you treated your ex-girlfriend, Mr. Hawthorne?"
The moment Miles Sinclair said this, his bandmate Dylan Rhodes was scared stiff.
Fearing Miles would say something even more outrageous, he grabbed his shirt and whispered, "Hugo, are you crazy? That’s Damian Hawthorne..."
Out of curiosity about Damian’s past, Dylan had once done some research on him.
This was a man who, in addition to his outstanding business acumen, possessed a ruthless streak that had allowed him to build up the Hawthorne Family in such a short time.
In other words, a man who could prop up an entire family enterprise at such a young age was anything but simple.
They were just a small idol group. Compared to rich men like him, they lacked not only money but also the connections that came with capital.
However, as if he hadn’t seen the warning, Miles Sinclair’s thin lips parted, his voice cold.
"No wonder you have so many women around you, Mr. Hawthorne. It seems you just snatch them up and keep them by your side."
