Overprotected By My Tsundere CEO-Chapter 636 - 384: Joseph Sutton Arrives, Love Triangle Showdown [Part 2]
Just like Crystal Hughes, Camilo Nogueira was also somewhat surprised.
Upon hearing from Pedro Langley that Nora Scott would be here, Camilo figured he had time and came along, not expecting to encounter a "pleasant surprise" here.
Pedro Langley was even more unexpected...
Nora Scott hadn’t mentioned a word over the phone.
The atmosphere was peculiar.
Without hesitation, Nora pointed at Pedro Langley and introduced him generously, "My boyfriend, Pedro Langley."
"Hello." Crystal Hughes nodded at Pedro Langley and introduced herself, "Crystal Hughes."
Nora glanced at Camilo Nogueira, and due to her prejudice, coupled with the fact that these two obviously knew each other, she simply didn’t introduce him.
However, Pedro Langley, seeing how Camilo Nogueira was repeatedly rejected, took the initiative to ask Crystal Hughes, "Want to join us?"
Nora looked at Pedro Langley with curiosity.
Pedro exchanged a glance with her for a second, a slight smile fading in his eyes, appearing completely at ease.
"No, I have plans with a friend."
Crystal Hughes smiled faintly and politely declined.
Speak of the devil and he appears.
"Crystal Hughes."
A voice came from the side.
Several gazes swept over, spotting a tall and slender figure. He wore glasses, exuding a scholarly air that somewhat diminished his original charm.
Joseph Sutton.
Nora was puzzled, "What are you doing here?"
"Just looking around," Joseph Sutton explained lightly, "My grandfather wants to change the TV, so I came to have a look."
"..."
Nora was at a loss for words.
Then, recalling the name Joseph had initially called, she raised an eyebrow, "Do you two know each other?"
"You know each other?"
This was also Crystal Hughes’s question.
"..."
Joseph Sutton’s gaze roughly swept around.
After a long pause, he nodded, giving only a single word: "Yeah."
They each knew him, yet were unaware of each other’s acquaintance, which was always a normal occurrence to Nora.
Everyone was calm. Well, except for Camilo Nogueira.
Camilo Nogueira, usually one to greet with a smile, glanced at Crystal Hughes, and then at Joseph Sutton, with no trace of a smile, a faint coolness shading his brows.
What was the relationship between Crystal Hughes and Joseph Sutton?
Crystal Hughes held Andrew Hughes’s hand, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Camilo Nogueira, and told Nora, "You guys keep shopping, we’ll head off first."
"Alright."
Nora didn’t think much of it.
Joseph Sutton had no intention of reminiscing with Nora or Pedro Langley. After nodding to them, he left with Crystal Hughes and Andrew Hughes.
Though from the back, Crystal Hughes and Joseph Sutton showed no signs of intimacy, their figures walking side by side somehow exuded an inexplicable harmony and match.
"Camilo."
Nora intentionally swept her gaze towards Camilo Nogueira, catching sight of his eyes following their departure. She narrowed her eyes slightly and called out to him.
Camilo Nogueira turned his head back.
Nora said, "I’ll be shopping with Pedro, you..."
The words left unsaid, but the implication was very clear.
"You two stick together all the time, and I become the third wheel even staying for a bit?" Camilo Nogueira asked with a mix of laughter and helplessness.
Putting on sunglasses, Nora adjusted the brim of her hat, actively took Pedro Langley’s hand, and said to Camilo, "We’re in a hot romance, everyone else is a third wheel."
"..."
Camilo Nogueira looked up in shock.
Then he looked at Pedro Langley beside him, whose lips curled into a smile, clearly appreciating Nora’s words, not caring at all about Camilo Nogueira’s feelings.
Having been repeatedly hurt, Camilo Nogueira’s brows slightly moved, and he really couldn’t bring himself to smile anymore.
"See you."
With Pedro Langley in tow, as Nora passed Camilo Nogueira, she casually bid him goodbye.
In the blink of an eye, Camilo Nogueira was left standing alone: "..."
*
Taking off the baseball cap, Nora placed it on Pedro Langley’s head, helping him conceal himself a bit.
She simply held Pedro Langley’s arm, and asked quietly, "What’s going on?"
Pedro Langley, with a helpless chuckle, slightly lifted the brim of the cap she had pulled down over his face.
He said, "I’ve already given a heads-up. Pictures of us won’t be made public unless someone stirs things up."
Nora frowned, "Is that what I was asking you about?"
"I only found out about it recently," Pedro Langley replied helplessly.
Nora clicked her tongue, slowly remarking, "... Fine, you’re starting to shift the blame."
Pedro Langley lightly chuckled.
"Honesty leads to leniency."
"Andrew Hughes might actually be Camilo Nogueira’s biological child," Pedro Langley straightforwardly gave the conclusion.
"Might?" Nora was slightly startled.
"Yeah. After all, there’s been no paternity test."
"..."
The implication is, more likely than not.
Nora Scott suddenly realized, "Camilo Nogueira and Crystal Hughes..."
"They used to date," Pedro Langley said. "Before they broke up, Crystal was pregnant. Camilo wanted to reconcile, but Crystal insisted on breaking up and even had an abortion. So, Camilo never knew about Andrew Hughes. However, judging by Andrew’s age, if that child was born, they’d be about Andrew’s age now."
Nora furrowed her brows, "Is Camilo wanting to get back with Crystal because of Andrew?"
"It’s not just because of Andrew."
"He didn’t care all these years, didn’t even know he had a son, and now suddenly thinks rekindling old flames is a good idea?" Nora sneered, "Are you guys crazy? Ignoring someone for four or five years, and then when you can’t find anyone else, realize your ex is actually pretty good and want them back?"
Pedro was puzzled and stopped in his tracks, seriously looking at her, "Nora, search your conscience."
"The dog ate it."
Nora shot back without missing a beat.
Taking a deep breath, Pedro chose not to argue with her and said, "Go ahead and curse him. If you can’t do it, I’ll help you."
"..."
It was something said in a fit of anger just now, and now that Pedro actually offered to help her curse, she didn’t know what to say.
After a long while, Nora could only ask, "Why did Crystal break up?"
"The reason given was incompatible ideals; they weren’t suitable for each other," Pedro explained, "Camilo said they fought a lot, and Crystal was usually the one who started it. He didn’t know why they fought."
Nora sneered, "Those words came from his mouth, not objective."
"How did someone else’s issue get you so upset?"
Pedro was both amused and exasperated, pulling out a candy, peeling it, and feeding it to her mouth.
With the candy in her mouth, Nora’s furrowed brow relaxed.
She was just a bit annoyed...
There’s no such thing as "rekindling old flames" all the time. If Camilo really wants to reconcile with Crystal because of Andrew... her already not-so-great impression of Camilo might worsen considerably.
"Camilo suspects there must be some other reason why Crystal broke up," Pedro added, "But their breakup was so messy, he never got a clear answer. Plus, Crystal made the decision to have an abortion on her own... He genuinely thought they had no chance."
"...Oh."
Nora replied absent-mindedly, eyes downcast.
No matter the reason, it’s all in the past now.
"Your childhood friend, Joseph Sutton, what’s his relationship with Crystal?" Pedro asked on behalf of a friend.
"I don’t know," Nora said flatly, "I only just found out they know each other."
"..."
"But——"
Nora paused.
"Hmm?"
"If Joseph were to pursue Crystal, I’d support Joseph. As for you..."
At this, Nora glanced at him.
Sensing something off, Pedro immediately emphasized, "Let me make this clear first, no matter what their relationship is, or who ends up with whom, it can’t affect us."
"Can’t say for sure."
Pedro squinted his eyes, "What do you mean?"
"Just what it means," Nora said, "Different positions, can’t collude."
Hesitating for just three seconds, Pedro immediately made a decision, "Whoever you support, I’ll support."
Pushing the sunglasses down from her nose, Nora teased him, "A fence-sitter, huh?"
"Wherever you lean, I’ll follow," Pedro said without a hint of principle, "Everything’s up to you."
"..."
Seeing his stance was so clear, Nora simply couldn’t say anything.
In reality, she didn’t really like getting involved in other people’s matters, especially emotional ones—
For now, saying she supports who was just talk.
Besides, Joseph and Crystal... They just went to see an exhibition together, and even brought a kid along. There’s not even a hint of developments yet.
No certainty at all.
"Hey, wait," With a slight curve on her lips, Nora deliberately teased him, "Brotherhood is like limbs, are you really going to cut them off so easily?"
Pedro remained unfazed and calmly said, "I have three heads and six arms, I’m not short of one limb."
"..."
Nora was at a loss for words.
*
Andrew Hughes was captivated by one novel gadget after another.
Crystal Hughes and Joseph Sutton strolled along, chatting idly.
Suddenly, their view was filled with the Victor Technology’s drone exhibition, which was packed with people.
After a quick glance, Joseph Sutton withdrew his gaze.
"Does he know?" Joseph asked.
The ’he’ referred to was obvious.
"During the time I wasn’t around, he and Andrew got to know each other, and now..." Crystal gently furrowed her brows, slightly turning her head, her gaze falling on Andrew Hughes who was lying nearby looking at the exhibition, "He should have guessed."
"Oh."
Joseph acknowledged.
Due to sporadic contact with Crystal, when she was pursuing Camilo Nogueira those years ago, she even sought advice from Joseph... Despite the fact that Joseph’s unwilling advice was quite unreliable, Joseph was one of the few people who knew about that incident.
When Crystal decided to have an abortion, it was Joseph who accompanied her.
Halfway through, Crystal changed her mind and decided to have the baby, but lied to Camilo that she had an abortion... Joseph knew it all.
Exhaling a breath, Crystal suddenly withdrew her gaze, frowning at Joseph, "Can you help me with something?"
