Ignored When Chasing: Why Cry After I Got Engaged-Chapter 163: You Are the Real One

Serena Hughes slowly straightened up, the corners of her mouth curling into a smirk. "You’re so obviously in love with Damian Hawthorne, so why don’t you dare admit you’re May Rhodes?"

"Miss Nathan, what exactly... are you hiding?"

Cecilia Nathan took a step back, her expression placid. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"I know you won’t admit it. Don’t worry, I don’t plan on forcing you to, either. After all, if you and Damian Hawthorne got together, all my past efforts would have been for nothing." Serena Hughes shot Cecilia a jealous glance. "Sometimes I’m really envious of you. You’re beautiful, a rare genius in the music world, and you come from such a good family. I have no idea what good deeds you must have done in a past life."

"Cecilia Nathan, let’s make a deal."

"If you help the Sinclair Family get through this crisis, I’ll keep this secret buried in my heart forever. I won’t tell a soul."

Serena Hughes spoke with confidence, but when Cecilia didn’t respond, she grew anxious.

’Did I guess wrong?’

Looking at Cecilia’s calm expression, Serena’s heart began to pound with uncertainty.

’If I’m wrong, and the Nathan Family also moves against the Sinclairs, then I’ll truly become the one who doomed my family.’

Fiona Sinclair still didn’t know why the Hawthorne Family was taking such drastic measures against the Sinclairs; she assumed it was retaliation for what happened before.

Serena Hughes didn’t dare confess, so she rushed to Cecilia Nathan for help.

If anyone could help the Sinclair Family, it was Cecilia Nathan.

The Nathans of Aethelgard could still contend with the Hawthornes of Korsyth.

"Cecilia, helping me is the same as helping yourself. Damian Hawthorne has been suspicious of me for a while. He’s doing this because I didn’t tell him the secret about May Rhodes. If I told him, he might stop, but that would mean offending you."

Serena Hughes coaxed her patiently, waiting for Cecilia to make a decision.

Cecilia lowered her gaze, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Serena Hughes, are you threatening me?"

"It’s not a threat. It’s a deal."

"I’m not just helping myself; I’m helping you, too."

Cecilia looked at Serena and gave a cold smile. "Fine. I’ll help you. But you have to keep your promise."

Hearing this, the tension suddenly drained from Serena Hughes’s body.

’The Sinclair Family is saved.’

Then, tears welled up in Serena Hughes’s eyes.

’So, Cecilia really is *her*...’

She thought she could win Damian Hawthorne’s love, but she never imagined that from the very beginning, his love was never meant for her.

Although she didn’t know why Cecilia was doing this, she was incredibly envious of her.

Anything Cecilia wanted seemed to be within her grasp.

「At the Nathan Family’s branch office.」

A man in sunglasses walked slowly past Linden Nathan’s office.

He wore a leather jacket and a flat cap, looking stylish and cool.

"Miles, Linden Nathan isn’t going to retaliate against you again, is he?"

Miles Sinclair had an earpiece in and was talking to someone.

Miles Sinclair didn’t reply, and the voice on the other end continued, "I’m worried about you. Selina Nathan’s father is a madman. After what he did to... you won’t get anything good out of going there. Maybe you shouldn’t go."

"I have to go. This is the most critical step of my plan," Miles Sinclair’s voice was soft and distant.

The person on the other end fell silent after hearing that. "Alright, then. Be careful. Remember, no matter what you do, I’ll support you."

Miles Sinclair’s gaze softened, and he hummed a soft "Mm."

He looked toward Linden Nathan’s office, his expression hardening.

For some reason, Linden Nathan had suddenly sent someone to find him, saying he had something important to ask.

He knew this day would come ever since Cecilia Nathan had brought him to meet Linden Nathan.

He had a pretty good idea of why Linden Nathan was looking for him.

Inside the office, Linden Nathan was looking something up on his computer. When he saw Miles Sinclair, he stopped his work and handed him a hard drive.

"These are some of the Nathan Family’s business modules. Take a look at them first."

Miles Sinclair looked up at him. "This is..."

"As the future son-in-law of my Nathan Family, you’ll have to help Cecilia inherit the family’s assets. Familiarizing yourself with our business modules is just the first step."

Linden Nathan’s tone was weary.

Hearing this, Miles Sinclair’s expression froze. "Future son-in-law..."

"What, you don’t want to marry Cecilia?" Linden Nathan frowned, his expression turning icy.

"No, I do! Of course, I do." As if just snapping out of it, Miles Sinclair gave a shy smile. "I just... haven’t gotten used to the idea yet."

"It’s normal not to be used to it. After all, I was prejudiced against you before." Linden Nathan lifted his chin slightly, gesturing to the seat in front of him. "Sit down. Let’s talk."

"I’m getting old, and my judgment isn’t what it used to be. I hurt Cecilia recently over that business with Sharon Quincy, and now I’m afraid she’ll turn her back on the family business entirely." Linden Nathan sighed. "She’s always liked you. With your help, she might be more level-headed."

"But... bringing me in on the Nathan Family’s internal affairs, does Cecilia... know about this?" Miles Sinclair trailed off, hesitating.

"She doesn’t know yet. It’s fine. It’ll be a long time before you truly take over anyway. It won’t be too late to tell her once you’ve gotten the hang of things."

In truth, Linden Nathan said this because he was afraid Cecilia would reject his plan.

Cecilia was utterly disappointed in him because of the Sharon Quincy incident, and he wanted to do something to make up for how he had wronged her.

Cecilia’s relationship with him had soured because of Miles Sinclair, so he decided he would start making amends through Miles Sinclair.

Unaware of what her father was doing, Cecilia Nathan went straight to the Hawthorne residence.

When Damian Hawthorne heard Cecilia was coming, he raised an eyebrow and waited for her at the door.

Cecilia was carrying some small pastries she had made and placed them in front of Damian Hawthorne.

Damian Hawthorne was wearing simple loungewear. The top buttons were undone, revealing his sexy collarbones, giving him a lazy yet intensely charming aura.

Cecilia opened the box, revealing the exquisite pastries inside.

"It’s mung bean cake, your favorite. I just made it."

In the past, whenever she made him angry, Damian Hawthorne would demand she make him mung bean cake.

From buying and peeling the beans to making the final cakes, she did everything by hand. They weren’t like the ordinary mung bean cakes sold in stores; these had a filling made from osmanthus flowers she had picked in the autumn, making them both delicious and beautiful.

Seeing the pastries, Damian Hawthorne’s lips curved slightly. "It’s been half a year since I’ve seen these."

Half a year ago, she had learned that Damian Hawthorne had found someone he loved.

From that day on, she had refused to set foot in the kitchen again.

"Serena Hughes came to see me. She asked me to come to you and ask you to spare her family," Cecilia said, not planning to hide Serena’s visit.

If she could reach an understanding with Damian Hawthorne, she wouldn’t have to leverage the Nathan Family’s connections.

"Why would she think to go to you?" Damian Hawthorne’s smile was a little wicked. "She couldn’t possibly think that I care about you enough to spare the Sinclair Family for your sake, could she?"

Cecilia’s heart tightened slightly. "Damian Hawthorne, what exactly are you trying to do?"

"Serena Hughes and the Sinclair Family conspired to deceive me. As it happens, the Hawthorne Family is currently in need of certain business modules in Korsyth that the Sinclairs can provide. I figured I’d take this opportunity to acquire them."

Damian Hawthorne said it so casually, which made Cecilia frown.

’So Damian really is getting revenge on Serena Hughes.’

Cecilia sighed. "Whatever modules you want, our Nathan Family can provide them. There’s no need to do this to the Sinclairs."

Damian Hawthorne looked up, an interested smile on his lips. "Aren’t you on bad terms with Serena Hughes? Why are you helping her like this now? What did she offer you?"

"She didn’t offer me anything. I’m just looking at this objectively, for the sake of our two families’ cooperation." Of course, Cecilia wasn’t going to admit she’d made a deal with Serena.

Damian Hawthorne glanced at the pastries in the box with an unreadable smile, his lips pursed.

’His Cecilia is so kind, willing to help just about anyone.’

’And me? In her heart, I’m probably worse than a stranger right now.’

"We’ve also taken an interest in some of the Sinclair Family’s technology and were planning to partner with them. You don’t need to wipe them out completely," Cecilia explained.

"Do you know what Serena Hughes did?" Damian Hawthorne asked.

Cecilia’s brow tightened. "What?"

"After I exposed her for pretending to be May Rhodes, she found another fake May Rhodes to try and trick me into marriage."

Cecilia’s heart trembled, and she lowered her eyes, mumbling, "Well, you were the one who agreed to it."

’That May Rhodes was full of holes. I don’t know why Damian would have agreed to marry her.’

"If I hadn’t agreed, how could I have forced the *real* May Rhodes out of hiding..." Damian Hawthorne narrowed his eyes at her. "Isn’t that right, my dear... Cecilia."