Ignored When Chasing: Why Cry After I Got Engaged-Chapter 182: President Hawthorne, Why Don’t You Try a Little Harder?

Chapter 182: Chapter 182: President Hawthorne, Why Don’t You Try a Little Harder?

"Where did Serena Hughes get that piece of music?"

"Mr. Hawthorne... you really don’t know?" Tia Bennett heaved a long sigh. "It was the teaching assistant, Cecilia Nathan. She’s the one who wrote it."

...

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Tia Bennett stammered, looking at Damian Hawthorne’s silence. "Serena said so herself. She wanted to buy the composition back then, because the original composer is the teaching assistant, Cecilia Nathan."

Damian Hawthorne recalled Serena Hughes mentioning she wanted to buy the music.

At the time, he had insisted Cecilia Nathan sell the piece to Serena Hughes, never imagining this extra layer to the story.

’So Cecilia Nathan was the one who wrote it?’

’Then what is her relationship with May Rhodes?’

"President Hawthorne, if... if there’s nothing else, we’ll be going now." Seeing that something was off with Damian Hawthorne, Tia Bennett grabbed her friend, ready to leave.

Damian Hawthorne’s eyes narrowed. "What else do you know?" he asked icily.

Tia Bennett and Claire Hale exchanged a look.

"We... we only know this much. Serena never told us anything else."

After they spoke, seeing that Damian Hawthorne wasn’t going to stop them, the two quickly fled.

After leaving the bar, Claire Hale said, her face etched with worry, "Telling Damian Hawthorne all that... it won’t cause any trouble for Serena, will it?"

"We were practically forced. Besides, it’s not like we said that much," Tia Bennett said dismissively.

In truth, Tia Bennett had been both envious and jealous ever since Serena Hughes joined the Sinclair Family.

Serena had arranged her job for her, but she felt Serena hadn’t put much effort into it. Plus, even though she was supposed to be at the same level as Claire Hale, Claire’s salary was higher.

Tia Bennett blamed it all on Serena’s lack of concern, so when she spoke up, there was a hint of retaliation in her words.

As her best friend, Claire Hale could see right through her petty scheming. She could only sigh. "It might not seem like a big deal, but it could cause trouble for Serena. Tia, we can’t be ungrateful. We should call Serena right now and tell her what happened."

"There’s no point. We already told him," Tia Bennett said noncommittally. "Besides, even if we hadn’t said anything, don’t you think Damian Hawthorne could have found out himself?"

Claire Hale nodded. "That’s true. Damian Hawthorne can probably find out anything."

But after thinking it over, Claire Hale sent Serena Hughes a message anyway.

Serena Hughes didn’t see the message until the next day. When she did, she immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

She quickly called Cecilia Nathan.

"Something’s happened! I’m so sorry, Cecilia, my friend told someone that you’re the original composer of ’Eye of Love’."

"Who did they tell?"

"Damian Hawthorne."

...

Early the next morning, Damian Hawthorne finished getting ready and strode out of the villa.

"President Hawthorne, Miss Cecilia Nathan is at a coffee shop not far from here. Shall we go?"

Justin Bell had known since yesterday that Damian Hawthorne was planning to find Cecilia Nathan.

He didn’t know what had happened, but Damian Hawthorne’s expression was complex. As his assistant, Justin Bell didn’t dare ask questions and simply followed orders.

"Justin, I think I may have found May Rhodes."

"What?" Justin Bell was stunned. "Are you sure?"

"I’m not." Damian Hawthorne’s feelings were a tangled mess at the thought that the composer was Cecilia Nathan.

’Could Cecilia Nathan be May Rhodes?’

’If she is, then why is she avoiding me?’

"President Hawthorne, where is Miss Luna now?"

"In the very coffee shop you just mentioned."

The moment Damian Hawthorne finished speaking, Justin Bell’s hand trembled, and a cold sweat broke out on his back.

"That’s impossible... This... President Hawthorne, could you be mistaken?"

Damian Hawthorne remained silent, but his eyes curved into a faint, self-satisfied smile.

"We’ll find out if it’s true or not once we go ask her."

The whole situation felt bizarre to Justin Bell. To ease the awkward tension in the car, he turned on the radio to a news station.

"In breaking news, the wealthiest man in the nation, Linden Nathan of the Nathans of Aethelgard, has reportedly released a photo of his daughter. This is the first time Mr. Nathan has spoken publicly about her. He also shared another piece of major news: Miss Nathan is soon to be married, and her fiancé is none other than the popular young actor, Miles Sinclair. Invitations have already been sent out. The wedding is rumored to take place this month, with all major media outlets expected to provide extensive coverage. We’re also hearing that several brands have already approached her for endorsement deals, only to be rejected..."

The atmosphere in the car instantly became fraught with awkwardness.

Justin Bell fumbled to turn it off, but it was too late.

He never expected Selina Nathan’s public debut to be an announcement of her engagement.

And to Miles Sinclair, of all people.

"President Hawthorne... How could Miss Nathan be getting married so soon? Did you... not try to do anything?"

Justin Bell still couldn’t believe it. The woman who once loved Damian Hawthorne to distraction was now, in the blink of an eye, about to marry another man.

The news spread like wildfire.

Frances Bennett was at a spa with her close friends.

Just then, one of them let out a sudden shriek.

"Frances, quick, look at the news! Isn’t that Cecilia Nathan, the girl who chased your son for years, the one you never approved of? How... how is she Selina Nathan?"

Hearing her friend’s voice, Frances Bennett’s expression changed. She snatched a look at the phone, and when she saw the headline about Cecilia Nathan getting married, her mind went completely blank.

"Cecilia... Selina Nathan... What is this? She’s getting married?"

"Yes! And I heard Linden Nathan handpicked him and is even training the man to take over his company. He’s some minor celebrity, but I have to say... he’s just as handsome as your son."

The woman’s words were dripping with mockery.

Frances Bennett’s face alternated between pale and livid.

"I’ll make a call..."

With that, Frances Bennett hurriedly called Damian Hawthorne.

But the call wouldn’t go through.

"What, did your son block your number?" The friend was relentless with her jabs.

Frances Bennett was too furious to speak.

"Oh, Frances, honestly, what was all that for? You were so desperate for a marriage alliance with the Nathan Family, and to think their heiress was right under your nose the whole time!"

Frances Bennett felt as if she were living in a dream.

’Cecilia Nathan... was actually Selina Nathan.’

She’d had her suspicions after the last incident, guessing at most of the truth.

But back then, Linden Nathan hadn’t made any public announcements, so she didn’t dare press the matter or investigate further.

She never thought her denial would be so useless. Cecilia Nathan was Selina Nathan—that was an undeniable fact.

What she found even harder to accept was that Cecilia Nathan was getting married—and not to Damian, but to some minor celebrity.

’How could that piddling celebrity possibly compare to her Damian?’

Seething with anger and distress, she hastily tried calling her son again.

「In the car.」

Damian Hawthorne’s phone was ringing nonstop.

Justin Bell didn’t dare ask why Damian Hawthorne wasn’t answering. He just kept driving in silence.

Finally, the car pulled up in front of a building.

"President Hawthorne, we’re here."

The moment Damian Hawthorne stepped out of the car, his gaze was captured by someone inside the coffee shop.

Cecilia Nathan was sitting by the window, laughing and talking with the person across from her.

And that person was none other than Miles Sinclair.