Chapter 345: Who Do You Want to Find?

He followed behind her and said, "Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?"

"Explain what?" Anne Sutton quickened her pace, practically running.

Seeing her walk away so quickly, Nathan Fawcett simply grabbed her wrist.

She turned back to face the man. "Why are you grabbing me?"

Nathan Fawcett said, "I entrusted Ian to your care because I trusted you. How can I feel at ease when you’re acting like this?"

"What?" Anne Sutton said. "So when you’re upset, you threaten me with Ian and want to take him away? Is that your style, Mr. Linden?"

’When he said he was pursuing her, he was so good to her that she’d even started to soften.’

’But the last time he got upset, he stopped coming home and started avoiding her. She could let that slide.’

’But now that he saw her with Justin Shields, he was starting to make trouble.’

"Anne Sutton, why would you do this?" Nathan Fawcett demanded.

Anne Sutton let out a cold laugh. "Let’s not even get into what Justin Shields and I are doing here. Let’s just say—let’s just say it’s exactly what you’re thinking. That I’m with him, that we came here to get a room. So what? If I remember correctly, you were the one who told me to stay out of your business! You’re the one who hasn’t been home for days, completely ignoring me! Do you even have the right to stand here and say this to me? What are we to each other, anyway? I think it’s my freedom to be with whomever I want, right? Are you confused about something?"

Seeing how justifiably indignant she looked, Nathan Fawcett frowned.

Just then, Ian appeared at the doorway. "Daddy."

Anne Sutton looked toward the voice and saw Mrs. Sutton and Ian standing in the doorway.

Ian had fallen asleep in the car but was awake now. Mrs. Sutton found it difficult to wait and decided to come in and check on Anne, only to find her and Nathan Fawcett arguing.

The sight of Ian made Nathan Fawcett freeze for a moment. Ian had already walked over to stand beside Anne Sutton. "Mommy."

He was exhausted and clung to Anne Sutton’s leg.

Anne Sutton looked at him. "You’re awake?"

Ian nodded. "Mhm."

"Come on, let’s go home so you can sleep."

Seeing Mrs. Sutton and Ian were both there, Nathan Fawcett followed them.

Mrs. Sutton looked at Nathan Fawcett and said, "Ethan, what are you doing here?"

"I had some business to take care of here tonight," Nathan Fawcett said.

’And ended up running into Anne Sutton.’

Mrs. Sutton asked, "Is Justin Shields settled in?"

"Caleb Summers took him to his room," Anne Sutton said. "I don’t know what’s going on with him. I can’t be bothered to care."

"Summers is reliable," Mrs. Sutton said. "There shouldn’t be any problems."

When they reached the car, Anne Sutton settled Ian inside, then said to Mrs. Sutton, "Get in the car."

Mrs. Sutton glanced at Nathan Fawcett and asked, "Isn’t Ethan coming back with us?"

"Him?" Anne Sutton shot a glare at Nathan Fawcett. "He’s such a busy man. Why would he have time to come back with us? Why should we care what he does?"

With that, Anne Sutton opened her car door and got in.

Nathan Fawcett stood by the car, but just as he was about to get in, he discovered Anne Sutton had already locked the doors.

"..."

She ignored him.

Nathan Fawcett felt a sense of helplessness as he watched her drive away.

’Judging by what Mrs. Sutton said, it seems there was a reason she brought Justin Shields here. Mrs. Sutton and Ian were with her, too.’

’I misunderstood.’

In the car, Anne Sutton was driving. Seeing that she was quiet, Mrs. Sutton looked at her and asked, "What happened just now between you and Ethan?"

"Nothing," Anne Sutton said. "He saw me taking Justin Shields to his hotel room and assumed there was something going on between us, so he got jealous. He’s insane!"

’She hadn’t even meddled in his affairs. He disappears for days on end, and now he won’t even let her be near another person.’

’Unbelievable!’

Caleb Summers came downstairs only after getting Justin Shields settled.

He got to his car, saw Nathan Fawcett, and asked, "You didn’t go back with Anne?"

"She wouldn’t let me get in her car," Nathan Fawcett said.

"So, are you heading back to the Linden place, or are you riding with me?"

Caleb Summers lived right next door to Anne Sutton.

"I’ll ride with you," Nathan Fawcett said.

"Okay."

In the car, Caleb Summers glanced at Nathan Fawcett. "How have things been with you and Anne Sutton lately? I’ve noticed you haven’t been back. Are you planning to break up?"

"Break up?" Nathan Fawcett said. "Why would I break up with her?"

"You’re ignoring her. I thought you’d found someone new," Caleb Summers said. "If you don’t want to be with her anymore, don’t waste her time."

"When did I ever say I didn’t want to be with her anymore?" Nathan Fawcett retorted. "You guys were the ones who told me not to be too nice to her, and now you have a problem with it? So what am I supposed to do to make you all happy?"

Hearing Nathan Fawcett’s words, Caleb Summers fell silent.

’He’s clearly still mad about what happened before.’

’He acts like he doesn’t care about Anne Sutton, but he really does.’

’He’s just bottling up his anger.’

Afraid that Nathan would take his anger out on him again, Caleb Summers decided to keep quiet.

...

Anne Sutton had just finished her shower when she came out and saw that Nathan Fawcett was back.

’He hadn’t been home for days. Now, just because she was seen with Justin Shields, he’s back.’

"What are you doing here?" Anne Sutton asked.

Nathan Fawcett looked at her. "What happened today was my fault."

"Your fault?" Anne Sutton glanced at him, retorting, "What exactly was your fault?"

"I didn’t know why you took him to the hotel. I misunderstood," Nathan Fawcett said.

"You didn’t misunderstand," Anne Sutton said. "I was taking him to get a room. I’m a free woman. Is there someone I’m not allowed to be with? Why can’t I be with someone else?"

Nathan Fawcett could tell she was just saying things to provoke him. "If that’s true, then why were your mother and Ian at the hotel?"

"Maybe they were just passing by."

Anne Sutton sat on the sofa, glaring at Nathan Fawcett.

Her words rendered him speechless.

Seeing him fall silent, Anne Sutton said, "Alright, we’re done talking. You can leave now. And don’t bother staying here anymore. There’s no place for you. I have no interest in playing these childish games with you, nor do I have any interest in arguing with you all day. I’m very busy, and I certainly don’t have the energy to put up with your foul temper."

’In the days he was gone, she felt he had extinguished the last glimmer of hope she’d been holding onto.’

Nathan Fawcett looked at her and said, "You’re the one who doesn’t like me."

"That’s right, I don’t like you. So why are you still pestering me?" She looked at Nathan Fawcett. "Whenever you’re unhappy, you can just vanish from my life, can’t you? Well, in that case, I hope you never show up again! Back in Westhaven, you left me waiting alone for years. But I don’t want to wait anymore! If you’re not happy here, then go find someone else. And don’t you dare get in the way of me finding someone else, either."

"...Who are you going to find? Justin Shields?"

"So what if I am?" Anne Sutton said. "He’s much better than you. Isn’t he?"

Nathan Fawcett looked at her, then stood up. Finding he had no comeback, he could only storm out the door in a fit of anger.