Chapter 463: She Was Too Cowardly

Anna Linden knew her words were useless. Nathan Fawcett would only behave if Anne Sutton was watching.

So, she decided to just call Anne Sutton over.

Hearing this, Nathan Fawcett quickly refused, "No, you don’t have to. I’m fine on my own. I’ll behave. Don’t bother her."

"..." Anna Linden stared at Nathan Fawcett. "What? She rejected you, so now you’ve given up on life? Weren’t you acting like you couldn’t live without her? Ready to give up everything for her? Don’t tell me you can’t even handle a little setback like this!"

"That’s not it," Nathan Fawcett denied. "I just don’t want Anne to think I’m this pathetic. I don’t want her to think I let myself get into this state because of her."

"’Right, so it’s not because of her,’" Anna Linden said, rolling her eyes at him. She knew exactly what Nathan Fawcett was thinking.

’He was just upset about being rejected by Anne Sutton and was too proud to let her know how heartbroken he was.’

But she didn’t want to get involved in his love life.

She couldn’t be bothered with him.

After giving her instructions to Butler Walters, she walked out.

...

In the morning, Anne Sutton woke Finn and Ian, sent them to school, and then went to the hospital.

When she arrived, she saw Butler Walters bringing breakfast for Nathan Fawcett. Caleb Summers was with him.

Anne Sutton was surprised to see them there. "Butler Walters."

Hearing her, Butler Walters turned to look at her. "Ms. Sutton."

"What are you two doing here?"

Caleb Summers shot Anne Sutton a glare. "You put Nathan in the hospital, so we came to see him. What, you got a problem with that?"

The memory of Anne Sutton rejecting Nathan Fawcett made Caleb Summers’s expression darken, and he had no desire to speak to her.

Even though he’d actually quite liked Anne Sutton for a while.

But to him, Nathan Fawcett was obviously more important.

Anne Sutton looked at Butler Walters. "Nathan Fawcett is in the hospital?"

She hadn’t known about this.

She only knew that he hadn’t come home last night.

But she had just assumed he was busy with work, so she hadn’t asked.

Butler Walters looked at Anne Sutton. He remembered Nathan Fawcett’s order not to tell her anything and was surprised that Caleb Summers had been so blunt.

Butler Walters said, "He went out drinking and had a bit too much. He wasn’t feeling well, so he’s staying in the hospital now."

Hearing this, Anne Sutton said, "I’ll go see him."

Hearing he was in the hospital, Anne Sutton couldn’t help but feel a little worried.

Caleb Summers stared at her. "You didn’t think about his feelings when you rejected him, so why the phony concern now? Ms. Sutton, I bet the person you really like is Charles Prescott. There’s no room for our Nathan in your heart, is there!"

Anne Sutton ignored Caleb Summers’s taunts.

’He’s Nathan Fawcett’s friend; it’s only natural for him to take his side.’

Anne Sutton followed behind Butler Walters.

With a dark expression, Caleb Summers fell silent.

Soon, they arrived at the hospital room door.

Anne Sutton followed Butler Walters into the room and saw Nathan Fawcett lying on the hospital bed.

He was still sleeping.

Butler Walters set the breakfast aside and said to Anne Sutton, "Please have a seat, Ms. Sutton. Sir should be waking up soon."

He didn’t dare be impolite to Anne Sutton.

He knew all too well how important Anne Sutton was to Nathan Fawcett.

After all, he had been by Nathan Fawcett’s side for quite a few years.

Anne Sutton looked at Nathan Fawcett but did not sit down.

Just then, however, Nathan Fawcett woke up.

He opened his eyes, saw Anne Sutton there, and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Anne Sutton said, "I just saw Butler Walters and Caleb Summers at the door. When I heard you were hospitalized, I came to check on you."

Nathan Fawcett said, "I’m fine."

Anne Sutton stared at Nathan Fawcett. "Because I rejected you, does that mean I don’t even deserve to know when you’re sick?"

’Before, if he got sick, he would have let her know immediately.’

’Maybe because she rejected his proposal, their relationship had truly grown distant.’

Hearing Anne Sutton’s words, Nathan Fawcett explained, "That’s not what I was thinking."

"..." Butler Walters watched the scene unfold and said, "Sir, your breakfast is here. You should eat something."

As he spoke, he moved the overbed table into place and helped raise the head of the bed.

Nathan Fawcett’s gaze fell on Caleb Summers. "You’re here too?"

"I came to see you," Caleb Summers said. "Unlike *some people* who get you into this mess and then don’t even care."

Anne Sutton: "..."

’He’s... talking about me, isn’t he?’

’Caleb Summers’s barbed words were clearly aimed at her.’

Anne Sutton didn’t say anything.

’Whatever. Let him say what he wants.’

’She had no reason to argue with Caleb Summers, anyway.’

Nathan Fawcett said, "Caleb Summers, head back to the office."

Caleb Summers knew that as soon as Anne Sutton showed up, there was no place for him here.

He didn’t want to stay and make things awkward anyway. He tossed the documents he’d brought for Nathan Fawcett aside and walked straight out.

After Caleb Summers left, Butler Walters said, "I just remembered I have something to attend to. Ms. Sutton, could I trouble you to stay with Sir for a bit?"

With that, he walked out.

Soon, only Anne Sutton and Nathan Fawcett were left in the hospital room.

Anne Sutton took a seat.

The food was in front of Nathan Fawcett, but with Anne Sutton watching him, he didn’t have much of an appetite.

Seeing Anne Sutton staring at him, Nathan Fawcett said, "I’m really fine. I just had a bit too much to drink with the guys the other night. You know how Butler Walters always fusses. He was afraid something might happen and insisted on bringing me here. Anne, the proposal... that was my fault. I didn’t handle it well. I should have talked to you about it first instead of just springing it on you. Don’t worry about it, okay? I’m not holding it against you."

Anne Sutton watched him. He spoke so gently, as if afraid she’d been hurt by Caleb Summers’s words.

Anne Sutton said to Nathan Fawcett, "Nathan."

Nathan Fawcett looked at her. "Yes?"

Anne Sutton said, "I’m to blame. I didn’t appreciate your good intentions."

"..." Nathan Fawcett heard her and just stared.

Anne Sutton lowered her head, her voice tinged with guilt. "I’m just so scared, you know? I’m afraid that any good relationship will be ruined the moment it leads to marriage. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I always feel like there are so many uncertainties in this world. All those unknowns make me terrified of taking that next step. So when you proposed, my mind went blank. I really wasn’t ready."

’Anne Sutton had been thinking about it for the past two days.’

’She wondered, was it that Nathan wasn’t good enough?’

’He seemed to be doing a great job.’

’Compared to most men, he was already doing exceptionally well!’

’No, it was her. She was just too scared!’

’Scared of everything, scared of an uncertain future.’

’Scared of getting her hopes up only to be disappointed in the end.’

’When she thought about it, it all came down to her own cowardice.’

Nathan Fawcett looked at her and said, "I understand."