Chapter 464: Escort This Ms. Shields Out

"You really understand?" Anne Sutton looked at him in disbelief, her expression skeptical.

She was afraid that her rejection would make him overthink things.

Nathan Fawcett nodded. "Yeah. But I still want to ask... Anne, have you... ever considered marrying me? Or are you really planning to never get married?"

Anne Sutton looked at him, and seeing the hope in his eyes, she didn’t know how to answer.

Seeing how pressured she looked, Nathan Fawcett said, "It’s okay, I get it. By the way, last time I went to see my grandfather, he told me that before he passes, he wants to see us get married. He doesn’t oppose us being together anymore! So, I was thinking... maybe we could settle on getting married. I was too hasty. I didn’t consider your feelings."

"..." Listening to Nathan Fawcett, Anne Sutton said, "Maybe... it’s just like Caleb Summers said. I just don’t know what’s good for me."

’Some words are harsh, but that doesn’t necessarily make them untrue.’

Nathan Fawcett looked at her and said, "Don’t take what he said to heart. His words don’t represent my thoughts at all."

Nathan Fawcett was afraid she had actually taken Caleb Summers’s words to heart.

Anne Sutton looked at the man before her and said, "As long as you’re not upset about what happened before, that’s all that matters."

Nathan Fawcett asked, "Have you had breakfast?"

"I’ve eaten," Anne Sutton replied. "I went back to the family home last night and took Ian and Finn to school this morning."

Nathan Fawcett was a little surprised. "You went back last night?"

’And to think he’d gone all the way to the Sutton Family’s house to find her.’

Seeing his surprise, Anne Sutton said, "Just because I rejected you, does that mean I can’t go back to the Linden Family’s house to see the kids anymore?"

Nathan Fawcett was speechless.

’Of course, that wasn’t what he meant.’

He looked at Anne Sutton and said, "I just didn’t expect it. I thought you were still at your family’s house!"

"When are you getting discharged? I can come pick you up."

"Not sure yet," Nathan Fawcett said. "My mom chewed me out for drinking. She’s making me stay in the hospital to recover for a couple more days."

Hearing this, Anne Sutton’s expression hardened. "You deserved it. If Dr. Linden hadn’t scolded you, I would have. How could you drink so much? Enough to land yourself in the hospital! Are you really that careless with your own health?"

In her memory, he had always been sickly; his health had only improved in the past couple of years.

But she never expected him to be so reckless with his own body. Even Anne Sutton was angry seeing it.

Hearing her words, Nathan Fawcett looked at her and said, "Alright, alright, stop scolding me. I know I was wrong."

Anne Sutton looked at him and, indeed, didn’t scold him further.

Since she had things to do that morning, and seeing that Nathan Fawcett was almost done with his food, Anne Sutton left for work.

As she walked out the door, she happened to see Chloe Chase, who had come to check on Nathan Fawcett on behalf of Anna Linden.

Seeing Anne Sutton there, Chloe Chase said, "Ms. Sutton."

Anne Sutton asked, "How is Nathan?"

Hearing her question, Chloe Chase replied, "He drank too much the other day—he even vomited blood. He’s spent the last few years carefully nursing his health back, and he’s usually not allowed to drink like that. I don’t know what he was thinking."

Hearing Chloe Chase’s words, Anne Sutton’s eyes darkened. "It’s my fault."

’If she hadn’t rejected Nathan Fawcett that night, he probably wouldn’t have gone off and drunk so much, ending up in this state.’

Chloe Chase said, "I’m going to go see Nathan now. You go on and get to your work."

At that, Anne Sutton nodded.

In the afternoon, after Anne Sutton finished her work, she headed home to see the children since Nathan Fawcett was still in the hospital.

Just as she reached the gate, she saw Stella Shields standing there, saying, "Let me in! I just want one look."

She hadn’t been here in a very long time.

Anne Sutton was a little surprised to see her here now.

She walked up behind Stella Shields and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Stella Shields turned around, her gaze landing on Anne Sutton. Looking at the woman who was now the mistress of the Linden household, Stella said, "I heard Nathan adopted a child who looks a lot like Ian. Is it true?"

Anne Sutton nodded. "Yes. But how did you find out about that?"

Nathan Fawcett had been planning to find the right time to make a formal public announcement, but he hadn’t had a moment to spare recently and hadn’t arranged it yet.

She hadn’t expected Stella Shields to already know.

Stella Shields asked, "Can I see him?"

"..." Anne Sutton said, "What’s there to see? He’s not your child."

Stella Shields’s fists clenched. She said, "I heard... the child is Ethan Linden’s?"

Anne Sutton replied, "That’s right."

’In truth, Anne had been surprised too when the child first appeared. She’d never thought... that besides Stella Shields, Ethan Linden had someone else.’

’Looking at Stella Shields’s reaction now, it was clear she hadn’t known either that Ethan Linden had a child.’

’She had probably always believed she was the one Ethan Linden loved!’

Stella Shields said, "Anne, please let me see him! What happened in the past was my fault. I wronged you. I just want to see him. Please? I won’t believe it until I see him with my own eyes."

This was the very reason she had made a special trip here.

Anne Sutton glanced at Stella Shields, thought for a moment, and then led her through the gate.

Ian and Finn were already back.

The two little ones were playing on the lawn.

Stella Shields saw the child who looked so much like Ian. For some reason, even though both boys resembled Nathan Fawcett, still...

She could somehow tell at a single glance that this was Ethan Linden’s child!

Seeing Stella Shields frozen to the spot, Anne Sutton said, "I told you that you shouldn’t have come."

Stella Shields began to laugh. "I always thought that in Ethan Linden’s heart, I was the one and only. It turns out I was nothing to him at all."

’Not only did Nathan Fawcett not want her, but even Ethan Linden had never truly wanted her either.’

’If he had truly loved her, how could there have been someone else?’

’How could he have had a child with another woman?’

Seeing Stella Shields’s look of utter despair, Anne Sutton said, "Have you seen enough? If you have, you can leave now."

’Since Stella Shields had been so insistent on seeing him, she supposed she had granted her wish.’

Stella Shields’s gaze fell on Anne Sutton. "It’s so unfair!"

Anne Sutton asked, "What are you trying to say now?"

Stella Shields said, "Why does Nathan Fawcett love you so much? Why do you get to have everything you want? And I also heard... you rejected Nathan Fawcett’s proposal?"

"..." Anne Sutton rubbed her temples. "You’re a little too invested in my life."

’She couldn’t believe Stella Shields not only knew about Finn but was also aware that she had rejected Nathan Fawcett.’

’Doesn’t she have anything better to do all day than keep tabs on me and Nathan Fawcett?’

Stella Shields said, "You’re not denying it, so it must be true. You really rejected Nathan Fawcett?"

"..." This whole affair had put Anne Sutton in a terrible mood lately.

Seeing Stella Shields press the issue, Anne Sutton said coolly, "It has nothing to do with you."

After saying her piece, she waved over the Linden Family’s security guard and said, "Please escort Ms. Shields out."