Chapter 471: How Could You Be With Him?

She stood at the entrance, looked at the restaurant, and asked Nathan, "Why did you book a table here?"

’This man... He specifically chose this place. Could he be unhappy about what happened last time, and is now trying to teach me a lesson?’

After rejecting Nathan last time, Anne couldn’t help but overthink things now.

Hearing her, Nathan said, "I heard the view here is great. We didn’t get a good look last time, so I thought we’d come back for another look. Besides, Ian and Finn really like it here."

There’s a play area for kids here.

The two little guys love it here.

So Nathan had brought Anne here.

Anne said, "And here I was, thinking you brought me here to settle the score for what happened last time."

Nathan had already sent the two children off to play with a staff member.

He stood by the window, the city’s nightscape behind him, his gaze fixed on her. He reached out and took Anne’s hand. "What’s on your mind? Do you really think I’m that petty?"

"Who knows?" Anne said. "Maybe you are."

Nathan gazed at her. "Saying it like that... you’ve actually hurt my feelings a little."

Hearing this, Anne asked, "Hurt about what?"

Nathan replied, "What do you think?"

As they were speaking, Nathan’s gaze fell upon two people walking in.

It was none other than Stella Shields, and the man by her side was Silas Hawthorne.

When Anne saw him staring off, she followed his gaze and saw Stella Shields.

Stella was walking beside Silas Hawthorne, her arm linked through his.

She glanced at Nathan and said, "What’s the matter? See an old flame and can’t tear your eyes away?"

Hearing the sour note in her voice, Nathan chuckled. "What are you thinking?"

"You were just staring right at Stella Shields," Anne said. "Is it because you think she’s pretty? You weren’t interested before, but now that you see her with another man, it suddenly bothers you?"

’Men!’

’They’re all the same.’

’The moment someone who was once ’theirs’ isn’t anymore, they can’t help but stare.’

Nathan said, "You’re overthinking it. I was just looking at the man."

He knew it was Silas Hawthorne; he just never expected Stella Shields to be with him.

Silas Hawthorne was Nathan’s arch-rival in business.

He even suspected that Silas Hawthorne held some kind of grudge against him.

And now for him to be getting this close to Stella Shields...

Even though he and Stella weren’t romantically involved, she had lived with the Linden Family for so long that she was like a little sister to him. Plus, she was someone Ethan Linden had known back in the day.

He had at least some connection with her.

This gave Nathan a bad feeling.

Anne said, "I just saw Stella Shields a few days ago. She couldn’t have found a partner already, could she?"

’But... this man doesn’t look young at all.’

’He must be quite a bit older than her.’

Nathan said, "It looks that way."

’Otherwise, as a celebrity...’

’She’d never be seen in public at a place like this with a man.’

Seeing Nathan still staring at them, Anne asked, "Do you know that man?"

"Yes, but not well." ’Every time I try to do something, that man shows up to interfere, acting as if he can’t stand the sight of me.’

’To this day, Nathan still couldn’t figure out why.’

’But Apex Group is very powerful. If they wanted to come after him, there wasn’t much he could do.’

’Fortunately, Linden Group had deep enough pockets that the other party’s petty provocations didn’t really affect him.’

Nathan said, "Wait here for me. I’m going to go say hello."

"I’ll go with you." She couldn’t just stand there foolishly while he went to say hello.

Nathan glanced at her, then led her over.

Stella Shields and Silas Hawthorne had just sat down.

Nathan said, "Mr. Hawthorne."

Both Silas Hawthorne and Stella Shields looked toward Nathan.

Stella tensed up when she saw it was Nathan, though she knew that coming to Veridia meant she would likely run into them.

But now that it was actually happening, her expression was still complicated.

Silas Hawthorne looked at Nathan and said, "Well, if it isn’t President Fawcett. Long time no see."

Nathan said, "Are you two here for dinner? How is it that you’re together?"

Nathan’s gaze shifted to Stella Shields.

As he questioned her, Stella felt her face grow hot.

She really hated this feeling.

After all, she had pursued Nathan before.

And yet now, she was with a man so much older than herself.

It made her feel like she couldn’t hold her head high in front of Nathan.

Silas Hawthorne said, "Ms. Shields is now my fiancée."

He boldly used the word "fiancée."

Stella lifted her head, glanced at Silas, then looked at Nathan and nodded. "That’s right. Why did you come over to greet me, Mr. Fawcett?"

Her gaze fell on Anne. Seeing that she and Nathan were still together, she commented, "You two seem to be on good terms."

’Even after Anne rejected him, he... still brings her everywhere he goes.’

Seeing Stella mention Anne, Silas Hawthorne’s gaze fell upon her. "So this is President Fawcett’s girlfriend?"

Nathan nodded. "Yes. This is Anne, my girlfriend, and my future wife."

Silas Hawthorne said, "But I heard President Fawcett proposed and was rejected. That little joke is the talk of Veridia now, isn’t it?"

After all, he was Nathan Fawcett. As the Head of the Linden Family, his every move drew extra attention.

No matter how low-key he tried to be, word would still get out.

Nathan said, "So what? Isn’t it perfectly normal for a proposal to not succeed on the first try?"

Silas Hawthorne retorted, "I’m just surprised that even a man like President Fawcett can’t win over the woman he wants."

He gave Anne a meaningful look. "It seems Ms. Sutton is quite a character."

He stared at Anne, taking a second look. A woman who could embarrass Nathan Fawcett so thoroughly was a rare sight indeed.

Seeing him use her to take a jab at Nathan, Anne shot back, "What goes on between Nathan and me is none of your business. I rejected his proposal because I felt I wasn’t good enough for him yet. That’s all there is to it, so don’t read too much into it!"

It was clear that Silas Hawthorne and Nathan did not get along.

Naturally, Anne couldn’t stand by and watch someone ridicule him like that.

She glanced at Nathan and said, "I’m going to go find the children."

With that, she walked away.

Nathan glanced at Stella Shields. "I need to talk to you."

Hearing Nathan’s words, Stella lifted her head and glanced at him. ’Lately, Nathan hasn’t even been willing to spare me a second glance, and now he’s actually approaching me to talk?’

She glanced at Silas Hawthorne, who said, "Since President Fawcett has something to say to you, go ahead."

Only after receiving Silas Hawthorne’s permission did Stella stand up and walk away with Nathan.

Once they were off to the side, Stella asked Nathan, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Why are you with him?" Nathan stared at Stella.

Stella retorted, "He’s a good man! Why can’t I be with him? Just because you don’t like me, does that mean no one else is allowed to?"