Chapter 307: Chapter 307: How Could That Be My Brother’s Child?
"That’s right!" A hint of bitterness showed on Serena’s pale face as she exaggerated the events she had witnessed that day.
"Jane, you must remind Uncle, don’t let Elliot be ruined by this kind of woman! She thinks she can elevate her status by having a child? Pah, she doesn’t even check what she’s worth!"
"What are you saying?" Jane Sheridan’s smile gradually stiffened, "How could Ann Vaughn’s child be my brother’s!? ’
...
Because of Serena’s words, Ann Vaughn’s initially good mood turned somber. She didn’t feel like continuing to shop and suggested returning to the hotel.
Furthermore—
Ann Vaughn quietly observed Cyrus Hawthorne’s face in the rearview mirror, feeling uneasy as she pursed her lips, sitting uncomfortably as if on pins and needles.
"Cyrus Hawthorne," finally unable to hold back, Ann Vaughn hesitated before softly asking, "Is there nothing you want to ask me about what that person just said?"
When she heard such things from Serena, her heart almost stopped; even now, she couldn’t quite calm herself.
Initially, she thought he would question her directly or even become angry, and she’d already thought of ways to escape the danger.
But...
Cyrus Hawthorne kept his eyes on the road ahead, his lips slightly curving in a carefree manner as he responded, "What is there to ask?"
"She said I seduced her fiancé and even had a child," Ann Vaughn’s delicate face seemed troubled, her emotions tangled like a mess of threads she couldn’t unravel, "Don’t you worry I might really have done such things as she said?"
Just then a red light ignited, and the car stopped.
The warm, slightly harsh orange streetlights cast over the front window, making the dim interior seem particularly mysterious.
In this lighting, Ann Vaughn could only catch a glimpse of half of Cyrus Hawthorne’s handsome face. His ink-black eyes were deep and layered with emotions she couldn’t describe.
"Why would I doubt you for someone who means nothing?" His voice was calm yet carried an undeniable strength, "If I want to understand you, I wouldn’t just listen with my ears."
Outside the car, the traffic flowed past, and the flickering headlights briefly illuminated his serene, handsome face in sharp contrast.
Thump, thump.
In that instant, Ann Vaughn seemed to hear the pounding of her own heartbeat, echoing clearly in her ears.
At that moment, the fortress in her heart seemed to crumble at the corner, filled slowly by something warm yet bittersweet.
This time, she understood so clearly that she couldn’t deceive herself even if she wanted to.
It was just some indifferent words, even lacking any special meaning, perhaps he was simply...
It was because he only remembered her that he trusted her unconditionally.
Yet Ann Vaughn couldn’t contain the speed of her heartbeat or the warmth suffusing her palms, pursing her lips to form a slight, controlled smile.
"You have an eye for things, not blindly trusting."
Seeing Ann Vaughn’s slightly smug look, Cyrus Hawthorne’s eyes flashed with a light smile, he reached out to tousle her hair, "Silly."
He wanted to get to know her anew, even if there were a thousand ways.
But it would definitely not be this way.
Someday, she would let her guard down and tell him that secret herself.
...
The next morning.
When Ann Vaughn woke up, she didn’t see Cyrus Hawthorne in the room. Thinking he might have already gone to the company, she got up to wash up.
After tidying up the luggage, Ann Vaughn stepped out of her room and immediately saw Mark Joyce waiting outside.
"President Hawthorne instructed me to take you to the airport, Miss Vaughn, please." Mark Joyce said with a smile.
"Thank you, Special Assistant Joyce." Ann Vaughn didn’t expect Cyrus Hawthorne had made such arrangements, so she nodded to Mark Joyce and expressed her gratitude.
As soon as she got into the car, Ann Vaughn received a message from Cyrus Hawthorne.
[Pay attention to safety on the road, I’ve arranged someone at the Imperial Capital Airport, don’t mistake them.]
Just one sentence, without extra punctuation.
Yet Ann Vaughn’s heart felt a surge of sweetness, and her lips curled into a high smile.
But to her surprise, Sutton Jennings was also returning to the Imperial Capital today, sitting right next to her.
To avoid him, Ann Vaughn intentionally hadn’t told him she was returning to the Imperial Capital today.
In this situation, there’s probably only one reason...
Sherry.
Faced with Sutton Jennings’ smiling, amorous eyes, Ann Vaughn could only brace herself to sit down, feeling tense and unspeakably awkward.
Since that situation at the hotel entrance when she felt that the way he treated her might not be purely a brother’s affection towards a sister, she didn’t know how to face him anymore.
To be fair, in her heart, he seemed just like her siblings, discussing and deciding matters with her.
Although sometimes they would play and joke around, he mostly tolerated her, and they rarely fought.
Always, Sutton Jennings had treated her with restraint and propriety, knowing where to stop, never overstepping or making her uncomfortable.
So she had never felt that he had any unusual feelings for her, even when he said those things last time, she thought he wanted to be apprenticed to her, not for other reasons.
Just perhaps she was lagging a bit behind, but since she didn’t have feelings for him, it was best to cut off the confusion quickly to avoid hurting anyone...
Ann Vaughn pursed her lips, a determined light sparkling in her bright eyes, about to speak when she heard Sutton Jennings.
"Last time at the hotel entrance, did I scare you?" Sutton Jennings gave a slight smile with some apology, "I didn’t seek your opinion before resolving the situation in my way. That was wrong of me."
Resolve?
Ann Vaughn blinked for a few seconds before she suddenly understood, "So when you said those words, it was actually because..."
Sutton Jennings’ expression slightly darkened, "At the time, I saw you looking troubled and guessed it might be because of him, so I said those words. But it seems I didn’t help much and put you in a difficult position."
His tone carried a degree of guilt, as if he was sighing for not protecting her.
Upon hearing this, Ann Vaughn shook her head hurriedly, "That’s not the case, you had my best interests at heart, I knew."
Thinking that she had misunderstood his goodwill as some different feelings towards her and planned to distance herself, Ann Vaughn felt she was really wrong.
Seeing the apology flash across her face, Sutton Jennings understood but chose not to show it. He simply said, "In my eyes, you are always worthy of the best in this world, and naturally, any decision you make, I’ll support."