Ignored When Chasing: Why Cry After I Got Engaged-Chapter 147: Keep Your Mouth Clean

Serena Hughes jumped when she saw the memorial portrait of Finn Hawthorne.

The man in the photo bore a slight resemblance to Damian Hawthorne.

She and May Rhodes placed the wreath down, then glanced around. Seeing that not many people were present, they didn’t dare to speak.

Damian Hawthorne stood beside Cecilia Nathan, handing her a tissue to wipe her tears.

Cecilia Nathan had asked him to help find someone before. Though he had refused out loud, he had still taken action in secret, but he was a step too late.

"My condolences..." Cecilia Nathan placed a red envelope in front of Henry Walsh.

This time, Henry Walsh recognized Cecilia Nathan almost immediately. "It’s you..."

Cecilia Nathan glanced at Penelope Walsh, who was kneeling on the floor, and said to him, "Let me take Finn Hawthorne’s sister."

Henry Walsh didn’t know how to react.

Cecilia Nathan continued, "I know she has leukemia and needs a lot of money. She won’t receive proper treatment if she stays with you. Entrust her to my care, and in a few years, I will return her to you healthy."

"Why should I believe you?" At this moment, Henry Walsh was like a different person from the man who had been making a scene earlier.

Though he hadn’t particularly liked Finn Hawthorne, the boy had been his son for many years.

Even though he was unreliable, lazy, and a compulsive gambler, Finn Hawthorne had never spoken a harsh word to him and always gave him all his money.

Finn Hawthorne had always believed that Henry Walsh was simply unable to move on from a past grief.

He believed that one day Henry Walsh would return to his former glory. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

At this thought, Henry Walsh covered his face and broke into choked sobs.

Over the past few days, everyone had come to comfort him, but he had been numb, refusing to believe that his adopted son was really dead.

"You have no other choice. Her future treatment will require a lot of money. Even with a successful surgery, there’s no guarantee she won’t relapse. The medication and maintenance alone will cost a fortune."

Henry Walsh fell silent.

Of course, he knew his daughter’s illness was a bottomless pit. But as much of a scoundrel as he was, he couldn’t bear the thought of his daughter leaving him as well.

"Why would you help us for no reason?"

"I was a friend of Finn Hawthorne," Cecilia Nathan replied, her tone detached.

"Oh, right. Finn Hawthorne had a lot of wealthy female friends when he was alive." Henry Walsh’s lips suddenly curled into a knowing smile.

Cecilia Nathan was rendered speechless.

"Cecilia Nathan, what makes you think you can save this girl?" Serena Hughes jeered, seeing that Cecilia was just running her mouth.

’He’s already dead, and she’s still here trying to show off.’

’Talk about profiting from a tragedy...’

Cecilia Nathan ignored Serena Hughes and said to Henry Walsh, "Have you heard of the Nathans of Aethelgard?"

Serena Hughes’s eyelid twitched, and her heart began to race.

"I have," Henry Walsh scoffed. "Richest family in Veridia. Who hasn’t?"

"Cecilia Nathan, you’re not about to tell us you’re one of the Nathans of Aethelgard, are you?"

Serena Hughes’s jaw dropped as if she had just heard the most ridiculous joke.

Cecilia Nathan glanced at Serena Hughes and May Rhodes, a corner of her mouth twitching, but she didn’t reply.

However, Serena Hughes’s words sparked a thought in Henry Walsh’s mind.

He studied Cecilia Nathan carefully and suddenly realized she bore a slight resemblance to Linden Nathan, the patriarch of the Nathan family.

’Could it be... this person before me is one of the Nathans of Aethelgard?’

Henry Walsh narrowed his eyes, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts.

Damian Hawthorne shot Cecilia Nathan an indifferent glance.

’She’s so guarded about her identity and never reveals it to anyone, yet here she is, being completely open with Finn Hawthorne’s family.’

’That Finn Hawthorne... he’s more important to her than I am.’

Damian Hawthorne glanced at Finn Hawthorne’s memorial portrait and scoffed at himself.

’Miles Sinclair had "died" once, and now Finn Hawthorne was actually dead.’

’It seemed he was always competing with dead men.’

’Would Cecilia Nathan only start to cherish him if he died too?’

The thought made Damian Hawthorne frown.

’How could I have such a pathetic and ridiculous thought...?’

"You know, now that I think about it, you do look a little like the patriarch of the Nathans of Aethelgard, Linden Nathan..."

Henry Walsh’s words carried a probing tone.

May Rhodes’s mouth fell slightly agape. She looked over at Cecilia Nathan, a tremor running through her.

She hadn’t thought about it before, but with this reminder, May Rhodes realized that Cecilia Nathan’s eyes were indeed similar to Linden Nathan’s.

They both had those same almond-shaped eyes, and even the high bridge of their noses was identical.

Serena Hughes was startled by Henry Walsh’s words.

Remembering what her grandmother, Fiona Sinclair, had said, Serena Hughes’s palms began to sweat.

’Cecilia Nathan... she can’t actually be Linden Nathan’s daughter, can she?’

Serena Hughes suddenly felt dizzy, the breath catching in her throat.

"Serena! Serena, are you okay?" May Rhodes rushed to support Serena Hughes.

"I’m fine." Serena Hughes gritted her teeth, her gaze fixed on Cecilia Nathan.

’No, this is impossible!’

’Cecilia Nathan absolutely cannot be Linden Nathan’s daughter!’

"Can you guarantee you’ll cure my daughter’s illness?" Henry Walsh began to weigh the truth in Cecilia Nathan’s words.

If Cecilia Nathan was really connected to Linden Nathan, then the money for his daughter’s treatment was secured.

Recalling how Cecilia Nathan had casually produced a hundred thousand at the hospital, Henry Walsh already had his answer.

"Take my daughter. I hope you’re a woman of your word."

"No, Dad, I won’t go!" Penelope Walsh cried, throwing her arms around Henry Walsh. "Dad, I want to stay with you! I don’t want you to be all alone!"

With her mother gone and her brother dead under such tragic circumstances, Penelope Walsh knew she was her father’s only remaining pillar of support.

If she left too, she was afraid Henry Walsh would lose the will to live.

"Don’t worry, Penelope. You go with this lady and get your treatment. Dad will work hard and earn money. Do you remember the good life you had when you were a little girl? You didn’t want for anything; I could buy you whatever you wanted. But these past few years, I got hooked on gambling and made you both suffer. It’s my fault." At some thought, Henry Walsh’s eyes turned red. "If I hadn’t been so worthless, maybe your brother wouldn’t have died."

Finn Hawthorne had fallen from a cliff. Most people said it was suicide.

But Henry Walsh knew that with Finn Hawthorne’s resilient character, he would never have abandoned him and his sister by taking his own life.

Someone must have murdered him.

The police only said they were still investigating, but they had no leads.

Finn Hawthorne must have gotten on the wrong side of someone.

If he hadn’t been so degenerate all these years, perhaps Finn Hawthorne wouldn’t be dead.

Hearing Henry Walsh’s words, Penelope Walsh burst into tears.

’Dad’s got his fighting spirit back.’

’But my brother is gone.’

Watching the father and daughter cling to each other and weep, Cecilia Nathan lowered her gaze, her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug painfully into her palms.

The scene before her only strengthened her resolve to find Finn Hawthorne’s killer.

Just then, Sharon Quincy walked in, flanked by bodyguards.

"Sister... you’re here, too..."

When Sharon Quincy saw Cecilia Nathan standing in the center of the room, her expression stiffened.

She had deliberately chosen to come on the last day of the funeral, never expecting to run into Cecilia Nathan.

Sharon Quincy’s use of the word "sister" made Serena Hughes’s lip curl in disdain.

’Sister? Who does she think she’s calling sister?’

"Sharon Quincy, watch your mouth. Who are you calling sister?" Cecilia Nathan didn’t even glance at her, her voice frigid. "I have no sister like you."

Sharon Quincy glanced at Serena Hughes and May Rhodes, a small smirk playing on her lips.

’I guess there’s no hope of getting on Cecilia’s good side now.’

’Anyway, Linden Nathan believes me now, and his relationship with Cecilia is falling apart. I don’t have to hold back anymore.’

’Didn’t Cecilia want to keep her identity a secret?’

’Since Serena Hughes and May Rhodes are here, I might as well open their eyes a little.’

"But of course you’re my sister," Sharon Quincy said, pouting aggrievedly. "Mr. Nathan is my godfather, and you’re Linden Nathan’s biological daughter. If you’re not my sister, who is?"

"Even if you won’t acknowledge me as your sister, I’m still younger than you in terms of seniority. What am I supposed to call you if not ’sister’? Auntie?" Realizing Linden Nathan had her back, Sharon Quincy dropped her pretense.

’Cecilia wants to hide her identity, does she?’

’Fine. I’ll just expose her right here and now.’

’Since Cecilia isn’t showing me any respect, I don’t need to show her any either.’

A clap of thunder seemed to explode in Serena Hughes’s ears.

’What did I just hear?’

’Cecilia Nathan... is Sharon Quincy’s sister? Linden Nathan’s biological daughter?’

"No, how is that possible!" Serena Hughes was losing her mind.

It wasn’t just her; May Rhodes, who was standing beside her, was also stunned by Sharon Quincy’s words.

’Cecilia Nathan... whose daughter did she say she was again?’

’Lin... Linden Nathan?’

’Linden Nathan is the patriarch of the Nathans of Aethelgard, the undisputed richest man in all of Veridia!’

’And Cecilia Nathan... is his daughter?’