Chapter 290: If the Shoe Fits
"I really can’t," Anne Sutton said. "My career is finally starting to take off, and I don’t want to waste the opportunity you worked so hard to get for me."
Nathan Fawcett gazed at the stubborn woman. "Listen to me. Don’t be difficult. Just rest at home. I’ve already taken care of everything at the hospital."
"You really don’t have to," Anne Sutton said.
Nathan Fawcett looked at her and said, "If you go to the hospital in your condition, aren’t you afraid Ryan Linden will come after you?"
"Why would he be looking for me?" Anne Sutton froze for a moment at the mention of Ryan Linden’s name.
"You embarrassed him yesterday," Nathan Fawcett said. "He’s probably planning to lie in wait for you at the hospital right now. What if he tries to get revenge and I’m not around?"
"Don’t try to scare me." Anne Sutton hadn’t considered that at all. Now that Nathan Fawcett brought it up, she was actually starting to feel a bit intimidated.
’Nathan Fawcett is trying to kick Ryan Linden out of the company right now. He must be furious.’
Anne Sutton looked at him. "Then what should I do? I can’t just hide forever, right?"
"Just rest at home for a couple of days," Nathan Fawcett said. "We can talk again after things are taken care of. Besides, Lana Langley is still at the hospital and won’t be discharged for a while. If you go, you’ll probably run into them."
"Alright," Anne Sutton said.
After Nathan Fawcett’s reminder, she decided to listen to him for the sake of her own safety.
She would stay home and focus on getting better.
Seeing that she had agreed, Nathan Fawcett said, "Good."
Anne Sutton picked up her phone and used the camera to check the wound on her head.
’It still hurt a little.’
"What do you want for breakfast?" Nathan Fawcett asked.
"Whatever’s fine. I’m not picky." Now that she wasn’t going to work, she didn’t feel like eating. Instead, she just wanted to get some more sleep.
Anne Sutton said, "Can I skip it? I’d rather sleep."
"Of course," Nathan Fawcett said with a smile.
...
So Anne Sutton went back to sleep.
She didn’t crawl out of bed until almost noon.
When she came downstairs, she saw they had visitors.
Caleb Summers and Justin Shields had come over together.
"How’s Anne?" Justin Shields asked. "I heard she was injured, so I was worried."
Nathan Fawcett looked at Justin Shields. "Didn’t I say she was sleeping?"
He was clearly not happy to see Justin Shields.
"Fine," Justin Shields said. "I’ll wait for her."
He wasn’t in a hurry. He was very patient.
Even though Nathan Fawcett clearly disliked him, Justin Shields wasn’t giving up.
’As long as Anne Sutton isn’t married to Ethan Linden, I still have a chance.’ He knew this, so he was being proactive.
’Even though Stella has taken on a new role, if I don’t do anything and Anne gets together with Ethan Linden, the Shields Family... might really start to decline.’ Justin was well aware of this.
Nathan Fawcett ignored him and turned to Caleb Summers. "What are you doing here?"
Caleb Summers was wearing a black suit today with a silver-gray shirt underneath. He sat on the sofa, chin in hand, and stared at Justin Shields. "Mr. Shields, are you very close with my sister-in-law?"
Justin Shields glanced at Caleb Summers. He was, of course, aware of who Caleb was.
’He wasn’t just the third-in-command at the Linden Group. He was also the heir to the Summers Clan...’
"We’re friends," Justin Shields said.
"Friends?" Caleb Summers retorted. "I don’t buy that whole ’platonic friendship’ thing between a man and a woman."
He had originally just wanted to check on Anne Sutton and maybe freeload a meal.
But who did he find here but Justin Shields!
And judging by the conversation between Justin and Nathan, it seemed Nathan wasn’t at all happy to see him.
’Well, if Nathan doesn’t like him, then I don’t like him either!’
Justin Shields just smiled, saying nothing.
Anne Sutton came downstairs. "What’s all the commotion? Don’t you all have work to go to?"
Justin Shields gave her a gentle look. "Anne, I heard you were hurt, so I came to see how you were doing. Are you feeling any better?"
Sitting to the side, Caleb Summers cheekily mouthed Justin’s words.
When Nathan Fawcett saw Caleb’s childish antics, he couldn’t help but facepalm.
Anne Sutton walked over. "I’m fine. It’s just a minor injury, nothing to worry about. You didn’t have to come all this way just for me."
"Of course, I should have," Justin Shields said. "Sharon even called this morning and asked me to check on you."
Since Justin’s mother had been close to Anne’s mother, Sharon was also on good terms with Justin, treating him like an older brother.
So it was only natural that she’d ask him about Anne.
"Sharon knows I was hurt?" Anne Sutton asked.
Justin Shields nodded. "Yes."
"She’s not going to tell my mom and make her worry for nothing, is she?" Anne Sutton said. "I’m perfectly fine now."
Justin Shields eagerly volunteered, "Have you eaten? Is there anything you’d like? I can cook for you!"
"No need," Nathan Fawcett cut in. "I’ve already had the housekeeper prepare everything."
He then turned to Anne Sutton. "You must be hungry. Let’s eat."
He stood up, walked over to Anne, and raised a hand to gently brush a strand of hair from her face, as if declaring his ownership.
Justin Shields and Caleb Summers stared wide-eyed from the sidelines. The two single guys felt like they were being force-fed a public display of affection.
Anne Sutton winced, looking at him in disbelief. ’What is Nathan Fawcett trying to pull?’
’He might not care about saving face, but I do!’
Anne Sutton blocked his hand, walked into the dining room, and sat down.
The housekeeper had already called Ian down.
Everyone began to eat.
Staring at the table laden with Westhaven Cuisine, it was clear that dishes made by a professional chef would naturally be better than anything Justin could cook.
Nathan Fawcett looked at Anne. "We have anything you could want to eat."
Anne looked at him. ’He’s clearly showing off, isn’t he?’
Justin Shields was also surprised to see the spread.
"Wow, what a feast!" Caleb Summers exclaimed. "Ethan, you’re treating our sister-in-law way too well!"
Nathan Fawcett shot him a look. "Anne’s injured. It’s only natural to get her whatever she wants to eat."
He might as well have had ’I spoil her rotten’ written all over his face.
’Watching this from the side, Justin could tell that Nathan seemed...’
’...genuinely serious about this.’
’He’d originally thought that, given Nathan’s personality, he wouldn’t be this invested in Anne.’
’After all, he was Ethan Linden now. In his position, he could have any woman he wanted. And his relationship with Anne had started for such absurd reasons in the first place.’
’But now...’
’It seemed like he was actually serious about Anne?’
Sitting there, Justin Shields fell silent.
Caleb Summers, however, was as talkative as ever. "Sister-in-law, is your wound feeling any better?"
Hearing him call her "sister-in-law" again and again, Anne couldn’t help but feel a little awkward.
’I’m not even officially with Nathan Fawcett yet!’
Anne looked at Caleb. "By the way, you told me before that you had a good friend who snapped at you because of a woman... That friend wasn’t Ethan, was it?"
At the time, Anne hadn’t been clear on their relationship, so she hadn’t thought much of it.
But thinking back now, putting two and two together, she suddenly realized...
’...I must be the woman Caleb found so annoying!’
Caleb Summers: "..."