Damian Hawthorne was no stranger to tabloid gossip, but he rarely brought anyone home.
For the past year, no woman other than Cecilia Nathan had been by his side.
She had thought her son had finally mended his ways, but it turned out he just had someone else in his heart.
Scrutinizing Serena Hughes from head to toe, Frances Bennett furrowed her elegant brows, her face showing a hint of displeasure.
No matter how she looked at her, this girl did not seem to come from a well-off family.
Her looks and her bearing were a far cry from Cecilia's.
Serena Hughes, a recent graduate, had never been in a situation like this. She didn't dare say a word, only able to cast a pleading gaze at the man beside her.
Damian Hawthorne slung an arm out, pulling Serena Hughes behind him. His voice was casual. "Don't scare her."
A brief silence fell over the hall.
Frances Bennett's face was furious. She turned to Cecilia Nathan and asked, "Cecilia, is she your friend?"
Cecilia lifted her gaze, her eyes locking directly with Damian Hawthorne's.
Damian had "peach blossom eyes" that seemed to smile naturally, his brown pupils as deep as a vast ocean.
His nonchalant demeanor was both roguish and inscrutable.
The corner of Cecilia's mouth twitched. "I don't know her," she said flatly.
"Since she's not your friend, then she should stay away from Damian."
Damian Hawthorne had plenty of flings in the past, and Cecilia had always found a way to deal with them.
Although she disliked Cecilia, she wouldn't allow those sorts of uncouth women near her son.
The heir to the Hawthorne Family was looking for a wife. Even if it wasn't Cecilia, it couldn't be some woman with an unknown background.
Unable to withstand Frances Bennett's thinly veiled barbs, Serena Hughes's eyes immediately reddened.
Damian Hawthorne, of course, had a soft spot for a damsel in distress.
He picked up Serena Hughes's gift, tore it open right then and there, and presented it to Frances Bennett.
It was a necklace of Australian South Sea pearls. Each one was large, perfectly round, and dazzlingly lustrous—clearly a top-grade item.
"Serena picked this out for you." Damian Hawthorne didn't explain that he was the one who paid for it.
He was clearly trying to build Serena up and win favor for her.
Seeing this, Cecilia found her past self even more laughable.
The first time she came to the Hawthorne home, she had cooked an entire feast just to gain Frances Bennett's approval.
But when Serena Hughes came to the Hawthorne home, she didn't have to do a thing. Damian had already paved the entire way for her.
Love can cross mountains and seas, and for love, mountains and seas can be leveled.
But the mountain between her and Damian Hawthorne could never be leveled.
"Then what about Cecilia? Where does that leave her?" Frances Bennett's expression was complicated.
She had seen all of Cecilia's efforts over the past few years. And though she didn't like Cecilia, she still felt it was inappropriate for her son to replace her so decisively.
Damian Hawthorne glanced at Cecilia, a slight smirk on his lips. "She's in the same place she's always been."
He neither denied their past relationship nor intended to define their future one.
Cecilia gave a helpless smile.
'What on earth am I even hoping for...'
Frances Bennett sighed. "You two sort this out yourselves. The reporters are starving for material right now. You've become an internet celebrity over the last few years, so you need to watch every word and action from now on. The news about your investment in that talent show has already spread throughout the entire investment circle before it was even confirmed. Every word you say and everything you do represents the entire Hawthorne Family. Do not let personal feelings get involved in your investments."
With that, Frances Bennett took out the necklace and walked over to Cecilia. "The quality of this necklace is quite good, but I don't care for the size of the pearls. This style is more suited for you young people. Here, let me put it on for you."
Before Cecilia could object, she had fastened the necklace around her neck.
Cecilia's skin was fair and her neck slender. The moment the necklace was on, the pearls gleamed, making her appear even more radiant.
Frances Bennett nodded in satisfaction. "Of all the young people I've met, you're the most beautiful."
Seeing the necklace she had chosen now on Cecilia, Serena Hughes's lips moved, but she only managed an awkward glance at Damian Hawthorne. When he showed no reaction, she could only lower her head and stare at her feet.
"Cecilia, the entertainment industry is a tough place to be. If all you want is compensation, you'd be better off having Damian pull his investment from the show. You can take the thirty million for yourself. It would be a guarantee for your future."
After Frances Bennett finished speaking, an awkward atmosphere descended upon the room.
Serena Hughes's face, in particular, was deathly pale.
Damian Hawthorne had made this investment for her, but she never imagined it would be as much as thirty million.
She was even more shocked that Frances Bennett had mistaken it as an investment for Cecilia.
Cecilia's eyes curved slightly, but the smile didn't reach them. "I think your suggestion is excellent... However, that thirty million wasn't invested for me."
Cecilia smiled without saying more, a hint of coldness in her eyes.
Frances Bennett thought Damian Hawthorne's thirty-million-dollar investment was compensation for her, unaware that it was actually meant to curry favor with Serena Hughes.
She couldn't be bothered to explain, but that didn't mean she was willing to take the blame.
Serena Hughes was so nervous her palms began to sweat.
'That money was invested for me.'
'If Damian pulls his investment, it'll be hard for me to get a foothold in this industry.'
She could pretend not to care about other things, but she couldn't afford to lose the resources Damian was giving her.
She looked at Damian Hawthorne with a pleading gaze.
As if to comfort her, Damian Hawthorne gently patted her back, then turned to Cecilia, his tone cold:
"Cecilia, I invested the money because I knew you were on this show. You'd better perform well in the upcoming competitions. Don't let my investment go to waste."
Cecilia's eyes widened, her heart feeling as if it were being squeezed mercilessly.
To protect Serena Hughes, Damian Hawthorne was actually using her as a shield.
'Invested for her.' That was the biggest joke she had heard all year.
"Invested for me?" Cecilia clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. "My apologies, but I'm dropping out. Please withdraw your investment. This is a debt of gratitude that I, Cecilia Nathan, cannot afford."
'Didn't he say he invested for me?'
She would drop out.
As for the investment, he could give it to whomever he pleased.
Hearing her say she was dropping out, Damian Hawthorne's smile vanished. "Fine. Remember what you said. Drop out."
Cecilia laughed.
But as she laughed, a wave of bitterness washed over her.
As soon as she dropped out, he could wholeheartedly promote Serena Hughes.
'So that's what he was waiting for...'
Once she was out of the picture, there would be no obstacles to Serena Hughes's debut. Or rather, there would be no obstacles to him and Serena being together.
She had to admit, Damian Hawthorne was indeed very good to Serena Hughes.
So good, it even made her envious.
"I'll transfer the investment money to you," Damian Hawthorne added in a low voice, seeing her pale face.
Cecilia looked up, her gaze toward Damian Hawthorne utterly frigid.
"I don't need it."
"Didn't you say you were short on money?" Damian Hawthorne's voice dropped involuntarily. "With this money, you won't have to resort to any crooked schemes."
'Crooked schemes...'
He wholeheartedly supported what Serena Hughes liked, but what she liked was considered a 'crooked scheme.'
Cecilia fought back the stinging in her eyes and walked toward the door, one step at a time.
She bit the tip of her tongue, forcing herself not to look at Damian Hawthorne.
She stumbled forward, and just as she reached the doorway, her vision suddenly went black.
"Cecilia!"