Free Web NovelChapter 164: Chapter 164: Male Chauvinism
Nathan Fawcett glanced at Stella Shields and said, "I know the Shields Family is very keen on marrying you into the Linden Family. That would be beneficial for your family. However, you don’t need to entertain such ideas. For Ethan Linden’s sake, I won’t treat you poorly. But... I also hope you won’t do anything that causes trouble for both of us. Understand?"
Her feelings for Ethan Linden meant he would naturally be good to her and look after her.
But if she thought she could marry him just for her family’s sake, then he could no longer indulge her like this!
Stella Shields bit her lip. "I understand."
She lowered her head and stared at the tips of her shoes. ’To think I’ve been by his side for so many years, yet in his heart, I’m still nothing.’
Anne Sutton and Justin Shields had already entered the elevator.
Justin Shields asked, "Where did you park your car?"
"Downstairs," Anne Sutton said. "There’s an employee parking area."
She was a doctor here.
So she had a designated place to park.
Justin Shields said, "Let me walk you."
Anne Sutton glanced at him. He was insisting on walking her, and she couldn’t very well stop him.
’He can just walk me to my car, and that’ll be it,’ she thought.
But...
Anne Sutton was still a little curious. "I said all that about your sister just now. Aren’t you angry?"
"Aren’t you my sister too?" Justin Shields looked at her and broke into a smile. "My mom and your mom are best friends, so doesn’t that make you my sister as well?"
"..." Anne Sutton was a little embarrassed by his words.
Justin Shields continued, "Besides, you don’t seem to be in a good mood today. Did you and Ethan Linden have a fight?"
"It’s nothing," Anne Sutton said. "My relationship with him was never that great to begin with. When we first got together, he just saw me as a means to have a child."
’Of course, in her heart, he was the same to her!’
’It was only because Charles Prescott had driven her mad these past few years that she’d started seeing the deceased Nathan Fawcett through rose-colored glasses. But when she really thought about it, she used to wish he were dead.’
’There was no reason to feel like she couldn’t live without him just because they’d been apart for a few years!’
Justin Shields gazed at Anne Sutton, noticing her calm expression as she spoke of the past. He asked, "Do you love him?"
Anne Sutton said, "I don’t love anyone."
’She just felt like an emotionless tool.’
’If someone was good to her, she could muster some gratitude.’
’But if...’
’...the other person was not good to her, she would immediately pull away and extricate herself.’
’It was just like with Charles Prescott back then. After so many years of being engaged, she felt no lingering attachment when they broke up.’
’Only people who were good to her were worthy of her affection.’
’As for those who weren’t, she would never let herself fall for them like some love-struck fool.’
After hearing her words, Justin Shields smiled. "That’s a good way to be. At least you won’t get hurt by men. Unlike my sister, Stella... she’s completely love-struck. I’ve tried to talk to her about her and Ethan Linden, but it’s like she can’t hear a word I’m saying."
Anne Sutton put her hands in her pockets and walked on. When they reached the parking garage, she took out her keys and said to Justin Shields, "You can just drop me here. Go back and be with your sister!"
Justin Shields said, "I’ll see you home."
"No need," Anne Sutton said. "Aren’t you going to look after your sister? If you take me home, how will you get back?"
"I can just get a cab later," Justin Shields said. "I’m not comfortable with you driving alone at night."
"Don’t worry!" Anne Sutton said. "I’m a pretty good driver."
"..." Justin Shields looked at her, the corners of his mouth lifting. "It’s fine. I’ll see you home."
Just then, Anne Sutton’s phone rang. She took it out and glanced at the screen, seeing it was a call from Nathan Fawcett.
Seeing him calling her, Anne Sutton’s first instinct was not to answer.
But sometimes, not answering the phone only leads to more misunderstandings.
So, she pressed the answer button.
"What is it?"
"Did Justin Shields go to see you off?" Nathan Fawcett’s voice was cold.
Anne Sutton: "..."
She glanced at the man standing in front of her, then said to Nathan Fawcett, "What about it?"
"Where are you? I’ll have the butler take you home in a bit."
"No need, I can get back on my own."
’She was speechless.’
’She didn’t think Nathan Fawcett was actually concerned about her.’
’It was purely his possessiveness acting up.’
’That’s why he didn’t want her to be with other men!’
’That’s just how he was!’
’He treats you terribly, but deep down, he doesn’t want you to be with anyone else.’
’All chauvinists are like that.’
Anne Sutton said, "I’m in the parking garage."
After saying that, she hung up and turned to Justin Shields. "I’m afraid you won’t be able to see me home after all. Ethan Linden just called and said he’s having the butler take me back."
’She knew that the Shields Family now relied on Ethan Linden’s status to get by.’
’He probably wouldn’t dare to offend Ethan Linden.’
Justin Shields looked at Anne Sutton and said, "It seems my chance to help has disappeared."
Anne Sutton said, "You should get going!"
"Alright," Justin Shields said. "If anything happens when you get back, give me a call."
"..." Anne Sutton took a deep breath and got into her car.
Justin Shields went back the way he came.
A few moments later, the butler arrived. Seeing Anne Sutton, he said, "Madam."
Anne Sutton looked at the butler, opened her car door, got out, and moved to the back seat, leaving the driving to him.
The butler got into the car, glanced at Anne Sutton, and said respectfully, "Sir asked me to come and drive you. He was worried it wouldn’t be safe for you to go back by yourself."
"He was afraid I’d go back with Justin Shields, wasn’t he!" Anne Sutton scoffed. "He’s so busy protecting his precious Ms. Shields, what time does he have to care about what I do with other men?"
"Nothing is going on between Sir and Ms. Shields. He cares for you in his heart, you mustn’t misunderstand."
Anne Sutton said, "Alright, that’s enough. You don’t need to say any more."
Having one of his subordinates explain this kind of thing instead of Nathan Fawcett himself always felt unsettling to Anne Sutton.
Although she knew the butler had always been by Nathan Fawcett’s side, almost like a nanny.
...
In the car on the way home, Justin Shields glanced at his sister, who was sitting beside him in silence. "Why so unhappy?"
Stella Shields said, "I told Nathan Fawcett I like him. Do you know what he said?"
"What did he say?"
"He said that if I didn’t like Ethan Linden, he wouldn’t even give me a second glance." After speaking, Stella Shields laughed to herself. "He has no feelings for me whatsoever. It turns out, without Ethan Linden, I’m nothing."
Listening to his sister’s words, Justin Shields didn’t know how to comfort her.
He said, "Since he doesn’t like you, then just like someone else. Honestly, he’s not that great. He’s been married and has a child. Look at how poorly he treats Anne Sutton. Being with him would be exhausting."
"He treats Anne Sutton poorly because she’s not worthy of him," Stella Shields retorted. "But what did I ever do wrong to him? All I did was like him, is that a crime? When he was fighting with his mother before, I was the one who was always there for him."
