Chapter 324: If We Don’t Get Married, You Don’t Have to Be Responsible

She looked at the man and said, "Let’s go inside."

As the two of them walked in, they saw Caleb Summers peeling fruit for Ian.

Anne Sutton asked Nathan Fawcett, "How did your check-up go today?"

"They want me to go to therapy once a week, and they prescribed some medication."

"So, that means you can get better?" Anne Sutton looked at Nathan Fawcett.

Nathan Fawcett nodded. "I think so."

"That’s great!"

"Is it?" He didn’t seem too happy about it.

Anne Sutton said, "What’s not great about getting your illness treated?"

"Aren’t you afraid that once I’m better, I won’t want to be with you anymore?"

Hearing this, Anne Sutton froze for a moment, then laughed. "If that’s really what happens, it’s your choice. I’m not forcing you to be with me! Don’t you go accusing me of that!"

Nathan Fawcett looked at Anne Sutton and said, "Don’t worry. I’m not interested in anyone but you."

’However, it seems my mother has other ideas...’

’She still doesn’t trust me!’

’Forget it!’

’Even if that day comes, I’ll stand by my choice.’

Anne Sutton looked at Nathan Fawcett and said, "Don’t speak too soon. You don’t really know for sure, do you? What if one day, after you’re cured, you meet other people and realize I’m not that important to you after all?"

Nathan Fawcett looked at her. "Now you’re making me sound like Charles Prescott!"

"It’s just the nature of a normal man. You’re only different because your condition doesn’t allow you the same freedom he has."

"Say one more word and I’m going to get angry. You’re slandering my character."

Anne Sutton said, "Alright, I’ll stop."

’He’s escalating it to a matter of character...’

’If I keep going, he’s really going to get mad!’

Seeing Ian eating the fruit Caleb Summers had peeled for him, Anne Sutton asked, "Is it yummy?"

Ian offered some to Anne Sutton. "Mommy, do you want some?"

"No, thanks," Anne Sutton said. "I’ll peel my own!"

’Lest a certain someone get jealous again.’

Anne Sutton sat down and picked up a tangerine. The tangerines this season were quite good—sweet and juicy.

She had just sat down when Nathan Fawcett’s hand reached out and unceremoniously took the tangerine from her.

Anne Sutton looked at him, but before she could speak, Caleb Summers chimed in. "Ethan, you’re really losing all your street cred in front of women! The image I had of you in my mind has completely collapsed."

Nathan Fawcett asked curiously, "Oh yeah? Tell me, what kind of image did you have of me?"

"Well, a really impressive one. The kind of guy who would never bow down to a woman," Caleb Summers said. "But look at you now, you’re totally henpecked!"

"This is a kind of happiness you just wouldn’t understand," Nathan Fawcett said with a smug look.

Caleb Summers looked at him with disdain.

Anne Sutton didn’t like the look on Caleb Summers’s face and came to Nathan’s defense. "What, are you itching to be a bad influence on Ethan?"

When Caleb Summers saw Anne Sutton glaring at him, he quickly backpedaled. "No, no! Sister-in-law, the way he is now is all thanks to your expert training."

Anne Sutton glanced at him, the corners of her mouth twitching into a smile.

Just then, Nathan Fawcett’s phone rang. He took a look; it was a message from Anna Linden, telling him to bring Ian home for dinner.

Nathan Fawcett said, "My mom wants me to bring you and Ian back for dinner."

"I have to go too?" Anne Sutton said.

Anne Sutton could understand why Anna Linden would want to see Ian.

’But asking me to go... is that really necessary?’

"Yeah. I mean, we’re together now, right?" Nathan Fawcett said.

"But my mom..." Anne Sutton looked at her mother.

Mrs. Sutton said generously, "You should go! You’re with Ethan Linden now, so when his mother invites you, you naturally have to be polite to her. Don’t go offending your future mother-in-law."

Marriage isn’t just about two people; the opinion of Nathan Fawcett’s family was also very important.

Mrs. Sutton was worried that Anne Sutton would act willfully and offend Nathan Fawcett’s mother, putting Nathan in a difficult position.

Seeing Anne Sutton and Nathan Fawcett together every day, she hoped they could have a good future together, so she was naturally thinking more long-term for Anne’s sake.

Anne Sutton said, "But I still want to eat the lemon chicken feet you’re making tonight."

’You can buy them outside, but they’re never as good as the ones Mom makes.’

Mrs. Sutton shot her a look. "When can’t you eat them? Do you have to have them right this second?"

"Don’t worry, I’ll eat them for you, Sister-in-law. You can count on me," Caleb Summers volunteered from the side.

Anne Sutton glanced at him. Seeing he was planning to stay and keep Mrs. Sutton company, she said, "Lucky you."

...

Since she had agreed, Anne Sutton and Ian rested at home for a while. As dinnertime approached, they drove to the Linden Family estate.

Anne Sutton looked at Nathan Fawcett and asked, "Your mother doesn’t want to see me about something specific, does she?"

"I don’t think so. She just wanted to have you over for dinner."

At this, Nathan Fawcett looked at Anne Sutton and said, "You’re going to marry me eventually. Once we’re married, you two will be family."

Hearing this sent a shiver down Anne Sutton’s spine. "In that case, forget it. I don’t want to marry you anymore."

"..." Nathan Fawcett glanced at the ring on her finger. "You can take it back?"

"I never actually agreed to marry you in the first place! Besides... marrying you isn’t the problem. But the thought of having a mother-in-law as terrifying as yours is scary. It’s better to live on my own. Just look at your mom, and then at mine... the difference in their personalities is huge, isn’t it?"

Nathan Fawcett said, "You used to like my mother quite a bit."

"The past is the past," Anne Sutton said. "Actually, I still like your mother quite a bit now."

"Really? I can’t tell."

"When she’s working, she’s actually quite charming. She knows everything and is very admirable. But... becoming family with her is just too terrifying."

Just thinking about what his mother was like made her start to regret agreeing to be with Nathan Fawcett.

Nathan Fawcett looked at Anne Sutton and asked, "You’re not even willing to put up with it for my sake?"

"I’m not," Anne Sutton said bluntly. "Marriage isn’t something that just ends in a day or two. And look, what’s so bad about our current arrangement? When we feel like it, we live together with Ian, and he loves it. When we don’t, you live at your place, and I live at mine. We don’t interfere with each other. Isn’t that better than being married and dealing with all the petty little things? It’s not like you haven’t been married before. It’s nothing special, nothing new."

"Yeah, right," Nathan Fawcett said.

’She makes it sound so easy, but there’s no way I’m going along with that!’

Anne Sutton looked at him. "I’m being sincere! I just don’t want to marry you. I have no interest in making time for a wedding, either. I think things are great just the way they are."

Nathan Fawcett said, "Stop talking! I know you don’t want to marry me right now, but I’ll work hard until you finally agree. As for this living arrangement you’re suggesting—I won’t accept it."

"Why not?" Anne Sutton said. "If I marry you, you’re the one getting the short end of the stick! Giving me the position of the Linden Family Head’s Wife so easily... people will talk about you! If we don’t get married, you don’t even have to be responsible."

"I’m not that kind of irresponsible man."

Anne Sutton sat in the passenger seat, a smile playing on her lips as she watched him. His stubbornness, she thought, was actually kind of cute.