Chapter 325: No One Can Separate Us

But she meant every word!

’If she had the choice, she really didn’t think she wanted to get married again.’

’It’s a hassle. It takes too much energy...’

’Besides, a marriage certificate can’t tie a person down anyway.’

’Weren’t she and Nathan Fawcett better off now than when they were married before?’

Nathan Fawcett said, "It’s always either Charles Prescott or Justin Shields, and now there’s Caleb Summers living in your house. If I don’t marry you, who knows when one of them will snatch you away. You love me now, but what if you stop loving me later? It’s better if we’re married!"

Anne Sutton’s lips quirked. "Even if I marry you, if I fall for one of them later and want to leave, I can just get a divorce, can’t I? Nothing would stop me."

"..." Nathan Fawcett shot her a look. "I won’t give you that chance."

Anne Sutton said, "Just look at you... Didn’t your mother say your health is about to recover? Just think... you’re with me now because of the novelty, just because we haven’t seen each other in so long. And you know what happened before wasn’t my fault, so you feel a little guilty. Once we’re together for a while, you’ll get bored. You’ll regret wanting to marry me now! You’ll definitely think, ’It would have been so much better if we hadn’t gotten married!’ And if you want to find someone else then, I won’t stop you."

Nathan Fawcett kept his eyes on the road, his expression serious. "Stop talking nonsense. That won’t happen."

’He hated fickle people.’

’In all these years, he’d never looked at anyone but Anne Sutton.’

’He was the kind of person who committed for life once he’d made up his mind.’

’He wasn’t some seventeen-year-old kid anymore.’

’He had neither the inclination nor the energy to get involved with anyone else.’

’He just wanted to be with her. Forever!’

...

Seeing the serious look on his face, Anne Sutton stopped teasing him.

Soon, they arrived at the Linden estate.

As soon as they walked in, Anne Sutton saw Stella Shields was there too.

It was the Lunar New Year, and she had come to give Anna Linden her holiday greetings.

’But...’

’Seeing her the moment I walk in is, frankly, a real buzzkill.’

Anne Sutton asked, "What brings you here, Ms. Shields?"

Stella Shields looked at Anne Sutton. "I’m here to give Auntie my New Year’s greetings."

Seeing Anne Sutton and Nathan Fawcett together, looking so affectionate, Stella Shields asked, "I heard from my brother that you two were in Westhaven. When did you get back?"

"Yesterday," Anne Sutton replied. "How unfortunate. To think I’d run into you here."

Stella Shields’s lip twitched. "I’m gone for a little while, and look how arrogant you’ve gotten."

"Listen to you." Anne Sutton sat down. "You say that as if I’m not arrogant when you *are* around."

Ever since their falling out, Anne Sutton had stopped being the least bit polite to Stella Shields.

Stella Shields glared sullenly at Anne Sutton. "I’m not talking to you."

’There was no point in talking to Anne Sutton. She never got the upper hand, and Anne spoke without any regard for anyone’s feelings.’

Just then, Anna Linden came downstairs. Seeing Anne Sutton and Nathan Fawcett, she said, "You’re here!"

Anne Sutton looked at Anna Linden. "Hello, Dr. Linden. This is a New Year’s gift for you."

Anne Sutton handed her a box. She hadn’t wanted to bring anything, but her mother had insisted, saying it was rude to visit someone’s home during the New Year empty-handed.

After much convincing, Anne had finally brought it along.

Anna Linden glanced at the box, then her eyes settled on Anne Sutton. "You brought me a gift?"

’Anne Sutton had never shown her an ounce of respect before.’

Anna Linden was genuinely surprised that she was bringing her a gift now.

Anne Sutton said, "Happy New Year!"

Anna Linden said, "Thank you. But you’re quite something, aren’t you? Summoning Ethan all the way to Westhaven, making him neglect all his responsibilities here."

Anne Sutton glanced at Nathan Fawcett. Noticing Anna Linden’s passive-aggressive tone, she smiled. "Actually, Ian wanted to see me, and I missed him, so I asked Ethan Linden to bring him over. Then a few things came up, so we couldn’t leave. The Linden Family is so large; I’m sure things can be handled even if he’s not around. You shouldn’t blame him for it."

Seeing Anne’s defensiveness, Anna Linden sat down.

Stella Shields was sitting closest to her.

Stella Shields looked at Anne Sutton. "It’s only been a few days, Anne Sutton, but that mouth of yours is as sharp as ever! How dare you talk back to Auntie! She just said a few words about her own son, and you jump in like that. Isn’t that a little rude?"

"I consider Dr. Linden family, so I speak my mind. If anything I said was inappropriate, well, then you can blame me!"

’Besides, she was the type to never admit she was wrong, even if she knew she was.’

’What was there to be afraid of?’

Stella Shields glared at Anne Sutton, wondering why she had to tread so carefully in the Linden household while Anne Sutton could act so brazenly.

’Anne Sutton even dared to disrespect Anna Linden to her face!’

Stella Shields sneered, "Tsk. It’s a good thing you haven’t married in yet. If you actually married in and became the Family Head’s Wife, I suppose Auntie would have to start walking on eggshells around you?"

Nathan Fawcett, who had been sitting quietly, looked at Stella Shields. "I’m planning to marry Anne Sutton."

He was clearly jumping to her defense.

The moment Stella Shields said Anne hadn’t married into the family, Nathan Fawcett announced he was going to marry her.

Stella Shields looked at Nathan Fawcett and asked, "When?"

"As soon as the wedding preparations are complete." Nathan Fawcett’s mind was made up.

Even though Anna Linden hadn’t agreed, he was announcing it anyway.

After hearing his words, Stella Shields looked at Anna Linden in disbelief. Seeing that Anna Linden didn’t say anything, her hand unconsciously clenched into a fist.

Anna Linden said, "You want to get married? Your grandfather hasn’t agreed. Besides, you still haven’t fully recovered."

’He’d already forgotten what I told him this morning!’

’He has no respect for me whatsoever.’

’But...’

’As long as the Old Master didn’t agree, the wedding couldn’t happen. Anna Linden wasn’t worried for now.’

’She glanced at Anne Sutton. For some reason, she just couldn’t stand seeing Anne Sutton and Nathan Fawcett together.’

’Anne Sutton constantly disrespected her, making her lose face.’

’Then there was Stella Shields, who had been around the Linden Family for so long and had never once done anything to defy her.’

’If she let Anne Sutton marry into the family, she was afraid they’d be at each other’s throats all the time.’

Anna Linden didn’t know why, but she felt she didn’t love this son. She drew a clear line between Nathan Fawcett and Ethan Linden.

But now that Anne Sutton was here, Nathan was obviously closer to her, no longer treating his mother as the most important person in his life. And for some reason, Anna found herself feeling resentful.

...

’She was a domineering woman, accustomed to having control over everything.’

’And now, Anne Sutton’s very presence made her feel like she was losing that control.’

’That’s why it bothered her so much.’

Nathan Fawcett said, "I’ll find a way to talk to Grandfather about it."

"His health is poor right now. Don’t you go bothering him with this."

Anne Sutton, sitting to the side, watched Anna Linden’s determined opposition. She turned to Nathan Fawcett and said, "It’s all right. We don’t have to rush the wedding. I can wait. Ethan, as long as I’m the one in your heart, no one can tear us apart."

Anne Sutton had said that last part on purpose.