Chapter 483: That’s Not What I Meant

Her old room had been turned into a guest room by her family after she left.

Now, she could only stay in the guest room.

After all, no one had expected that she would ever come back.

...

Anne Sutton was downstairs with Ian, who took out his schoolwork to show her.

Finn came over too.

Finn sat to one side, watching Anne Sutton with a cautious look on his face. He had been scolded by her before for saying he didn’t like Sharon Sutton.

So now, he didn’t dare to speak when he saw her.

Looking at the little boy, Anne Sutton said, "Finn."

’Finn’s in a pitiful situation too,’ she thought.

Given the situation yesterday, she had really only been trying to correct the boy as an adult.

And now, Finn wouldn’t even speak to her.

This made Anne Sutton feel a little guilty.

After all, he was just a little boy around the same age as Ian.

Finn hummed in response. "Mm."

Then he ran outside.

Anne Sutton watched him go and sighed.

’If I really do stay with Nathan,’ she thought, ’Finn will be a huge problem.’

Getting along with her own son was easy enough, but with Finn, Anne Sutton always felt like she was walking on eggshells.

Just then, her phone rang. Anne Sutton answered. "Sharon."

The call was from Sharon Sutton.

Sharon Sutton said, "Sis, let’s make dumplings tonight! I haven’t had Mom’s dumplings in forever."

"Sure!" Anne Sutton said.

"Mommy, I want to eat dumplings too," Ian said.

Anne Sutton smiled. "Of course!"

Hearing Ian’s voice, Sharon Sutton paused. Then, her tone soured. "Sis, you went to the Linden family’s house!"

"Something came up, so I had to stop by," Anne Sutton said.

Sharon Sutton said, "All you care about is the Linden family now. You said you were coming back to spend a couple of days with me and Mom, but you only stayed for one night and now you’re over there again."

"I really did have something to do," Anne Sutton said. "I’ll be back right away."

"It’s fine. Don’t feel obligated to rush back."

"..." Before Anne Sutton could say anything, Sharon Sutton had already hung up.

Nathan Fawcett came in from work, dressed in a suit and a white shirt.

’He always looked quite handsome in a suit.’

Nathan Fawcett was a little surprised to see her. "I thought you said you weren’t coming over."

"Stella Shields is here," Anne Sutton said. "Your mom invited her to stay for a few days. She insisted on getting a ride with me, so I brought her over."

"What’s wrong? You look upset. Who were you just on the phone with?" Nathan Fawcett asked, looking at Anne Sutton.

His question reminded her of the phone call. "It’s nothing," she said. "It was Sharon, asking if I wanted to have dumplings tonight."

Nathan Fawcett looked at her. "You’re leaving again?"

"Ian said he wants dumplings, so I’m taking him with me. Do you want to come?"

"I’ll pass," Nathan Fawcett said. "You go ahead and take Ian. I’ll come pick him up when you’re finished."

"Okay."

"Finn ran outside to play a little while ago," Anne Sutton said. "He should be in the yard."

"I saw him."

"I think I might have been too harsh with him yesterday," Anne Sutton said. "He won’t talk to me today. You should talk to him later."

’If it were Ian, I wouldn’t have to do anything even if he was upset. He’d come running back on his own after a little while.’

’But Finn is different.’

’In his eyes, I’m not his mother.’

’He has people he trusts more!’

’That’s why he gets upset when I scold him.’

"It’s fine," Nathan Fawcett said. "I’ll handle it."

"I’ll get going, then."

With that, Anne Sutton left with Ian.

...

She drove to the store and saw Sharon Sutton sitting there making dumplings. She walked over. "Sharon."

Sharon Sutton glanced at her. Seeing Ian by her side, her eyes turned cold. "What are you doing here? Weren’t you at the Linden family’s house?"

With that, she went straight inside to the kitchen.

Anne Sutton followed her. "I really did have to go to the Linden family’s house for something unexpected. But I’m here now, aren’t I?"

"Don’t make it sound like I forced you to come," Sharon Sutton said without looking at Anne Sutton.

Anne Sutton looked at her sister. She knew Sharon had been a little sensitive ever since her divorce.

"Don’t be mad at me!" Anne Sutton said. "I promised I’d be here with you and Mom, and I am. Are you making dumplings? Let me help."

Sharon Sutton didn’t answer.

Anne Sutton looked at her, smiled, and said, "You’re the one who doesn’t get along with Nathan Fawcett, so why are you taking it out on me?"

Sharon Sutton looked up at Anne Sutton, who was trying to placate her. "Sis, I don’t mean anything by it. I’m just scared someone will steal you away! I feel like... I don’t know what I’d do without you."

"You silly girl," Anne Sutton said. "Even if I married Nathan Fawcett, it wouldn’t change our relationship! When have I ever not looked out for you?"

"So you really are planning to marry Nathan Fawcett?" Sharon Sutton asked, staring at Anne Sutton.

’A wave of resentment washed over her.’

’She had thought that after Anne Sutton rejected Nathan Fawcett’s proposal, she had no intention of marrying him.’

’But apparently, she was still thinking about it!’

’More importantly, Nathan Fawcett... was still willing to marry her!’

’She had humiliated Nathan Fawcett so badly, yet he was still willing to forgive her.’

’But what about her?’

Remembering how Nathan Fawcett had shoved her to the ground, Sharon Sutton felt a sting of pain in her heart.

She hated this feeling.

’They came from the same family, yet her sister got excellent grades and became a doctor right after graduating.’

’Come to think of it, the only reason she could even become a doctor and do so well at the hospital was because of Charles Prescott.’

’The family had arranged for her to be his fiancée from the start. I was too young then, so Anne was the one who got that lucky break.’

’With Charles Prescott backing her, she got promoted so quickly at the hospital.’

’And now she has Nathan Fawcett as her support. His mother is even a leading expert at Veridia First Hospital.’

’And then there’s me. Divorced from David Hayes.’

’Now I’m just helping out at Mom’s store, like some kind of maid or a waitress.’

’This is what I do all day.’

’Meanwhile, Anne is at the Linden family’s house playing the part of a wealthy wife, without even having to lift a finger around the house.’

Sharon Sutton lowered her head, continuing to wrap the dumplings, her feelings a complex tangle.

’She was not happy!’

’Very unhappy!’

’Right in front of her was a perfect example of someone with ridiculously good luck. And then there was her.’

Sharon Sutton kept her head down as she said to Anne Sutton, "Sis, I don’t want to help at Mom’s store anymore."

Hearing this, Anne Sutton glanced at her sister. "What do you want to do?"

Anne Sutton’s question immediately sparked Sharon Sutton’s resentment. "What, you think I should just be a waitress? My grades weren’t bad in school, you know."

Anne Sutton was taken aback, unsure where this outburst was coming from.

She stared at Sharon Sutton, momentarily stunned into silence.

Seeing her sister’s serious expression, Sharon Sutton lost some of her nerve. "That’s not what I meant," she said. "I just... I want to find a real job for myself."