CHAPTER 243: CHAPTER 235: REALIZING THAT HE NO LONGER BELONGS TO HER

Bella Woods couldn’t take it anymore the way Ashton Marshall was feeding her one bite at a time.

After finishing a piece, Bella quickly pushed him away and stood up: "I’ve had enough. If I eat any more, I’m going to throw up. Besides, it’s about time. The person Aunt Cyan sent to pick me up is already downstairs. I need to go."

Bella Woods said everything in one breath.

And as she spoke, she was backing away.

When she finished, she had retreated to the door.

Ashton Marshall seemed to have anticipated her move and didn’t stop her. Instead, he looked at her with a knowing expression.

"You even informed your Aunt Cyan to come and pick you up when you came over. What, afraid I won’t let you leave?" Ashton raised an eyebrow, seeing through Bella’s little mind games.

Bella Woods, of course, denied it: "No, it’s because the event is about to start. You know, Aunt Cyan is pulling out all the stops for this event to boost my social status, so I need to go to the Hughes Family early to ensure nothing goes wrong on that day."

"Turning from fiancée to sister, do you think such an event could go off without a hitch?" Ashton took a long stride towards Bella.

Bella felt the man’s imposing presence drawing near. She turned to run, but his hand pressed against the wall, blocking her path.

"I think it’s fine. Originally, I was only chasing after Oliver Hughes because of Aunt Cyan, and now..."

Bella squatted down and quickly opened the private room’s door: "Now it’s great. In the future, you’ll be my little uncle. Remember to give me a red envelope at the party, okay?"

With a cheeky grin, Bella slipped out.

Ashton Marshall stood there, chuckled softly, took a cigarette and a lighter from his pocket, and slowly lit it.

The smoke swirled up, and Ashton slightly tilted his head, eyes half-closed, staring at the ceiling, slowly exhaling smoke rings, then laughed again.

After finishing a cigarette, Ashton took his phone and dialed a number.

"Announce it, at the Hughes Family event, I’ll propose to my fiancée."

...

Bella Woods got into the car that Cyan Marshall sent to pick her up and headed to the Hughes Family.

Cyan Marshall arranged for people from a brand to choose clothes at the house. Seeing Bella arrive, she happily pulled Bella to sit on the sofa.

"Aunt Cyan, is there some good news? You look so happy?" Bella asked, noticing Cyan Marshall’s wide smile.

She rarely saw Cyan this happy and was quite curious.

"It’s about Oliver’s little uncle..." Cyan held Bella’s hand, saying, "I just got the news that he’s going to propose to his girlfriend at the event."

"Pro-propose?" Bella Woods was completely stunned.

That quickly?

They had just parted ways, and then Oliver Hughes was going to propose to Nina Sutton.

"Yes, they say they’ve been together for many years and thought of finalizing things during the event." Cyan said, "Because of this, the event as planned won’t suffice. I must make it more grand."

"It’s also good; at an event that’s the talk of the town, all of Peace City will know you are the Hughes Family’s daughter, not the Woods Family’s abandoned one."

Cyan Marshall looked at Bella Woods seriously, tidying her hair: "I must let everyone know that we are simply outstanding."

Bella Woods just smiled without responding.

Mainly, upon knowing Ashton was going to propose to Nina Sutton at the event, Bella felt her world turned upside down.

This was different from before, from knowing about Ashton and Nina to breaking up with him.

The previous experiences never allowed Bella to truly feel that their relationship was irreparably broken.

Until this moment, Bella Woods truly felt that she and Ashton Marshall would never have a chance again in this lifetime.

This feeling was as if something important was being torn from her body. It wasn’t exactly painful, more like a slow, lingering death, dazed and uncomfortable.

She used all her strength to keep smiling in front of Cyan Marshall.

"Actually, this is good. I have two big concerns in my heart. One is you, the other is Ashton. With Ashton settled, you may not be my daughter-in-law, but you become my daughter."

Cyan Marshall spoke earnestly to Bella Woods: "Whether you marry or not in this life, whether you stay in Peace City or anywhere else, the Hughes Family will always be your home and your support."

Plop!

Tears finally poured uncontrollably from Bella Woods’ eyes.

She hugged Cyan Marshall and broke down crying: "Aunt Cyan, thank you, thank you."

At this moment, apart from those words, she couldn’t say anything else.

"Why are you crying so hard, really..." Cyan comforted her, stroking Bella Woods’ head, but couldn’t help choking up due to her own heartbreak.

Bella Woods couldn’t hold back, and all her emotions intertwined at this moment, causing her to completely break down, crying intensely.

Oliver Hughes came down from upstairs, seeing Bella Woods hugging Cyan Marshall and crying severely, he was stunned, standing at the stairs, dazed for a long time.

Mainly because for all these years Bella had been chasing after him so stubbornly, he considered having seen all her sides, except he had never seen her cry so bitterly.

Even when bullied the worst, Bella Woods rarely cried.

Oliver Hughes didn’t know how long he stared before coming back to his senses and began walking downstairs.

"Mom, are you sending her away as an emissary, crying so much?" Oliver Hughes’s words were particularly ill-intentioned when he opened his mouth.

Bella Woods had nearly finished crying, but when she heard Oliver’s voice, she immediately stopped, coming out of Cyan’s embrace.

She took a deep breath to adjust.

Cyan Marshall glared at Oliver: "If you can’t speak nicely, then don’t speak at all. If you’re bored, go out, race your car up and down the street, don’t bother me."

Ever since Oliver Hughes and Bella Woods officially broke off their engagement, Cyan hadn’t shown him a good face.

Oliver usually didn’t care about Cyan, avoiding her when possible.

But today, he just wouldn’t.

He sat on the adjacent sofa, crossed his legs, and poked Bella Woods with his hand: "Hey, Bella, tell me where my mom is sending you off to?"

Cyan Marshall mercilessly slapped his hand away: "Are you bored?"

Bella Woods quickly wiped away her tears: "I just feel Aunt Cyan is very good to me, and I got emotional."

"Weren’t you being bullied?"

"The only person who bullies me is you," Bella shot Oliver Hughes a defiant look.

She didn’t understand what Oliver had been up to lately, but their relationship had been so strained they couldn’t speak normally.

"What’s wrong with bullying you? I also protect you too." Oliver naturally stated, "If it weren’t for me, you’d still be a little country bumpkin..."

"Oliver Hughes, if you can’t speak properly, go out and play, alright?"

"I’m not leaving. I plan to take her out." Oliver tipped his chin towards Bella: "I’ve prepared a set of formal wear for her. Now I’m taking her to try it on."

Bella Woods frowned. In the living room, brand staff were already strutting in formal wear for Cyan to pick.

And yet Oliver said he was taking her to choose a dress?