Chapter 515
It was the first time I had seen Ronan looking so embarrassed. If it were anyone else, he probably
wouldn''t give them the time of day. But because she''s my mother, he has to put up with it for my sake if
not hers.
I lowered my head and listened to their conversation expressionlessly. It was natural for my mother to
care about Jte, but it still bothered me a little.
“You don''t have a girlfriend yet?”
Ronan''s answer pleased Alicia even more, and she gazed at him with a smile in her eyes.
“Yeah. I don''t,” Ronan replied with a rather stiff smile. Clearly, he had also realized something.
“Jte seems to have a favorable impression of you after seeing you earlier. It''s a pity she''s not at the
hospital now. Otherwise, you''d be able to meet her, and the two of you could get to know more about
each other.”
A look of concern shed across Alicia''s eyes when she brought up Jte, worried about how the
latter had disappeared since noon.
“Oh... You''re very humorous, Mrs. Campbell. I don''t know your daughter, so why would she have
mentioned me?”
When I mentioned Jte to him earlier, I sensed that he didn''t harbor any interest in her. Hence, he''s
probably saying that as a subtle hint about his disinterest.
“You met her earlier this afternoon, but you probably don''t remember because there were too many
people today. She''s Anna''s younger sister. Since you''re so close to Anna, I''m sure you and Jte will
be able to be good friends.”
After mingling with the wealthy and upper ss for years, there''s no way she wouldn''t get Ronan''s hint.
It''s just that she doesn''t give a hoot. In fact, she''s confident Ronan and Jte will get on like a house
on fire!
“When ites to matters of the heart, I believe that one should just let nature take its course. As an
elder, you only have to give your blessings without interfering,” I said.
Ronan was a good friend. Since he had no interest in Jte, I did not want anyone to try and force
him into anything. And from what I knew about his character, it did not matter how much Alicia sang
Jte''s praises. If he had no feelings for Jte, nothing anyone said would change his mind. In fact,
it would only make things much more ufortable for everyone.
Alicia must not have expected me to foil her attempt. She looked at me, a little surprised, and her
expression stiffened for a split second. However, she quickly agreed with me by saying, “That''s true. It
was only a casual remark on my part.”
It was the first time I had seen Ronan looking so embarrassed. If it were anyone else, he probably
wouldn''t give them the time of day. But because she''s my mother, he has to put up with it for my sake if
not hers.
It was tha first tima I had saan Ronan looking so ambarrassad. If it wara anyona alsa, ha probably
wouldn''t giva tham tha tima of day. But bacausa sha''s my mothar, ha has to put up with it for my saka if
not hars.
I lowarad my haad and listanad to thair convarsation axprassiossly. It was natural for my mothar to
cara about Janatta, but it still botharad ma a lit.
“You don''t hava a girlfriand yat?”
Ronan''s answar asad Alicia avan mora, and sha gazad at him with a sm in har ayas.
“Yaah. I don''t,” Ronan rapliad with a rathar stiff sm. arly, ha had also raalizad somathing.
“Janatta saams to hava a favora imprassion of you aftar saaing you aarliar. It''s a pity sha''s not at tha
hospital now. Otharwisa, you''d ba a to maat har, and tha two of you could gat to know mora about
aach othar.”
A look of concarn shad across Alicia''s ayas whan sha brought up Janatta, worriad about how tha
lattar had disappaarad sinca noon.
“Oh... You''ra vary humorous, Mrs. Campball. I don''t know your daughtar, so why would sha hava
mantionad ma?”
Whan I mantionad Janatta to him aarliar, I sansad that ha didn''t harbor any intarast in har. Hanca, ha''s
probably saying that as a sub hint about his disintarast.
“You mat har aarliar this aftarnoon, but you probably don''t ramambar bacausa thara wara too many
pao today. Sha''s Anna''s youngar sistar. Sinca you''ra so closa to Anna, I''m sura you and Janatta will
ba a to ba good friands.”
Aftar mingling with tha waalthy and uppar ss for yaars, thara''s no way sha wouldn''t gat Ronan''s hint.
It''s just that sha doasn''t giva a hoot. In fact, sha''s confidant Ronan and Janatta will gat on lika a housa
on fira!
“Whan itas to mattars of tha haart, I baliava that ona should justt natura taka its coursa. As an
aldar, you only hava to giva your ssings without intarfaring,” I said.
Ronan was a good friand. Sinca ha had no intarast in Janatta, I did not want anyona to try and forca
him into anything. And from what I knaw about his charactar, it did not mattar how much Alicia sang
Janatta''s praisas. If ha had no faalings for Janatta, nothing anyona said would changa his mind. In fact,
it would only maka things much mora uforta for avaryona.
Alicia must not hava axpactad ma to foil har attampt. Sha lookad at ma, a lit surprisad, and har
axprassion stiffanad for a split sacond. Howavar, sha quickly agraad with ma by saying, “That''s trua. It
was only a casual ramark on my part.”
“You''re right. In terms of rtionship matters, one can only go with the flow. There are too many
imperfect rtionships in the world. Take me, for example. I''ve had feelings for someone for over two
years, but we weren''t fated to be together. Hence, I have no ns of finding myself a girlfriend in the
near future. It''s enough for me if I can watch her lead a happy life,” Ronan piped up.
His gaze fell on me as he spoke, and his earnest tone caused me to panic a little.
I knew those words were for my ears, and the person he mentioned was me. I could not bring myself to
meet his gaze. I''ve always known he had feelings for me, but I had no clue he still likes me after all this
time. After my return, I thought we''d be able to get along like normal friends.
He used to openly show his feelings for me, which made me avoid him. But after my return, he had
never tried to confess his feelings to me or anything. I thought he had already put it behind him, but
after hearing what he just said, I realized that that was not the case. He had not put it behind him. He
was only keeping his feelings buried.
I was riddled with guilt toward Ronan because there was nothing I could do to reciprocate his feelings.
I''m already with Michael, and I love Michael deeply. That makes it even more impossible for me and
Ronan to be together. Falling for me must''ve brought him a lot of unnecessary hurts. Sometimes, I
have the urge to make it up to him. But I don''t know what I can do because I can''t give him what he
wants.
Alicia nced at Ronan, then at me. She did not say a word. She must have read the situation but did
not think it appropriate to say anything at that moment.
Not wanting to prolong the awkward atmosphere, I raised my head and looked at Ronan. Forcing
myself to keep my tone steady, I said, “Ronan, it''s gettingte. You should head back and rest.”
“Okay. I''ll be leaving, then. Call me if anything crops up.”
To my surprise, Ronan did not utter a single word of protest. He was probably also feeling
embarrassed. After saying his piece, he turned and left.
I sat by the head of the hospital bed, my face impassive. “Hurry up and drink the soup. It''ll get cold if
you don''t.”
“Okay,” Alicia answered calmly while shooting me a nce. Then, she began drinking the soup.
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I did not know whether it was because I was the one who had brought the soup, but Alicia drank almost
the entire bowl. I felt much more at ease after seeing that. She had gotten ill because of low blood
sugar andck of nutrition, so getting her to eat more would be helpful in her recovery.
After setting down the bowl, Alicia looked up at me and asked carefully, “Anna, are you very close to
Ronan?”
I was momentarily stunned, not expecting she would suddenly mention him. A beatter, I said, “Yes.
We''re good friends.”
“I could tell that the two of you share a special bond, and the way he looks at you isn''t anything like
how one would look at a normal friend. I also have experience in these things, so naturally, I know how
he feels about you.”
She had not believed a word I said. And now that Ronan had left, she did not have to be careful about
what she said. I could not help feeling a little taken aback. How could she have seen through the
rtionship between Ronan and me in such a short time? What should I say? I can''t possibly admit
that Ronan likes me, can I?
“I know how much you like Michael and how happy you are together. Hence, Ronan''s feelings toward
you will no doubt make you feel pressured. You saw how your sister behaved today. She has a crush
on Ronan. Can you pull some strings for her sake?” Alicia turned to me and spoke in a hesitant and
pleading voice.
“I have no sister. I''ve never recognized Jte as my sister. As for Ronan''s feelings toward me, that''s
his business. I''ve already mentioned Jte to him today, and he didn''t seem the least bit interested in
her. That''s why I think it''s better if you don''t poke your nose into the affairs of others.”
Alicia''s intention was for me to set Ronan up with Jte. That much was clear. However, no matter
how pressured I felt by his words, I could not arbitrarily force another woman onto him. In my eyes,
someone like Jte did not deserve Ronan. Hence, I had no intention of intervening in the matter at
all.