Chapter 227 Aaron and Brain Start Sparring
Susanna caught a rare moment of hesitation in Aaron, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. It was odd seeing him at a loss for words; after all, he was Aaron, the heir to the mighty Abbott Group.
Aaron was always decisive in business, never second-guessing his choices.
Her almond-shaped eyes locked onto him, but Aaron's gaze darted away, struggling to speak.
Frustrated, Aaron tugged at his tie and took a deep breath. "Susanna, actually..."
Brian, sensing something was up, cut in, "Stop nagging. Just say it. But remember, no crying over spilled milk! Watch your words, or there'll be consequences. Susanna's sharp today!"
Brian saw right through Aaron's attempt to win Susanna back. He had to stop it before Aaron could make his move.
Aaron shot Brian a look. "The men of the Jones family are really annoying."
Brian retorted. "The men of the Abbott family are really shameless."
The two locked eyes, tension thick in the air.
Susanna spoke up, "Mr. Abbott, don't worry. I'll see Maria as soon as I'm done. I keep my promises."
Brian nodded. "That's right. Susanna kept her promise and even got Austin to perform surgery on Maria. When are you going to finalize the divorce with Susanna? Don't dodge your responsibility!"
Aaron frowned. "This is between her and me; it has nothing to do with you. Who are you to speak to me like that?"
"You dare ask who I am?" Brian was instantly furious. He rolled up his sleeves and glared at Aaron. "I'll tell you, I am your—"
"Enough!"
Susanna grabbed Brian, who was fuming. Arguing now seemed pointless; they were acting like kids bickering.
She hooked her arm around Brian's and dragged him out of the private room.
Watching Susanna's arm linked with Brian's, Aaron's eyes narrowed. He slumped back into his chair, frustrated. He reached for a cigarette from a nearby pack and lit it.
But he just held the cigarette between his fingers, not taking a puff. Leaning back, Aaron's silhouette radiated loneliness.
Tyler stood silently by his side, never having seen Aaron so down. He looked like a defeated puppy, licking his wounds.
Outside, Susanna finally managed to pull Brian out. She was sweating. "Brian, let's go home."
"Susanna, don't stop me. Today, I have to teach Aaron a lesson. How dare he ask who I am? I'm his brother-in-law! Marrying a girl from the Jones family, he better show some respect! I can't stand his arrogance!" Brian shouted.
Realizing she couldn't dissuade him, Susanna suddenly released her grip and feigned a headache. "Brian, I'm feeling dizzy," she muttered.
Brian's focus shifted instantly. He helped Susanna into the car and handed her a bottle of water. "Drink this. If you're not feeling well, we can go to the hospital to check on Austin."
"I'm feeling better now. I guess I've just been too tired these past few days. I want to go home and rest," Susanna said.
She leaned weakly against the seat, looking at Brian with pitiful almond-shaped eyes, instantly calming him down.
'Alright, I'll deal with Aaron later,' Brian decided silently.
As Brian finally started the engine, Susanna let out a quiet sigh of relief. She glanced back at the restaurant, puzzled by Aaron's earlier behavior.
What had Aaron been trying to say?
Her thoughts swirled in confusion for a moment, but she forced herself to stay composed, determined not to be swayed by Aaron's cryptic words.
When she got home, Susanna headed straight to bed, feeling the exhaustion settle in. The days had been rough, especially with her belly growing bigger, making simple movements like bending or squatting uncomfortable.
Gently placing a hand on her expanding belly, she resolved to speed up her departure plans, knowing time was running out.
The next afternoon, Susanna went to school for her classes.
After class, the counselor called her over. "Susanna, the principal wants to see you in his office. He has something to discuss."
Thinking about the unfinished dinner last night, Susanna felt a bit awkward.
What could the principal want to talk about? Could it be about her divorce?
She realized the principal's kindness might be because he knew about her relationship with Aaron.
Feeling puzzled, Susanna went to the principal's office. When she opened the door, the principal greeted her warmly, "Susanna, have a seat. I have some good news. After you played the piano on stage yesterday, the professors at the music school thought you had great talent and suggested you consider taking up another major. Are you interested?"
"Suggesting I study piano?" Susanna asked, surprised.
"Yes, that's right. You don't need to worry about the arrangements; the teachers will handle everything. Our school doesn't want to miss out on nurturing any talented students. What do you think?" the principal continued.
Susanna was surprised by the news. While she liked the piano, she didn't think her skills warranted this kind of special attention.
The situation felt odd, making her think of Aaron for reasons she couldn't quite grasp.
After a moment, she replied, "Principal, thank you for the suggestion, but I'm about to finish my current major and don't plan to take up another one right now."
"Susanna, are you sure you don't want to reconsider?"
"No, I don't."
With the his muted response to her refusal, Susanna promptly stood up and left.
After she left, the principal wasted no time. He picked up the phone and instructed Tyler, "Please let Mr. Abbott know that I proposed the music major to Susanna. However, she wasn't interested and declined the offer."
Receiving the message, Tyler felt a bit troubled.
Early this morning, Aaron had come to the office with a heavy expression and had already scolded many people during the meeting. The entire upper management was under a lot of pressure.
Now that Susanna had refused to go to the music school, Aaron might become even more agitated.
Tyler nervously glanced at his phone before mustering the courage to knock on the CEO's office door. He cautiously spoke, "Mr. Abbott, may I have a moment? I have something to discuss."
Without looking up, Aaron replied in a gloomy tone, "It better be important!"
"The principal called. Maybe I should report it later," said Tyler.
"Wait."
Aaron finally looked up at Tyler. "What did he say?"
"He said Mrs. Abbott refused to take up another major, saying she wasn't interested," Tyler reported.
Hearing this, Aaron abruptly stopped twirling his pen. His lips pressed tightly together, his expression now visibly displeased.
He hadn't anticipated Susanna's refusal. Just the day before, watching her captivating performance on stage, she had seemed anything but disinterested!
Aaron asked in confusion, "Why do you think she refused?"
The next second, the office door was suddenly pushed open by a woman.
