Step aside, Uncle Pride：Your Nephew is My Next Man - Chapter 26: Chapter 26
You are reading Step aside, Uncle Pride：Your Nephew is My Next Man, Chapter 26: Chapter 26. Read more chapters of Step aside, Uncle Pride：Your Nephew is My Next Man.
The words "boyfriend" hit Cassian like a thunderbolt, leaving his ears ringing with a deafening buzz.
"You... have a boyfriend?"
As if not understanding why his reaction was so intense, Mara nodded affirmatively again.
She didn't see any need to hide it—her boyfriend was nothing to be ashamed of. After a pause, as if suddenly remembering something, she looked back at Cassian.
"Oh, that's actually why we're back—to plan our wedding. But after that, we probably won't be coming back again. If you want to attend, you're more than welcome."
Just as she finished speaking, a voice called her name from a distance, growing closer. She looked up and sure enough saw Noah approaching.
"Mara, what took you so long in the bathroom? I've been out there so long I was starting to think you ghosted me." Halfway through his complaint, Noah finally noticed Cassian standing nearby, surprise flashing in his eyes. "Mara, who's this?"
"This is Cassian Whitmore, CEO of Whitmore Group. He's from the family I told you about—the ones who sponsored my education." Mara didn't pretend not to know him, openly making introductions between the two men. After a pause, she turned to Cassian. "This is Noah Hartwell, my boyfriend."
That simple introduction cut Cassian twice. He never imagined there would come a day when he'd hear himself described by Mara merely as someone from the family that had once sponsored her.
And Noah's presence completely shattered his last shred of hope.
Before Noah appeared, he could still comfort himself that maybe Mara's mention of a boyfriend was just an excuse born from spite. But the moment Noah showed up, he could no longer deceive himself.
Whether it was Mara's instinctive movement closer to Noah, or how she positioned him with respectful distance while placing Noah in the intimate space, it was clear that even if they weren't boyfriend and girlfriend, they were definitely close.
"Mr. Whitmore, I've heard so much about you." Hearing Cassian's name, Noah's eyes narrowed slightly. His lips curved into a shallow smile, but the expression didn't reach his eyes.
He'd only heard Mara mention before that she was born in a poor town where her parents favored sons over daughters, even planning to pull her out of school before she finished middle school to marry her off.
Fortunately, she'd met the Whitmore couple then, who rescued her and sponsored her through college.
At the time, he'd never connected the Whitmore family that sponsored Mara with the Whitmore Group, so he'd never linked her to that foolishly devoted scholarship student who'd cared for the paralyzed Whitmore heir for years, only to be discarded once he recovered.
He could see the shock and pain in Cassian's eyes, and instantly guessed what was going through his mind.
After a moment, seeing that Cassian still hadn't responded, he suddenly smiled and extended his hand toward him.
"Speaking of which, I should thank you for letting her go."
The thanks was genuine. After all, if Cassian and the Whitmore family had known how to treasure her—considering how Mara, who'd studied desperately for over a decade to escape her toxic family, had been willing to give up her promising career without hesitation to care for Cassian—maybe if he'd just casually said "I'll marry you" back then, things never would have reached this point.
The atmosphere between the two men instantly became tense. Mara looked back and forth between them, then casually said goodbye and left with Noah.
Only after they'd walked some distance did Mara give Noah an odd look. "You're acting weird today."
He feigned confusion, laughing it off: "Weird? How so? You must be seeing things."
The suitcase wheels rattled against the ground. After thinking for a moment, Mara figured out where this strange feeling was coming from and found it somewhat amusing.
"Why are you jealous of him?" Seeing that she truly seemed indifferent, Noah became even more displeased.
"After how he and his family treated you, you really don't resent them at all?"
"You... have a boyfriend?"
As if not understanding why his reaction was so intense, Mara nodded affirmatively again.
She didn't see any need to hide it—her boyfriend was nothing to be ashamed of. After a pause, as if suddenly remembering something, she looked back at Cassian.
"Oh, that's actually why we're back—to plan our wedding. But after that, we probably won't be coming back again. If you want to attend, you're more than welcome."
Just as she finished speaking, a voice called her name from a distance, growing closer. She looked up and sure enough saw Noah approaching.
"Mara, what took you so long in the bathroom? I've been out there so long I was starting to think you ghosted me." Halfway through his complaint, Noah finally noticed Cassian standing nearby, surprise flashing in his eyes. "Mara, who's this?"
"This is Cassian Whitmore, CEO of Whitmore Group. He's from the family I told you about—the ones who sponsored my education." Mara didn't pretend not to know him, openly making introductions between the two men. After a pause, she turned to Cassian. "This is Noah Hartwell, my boyfriend."
That simple introduction cut Cassian twice. He never imagined there would come a day when he'd hear himself described by Mara merely as someone from the family that had once sponsored her.
And Noah's presence completely shattered his last shred of hope.
Before Noah appeared, he could still comfort himself that maybe Mara's mention of a boyfriend was just an excuse born from spite. But the moment Noah showed up, he could no longer deceive himself.
Whether it was Mara's instinctive movement closer to Noah, or how she positioned him with respectful distance while placing Noah in the intimate space, it was clear that even if they weren't boyfriend and girlfriend, they were definitely close.
"Mr. Whitmore, I've heard so much about you." Hearing Cassian's name, Noah's eyes narrowed slightly. His lips curved into a shallow smile, but the expression didn't reach his eyes.
He'd only heard Mara mention before that she was born in a poor town where her parents favored sons over daughters, even planning to pull her out of school before she finished middle school to marry her off.
Fortunately, she'd met the Whitmore couple then, who rescued her and sponsored her through college.
At the time, he'd never connected the Whitmore family that sponsored Mara with the Whitmore Group, so he'd never linked her to that foolishly devoted scholarship student who'd cared for the paralyzed Whitmore heir for years, only to be discarded once he recovered.
He could see the shock and pain in Cassian's eyes, and instantly guessed what was going through his mind.
After a moment, seeing that Cassian still hadn't responded, he suddenly smiled and extended his hand toward him.
"Speaking of which, I should thank you for letting her go."
The thanks was genuine. After all, if Cassian and the Whitmore family had known how to treasure her—considering how Mara, who'd studied desperately for over a decade to escape her toxic family, had been willing to give up her promising career without hesitation to care for Cassian—maybe if he'd just casually said "I'll marry you" back then, things never would have reached this point.
The atmosphere between the two men instantly became tense. Mara looked back and forth between them, then casually said goodbye and left with Noah.
Only after they'd walked some distance did Mara give Noah an odd look. "You're acting weird today."
He feigned confusion, laughing it off: "Weird? How so? You must be seeing things."
The suitcase wheels rattled against the ground. After thinking for a moment, Mara figured out where this strange feeling was coming from and found it somewhat amusing.
"Why are you jealous of him?" Seeing that she truly seemed indifferent, Noah became even more displeased.
"After how he and his family treated you, you really don't resent them at all?"
End of Step aside, Uncle Pride：Your Nephew is My Next Man Chapter 26. Continue reading Chapter 27 or return to Step aside, Uncle Pride：Your Nephew is My Next Man book page.