Chapter 151: Announce Your Engagement

Could it be…? It seemed unlikely, but if it wasn’t Arthur, it could only be him. Frederick trusted Richard. After all, Richard had been by his side for years and knew exactly how to handle things.

“General, I’ve been closely monitoring Mr. Arthur Hawthorne’s movements recently. There shouldn’t be any mistake,” Richard added, noticing Frederick’s silence. Richard understood the complex relationship between Frederick and Arthur. Both were members of the Hawthorne family, but their roles couldn’t have been more different. As the son of National Defense Commander Nathan Hawthorne, Frederick commanded military authority, while Arthur controlled the family’s financial interests, operating seamlessly between the legal and underground worlds. In the current presidential campaign, Arthur was Frederick’s greatest rival. From the moment the campaign began, Frederick had kept a close eye on Arthur’s every move.

“I know. Keep monitoring him,” Frederick said, nodding.

“Yes, General,” Richard replied respectfully, focusing on driving toward the Hawthorne Manor.

An hour later, they arrived at the Hawthorne Manor. By now, it was already past midnight.

“General, are you sure you want to go in now? Perhaps it would be better to wait until morning,” Richard hesitated, offering a gentle reminder. It was late, and the family was likely asleep.

“Now,” Frederick replied firmly. Regardless of what he did, Nathan would never look at him with favor. That had been decided the moment Frederick was born.

“Understood. Should I accompany you inside?” Richard asked, worried. Nobody understood Frederick’s position in the Hawthorne family better than Richard. The respect Frederick had earned in the family was due solely to his relentless efforts and sacrifices over the years. Frederick had fought countless life-or-death battles to carve out his place. It was during one of those battles that Andrew had taken a bullet meant for Frederick, giving his life to save him. This tragedy forged the connection between Frederick and Andrew’s two sisters, Anna and Caroline.

To this day, Richard couldn’t understand why Nathan treated his two sons so differently. Arthur basked in privilege, while Frederick had to fight tooth and nail for every ounce of respect. Richard always felt that it was unfair to Frederick.

“It’s not necessary. Head back and pick me up in the morning,” Frederick said as he opened the car door and stepped out.

“Yes, sir.” Richard didn’t argue, started the car, and left. He knew he couldn’t do much by accompanying Frederick other than offering moral support.

Frederick entered the manor and walked straight to the living room. Taking a seat on the sofa, he pulled out his phone and dialed Nathan. He knew Nathan was upstairs, likely asleep with Arthur’s mother, Jane. At his age, Nathan adhered strictly to a health-conscious routine. Without fail, he would go to bed at precisely 10:30 every night. Frederick considered going upstairs to knock on Nathan’s door if the call didn’t go through, but to his surprise, the phone was answered after just two rings.

“Hello.”

“Father, I’m downstairs. I need to speak with you,” Frederick said respectfully, though his brow furrowed slightly.

Nathan didn’t respond with so much as a word. He simply hung up.

Ten minutes later, Nathan descended the staircase with Jane by his side. Frederick hadn’t expected Jane to join. Unless something truly significant was at stake, Jane rarely involved herself in matters concerning him.

“I’m already aware of what Diana has done,” Nathan began before Frederick could speak. “I’ve given the orders—effective immediately, she’s to remain confined at home for reflection. She can leave only once she’s demonstrated genuine remorse.”

“Understood. Thank you, Father.” Frederick nodded. He knew that this was likely the extent of Diana’s punishment. Expecting anything harsher was unrealistic, given that her actions hadn’t caused significant harm—just a minor public uproar fueled by media attention.

“Frederick, you know Diana’s always been a bit spoiled,” Jane chimed in. “She was close to Anna when they were younger. Now, seeing you with Claire must feel like a slap in the face to her.”

“I’ve already scolded her harshly over this incident. You can rest assured I’ll discipline her properly and ensure she doesn’t cause any more trouble,” Jane added quickly, almost eager to pacify him.

“Thank you, Jane,” Frederick replied flatly, his expression unreadable. He didn’t spare her even a glance but maintained a polite demeanor.

“Frederick, one more thing,” Jane said. “I heard that next week is Madam Prescott’s 90th birthday celebration. Given your current relationship with Claire, I assume you’ll be attending.”

She continued, “All of Kingstown’s elite will be there, and with Claire standing beside you, your relationship will become widely acknowledged. I was thinking… perhaps the occasion would be a perfect opportunity to announce your engagement publicly.”

Her words were startling, but Frederick merely smiled. So this was her real agenda. With Claire’s current standing, if Frederick truly became engaged to her, it would cement the perception that he lacked the qualifications to compete with Arthur. While Elizabeth’s backing might lend superficial legitimacy to their union, anyone with insider knowledge understood Claire’s precarious position in the Prescott family as she was not the real daughter of the Prescott family. Jane clearly hoped to use this as a way to permanently disqualify Frederick from challenging Arthur.