"Gwyn, sweetheart, it''s not your fault."


    Hawthorne''s voice was low and steady, and somehow, his words managed to quiet Gwh''s trembling. He watched her with a furrowed brow, his gaze fixed on her delicate face.


    The Langford family scandal in Starfall City was hardly a secret. Years ago, the head of the Langford Group had neglected his wife for his mistress, ultimately sending his own daughter to live with the other woman. The resulting divorce had be gossip fodder for everyone in town.


    Most med the Langfords'' eldest daughter-the very girl before him, who just hours ago had been so full of life. They whispered that if she hadn''t fixated on the woman her father kept on the side, if she hadn''t epted a stranger as her mother, maybe her parents wouldn''t have divorced. Maybe her father wouldn''t have ended up in aa trying to save her, leaving her younger siblings without a dad and their once-intact family in pieces.


    Hawthorne had always considered it a story, nothing more. In fact, he sometimes felt he owed that little girl he''d never met a debt of gratitude. If not for the Langford family''s downfall, the Everharts wouldn''t be where they were today- McNeil, that ruthless rival, would have swallowed their legacy whole.


    He watched as Gwh slowly turned to curl her arms around herself, clutching tightly. She looked nothing like the tormented girl from moments before. Now, she pressed her cold cheek against the warmth of his hand, absentmindedly tracing his knuckles and murmuring like a small, docile pet.


    "Daddy... Daddy, I didn''t mean it. I don''t ever want Ms. Marchand again."


    Ms. Marchand everyone in Starfall City knew that meant Violet. She''d nearly singlehandedly ruined the legendary business tycoon a decade ago. She could''ve made a name for herself honestly, but she''d wasted every opportunity and resorted to dirty tricks. Now, she was just another forgotten face, destined to spend the rest of her days behind bars.


    Hawthorne didn''t say another word, letting her use his hand for a pillow. The gesture soothed Gwh, and for the rest of the night, she finally slept soundly, no longer tossing and turning in distress.


    Hawthorne let her cling to him until morning, enduring the numbness in his arm without so much as a wince.


    When Gwh woke, she found herself in a hospital bed, Leonie standing at her side.


    "Oh my god, Gwyn, you''re finally awake. I was terrified."


    Gwh blinked at her through the haze of sleep. Leonie looked as if she might burst into tears as she reached for her.


    Slowly, the memories ofst night returned. She remembered drinking too much, almost being cornered by


    Bill Crawford-he''d tried to take advantage of her. Then Hawthorne appeared. After that, she''d seen a knife, and everything had gone ck. The rest was a nk.


    "How did I end up here?" she asked, wondering if Hawthorne had brought her to


    the hospital, though he was nowhere to be seen.


    "I''m not sure," Leonie replied. "Hans called me, so I rushed over as soon as I could."


    Gwh nodded. So it had been


    Hawthorne or Hans who brought her here. A sudden thought struck her, and she turned to Leonie. "You didn''t tell your mom, did you?"


    Mrs. Everhart was a warm, caring woman, and Gwh didn''t want her to worry.


    Leonie shook her head. "No, I had rehearsal at the theater this morning and haven''t had a chance to tell her."


    "Good. Please don''t. It''s really not a big deal-I just fainted from low blood sugar."


    Ever since that night years ago,


    Gwh Couldn''t stand the sight of anything truly dangerous-especially blood. That memory was a thorn


    lodged deep inside her, and any hint of it sent her spiraling.


    "Oh, I''m just d you''re okay," Leonie said softly.


    Hans appeared at the doorway, and seeing the two girls chatting, he knocked


    lightly to announce himself.