Victoria took the long box, a flicker of surprise crossing her face.


    Usually, first-time visitors would bring the typical fare-some generic health supplements or expensive tonics. But this man''s gift was a mystery, tightly wrapped and giving away nothing.


    "It''s just a small gesture," Hawthorne said simply, offering no further exnation.


    Gwh''s heart skipped a beat when she caught sight of the box.


    "Well, I won''t stand on ceremony, then," Victoria replied, curiosity piqued. She was eager to see what kind of present the man who had safely escorted her daughter home had prepared.


    The moment Victoria opened the box, she was stunned.


    Inside was andscape painting. As she carefully unrolled it, her eyesnded on the signature at the bottom-and tears welled up instantly.


    This was it. Thest of her mother''s keepsakes the one she had searched for through endless towns and cities, alwaysing up empty-handed. Never did she imagine it would find its way back to her today.


    "What is this?" she asked, voice trembling.


    Gwh recognized it at once. She''d seen this very painting hanging on the wall of Hawthorne''s vi-a priceless original by her grandmother. She''d been quietly longing to bring it home, and now, here it was, delivered right to their door.


    Hawthorne had actually given it to her. That could only mean...


    "Thank you, Mr. Everhart. This is my mother''s masterpiece-how did you...?" Victoria was visibly moved. Of all the things she''d longed for over the years, nothing mattered more than gathering her mother''s works, fulfilling at least one of her mother''s final wishes.


    Gwh looked at Hawthorne, puzzled. So he''d known who she was all along- that''s why he''d brought the painting.


    "Gwyn spent a long time looking at this painting when she visited my ce the other day," he said, ncing coolly in her direction. "In fact, she was rather... furtive about it."


    Gwh''s cheeks flushed. She couldn''t help but retort, "I was not! I was perfectly open about it."


    Hawthorne didn''t argue. "She told me she lived in Starfall City, and that herst name was Langford. Not many people would casually offer to buy my nephew''s mother''s painting for a small fortune. I figured, aside from the eldest Miss Langford of Starfall City, no one else would be so generous."


    Only then did Gwh realize-she''d identally let it slip that she was from a wealthy family.


    But after the initial joy, everyone''s attention shifted from Gwh''s fondness for her grandmother''s art to a certain word Hawthorne had let slip: "vi."


    "You two are living together?" Victoria''s voice shot up an octave, nearly cracking in shock.


    It was the first time she''d lost herposure in front of her children. The look she gave Hawthorne could have shredded him on the spot.


    It was the feeling of having raised her beloved daughter all these years, only for her to be whisked away by someone else-equal parts heartbreak and outrage. Celia turned to Gwh, lips pursed. "You said you weren''t leaving us. Liar."


    Gwh opened her mouth, but the words tangled hopelessly. She hadn''t left home for Hawthorne, after all.


    "It''s not like that—" she tried to exin.


    Chris, who had been silently


    observing, finally spoke up, his tone serious. "So, are you telling us you''re bringing him home to propose? Are


    Young


    serious about this?"


    He looked anything but pleased. Gwh was his big sister; the prospect of her


    suddenly having a boyfriend-or worse, a fiancé was hard to swallow.


    "No, I''m not," Gwh protested, but no one was listening. It seemed everyone had already decided she and Hawthorne were living together. Flustered, she tugged Hawthorne''s sleeve and shoved him forward like a shield.


    "Uncle, say something. Exin!" she pleaded.


    Hawthorne, as calm as ever, asked, “Which part am I supposed to rify? The


    fact that she''s staying at my ce, or... our rtionship?"