Gwh staying away from the office suited his ns perfectly.
"Alright. If you need anything, just ask me. Or if you''d rather not talk to me, you can tell Butler Parham."
Hawthorne knew where he stood.
Gwh gave a faint nod, walked into the bedroom, and closed the door in his face. Hawthorne wanted to follow her, but the closed door was a clear rejection.
No matter, he thought. At least she was back. He could figure out the restter.
Gwh unpacked, putting her things back where they belonged. A momentter, she received a call from Connor Kaufman.
"I went to the vige and Ms. Everhart said you moved out. Don''t tell me you left just to avoid me. Gwh, you have to keep your word. You promised you''d let me take you racing. Are you trying to stand me up?"
The moment she answered, Connor''sints came tumbling out.
Gwh couldn''t help but smile. The Connor she knew now was so different from the boy she remembered. As a child, he had been more mature andposed, with a calm and gentle demeanor. The man he''d be was impatient and restless.
"Of course not. Send me the address tomorrow. I''ll meet you there.”
Connor paused, a hint of understanding—and a trace of sarcasm—in his voice. "You went back to Hawthorne, didn''t you?"
Gwh didn''t deny it, simply responding with a quiet, “Yes.”
Connor spat out the toothpick he''d been chewing on and said something that was both hurtful and true.
"You''re spineless."
Before Gwh could say anything, he hung up.
She should have been angry, but for some reason, she could never stay mad at him.
He was right. If she truly had any backbone, she would have epted his offer, gone home, and told her grandfather she was getting married—just to a different groom.
When Connor hade to see her, he''d made it clear. If she agreed to be with him, they could get married immediately.
At the time, Gwh had found the ideaughable. Now, it didn''t seem like such a bad solution. But after calming down, she knew she couldn''t drag him into her mess.
Once she got divorced, she would be a divorcée.
Connor had his whole life ahead of him and could have any woman he wanted. Besides, Gwh wasn''t even sure she could truly let go of Hawthorne.
That evening, Butler Parham prepared a full dinner, but Hawthorne didn''t appear at the table. They both ate alone.
The butler watched them, confused. Mrs. Everhart had willingly returned with Mr. Everhart. Didn''t that mean they had reconciled? Why were they still like this?
After dinner, Gwh returned to her room and lost herself in carving her seals.
Later, when she went downstairs for a ss of water, she passed Hawthorne''s study and saw the light was still on. The two of them, husband and wife under the same roof, went about their separate lives.
Gwh stayed upte.
As if by ident, she walked past his study again. The light was still on, and his car was parked in the courtyard, meaning he hadn''t gone out.
Gwh found it strange. If he was so devoted to Patti, why was he staying home? Surely it wasn''t just to maintain the facade of a marriage for her sake? They had no shared bysmess interests. In fact, their families had a history of conflict. There was no reason for Hawthorne to keep up appearances with her.
Unable to figure it out, she decided to stop thinking about it. Tomorrow, she was going racing with Connor Aftering to Greenvale, shed barely been on a track, aside from asionally driving the Ferrari Hawthorne had given her.
Pushing aside her worries, the thought of the race thrilled her. It was as if the blood
of a driver was stirring in her veins again.
Late into the night, when drowsiness
finally overcame her, she put down her tools and climbed into bed. Back here, the sheets carried a familiar scent that burrowed deep into her heart. It was just like when Hawthorne used to hold her as she slept. And though she knew she should resist the memories he left
behind Gwh found herself
sinking into a deep sleep, wrapped in
the lingering scent of him.
In the early hours of the morning, Hawthorne finally emerged from his study. He
knew she had been busy all night.