Her n had been to finalize the divorce with Hawthorne privately right after the big wedding, but if she was expected to have a child, how could she possibly exin that to her family?


    Hawthorne gave Gwh a long, searching look, sensing something was wrong. Under the table, he reached for her hand and held it tight.


    She tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong. A chill washed over her, as if she''d been plunged into an icy cavern, and her thoughts scattered in panic.


    Looking at Gwh with deep affection, Hawthorne addressed the Langford family elders. “I have no objections. We don''t need to wait for a second child. The first one can take the Langford name."


    He reasoned that the Everhart family still had Kirin, so his own lineage wasn''t an immediate concern. If he and Gwh had one child, they could have a second and a third. What did it matter if the first one carried the Langford name? Ultimately, the Everhart family was still getting the better end of the deal, and a child of his and Gwh''s bearing the Langford name was no loss to him at all. Of course, with his own capabilities, he wasn''t trying to covet the Langford family''s assets; he could more than afford to raise his own children.


    Hawthorne''s open-mindedness delighted Thorpe and all the family elders, but no one noticed the apprehension clouding Victoria''s face.


    Celia Langford shot Gwh a peculiar nce.


    Someone then broke the mood with a yful jab. “Well, Chris, looks like you''ve got somepetition now. You''d better get married and have kids as soon as youe of age, or your position might not be so secure."


    Chris paid no mind to the old-timers'' teasing. He figured that having a few more nephews would only give him more allies, helping the Langford family to flourish and ensuring its legacy.


    "Infighting is not the way," Chris said with a grin. "You old folks should stop trying to stir up trouble. My sister''s child isn''t even born yet, and you''re already hoping we''ll be at each other''s throats."


    His words drew a round of heartyughter from the group.


    That evening, the elders stayed for dinner, and the toasts and drinks flowed freely. This time, Gwh was too preupied to let loose as she had at the wedding banquet Hawthorne, on the other hand, was persuaded into drinking quite a bit, but with his high toleranée, he held his own against the elder statesmen of the family.


    Hawthorne readily agreed to all their suggestions, which greatly pleased the Langford elders. His standing among them rose significantly, cementing his position as the family''s unshakeable grandson-inw.


    After a few rounds of drinks, Hawthorne didn''t mention returning to Greenvale, but Gwh knew he would have to leave soon. Her wine ss sat untouched on the table, her mind elsewhere.


    Hawthorne noticed she wasn''t as emotionally vtile as the day before, and the knot of tension in his chest loosened slightly.


    1.n


    On the drive back, Gwh was silent. She had made three grave mistakes. First, impulsively agreeing to be with Hawthorne. Second, bringing him home for a marriage proposal less than three months into their rtionship. Third, proceeding with the wedding after discovering his affair instead of filing for divorce. She had plunged deeper into a mess of her own making.


    She''d thought of the marriage as a buffer to soften the blow for her family, but it had be a


    at


    slow-acting poison, eating away her soul and leaving her trapped. Now, after the wedding, she was expected to produce a son for the Langford family. If she divorced Hawthorne after the child was born, the boy would be fatherless, and she would be a single mother-a disgrace that would surely tarnish the family''s name.