"Mom, something''se up. I have to go," Gwh said, her face practically on fire. She couldn''t believe Victoria was sofortable discussing the intimate details of married life. In her mind, Victoria was her mother, and she was the daughter; sex was a conversational chasm that was never meant to be crossed between them.


    Her cheeks were still burning a good ten minutes after she hung up. Gwh decided she could never bring up a topic like that again. The mortification would kill her.


    Victoria stared at her phone for a moment before slowly setting it down. Just then, a person she had longed to see appeared in the living room.


    "Stein! When did you get back? Why didn''t you tell me you wereing?" Victoria was both surprised and overjoyed. Seeing her brother felt like a reunion with a long- lost piece of her family.


    "I felt terrible for missing Gwh''s wedding due to official business,” Stein said, taking a seat. Victoria quickly asked the staff to bring refreshments. It had been quite a while since she and Stein hadst seen each other.


    "Oh, I almost forgot!" Victoria suddenly remembered. "You mentioned you had to fly to Greenvale for something first. Did you finish your business there? I should have told you Gwh is in Greenvale. Did you get a chance to see her?"


    Stein gave a subtle nod to his aide, who immediately handed him a box. "This is my wedding gift for her. I was in a rush over there and didn''t want to disturb them, so I figured I''d bring the gift back to you here in Starfall City. It''s the same if you give it to her. And I hope you won''t mind if I attend their next wedding ceremony in Greenvale as a member of the family."


    Stein''s words brought tears to Victoria''s eyes. How could she possibly mind? The only family she had left on her side were Stein and her aunt. But her aunt''s health had been declining in recent years, abination of age and old injuries from the long years she''d spent bedridden. Victoria had sent her abroad to recuperate quietly, and for Gwh''s wedding, she had only been able to make an overseas call.


    Victoria didn''t need to open the box to know that her brother''s gift was priceless, something most people would never eveny eyes on. She clutched the gift box, treasuring it.


    Stein chuckled. "You''ve seen so many treasures, yet you still cherish a little something from your brother so much."


    In front of Stein, Victoria always reverted to being like a young girl, a little shy "No matter how many treasures live seen, none canpare to my brother''s good taste. Gwh will definitely love whatever you''ve chosen."


    Stein then pulled something else from his pocket and ced it on the coffee table. Victoria leaned in for a closer look. It was a digital recorder and a sheet of paper with some writing on it.


    "The business had in Greenvale... I''d never met Hawthorne, so I wanted to check him out and see if he''s truly worthy of our Gwh.


    young was a bit surprises sone


    rushed into marriage. But 1


    she


    Λοι


    discovered something even more surprising. I''m curious to know what you think."


    Stein yed a recording. Patti''s voice filled the air.


    Victoria listened from beginning to end as Patti detailed her coboration with Hawthorne. Throughout her confession, Patti kept referring to a man named "McNeil."


    An apologetic look crossed Stein''s face. "My identity can''t be made public, so I have to use a cover for certain things. I borrowed McNeil''s name."


    Victoria finally understood why Gwh had called to ask if her father was awake. It was her brother, who had gone to Greenvale to investigate the other woman in Hawthorne''s life for his niece.


    Seeing that Victoria wasn''t surprised by any of this, Stein suddenly smiled. "It seems you already knew. I went to all this trouble for nothing."


    Victoria gave a helpless sigh. "Stein,


    you know I''m a businesswoman, and we tend to be suspicious. Hawthorne and Gwh got married so quickly, I was afraid he had ulterior motives, solve had people keeping an eye on them. I knew the gist of what was going on between Hawthorne and this woman, but I didn''t have the details


    you''ve uncovered. Are you sure this


    woman didn''t suspect you?"


    Stein shook his head. "She doesn''t know who I am. She might eventually realize I''m


    not McNeil, but she''ll never guess my true identity."


    Victoria rxed at his assurance. Her brother held a position of immense power. If


    he suffered any negative consequences because of Gwh, the guilt would be more than she could bear.