"I still can''t figure out what Hawthorne''s true intentions are toward Gwh. And that girl is so stubborn; she refuses to let us help with most things. From what I know, the two of them are living together, so I''m not sure what their situation is, and I don''t want to interfere rashly."
Stein held a cigarette but didn''t light it. "From this woman''s confession, it doesn''t sound like anything physical ever happened between her and Hawthorne. It seems Hawthorne has a feud with a man named Jamesover there, and he''s using this woman to eliminate his biggestpetitor in Greenvale."
Victoria looked at him intently. "I don''t understand why he has to go through such a convoluted process. Stein, this man, James... who''s backing him?"
She knew her son-inw was no pushover. For him to go to such lengths to deal with someone, that person must be formidable. Victoria was hoping there was a way to make this James disappear from Greenvale directly, to spare Gwh the ordeal. Her heart ached for her daughter.
For the first time, Stein looked genuinely troubled. "Jame''s family itself isn''t much, but James''s father has connections in Echo City with people who outrank me. Hawthorne''s approach has its merits. This James fellow is a slippery character-he keeps a wife at home while having affairs all over town, and he''s so good at manipting his own father that the old man won''t even believe his own daughter. The man definitely has some skills."
Victoria fell silent. If James''s backer was more powerful than her own brother, then Hawthorne''s indirect strategy was indeed necessary.
"This woman is the best opportunity Hawthorne has found so far. He''s likely nning to use her to create an opening, a way to lure James into a trap," Stein analyzed, his logic sound. Victoria, of course, understood the ruthless nature of business.
"What do you think Hawthorne''s chances of sess are?" If she, as the mother-in-w, could intervene, she would do it in a heartbeat to end this sooner.
"Fifty-fifty, I''d say. I forgot to ask the woman how far along the n is. But at least with this paper and this recording, you can prove to Gwh that Hawthorne has nothing to do with this woman. You should find a good time to give them to her. It''s not right for a young woman to constantly misunderstand her husband."
At this, however, it was Victoria who hesitated. If James was Hawthorne''s biggest enemy in Greenvale, then her Gwh was bound to suffer for a while longer. If even Stein couldn''t easily touch this man, then she couldn''t help either.
Gwh was grown now. She
should be married to a capable and resourceful man, not one who wallowed in some fantasy of romantic love. A man who only knew how to dote on his wife, who was apdog at home but had no idea how to navigate the dangers of the outside world or build an empire for his family, was not a man worth entrusting one''s life to, no matter how much he pampered his wife.
A beast in the jungle must have the ferocity of a beast. A weak, ipetent man could coddle his wife all he wanted, but in the end, it would be his wife and children who would pay the price for his failures.
Victoria''s grip on the digital recorder tightened, her gaze hardening with resolve. Everyone''s life is filled with hardships. Some suffer physically, others emotionally. Those who endure find a new world waiting for them on the other side, you have to go through the storm to see the rainbow. All she could do was pray that her Gwh would get through this trial.
"We''ll see," she finally said.
"Hawthorne is not destined to
remain a small fish. Chris is still young, and it''s too early to tell what kind of future he''ll have in the business world. If Hawthorne truly possesses this level of courage, intelligence, and superhuman patience, he could be a valuable ally to Chris in the future. If Gwh is with a man like that, I can die in peace."