CHAPTER 108: CHAPTER 108: I WILL NEVER CONSIDER HIM

Early the next morning.

Poppy Hale woke up to find the pillow beside her soaked with wet marks.

The dream from last night left her somewhat dazed.

After a brief moment of distraction, she got up to wash up.

In the dining room, Truth Hale had already made breakfast and was brushing Florence Lynch’s hair.

"Poppy, you eat first, I’ll take Florence to school in a bit."

Truth Hale had to go back to the old villa today.

Poppy took a sip of porridge, "How about I take a day off and go with you?"

"Go with me for what? I’m not a two-year-old kid who can’t read or find her way."

Florence looked up at Truth Hale.

Seriously, she said, "Grandma, I can find my way and I can read too."

Truth Hale cupped her little face and kissed it repeatedly.

"Oh my, our Florence is the best."

Poppy rubbed the goosebumps on her arms.

She had never heard Truth Hale speak to her in such a mosquito-crushing tone.

The bond with the next generation is indeed terrifying.

The three of them finished breakfast and entered the elevator.

Before the door closed, a hand reached in, and the elevator door was opened.

Declan Hawthorne stood at the entrance, dressed impeccably in a suit, and entered the elevator.

Poppy’s eyelids twitched.

She remembered him saying that the apartments next door and upstairs were his.

So no matter where he lived, it was normal.

Florence was delighted and leaned over from Truth Hale, reaching out to Declan to be carried.

"Uncle Hawthorne!"

Truth Hale quickly apologized, "Sorry about that, Florence, you shouldn’t trouble others to carry you."

Declan smiled and reached out to take Florence.

"It’s okay. Let me do it."

Seeing him like this, Truth Hale also heaved a sigh of relief.

"You live here too?"

"I live next door, though I don’t come over here often."

He said the latter part while glancing at Poppy, seemingly speaking to her.

In front of Truth Hale, Poppy nodded slightly toward Declan.

"Good morning, President Hawthorne."

"Good morning to you too, and good morning, ma’am."

Truth Hale couldn’t contain her smile.

"Hey, good morning to you too."

Poppy stayed silent, watching the numbers on the elevator slowly descend.

Florence lay on Declan’s shoulder, whispering something to him, covering her mouth so that Poppy and Truth Hale couldn’t hear.

Truth Hale pulled Poppy aside, "Before my surgery, you said you would tell me who Florence’s father is. Have you forgotten?"

Poppy’s breath hitched.

The atmosphere in the elevator suddenly turned a bit tense.

The air seemed to thin as if being slowly sucked away.

Poppy saw her own reflection in the elevator wall, slightly distorted, with no color on her face.

In the mirror, she locked eyes with Declan Hawthorne.

His eyes held a trace of anticipation, yet Poppy couldn’t clearly discern it.

It seemed she never quite understood Declan’s intentions.

Luckily, she had no desire to guess them now.

Poppy calmly said, "It’s my boyfriend from university; we broke up on his birthday."

Truth Hale seemed to have guessed it and asked, "Does he know about Florence?"

Poppy smiled lightly, a smile devoid of warmth.

As if invisible blades flew out and slashed Declan’s heart.

Truth Hale was unaware that the person in question stood right before her.

"He knows, but Florence is solely my child. No one can take her from me."

Truth Hale pondered for a moment.

She sighed gently.

"What I mean is, if he isn’t married yet, then you... "

Poppy slightly tilted her head towards Truth Hale.

"Mom, if Connor Lynch were still alive, he wouldn’t ask me to do that."

Her face bore the same stubbornness that Truth Hale had in her youth.

Truth Hale reached out and patted Poppy’s back.

"Alright, alright, I hear you. Whatever you say. Even if you don’t marry, the two of us can still raise Florence well."

Ever since her surgery, Truth Hale’s personality had become noticeably more peaceful.

Poppy nodded.

"You can look, but I will never consider him."

The mirror on the elevator reflected Declan Hawthorne’s face, as dark as water, yet his lips curled into a light smile.

Florence didn’t understand what the adults were discussing.

But she could sense Declan’s emotions.

She reached out her small hand to pull down Declan’s smile, earnestly but sweetly.

"Uncle Hawthorne, Mommy said you don’t have to smile when you’re unhappy."

Declan was slightly taken aback.

Then he chuckled and said, "Your mother has taught you well."

Florence spoke with childlike innocence.

"Yeah, I think so too! Why not let my mom teach you as well? Then you’ll be just as good as me!"

Truth Hale couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

This child.

Declan also chuckled before stepping out of the elevator.

He handed Florence over to Truth Hale, then looked at Poppy.

"I’ll drive, and I can drop you off."

At times like this, saying she was going to take the subway would seem too deliberate, and unnecessary.

Poppy nodded, "Thank you, President Hawthorne. I just happen to have some work matters to discuss."

Truth Hale was inwardly frustrated.

Such a good opportunity, and Poppy used it to talk about work!

Oh well, this girl’s mind isn’t on dating right now.

No need to push it.

After getting in the car, the Jeep Wrangler merged into the traffic.

Declan maneuvered the steering wheel, "What did you want to say?"

Poppy brought up the issue with Finn Young’s manuscript.

"I reached out to Mr. Young, and she said the price didn’t match her expectations and declined. President Hawthorne will probably hear about it when you go to the office today."

Declan frowned.

"I remember we agreed on the price long ago."

The internal pricing was decided at the start, which led the person in charge to reach out to Finn Young.

Thinking a bit, it was clear there were some issues with this.

"I understand. I’ll look into it."

"Alright."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Besides work, they seemingly had nothing else to say.

Poppy stared intently at the traffic outside.

Declan found a topic.

"Aren’t you curious about what Florence and I just talked about?"

"You can have secrets, no need to let me know."

Declan grinned, "Our secrets might be many; are you sure you don’t want to know any of them, Florence’s mom?"

It was the first time he called her that.

Strangely enough, because there was a child between them, this title gave them a unique sense of connection.

He seemed quite pleased with the role of Florence’s father.

Poppy immediately turned her head and looked at Declan.

He focused on the road ahead, his profile like a sculpture, perfectly elegant, exuding a cold noble aura.

Seizing the chance to check the rearview mirror, he glimpsed at Poppy, his smile illuminated by the morning light, blinding her eyes.

Poppy couldn’t help but secretly criticize inwardly.

A Ferrari, even after a few years, is still a Ferrari.

This face once led her to play with fire, reckless, wanting to be a moth to a flame, and now she still admired it, thinking that Declan Hawthorne’s looks were entirely a blessing from the goddess Nüwa.

She heard herself asking.

"What other secrets do you have?"