CHAPTER 38: CHAPTER 38: DIDN’T I BREAK UP TO SET YOU FREE?

Poppy Hale’s mind was spinning.

Declan Hawthorne’s hand was gripping her waist, with no intention of letting go.

He was familiar with her body.

He also knew under what circumstances she would be unable to resist.

This house showed no signs of a man’s presence.

Mrs. Hale tacitly allowed, even indulged, this stranger to be here alone with Poppy in a room.

He heard what Mrs. Hale said, which was nothing more than urging Poppy to give that man another chance.

Poppy wasn’t enduring this marriage as spinelessly as she claimed.

That made him somewhat happy.

Even, it gave rise to some vile thoughts.

Declan Hawthorne was not someone who restrained himself.

Having such thoughts, he acted on them.

The man’s fingers were slightly cool as they slipped under Poppy’s clothes; the sensation without fabric was entirely different, causing Poppy to shiver.

She came to her senses.

"President Hawthorne... Declan! Let go of me!"

He didn’t move, and his actions even became more outrageous.

His fingers were almost touching her bra clasp.

Poppy, in a panic, bit down on the corner of Declan’s lip.

Bright red blood hung on his lip as the man finally released her, casually wiping the blood away, his eyes fixed steadily on her.

As if he truly intended to devour her.

Declan chuckled lightly, his tone carrying a hint of frivolous mockery.

"Poppy Hale, has anyone ever told you, you’d be quite suited to debut as an actress?"

"...What?"

"You’re quite the performer."

In the past, she’d performed in front of him as if she were obedient, understanding, loving him, deeply affectionate like the sea.

She tricked him into falling.

But she abandoned him mercilessly, making him a joke.

Did she think he was some toy she’d grabbed from a claw machine, that she could discard whenever she wanted?

Now, she was acting timid, cowardly, gentle, and afraid of him in front of him.

Her face was somewhat pale; Declan had one hand propped against the door and pinched her chin with the other, leaning closer.

"How long do you plan to deceive me?"

"When did I ever deceive you?"

She was guilty.

She feared Declan would find out about Florence’s issue.

Declan was quite imposing.

Standing nearly six-foot-three, he was fond of working out, pressing her against the door, almost blocking all of Poppy’s line of sight.

Poppy had thought he would never bring up the past again in his life.

Unexpectedly, he did.

"When you dumped me, did you know how those people laughed at me?"

"You know clearly it wasn’t me, it was you..."

Declan seemed to have heard some kind of joke.

"Say it again, I dumped you?"

Poppy sighed softly.

Clearly, she had planned to never bring up the matter in this lifetime, yet it was like a scar she thought had healed, but once uncovered, the wound was still bloody.

Those stings, planted years ago, still hadn’t been removed.

It still left her heart aching.

Poppy gave a pale smile, looking at Declan, "It was you, you said, you never really cared about me."

"You said you didn’t like me, and being with me was just because I wouldn’t leave you alone."

"Also, that bet. Since you disliked me so much, wouldn’t continuing to entangle with you be shameless?"

Her voice was very soft.

So soft, like curtains being blown gently by the wind, only slightly swaying, without causing a ripple.

The voice held no overt emotion.

"In the past, I did like you."

Her lips held a smile devoid of warmth, her eyes misty as she looked at him hazily.

Declan felt, perhaps, it was disappointment.

His throat was dry.

"I..."

He instinctively wanted to explain.

But those words, indeed, were ones he’d said.

That bet, also, truly existed.

He closed his eyes.

"I can explain those things. Why didn’t you ask me?"

Since she had already spoken, Poppy didn’t mind continuing to trample her last bit of dignity in front of him.

"Declan."

"You say I deceived you; do you have the face to say that? Who really deceived who? President Hawthorne graciously played a game with me, how dare I be so shameless, right?"

"Ask you, to humiliate myself? Or did you think I didn’t know there were always girls confessing to you."

"...I ignored them."

Poppy nodded, "Yes, you ignored them. But you tacitly allowed them to approach you, and you tacitly allowed those people to say I was clinging onto you."

"When we were together, I was already very tired. Declan, your actions always disappointed me."

"I broke up, wasn’t I making things easier for you? You told Mason Rivers that you would definitely break up with me."

Mason Rivers?

There was once when Declan and Poppy quarreled.

Actually, it was a one-sided argument; Declan threw a tantrum and ignored Poppy.

But he was accustomed to this way of thinking; in the Hawthorne Family, it wasn’t allowed to have any loud talking or out-of-control temper.

Every time emotions ran wild, he would be required to independently and calmly reflect.

But in Poppy’s eyes, it was emotional coldness.

After sorting out his emotions, he went to find Poppy, only to find out she’d blocked him on WeChat.

By then, Declan was also stubborn.

Mason Rivers happened to witness it, even joked how dare Poppy block him.

Declan said in a fit of anger that he would definitely break up with Poppy.

But in reality, he forgot about it afterward.

He didn’t expect Mason Rivers to relay this to Poppy.

Declan wanted to explain, but for the first time realized, his verbal skills were quite ordinary.

She said, "Declan, I no longer like you, and it has nothing to do with my current husband."

"So can you stay far away from me?"

Tears streamed from her eyes as she spoke, burning as they scalded the back of his hand.

Wet, making it impossible to ignore.

Declan’s voice was hoarse, he closed his eyes, his hand beside Poppy’s pressed into a fist against the door.

The man’s emotionless voice came from above Poppy’s head.

"Alright."

-

The next day.

Poppy got up; Mrs. Hale was already having breakfast with the two children.

The little chubby boy wasn’t picky about food, and even Florence, who was usually picky, ate heartily, eating quite a lot.

This brought a big smile to Mrs. Hale’s face.

"Where’s your boss?"

"He left after talking about work."

Young people these days, how do they not seize opportunities at all, completely unromantic. Such a good moment, such an ambiguous environment, not even cultivating any feelings?

And spending the time on work conversation?

Utterly a waste of time!

Poppy looked at Mrs. Hale’s expression and could tell what she was thinking, immediately sighed helplessly, "Mom, don’t add to the chaos. I’m with Florence, who would want to be with me?"

Who knew Iris Quill’s eyes would shift.

She immediately chimed in, "My uncle can! I’d be happy for Florence to be my sister!"

If she could become family with Florence, Iris Quill felt it worth it even if she had to eat meat buns and pizzas all over.

Poppy’s fingers paused.

Not a sister.

Florence was originally Iris Quill’s older sister.

Thinking of this, Poppy was somewhat helpless.

Was it really because of some blood relation that Iris chose to play with Florence among the many kids in kindergarten?

Shaking her head, Poppy finished breakfast and took the two children to school.

Going downstairs, she saw a familiar car parked there.