CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 39: TRACES OF INTIMACY

Iris Quill was very happy.

She leaned in and called out, "Uncle."

She pulled out a bun from her pocket and reluctantly handed it to Declan Hawthorne.

"Uncle, this is a bun made by Aunt Poppy. It’s really delicious. You haven’t had breakfast, have you? It’s for you."

In the morning, Mrs. Hale steamed a batch of buns for the two kids.

They were all made by Poppy Hale.

The stuffing was a mix of fish and shrimp, with zucchini and scrambled eggs, creating a light but delicious flavor.

Iris Quill had never tasted this before and ate several in a row.

Mrs. Hale was worried he might feel uncomfortable from eating too much, so she packed a few for him to eat on the way.

Iris Quill thought.

Someone as grown-up as his uncle surely wouldn’t compete with him for food.

He could slowly enjoy these buns at kindergarten.

No one expected the man to glance over, his gaze lingering slightly on Poppy Hale, before taking the bun from Iris Quill’s hand.

And he ate it in two bites.

After finishing, he looked at Iris Quill.

"Do you have more?"

Iris Quill didn’t expect his uncle to actually eat it!

How could he compete with a kid for food?

Seeing Iris Quill about to cry, Poppy Hale stepped forward, offering the bun in her hand to Declan Hawthorne.

"President Hawthorne, please have mine."

"No need."

Declan Hawthorne didn’t take hers.

Instead, he got off the car and carried Iris Quill and Florence into it.

He didn’t even look at Poppy Hale.

Poppy Hale didn’t have much appetite in the morning, so Mrs. Hale suggested she take some food to eat on the way, or heat it up later at the office.

To prevent low blood sugar.

Declan Hawthorne didn’t take hers; maybe he still didn’t want to have any ties with her.

Poppy Hale squeezed the plastic food bag tightly in her hand.

Opening the door, she saw that both kids were in their safety seats, and the backseat was full.

The only empty seat was the passenger seat.

Declan Hawthorne casually mentioned, "The other seat is a hand-me-down from when Iris Quill was younger."

Asking her where to sit now would seem a bit self-consciously formal.

Declan Hawthorne navigated to the kindergarten.

The car started moving.

Iris Quill, excitedly in the back, asked, "Uncle, did you come to pick us up specifically?"

"Your mom is busy these days. You’re under my care."

Iris Quill had no idea what was going on.

He glanced expectantly at Poppy Hale.

"Can I stay at Aunt Poppy’s place then?"

He liked Poppy Hale’s home a lot.

It’s small but interesting.

Poppy Hale was always so kind to him.

"No. Your grandmother is coming over soon."

Last night, Declan Hawthorne told Mrs. Hawthorne about Heather Underwood’s situation.

Mrs. Hawthorne was very upset, didn’t even have time to urge Declan Hawthorne for matchmaking, and rushed to contact Declan Hawthorne’s aunt.

Ms. Valerie Barrett had already boarded the first flight from Karakul to Arvum.

A child as big as Iris Quill requires a lot of care and energy.

Mrs. Hale didn’t seem in great health, struggling to care for Florence, let alone an energetic Iris Quill.

Poppy Hale watched the scenery whizzing past the window.

She fought back the nausea from carsickness, feeling sick at even the slightest hint of gasoline.

The man, under the guise of checking the rearview mirror,

let his gaze fall on Poppy Hale’s neck.

Her collarbones were very pale and distinct, currently adorned with ambiguous red marks, covered by her hair in the morning, unnoticed by her and Mrs. Hale alike.

The wind blew her hair aside.

On her collarbones, neck, and even behind her ear, there were red marks.

Seeing the marks behind her ear, Declan Hawthorne’s breathing deepened.

Those were his fingerprints.

Upon arriving at the kindergarten, Declan Hawthorne watched the two kids go inside.

Poppy Hale stood by the car, "I’ll take the subway."

Declan Hawthorne’s gaze was profound; he glanced at her lightly.

With a curl of his lips, he said, "Get in the car."

He didn’t give her a second option.

During the morning rush hour, Arvum was bustling, traffic jammed.

Taking the subway now wouldn’t be timely.

Poppy Hale had no choice but to get in.

At least with Declan Hawthorne, he couldn’t fault her for being late.

Once seated and buckled up,

the man didn’t start the car.

His deep black eyes carried hidden meaning.

He reached out, opened the mirror in front of Poppy Hale with a concise remark, "Neck."

Poppy Hale looked and instantly blushed.

They were adults; if she claimed at the office it was a mosquito bite, no one would believe her.

Rooting through her bag, she couldn’t find any concealer.

Remembering last night’s scenes in her room, Poppy Hale’s ears turned red.

She knew that Declan Hawthorne was probably impulsive.

Or maybe, he mistook her for someone else, who knows.

After searching for a while, she found a sample-sized foundation, barely covering the marks.

Seems like she’d have to let her hair down at work today.

The car started and merged into the flow of traffic.

Declan Hawthorne focused on the road ahead, listening to Poppy Hale speak up, "President Hawthorne, please drop me off at the street in front of the office in a bit."

She didn’t want to be seen getting out of Declan Hawthorne’s car, to avoid misunderstandings.

"Why not have me drop you on an overpass?"

Poppy Hale fell silent.

Declan Hawthorne glanced once.

It was this attitude again.

If it were Mason Rivers talking to her like this, would she react the same?

Declan Hawthorne’s molars clenched with a crunch.

"Eat."

"Huh?"

The man’s tone was not kind.

"I told you to eat, if you faint in my car from low blood sugar, I’d have to pay for it."

Only then did Poppy Hale realize he was concerned about her low blood sugar in his car.

The buns had a bit of flavor, so Poppy Hale had to eat them one by one.

Stuffing them in, her cheeks puffed out like a hamster’s.

Looking at Declan Hawthorne, she resembled an adorable little animal, her cheeks puffy, looking dumb and cute.

With a bit more flesh on her face, she looked more like the Poppy Hale from a few years back.

Last night, back home, Declan Hawthorne hadn’t slept at all.

His mind was filled with Poppy Hale’s words.

She said she was very disappointed in him.

And she said she no longer liked him.

Declan Hawthorne promised to keep his distance in the future.

And tried to calm himself down.

But early in the morning, thinking about Iris Quill still at her place, he grabbed his keys and left.

They hadn’t come downstairs yet, when the neighbor they met in the elevator last night returned from walking the dog, seeing Declan Hawthorne standing by the car.

He chuckled, "Waiting for someone?"

The neighbor clicked his tongue, "Women take forever with makeup, huh? Haven’t seen you before. How come you never came home? Leaving your wife to handle the kid alone is tough."

Declan Hawthorne’s face was stern.

He handed a cigarette to the neighbor.

The neighbor didn’t initially want it, but seeing it was from Wellness Mountain Residence, immediately accepted it with a smile.

Those were priceless!

"I’ve been back before, you probably didn’t notice me."

The man subtly probed, the neighbor looked puzzled, "Really? I live just above you, never seen you! Must’ve mixed it up then."

Declan Hawthorne smiled, watching the neighbor enter the elevator upstairs.

Learning that man never came around here.

Instability stirred within Declan Hawthorne.

At a traffic light, he sent a message to Allen Shaw.

"Check out this person, Sean Lynch."