CHAPTER 69: CHAPTER 69: FATHER AND DAUGHTER

Poppy Hale couldn’t qualify for the child allowance.

When the policy first came out, Amber Yates shared it with her immediately.

Poppy was grateful that Amber remembered her in any situation.

She didn’t have a marriage certificate, nor a divorce certificate.

This was where she got stuck.

So she couldn’t claim that bit of money.

Poppy thanked Heather Underwood and said she would apply when she had time.

But something unexpected happened.

While Heather was teaching Poppy how to apply, she also uploaded Iris Quill’s document info on her own.

The result showed the child allowance couldn’t be claimed multiple times.

Heather’s hand trembled, nearly dropping her phone.

The system required facial recognition verification.

Only the child’s parents could pass verification to receive the child allowance.

Which meant.

The money had already been claimed by Iris’s father.

To Heather, the money wasn’t much, but it was enough to disturb her.

She knew that man.

Normally, he wouldn’t pay attention to such policies, so it had to be another woman around him who told him.

Letting him claim the money first.

Heather forced a smile that was uglier than crying, blinking rapidly to mask her bitterness.

"You see, I forgot I had applied before."

Poppy saw the moment of Heather’s helplessness and surprise just now, and the dark desolation in her eyes.

She held Heather’s hand, helped her turn off her phone screen, and placed it on the table.

Heather took a deep breath.

Everyone present was family; if Tristan Hawthorne knew about this, there would be another uproar tonight.

She glanced at Poppy with a touch of pleading.

"I just remembered something I bought for Iris is in the car, could you accompany me to get it, Florence’s mom?"

She looked down to see Florence sitting on Declan Hawthorne’s lap, happily eating a cheese bun.

When they saw her looking, both of them raised their heads to look at her.

This action, indeed, had a bit of tacit understanding.

Poppy felt the awe of genetics in her heart.

Seeing her daughter didn’t need her for the moment, she nodded and agreed to Heather’s request.

"Sure."

Iris chirped, "What is it? What did you buy for me?"

"The toy you wanted last time, I got one for Florence too."

The one for Florence was her way of apologizing.

Speaking of which, Heather felt guilty inside.

She’s been too busy lately and hasn’t found the chance to apologize to Poppy in person.

Hearing there was a toy, Iris urged Heather to go get it at once.

"Mom, go get it!"

As they walked out of the private room, following Heather towards the parking lot.

She smiled, "Do you mind if I smoke?"

Poppy shook her head.

Heather had already lit a lady’s cigarette in her fingers, taking a deep drag, leaning against the corridor.

"Florence’s mom, thank you."

Whether it was the kindness just revealed.

Or the willingness to forgive Iris after she bullied Florence, still offering boundless gentleness to a young child.

Heather felt grateful in her heart.

Her heart felt overgrown with weeds, becoming more chaotic the more she tried to tidy it.

"You saw it just now, right? It must have been Iris’s father who claimed it, three thousand six, and the shirt I bought him costs more than three thousand six."

She closed her eyes, casually tidying her hair messed up by the wind.

"We had a campus romance, married right after graduation, and had Iris. I didn’t mind that he was poor. Even these days, despite the busy divorce, I always felt we weren’t that bad."

"Until just now, I felt like he had gone rotten."

Poppy stood beside her, quietly listening to Heather speak.

Softly she spoke, "From a campus relationship to marriage, can it really end up like this?"

"Look at us, aren’t we a living example? Back then, I loved him and chased after him; our class always said I was a rich girl, and he was a poor scholar."

Heather spoke to herself.

Didn’t even notice.

The color was slowly draining from Poppy’s face.

Heather continued, "I spent money on him, had a baby, didn’t even expect him to support the family. When he argued with my mom and moved out, I let him. But look, I lost so embarrassingly."

"A relationship and social status that are mismatched from the start are doomed to have no good result."

Heather lost completely.

And her heart died too.

Poppy’s fingers dug into her palm, a stifling pain radiating from her heart, a thin layer of cold sweat forming in her palm.

As if talking to herself, yet also responding to Heather.

"You’re right."

Heather finished a cigarette.

Went to the parking lot to find her car and took out two sets of toys.

Handed one to Poppy.

"This is for your Florence, I’m really sorry for what happened before; Iris isn’t a bad kid by nature, just taught that way by her grandmother. I admittedly neglected his education. It’s my issue, I’m sorry, Florence’s mom."

Poppy accepted it.

It was an imported Barbie doll set, with a pink doll wearing a fluffy dress, and a base below that played music and made the doll dance.

Florence would probably like it very much.

She accepted this peace offering, "Thank you, my name is Poppy Hale, if you don’t mind, you can call me by my name."

Heather was momentarily stunned, then showed a relieved smile.

Walking back, it was a five-minute journey.

Heather felt much better after finishing her story.

"Poppy, don’t blame me for saying so much, I’m not using you as a listener outlet."

But rather, she couldn’t find a second person to pour her heart out to without restraint.

Poppy was also divorced.

Their topics should be common.

Women should understand each other, familiar with all the hardships they face in a failed marriage.

Poppy shook her head, "It’s okay."

She spoke softly, with a calm demeanor.

She looked cold, not easy to approach, yet was also as tender as water.

It was no wonder Declan Hawthorne struggled to let go.

Heather cast her side glance, "That being said, if you meet a good man in the future, have a bit of hope."

Poppy was momentarily taken aback.

Standing there, the summer breeze lifted her pant legs, brushing against her ankles, tickling.

Looking up.

A man stood under a nearby tree.

Upon his shoulder sat a child.

Declan Hawthorne lifted Florence over his head, letting her sit on his shoulder to pick leaves from the tree.

The tree was green, with a few red leaves, which caught Florence’s fancy.

But she wanted to pick them herself.

Declan raised her up, letting her pick them.

The scene was immensely warm.

Poppy had always felt that Declan and her daughter’s resemblance wasn’t obvious at a glance.

Now the two were close together, with Florence hugging Declan’s head.

That bit of resemblance passed down through the blood became akin to the summer sun.

Completely undeniable.

Heather watched, a more significant smile appearing.

"Declan’s great, just looks a bit fierce. I see Florence, she somewhat resembles Declan too!"

Poppy’s eyes flickered with ripples, emotions complex.

"Didn’t you just say unmatched feelings and social status wouldn’t end well."

"I quite agree too."

She didn’t understand Declan’s intentions now, nor did she want to delve into it too deeply.

She wouldn’t let herself and her daughter, repeat the same mistakes.