Chapter 8 Miss Me When I’m Gone
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Alice walked out with her arms crossed and stood beside Dawn with a protective stance. “Ms. Peay, you’re almost 30 years old, aren’t you? Yet here you are, bullying a young girl. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?”
Sydney’s face flushed with anger. “Ms. Alice, this has nothing to do with you.”
“Why not?”
Alice looked at her with a mocking smile. “Dawn is like my sister. If you’re making things difficult for her, then you’re making things difficult for me.”
Then she turned to Dawn and winked meaningfully. “If she suffers at my ce, certain people would tear me apart, wouldn’t they?”
Sydney was so blinded by rage that she didn’t immediately grasp the hidden implication in Alice’s words.
With a cold voice, she said, “I’m simply stating the truth. Dawn and Austin aren’t rted by blood. People will start gossiping if they get too close, am I wrong?”
“If that’s an issue, it’s for Austin to decide. Who are you to interfere?”
Sydney opened her mouth but quickly realized she wasn’t a match for Alice. Gritting her teeth, she spat out, “I don’t have time for this,” and stormed off.
Alice rolled her eyes at Sydney’s retreating figure before turning to Dawn. “Next time you run into someone this shameless, just curse them out. Don’t bother considering their feelings–if she had any self–respect, she wouldn’t have said those things to your face.”
Dawn had been thinking that. After all, Sydney was Austin’s girlfriend.
Once they got married, she would be her aunt.
If things got too ugly, it would make Harry, Sandra, and Jessica ufortable.
However, Alice had a point.
Sydney clearly didn’t care, so why should she?
Seeing that Dawn had taken her words to heart, Alice smirked in satisfaction and linked arms with her. “Come on, Ethan told me to give you a full check–up. If there’s even the slightest problem, he’lle after me.”
Chapter 8 Miss Me When I’m Gone
Dawn felt a little embarrassed, but at the same time, she felt warm inside.
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For the first time, she realized that someone could still care for her so meticulously even across great distances.
She and Ethan had known each other since childhood. Their rtionship hadn’t been that harmonious in the beginning. If anything, they were more like bickering rivals.
Back then, Dawn was eight years old and had just moved into the Osborne Estate.
Seventeen–year–old Austin was busy with school, so she temporarily stayed at the family’s
estate.
Having just gone through a major upheaval in her life, young Dawn barely spoke. No matter how much her family tried to cheer her up, nothing seemed to work.
Sandra was even considering hiring a psychologist when she noticed that little Dawn had taken. a liking to the neighbor’s dog.
It was a golden retriever that yed with a ball in the yard every day.
Dawn would stand by the fence, watching it with a faint smile.
Seeing this, Sandra decided to observe for a little longer without interfering.
One day, Dawn crouched by the fence, and her gaze identally met the retriever’s. At that moment, her little heart skipped a beat—not from fear, but from curiosity.
So she stayed put, tilting her head as she studied the dog until a slender hand suddenly pulled the retriever away.
In its ce was a ridiculously handsome face.
The boy’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “Hey, little brat, are you trying to steal my dog<b>?</b><b>” </b>
Dawn frantically shook her head. “I–I’m not!”
“Then why are you staring at it like that? You’re making it shy.”
Dawn’s eyes widened.
<i>Could </i><i>dogs </i><i>even </i><i>get </i><i>shy</i><i>? </i>
Ethan was amused by her dazed expression and his desire to tease her grew stronger. He beckoned her and asked, “Wanna pet it?”
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Chapter 8 Miss Me When I’m Gone
Dawn hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
“Come on.”
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The moment he opened the gate, he let the golden retriever pounce on her. Caught off guard, Dawn stumbled backward andpletely lost her bnce.
Feeling terrified, she burst into tears.
Sandra rushed over in a panic, but when she saw Dawn sobbing uncontrobly, she actually sighed in relief.
“This child never cries. It’s good that she finally let it out! Thank you, Ethan.”
And so, Sandra asked Ethan to bring his dog over to keep Dawnpany more often.
However, Dawn decided Ethan was her mortal enemy from that day onward.
As the years passed, she wasn’t sure exactly when they made peace. Later, when Ethan left for overseas, she went to see him off.
By then, he had grown taller than her by a head.
His gaze lingered on her face before he reached out to ruffle her hair.
His voice was low as he said, “Grow up quickly, Dawn.”
Dawn didn’t want to make the farewell too sentimental, so she swatted his hand away and urged, “Hurry up and go, or your ne’s gonna leave without you!”
Ethan let out a barely noticeable sigh. “I wish it would.”
“You’re so weird.”
Dawn pouted. “If it leaves without you, you won’t be able to go.”
“And wouldn’t that be nice?”
Before she could respond, Ethan shook his head slightly and murmured, “Forget it. Dawn, miss me when I’m gone.”
With that, he turned and walked toward the departure gate without looking back. He didn’t see how Dawn had stood there watching his back for a long, long time.
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Chapter 8 Miss Me When I’m Gone
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After finishing the check–up, Alice came out, rubbing her hands. “That bruise of yours looks terrible. Does Austin have shit for brains? You’re injured this badly, and he doesn’t care, but the moment that woman gets a tiny bump on her ass, he’s freaking out?”
Dawn shrugged. “Maybe. But I guess it makes sense–Sydney is his girlfriend, after all.”
Alice raised an eyebrow in surprise. She studied Dawn for a moment, making sure she wasn’t upset before saying, “Whatever, he doesn’t care, but we’ve still got Mr. Jackson, don’t we?”
“Come on, what do you want to eat? It’s my treat.”
Dawn had been nning to treat her instead, so she said, “Let me pay, Alice. Thanks for the
treatment.”
Alice’s eyes gleamed mischievously. “Let Ethan pay.”
“Sure!”
The two of them headed to the mall whileughing happily. After their meal, Alice actually did make Ethan pay the bill.
Dawn felt a little guilty. Since they hadn’t seen each other in two years, she figured she should buy him a small gift.
Alice nced at her youthful, radiant face and teased, “You don’t have to buy anything. You’re the best gift.”
“Alice!”
Dawn shot her a re. “It’s not like that between me and Ethan.”
“Aren’t you two getting married?”
“Yeah, but …” <fna6e8> Latest content published on find(?)ovel</fna6e8>
<i>But </i>it <i>wouldn’t </i><i>be </i><i>a </i><i>real </i><i>marriage</i>.
Dawn didn’t know how to exin it, so she just shook her head. “Either way, I still need to get him something.”
Seeing Dawn’s stubbornness, Alice secretly texted Ethan, “The road ahead is long, my friend. You’ve got a lot to do to win her over.”
Ethan replied with a single question mark.
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Chapter 8 Miss Me When I’m Gone
Alice smirked and didn’t reply.
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After wandering the mall for a while, Dawn chose a tie from an independent designer brand after considering her budget. It wasn’t expensive, but it cost her half of her remaining savings.
Later, Alice dropped her off at home.
At the vi’s entrance, Alice blew her a kiss. “Dawn, we’re friends now. If anything happens, you better call me.”
“Got it, Alice. Drive safe.”
Dawn was in a good mood as she watched Alice leave before stepping inside.
The moment she stepped inside, Austin, who was getting a ss of water from the kitchen, frowned. “What took you so long?”
Before she could answer, his gazended on the bag in her hand. “You went shopping?”
Dawn instinctively hid the bag behind her. “Yeah.”
Austin’s eyes narrowed as he asked, “With who?”