Chapter 106 Setting Up
Chapter 106 Setting Up
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“We were neighbors back in the day. We weren’t friends, but our parents knew each other, so I guess I owe him some respect.”
That was the only reason Ethan had agreed to his sister–inw’s request to look after Dawn.
Osbert didn’t need more details. “Got it. I’ll take care of it right now.”
When he left, the office fell into stillness.
Austin hated that kind of silence. No voices, no footsteps, just empty space pressing in around
him.
It was never like this when Dawn was here.
She always had something to say, even if it was trivial.
She filled the room with chatter until it buzzed like static that wouldn’t shut off.
He used to call it noise. Annoying noise.
Noise he couldn’t push away no matter how much he wanted to.
When had that changed?
He pressed his brows together and looked around the room. He could almost see her in the corners<b>, </b>stubborn and bright, impossible to ignore.
But she wasn’t here anymore. She was far, far away in Northville, and she wasn’ting back.
His hand clenched on the desk until the bones in his knuckles stood out white against his skin.
He shut his eyes hard, fighting the urge to break. No. He wouldn’t cave this time. She had to it.e to him. She had to admit she was in the wrong this time. He needed to hear her say
While Austin sat fuming in Trifton, Dawn only carried that frustration for a short while in Northville.
She didn’t have the time to hold onto it.
The year was ending.
Deadlines crushed her from every side.
(
17:26 <b>Thu</b>, Sep 18 N
Chapter 106 Setting Up
She was buried at the office all day and workedte at home every night.
“Dawn.”
“Yeah<b>?</b><b>” </b>
“It’ste.”
“I know.”
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Ethan studied her from across the room. She sat cross–legged on the couch, pen between her teeth and buried in sketches since dinner.
She hadn’t looked at him once. She either chewed the pen or tapped it against her head like a
metronome.
What <i>kind </i><i>of </i><i>work </i><i>has </i><i>her </i><i>so </i><i>locked </i><i>in</i><i>? </i>
He gave up with a sigh and sat down beside her.
His eyes wandered to the papers and caught his breath. They were sketches of jewelry unlike anything he had seen before.
She was good. More than good. Her designs weren’t just beautiful. They were daring, alive, and unforgettable. Each page seemed to breathe with its own light.
And in the corner of every sheet was a tiny star. A secret little mark, hers alone.
Maybe he stared too long because Dawn finally turned her head.
“You like it?”
“I do.”
Her. And her work.
They were both stunning.
Her face lit with a smile. “See this one? I based it on your eyes. They’re like the universe. Deep and mysterious. Don’t you think it’s pretty? I want to make a whole collection. All in couples‘
sets<b>.” </b>
“You mean couples‘ jewelry? Would we wear the prototypes ourselves?”
She froze for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah. Why not?<b>” </b>
Chapter 106 Setting Up
<i>Yeah</i>.
That was the most romantic thing he had ever heard.
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Light softened the darkness in his eyes. He brushed her hair back with his hand and said
time?” gently, “Then Ms. Porter, could you give me two minutes of your
She blinked for a moment and remembered something. He had been sitting there waiting for <fn7524> ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? find?novel</fn7524>
her.
He probably had something important to say.
“Oh shoot, I’m sorry.” Sheughed, shoved her sketches aside, and raised her hands like she was surrendering.
“Mr. Jackson, you’ve got my full attention now. Work is abandoned.”
Ethan chuckled. “I’m leaving on a short trip. Just two days. Hannah will be back tomorrow morning. Call me if you need anything.”
“Yes sir. I’ll keep your orders in my
mind.”
She gave him a mock salute, then leaned closer. “So where are you going?”
His eyes dimmed. “Trifton.”
The name hit her like a stone. Her shoulders tightened. She grabbed her sketch again, trying to hide her face. “Alright. I’ll pick you up when you’re back.”
“That’s all you’ve got to say?”
“Yeah. That’s all.”
Her feelings for that city were too tangled. Just thinking of it filled her with a strange mix of longing and hurt.
Ethan kept his gaze on her, steady and searching. After a long moment he sighed. “I’ll try to be back as soon as I can.” And he meant every word.
The next morning Hannah returned, her arms stacked with gifts from her trip to the countryside. She filled the living room with bags and baskets, waiting for Dawn to wake up so she could show them off.
“This here is top–grade herbal root. Great for the blood and lungs. You can’t even buy this stuff in the city.”
<b>17:26 </b><b>Thu</b>, <b>Sep </b><b>18 </b><b>N </b>
:
Chapter 106 Setting Up
She grabbed another basket.
:
<b>56 </b>
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“And these peaches. They’re imported. Only two trees survived out of the batch they nted. Try er, Dawn. Sweeter than anything you’ve tasted.”
There were vegetables too, in every shade of green and red, most of which Dawn recognized right away.
Then her eyesnded on a ck cloth bag set off to the side. She leaned closer, curiosity igniting.
17:26 <b>Thu</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>18 </b><b>N </b>