Everyone in Greenvale knew just how ruthless James could be.


    Hawthorne''s eyes were as cold as ice.


    "You''re afraid James will kill you. But aren''t you just as scared that I might?"


    Patti Yale trembled, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Would you really...?”


    Hawthorne''s re cut her off-she didn''t dare push her luck. There was no warmth or affection in his eyes, only an unreadable and chilling cruelty.


    "I''ll give you two minutes. One, or two. Choose."


    Only now did Patti realize what it meant to be caught between a rock and a hard ce.


    She swallowed nervously.


    "What if I pay you back? With interest?"


    She was nning to go to James. Surely, for the sake of the baby she was carrying, James would help her settle the debt.


    Hawthorne''s lips curled. "Fine. But the credit card is under my name. How did it end up in your hands? And those bottles of wine from the cer-do you remember how much you''ve drunktely?"


    Patti''s face went even paler.


    "You''re counting the wine too?"


    Why did he bring her to his apartment anyway? This used to be her home, once.


    "I have a family. Everything I own is half my wife''s byw. Maybe I can let it go. But do you really think she will?"<fnf342> N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on Find_Novel(.</fnf342>


    Hawthorne toyed with a jade hairpin in his hand. Patti recognized it instantly-it was the one she''d shattered at theirst meeting. Now, it had been perfectly restored.


    "That''s an artifact from the Warring States era. Not even ten lifetimes would be enough for you to pay it back. Maybe you won''t die for it, but you''re looking at at least twenty years behind bars."


    Patti''s whole body shook. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Only now did she realize that Hawthorne had been orchestrating this all along.


    From the moment shended in Greenvale and asked him to pick her up, he''d been waiting for this.


    There were never really two choices today-she only had one. If she didn''t take it, Hawthorne would make sure she spent the next twenty years eating prison food.


    "Hawthorne..."


    Before she could finish, Patti scrambled, almost crawling to his feet.


    "Mr. Everhart, please... have mercy."


    Hawthorne kept his distance, ncing at his watch. "You have thirty seconds left."


    For the first time, Patti truly felt what it meant to be at death''s door.


    "Mr... Mr. Everhart..."


    "Ten. Nine. Eight..."


    Tears kept spilling from Patti''s eyes.


    "Three. Two..."


    "I''ll do it. Whatever you say, I''ll do it. However you want me to cooperate, I''ll do anything."


    Hawthorne stood from the sofa.


    ye


    "Toote. Get some rest. I''ll be stopping by from time to time,


    anything importantes to Hans will contact you directly content belongs to s


    As for your pregnancy, if you need to see the doctor for a check-up, call or text me. I''ll go with you."


    There was a time when Patti had found his voice maic, even charming. Now, every word stabbed at her heart.


    "Yes. Thank you..."


    Her knees were raw and swollen from kneeling. She barely dared to breathe as she dragged her exhausted body back to her room.


    To win Hawthorne''s trust, she''d even gone so far as to drink and try to seduce him while pregnant.


    How had he seen through her? Patti knelt on the floor, at aplete loss.


    As soon as Hawthorne left, housekeeping staff arrived.


    "The entire apartment needs to be sanitized, Miss Yale. For your own good, please stay in your room from now on-don''t wander around unless necessary.  fo s


    Everything in this ce is Mr.


    Everhart''s private property. If


    anything goes missing, you''ll be


    expected to pay for it in full.  s