After marrying her, he''d racked his brain trying to win her over, but the only thing that ever seemed to bring a smile to Gwh''s face was finding rare pigments for her artwork. That was all it took to make her happy.
With most girls, you could buy their affection-shower them with expensive jewelry or gifts, and they''d melt. But Gwh? She didn''t care for any of that.
He regretted giving away that painting-Gwh''s grandmother''s treasured piece —so soon, handing it over to his mother-inw as a first-meeting gift. That was his trump card. If he''d kept it, at least Gwh would''ve had a reason to see him, even if just reluctantly. Now, all he had left were a few meager months'' worth of memories between them-nothing more.
"You know? You know what? You don''t know a damn thing. If you did, your wife wouldn''t have run off. What are you going to say to the family at Thanksgiving? What are you going to tell your mother-inw?"
Mr. Everhart finally lost his patience. If he could, he''d march straight over to Gwh''s ce and apologize on Hawthorne''s behalf.
"It''ste, you two," Hawthorne said to his older brother and sister-inw. "Why don''t you both head home and get some rest? I can handle my own business. Both weddings will go on as nned."
His determined tone eased Mrs. Everhart''s worry, if only a little.
"Leonie is still waiting on you to sort things out with Gwh," Mrs. Everhart said gently. "Not every woman falls for sweet talk. A sincere heart matters more than anything."
Mr. and Mrs. Everhart left, but her words echoed in Hawthorne''s mind like a heavy blow, pounding against his chest.
None of his usual tricks from the business world worked on Gwh. She was unyielding and fearless; there was nothing he could threaten her with.
Hawthorne sat on the sofa, losing track of time as he smoked one cigarette after another. The ashtray on the coffee table looked like a bouquet of crushed cigarette ends.
"Hawthorne, Genevieve hopes I can join yourpany. What do you think?"
It was past midnight when Patti Yale''s message appeared on his phone, jolting him back to reality.<fn9513> Content originallyes from fin?novel</fn9513>
"Come in tomorrow and fill out the paperwork," he replied.
Patti bit her lip, her hands trembling as she clutched her phone. She felt like amb being led to ughter, enemies closing in on all sides.
Compared to betraying James, it was Hawthorne who truly terrified her.
When he''d grabbed her by the chin and forced her to look at him, Patti genuinely believed Hawthorne might kill her.
"What role am I supposed to y?" she asked.
James was always watching, prowling like a tiger, keeping tabs on her and
Hawthorne''s every interaction.
Hawthorne thought for a long time before finally typing out his reply.
"Girlfriend."
Patti let out a shaky breath of relief. She quickly passed Hawthorne''s decision on to James.
What should have been a triumphant, head-held-high moment now left her feeling anxious and exposed.
James had no idea that Patti had already be half loyal to Hawthorne.
If he found out, her situation would be dire—especially since her father, still overseas, was counting on James to save his life.
Momentster, her phone chimed with a special notification-James''s custom ringtone.
"Speedy as always. Once you''re in,
find a way to get close to their core team. When I tell you to do
Something you do it, no questions asked content belongs to s
Word is Hawthorne is head over
heels for his new wife. Your job is to
drive a wedge between them, get
them to divorce as soon as possible.
After that, you take her ce."
s
James''s messages dripped with glee. Hawthorne had been a thorn in his side for years.
Just imagining his rival raising his
own child, secretly transferring the entire Everhart family fortune to that child, was almost too much for James he could barely keep from bursting out in gleeful, piggish<pughter. s