’Don’t be afraid of him,’ Alice told herself. ’The more scared I am, the easier it will be for him to control .’
She straightened her back. "I didn’t see Miss Hawthorne’s face, and when I leave, I won’t tell anyone I’ve been to the Hawthorne Residence."
She assud Felix Hawthorne’s words were a warning.
Felix Hawthorne’s brow furrowed slightly. "You’ve misunderstood ."
Alice froze. ’What? What does he an I’ve misunderstood him? Wasn’t he warning ?’
Felix Hawthorne raised a hand to his nose and cleared his throat. "What I an is..."
Alice tilted her head slightly. "What?"
Seeing her reaction, Felix Hawthorne was a little amused. He decided against explaining and asked a different question instead. "This is your first ti at the Hawthorne Residence. What’s your impression of it?"
Alice suddenly couldn’t make sense of Felix Hawthorne’s attitude. He had clearly disliked her before, but today, he seed like a completely different person. Even the way he looked at her had grown gentle.
"The Hawthorne Residence is nice."
she answered.
It sounded perfunctory, but the truth was, she didn’t know what to say.
Felix Hawthorne humd in acknowledgnt and stepped aside to clear the path. "Since you’re already here, you might as well stay for dinner before you go."
Alice was alard. "That wouldn’t be appropriate, would it?"
Felix replied, "There’s nothing inappropriate about it. A visitor is a guest. Don’t be so formal."
At this, Finn Hawthorne’s eyes lit up. But then he had another thought: his brother probably didn’t genuinely want Alice to stay for dinner, but rather to intimidate her. The light in his eyes faded just as quickly.
’It’s all my fault,’ he thought. ’I just had to bring Alice here today, and now she’s trapped!’
"Bro, just let Alice go." Finn felt terrible seeing how terrified Alice was.
"I won’t force her. It’s up to her." Felix Hawthorne raised a hand and adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose. "We can sit and talk, or I can arrange for a car to take her ho."
Alice should have chosen the latter without a mont’s hesitation.
’I want to go ho!’
’I don’t want to stay in this Hawthorne Residence for another second.’
But his words, "sit and talk," clearly ant he had sothing he wanted to say to her. This wasn’t a simple dinner invitation.
’What would they talk about?’
’Will he ask about Wyatt Sterling? Or Old Master Sterling? Or sothing about the Sterlings’ business?’
"Alice York."
Felix Hawthorne called out.
Alice snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him, only to hear Felix Hawthorne say slowly, "If you agree to stay, then we’ll talk about the mission that old man of yours gave you when he brought you to Arden."
Alice’s lips tightened, and she said nothing.
’So that’s what this is about.’
In the end, she agreed to stay, on the condition that she could use a phone. She needed to call Wyatt Sterling to keep him from worrying about her being late.
"Of course, no problem." Felix readily took out his own phone, unlocked it, and handed it to Alice. "Go ahead."
Alice glanced at Finn Hawthorne beside her. He didn’t say anything, just looked at her with a worried expression.
Taking the phone, Alice stepped to the side.
"Bro, what are you really planning to do by keeping Alice here?"
While Alice was on the phone, Finn went to his brother’s side and asked worriedly.
Felix Hawthorne’s eyes were fixed on Alice’s back. "What do you think I’ll do?"
With that, Felix pulled his gaze away from Alice and turned to look at Finn.
Finn’s face was full of worry. "Our past issues were all misunderstandings, and that’s all in the past now. Don’t make things difficult for her."
Felix chuckled. "So in your eyes, the only reason I’d keep her here is to make things difficult for her?"
Finn remained silent, but his expression was one of clear agreent.
To keep Alice here was to make things difficult for her.
"I’m not going to make things difficult for her. I just want to chat a little. Besides, I’m waiting for an answer." As he spoke of waiting for an answer, Felix’s expression grew much more somber.
"What answer?" Finn asked casually.
Felix didn’t say, his expression turning incredibly grave.
Finn’s attention wasn’t entirely on this "answer," however.
What he was more curious about now was—
"When Old Man Sterling brought Alice to Arden, it wasn’t just for her to accompany him?"
That was the line his brother had used to convince Alice to stay, so Finn was extrely curious. Did the Sterlings have so other purpose for bringing Alice to Arden?
Felix shot him a look. "Just accompanying him? You’re certainly naive."
"..."
Finn wanted to ask more, but just then, Alice finished her call and walked over. She handed the phone back to Felix. "Thank you."
Felix took the phone. "All cleared up?"
Alice nodded.
Felix smiled and stepped aside to clear the way. "Please."
Alice faltered for a mont, still not quite used to Felix Hawthorne’s change in attitude.
’It was just like Finn’s sudden shift in attitude toward her. These Hawthorne brothers were so strange—one more unreadable than the other.’
She followed a servant inside to a tea room. Neither Felix nor Finn appeared while she waited. After a few minutes, a servant ca to lead her sowhere else.
It was the backyard of the Hawthorne Residence.
It was several tis larger than even the Sterlings’ old estate.
The sky was growing dark, so Alice couldn’t see her surroundings very clearly, but she was sure it would be a spectacular sight in the dayti.
"We’ve arrived, Miss York."
The servant stopped and prompted Alice.
Alice glanced around. No one else was there. In the distance, she saw the solitary figure of Felix Hawthorne. He seed to be waiting for her.
"Miss York, Eldest Young Master Hawthorne is waiting for you over there," the servant said.
"Understood."
Before she went over, Alice gave herself a pep talk. ’Don’t be nervous. Don’t be afraid. Just play it by ear. I’m already here and I can’t leave anyway, so I might as well relax and see this through.’
Taking a deep breath, she started walking toward him.
"Eldest Young Master Hawthorne," she called out.
Felix turned around. Alice saw that both his sleeves were rolled up and he was holding a shovel in one hand, as if he had been shoveling dirt.
’A pampered young master like him, shoveling dirt with his own hands?’
"You’re here." Felix’s expression was gentle.
Alice asked, "What are you doing?"
Felix leaned on the shovel handle. "Loosening the soil for a tree I planted myself."
Alice looked behind him.
Felix stepped aside. "This is a ginkgo tree I planted with my own hands the year my sister was born. Ginkgos have a wonderful aning—they represent vigorous life. It’s my blessing for my sister."
A small smile touched Alice’s lips. "Though fate may have deprived Miss Hawthorne of happiness for her first twenty years, for the rest of her life, she will surely be free of hardship and always be surrounded by her family."
"Let’s hope your good words co true," Felix said.
Alice nodded.
Then, she got down to business. "Eldest Young Master Hawthorne, regarding my grandfather’s purpose in bringing to Arden—you already know what it is, don’t you?"
"I do."
He admitted it so candidly that Alice was montarily unsure how to proceed. After a mont’s thought, she said, "You also know it was my grandfather’s arrangent, not my own idea. I can assure you, I never had any intention of getting close to anyone in your family, including Finn. You probably won’t believe , but..."
Felix raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
Alice said, "Finn was the one who approached . I never intentionally tried to get close to him."
Felix Hawthorne nodded. "I know."
"You know?" Alice was astonished.
Felix turned back and continued loosening the soil. "Let’s make a deal."
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