Another ssage alert ca through.
Declan Hawthorne: "Originally, I did intend to contact Owen Donovan and the others. But now I don’t want to."
Poppy Hale lay on the bed looking at her phone.
Florence Lynch was lying beside her, playing with Poppy’s hair, seemingly having a great ti.
She didn’t reply, so Declan sent another ssage.
"This is my house, the one next door is mine, and so is the one upstairs. The property deeds, utilities, they’re all in my na, you’ll find out sooner or later."
"Living here, you and Florence will be much safer."
Poppy’s eyelashes fluttered slightly.
Was Declan explaining things to her?
When they were dating before, Declan never said so much at once.
He would always respond to her casually and impatiently.
If he had been this clear about everything in the past, Poppy would have been overjoyed.
But now she was too calm.
There’s no way to deceive her, because sooner or later, she’d notice when paying the utility bills.
Poppy thought, maybe it’s just not so easy to deceive her now.
She tried to smile but couldn’t get the smile to form.
If she had known before that the house was Declan’s, Poppy might have been restless.
But now, Truth Hale planned to sell the old villa, and the money from that would be enough for her to buy a new house.
Poppy pressed the keyboard on her phone.
She transferred the rent for the next quarter.
Declan quickly replied with a "?"
Was he annoyed by Poppy’s insistence on being so clear with finances, or upset with her cold attitude?
In the past, Poppy might have carefully considered his thoughts, but not now.
He could think whatever he liked.
Declan: "Florence living in my house is natural."
The transfer was imdiately refunded by him.
Poppy replied quietly with an "Okay," and put down her phone.
Just as she was ready to sleep, Florence was holding Poppy’s phone and watching sothing.
"Mom, soone’s calling you."
"Alright, thank you, darling."
She took the call, and it was from the creditor’s company.
Previously, every call was to urge Poppy to make paynts quickly, but this ti their tone was much gentler.
"Miss Hale, the previous incident was a misunderstanding. We’ve investigated thoroughly, and your father’s business is not in trouble. We’ve refunded the money you paid."
"In the future, if there’s a chance to work together again, we hope Miss Hale will consider us."
Poppy was still in a daze.
The other side already returned all the money she had transferred before.
A docunt with the company’s official seal followed.
Poppy hurried up, forgetting that Florence was playing with her hair, pulling a strand that made her yelp in pain.
Florence imdiately let go, crawling over to apologize to Poppy.
"I’m sorry, Mom, did I hurt you? Mom, you can hit !"
Florence gently massaged Poppy’s head, her grape-like eyes looking at Poppy, full of concern.
"Mom, does it hurt?"
Poppy’s heart softened, and she hugged Florence, kissing her.
"It doesn’t hurt. It’s just that Mom stood up suddenly without telling you. Now Mom is going to Grandma’s room. Do you want to co with or go to sleep?"
Florence thought for a mont and asked Poppy, "Can I video call Uncle Hawthorne? I haven’t finished the story he told last ti, but will I bother him?"
Poppy suddenly realized.
In Florence’s small world, Declan already had a significant presence.
She caressed Florence’s hair, speaking softly.
"Let ask him first."
"Okay."
She opened her phone and found Declan’s avatar on WeChat, sending him a ssage.
"Is it convenient for a video call?"
As soon as the ssage was sent, a video call invitation ca from the other side.
Opening it, Declan saw a close-up of a child’s face, so cute it lted the heart.
Seeing Declan’s face, Florence imdiately smiled and politely greeted him.
"Good evening, Uncle Hawthorne."
Declan’s voice naturally softened, filled with warmth.
"Good evening, Florence."
Poppy glanced at them, reminding Florence not to climb off the bed herself to avoid falling.
Then she turned and walked out of the room, heading to the small room across the hall.
She told Truth Hale what just happened.
Truth was also shocked, "Is the company so decisive? Sealing docunts and issuing refunds in the middle of the night, they’re really not afraid of trouble."
"Maybe they had already gone through the processes, just completing it now?"
"That might be the case. Anyway, it’s a good thing."
The mother and daughter discussed for a while, Truth yawned, looking tired.
Poppy left her room, closing the door gently.
She returned to her and Florence’s room.
Florence had only occupied a small space on the large bed, curled up, already asleep.
Her cheeks were rosy, and a drop of drool hung from her mouth.
Poppy thought it was cute, bending down to touch Florence’s forehead. Feeling no sweat, she moved her to her small bed.
After placing her there, Poppy looked at the small bed.
This house belonged to Declan.
The walls were clean, the appliances new, and the flooring had no scratches, showing no signs of previous residents.
So this children’s bed was likely just bought by Declan.
The bed’s foot was carved with several bats.
The phone that Florence left on the bed was propped up by a pillow, the video call still on.
Poppy glanced over and t Declan’s gaze.
He seed to have been watching her all along.
Poppy picked up the phone.
Declan’s face appeared close yet veiled by the lens, like through a layer of mist.
"What were you talking about with Florence?"
"The storybook we didn’t finish last ti, in Italian."
Poppy was montarily at a loss for words.
"Did you just buy Florence’s bed?"
"Yes, is it not suitable?"
Perhaps due to her artist’s instincts, Poppy was sowhat intrigued by the bats carved on the bedposts.
"Why did you carve these?"
"The furniture store said that carving bats on the bedpost is for the child’s safety. I hope Florence always stays safe."
Poppy’s heart skipped a beat.
"The color looks off, were you tricked?"
The bat carvings were obviously a different color than the other wood, and upon touching it, the varnish was also different.
Declan touched his nose, his eyes glancing aside, seeming slightly awkward.
"I carved them myself. If you don’t like it, I can have soone change it."
Poppy was taken aback.
Those bats were carved by him?
Looking closer, the craftsmanship did seem amateurish; each bat looked different.
When she moved in, Declan didn’t know Florence was his child.
Poppy hadn’t expected him to lower himself to do such a thing.
She lowered her eyes, "When did you do it?"
"Last month, using eco-friendly materials, there’s no formaldehyde, don’t worry."
"Okay, hanging up now."
She didn’t wait for Declan to say anything, ending the video call.
Turning off the light and lying down, she reached out to touch the small Florence beside her, yet her mind was filled with the image of those bats.
She couldn’t sleep.
Finally dozing off, she dreamt of Declan learning to carve bats with the wood.
Clumsy, cautious, persistent.
He said, hoping Florence would be safe.
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