CHAPTER 203: CHAPTER 203: WHY ISN’T SHE THE ONE TO INHERIT THE FAMILY BUSINESS?

Cinderfall isn’t far from Arvum.

But geographically, it’s slightly north, so snow was falling here, while it was still sunny in Arvum when we left in the morning.

Tiny snowflakes fell on the black coat Declan Hawthorne was wearing.

He didn’t have time to care about it.

He reached out to wipe the snowflakes off Poppy Hale, pulled up her scarf, wrapped her up, and tucked her into the car beside him.

Across the street.

The hotel car had arrived, and Justin Hawthorne was standing there waving at Declan Hawthorne.

Got into the car.

Through the car window, Justin Hawthorne could still see Declan Hawthorne closing the car door and running over to a street vendor selling roasted sweet potatoes, buying a steaming-hot one.

As if worried it might get cold, he casually stuffed the ten-dollar sweet potato into his coat worth six figures.

After getting into the car, he handed the sweet potato to Poppy Hale.

The car started and drove out of Justin Hawthorne’s line of sight.

When Justin Hawthorne turned around, she realized Serena Sutton was also looking in that direction.

The two of them exchanged glances in the warm car.

Justin Hawthorne tried to maintain a nonchalant demeanor, but the corners of her mouth betrayed her true feelings.

"President Hawthorne and President Hale have a really good relationship."

"After all, my sister-in-law is the kind of bold woman who dared to pursue my brother on the first day of university. Would you believe it, although my brother looks quite decent, my sister-in-law is probably the only woman who can tolerate him and still like him; she’s one of a kind in the world."

"I believe it."

Serena Sutton lowered her eyelids, chuckling at herself.

"Previously, my family wanted me to get engaged to President Hawthorne, which I was really reluctant about; President Hawthorne has been a nightmare for me all these years."

If someone else was called a nightmare, Justin Hawthorne might want to get to the bottom of it.

But since it was her dear brother Declan Hawthorne,

It couldn’t be more normal.

"But I thought, isn’t marriage in this circle all the same? Keeping a woman outside and not bringing her back to the main wife is considered respectable."

"I thought that marrying President Hawthorne would at least maintain the appearance of decency in his character."

Only now did she realize.

In Declan Hawthorne’s world, there was no room for an indecent woman.

In his eyes, there was no one else.

Watching Poppy Hale run towards him without hesitation.

They were so firm in their mutual pursuit.

The sound of snowflakes falling was very light, and something in Serena Sutton’s inner world seemed to shatter heavily.

She sighed softly.

"Luckily, I didn’t actually put myself in that position."

Justin Hawthorne laughed along, "You never had the chance to suffer that; do you think my brother wanted me to join the company for no reason?"

Serena Sutton was taken aback.

"My brother wanted me to find a chance to tell you that there was no possibility between him and you, also because he was worried that at that time my sister-in-law would be upset; she already seemed indifferent to him."

Serena Sutton recalled that day by the sea.

Under the starlit night, Declan Hawthorne was holding a woman in a deep blue bikini, kissing her shoulder.

Even when the woman raised her hand and slapped him, Declan Hawthorne didn’t get angry.

That woman, it turned out, was Poppy Hale.

Even on the side, Serena Sutton was struck by Declan Hawthorne’s sincere affection.

"I have no expectations for marriage. The uncles and aunts around me stay married only because work and family don’t allow them to divorce, a facade, just playing the game."

Justin Hawthorne nodded, "I think the same. Find a man, have a child, the child stays with me, divorce if it comes to that. But now I just want to focus on my career, not on relationships!"

Serena Sutton raised her eyebrows.

She spoke in a steady, unassuming tone that didn’t reveal any probing intentions, "Aren’t you and Young Mr. Shaw very close?"

"...Who? Who are you talking about?"

"Young Mr. Shaw, doesn’t he take good care of you?"

Justin Hawthorne looked at Serena Sutton as if she were mistaken.

"He’s supposed to take care of me! When he was a child, he almost passed out from a walnut allergy, and I saved him!"

Justin Hawthorne spoke earnestly.

"This is the new China; the old ideas of cousins getting married are out of fashion! Comrade Su, didn’t you get notified about the Reform and Opening Up? Go back and brush up on modern history."

Serena Sutton was also taken aback.

"Cousins?"

Justin Hawthorne explained a few things.

"Shaw’s grandmother is my very own grand-aunt. Originally, when Shaw was born, he was supposed to take the Hawthorne name, but the Shaw Family hired a fortune teller who said he was destined for greatness, and they didn’t agree to such a promising child becoming part of our family."

"Otherwise, counting it, Shaw might have been called second brother in our family."

Counting it, Allen Shaw and Declan Hawthorne were essentially brothers.

And naturally close to other kids in the Hawthorne Family.

Justin Hawthorne was the only daughter on the Hawthorne side, and both the Hawthorne Family and Old Mrs. Hawthorne doted on her.

Which nurtured her bossy and presumptuous character.

Serena Sutton recalled the look of doting and helplessness on Allen Shaw’s face when he spoke of Justin Hawthorne.

Turns out, she’s his sister.

Serena Sutton didn’t even know why she cared about this matter.

Perhaps it’s because people can’t control their emotions and mind.

The more you want to be indifferent, the harder it is to let go.

Serena Sutton let out a slow sigh.

"Your brother and your younger brother haven’t been giving you a hard time lately, have they?"

"No, my brother is busy finding me a sister-in-law whose family is on par with ours and can help his career, he doesn’t have time to bother with me. As for Matthew Sutton, who knows what trouble he’s causing."

Justin Hawthorne scoffed.

"My brother is still waiting for your brother to respond; instead, your brother’s solution is to marry a woman who can talk to the Hawthorne Group? This line of thinking, your family’s company given to him is better given to you."

Justin Hawthorne spoke bluntly.

Serena Sutton’s heartbeat, however, got faster and faster.

She looked outside the window.

The street lights illuminated the road ahead.

All of a sudden, an unprecedented thought entered Serena Sutton’s mind.

If someone would definitely inherit everything from the Sutton Family, why shouldn’t that person be her?

Ethan Sutton and Matthew Sutton were spoiled second-generation rich kids, with no talent and poor morals.

But she was different.

She excelled academically, was highly capable, and her knowledge and insights in every aspect surpassed her two brothers.

Just because she is a woman, is she destined not to have inheritance rights?

That makes no sense.

Serena Sutton spoke as if to herself, softly, "You’re absolutely right. Those things should be mine as well."

She would fight for it.

-

Returning to Arvum, it was already two or three in the morning.

The building across the street had already been tidied up; Declan Hawthorne originally planned to take Poppy Hale there so as not to disturb Hugo Hawthorne and the others’ rest.

But when they reached the door, they found the main building brightly lit.

Poppy Hale checked the time, it was three thirty, and the lights were still on.

So they went back to the main building.

Upon entering, they found that Jackie Barrett and Hugo Hawthorne weren’t asleep either, sitting in the living room, not noticing Poppy Hale and Declan Hawthorne had returned home.

Jackie Barrett was scrolling on her phone.

"Which outfit should I wear tomorrow to look good?"

Hugo Hawthorne answered absentmindedly, "Everything looks good, it doesn’t matter what you wear, as long as Florence and Poppy look good."

But on the phone, he had been refreshing information about wigs.