CHAPTER 32: CHAPTER 32: BE GOOD

She hasn’t forgotten.

But she didn’t expect that Declan would set those few numbers as the lock code for the door.

Perhaps it’s because every year on their anniversary, they come to this room.

Poppy poured a glass of warm water and found an unopened mini jar of honey from the fridge.

After mixing it well, she handed it over.

"President Hawthorne, you’ve had too much to drink."

Declan lay on the bed, frowned as he looked at her, but didn’t take the cup from her hand.

A pain throbbed at his temples.

Declan suddenly spoke as he looked at her.

"Did I drink too much once before as well?"

Poppy murmured a response, "You vomited all over the moment you came in; cost a lot to clean up."

Declan couldn’t remember it at all.

His frown deepened.

"When was that?"

"It was a birthday for one of your junior classmates. I went to pick you up, and you said I was meddling."

Poppy smiled, her face a bit pale.

Seeing her like that, Declan also remembered.

It wasn’t a junior classmate’s birthday; it was his cousin, Justin’s.

The Hawthorne children, according to the grandfather’s arrangement, would all work and study hard during college to start a business, build a career, and later decide which company of the Hawthorne’s they would join after graduation.

Justin studied wine brewing.

Taking advantage of the birthday, he had Declan taste some of the wines he brewed himself to see which one the grandfather might like.

The grandfather’s seventy-fifth birthday was approaching.

Declan ended up drinking quite a bit, got tipsy.

When Mason called Poppy to pick him up, Declan saw Mason talking to Poppy, it seemed they were discussing the latest game skins.

Justin also had too much to drink and seeing Mason and Poppy, said, "Is that Mason’s girlfriend? She’s quite pretty, he’s worthy of something good, but not someone this good."

That’s not it.

No relation to Mason at all.

Declan took a drink, just swallowed it, and saw Poppy smiling brightly at Mason, but when she saw him, her smile faded.

She even frowned.

Why wouldn’t she smile at him, but smile at Mason?

He couldn’t clearly remember what happened afterward, but he remembered getting angry at Poppy, and Poppy kept saying he had too much to drink, trying to soothe him.

What she said the most was, Declan, you’ve had too much to drink.

Stop it, I like you the most, won’t you behave?

Declan liked when Poppy soothed him this way, but he couldn’t say it out loud, so he just closed his eyes, pretending to still be angry, hoping she’d say more.

But she thought he didn’t want to hear her speak, so she quickly closed her mouth.

Declan felt a bit disappointed.

He soon fell asleep and forgot about it the next day, Justin also forgot.

Just now, with the alcohol getting to him, and hearing Poppy say it, Declan realized that this memory was deeply lodged in his mind, he thought he’d already forgotten, but it had always been there.

He hadn’t forgotten anything.

Declan said with difficulty, "That wasn’t my junior classmate."

"Oh, alright."

Declan didn’t know what else to say.

Back then, his heart was full of overwhelming jealousy, making him want to turn her face so that she would only look at him.

These thoughts, he couldn’t say them no matter what.

Didn’t even know why he had such thoughts.

Absurd, possessive, unreasonable.

Declan didn’t want to admit that these were his thoughts.

Poppy knew she might have spoken out of line.

She calmed her tone, "I dirtied your clothes during the day, how do you want to handle it?"

"Including the one you’re wearing now. How much in total?"

Declan sneered, "You can’t afford it."

"I’ll decide later."

Fine with her.

Declan probably didn’t care about such a small amount of money, so he wasn’t in a hurry. Poppy just waited for him to bring it up.

No matter what amount he says, she’d save up and give it to him, even if it had to be in installments.

"Then I’ll leave now, President Hawthorne, have a good rest."

She closed the door, leaving.

The sound of her high heels faded away, like rhythmic percussion, disappearing from Declan’s world.

-

The Hawthorne Family.

At the dining table, Mrs. Hawthorne held Iris Quill while eating.

Heather Underwood tried persuading a few times, but Mrs. Hawthorne didn’t let go, so she let her be.

The old lady liked this chubby boy, Heather knew too.

When Heather was a child, she always lived with Mrs. Hawthorne, was like half a daughter to her, and Mrs. Hawthorne loved her child just the same.

Mrs. Hawthorne thought, seeing Declan the way he was, she might not live to see the day he’d have children.

"Declan, looking at Iris, don’t you have anything to say?"

"Too chubby, needs to control his weight, too much weight is bad for kids’ development. He’s a boy, needs extra attention."

Mrs. Hawthorne snorted, put on a stern face, "How can you talk like that, Iris is only two!"

Iris gnawed on a bun, covering her whole face.

"Uncle, do you remember that Florence girl from our kindergarten? She’s in the hospital again."

Declan’s piercing gaze landed on her.

"Did you bully her again?"

"No!" Iris quickly defended herself, but with a mouthful of bun, she almost choked.

"Some kids said she looks like a foreigner, that her mom must have married a foreigner and isn’t patriotic!"

Nowadays, kids come up with the most bizarre reasons.

It’s mostly the result of wrong teachings at home, leading to such thoughts.

Declan took a sip of soup, and the image of Florence appeared in his mind.

Honestly, she didn’t look exactly like Poppy, nor like Sean.

Poppy’s face was a bit pointed, while Florence had a round face.

Kids’ facial features change as they grow.

But those eyes were completely different from Poppy’s, and her brow bones were slightly higher.

Didn’t resemble the child’s parents, but somewhat familiar.

Declan’s gaze inadvertently fell on Mrs. Hawthorne’s face as she fed soup to Iris.

"Iris, do you have a group photo from your kindergarten?"

"Yes. There’s one on mom’s phone."

Heather pulled it up to show Declan.

Last month, they went for an excursion and took a group photo.

Florence was short, squatting in front, smiling adorably, softening one’s heart.

Declan handed it to Mrs. Hawthorne, saying nonchalantly, "This is the kid Iris bullied."

Iris pouted immediately!

Uncle is so annoying!

Mrs. Hawthorne took a look, initially thinking it was just childish bickering. Not a big deal, Iris was just too lively.

She hadn’t taken it seriously.

But seeing the photo, Mrs. Hawthorne’s eyes lit up.

She couldn’t help but exclaim, "So cute! Oh my, so lovable! Like a little doll! Iris, you can’t bully such a girl, that’s wrong."

Iris didn’t expect this at all.

Why was Great-Aunt siding with Florence too?

But she was indeed very pretty, Iris couldn’t argue.

Declan drank his soup with one hand and left the table after wiping his mouth.

"I’m going upstairs."

-

Upstairs.

Declan stood by the window, then took out his phone a moment later.

He glanced at Poppy’s social media moments.

She hadn’t posted much, but there was a solo picture of Florence.

Very adorable, a little one carved out of jade, very likable.

She does look a bit like Mrs. Hawthorne.

Very much so.