Vincent Hawthorne glanced at Nina Leslie, who was walking out of the second R&D department, ready to clock out.
His expression wasn’t very pleasant, and he barely nodded.
"President Hawthorne, are you here to see Cindy? But she went upstairs... President Hawthorne?"
Nina hadn’t finished her sentence when Vincent turned and left.
Nina felt a bit baffled.
"Why did President Hawthorne come here?" She couldn’t help but look across to the first R&D department, a shocking thought popped into her mind.
—Could it be that President Hawthorne came to find Tanya Sinclair?
But the next second, Nina burst into laughter.
With Cindy Lynn to compare, Tanya Sinclair, that stubborn and boring bumpkin, President Hawthorne would probably despise her even before it came to that.
Tanya Sinclair left Vincent Hawthorne’s office and went straight back to the villa.
Aunt Tawny was watering the flowers on the terrace and was a bit surprised to see Tanya coming back alone.
"Madam." She looked up from the terrace, slightly puzzled, "Why did you come back by yourself? What about Mr. Hawthorne and the little master and miss?"
She had carefully prepared desserts in the afternoon, hoping that Madam would take them to the two darlings, so even if it couldn’t draw the three of them closer immediately, at least they could have more time together. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs Nov3lFɪre.ɴet
A family of four ought to come home together!
Tanya remained calm and said, "There were still some matters at the company. The children are staying with Mr. Hawthorne to work late. I’m too tired today, so I came back first. Thank you for the desserts, Aunt Tawny, Caden and Joy really liked them."
After speaking, Tanya forced a smile at Aunt Tawny and went upstairs.
Aunt Tawny watched Tanya’s thin and frail back, worriedly furrowing her eyebrows, feeling that things might not be as straightforward as Madam said.
She couldn’t help but take out her pocket phone and secretly called Old Lady Hawthorne.
"Ma’am, things aren’t looking good..."
After Tanya went upstairs, she didn’t go to the study; instead, she went to the storage room to retrieve a suitcase she used to use often.
This was also the suitcase she took to the airport seven years ago.
It was all she owned.
Later, she carried this suitcase with her relentless courage and wholehearted love, and married Vincent Hawthorne...
Tanya packed a few daily outfits from the wardrobe, paused at the bottom, and took out a glass jar buried underneath.
It was filled with preserved leaves.
Hundreds and thousands of leaves—green, yellow, withered—enough to cover many years’ worth of seasons.
For those years, whenever she waited for Vincent Hawthorne, she would pick a leaf and take it home to make a specimen.
This full jar felt so heavy, like her heart that had been dug out for Vincent Hawthorne, only to be trampled like garbage.
Tanya smiled bitterly and self-mockingly, tossed the glass jar into the junk room.
This jar of ’garbage’, she didn’t want it anymore. The feelings of these years, she could just as well feed them to the dogs.
A 24-inch suitcase was enough to fit all Tanya’s belongings in this house.
She carried the suitcase to the study and hid it in the corner.
She planned to bring the suitcase to work tomorrow, stash it in the office, and once Saturday was over, she would resign and move out of this home, never to force herself to face Vincent Hawthorne and watch him flaunt his love with Cindy Lynn every day!
As for the children’s custody...
Tanya’s heart sank; she naturally would strive to earn money, find the best divorce lawyer, and fight Vincent Hawthorne to the end!
Tanya collected herself, opened the computer, and integrated today’s data from Principal Preston’s research institute into her project proposal.
She reviewed it again, planning to make a more streamlined PowerPoint tomorrow, and it would be complete.
The day after tomorrow, she’d be able to visit Westgard Pharmaceuticals to meet the legendary Second Young Master Pierce.
Thinking of the mysterious Second Young Master Pierce, Tanya was somewhat curious.
A love child raised abroad for years, suddenly returning to the country, and directly winning tough bones like Westgard Pharmaceuticals, it seemed that Second Young Master Pierce wouldn’t be a simpleton...
Just then, there was the sound of parking downstairs.
Tanya went to the window to glance outside, Vincent Hawthorne had returned with Caden and Joy.
Tanya initially wanted to go downstairs to see the children, but recalling the warm scene of them with Cindy Lynn in Vincent’s office, the excitement in her heart was largely extinguished.
She didn’t want to see Vincent, nor speak a word to him.
Tanya returned to her work at the computer, planning to wait until the children went to sleep before saying goodnight to them.
Downstairs, Vincent Hawthorne noticed Tanya’s shoes were exchanged at the entry shoe cabinet.
His eyes paused slightly; he looked up to ask Aunt Tawny as she came over to gather the children’s backpacks.
"When did Madam come back?"
Aunt Tawny: "More than an hour ago."
Vincent didn’t say much, but the atmosphere around him clearly grew more oppressive.
He casually pulled off his tie and at that moment got a call, the caller ID showing Cindy Lynn.
Vincent took his phone to the terrace to answer.
Aunt Tawny led Caden and Joy to the kitchen to wash their hands.
Joy finished washing her hands and bounced over to the sofa, picking up her tablet to play.
Caden dried his hands, thought for a moment, and returned to Aunt Tawny with polite words: "Aunt Tawny, the fruit sago jelly and mango pomelo sago you made are delicious."
Aunt Tawny smiled, "I’m glad you like them. I made extra, had them sent to the company for Madam to bring to you so you could eat together."
Caden paused for a moment, as if he hadn’t understood, and reconfirmed with Aunt Tawny.
"Aunt Tawny, did you say you sent the desserts to the company this afternoon, and gave them to whom?" Caden had a slight solemnity on his young face.
"Madam." Aunt Tawny was puzzled but smiled and confirmed again, "Madam is your biological mother and Joy’s."
After hearing this, Caden’s insightful eyes blinked.
But since Aunt Tawny said she deliberately had someone send the desserts to Mom, why was it Aunt Cindy who brought them in?
And moreover, she never mentioned Aunt Tawny’s initiative, only saying they were made at home and sent over, clean and hygienic.
He and Joy, even Dad, naturally assumed Aunt Cindy was thoughtful, calling Aunt Tawny to make them and send them over!
Could it be that Aunt Cindy did it on purpose?
Caden’s small eyebrows furrowed tighter.
He twisted around to rush towards the terrace to find Vincent Hawthorne.
He needed to tell Dad about this!
Vincent Hawthorne had just turned around with his phone, and Caden crashed directly into his leg.
"What’s wrong?" Vincent steadied Caden’s shoulder with one hand, slightly frowning.
Though twins, Caden and Joy had distinctly different personalities; Caden was a genius, precocious and mature, ever since he could speak, he’d always been emotionally stable, never rash.
"Dad, I need to tell you something!" Caden spoke anxiously.