Chapter 295
“Nah, it ain’t like that…” Hawthorne shook his head, “I’ve had the same thoughts, but I didn’t follow through, ‘cause I know how much an abortion can hurt a woman, I wouldn’t wanna harm you. I didn’t tell your dad I found you, I had someone shadowing you, and on the fourth day after you gave birth, I had the baby sent back to his dad.”
Hawthorne watched as Astrid’s clenched fist relaxed. He knew if he had confessed just now, Astrid’s punch wouldn’t have hesitated to land on his face. They still ended up here.
Astrid looked at Hawthorne, her gaze colder than ever, “How can you prove the person you’re talking about is real? Is he not just a figment of your imagination?”
“Astrid…” Hawthorne sighed lightly, his eyes complex, “Am I really that unworthy of your trust?”
“What do you think?” Astrid scoffed, “Hawthorne, after all the things you’ve done, how do you expect me to trust you?”
Her trust in him had already been shattered bit by bit.
Hawthorne’s hand gripping the wheelchair tightened, I’ve deleted the message. I have no proof, but I promise every word I said today is true.”
“Hah.” Astrid stood there looking at him, “You could’ve just hid well and I wouldn’t have been able to find you. Why did you suddenly appear and tell me all this?”
Hawthorne said, “I just want you to know, the person who messaged me is dangerous. He knows everything about you, including your true identity, that you’re the long–lost daughter of the Brooke family, and he knows about our marriage!
He didn’t want you to have Elio’s child, so he told me about your pregnancy, hoping I’d do his dirty work. But I couldn’t do it, so, he tried repeatedly.
I watched your belly grow bigger every day, after all, it’s a life that you were carrying. When you and Gracie went to the countryside, I dealt with those following you, otherwise, do you think you’d have been safe?”
Astrid was silent.
Seeing her not speak, Hawthorne continued: “As you said, I could’ve just hid, disappeared. But I came to find you because I’m afraid he’ll harm you again. I’ve been having nightmares lately, can’t sleep. I keep dreaming that something happened to you, that you’re covered in blood…Astrid, you’ve entered the entertainment industry, and you’ve become the center of attention. The higher you climb, the harder you fall, and I don’t want to see you get hurt. -Everything I’ve done is just to get you out of the entertainment industry. Even if you don’t want to be with me, I don’t care. I just want you to be happy,
that’s enough.”
Hawthorne reached out, trying to grab Astrid’s hand.
Astrid took a step back, “Hawthorne, I can’t be sure if what you’re saying is true or lies. I just want to tell you, don’t try to control my life. Your so–called kindness is suffocating. Maybe you did deal with the two people who were tracking me and Gracie, allowing me to give birth safely. But you had someone steal my child, is that right? Just because you like me, but not the child in my belly, you decided to take him away from me!”
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