Chapter 914

Gwyneth retreated to the second floor, her heart heavy with sorrow. She had barely sat down when a video call from Hawthorne lit up her phone.

Seeing his handsome, steady face on the screen, the tears still lingering on her cheeks finally stopped falling.

"I packed ultra-long-lasting battery packs and ten backup phones."

From the passenger seat, Hawthorne held up a heavy black duffel bag to the

camera.

Gwyneth's brain short-circuited for a second until Hawthorne flashed her a warm smile. "I'm going to livestream this entire trip for you every single day. That way, you won't have to worry."

Staring at the screen, Gwyneth sobbed until she was completely out of breath, only for it to seamlessly shift into genuine, bubbling laughter. Just talking to him on the screen chased every shadow of anxiety from her mind.

Her biggest fear had been sitting at home, sick with worry, having no idea where he was or if he was in danger.

Gwyneth was so thoroughly done with living in uncertainty. The stress had been destroying her appetite and ruining her sleep, and she was only a few months away from giving birth.

That kind of extreme stress was terrible for the babies. Hawthorne knew exactly what it was doing to her. That was why he had decided that for the entire journey to The High Sierras, as long as she was awake, he would keep the video feed running. She would be able to see him with her own eyes, entirely unharmed.

Her sorrow vanished, replaced by a radiant sense of relief. Parham brought up her breakfast, and with Hawthorne watching her through the phone, she cleared her plate completely.

Her smile grew brighter by the minute. Hawthorne despised being away from his wife just as much. They had only been reunited for a month before he had to leave again, and the separation gnawed at him.

They kept the video call running as they chatted. He had only been gone for ten minutes, but to Gwyneth, it felt like an eternity. She refused to put the phone down.

Eventually, pregnancy fatigue won out. Right in the middle of their conversation she slumped over onto the pillows and drifted off to sleep Hawthorne watched her peaceful face for a long moment before finally ending the call.

From now on, whenever she needed him, she could reach him instantly.

Hawthorne hadn't told anyone his actual destination-except for Gwyneth. He had simply given Mr. and Mrs. Everhart a brief goodbye, claiming the company had landed a massive project that required his personal oversight, and asked them to check in on Gwyneth while he was gone.

Leonie knew he had left, though she was entirely in the dark about where he was actually going. His departure left her with a gnawing sense of unease, especially regarding Dorian.

With Hawthorne gone, Dorian had just lost his ultimate shield.

If Sully decided to double back and stir up trouble, they would be completely screwed. But her uncle's business trip was non-negotiable and there was absolutely no way she could ask him to stay just to protect Dorian.

Leonie was still in a foul mood after her explosive fight with Connor. Even when she went to deliver meals to Dorian at the hospital, she looked visibly depressed.

Dorian was highly perceptive. Within ten minutes of her arriving, he could tell she was upset.

"What's wrong? Did someone piss you off again?" Dorian asked.

Leonie didn't want him to know she'd been fighting with Connor. It felt like fighting was all they ever did.

They were completely incompatible. Every time they crossed paths, it inevitably blew up into a screaming match, leaving them both miserable.

"It's nothing. My uncle just left town, and I'm a little bummed about it."