Chapter 7. The Boundary Beetween Us

A luxurious black sedan glided toward Kins Enterprises. The car door opened slowly, drawing everyone’s attention. The person who always caused a stir was Kinsley Hawthorne.

His loyal secretary, Theodore Bennett, had been waiting patiently in the lobby for a few minutes and immediately fell in step with him as they walked to the executive office. The serious expressions on their faces were unaffected by the smiles of the people they passed, as if an invisible wall had suddenly appeared, separating them from the world around them.

“Welcome back, Mr. Hawthorne.”

“How about the latest sales data I asked for, Ted?”

“Sales are increasing, but there are a few areas that need more attention.”

“Give me a detailed report when we get to my office.”

“Of course, Mr. Hawthorne. I’ve also scheduled a meeting with the product development team for tomorrow.”

“Check the contracts of our potential partners too. We need to make sure everything is on schedule. Then, prepare the latest financial report, which will help when we discuss the budget plan.”

“I’ll get on it right away.”

The door to the executive office opened wide before them. Their eyes fixed on an unexpected guest. Mr. Hawthorne frowned deeply, showing anger and dissatisfaction.

“I’ll be back later,” Theodore said, excusing himself.

Natalie Foster, the ex-wife who had disappointed him and shattered his life into pieces. Their marriage had produced a daughter named Lilly, who took her mother’s surname since full custody was awarded to Natalie.

“Daddy!”

Mr. Hawthorne’s gaze shifted to the small figure of Lilly Foster. Lilly ran towards him, and he quickly caught her. The innocence and joy of the five-year-old managed to dispel the tension that had arisen between her parents.

“I miss you, Daddy,” Lilly whispered, cuddling up to her daddy’s shoulder.

Mr. Hawthorne smiled, gently stroking Lilly’s head. “How’s Daddy’s little princess?”

Lilly pushed herself back to look at her daddy’s face. She was momentarily lost in thought, her face showing sadness. “Something bad happened.”

Mr. Hawthorne looked at Natalie, seeking answers from her. However, Natalie seemed to expect Lilly’s father to ask directly, so she only shrugged.

Mr. Hawthorne gazed at his daughter, who still looked sad. “What happened, dear?”

Lilly took a deep breath. “My friends at school laughed at me because I have a missing tooth. They said it would never grow back. Is that true, Daddy?” she said, with tears in her eyes.

Mr. Hawthorne smiled with relief. He had just been thinking about eliminating anyone who hurt his daughter, but it turned out Lilly’s problem wasn’t as serious as he had imagined.

“Let Daddy see your teeth.”

Lilly nodded, then opened her mouth wide. “A—aa...”

Mr. Hawthorne carefully inspected the missing tooth area. “It’s okay, your tooth will definitely grow back. I see a fairy resting there.”

Lilly closed her lips, her expression a mix of surprise and delight. “Really?!”

Mr. Hawthorne nodded confidently. “Yes, the fairy is working hard to grow your tooth back. You just have to be patient, dear, because it takes time.”

Lilly looked radiant hearing the imaginative story, while Natalie felt displeased with her ex-husband’s way of comforting their daughter. To Natalie, telling the truth without any embellishments was far better than spinning a tale that could lead to lies.

“Now,” said Mr. Hawthorne as he gently set Lilly down from his arms, “can Lilly give Daddy and Mommy some time to talk?”

Lilly stood up straight with her daddy’s help, nodding understandingly. She walked over to the executive chair and sat there, as if taking her father’s place. The items on the desk immediately caught her attention.

Natalie, who was standing closer to Lilly, slowly moved to Mr. Hawthorne’s side—farther away. The former couple spoke in low voices, trying to keep their conversation out of Lilly’s earshot.

“Why did you come here? I warned you to tell me first if Lilly wanted to meet.”

Natalie looked seriously at her ex-husband. “What’s wrong with a child wanting to see her father?”

In the tense atmosphere, Mr. Hawthorne added, “We agreed on this, Natalie. What if Lilly comes at an inconvenient time? Can you guarantee she’ll be safe?”

Natalie looked away, contemplating the broken agreement. She realized she couldn’t guarantee Lilly’s safety during an unplanned visit, especially in an unsafe environment like Kinsley Hawthorne’s. His place wasn’t suitable for their daughter. With all his enemies and the complexities of his life, unexpected meetings had to be avoided to protect Lilly.

“Lilly insisted on coming. I was powerless against her,” said Natalie, sounding desperate.

Mr. Hawthorne rubbed his face with his hand, trying to calm himself. Lilly’s smile should not fade because of her parents’ arguments.

“Have you eaten?” Mr. Hawthorne asked, pushing aside his thoughts of disapproval.

“Yes, we had a meal before coming here. By the way, I also came to inform you that I plan to take Lilly out of town for a few days.”

“What for? Are you going alone?”

“Just for a vacation. We’re planning to go with Milton.”

Mr. Hawthorne frowned, hearing the name for the first time. “Milton?”

Natalie nodded and smiled. “Milton Pritchard is my boyfriend.”

Mr. Hawthorne fell silent. The woman who had once been his wife had built a new world, something he had never imagined—that their loving relationship had ended. Her confession... left a bitter feeling in his chest.

“Kins?”

Mr. Hawthorne refocused his gaze on Natalie. The turmoil in his chest simmered when he saw her face. He quickly shifted his attention to Lilly, who also realized she was being watched. Lilly’s smile, with her missing tooth, became a light that soothed the turmoil. Though the discomfort remained, he tried hard to push it aside.

“Does Lilly like him? If not, don’t force her to go.”

“Lilly really likes Milton. We’ve gone out together before, and it was very enjoyable.”

Mr. Hawthorne nodded slowly. “Good.”

Natalie took his silence as consent for Lilly to go, and she chose not to say more.

However, something else bothered her, so she decided to speak again, “Some women have come to me, asking about our relationship.”

Since their marriage ended, Mr. Hawthorne had shown a hidden dark side. Women became pawns in the network he built. It was part of his personal vendetta against the world that had shunned him. Mr. Hawthorne thought the women who approached Natalie might be among them.

“You must be very popular now and easily get whatever you want in this world.”

In the past, they had lived in hardship. Natalie fought to survive but eventually decided to give up. They didn’t part immediately because Natalie was heavily pregnant at the time. Their agreement was to divorce after Lilly was born.

“Do you regret dumping me?” Mr. Hawthorne asked, his gaze filled with curiosity.

Natalie shook her head, her smile firm. “I just hope your life is better after we parted.”

Mr. Hawthorne looked at Natalie sharply. “So, you mean my life is terrible now, even though I’ve reached the top?” he said with irony, hiding the still unhealed wound of the past.

The atmosphere shifted drastically, tension filling the room. Each second felt like it carried a heavy burden.

Mr. Hawthorne sneered, Natalie’s unwavering expression this time fueling the fire in his eyes. “You don’t realize? In my world, there was only you and Lilly. After all my efforts to keep our marriage, you chose to leave me. Where is your heart, really? Is your affection only for wealth? You didn’t even give me a chance to change our lives for the better.”

“I gave you a chance, Kins. Four years of our marriage, what did you do during that time?”

“Didn’t you see me trying back then? If your family hadn’t interfered in our marriage, maybe Lilly wouldn’t have experienced her parents’ separation.”

“My family has nothing to do with our problems.”

Mr. Hawthorne laughed derisively. “How can you say that, Natalie? Foster, that b*st*rd, almost every day humiliated me with his wealth and power.”

“Watch your mouth, Kins! The person you’re talking about is my father!”

Without them realizing, Lilly had become aware of their argument. The little girl looked hesitant to approach.

Mr. Hawthorne sneered coldly, staring at Natalie’s furious eyes. “If it weren’t for Lilly, I wouldn’t let you live in peace.”

A touch on her thigh made Natalie look down, finding Lilly now looking at her fearfully. The little girl had witnessed the dark aura in her daddy and couldn’t bring herself to even glance at him. What she saw was very different from the image of her daddy she had always known.

“Mom—my...” Lilly whispered.

Natalie wrapped her arm around Lilly’s shoulder protectively. “We’re going home now,” she said, glaring sharply at her ex-husband.

Mr. Hawthorne tried to touch Lilly’s shoulder, ensuring there would be another meeting, but Lilly avoided him and left. The two people he loved disappeared from view, just like in the past.