After His Sweetheart Moved In, He Came Home Every Night-Chapter 192: He Said the Reason He Chose Her

Chapter 192: Chapter 192: He Said the Reason He Chose Her

"I really don’t understand why you insist on taking me to see your sister. It’s not like I know her."

Finn Hawthorne rested one hand on the steering wheel, his posture relaxed. "All that matters is that *I* know *you*."

Alice York shot him a look. "Since when are we so familiar?"

Finn Hawthorne wasn’t the least bit angry. "Don’t worry. We’ll get to know each other better the more time we spend together."

Alice York, unable to win the argument, held out her hand. "Let me use my phone."

She had been pulled away so suddenly that she’d left her phone in the hospital room. When Wyatt Sterling arrived and didn’t find her, things would get serious.

Finn Hawthorne hesitated. "You want to contact Wyatt Sterling, don’t you?"

Alice York: "Who else?"

Finn Hawthorne: "Then I can’t give it to you."

"..."

No sooner had Finn Hawthorne ’abducted’ Alice York than Wyatt Sterling arrived at the hospital.

The moment the car stopped, an exceptionally tall and slender man hurried over. "Third Master."

The moment Wyatt Sterling saw Perry Pierce downstairs, he knew something was wrong.

Perry Pierce lowered his head. "She was taken by Finn Hawthorne."

The color drained from Mason Cheney’s face. He immediately asked, "Why didn’t you stop him?"

Perry Pierce explained, "The Hawthorne family can call on people from inside the hospital. I couldn’t stop them."

"If you couldn’t stop them, why didn’t you call immediately!" Mason Cheney was terrified. He turned to sneak a cautious glance at Wyatt Sterling’s face.

Wyatt Sterling’s expression was frosty. His gaze slid toward Perry Pierce as he reminded him, "This is the second time."

Sensing that gaze, Perry Pierce lowered his head even further.

Once Wyatt Sterling had turned and gotten into the car, Mason Cheney kicked Perry Pierce. "Third Master hates it when people act on their own," he hissed. "If it weren’t for the credit you earned in Washington last time, you’d be toast right now."

Perry Pierce emotionlessly kicked him back. "I know what I’m doing."

"Hey, you kicked me back?" Mason Cheney’s eyes widened in anger. Just as he was about to retaliate, Perry Pierce moved past him. "If you don’t get in the car, things will get much worse."

Mason Cheney pointed at Perry Pierce. "You just wait."

They got into the car, one after the other.

"Third Master, are we going to the Hawthorne estate?" Mason Cheney asked cautiously.

Wyatt Sterling pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes closed. "The Hawthornes are welcoming their daughter home today. We’re not going to join the circus."

"Then what about Miss Alice?" Mason Cheney recalled Alice saying someone wanted to draw her blood. He had been so nervous then, afraid someone was trying to harm her.

Alice had just made an enemy of Finn Hawthorne, and there was also the incident in Rhovan. Even though the Third Master had reached an agreement with the Hawthorne family, there was no guarantee they’d be able to swallow their pride and wouldn’t secretly move against Alice.

Especially if they tampered with the blood draw—that could be fatal.

"She’ll be fine." Wyatt Sterling lowered his hand, his expression weary. "It’s not the Hawthornes who want to harm Alice."

As soon as he finished speaking, his phone rang.

Wyatt Sterling answered. "You’re back?"

Julian Dalton’s voice came through the phone. "I’m a day late. Just got back to Shorecrest and gave you a call. Are you in Arden right now?"

"Yeah."

While Julian was away, Yael had been staying at Shorecrest, cared for by a nanny he had personally selected. Julian had actually arranged for another place before his trip, but Wyatt had suggested it would be safer to leave Yael at Shorecrest.

Not much needed to be said between brothers. Julian had readily agreed, and now he had come straight to Shorecrest to pick her up.

"Are you coming back to Silvanus anytime soon?" Julian asked. If Wyatt was, he wouldn’t be in a rush to take Yael back to Washington; another day or two wouldn’t matter.

Wyatt Sterling: "Not for now. There’s a lot to take care of here."

"Alright then. I’ll take Yael back to Washington tomorrow. Her medicinal bath is scheduled soon, so it’s better to go back early and not delay it."

Hearing about the medicinal bath reminded Wyatt that Alice still had one session left. Her constitution was weak, and the bath would be incredibly beneficial for her.

"I’ll head straight over once things in Arden are settled," Wyatt Sterling said.

Julian asked with a laugh, "Bringing that little ’niece’ of yours with you?"

"I’m hanging up."

Wyatt Sterling lowered his phone.

"Hey! Wait! Wyatt?"

The dial tone buzzed in his ear. Julian couldn’t help but laugh. He heard the PATTER PATTER of footsteps behind him. Putting his phone away, he turned just as Yael threw herself at him. "Daddy."

Julian bent down, scooped his daughter up, and lifted her high into the air before giving her a kiss. "All done eating already?"

Yael wrapped her arms around her father’s neck and rested her head on his shoulder. "I don’t want to eat anymore."

"What’s this? Your appetite has gotten smaller." Julian gently patted his daughter’s back. "Was it not good?"

"No." Yael shook her head, her voice muffled. "I’m sad."

Julian tilted his head, nuzzling her hair. "Why are you sad? Tell Daddy. Did someone bully you while I was away?"

"It was Auntie Seraphina."

When Yael said this, she sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

Julian’s brow furrowed. He patted his daughter’s back gently, asking in a soothing voice, "What about Auntie Seraphina? Was she mean to you? Did she hit you?"

Seraphina Sheridan, who had just walked over, heard Julian’s questions to Yael and nearly coughed up blood from frustration.

"Mr. Dalton!"

Seraphina Sheridan strode over.

Julian was already suspecting his daughter had been mistreated. Seeing Seraphina approach, he didn’t bother to hide his displeasure. "Miss Sheridan, I’d like an explanation. My daughter is normally very cheerful. Why is she suddenly like this the moment I get back?"

"..."

In that moment, Seraphina was incredibly thankful for the security cameras in the house. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to explain her way out of this even if she was completely in the right.

"I was feeding Yael just now and said a few things. She got upset, and that’s why she’s like this. I swear I didn’t do anything," Seraphina explained, then called out to Yael, who completely ignored her.

Julian’s expression darkened. "What did you say to her?"

Seraphina told him the truth. "I said that since you were delayed a day, Mr. Dalton, I got to stay with her an extra day, but that I had to leave tonight. She got upset, and... well, this happened."

She said it frankly.

There was no act, no embellishment.

But that wasn’t how Julian heard it. He didn’t believe Yael would be this upset just because the woman who had cared for her for a few days was leaving.

To confirm it, he asked Yael directly, "Is that what she said, Yael?"

Yael remained silent, not making a sound.

Julian turned back to Seraphina. "It seems you’re lying."

"I... it wasn’t me..." Seraphina suddenly felt utterly unable to defend herself.

Julian walked past Seraphina, holding Yael. He paused, glancing sideways at her. "Seraphina Sheridan, do you know why I chose you to care for my daughter?"

Seraphina’s throat felt tight. "Why?"

Julian said, "Because your name is only a surname away from a friend of mine’s. I thought it was a sign of good fortune, but it seems my sentimentality only caused my daughter to suffer. You can go. I’ll have someone settle your payment."

For Seraphina Sheridan, being misunderstood like this—without any regard for the truth—was practically a daily occurrence.

She just never expected Yael to silently go along with the accusation that she hadn’t been well cared for.

’Whatever. It’s not like I ever took care of Yael after she was born anyway. I’ll just consider these past few days as a way to atone for some of my guilt. We’ll never see each other again.’

"I failed to take proper care of Mr. Dalton’s daughter. I’m very sorry. As for the payment, there’s no need, Mr. Dalton. It was my failure, after all. I’ll leave now."