" ... " Words like that were nothing more than arguing for the sake of it. Austin blamed Dawn's silence on her stubbornness. She'd always been like this—whenever she disagreed, she'd just clam up and refuse to speak.. "I don't approve of you being with him. Nothing you say will change my mind." "I—" "Dawn!" He cut her off before she could even protest, his voice sharp and commanding. "He's not right for you. And don't try to scare me with this marriage talk. Even if you really were married, you'd better go get a divorce!" Dawn wouldn't dare. She might be strong-willed, but she'd always listened to him more than anyone else. She wouldn't even apply to a college without his approval, so how could she ever get married behind his back? Besides ... Hadn't she been saying for the past two years that he was the one she liked most? Thinking of that, some of the strange frustration in Austin's chest seemed to fade, and his tone softened. "Alright, if you're dead set on staying in Northville, I won't stop you. Just don't make up these ridiculous lies to fool me anymore." Dawn almost laughed out loud at how self-righteous he looked. He's seriously ... No matter if it was Sydney framing her before, or all the explanations that followed, he had never once believed her. Dawn clenched her teeth, suddenly feeling utterly exhausted. "Whatever ... You can think whatever you want. Believe me or not, it doesn't matter anymore." "Ethan's still waiting for me, Uncle Austin. I'm leaving."She walked away without a hint of regret, her back straight and determined. Austin's fists clenched at his sides, his eyes dark and unreadable. A few minutes later, Ethan came strolling down the hallway—not a care in the world. He wore a light gray sport coat over a crisp white shirt, and with the top two buttons undone, he looked just a little bit rebellious. One hand was in his pocket, and his eyes sparkled with amusement, though his smile didn't quite reach them. "Mr. Osborne, has Dawn already left?" He seemed to remember something, adding, "It's fine though—she's got the car keys in her bag. She'll probably wait for me in the car. She won't get cold." Austin glanced up, and for a split second, his eyes turned icy before the chill faded. "Mr. Jackson, are you and Dawn very close?" Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Didn't Dawn tell you?" He let a sly, almost wicked smile spread across his lips. "If we're talking family ties, Mr. Osborne, you'd technically be my uncle-in-law. But since I'm only a couple of years younger than you, maybe we should just stick to business. Don't you think?" Austin narrowed his eyes. "Mr. Jackson, you must be joking. Even if you and Dawn are friends, I'm not qualified to be your uncle-in-law. Besides, I still need your help with the new project." Friends? Heh. Ethan laughed softly and strolled a few steps closer, his voice lazy but clear. "Don't worry, Mr. Osborne. The project will be fine no matter what. After all ... consider it a thank-you gift for raising Dawn." Those last words—"thank-you gift"—stabbed right into Austin's heart like a knife. Dawn's words from earlier echoed in his mind like a spell he couldn't break. No ... No way.He looked up, his eyes red-rimmed, almost wild in the light. "What are you trying to say, Mr. Jackson?" Ethan had no interest in explaining. He glanced at his watch and said, "I'll send wedding gifts separately to Mr. Harry and Mrs. Sandra. They're Dawn's legal parents, after all. Dawn's waiting for me, Mr. Osborne. Excuse me." He turned and walked past Austin, his steps as sharp as a gust of wind. For a long time, Austin just stood there, unable to snap out of it. When had this all start? From what he knew, Ethan's family had moved overseas years ago. He hadn't come back until recently. So how had he and Dawn get tangled up so quickly? Austin let out a cold laugh, his eyes black as night, filled with a stormy chill. Ethan, on the other hand, was in a pretty good mood. As he walked, he checked the group chat on his phone, watching message after message pop up—everyone was jealous, but Alex was the loudest, begging to meet Dawn right away. Ethan grinned and typed back, "Want to meet her? Fine, but you'd better have a good gift ready." After sending that, he made his way to the parking lot. He put his phone away, opened the driver's door, and climbed in. "Did you wait long?" "No, just a few minutes." Dawn glanced at him, hesitating before she asked, "Did you ... run into Uncle Austin on your way out?" "Yeah, I said hi." Ethan's expression didn't change. He turned and gave her cheek a playful pinch—the same thing he'd wanted to do back at the dining table. "Looks like your Uncle Austin kind of likes me." "You sure about that?"