That icy gaze was chilling, rendering Dawn speechless. The sharp pain in her side from hitting the dining table was unbearable, yet all she could do was watch as the man carefully scooped Sydney into his arms and strode out the door. Tears streamed down her face before she even realized it. She sniffled and remained motionless due to the pain. A few minutes later, the sound of the door opening was heard. It was Helena, the housekeeper. She was humming as she walked toward the dining room. She stopped abruptly in shock when she saw Dawn. Her voice was filled with both surprise and concern. "Oh dear! Ms. Dawn, what—what happened to you? Why are you crying like this?" Dawn could no longer hold it in. Her voice trembled as she pleaded, "Helena, help me ... it really hurts."Helena immediately called for a taxi and took Dawn to the nearest hospital. After a thorough examination, the doctor confirmed that there was no serious injury. Be careful not to put too much pressure on your waist for a while. Apply the medication on time," the doctor advised after prescribing the treatment. He then glanced at Dawn's delicate, youthful face and reassured her, "There will be some severe bruising, but it will fade in time. Don't worry." After thanking the doctor, Dawn left the hospital with Helena. "Ms. Dawn, do you want me to call Mr. Osborne?" "There's no need for that." He's too busy taking care of Sydney to care whether I live or die. Dawn scoffed at herself for being pathetic. Moving slightly, she realized the pain wasn't as bad as before. After handing the medicine to Helena, she said, "You should head back. I'm going to school." Helena hesitated. "Are you sure you'll be okay?" "The doctor said there's no bone injury, so I'll be fine, Helena." It took some convincing, but Dawn eventually managed to send Helena home. As she got into the car, she couldn't help but feel a little melancholic. She had lived with Austin since she was eight and had always been well-protected. Yet now, when she was truly hurt, the only one by her side was Helena. However, there was no point in dwelling on it. In the end, all relationships came to a separation. Hers and Austin's just happened a little earlier than most. After submitting some documents, Dawn informed her professor of her decision to intern in Northville.The professor was taken aback. "Northville? That's so far. Didn't you say before that you couldn't bear to leave your uncle, so you were planning to work at his company? Besides, I'm sure he wouldn't be comfortable letting you go so far." Dawn wasn't sure how to explain the situation between her and Austin. After a moment's thought, she simply said, "Austin and I aren't related by blood. I can't rely on him forever. And I'll be 21 soon—it's time I learned to be independent. He has no reason to object." The professor nodded thoughtfully and sighed. "I know how much your uncle cares about you, even if you don't say anything. Everyone at school has seen it. Even now, he still picks you up and drops you off, worried that some guy might steal you away. "But independence is a good thing. Consider it a learning experience. With your capabilities, you'll excel no matter what you do. I have high hopes for you." Dawn nodded, chatted a bit more, and then left the school. Her university life hadn't been particularly long, but just as her professor said, Austin had never stopped worrying about her. Back in her freshman year, he had even bought an apartment near the campus just so he could cook for her. However, that was the past. He had someone he truly wanted to care for now, and he would spend the rest of his life with that woman. Dawn was nothing but an obstacle in their happy relationship. Leaving his side was probably the best gift and repayment she could offer him. Dawn had assumed Austin would stay with Sydney and wouldn't be home tonight. As soon as she stepped inside, she saw him working on his laptop on the couch. Hearing her enter, Austin turned to look at her. "You're back from class?" Dawn paused before realizing that Helena must have told him she went to school. "Yeah." She casually put away her things, hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Is Sydney okay?" Austin frowned in displeasure. "Where are your manners? She's your aunt." Dawn knew he was trying to reinforce their "relationship." Keeping her tone indifferent, she replied, "You're not married yet. A name is meant to be used—I don't see how that's disrespectful." He clearly disagreed with her reasoning, but to her surprise, he didn't press the issue. Instead, he changed the subject. "I was too anxious earlier, and I didn't control myself. Helena mentioned you hit the table. Is it serious?" Dawn's fingers curled slightly at her sides before she relaxed them again. Lowering her gaze, she said, "I'm fine." Austin didn't believe her. Helena had told him she cried from the pain. This girl had always been tough—how badly did she have to be hurt to cry like that? Frowning, he set his laptop aside and got up. "Let me take a look—"The moment he reached out, Dawn instinctively stepped back. Austin's hand froze midair. He hadn't expected her to avoid him. "Dawn?" He looked at her with a complicated gaze. "I was too worried about Sydney earlier, so I didn't notice what happened to you. I'm sorry, alright?" Of course. He was too busy worrying about Sydney. Dawn felt a dull ache in her chest, but it passed quickly. Lowering her head, she kept her expression hidden as she said flatly, "I just bumped into something. It's not as bad as Sydney's fall. You should go take care of her." "Are you sure you're okay?" "Yeah." Austin studied her for a moment before finally relaxing. It seemed like she was really fine. If she weren't, knowing her, she would have already thrown a fit. He wanted to say more, but his phone on the sofa suddenly rang. Picking it up, his tone softened instantly. "Sydney, what's wrong?... You need to be more careful. Is it serious?" As he spoke, he grabbed his coat from the sofa. "I'll be right there." He rushed to the door but then suddenly turned around to remind Dawn, "Call me if you need anything. Don't run around." Dawn watched as he got into his car and drove away. The engine noise faded into the distance. She sighed, and the pain in her waist flared up again. At the same time, her phone vibrated inside her bag. Seeing Ethan's name on the screen, her nose stung. She answered the phone with a trace of unintentional vulnerability. "Ethan, I got hurt."