Chapter 11 " Out of the country ?! " Declan shot to his feet , his voice sharp as a blade . " What the hell is that supposed to mean ? " Mrs. Hawthorne clearly hadn't expected such an intense reaction . Her eyes flickered , and her voice faltered , " I - I didn't mean it like that . Just … forget I said anything . " She turned abruptly , trying to leave the room . But Declan was faster . In an instant , he stepped in front of her , blocking her path completely . He didn't say a word - but his stance said everything . He wasn't moving until she gave him an answer . Mrs. Hawthorne felt a flicker of irritation . All this fuss over Marissa ? Was that really worth turning against his own mother ? " That's right . She left the country , " she said , her voice cool . " What of it ? " And just like that , the pieces clicked into place for Declan . Her odd behavior , her evasiveness … it all made sense now . " Where is she ? " he demanded , his jaw clenched so tight it looked like he might shatter a tooth . Mrs. Hawthorne arched a brow and walked calmly over to the dining table , taking a seat like she had all the time in the world . She shot him a side glance , then smiled faintly at the storm brewing on his face . " Declan , don't be so dramatic . What do you mean , ' where did I send her ' ? She's not a captive . She's a grown woman . " " And frankly , someone like her should be grateful for the opportunities our family gave her . If it weren't for the Hawthornes funding her education , who knows where she'd be right now ? " " She got to finish school . Now she has the chance to travel abroad . Sounds like a win to me . And to her , too - she said yes without hesitation . " Declan's heart sank . He'd known his mother might've interfered - but he never expected that Marissa would agree to leave . Willingly . Chapter 11 Blushwood Health EBC - 46 Tincture | 10 : 1 Blushwood Berry Extract 50 ml | Lab -… Shop our versatile Tincture 08. This lab - tested , 10 : 1 Blushwood Berry extract with EBC - 46 is designed for both sublingual and topical use . Fast global shipping . bh 45.45 % For Chronic Discomfort Blushwood Health " No , " he whispered , his face going pale . " That's not possible . " For all her coldness , Mrs. Hawthorne still softened a little at the sight of her son completely wrecked . " Declan , if those women could leave you that easily , then maybe they were never meant to stay . You're the only heir to Hawthorne Holdings - there are plenty of women dying to marry into this family . Why keep wasting your time on the same two ? " After leaving the estate , Declan drove straight to the most exclusive club in Westbridge Heights . Inside a private lounge , he downed glass after glass of whiskey , the table already littered with empty bottles . He'd had so much , his vision had started to blur . Across from him , Tristan looked torn . After hesitating a long moment , he finally spoke . " Declan , come on . You need to stop . The doctor said no more binge drinking - especially after the accident . " The others chimed in , trying to get him to slow down . But no one dared to mention Marissa's name . They kept trying , repeating the same gentle warnings , but Declan didn't respond . He just kept drinking , glass after glass , like he couldn't feel a damn thing . Tristan gave up . He grabbed his phone and made a call . When Celeste saw his name flash on the screen , she was caught off guard . Ever since she returned to the country , she'd sensed the silent judgment in Tristan's circle . She knew exactly why they didn't like her . But frankly , she didn't care . So long as Declan didn't mind , what anyone else thought was irrelevant . The call rang for a while . Then she finally picked up . " What is it ? " " Declan's drunk . Can you come talk to him ?" The second she heard Declan's name , Celeste didn't hesitate . She grabbed her keys and rushed over . When she arrived at the lounge , Declan was already slumped over the table , completely out cold . She stared at the sea of empty bottles and felt a jolt of alarm . Chapter 11