Chapter 269

The next morning, Natalie stirred awake. After a quick glance at the clock and noting it was barely past 6:00 am, she rolled over.

Just as she was ready to drift off again, a thought hit her. Had she just glimpsed a message from Rowan?

She tapped on the screen, and sure enough, there was a message sent at 3:00 am. "I'm downstairs. You'll see me when you wake up."

Natalie threw back the covers and padded to the window, only to see a tall figure standing beneath a maple tree. She couldn't make out his face from this height, but she instantly knew it was Rowan.

Immediately, all her drowsiness vanished.

She washed her face, applied an exquisite layer of makeup, and slipped into a red dress. Then, she rushed down the stairs.

Susan emerged from the kitchen with a tray of warm, buttery-smelling pancakes and was surprised to see her at this ungodly hour. "Up so early?"

"S-Something came up," she stammered hesitantly. "Pack the breakfast in a lunchbox, Mom. I'll eat on the way."

"What's