Being thrown back in time was a massive shock. Honestly, Lawrence didn't have a master strategy mapped out yet, but he knew for a fact he couldn't let history repeat itself.
Cupping Bonnie's face, he gently wiped a stray tear from the corner of her eye and made a solemn vow. "I'm going to tell my parents. We are going to sit down and put everything on the table. If she can accept a strictly platonic sibling relationship moving forward, great. If she refuses, I won't show any mercy."
"Candie," Lawrence murmured. Seeing the panicked hesitation in her eyes, he let out a soft chuckle. "But regardless of how she reacts, I am completely cutting off all unnecessary contact with her. If we're forced to be in the same room, she'll get nothing more than a polite nod. Are you okay with that?"
Bonnie remained silent, shifting uncomfortably on his lap. A heavy layer of hesitation clouded her features.
She had never expected things to escalate to this extreme, and the sudden shift left her entirely off-balance.
Lawrence steadied her waist. "That being said, I can't dictate how my parents handle this. They are the elders, and up until now, they've been completely in the dark. My family owes a massive debt of gratitude to Hannah's biological parents. So, over the years, they've always spoiled her a little extra. It's a mix of guilt and long-standing familial love. I can sever my ties, but they might not be able to sever theirs."
He broke the situation down logically to reassure her that he was permanently drawing a line in the sand. While his absolute loyalty warmed Bonnie's heart, it also sparked a deep flare of anxiety.
Bonnie was terrified that she was about to detonate the Lane family.
The truth was, the dynamic was already shifting. Bonnie only now realized that Lawrence had dropped the title 'my sister.' In the past, regardless of the situation, he had staunchly referred to her as his sister. Now, he casually used her first name.
Furthermore, she noticed that his entire demeanor when discussing Hannah had drastically transformed. The irritated, conflicting angst of a man trapped between romance and family loyalty was completely gone. It had been replaced by an icy, absolute indifference.
He spoke with the detached serenity of a man who had survived a century of chaos, recounting a story that barely even belonged to him anymore.


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