Chapter 55



Hayden’s words were so intriguing.

Joseph wasn’t someone to be trifled with either. He explicitly said, “Hayden doesn’t give a damn about the Downey Family fortune. If you deliberately make things difficult for him for this reason, I don’t mind talking to Hayden’s father in person. I think Mr. Downey is probably kept in the dark about his domineering daughter bullying and scheming against her genuine sister.”

Due to Joseph’s presence, viewers quickly changed their attitude towards the matter and those who knew the truth but dared not blurt it out also began to speak in whispers.

“I have heard that Mr. Downey’s marriage to his present wife is a second marriage. His first wife had given birth to a daughter then. I suppose this young lady is that daughter.”

“That seems to be the case. So Chelsea Downey is the illegitimate one, is she not?”

“Probably. The daughter of Mr. Downey’s first wife had never appeared before the public and so few people know her. But we can deduce that Mr. Downey has protected this daughter well.”

Chelsea shuddered with fury that her image as the Downey Family’s legitimate daughter, which she had built up so painstakingly over the years, was going to be ruined. Her boyfriend, who had been at her side, suddenly turned and walked away. Chelsea stamped her foot and yelled, “Byron White, where are you going?”

She then hurried after him. Chelsea left Kingsley and Michelle behind.

Kingsley’s parents approached when they heard the commotion. When they saw Hayden, they were stunned for a moment. But having experienced many important events, they calmly came to their senses and apologized loudly to Joseph and Hayden. Kingsley’s mother secretly tugged at his sleeve as she shot him a withering look.

“Hurry up and apologize to Mr. Beckham. Look how you’ve ruined this.”

Furrowing his eyebrows, Kingsley looked at Joseph and mumbled a grudging apology.

Michelle reacted quickly. Seeing that they were now in an unfavorable position, she quickly changed her expression and intimately raised Hayden’s hand all smiles, “There must be some misunderstanding. Hayden, you and Mr. Beckham are our distinguished guests. Please don’t take it to heart, it’s bad to sour your spirits. Let’s open the champagne.”

“Yes, let’s open the champagne and let the bad mood take it away.”

The guests watching the show had dispersed, but no one knew what they were thinking inside. However, Hayden knew deep down that her identity as Joseph’s fiancée would be broadcast after this charade.

“I’m sorry to have bothered you, can we deal with this matter later?”.

After popping the champagne, Hayden and Joseph walked side by side through the banquet hall. Hayden lowered his voice and asked him about the rumor suppression issues.

Joseph seemed quite composed, as if he wasn’t taking it seriously, “Leave it.”

Hayden took it for granted that what Joseph meant was that she didn’t need to be bothered, as someone else would take care of it. He nodded and moved on to the other topic, asking, “By the way, how come you’re here, weren’t you supposed to be going to the woods?”

“Your friend is with the kids. I heard you had come to your ex-boyfriend’s engagement banquet and I was curious.”

“Curious?” Hayden’s expression froze.

“I’m curious what you’re like when you cry.”

“Crying? How can that be possible?” Hayden twisted his mouth, “It’s about the past. You think I come here to get drunk and make a fuss at your engagement banquet?”

“If you weren’t capable of doing that, Stella and Noah wouldn’t have threatened me to come.”

Hayden was a little taken aback and asked amused, “So it turns out it’s Stella and Noah who asked you to come?”

“Yes.”

Hayden was speechless and at the same time a little disappointed.

She knew she really liked Noah, just as Stella wanted so badly for her and Joseph to be a couple, so these two clever kids probably would have come up with some new trick.

But what disappointed her was that Joseph didn’t come looking for her of his own free will.

As she was lost in thought, she heard Joseph’s mocking words, “On the other hand, comparing picking up leaves with Noah for homework for your painting course, I’m more interested in coming to see what mental preparation you had done to dare attend alone the engagement banquet of your ex-boyfriend who cheated on you with your hypocritical ex-best friend.”

“Gross.” Grumpily, Hayden shoved his arm, “Don’t rub it in. If he hadn’t come to the engagement banquet to support her, she would have been harassed, “How was I supposed to know Chelsea was there too? I was caught off guard.”

“Are you afraid of her?”

“Who’s afraid of her?” Hayden’s eyes widened and she looked at Joseph with dissatisfaction. As if something suddenly dawned on her, she asked hesitantly, “How do you know Chelsea is my older sister?”

Joseph looked at her and said demurely, “You’re the person who drives my son to and from school and is very intimate with him at many times. Don’t you think I should do a background check on you?”

Hayden coughed in embarrassment as she was struck dumb.

Joseph stepped forward, “Don’t you think I’ve shown you a great deal of trust, since, even if you, the second daughter of the Downey Family, had manipulated your resume and worked as a hotel manager under my group’s control, I had no doubt you would have other intentions?”

“I have no other intentions.” Hayden was quick to shake her head, “I just want to provide for my family.”

Joseph studied her thoughtfully for a long moment and suddenly reached up to tuck her messy hair behind her ears, leaned forward slightly and said in a soft voice, “I see.”

Hayden blushed.

Kinsley watched the romantic scene from afar. Contemplating Hayden’s bright smile and intimate posturing, he clenched his fists feeling depressed. If he hadn’t made that reckless decision, she should be the woman he was marrying today.

Michelle, who was chatting with her best friends, happened to turn her head at the mention of Kingsley and noticed his somber gaze. Following her line of sight, she saw Hayden and the smile on her face gradually disappeared.

She had tried her best to make Kinsley completely forget Hayden over the years, but had failed.

“Michelle, what are you thinking?” Her best friend’s voice snapped her back to reality.

Michelle stared at her glass for a moment, then suddenly raised her head and said in a somber voice, “Rena, can you do me a favor?”

Joseph received a call from his butler during the engagement banquet and went to the balcony to answer the call, leaving Hayden enjoying the food and drink in a state of boredom.

“Hayden.”

Hayden looked up and saw two women who were then his college roommates and two strange men. One of her roommates who had short hair greeted Hayden enthusiastically. “Hayden, we haven’t seen each other in so long. You look prettier than before.”

“Thank you.” Hayden smiled politely. He’d only lived with them for a year in college days, so they didn’t know each other very well and he barely remembered their names.

After exchanging some pleasantries, one of them proposed, “It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other and I think we should have a toast.”

Hayden had no problem with the proposal. He raised his glass and gulped down the wine it contained. But before he could put the glass down, the other woman raised hers, “Oh, and I want to toast with you too. Hayden, my bed was across from yours. Remember? Come on, drink it.”

As she finished the words, she downed the wine in one gulp and said, “You should drink this glass of wine.”

“Yes, I remember.” Hayden nodded and gulped the wine listlessly.

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