Chapter 102

Seeing something seemed amiss, Lucy straightened and asked, "What exactly are you trying to do?"

Yasir pinched the bridge of his nose, looking resigned. "Mr. Parker's inside. I'll take you in to see him, and you can repeat everything you told me."

"What are you talking about?" Lucy was still a bit confused.

Noticing the darkening expression on Yasir's face, she quickly realized. "You mean Hayden doesn't know Yvonne went overseas to care for him? That's impossible. He must know."

"I'm not sure," Yasir replied. "I heard he was in a coma for quite a while, and Joanna was the one taking care of him. I think something's off, which is why I need you to clear things up." He spoke rapidly, hoping to prevent Lucy from suspecting ulterior motives. His wild reputation often led to misunderstandings; people wrongly assumed he was a troublemaker. This was a huge misunderstanding.

Lucy didn't care whether he was misunderstood or not. Hearing that Joanna had also been involved in Hayden's care made her uneasy. "What does Joanna have to do with this?"

"I know Yvonne went overseas; you can check her immigration records if you want."

"I trust you and Yvonne," Yasir said, his brow furrowed. "It's just that...with this new information, I'm starting to wonder if Joanna might be hiding something." Originally, he'd trusted no one, but working with Yvonne had changed his perspective. She wasn't the helpless person people portrayed her to be, nor did she have harmful intentions. Even Hayden seemed to see her in a new light.

Lucy considered this, then stopped arguing. She got out of the car. "Where is he? Take me there now!"

Yasir said nothing more. He shut the car door and led her into the bar.

Meanwhile, in a VIP room at the bar, Nevin hosted a party for Hayden. At the Parker residence, Hayden had felt awkward after Lucy's outburst. The tension was thick, and Nevin, unwilling to let Hayden stay home alone, had insisted on taking him out. He'd invited numerous friends to lighten the mood.

"Well, Hayden, how's it going? Are you happy?" Nevin asked, pouring Hayden a drink, his eager expression almost begging for praise.

Hayden was uninterested in those around him. He took the drink mechanically, his face grim. The burning liquid slid down his throat, awakening every nerve in his body. But no matter how much he drank, he couldn't shake the image of Lucy's angry face—her stubbornness, everything about her—from his mind. He couldn't understand it; he wondered if she'd cast a spell on him. Otherwise, how could he constantly think about her?

Nevin, waiting for praise that didn't come, grew impatient. "Hayden, what's going on?"

Hayden looked up, about to speak, when his phone vibrated. It was Richard.

12:40 PM

"Mr. Parker, we've confirmed it. Mrs. Parker did go abroad this year, while you were in a coma," Richard reported.

Hayden's face darkened instantly. "What was she doing abroad?"

"We're not sure yet," Richard replied. "Mrs. Parker didn't have a bodyguard and kept a low profile. It's hard to track down."

Hayden ground out the words through clenched teeth. "Keep digging."

"Yes, sir." Richard responded quickly, anxious not to upset Hayden further.

As soon as the call ended, Hayden's face was thunderous. Nevin sensed the intense tension and instinctively shrank back, knowing he should leave. Hayden was in no mood for conversation.

Just as Nevin prepared to slip away, the private room door opened. Yasir entered, pulling Lucy behind him. After scanning the crowd, he approached Hayden.

Hayden immediately noticed them. His eyes narrowed dangerously. "What are you doing here?" he asked, addressing Lucy. Knowing her closeness to Yvonne, Hayden wondered if Yvonne was also present, a thought that sparked a flicker of hope. His gaze unconsciously shifted behind Lucy. Would Yvonne show up? he thought.

Lucy had no idea what Hayden was thinking. She never expected Yasir to actually drag her here to confront Hayden. Judging by Hayden's expression, he was unhappy. All the bold words she'd spoken in Yvonne's defense threatened to vanish.

"What do you care why I'm here?" she stammered. It wasn't fear, but Hayden's cold, threatening aura was almost unbearable.

Yasir, having heard Lucy's earlier cursing, assumed she would only speak that way behind Hayden's back. He was surprised by her boldness. He silently gave her a mental thumbs-up: Quite impressive!

Nevin, however, stared wide-eyed, not in admiration, but in anger. "Who do you think you are, talking to Hayden like that? Are you looking for trouble?" he roared. He hadn't recognized Lucy in the dim light.

Lucy gathered her courage. "I'm Yvonne's friend! I'm here to stand up for her. The Parker family is going too far!"

Her words immediately drew attention. Everyone gathered around out of curiosity. Whispers filled the air: "Look! Someone's daring to stand up to Mr. Parker?" "Yvonne? Who's that?" "Yvonne? I knew it. This is Lucy, Yvonne's best friend. Looks like she's here to stir up trouble."

Realizing the scene was attracting too much attention, Nevin waved his hand. "Everyone, move along! Stop staring!" Despite his attempts, many remained, eager to witness the unfolding confrontation.