Chapter 114

Hayden noticed my subdued demeanor and asked again, "Is something wrong?"

I shook my head and left. As I walked, the staff greeted me, and the reality of what had just transpired settled in. Hayden… could he be possessed?

Lost in thought, I didn't realize we'd arrived at the company until Ethan gently said, "Mrs. Parker, we've reached."

Snapping back to reality, I glanced at the receding buildings and sighed.

"Mrs. Parker, you won, so why don't you look happy?" Ethan asked, puzzled.

"It looks like I won, but didn't I actually lose miserably?" I said with a bitter smile, opening the car door. What could I do to make up for the ten years I'd lost?

Entering the secretary's office, I found Joanna packing. "So early?" I was surprised. Hadn't she finished packing? And it was so early in the morning.

Joanna looked up, her eyes red and swollen; she'd clearly been crying.

"Don't get cocky!" she sneered, her face contorted with anger. "Don't think this will make Hayden change his mind and fall for you!"

"I don't think that at all," I replied with a smile, immune to such attacks. Even if Hayden were standing before me, I wouldn't feel much. Why should I care about her?

"Even if I leave the Parker Group, he'll still marry me," Joanna boasted confidently.

"Then why didn't he help you yesterday?" I asked, meeting her gaze.

Joanna's fury was palpable. But she wasn't finished. Stepping forward in her high heels, she announced, "Hayden knows I'm pregnant with his child and didn't want me stressed at work, so he made up an excuse for me to rest at home."

She stressed the pregnancy, shattering my composure.

"You're… pregnant!" My voice, incredulous, escaped before I could regain my composure. I instantly regretted the question. What did her pregnancy have to do with me? Even a multitude of children wouldn't concern me. What a pointless question.

Joanna seemed to have been waiting for that. A self-satisfied smirk spread across her face. "Humph, don't blame me. Who's to blame for your belly being so unproductive all these years? Hayden doesn't even want to be with you, does he? As a woman who's reached this stage, I actually feel sorry for you."

My eyes fell to her flat stomach, oblivious to her last words. Back then, she'd acted as if nothing was between her and Hayden, but… Given the intensity of their feelings, how could they not be together? The thought disgusted me. Wow, Hayden. You're really dirty.

Joanna noticed my gaze and gently stroked her belly. "If you had any sense, you'd leave Hayden alone and let our family of three come together."

"Is this child considered illegitimate?" I blurted out. It wasn't prejudice; it was a random thought.

Joanna's face paled. "Illegitimate child? Really? Are you insane? You can't have a child, so you're cursing mine?"

Joanna was taken aback by my unpredictable reaction. As tension filled the room, Richard's voice came from outside, "Mr. Parker, you have a meeting at 9:30."

"Is Hayden here!" Joanna reacted swiftly, glancing at me before hurrying to the door.

Watching her dash away in her high heels, I wondered about the wisdom of her attire and pace while pregnant.

Shaking my head, I sat at my desk to review my work. Usually efficient, I finished in ten minutes, but today… I couldn't concentrate. All I could think about was Joanna's smug look and how she touched her belly. That's… her child with Hayden. I hadn't come to terms with it, even if it was somewhat expected.

I thought I'd moved on, yet this simple statement completely unsettled me. It wasn't jealousy; it was sadness. Did I truly adore a man like that for ten years? Joanna achieved in months what I'd failed to do in ten years. Wasn't that truly sad?

I recalled my dogged pursuit of Hayden, fantasizing about our future. I'd told him I liked children, asking if he preferred boys or girls. He'd been engrossed in paperwork, ignoring me completely. I'd even said I'd love any child, boy or girl, no matter how many.

Now, I realized how pitiable I'd been. Had I been the only one invested in that relationship? Hayden… hadn't even been involved.

In the president's office, Joanna burst in, forgetting to knock. "Hayden! You're finally here!"

Richard was reporting to Hayden. "Mr. Brown from Brown Electronics will be here at eleven. He…" He was interrupted by Joanna.

Richard glanced at Hayden, who subtly gestured for him to leave. Richard departed, taking his documents.

Joanna approached Hayden's desk, her voice thick with emotion. "Hayden, are you truly going to force me to leave? But I don't want to…"

This was a last attempt. She wasn't actually pregnant; she'd said it to provoke me. Hayden had been seeing her less lately, and leaving the Parker Group would make it harder to see him. Their relationship was unstable; how could she marry into the Parker family? She needed a way to stay.

Hayden looked up, his voice cold. "According to the bet, you lost, so you have to leave."

"But that was Zachary's bet! You're the president of the Parker Group! If you say I can stay, no one will object…" Joanna said, playfully reaching for his hand. "Please, Hayden!"