Chapter 126

That melody was so familiar he recognized it instantly. Joanna’s performance, however, was noticeably flawed. Yasir remained silent, quietly observing Joanna’s suddenly frozen expression.

“I forgot it at the moment, but I’ll play it for you next time,” she stammered, desperately trying to recover. Little did she realize Marlon’s patience was already wearing thin. She still had no clue what song was supposed to awaken him. This unexpected question completely threw her off balance. All her hard practice felt like a cruel joke.

Hayden stared at her with intense eyes. “Play it now.”

Joanna froze, bewildered by Hayden’s sudden insistence. “He doesn’t know the truth, does he?” The more she considered it, the more unsettled she became. Her mind felt like a chaotic whirlpool, spiraling out of control. Yasir stood silently nearby, observing Joanna’s frozen expression with quiet amusement.

Finally, Yasir broke the silence. “Could it be, Miss Joanna, that you can’t even play the song?” His timing was perfect, his tone dripping with sarcasm. He found her pretentious act laughable, especially since everyone knew she had stolen the spotlight. He thought, Ugh, I hate anything fake.

Joanna, already unsure how to react, now felt like a cat on a hot tin roof. Her gaze darted nervously around the room until it landed on her mother, Sophia, who watched intently. That sharp, calculating look reminded Joanna of their plan, and she steeled herself. ‘No, I can’t fall apart now. I just need to get Hayden upstairs with me. Once that happens, everything will fall into place,’ she resolved, clenching her fists.

Taking a deep breath, she widened her eyes and looked directly at Hayden. “Do you want the answer!” she asked, her voice trembling slightly to sound earnest.

Hayden furrowed his brows, intrigued but unconvinced. He said nothing, waiting for her to continue.

Joanna seized the opportunity, her voice urgent. “There are too many people here. Let’s go upstairs, and I’ll tell you everything.” Her fists clenched tighter as she forced the words out, her eyes sparkling with desperate determination.

Hayden considered her, his expression unreadable. He remembered Yasir’s earlier words and decided, If I want to give Yvonne a proper explanation, I need to resolve this matter first.

“Fine,” he said, his voice calm and detached.

Yasir’s eyes widened in shock. “You’re actually going?” he asked incredulously. “Can’t you see through her motives? If they were truly open about it, why find a secluded place to talk?”

Hayden turned to him, his expression serious. “You’re right. It’s time to put an end to this.”

With that, Hayden followed Joanna from the room, leaving Yasir staring blankly. He thought, Did I say something wrong?

When I returned to the dance floor, I instinctively scanned the crowd for Hayden. Did Joanna really take him upstairs? Just as suspicion took root, a sharp, mocking voice interrupted me.

“Looking for Hayden, aren’t you? Don’t bother. Right now, he’s busy accompanying my daughter,” Sophia said, her smug tone dripping with malice as she approached with a glass of red wine.

I turned, my heart sinking. So, this was their plan all along—a trap set by Joanna and her mother, targeting Hayden. Still, I questioned, If Hayden likes Joanna that much, why go to such lengths? Couldn’t she just ask for what she wants? “What more do you want?” I asked calmly, though my voice held an edge. “You’ve already gotten everything you wanted.”

“Don’t play dumb with me,” Sophia snapped, her expression darkening. “You still refuse to divorce Hayden, clinging to him like a leech. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re after!”

Her accusation piqued my curiosity. “Oh! Then tell me, what exactly do you think I’m after?”

“Isn’t it obvious? The Parker family fortune,” Sophia sneered, pointing at me. “I know you’ve been secretly buying Jackson Group shares. But so what! It’s all for nothing. Hayden will soon marry Joanna, and everything you’ve done will be in vain!”

I stared at her coldly, a smirk tugging at my lips. This woman really thinks she has it all figured out. Glancing upstairs, I laughed softly. “And how can you be so sure Hayden will marry Joanna? He hasn’t even divorced me yet. Doesn’t seem like he’s that into her, does it?”

I knew Hayden had feelings for Joanna, but I deliberately provoked Sophia. If I push her buttons, maybe I can get her to reveal something useful. To my surprise, she fell for it.

“Don’t get too cocky,” Sophia spat, her voice rising. “Let me tell you something—Joanna and Hayden weren’t even supposed to cross paths. But your father couldn’t stop bragging about his ‘perfect daughter’ who’d married into wealth. Your picture-perfect family made me sick! If it weren’t for him, I never would have encouraged Joanna to get close to Hayden.”

She lifted her chin arrogantly and sipped her wine, reveling in her victory. Yosef had asked her not to drink openly, but she did as she pleased behind the scenes. The calm façade was shattered.

“So, you’re saying you were jealous of my mother and took her husband?” I asked.

Sophia continued, her voice dripping with scorn. “Your mother was so naive, always treasuring that worthless man. It was laughable. That’s human nature—once you have something, you don’t value it anymore. But what you can’t have always seems best.”

Anger surged through me. I shouted, “Shut up! Who are you to talk about my mother like that?”

“Oh, getting upset now, are we?” Sophia taunted, her smugness unwavering. “Don’t forget, I’m carrying your little brother. If you so much as touch me, your father won’t forgive you.” Her hand rested protectively on her stomach, using her pregnancy as a shield. She’s truly despicable.

I took a deep breath, my voice cold and steady. “How exactly did you deal with my mother?” I asked, my heart pounding.

Sophia smirked, twirling a strand of hair. “Did I even need to do much? I sent her a simple text, telling her that her man was enjoying a spring fling with me.”

“Who would’ve thought she’d jump off a building that very night? With such fragile nerves, it’s a wonder she made it this far.” Sophia had planned a hundred ways to take Yvonne’s mother down, but the first move finished her off.

Later, Sophia married into the affluent family. The ease of it all surprised her. I stared at her, my chest tightening. She destroyed my mother’s life with such ease and feels no remorse. My fury erupted.

Without thinking, I grabbed her wine glass and threw its contents in her face. Sophia screamed, her proud expression twisting in shock. “Yvonne! You maniac!” Her outburst attracted a crowd, including my father. He rushed over, alarmed, and embraced Sophia, wiping the wine from her face. “What happened here?” he demanded, his voice frantic. “I was gone for just a moment, and this is what I come back to?”

Sophia’s demeanor shifted instantly. She collapsed into his arms, her voice trembling as she pointed at me. “She… she threw wine at me!”