Chapter 14

Richard lowered his eyes, hesitating before stammering, “Mrs. Parker, please don’t tell Mr. Parker I mentioned this. He dislikes us discussing these things behind his back.”

“Okay, don’t worry,” I replied. “I didn’t plan to ask Hayden anything; I was just curious.”

Richard visibly relaxed. “Honestly, I don’t know much. I’ve heard Ms. Charlotte and Mr. Parker met overseas a few months ago. Afterward, he brought her back.”

“Any details?” I asked, leaning closer. Richard’s account corroborated the rumors, and I wanted to hear more.

He hesitated. “It seems Ms. Charlotte cared for Mr. Parker when he was injured.”

I was stunned. I’d imagined they met at a business function, through a mutual friend, or even by chance. But Joanna had been caring for Hayden during his recovery! When Hayden was hurt, hadn't I been the one looking after him? Had Joanna arrived after I left? I’d rushed home, only to hear Hayden had already awakened. When had Joanna arrived?

My mind raced, making it difficult to concentrate. “Are you saying Joanna was there when Hayden was in a coma after the car accident two months ago?” I asked quickly, needing clarification.

“Yes,” Richard nodded seriously. Sensing my desire for more information, he added, “Mr. Nevin Parker knows more. Maybe you should ask him?”

He was clearly trying to steer me towards Nevin, who might know more but would never share it. He’d likely just mock me.

Just then, Nevin's voice came from the doorway. "Oh, Yvonne, you actually came to the office?"

I looked up to see Nevin casually leaning against the door, a smug look on his face. Perfect. I couldn't seem to escape him.

Before I could respond, Richard quietly stood, gathered a stack of documents, and slipped away, saying, “I’ll leave you two to talk.” A small world. No wonder he’d been Hayden’s secretary so long—he was adept at reading the room and avoiding trouble. Soon, only Nevin and I remained.

I shot him a cold glance. “Shouldn’t you back up your words and show me some respect?”

“Hmph! Keep dreaming! Plus, Hayden doesn’t like you, so you don’t deserve to be his wife,” Nevin scoffed, his face twisting.

“Oh, right, you’re just an untrustworthy jerk,” I snapped, glancing down at the documents Richard had left. I knew Hayden’s habits intimately, making me more than qualified to be his secretary, but I still needed to familiarize myself with company policies.

Nevin’s face turned livid. He stormed over and slammed his hand on the table. “Who are you calling a jerk? Yvonne, you’ve changed completely in the last two months!”

“If I don’t change, I might as well let the Parkers bleed me dry,” I retorted sarcastically. “When you saw Joanna with Hayden, you were probably laughing at me behind my back, weren’t you?”

Nevin paused, looking confused. “You knew?”

“The mistress has come to confront me. Do you think I’d be clueless?” I taunted, hoping to provoke an unexpected revelation.

He took the bait. “Then you should feel ashamed! Even as an outsider, she knew how to care for Hayden. Yet, as his wife, you ignored him. If it weren’t for her, who knows what would have happened?”

His words hit me hard, momentarily overshadowing his rudeness. “What do you mean? Joanna took care of Hayden while I ignored him?”

What was happening? I’d rushed overseas, caring for him day and night for nearly two weeks before returning. How had this become Joanna’s accomplishment?

Nevin sneered, “Isn’t that right? You pretend to love Hayden, but when you heard he was in a coma, you didn’t show any concern and even talked about divorce. I’m warning you—stay away from Hayden and Joanna. Or I won’t let you off.”

He stormed out, leaving me bewildered. What had I missed?

Nevin rushed to the door, seeing Joanna exiting Hayden’s office. He instinctively raised his hand to greet her, but stopped as she pulled out her phone, likely to take a call.

Joanna, oblivious to Nevin, answered. “Mom!”

Chapter 15

Hayden and Sean’s conversation halted abruptly. They’d been discussing promotional plans for a new property when Joanna’s unexpected input caught them off guard. Awkwardness filled the air.

Even I, with no marketing background, knew celebrities and real estate rarely mixed. Celebrities weren't likely to live in that development; how would it work?

“And this is…?” Sean asked pointedly—he knew Joanna was Hayden’s mistress.

“Hello, Mr. Harnett. I’m Joanna, Mr. Parker’s secretary,” she said eagerly, without waiting for Hayden to speak.

Sean turned to Hayden, his eyes questioning. “Her level? HR hired her!”

Joanna’s smile faltered.

Hayden’s expression was stern, but not furious. He had connections with Sears, and Joanna’s comment highlighted her lack of awareness.

“She’s new and still learning,” Hayden explained casually. He looked at Joanna, his tone serious. “If you don’t understand, keep quiet and listen.”

“Got it,” Joanna mumbled, her eyes reddening. This was the first time Hayden had criticized her.

Sean, uncomfortable with the tension, looked at me, a smile spreading across his face. “What’s your take on this, Mrs. Parker?”

I flinched, wondering if he was trying to involve me. But since he’d asked, I couldn’t ignore him.

I approached with a smile. “For the real estate promotion, why not incorporate cultural heritage? Perhaps we could have a news station conduct interviews to raise the profile?”

Sean’s eyes lit up. He clapped his hands. “That’s it! Playing up the cultural heritage would pique curiosity. You’re a genius!”

“You’re laying it on thick,” I replied, grinning, downplaying the compliment. I hadn’t taken any classes, but having grown up hearing my father discuss it, it came naturally.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Joanna’s glare.

Joanna lacked experience and had attended a mediocre college. She’d tried to impress, but her attempt had spectacularly failed.

Damn Yvonne. She's even trying to steal the spotlight, Joanna cursed silently.

Nearby, onlookers murmured.

“Wow, Mrs. Parker has a knack for this. I heard she’s amazing at piano too.”

“Who said she’s uneducated and incompetent? Rumors are harmful.”

“Did you see that? The mistress looks really upset. Even a fresh graduate wouldn’t dare say that.”

Their gossip piqued my curiosity about Hayden’s reaction. I turned, surprised to find his deep gaze fixed on me. He seemed to have been watching for a while.