Chapter 38

I figured Hayden might be thinking, "Joanna means more to me than the company and Yvonne combined," and that if he wanted to relax, it should be with her. But ultimately, neither of us could refuse Deborah. Since she had mobility issues, she insisted Rita accompany us.

Hayden and I sat silently in the car. Rita, in the passenger seat, was engrossed in a book titled "Dating Guidelines," a gift from Deborah. I wondered where she'd even found such a thing.

"Upon arrival, Mr. Parker will go fishing, and Mr. Parker will accompany him. For lunch, a fish feast. In the afternoon, you both can relax in the hot springs, and in the evening—" Rita began outlining the plan.

Before she finished, I blurted out, "A hot spring bath? With Hayden! That sounds torturous!"

"Yes, exactly. South Bay Lake has natural and medicinal hot springs. Soaking is very good for your health, Mrs. Parker," Rita said seriously.

I thought, Well, it may not be good for my mental state. I glanced at Hayden, who was resting with his eyes closed, showing no reaction.

Rita continued, "In the evening, a romantic candlelit dinner is planned, along with a surprise."

"What surprise?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

"I can't reveal that yet," Rita said, suddenly bursting into laughter.

That laugh sent chills down my spine. Could Deborah be plotting something crazy again?

Two hours later, by the beautiful lakeside, I watched Hayden fish, feeling increasingly frustrated. After half an hour, he hadn't caught a single fish. To be honest, he wasn't very good at it. The lake was still as a mirror, reflecting the disappointment in our eyes. I finally decided I couldn't take it anymore and stood up to leave.

Rita approached me. "Aren't you going to stay with Mr. Parker?"

"He can't catch a thing!" I complained, unable to contain myself.

Suddenly, I noticed Hayden stiffen.

"Who would expect such a remarkable man to have such a flaw?" Rita looked embarrassed. Not knowing how to smooth things over, she said, "Well, enjoying the scenery here is nice, isn't it? It's wonderful being with Mr. Parker, right?"

"I don't think so," I shook my head, refusing to back down.

Rita quickly asked for another fishing rod. "Why don't you give it a try?"

Knowing she wouldn't let me leave, instead of staying near Hayden, I decided to fish myself. I took the rod and casually cast it onto the lake once the servant had baited the hook.

Hayden glanced at me, and I saw a hint of disdain in his eyes.

Less than three minutes later, a fish took the bait. Having no experience, I excitedly pulled the rod up, and a small fish flew out of the water.

"I caught a fish!" I exclaimed. Beginner's luck? I actually caught a fish!

The nearby servants were surprised, but Hayden remained silent. I shot him a triumphant look, feeling like I'd won a battle. So, there was something Hayden couldn't do. I used to think he was capable of anything.

Soon, I caught a second, then a third. Even though they were all small crucian carp, it was clear I was winning, especially since Hayden hadn't caught anything. Beating him for the first time put me in a fantastic mood. I felt almost cured of my illness, even without medicine.

Rita was surprised too. Looking at the three little fish swimming in the bucket, she asked, "I didn't know you could fish, Mrs. Parker. It seems the fish feast for lunch might not be enough."

"Well, I guess we can blame Mr. Parker for that. He hasn't caught a single fish yet," I said loudly enough for everyone to hear.

Everyone's attention turned to Hayden, and the atmosphere became tense. Hayden's face darkened. Rita, not daring to intervene, coughed lightly and slipped away, muttering, "I'll go talk to the chef."

Now it was just the two of us by the lake, and I wasn't going to waste this rare opportunity to tease him. "If you can't catch any fish, just stop. It's not embarrassing to be incapable."

Hayden looked at me, his eyes cold as ice. "Who are you saying is incapable?"

"Who else?" I didn't realize how much that stung a man's pride until I saw his expression.

Hayden tossed his fishing rod aside and strode toward me, grabbing my wrist as he growled through gritted teeth, "Yvonne Jackson, are you challenging me?"

"Then why don't you catch a fish to prove it?" I blinked, unafraid. Love could lead to obsession, resentment, even fear. But without love, what was there to fear?

Hayden's gaze darkened. He bent down, picked me up, and threw me over his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" I screamed in panic.

Hayden said nothing and started walking. I gripped his shirt tightly. "Put me down, Hayden! Are you trying to kill me?"

I couldn't help but think, I just teased him a little. Was this really worth it? But I had never seen Hayden like this before… Was he seriously going to hit me?

My yelling caught the attention of several servants. They froze in shock. The gardener accidentally snipped a beautiful bloom; a servant at the fountain got splashed; and a servant cleaning the glass wiped her cloth across the face of the person behind her.

Even Rita, returning from speaking with the chef, stood there, mouth agape. What's happening? Mr. Parker is carrying Mrs. Parker on his shoulder? And he's rushing upstairs? Could it really be for "that thing"?

Rita quickly recovered and dashed off to tell Deborah. She thought, Mrs. Deborah Parker's strategy is really paying off. No sooner did Mr. and Mrs. Parker go out to have a good time than Mr. Parker is already keen on Mrs. Parker. It seems like their relationship is on the brink of a major boost.

Upstairs, Hayden threw me onto the bed. The soft mattress felt nice, but I was embarrassed and angry. "Hayden! Have you lost your mind?" I scolded fiercely, something I could hardly have imagined doing a year ago.

But the next moment, Hayden's tall frame pressed down on me, pinning me to the bed. "Did you just say I'm incapable?" he whispered in my ear, his voice low and laced with anger and an underlying threat.