Chapter 41

At the hot spring's entrance, I wrapped myself tightly in a large bathrobe, nearly concealing my entire body. "This way, please," a servant said politely, bowing slightly.

I swallowed hard and whispered, "Has Hayden arrived yet?"

"He isn't here yet," the servant replied, shaking her head.

A sigh of relief escaped my lips, and I straightened. If he wasn't here, what was there to worry about? Perhaps he'd chickened out, I reassured myself as I entered the circular hot spring pool.

The rushing water and scent of herbs created a relaxing atmosphere. I slipped off my bathrobe and descended the curved stairs, the warm water awakening me. Finding a deeper spot, I sank down, attempting to submerge my neck. But what if Hayden arrived later? If I remained submerged, he might not easily see me, right?

I sighed. Lucy would laugh if she saw me like this.

The hot spring's comfort, or perhaps exhaustion, induced drowsiness. Just as I was drifting off, I heard approaching footsteps. Startled, I froze, too frightened to turn.

The footsteps drew closer—was it Hayden? Instinctively, I submerged further, leaving only my mouth and nose above water. This way, I'd be even harder to spot.

The underwater view was already distorted, blurred by the herbal colors.

"You didn't want to come, did you? Why are you here early then? Talk about contradictory," Hayden sneered, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"It's none of your business," I retorted, blowing bubbles. He was late; I wasn't early.

Hayden then stepped in front of me, casually untied the towel around his waist, and tossed it aside. I caught a glimpse of his chiseled abs and quickly averted my gaze, my face burning from embarrassment or the steam.

Fortunately, he didn't sit beside me, choosing the opposite side. Silence descended. I couldn't resist sneaking a glance.

His eyes were closed, hands resting on the steps, revealing half his upper body. Water trickled down his short hair, cheeks, and collarbone, blending with the water on his sun-kissed skin. The rising steam gave him an ethereal glow—an enchanting sight that held my gaze. Perhaps I had been blinded by his good looks back then. One can't judge solely by appearance.

Hayden sensed my gaze and spoke, breaking the silence. "Jamie isn't willing to drop the lawsuit."

His voice jolted me. Gathering myself, I took a deep breath, calming my racing heart. "He has three broken ribs and a fractured leg. Of course, he wouldn't drop it. A normal person would be furious after such a beating. Nevin, that privileged guy, always acts without thinking, relying on the Parker family. Honestly, he deserves to be locked up."

Thirty seconds later, Hayden opened his deep eyes, locking onto mine. "Six months ago, you convinced him not to press charges. How did you do that?"

Nevin's situation had escalated, requiring Hayden's intervention. However, he discovered Yvonne had initially handled it. This was no small matter. Jamie had reportedly created a huge scene, and the Parker family offered him $600,000 to settle quietly, but he refused. Then Yvonne intervened. No one knew what she did, but Jamie didn't sue. The injuries were documented, however, and a lawsuit remained possible.

What impressed Hayden was how Yvonne, once seemingly useless, accomplished what experts and lawyers couldn't. He investigated, but found nothing. His team's failure only fueled his curiosity.

I saw his confusion and let out a cold laugh. "You're like everyone else, wondering how someone like me could pull this off, right?"

Back then, I was madly in love with Hayden, ignoring the gossip. I was wrong; he didn't feel the same.

Hayden's eyes narrowed, the atmosphere turning icy. "It seems you've been hiding a lot from me."

"Aren't you doing the same?" I retorted, my smile bitter. "For years, we've never had a proper conversation or understood each other."

I was the one chasing him, while he ran away. Our meaningful conversations were few. We were married without understanding each other. Looking back, it was funny.

Hayden's expression darkened.

I shifted the topic. "How I got Jamie to drop the lawsuit isn't the point. I'm not helping Nevin this time. He needs to learn a lesson. I should have realized that earlier."

"He'll show you respect," Hayden said softly.

I was confused. "No need. In two months and nine days, we'll have no ties anyway," I said, brushing off his comment. I didn't need their respect. Nevin and the Parkers never gave me any.

Whenever divorce arose, Hayden's expression darkened. "Do you really want a divorce?"

"Anyone who doesn't want a divorce is a puppy," I retorted. It was my dream.

Hayden stared coldly. After an indeterminate time, he bent down, slipped into the water, and swam toward me.

I tensed. "What are you doing?" I stammered. His closeness never bode well.

He stopped inches away, brazenly studying me. "No regrets?"

"No regrets," I gritted my teeth, meeting his gaze. Underwater, my hands were clenched fists.

Hayden looked like a volcano about to erupt. But he only sighed. "Then let's just go through with the divorce."