Chapter 44

Hayden quickly retrieved my phone. I heard him softly comforting Joanna outside, and my heart splintered. I lay on the bed, pulling the blanket over my ears. If I couldn’t hear them, perhaps the pain would lessen.

I lost track of time until the sound of fireworks shattered the silence. Opening my eyes, I saw flickering lights outside my window. Curiosity overwhelmed me. I threw back the blankets, climbed out of bed, and opened the curtains to step onto the balcony. The sky blazed with a kaleidoscope of color as fireworks exploded, instantly lifting my spirits.

I hadn't realized it had grown dark. Then it struck me: this was Rita's surprise! Fireworks! Another, even larger, display erupted. After the pink and purple sparks faded, a huge banner formed: Happy Wedding Anniversary, Mr. and Mrs. Parker!

I was stunned. Is this really our anniversary? I'd almost forgotten.

Just then, I heard a car start downstairs. Leaning over the railing, I watched Hayden's car drive away. He must be going to comfort Joanna. I thought, with a bitter smile, that his phone call hadn't been sufficient.

Soon, Rita knocked and entered, hesitantly saying, "Mrs. Parker, Mr. Parker…"

"He left," I replied flatly. "Good. At least it's quieter now."

"Please don't be sad, Mrs. Parker," Rita tried, but it was clear her efforts were futile.

I shook my head. "It's not like this is the first time he's left. What's there to be sad about? You organized the fireworks, didn't you?"

"Yes, I wanted to celebrate your anniversary. Who would have thought…" Rita trailed off, clearly worried about upsetting me.

"If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten it's our first anniversary." I gazed at the fireworks, memories of my wedding day flooding back. He'd been so tense, not smiling once. I'd told myself it would be alright once we were married. Maybe, in time, he would love me. But those hopes were dashed by harsh reality.

"Do you think I shouldn't have married him?" I asked Rita, almost to myself.

Noticing my disappointment, Rita fought back her own emotions. "Mrs. Parker, one day Mr. Parker will understand your worth."

I forced a smile but said nothing more. The beautiful fireworks faded quickly, mirroring my marriage. In an instant, everything felt fragile.

That night, Hayden didn't come home.

The next day, I arrived at the office early. Joanna wasn't there, and I easily imagined what transpired between them last night. It was the usual man-woman drama. If Joanna could drug Hayden, it was clear they'd…

Shaking off the mental images, I tried to focus on work when Richard rushed in, flustered. "Mrs. Parker! I can't reach Mr. Parker. Mr. Swanson is back and called an emergency shareholders' meeting, but we don't know what it's about. What do we do?"

"Can't reach him?" I frowned. No matter how unreliable Hayden was, he wouldn't abandon his responsibilities. Was he really that engrossed with Joanna?

I used my new phone to call him, but it went straight to voicemail. With no way to find him, I had to handle the situation myself.

"Has he never called an emergency meeting before? Why are you so stressed?" I asked calmly.

"This time it's different. It feels serious, and I'm worried it's bad," Richard said, practically sweating.

Zachary's plans were unknown, but Richard's panic told me this wouldn't be easy.

"Let's go check it out," I said, heading for the door.

Richard blinked, then smacked his forehead. "Right, Mrs. Parker, you're a shareholder in Parker Group too!"

The conference room was packed. The atmosphere was tense; everyone looked deadly serious. I understood Richard's anxiety. No one spoke.

Sean approached, smiling. "Mrs. Parker, please come in." He likely wanted to win me over; he'd always been nice to me.

Not wanting to show weakness, I followed him. "What's this meeting about?"

"You'll find out soon," Sean said mysteriously, grinning.

I frowned. "You talk about cooperation and then keep me in the dark! Is this your idea of sincerity?"

Sean seemed flustered. I was making sense, and with the meeting imminent, there was no reason for secrecy. He leaned in and whispered, "We plan to propose ousting Hayden from the presidency."

My first reaction was disbelief. They were dreaming!

"Do you really think you can just oust him? The Parker Group is run by the Parker family!" I retorted sarcastically.

To my surprise, Sean seemed pleased. "Mr. Swanson never acts without assurance of success. You'd better open your eyes and see who your best option really is."

That hit hard. He sounded serious. I glanced at Richard, still frantically trying to reach Hayden.

How could someone so reliable suddenly vanish, especially now?

Seeing my silence, Sean chuckled. "Mrs. Parker, I suggest you think carefully when it comes time to vote."

I was still processing this when a commotion erupted.

"Mr. Swanson! You finally made it back?"

"Why was this meeting called so urgently? What's the big deal?"

"Yeah, what's so serious?"

I turned and saw a tall man in a crisp white suit striding in, backlit by the hallway lights. He had neatly styled hair, strong features, and a hint of a beard—a very attractive man. His commanding presence screamed "big boss." It was Zachary, the vice president.

I'd seen him from afar, but never this close. He approached me.

"Mr. Parker, long time no see," he smiled, extending his hand.