Chapter 60

Marlon caught my eye and shot me a mischievous grin, as if checking if I enjoyed the spectacle he'd orchestrated. I knew he was trying to put Hayden on the spot, but he'd misjudged the situation; if Hayden were easily flustered, he wouldn't have brought Joanna.

The others at the table harbored their own secrets, Joanna included. Noticing the sudden silence, she stood and said, "Mr. Schneider, what truly matters for two people is feeling, not some societal label." She continued, "It's agonizing to be with someone you don't love, isn't it? And isn't genuine care far more valuable?"

Her words essentially declared Hayden and I a marriage of convenience, while she and Hayden were the real thing. She had the audacity to say it.

A smirk played on my lips, then Hunter's rebuke cut through the air. "Absurd! That's preposterous, disregarding all decency!"

A few had been chuckling, but now everyone tensed, breathless. Tonight's guests were all old friends, a diverse group of ages and genders. Hunter chose apprentices based on chance, not age or status, so Hayden's presence at the thank-you dinner didn't surprise me.

Regardless of their outside status, in front of Hunter, they were all students who couldn't afford to offend him. Joanna was truly overstepping, daring to challenge Hunter publicly. Even Hayden's eyes grew colder. "Joanna, don't talk nonsense!"

The usually meek Joanna was acting completely out of character, fighting for her chance. "Hayden, I'm not babbling! You two lack chemistry, yet you stubbornly cling to this arrangement with Yvonne. Meanwhile, we have the real thing, and we're the ones who sound crazy? No way!"

These words had been brewing in Joanna's mind. She'd wanted to speak up, but never found the opportunity. Speaking before so many people tonight meant Hayden couldn't retract it.

My gaze lingered on Joanna's face. She wasn't particularly beautiful, but she was ambitious. I suddenly realized she and Sophia were cut from the same cloth, equally scheming.

When Hayden first brought her to the country, she was timid and fragile, clinging to him and whispering like a delicate doll. But over time, her true colors emerged. She made foolish suggestions at work and now attempted to control Hayden. She probably didn't know that he hated being restrained above all else.

I blinked, my eyes flickering with interest, then looked at Hayden. His lips were pressed tight, the cold in his eyes seemingly freezing everyone. I expected anger, but the next moment he smiled lightly and said, "Mr. Schneider is present; it's inappropriate to discuss such matters."

He deflected Joanna's words with a single sentence, then looked at me. "Yvonne, come here."

Surprise flashed in my eyes. I thought he might still want me beside him. He didn't seem annoyed by Joanna's words; it seemed he genuinely favored her and would make exceptions only for her.

With a mental sneer, I looked at Hunter. "Hunter, I have plans with a friend. I won't intrude further. Let me treat you to coffee another time."

With that, I left the table. I never liked lingering where Hayden and Joanna were.

As soon as I was out of the hall, Marlon was on my heels. The sound of his footsteps fueled my anger. I felt played. He intercepted me, blocking my path. "What's the hurry? Skipping the celebratory dinner?"

"I'm too pissed off to eat!" I shouted, giving him a withering look before continuing on.

Marlon raised an eyebrow. "Jealous, huh?"

Chapter 60 (continued)

I froze, a sharp retort on my tongue. "You used me to get to Hayden!!"

I seethed at this so-called partner who'd manipulated me before we'd even begun. If I'd been wrong, my heart would have shattered the moment Hayden arrived with Joanna.

Marlon's eyes lost their sparkle, his smile vanishing as he met my gaze with a blank expression. "Is that what you think of me?"

"Isn't it?" I threw back, curious to see his response.

Marlon was clearly frustrated, massaging his forehead and taking a deep breath. "I wanted you to witness the spectacle. Hayden deeply respects Hunter and even rearranged his schedule for this dinner. If Hunter knew about his mistress, it would ruin the mood."

"And I'm part of the drama, right?" I scoffed. If I hadn't shown up, perhaps Hayden would have slipped under the radar.

Marlon was speechless. I started to walk around him, then heard him say, "I wanted you to see Hayden's true colors. He's not worth your love."

There was his real motive. I paused, my expression wavering. "I've known that for a while. I didn't need anyone to tell me. Hayden's coldness and heartlessness had already made that clear."

"Sorry, I should have told you. I wasn't thinking clearly," Marlon apologized abruptly.

I paused, meeting his gaze. In that moment, he didn't seem like the arrogant CEO from the rumors, but rather a kid who'd messed up, anxiously awaiting the consequences.

The contrast surprised me. Staying angry would make me seem petty. And, honestly, nothing truly bad had happened. At most, I was the butt of some jokes, and I was used to that.

"Forget it. Don't let it happen again," I coughed lightly, trying to ease the tension.

Seeing I wasn't going to press the issue, Marlon let out a sigh of relief. "Hungry? I'll take you to a place with some really good food," he said.

Forty minutes later, Marlon and I entered a seafood restaurant.

"Is this the great food you were talking about?" I raised my eyebrows, unconvinced by the simple broth.

"You'll see," Marlon said confidently, signaling the waiter for their usual dishes. He was clearly a regular.

I wasn't interested in the food. As soon as we sat, I got down to business. "You asked if I was interested in taking over Jackson Group. Now I can give you an answer."

Marlon smiled knowingly, his charming eyes flickering with mischief and sharpness. "If you don't move quickly, the company will be left with nothing but crumbs by your stepmother."