Chapter 81

Joanna was angry. "Well, I've been at it longer than you! Hayden doesn't even care about pushing you off to someone else. That just shows he's already sick of you." Her tone, still caught up in the bet, dripped with amusement. "I can't wait to see you make a fool of yourself in Zachary's arms in front of..."

"Are you sure I'm going to lose?" I asked, a subtle, knowing smile playing on my lips.

There was a long pause before Joanna finally spoke, her earlier confidence vanished. "It's a done deal, isn't it? There's no way it can change. Yvonne, stop trying to scare me."

I was trying to scare her, and I'd already succeeded halfway. "Harrison's been colluding with someone to swindle Martin out of money. He's been playing the innocent, but do you think he knows that falsifying a contract is a criminal offense?"

Honestly, I wasn't entirely sure if Harrison was behind it all. I deliberately mentioned his name to get Joanna to dig for answers.

Another long pause followed before she hesitantly replied, "S-stop scaring me. They signed directly with the Parker Group. How could it be fake?"

"Don't you just say Martin's contract was fake?" I shot back, and she had no reply. Her thoughts were scattered; her brain clearly wasn't functioning optimally.

When she fell silent, I smiled coldly. "Joanna, if I lose, I'll just have to dance with him. But if you lose, you'll be out of a job." Joanna would be rushing to find Harrison, who would then have to determine if Irene had inadvertently revealed something she shouldn't have. As long as I kept an eye on Harrison, I might learn Irene's hiding place.

After a moment's thought, I called Marlon. "Could you keep an eye on Harrison? He might be going after Irene."

"Sure," Marlon replied immediately. "How's Ethan?"

"He's good. And thanks again for introducing us," I said, relaxing a little as I recalled Ethan's awkwardness in his new clothes. I couldn't help but smile at the memory.

Marlon sounded pleased. "Glad to hear it. I'll let you know as soon as I have any updates."

After speaking with Marlon, I found Hayden still asleep. I touched his forehead; it wasn't as hot, so the fever medicine seemed to be working. At last, I could relax.

I hadn't realized Deborah and Rita had been downstairs for quite a while. This morning, they had purposely avoided breakfast, but the delay was longer than Deborah had expected.

Rita peeked up at the stairs. "They should be up by now. Mrs. Parker, do you want me to go wake them?"

"It wouldn't be good to disturb them," Deborah shook her head.

Rita nodded, her smile unconcealed. "Finally, Mr. Parker's willing to be with Yvonne. Mrs. Parker, you should have seen it! When Mr. Parker came back last night, his face was so dark. Nothing cheered him up, but as soon as Yvonne went into the room, he actually seemed happy."

"Really?" Deborah's eyes lit up. After a moment, she said, "Then let's leave them alone. They must have had a long night. We can talk about it later, around noon."

"Understood," Rita responded respectfully, glancing up at the stairs again. "They're still not up? Looks like last night was quite eventful. I'd better tell the kitchen to prepare some nourishing soup for Yvonne. Her health is fragile, and I'm not sure if she can handle it. But maybe, just maybe, Mr. Parker and Mrs. Parker could have a baby soon," Rita mused.

By noon, Hayden finally woke up. Sleep left him groggy; his eyelids felt heavy. Gradually adjusting to the light, he saw me sitting by the balcony on a lounge chair, reviewing some files. A laptop, covered in dense text, sat on the glass round table.

Hayden hadn't expected me to still be there, lounging comfortably. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating my exposed calf and delicate feet. My fingers, neatly arranged, looked even rounder and more delicate in the sunlight, giving off a soft, charming vibe. Hayden had never paid such close attention to me before. In his memory, I was always chatty, buzzing around him; but right now, I was quiet and gentle, a stark contrast.

Hayden's gaze traveled up from my smooth, pale calves. The white skirt hugged my curves, hinting at more than it revealed. His eyes darkened slightly, and he unconsciously swallowed hard. I must be sick, just looking at her like this, my body feels restless, Hayden thought.

Frustrated by these unsettling feelings, he sat up. The rustling sound caught my attention. I saw Hayden half-sitting. "You're awake!"

I set down my documents, relief flooding my face as I rushed to his side. "Let me take your temperature." I grabbed the thermometer and measured his temperature: ninety-eight degrees Fahrenheit.

"Good. No more fever. You're still a bit warm, but you should be fine now," I said, sighing with relief. Hayden seemed too weak to protest; even his glare lacked its usual intensity.

"You've been here the whole time?" he asked.

"Well, what if you died while I wasn't here?" I replied, slightly annoyed. I tucked away the thermometer and poured him a glass of water. "Now that you're awake, I'm leaving. You've wasted my entire morning!"

Hayden took the cup, his gaze never leaving me. "Where are you going?"

"To work, of course. I really don't want to dance with Zachary," I sighed in frustration, organizing the documents. Most came from the marketing department, concerning the mall's stores. There were also some contract law documents from Stanley. To outsmart Harrison, I needed to know my stuff.

I was about to leave when Hayden spoke. "Are you sure about this?"

"What difference does it make? You're probably hoping Joanna wins, aren't you?" I turned to him, my impatience growing. It was Hayden who dragged me into this, and he who made the wager. Now, acting righteous and concerned was just...

As I reached the door, Rita's voice floated in from the hallway. "Mr. Parker, Mrs. Parker, it's time for lunch." Her voice was soft, almost cautious.

I paused, hand on the doorknob, but Hayden responded, "Got it. We'll be down in a bit."