Chapter 88

I lifted my gaze and followed the sound. Hayden entered, quick and brisk, wearing a damp black coat. It had apparently rained; there was no sign of it earlier. This weather changed as fast as a shift.

The maid hurried to take his coat, offering a dry towel. Hayden's mood, unpredictable and volatile, was already apparent. "Make sure you dry off," the maid said. "Catching a cold would be terrible." Deborah, ever solicitous toward Hayden, repeated her concern.

I was unconcerned about his health. Instead, I returned to our earlier conversation. "I have work to do," I said. "By the way, this whole situation is your doing, isn't it? You used me as a wager. If I lose, will it cost you your reputation?"

Hayden's eyes narrowed, displeasure flickering across his face. At that moment, Deborah asked, "What wager?"

I recounted the day's events at the company in detail. I hadn't planned to complain, but the opportunity presented itself; Hayden's return was poorly timed.

Deborah's expression darkened with each word. Finally, she exclaimed, "What nonsense is this? Hayden, how could you let your wife become a wager!"

"Grandma, it was Zachary who started this," Hayden said coldly, shooting me a threatening glance.

"Whoever started it, you should never have done this!" Deborah's voice rose sharply. "You're not protecting your wife, but pushing her out to face the storm alone. And that's not all. The wager is that if she loses, she has to be someone else's dance partner? What were you thinking!"

Silence fell, broken only by Deborah's echoing words. The maids had retreated.

I didn't defend Hayden; this was his mess. But Deborah's reaction was unexpected. She seemed warmer toward me than before.

I planned to wait for Hayden's excuse, but before he could speak, Deborah trembled with anger, nearly losing her balance. "Mrs. Parker!" I exclaimed. "Grandma!" Hayden and I called out simultaneously.

He rushed to steady her, but Deborah pushed him away. He stood frozen, stunned. I quickly helped her sit, gently patting her back. "Mr. Parker, please don't be angry. It's not worth getting worked up over and hurting your health." At her age, high blood pressure was a concern, and excitement could be dangerous.

Deborah seemed speechless at first, then waved her hand dismissively, calming herself slowly. Rita intervened. "Mr. Parker, you should rest. Yvonne and I will handle things here." Her meaning was clear: she wanted Hayden to leave before he worsened Deborah's condition.

I ignored Hayden's glare; my attention was fully on Deborah.

Since Deborah was protecting me, I would repay her kindness. Thankfully, after drinking some water, Deborah seemed to settle. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"Mrs. Parker, would you like to go to the hospital for a checkup?" I asked, concerned.

"I'm not going to any hospital," Deborah refused firmly. "I've told everyone that if I'm going to die, I'll die at home."

I later learned from Rita that Deborah had witnessed friends die in hospitals, their dignity stripped away by tubes and machines. This explained her aversion.

"Mrs. Parker, it's just a checkup. It's not as scary as you think," I tried to persuade her.

Deborah shook her head, changing the subject. "Where's Hayden? Get him in here." I exchanged a look with Rita; Deborah was truly angry. Her tone had never been so cold. If Hayden entered, her blood pressure would likely spike.

Rita suggested gently, "Mrs. Parker, it's late, and Mr. Parker has already gone to rest. If there's something important, it can wait until tomorrow. After a calm night, even the biggest issues can be resolved peacefully."

I added, "Mrs. Parker, you should get some rest too."

Deborah seemed to understand. She sighed and took my hand. "Good girl. I know he let you down. Don't worry, Joanna will never marry Hayden. How about spending the holidays with me? I will protect you."

Whether Joanna married Hayden mattered little to me, but Deborah's words struck me unexpectedly. A warmth, unfamiliar for years, filled my chest. It had been years since someone offered such unconditional support. After my mother's death, I'd felt utterly alone. Even if Deborah's words were meant to comfort me, I felt grateful.

"Mrs. Parker…" My refusal remained unspoken as Rita added, "Yvonne, why not go back? It's just not lively at the Parker residence without you."

I was surprised, but I longed to escape the chaos. Seeing their eagerness, I couldn't refuse. "Alright," I nodded reluctantly. Tomorrow, I would decide what to do.

Returning to my room, I breathed a sigh of relief at Hayden's absence. But as I sat, the maid knocked. "Mrs. Parker, Mr. Parker wants you in the study."

My eyelid twitched. Trouble was inevitable. I quickly pulled the covers over my head. "Tell him I'm asleep."

"Well…" The maid hesitated, then quietly closed the door. I had no intention of going. Obeying Hayden felt undignified, especially after Deborah's distress. I suspected a harsh scolding awaited me.

I barely rested when a message from Ethan appeared: a Kinaew Square floor plan. Stores 307-308, in section B, were planned with a fire exit passage between them. But Harrison had blocked it to expand his store. He was exploiting the situation, giving me an opening. I smiled faintly and saved the photo. Joanna and Harrison wouldn't anticipate this oversight.

The maid stood outside the study, nervously knocking. "Mr. Parker, Mrs. Parker said she was sleeping."

Hayden was reviewing the Kinaew Square plans, having also discovered Harrison's loophole. He'd intended to tell me, but the maid's report changed that. If I were truly asleep, I couldn't respond. Yvonne was clearly using this as an excuse. She hadn't even bothered with a convincing lie.

Hayden remembered Yasir's earlier call: Marlon admired me, and we seemed to be planning something together, acting close. Hayden's grip tightened on the plans, his knuckles paling.