Chapter 178

Stacey stared, speechless. Hayden waited, a question in his eyes. Her mind raced. Does he like me? A divorced woman with a child… But then, he was divorced too, with a child. Panic welled. "M-Mr. Hoggard," she stammered, "I… I don't think we're suitable."

"Just kidding," Hayden chuckled, already anticipating her reaction. He saw her blush, a flicker of hope igniting within him. Patience, he reminded himself. Then, casually, "Jeremy's mother has returned."

Stacey's surprise was palpable.

Hayden paused. "My grandfather was critically ill. He wanted me married before he died. So, a whirlwind of blind dates… I married a woman I barely knew."

He explained the rushed wedding, the family's desperation, the lack of background checks on Queenie Leavey. "She told me she wasn't ready. We slept in separate rooms."

"Then, she wanted IVF. Surprised, but… we were married. But six or seven months pregnant, she wanted an abortion, a divorce." He watched Stacey's face.

Stacey thought, Seven months? That's practically a baby!

Hayden continued, "Queenie confessed. I investigated. She'd been forced into the marriage. But I wouldn't let her abort our child."

He described his efforts to prevent the abortion, Queenie's secret attempt using pills, her near-death experience. "I promised her a divorce and generous compensation if she delivered the baby. She agreed."

He detailed the divorce, the substantial settlement he gave her family, allowing her to be with her boyfriend. "A few days ago, she returned. She'd had a terrible time. Her boyfriend was a gold digger, using her connections. Once her family cut her off, he moved on."

"Two years ago, he started seeing someone else. She finally broke up with him, returned to her family, apologized."

Stacey blurted, "Did she see Jeremy?"

Hayden nodded. "Yes. She wants to remarry me. Says she was wrong, wants to make amends, to care for Jeremy."