Chapter 366

The man, impeccably suited, looked like a manga prince. Lina Sweeney knew her boyfriend's appearance would shock her family. She inwardly groaned, recalling the events of the past few days and the misery they'd caused.

It all started with a disastrous blind date. Assuming the date was a complete failure, she'd been prepared for the worst. Instead, she was met with a furious scolding from her mother upon arriving home. Her mother demanded to know why Lina hadn't revealed her relationship. The blind date's introducer had even called, berating her parents for the family's supposed embarrassment.

Her parents then pressed her about her boyfriend. Lina vehemently denied having one, claiming he was merely a friend who'd intervened to help her avoid the blind date. When pressed further for his name, she gave the name of a close male friend, intending to later coordinate their stories.

Before they could, however, Hadwin Stephenson called. Her mother snatched the phone, engaging him in conversation. When asked about his relationship with Lina, he declared, "Aunty, I am her boyfriend."

This bombshell threw the Sweeney family into chaos. Mrs. Sweeney immediately invited Hadwin to their home. Lina repeatedly tried to retrieve her phone, but her father's stern gaze kept her in check. The ensuing conversation ended with a two-hour scolding from her parents.

“You little rascal! What’s so shameful about having a boyfriend? Even if he were hideous or had a horrible job, you should have told us! How long did you plan to hide this? Did you only intend to tell us if you got pregnant?”

Lina swore she'd never considered pregnancy. But she couldn't reveal the truth: she was dating Hadwin for show, their relationship to end after his revenge was complete. Exposing her manipulative behavior would be disastrous.

Resigned, she arranged a time for Hadwin to meet her parents. Despite mentally preparing, doubts resurfaced as she approached her building. Hadwin Stephenson, despite his illegitimate birth, headed the Stephenson family—a fact that wouldn't be lost on her mother. Many mothers-in-law would covet a man like him.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Scared your parents won't like me?" Hadwin asked.

Lina rolled her eyes. Her fear was the opposite: she was terrified her parents would like him. Their eventual breakup would devastate them, while leaving her unaffected.

Taking a deep breath, she accepted her fate. "Let's go." Since her parents knew, a meeting was inevitable.

Lina led Hadwin to her building and pressed the elevator button.