Wyneth said, "Hang in there a little longer. Once we find the doctor, you can take a break." Then, unsure if Hayden had caught her words, she asked, "Did you hear me?"Hayden gave a soft chuckle. "Yep." Rising to his feet after their brief rest, he felt much better. Though he took some support from Wyneth, it was not much. She braced herself, ready to help."You can lean on me more if you need to," Wyneth offered.Hayden smirked. "I'm not sure you'd manage if I leaned in completely."Wyneth thought she heard a flirty tone in what was a simple comment. She gave him a questioning look. But seeing Hayden's drooping eyes and gaunt face—even with his mask on—she realized how sick he was. He looked really tired, so she doubted he meant to flirt. Shrugging it off, Wyneth continued to help him.Despite their masks, the pair could not hide their striking looks and got many curious glances. Wyneth kept her head low, hoping to avoid recognition. In a crowded spot, Hayden opened his coat wide
Wyneth walked forward, leaning slightly on Hayden. As they moved through the bustling hospital, many eyes were drawn to them. Despite wearing a mask, Hayden's handsome features made him stand out. Some, recognizing him, discreetly snapped pictures. Onlookers also noticed a woman tucked inside Hayden's coat with only the hem of a theatrical costume peeking out. Her face, however, remained hidden.'Stage costume? Is she an actress too?'"Are we there yet?" Wyneth, feeling like she had been under Hayden's coat forever without seeing their path, asked, "Why is it taking so long? You sure you know where we're going?"Hayden smiled slightly. "Yeah, we're almost there.""Oh." Wyneth just kept pace with him.It seemed like an eternity before Wyneth heard Hayden say, "We're here."'We're here?' She cautiously peeked from the coat. Everything was silent around them; it looked like they were alone. Hayden quietly watched her as she took in the surroundings. When their eyes locked, she notic
Wyneth was speechless. 'So it wasn't only Hayden who couldn't recognize me.'"Hey, Hayden," Simeon said, eyeing Wyneth's outfit. "Is she wearing a costume? Is she one of your actresses? When did you guys get such a pretty actress?" Simeon remembered some good-looking performers from Hayden's company, but there was something unique about Wyneth's beauty. Just one look at her, and it felt like the whole room lit up.Hayden did not respond. He looked even more drained after Wyneth mentioned "Simo". 'Why does she sound so friendly with him? Earlier, didn't she just call me by my first name, Hayden?' Trying to keep his composure, he said to Simeon, "I'm here to see you, not to answer a bunch of questions."Simeon, catching on to Hayden's ill appearance, quickly lost his joking mood. "You okay?" He slipped off his lab coat. "Come on, we should get you checked."Hayden turned to Wyneth. "Stay here.""But you're with Simo," Wyneth replied, eyes widening. "I should head back to the set."
Simeon gave Wyneth a once-over and asked with a grin, "Why did you call me Simo? Do we know each other? I don't remember ever meeting someone as beautiful as you."Wyneth rolled her eyes at his comment. "Where's Hayden?" She quickly changed the subject."He's in one of the hospital rooms," Simeon replied.Wyneth frowned. "He's been admitted?" 'This is serious.'"Yeah, he passed out right after we left," Simeon added.Wyneth's face paled. "Passed out? What happened to him?""He had a stomach bleed." Simeon, now relaxed after Hayden was settled, said, "How do you know me?"Growing impatient, Wyneth asked, "Which room is he in?""I'll take you there," Simeon offered.As Wyneth adjusted her face mask and followed him, Simeon teased, "Do you work for Hayden's company? How do you know him? I've never seen him this close to any woman. Do you like him? Or does he like you?"Wyneth was quickly getting tired of Simeon's chatter."Oh, right, why did you call me Simo?"She sighed. "Sim
Wyneth's concern stemmed from the three years Hayden had spent in a coma; she had to watch him in that state every day.Seeing her worried expression, Simeon reassured her, "He's just unconscious right now. He'll come around soon. There's no need to panic.""He had internal bleeding in his stomach and you say 'there's no need to panic'?" Wyneth shot him a displeased look.Simeon replied, "Exactly, there's no need. Catching these issues early is key. With the right hospital care and a few dietary changes afterward, he'll be just fine."Wyneth was still worried, especially remembering how long it took for Hayden to wake up before.Simeon, seeming unaware of the mood, said, "Hey, didn't you mention you were heading out earlier? I can stay with him. You should go."Wyneth rolled her eyes. Instead of snapping at him, she asked, "Aren't you supposed to be working?""Not today. With Hayden in this condition, I arranged for a colleague to cover my shift. I'll be here for anything he nee
"Let go."Distracted, Hayden did not respond right away to Wyneth's gesture for him to let go. He gazed at her, his eyes shadowed with exhaustion."I won't."Wyneth's eyes flashed with impatience. "If you don't let go, I'm going back to the set." Not waiting for a response, she added, "You know what was said earlier. I'm not a doctor. Staying here won't help you."Hayden gave Simeon a resentful look. Caught off guard, Simeon rubbed his chin, trying to decipher the sudden tension. After a moment of hesitation, Hayden finally released his grip."Fine, you two can exchange numbers," Hayden conceded.Wyneth and Simeon quickly shared their contact info. Once they had exchanged numbers, Simeon asked with a grin, "Wyn, are you working at Hayden's company now?""No," Wyneth replied, shaking her head. "I'm not involved with his company."Hayden fixed his gaze on her, a hint of earnestness in his eyes. "Didn't you once ask for my company? I was ready to hand it over."She raised an eyeb
"Let's not bring up the past," Wyneth said.Noticing the change in Wyneth's expression, Simeon quickly glanced at Hayden, catching his furious look. Understanding that he might be going too far with his jokes, Simeon said, "I just remembered there's some urgent work I need to take care of. Can you stay with Hayden for an hour? I promise I'll be back as soon as I finish."Wyneth's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I thought you mentioned someone else was taking over for you?""Yeah, someone's covering my shift, but there's a patient with a unique situation. I'd really feel better checking on them myself.""Really?""You don't believe me?" Simeon said, holding up his hands. "Why don't you come with me? We can have a nurse stay with Hayden. But nurses can't always be around; they're busy." With a grin, Simeon thought, 'Didn't I make it obvious enough for her?'Wyneth gave him a quick look, then sighed. "Fine, I'll stay here, but hurry back.""Sure thing. I'm heading out." As he moved to
'Nervous?' Wyneth looked at Hayden, trying to grasp what he meant. "Who's nervous?" she shot back, her tone sharp. Pulling her hand away, her face became stern. "I'm here because you're sick, covering for Simo. But when he returns, I'm out of here."Wyneth tried to center herself. 'I can't believe I panicked like that. It took Hayden pointing it out for me to even notice.' She knew she could not go back to how things were before. The last three years had deeply affected her. Just seeing Hayden in bed brought back fears of him not waking up, trapping her in a cycle of endless waiting and dwindling hope. She dreaded those moments, especially when she was alone in the hospital room. Thankfully, she had now snapped out of it.Hayden noticed her reaction to his words. He pressed his lips together as the room returned to silence. Deep sadness settled in Hayden's heart. Though he had hoped his illness would gain her sympathy, receiving it did not lift his spirits. The gap between them seeme
"I heard," Hayden sighed, thinking she might tell him not to touch her."What do you think?" Wyneth asked."Me?" A small smile formed on Hayden's lips as he gently kissed her. "It's whatever you want."Wyneth's eyes sparkled. "So, you'll listen to me?"Hayden hesitated. "Except...""What?" Wyneth's tone shifted to annoyance. "You aren't backing out, right? You just said it's up to me.""It's not that I'm backing out," Hayden said, "I just have one condition. I'll listen to you any other time, but there's one thing I can't do.""What thing?" Wyneth asked.Hayden leaned in and whispered in her ear. Wyneth's face turned a shade of pink, and she pushed him away, gasping."You're such a creep!" she exclaimed.Hayden took her wrist, drawing her close and kissed her earlobe. "What's the matter? Isn't this okay for us? Don't you think so?" As he kissed her, he began to unbutton her collar. His voice was low and smooth. "Just listen to me this one time. For everything else, whatever y
On the ride home from the hotel, tears rolled down Wyneth's cheeks nonstop. This time, though, she was not alone by the car window. She was nestled in Hayden's arms. He wiped away each tear, comforting her all the way."Don't cry. It's just a mix-up, okay? He said he's fine and will be around for a long time," Hayden whispered.Despite his soothing words, Wyneth's tears did not cease. Seeing this, Hayden, filled with concern, gently asked, "Is this not what you wanted?"Confused, Wyneth looked up. "What are you talking about? I'm beyond happy he's alive."Hayden smiled, gently wiping her eyes. "Then why are you still crying?""I'm crying because..." Wyneth bit her lower lip, with Hector's words echoing in her mind.She had always been upset, believing her father had not wanted her years ago. But just as she was about to leave, Cindy pulled her aside. "Wyneth," her mother said gently, "your dad did want you. When I divorced him, I had just one demand.""What was it?""I wanted o
Everyone was silent. Just before entering the private dining room, Wyneth blurted out, "Is he really dying?" Hearing this, Andrew's steps halted. Before he could answer, she added, "How long does he have? Why didn't anyone say anything before?"Andrew sighed and turned around. "Is that why you're here?" Wyneth pursed her lips. A wave of uncertainty washed over Andrew. 'This mom and daughter,' he thought, 'they're here because they got it all wrong. Mom is acting differently toward Dad, too. She was all tough before, but now she's gone soft, probably thinks Dad is dying. And Dad? He's just laughing, like he's having a good time with all this mess.' Andrew hesitated, then said, "Let's talk inside." He chose to hold his words for now.Hayden and Wyneth walked into the private dining room. Cindy was passing dishes to Hector. As they entered, every pair of eyes turned their way. A divorced couple and six sons stared at Hayden. Used to the predictable world of leadership, Hayden now ventur
In the end, Wyneth decided to stay. She could see the honesty in Matilda's words and knew she was sincere. Recognizing Matilda as not her birth mother made Wyneth realize she should not hold her to the same expectations. With acceptance, she focused on building her future with Hayden, freeing herself from doubts and reservations.With Wyneth's decision to stay, Matilda's heart swelled with joy and immense honor. Realizing Wyneth's sincere intentions, not merely chasing the Hamilton family's wealth, transformed their relationship. Matilda's newfound warmth toward her was evident. Gifts, once withheld, now freely flowed into Wyneth's room. At auctions, Matilda eagerly bid on items for Wyneth. During jewelry store visits, Matilda generously bought her gifts, swiping her credit card without hesitation, and welcoming her nearly as a daughter.Wyneth received a call from her mother. Even after so many years, her mom, Cindy, was still bossy. "Your father isn't doing well. You should come to
Just at that moment, a knock sounded from outside."Sir, your mother is back," someone said.Hayden could feel the person in his arms stiffen, her body tensed. "Don't worry, I'm right here," he reassured her softly."Your mother heard that Ms. Walford is here. She wants to see her," the voice from outside continued.'Meet me?' Wyneth bit her lower lip lightly. 'Why does she want to see me? To insult me again?'"She hasn't eaten yet. She can meet her after eating," Hayden said, gently turning down the request for Wyneth. Outside, everything fell silent."Won't this offend your mom?" Wyneth's voice filled with concern as she asked.Hayden looked at Wyneth, pausing for a moment before speaking. "I know she's been mean to you," he said. Wyneth's eyes widened in surprise. "I'm sorry." He bent down and lightly kissed her forehead. "You've been treated unfairly." Seeing her blink, he added, "Let's eat first. After that, I'll go with you."Wyneth was a bit nervous, but not as anxious a
Hector was speechless as Cindy mistakenly thought he was ill. Seeing her worried face, he felt the misunderstanding might not be so terrible. He shared a look with Andrew. His eldest son caught on immediately, giving a subtle head shake. Understanding the signal not to mislead Cindy any further, Hector hesitated before gently asking, "Can I see her? Even just a glance?" It had been many years since he last saw his daughter up close, and she had not called him "Dad" in all that time.Cindy, lost in thought, stared at Hector before finally nodding as if admitting defeat. "Fine, I'll call her."Later, Wyneth fell asleep. Upon waking, she found herself on the large bed in Hayden's bedroom. She saw Hayden sitting at the sofa, busy with a computer.Hearing her movement, Hayden immediately got up and walked toward her. "Awake? Thirsty or hungry? Want something to eat first?"Having slept through lunch, Wyneth was hungry, so she nodded. "Sure."After Hayden left to give some instructions,
'He shifts moods so fast,' Wyneth thought as she stared at her unattended ringing phone.Observing her delay, Hayden asked, "What's going on?"In his mind, a thought flickered, 'She seems reluctant to take the call. Perhaps there's tension with her eldest brother?'"He's calling now; must be about him," Wyneth whispered."About your dad?"They had decided to be together, and Wyneth did not hide anything from him. "Yeah, my dad."Hayden did not utter a single word."I don't like him," Wyneth softly said, staring at her ringing phone. "Answer it for me and say I'm asleep," she whispered to Hayden as she cozied up to him. Without a word, Hayden picked up the phone and conveyed the message before ending the call.After ending the call, a curious Hector asked, "Well? Where is she?"Understanding the situation, Andrew said, "She didn't answer the phone; she's asleep."Despite hearing the words, Hector felt something was off. He sighed, "She really doesn't like me.""Don't worry, D
"Trouble recognizing faces? What do you mean?" Hector Spencer asked.Andrew sighed. "Dad, he's Wyneth's ex-husband."Hector's eyes widened in surprise. "He is? No wonder I didn't recognize him. I must've barely seen him before.""Is that what's bothering you?" Andrew asked."What else would it be?" Hector replied, still taken aback.Andrew sighed. His dad, Hector, was good at many things and never stayed mad at people. But there was one funny thing about him: he could never remember faces of people outside their family. "You don't mind?" Andrew asked.Smiling, Hector replied, "Mind what? She's told everyone, so she must be ready. I've never been the dad she favored. If I object now, won't she dislike me even more?"Andrew was left speechless by this. He had not expected Hector to have no objections. "Seems like someone doesn't need your approval."Changing the topic, Hector asked, "What about your mom? Is she back?" He had been living alone for many years.Andrew exhaled. "I t
Everyone rushed to check out Wyneth's Facebook and, sure enough, they saw her admitting to the relationship, along with a freshly taken selfie.At first, Wyneth only wanted to write a post. But after Hayden tasted the joy of going public with their relationship, he suggested taking a wefie for the official announcement. Feeling his excitement, Wyneth agreed. They posted the wefie on Facebook, captioned "Officially Together". Yet, Hayden was not done. He captured another photo, this time holding her hand, eager to share their love with the world.Since Hayden was not a celebrity or idol, he had no fan feelings to fret over. Eager to declare his love, he did not hold back. His photo captured his sharp features and dark, gem-like eyes that shone under the camera lights. The image showcased his palm holding Wyneth's fair, slender hand. Their contrasting hands highlighted his affection, radiating warmly from the photo.After the photo came out, everyone was shocked. This included fans, p