Chapter 72
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Chapter 72
Nicole had no idea what Matthew had dreamt of. He frowned as he mumbled throughout the night,
calling for Gloria.
“Ms. Ashford, Ms. Ashford…”
Nicole’s gaze turned as cold as frost. She took out her phone and tried to call Hayden, wanting him to take Matthew away, but the call didn’t go through.
She frowned in response. That was when she saw a news alert pop up at the top of her phone screen. The
words “The Artist, Joanna” caught her attention immediately.
Nicole clicked on the news and saw a marketing account on social media reposting Gloria’s update.
In Gloria’s post, there was a picture of a candlelit dinner table taken from her perspective. As the camera
shifted downward, Nicole saw her hand holding a glass of champagne, clinking it with someone across
the table.
The person across from her was clearly a man with slender, sculpted hands. Nicole’s gaze went straight
to the watch on his wrist–the same one Hayden had worn when he came to visit her today.
Matthew hadn’t lied. Hayden hadn’t gone to work. He had left Matthew with her and hurried off to have a
candlelit dinner with Gloria, enjoying some time alone together.
Suddenly, she was reminded of the time when Gloria had used her chest pain as an excuse to make
Hayden leave her side. Wasn’t she supposed to have a serious heart condition?
On the first day, she had been writhing in pain in bed. And now, she was jumping around like a bunny,
picking out watches, and with enough energy for a candlelit dinner that night.
Why did Gloria even bother scheming to compete for Hayden’s attention? Hayden had always planned to
be with her, and even the custom wedding dress was nearly finished.
Nicole tugged at her lips in mockery, tossed her phone aside, and turned to sleep with her back facing
Matthew.
The next morning, she woke to find that Matthew had left. The scent of flowers drifted from the bedside.
Nicole looked up and saw a brightly colored bouquet on the bed with a note from Hayden. She had no interest in reading it and tossed the note into the trash.
There was a knock at the door at this moment. Jeremiah entered to give Nicole a simple checkup. The bouquet on the table immediately caught his eye.
He retracted his gaze and said, “That’s from Hayden. He took Matthew to school and brought you some flowers. He even stayed with you for a while.”
“Oh,” Nicole answered without care. She had no interest in knowing any of this.
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A loud thud beside her broke her train of thought. She closed her book and looked up.
That was when she saw that Matthew had fallen asleep with his head tilted on the bed in a strange
position.
He wore only a thin jacket, and the air conditioning was turned on. From the way he wrapped his arms tightly around himself in his sleep, one could tell he was freezing.
Nicole looked at him for a moment. She didn’t want to offer her ungrateful son any more of her love and care. But after hesitating, she couldn’t resist and ultimately got out of bed.
Then, she reluctantly grabbed a thick blanket and placed it over Matthew. But when she turned around at the next second, he grabbed onto the corner of her hospital gown.
She looked down and saw Matthew’s small hand holding onto her. He’d gripped her so tightly that his fingertips turned pale.
All of a sudden, she remembered how he used to kick his blanket away in the middle of the night. When that happened, he would catch a cold and run a fever the next day.
He’d become so unwell at night that he clung to her, refusing to let go. He would also hold onto the corner of her clothes as if he didn’t feel safe in his sleep.
Nicole froze for a moment, feeling a heavy weight pressing on her heart. Once, she had poured her heart out to her child. She loved Matthew to death.
When he was sick, she was the one who grew anxious and distressed. She was the one who stayed up all
night by his side without rest. And yet, he betrayed her so easily.
He ignored her care and sacrifices, choosing instead to grow close to Gloria, just like Hayden did.
If there was a list of people she could never forgive, Matthew would come before Hayden.
Compared to Hayden, she had given far more to this child–only to end up with nothing.
Nicole let out a quiet sigh. She gently pried his fingers off her gown and tucked his hand back under the
blanket.
When she moved to return to her own hospital bed, a voice suddenly came from behind her.
“Ms. Ashford…”
Nicole froze at that. She then stood up straight and turned around.
Chapter 72
Nicole had no idea what Matthew had dreamt of. He frowned as he mumbled throughout the night, calling for Gloria.
“Ms. Ashford, Ms. Ashford…”
Nicole’s gaze turned as cold as frost. She took out her phone and tried to call Hayden, wanting him to take Matthew away, but the call didn’t go through.
She frowned in response. That was when she saw a news alert pop up at the top of her phone screen. The words “The Artist, Joanna” caught her attention immediately.
Nicole clicked on the news and saw a marketing account on social media reposting Gloria’s update.
In Gloria’s post, there was a picture of a candlelit dinner table taken from her perspective. As the camera shifted downward, Nicole saw her hand holding a glass of champagne, clinking it with someone across
the table.
The person across from her was clearly a man with slender, sculpted hands. Nicole’s gaze went straight to the watch on his wrist–the same one Hayden had worn when he came to visit her today.
Matthew hadn’t lied. Hayden hadn’t gone to work. He had left Matthew with her and hurried off to have a candlelit dinner with Gloria, enjoying some time alone together.
Suddenly, she was reminded of the time when Gloria had used her chest pain as an excuse to make Hayden leave her side. Wasn’t she supposed to have a serious heart condition?
On the first day, she had been writhing in pain in bed. And now, she was jumping around like a bunny, picking out watches, and with enough energy for a candlelit dinner that night.
Why did Gloria even bother scheming to compete for Hayden’s attention? Hayden had always planned to be with her, and even the custom wedding dress was nearly finished.
Nicole tugged at her lips in mockery, tossed her phone aside, and turned to sleep with her back facing
Matthew,
The next morning, she woke to find that Matthew had left. The scent of flowers drifted from the bedside.
Nicole looked up and saw a brightly colored bouquet on the bed with a note from Hayden. She had no interest in reading it and tossed the note into the trash.
There was a knock at the door at this moment. Jeremiah entered to give Nicole a simple checkup. The bouquet on the table immediately caught his eye.
He retracted his gaze and said, “That’s from Hayden. He took Matthew to school and brought you some flowers. He even stayed with you for a while.”
“Oh,” Nicole answered without care. She had no interest in knowing any of this.
Chapter 72
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Jeremiah walked toward her bed.
“By the way, I heard him say over the phone that he wants your anniversary banquet to be grand. Since it’s your seventh anniversary, he wants to host a proper celebration.”
Nicole took a deep breath, a hint of disgust flickering in her eyes as she looked up at him. She had no intention of holding a public banquet with Hayden.
Jeremiah saw the look of resistance on her face and laughed softly.
“If you don’t want the banquet to be high–profile, you could say no to it. Besides, your body hasn’t fully recovered. You shouldn’t be stressing yourself out at an event with that many people in attendance.”
Nicole’s face turned pale as she suddenly remembered something Hayden had told Olivia. Did he really think it wasn’t enough to tell her the truth privately? Did he really have to announce their fake marriage at the banquet, just to give Gloria the title of his wife?
The thought alone made her sick to her stomach.
She felt irritation boil up from within and blurted, “What anniversary banquet? I’m not going. Haven’t I had enough of their disgusting acts?”
At that moment, a figure appeared outside the hospital room.
Hayden frowned, staring at her in disbelief. His expression darkened as he asked, “Nicole, what did you just say?”
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