Chapter 31
“Mr. Sadler, how about I drink this glass for her? Would that work?”
Though Hayden spoke as if negotiating, his tone left no room for discussion, and his smile slowly took on
a cold edge.
Nicole remembered that Hayden had said Finnegan was someone they couldn’t afford to clash with. The Sadlers and the Spencer family had close business ties that affected everything else.
But now, for Gloria’s sake, he was willing to risk an unpleasant confrontation with Finnegan. Hayden’s dark eyes held a cold gleam. When he looked at someone expressionlessly like this, there was a calm, deadly air around him.
Even Finnegan couldn’t help but feel nervous now. He swallowed hard.
Just as Hayden usually had to show him respect, he likewise didn’t dare start any conflict with Hayden. After all, their families had deep business partnerships. If he dared anger Hayden, wouldn’t his father kill
him?
Thinking of this, Finnegan felt rather humiliated. He didn’t want to let the woman off so easily, but could only back down awkwardly.
“Fine. And Mr. Gibson, don’t get too upset. I was just inviting her to dinner, that’s all. Since she doesn’t want to, I won’t force her. I’ll give you this favor.”
Hayden narrowed his eyes but said nothing. Finnegan tried to laugh it off and turned to leave. Just then, Hayden saw Caleb secretly stick out his foot.
Finnegan stumbled over his foot unexpectedly and crashed to the ground with a thud, crying out in pain. Hayden looked coldly at Caleb with warning in his eyes.
Caleb seemed to come to his senses, realizing Finnegan was someone who couldn’t be crossed. His eyes
pleaded desperately. “Hayden, help me.”
Hayden could only take Caleb’s original position, looking down at Finnegan from above with a cold expression, creating the illusion that he had been the one to trip him.
He raised an eyebrow. “Mr. Sadler, you should watch where you’re going. We wouldn’t want you to get hurt.
“You!” Finnegan looked up at him, gritting his teeth.
An awkward, suffocating tension filled the air.
Finnegan scrambled to his feet without any dignity, humiliated and furious. He finally couldn’t hold back his rage any longer.
“Who is this woman anyway? Your mistress? Your wife is standing right here, and you’re humiliating me
Chapter 31
for some other woman?”
272
That one sentence pushed the entire scene toward chaos. His words made Nicole’s situation even more
embarrassing.
In an instant, everyone’s eyes fell on her, their gazes complex, sympathetic, or filled with gossipy speculation. Everyone was just shocked.
Hayden, who had always been devoted to his wife and gentle toward her in public, had lost control over
another woman?
Nicole’s face showed no emotion whatsoever. Her heart had already shattered into pieces. She had hurt enough that now she felt nothing at all.
No one knew that all of Hayden’s tender affection was just the duty he performed as a husband, symbolically maintaining his image as a good man. She had long understood that the only person Hayden truly cared about was Gloria. She now felt nothing because she expected nothing.
But both Hayden’s and Caleb’s faces darkened at Finnegan’s words. Caleb completely lost his composure and rushed forward to grab Finnegan by the collar.
“What are you talking about? Apologize to Ms. Ashford! You’re insulting her!”
Hayden also stared expressionlessly at Finnegan. “Don’t think that because I do business with the Sadlers and treat you politely, I’m afraid of you. I usually accommodate you out of respect for your father,
understand?”
A flash of triumphant joy crossed Gloria’s eyes. She stepped forward and tugged at Hayden’s sleeve.” Hayden, don’t do this. It’s not worth offending your business partner for sake.”
my
Hayden ignored Gloria’s words and instead stepped past her, walking step by step toward Finnegan.
Finnegan’s face was ashen as he asked through gritted teeth, “What do you want?”
Hayden commanded, “Apologize to Gloria.”
Finnegan clenched his fists, biting down hard on his teeth, then suddenly turned his gaze toward Nicole. He demanded, “Your husband is protecting someone else, and you’re just standing there like a statue!”
That sentence drew Hayder’s attention to Nicole. Realizing his behavior would indeed make Nicole uncomfortable, he felt a pang of guilt.
