Hayden looked down and said quietly, “Nicky, Gloria is my friend and someone who saved my family, so…”
“Gloria!” Before Hayden could finish explaining, Caleb’s alarmed cry came from behind him.
He spun around to see Gloria collapse to the ground with her eyes closed.
Caleb’s eyes flickered as he tried several times, pretending he couldn’t lift Gloria up. “Her heart’s acting up again! Hayden, we need to get her help!”
Hayden rushed over in just a few strides, scooping Gloria up in his arms. As he headed for the exit, he
glared at Finnegan. “If anything happens to Gloria, I’ll kill you.”
With that, he hurried out carrying her. Caleb stood up to follow. As he passed Nicole, he sneered with
contempt.
“Now you see who Hayden really cares about, don’t you? If you have any sense, you’ll leave him sooner
rather than later!”
Nicole’s expression remained calm, showing no emotion whatsoever. The banquet hall erupted in chaos
and excited chatter. She ignored all the stares directed at her and turned to leave.
As soon as Nicole returned home, the story began spreading. Everyone was saying Hayden had
apparently fallen for someone else and was deeply concerned about a woman no one had ever seen
before.
Others claimed Hayden and this woman had a history, with Nicole being the one who interfered. They
even said that the woman at the reunion was supposedly his true love.
These people spoke with such authority, as if they knew more details than Nicole herself. Nicole’s phone kept ringing. People from their social circle were trying to find out about her relationship with Hayden, but she declined every call.
The last call came from Hayden himself. Nicole’s finger paused before she answered.
“Nicky, are you home? I’m sorry about tonight. Things got so chaotic, I didn’t take proper care of you.” Hayden’s voice was full of guilt.
Nicole’s face showed mockery, though her tone revealed nothing. “It’s fine.”
Hayden sighed in relief. “Gloria’s condition isn’t good. I’ll be back later tonight. Get some rest.”
Nicole hung up immediately. As if his behavior wasn’t bad enough, now he had to call and make it worse.
Nicole rubbed her temples and went upstairs to flip a page on her calendar, which had a large number four drawn on it. Four more days. She wished the night would end soon.
At the hospital, Gloria lay in the patient room, looking weak, still unconscious.
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Hayden glanced at the time and said quietly, “Caleb, stay here with Gloria. I need to go home.”
Gloria’s eyelashes fluttered slightly.
Caleb immediately stopped him. “Don’t go! I have things to handle at home. Besides, you understand Gloria’s condition better than I do. When Gloria wakes up, she’d rather see you first anyway.”
“Hayden…” Gloria slowly opened her eyes, tears instantly streaming down her face.
She choked up. “I had a nightmare about the day Mrs. Spencer Senior got in that car accident. I was all alone on the road and almost couldn’t save her. I felt so helpless and scared. Please don’t leave, okay?”
Hayden couldn’t bring himself to say he was going home. “Don’t be afraid. I won’t go back tonight. I’ll stay here with you.”
Nicole’s tone earlier hadn’t sounded angry, so she was probably asleep by now. It wouldn’t matter if he didn’t go home tonight.
“Who’s the patient’s family member? Could you come here for a moment?” A doctor entered and looked
at Gloria.
Gloria nodded slightly, signaling him to continue cooperating by exaggerating her condition. Hayden
followed the doctor outside.
As soon as they left, Gloria dropped her weak act and said wearily, “You see how difficult Nicole is to deal with? She doesn’t cry or make a fuss and just pretends to be understanding, so Hayden gets anxious to go home to her.”
“She’s definitely scheming. Even with a brain tumor, she’s still clinging to Hayden like a parasite!” Caleb rolled his eyes.
Gloria raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you say you’d help me get rid of her? Now you think it’s too difficult and there’s no way?”
“Are you kidding?” Caleb immediately protested, looking confident. “If this method doesn’t work, we’ll just
try another one.”
He narrowed his eyes, thinking about the piece of land Hayden had mentioned giving to Nicole recently- a plan formed in his mind.
Chapter 33
Chapter 33
