Chapter 4 Can't Keep Up The Loving Facade
After a moment, Hayden furrowed his brow. "Are you talking about Mom? No way! She just wanted her to drink a bit more and loosen up at the party. She didn't expect her to have such a low tolerance."
"Really?" Henry raised an eyebrow, his fingers tapping lightly on his knee. "So if I hand her over to you now, would you still want her?"
Hayden's words got stuck in his throat. He opened his mouth to say something, but ended up clenching his fists in silence.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Henry laughed, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Can't keep up that loving facade anymore?"
He stood up and took a step closer to Hayden, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You want to push her away without taking responsibility. The best way is to fabricate a cheating scandal, isn't it?"
"Henry!" Hayden's voice trembled. "We're family. Do we have to talk like this?"
Henry laughed like he had heard the funniest joke. "When you were sabotaging me behind my back, did you think about us being family?"
He was referring to the Novaria Energy deal from last month.
Hayden had secretly leaked Henry's bottom line for negotiations, almost ruining a $5 billion deal.
"Stop throwing 'family' around," Henry said, patting Hayden's shoulder with a force that felt like a warning. "Your little schemes are just because you're afraid I'll take the CEO position at Phillips Group."
He leaned in close to Hayden's ear, his voice as cold as ice. "But let me tell you, I'm going for that position."
With that, he turned and walked out, leaving Hayden standing in the study, his face dark with anger.
As Henry's footsteps faded down the hallway, Rhea pushed open the study door.
She glanced at Hayden's grim expression and tapped her fingers lightly on the doorframe. "Did you two have a fight?"
Hayden composed himself and recounted what Henry had said.
"What? He wants to compete with you for the CEO position at Phillips Group? Does he even deserve it?" Rhea sneered, her delicate face full of disdain. "A child born out of an affair thinks he can compete with you just because Grandpa praised him a few times?"
"Rhea," Hayden sighed, his tone filled with helplessness. "You can't blame him for his mother's mistakes."
"Am I wrong?" Rhea stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Dad should never have brought him back. It's like raising a tiger in your own home!"
Hayden didn't respond, his eyes fixed on a photo on the desk.
It was a picture of him and Amelia when they first got together. Amelia's smile was radiant, her eyes full of hope for the future.
Rhea followed his gaze and scoffed. "Still thinking about her? She's Henry's wife now."
Hayden thought about what Henry had said earlier and asked, "Rhea, how much do you know about Amelia and Henry?"
Rhea raised an eyebrow, surprised. "You don't know? Mom mentioned it to me. She didn't like you being with a woman who grew up in an orphanage. She thought Amelia wasn't good enough for you."
She paused, watching Hayden's face grow paler, and continued, "At that party, Mom just wanted to get her drunk and take some compromising photos. Who knew she'd end up in bed with Henry?"
"What did you say?" Hayden's voice shook, as if he couldn't believe his ears. "Mom really did that?"
"What else?" Rhea shrugged. "Amelia's tolerance is low, but not so low that two glasses of champagne would knock her out. But Henry, he really will sleep with anyone."
That night, Henry had just returned to the bedroom from the office when he heard the sound of running water from the bathroom.
He sat on the edge of the bed, his fingers absentmindedly stroking the sheets, his expression unreadable.
The things he said to Hayden in the study earlier were partly to provoke him, but also partly the truth.
He was determined to get the CEO position at Phillips Group.
Not just for himself, but to uncover the truth about his mother, Ella Garcia's death.
He always felt there was more to her death than met the eye.
The water stopped.
After a while, the bathroom door opened.
Amelia walked out, wrapped in a white bathrobe.
Her hair was damp, draped over her shoulders, and the robe's collar was slightly loose, revealing her delicate collarbone.
She saw Henry sitting on the bed and hesitated, then awkwardly adjusted her robe. "When did you come in?"
Henry looked up, his gaze falling on her wet hair, his Adam's apple bobbing. "A while ago."
Amelia didn't say anything else. She walked to the vanity, picked up a hairdryer, and was about to plug it in when Henry said, "Let me do it."
She paused, then shook her head. "No need."
Henry didn't insist. He leaned back on the bed, closing his eyes as if he were asleep.
After drying her hair, Amelia saw that he seemed to be asleep. She quietly changed into her pajamas and lay down on the other side of the bed, trying to keep her distance from him.
Just as she lay down, Henry suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze bright in the darkness.
"You..." Amelia was startled.
Henry said, "Did you just call me?"
Amelia was speechless. "No, you were dreaming." She turned her back to him, annoyed. "Go to sleep."
Henry didn't say anything else.
In the darkness, it felt like there was an invisible line between them, neither crossing it.
After a while, Henry's phone suddenly rang.
He picked it up, glanced at it, and answered in an impatient tone. "What is it?"
A lively female voice came from the other end. "Henry, come out and play. I booked a private room at 'Elysium Haven.' Lots of friends are here."
"Not going." Henry refused without hesitation. "I'm staying with my wife tonight."
Amelia's body stiffened.
She recognized the voice. It was Lily Martin—Henry's childhood friend and a well-known socialite in Emerald City.
If it weren't for her interference, Henry's wife would probably be Lily.
The voice on the other end paused, then sounded hurt. "How could you? It's my birthday today."
Henry frowned. "Happy birthday."
With that, he hung up the phone.
Amelia thought that was the end of it.
But a few minutes later, her phone rang too.
The caller ID showed it was Lily.
She hesitated but answered.
"Amelia." Lily's voice sounded pitiful. "Can you ask Henry to come out for a drink? It's my birthday, and I'm really sad he won't come."
Amelia glanced at Henry beside her. He was watching her with a playful look in his eyes.
She took a deep breath and said into the phone, "Sorry, Henry is really tired tonight. He can't make it. Happy birthday."