Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Hayden perked up instantly, sitting up straight and staring right at Kellan. “Come on, tell me what’s going on?” he said, not taking his eyes off Kellan.
Hayden still hadn’t figured out who the woman next to Kellan was, but since Kellan had brought her along to meet Hayden, it probably meant she was trustworthy.
Zina only let her guard down when she saw Hayden finally look away from her, then found herself a seat.
Kellan never intended to keep anything from Zina during his conversation with Hayden, and the two spoke loudly enough for her to hear every word.
Zina simply craned her neck, openly watching the two of them.
Kellan’s gaze was icy, and his tone was just as commanding. “The Carter family is almost cleaned up. How are things going on your end? Don’t make me have to step in and deal with your mess.”
“Don’t worry.” Hayden stood up and clapped Kellan on the shoulder. “You know you can trust me. But are you sure it’s really okay to bring her along?”
Hayden glanced at Zina, who was almost wedging herself between him and Kellan, and his lips twitched involuntarily.
“By the way, if you want to listen in on our conversation, you can just come over. No need to hover over there -“Hayden frowned, struggling to find the right adjective, then just shrugged and let it go.
Zina rubbed her hands together awkwardly and made a polite gesture. “You guys keep talking. I’m just here, listening in. Don’t mind me,” she said, a little embarrassed.
With that, Zina scooted back to her seat.
Kellan didn’t feel like saying anything more, so he walked over and gave Zina a pat on the shoulder.
“Alright, that’s about it for now. I brought you here today so you two could get to know each other. Let’s all grab dinner together tonight,” he said.
“Huh? What?” they exclaimed. Both Zina and Hayden were still trying to figure out when the topic had changed so fast, but Kellan was already calling them to dinner.
When they got to the car, Zina headed straight for the passenger seat.
Noticing an intense stare burning into her, Zina turned and locked eyes with Hayden, who was grinning from
ear to ear.
Hayden’s face was full of curiosity as he openly stared at Zina without hiding it.
Zina’s smile twitched, but she managed to hold back the urge to smack Hayden right in the face.
“So where exactly are we going for dinner tonight?” Zina asked.
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Chapter 97
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After sitting in the car for a while, watching as they drove down unfamiliar streets, Zina was getting more and
more curious.
She had just started to ask when the car pulled up in front of a restaurant.
“We’re here,” Kellan said.
Kellan closed the car window, looked at Zina, and, after thinking for a while, said, “Well, the Sinclair family simply isn’t qualified to come to a place like this, so it makes sense you wouldn’t know about it.”
Zina plastered on her professional smile. ‘So, he’s throwing shade at me now?‘ she thought. ‘Great, now I just want to disappear
Zina was grumbling inwardly, but kept a serious look on her face as she followed Kellan inside.
The restaurant was pretty out of the way, but the view was surprisingly great.
Maybe that was why business was booming. Even though they’d come early, when anywhere else would be empty, this place was already packed with people coming and going.
“Are there even any seats left in there?” Zina asked, glancing around at all the luxury cars, looking a bit unsure.
Hayden, meanwhile, moved through the crowd with total ease and made sure to answer Zina’s question right
on cue.
“Don’t worry about it. This restaurant is one of his businesses. He’s got his private room upstairs,” Hayden explained.
Zina’s eyes went wide as she looked at Kellan, who just nodded calmly. For a split second, Zina honestly felt like the world was a little surreal.
Zina had always thought her business was pretty impressive, but compared to Hayden’s, it was nothing. Zina was so done. She didn’t even want to say a single word anymore.
Just as they were talking, the owner of the restaurant came over, beaming. “Mr. Carter, welcome. Your private room upstairs is ready. Would you like your usual menu tonight?” he asked.
“Yes” Kellan nodded and started heading upstairs. He paused for a moment, then added, “Add a few desserts, and bring out a serving of pudding as well.”
Zina’s eyes practically sparkled. ‘Wow, Kellan actually has some taste. He’s into pudding, too?‘ she thought. “That’s my favorite dish ever
With Kellan leading the way and Zina following close behind, Hayden was left in the dust, muttering to himself, “Seriously, since when does Kellan eat desserts? And pudding-”
Halfway through his muttering, Hayden looked up and saw that the other two had already put some distance between them. He hurried to catch up. “Hey, don’t leave me behind. Can’t you at least slow down a bit?”
After finally making it to the private room, Hayden sat down with a pout. Hayden looked back and forth between the two of them, feeling like something just wasn’t right.
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Hayden frowned even harder, then finally said, “Wait. Are you telling me it’s just the three of us eating here? No one else is coming?”
“Just wait a bit. They’ll be here soon,” Kellan replied. He glanced down at his watch, his tone unhurried.
He lowered his gaze, hiding the thoughts deep in his eyes, making them impossible to read.
Hayden was silently complaining in his head, but as soon as he looked up, he found himself staring at a pair of shoes that had just stepped into the room.
His gaze shot upward, and he suddenly locked eyes with a pair of icy eyes. He froze on the spot, his mind going completely blank.
“W–When did you get back?” Hayden stammered.
“What? Not happy to see me? When Kellan came back from abroad, you were all smiles, but when I came back, you gave me this look?” the man said.
His lips barely parted, his cold gaze landing on Zina. In an instant, the chill in his eyes faded, replaced by a spark of curiosity.
“So, who’s the beauty? Did you bring her, or was it Kellan?” he asked, glancing between the two.
“Hey, knock it off. Kellan is right here. Don’t go getting any funny ideas about her,” Hayden said, shooting a worried glance at Kellan.
He quickly pulled the man aside and lowered his voice, speaking carefully, “She might just end up being his girlfriend.”
Hayden’s voice was barely above a whisper, but Zina still caught every word. Her gaze immediately snapped
to Kellan.
But instead of the stormy reaction Zina expected, Kellan stayed perfectly calm; he didn’t even bother to look up at Hayden.
The atmosphere between them was strangely harmonious, almost unsettling.
Zina stared wide–eyed, trying to pry some secrets out of the three men in front of her, but they were all so tight–lipped that she couldn’t get a single useful hint out of them.
In the end, Zina finally gave up and just kept her mouth shut, resigning herself to the silence.
11:28 Sun, Sep 7
Chapter 97
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55 vouchers
After sitting in the car for a while, watching as they drove down unfamiliar streets, Zina was getting more and
more curious.
She had just started to ask when the car pulled up in front of a restaurant.
“We’re here,” Kellan said.
Kellan closed the car window, looked at Zina, and, after thinking for a while, said, “Well, the Sinclair family simply isn’t qualified to come to a place like this, so it makes sense you wouldn’t know about it.”
Zina plastered on her professional smile. ‘So, he’s throwing shade at me now?‘ she thought. ‘Great, now I just want to disappear.’
Zina was grumbling inwardly, but kept a serious look on her face as she followed Kellan inside.
The restaurant was pretty out of the way, but the view was surprisingly great.
Maybe that was why business was booming. Even though they’d come early, when anywhere else would be empty, this place was already packed with people coming and going.
“Are there even any seats left in there?” Zina asked, glancing around at all the luxury cars, looking a bit unsure.
Hayden, meanwhile, moved through the crowd with total ease and made sure to answer Zina’s question right
on cue.
“Don’t worry about it. This restaurant is one of his businesses. He’s got his private room upstairs,” Hayden explained.
Zina’s eyes went wide as she looked at Kellan, who just nodded calmly. For a split second, Zina honestly felt like the world was a little surreal.
Zina had always thought her business was pretty impressive, but compared to Hayden’s, it was nothing. Zina was so done. She didn’t even want to say a single word anymore.
Just as they were talking, the owner of the restaurant came over, beaming. “Mr. Carter, welcome. Your private room upstairs is ready. Would you like your usual menu tonight?” he asked.
“Yes.” Kellan nodded and started heading upstairs. He paused for a moment, then added, “Add a few desserts, and bring out a serving of pudding as well.”
Zina’s eyes practically sparkled. ‘Wow, Kellan actually has some taste. He’s into pudding, too?‘ she thought. “That’s my favorite dish ever!
With Kellan leading the way and Zina following close behind, Hayden was left in the dust, muttering to himself, “Seriously, since when does Kellan eat desserts? And pudding-
Halfway through his muttering, Hayden looked up and saw that the other two had already put some distance between them. He hurried to catch up. “Hey, don’t leave me behind. Can’t you at least slow down a bit?”
After finally making it to the private room, Hayden sat down with a pout. Hayden looked back and forth between the two of them, feeling like something just wasn’t right.
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snatched it and tossed it into the trash can. I got mad and told her off a bit, and she tried to strangle me!
“Mom, Dad, you have to believe me. How could I do what Kaia said and throw the sweater knitted by my own mother into the trash can? If I really did that, wouldn’t I be worse than a beast!”
Ruth and Lincoln nodded.
They said, “We believe what Andrea said. Kaia, let go of her!”
“I said, as long as she takes the sweater out of the trash can, I will let go. Otherwise, no way.” Kaia had a stubborn look on her face.
Andrea turned her head and looked at Willa and Solomon with tears in her eyes. “Do you also believe what Kaia said, and believe that I would do such a thing?”
“Uh…” Willa and Solomon were in a dilemma.
“Come on! Andrea is not that kind of person!” Ruth said coldly, “On the contrary, it is Kaia. Do you know why we expelled Kaia from the family and cut her off? That’s because Kaia has a bad character and is a disgrace to the family.”
Willa found it hard to believe what Ruth said. “We’ve raised Kaia since she was little. She can’t be the kind of
person you said.”
“Humph! Wasn’t that because you didn’t raise her well? You country bumpkin! If Kaia wasn’t raised there, could she have become so incurable?” Ruth scolded unceremoniously.
“Shut up!” Kaia and Scott, who came out, stopped her in unison.
Scott’s face flushed with anger, and Andrea stared at him, wondering when he had arrived.
“Scott, why are you hiding there? Didn’t I ask you to give Andrea her engagement gift?” Solomon asked, puzzled.
Scott went to Kaia and Andrea, looking at Andrea with an angry look. “I arrived long ago and saw you toss the sweater Mom knitted into the trash can with my own eyes!”
Ruth and Lincoln were shocked and looked at Andrea. “Is that true?”
Andrea was sobbing and felt extremely aggrieved. “Scott, how can you distort the truth like this! How did Kaia bewitch you? I am your sister! Why do you have to lie for her?
“Could it be that she promised you some benefit? I got it! That must be it. She’s being kept by a rich guy, and
gave you a lot of money, right?”
she
Scott was about to be driven mad. “Andrea, what nonsense are you talking about? When did I ever take my sister’s money? I’m just telling the truth of what I saw.”
“Enough! That’s enough…” Andrea cried loudly. “You keep calling me by my name and calling Kaia ‘sister‘. In your heart, I’m not your real sister at all, but Kaia is! You grew up together since childhood, and I am not close to you, so of course, you will speak up for Kaia!”
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Hayden frowned even harder, then finally said, “Wait. Are you telling me it’s just the three of us eating here? No one else is coming?”
“Just wait a bit. They’ll be here soon,” Kellan replied. He glanced down at his watch, his tone unhurried.
He lowered his gaze, hiding the thoughts deep in his eyes, making them impossible to read.
Hayden was silently complaining in his head, but as soon as he looked up, he found himself staring at a pair of shoes that had just stepped into the room.
His gaze shot upward, and he suddenly locked eyes with a pair of icy eyes. He froze on the spot, his mind going completely blank.
“W–When did you get back?” Hayden stammered.
“What? Not happy to see me? When Kellan came back from abroad, you were all smiles, but when I came back, you gave me this look?” the man said.
His lips barely parted, his cold gaze landing on Zina. In an instant, the chill in his eyes faded, replaced by a spark of curiosity.
“So, who’s the beauty? Did you bring her, or was it Kellan?” he asked, glancing between the two.
“Hey, knock it off. Kellan is right here. Don’t go getting any funny ideas about her,” Hayden said, shooting a worried glance at Kellan.
He quickly pulled the man aside and lowered his voice, speaking carefully, “She might just end up being his girlfriend.”
Hayden’s voice was barely above a whisper, but Zina still caught every word. Her gaze immediately snapped to Kellan.
But instead of the stormy reaction Zina expected, Kellan stayed perfectly calm; he didn’t even bother to look up at Hayden.
The atmosphere between them was strangely harmonious, almost unsettling.
Zina stared wide–eyed, trying to pry some secrets out of the three men in front of her, but they were all so tight–lipped that she couldn’t get a single useful hint out of them.
In the end, Zina finally gave up and just kept her mouth shut, resigning herself to the silence.
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Chapter 97
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As she spoke, Andrea looked at Willa and Solomon. “Dad, Mom, I’m just asking you, who do you believe, me or Kaia?”
Willa and Solomon looked at Kaia and Scott, and then at Andrea. Their hearts were struggling.
“Okay, okay, I understand. I didn’t grow up by your side, so no matter how I explain it today, you won’t believe me.” Andrea said in a daze, then turned to look at Ruth and Lincoln.
“What about you two? After all, Kaia is your biological daughter…” At this point, Andrea’s voice choked up, looking as if she had lost all will to live.
Ruth pushed Kaia away and embraced Andrea.
“Andrea, sweetie, I believe you, and I’ll always do. Don’t be silly. I promise that no matter what you do or say in the future, I will always stand by your side.”
Lincoln’s eyes were also red with tears. “Sweetie, I believe you, too. I only have you as a daughter in this life and only recognize you as a daughter. The Bennett family’s daughter will always be you, Andrea.”
Andrea was deeply moved and hugged the two of them, crying loudly.
“Heh!” Kaia snorted softly. ‘Andrea’s acting skills are really amazing.‘
At that moment, Scott tugged on Kaia. “Kaia, let’s go.”
Kaia turned around and looked at Scott, as well as Willa and Solomon, who were also looking at her.
Solomon sighed. “Let’s go.”
Willa took Kaia’s hand, and the family of four left.
After going outside, Solomon took a drag of his cigarette and looked at Kaia apologetically.
“We sent you to the Bennett family because we didn’t want you to continue living a hard life with us, but we didn’t expect you to suffer so much.”
AD
