Chapter 258



.

“Begin.”

The emcee gave the order and the audience screamed under the stage.

The other two groups had already started making out. Hayden looked at Joseph who was still some distance away from her and let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

“You still know how to… um…”.

Before she finished her words, Joseph was already kissing her. Hayden looked at Joseph angrily as if she didn’t believe he would actually dare to kiss her.

Hayden was unable to get away from him, though she did her best to struggle. His hands held her tightly around her waist and they were both touching. Her struggle was completely futile and she had even exhausted all her strength as he kissed her.

The emcee’s countdown was like the evening breeze and she couldn’t hear it clearly. She could only remember the sound of Joseph kissing her and the lingering in his eyes.

As she still felt embarrassed, she felt as if a ray of light had finally broken through the fortress she had worked so hard to build all this time. The light penetrated with a hint of gentleness into his body and then spread all over hers.

She closed her eyes slowly and forgot that she should try to escape from him.

She just enjoyed the sweet kiss with him.

It seemed like a long century had passed. They were both breathing hard and almost drenched in sweat when the emcee finally asked them to stop.

“I don’t think this couple wants to finish kissing yet. They’ve been kissing for thirteen minutes and fourteen seconds, non-stop.”

Hayden instantly opened his eyes and realized that the other two couples had been on the floor for quite some time. The couples and the emcee were looking at her and Joseph. She was very embarrassed at that moment and felt as if she wanted to disappear into a hole in the floor.

“Congratulations. You two have won the first prize of the event, a bicycle.”

Hayden buried his entire face inside his jacket and followed Joseph to grab the pink bike as the spectators cheered.

When he saw the bike, he muttered, “Didn’t we want the chocolate?”

Joseph glared back, “Then we can trade our prize with the second prize winner.”

“Don’t.” Hayden revealed a pair of eyes from the hood of his jacket, “The bike is more expensive.”

Returning the bike after embarrassing herself wasn’t worth it.

She wanted the bike.

Joseph looked at her and smiled warmly, “Okay.”

The two of them pushed the bike home. When they got inside, they saw Benjamin lying on the couch watching TV in his dark green pajamas.

“Where did the bike come from?”. He put aside the potato chips and eyed them suspiciously.

“I got it as a gift after I bought the items.”

Hayden didn’t look Benjamin in the eye and answered his question before Joseph could speak.

“How many items did you buy then?” Benjamin frowned as his gaze fell on Hayden’s mouth, “Hayden, why are your lips swollen?”

“What?” Hayden quickly covered his mouth, “I think I dropped my lipstick samples I was eating.”

“What did you eat outside?”

Hayden didn’t answer her question. He quickly covered his mouth and ran to his room. “It’s too late. I’m going to bed now.”

Benjamin and Joseph were the only people in the living room.

Joseph left the bike in a corner of the large foyer. He grabbed the shopping bag and headed toward the bathroom with a calm expression.

Benjamin changed his previous boyish look and squinted at Joseph for a long moment: “Can you be more polite? There are still me and the two kids here.”

Joseph didn’t even return his gaze, “You can move out if you don’t like it.”

“Why?” Benjamin leaned against the back of the sofa and looked at Joseph with cold eyes, “I was the first one to come and live here. I’ve already been kind enough to share half the room with you.”

“I don’t mind sleeping on the couch.”

Joseph stood in the bathroom doorway and looked meaningfully at the couch Benjamin was sitting on.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. No way.” Benjamin snorted as he lazily shifted his position to lie back on the pillows, “Hayden knows what you’re thinking too. So, you better stop thinking about it and sleep in my room at night.”

He looked like he was comfortable sleeping on the couch as if he was used to the environment here. Joseph frowned and felt a little displeased.

The door to the master bedroom opened, Hayden peeked around a corner and called out to Benjamin, “Benjamin, come here for a moment. I want to talk to you.”

Benjamin answered him immediately as he got up from the couch, “Okay, I’m coming.”

Joseph’s expression turned somber as he asked, “Why don’t you want to talk to him in the living room?”

Hayden looked at him and said, “It’s not an appropriate place.”

Joseph tried to understand what he meant.

Benjamin gave Joseph a disdainful look. Then he quickly entered Hayden’s room and closed the door to the room.

Joseph’s face turned pale and he stared at the closed bedroom door for a long time without moving.

Hayden was looking for Benjamin because he wanted to talk to him about Violet’s affair.

“You told me that three years ago, Joseph was the one who planned to drug Noah’s milk powder. But in the last three years, Noah has had many accidents. I was with him when he had three accidents in these months. I don’t think it was Joseph who was responsible, it doesn’t make sense, he had already gotten what he wanted, I don’t think he is the one who planned Noah’s accidents.”

Even if what happened three years ago was really planned by Joseph to get extra power in the company. Then he had no motive to make Franklin leave ST Group.

“Naturally the things that happened afterwards should have nothing to do with him. Hayden, did you find out anything?”

“Violet.” Hayden showed a cold expression, “Addison told me that Violet was the one who planned the fire. Therefore, I suspect that many of the accidents that happened to Noah are related to her.”

“But Noah having an accident won’t do him any good.” Benjamin parsed his words, “Everyone knows that Noah is the apple of Joseph’s eye. The reason Violet was able to be with Joseph these years is simply because Noah obeys her orders. If Noah has an accident, it won’t do her any good since she wants to marry Joseph.”

“Then how do you explain why he would want to cause the fire?”.

Benjamin showed a complicated look on his face. After a moment’s reflection, he said seriously, “Violet wouldn’t be so brave to harm Joseph’s son. If she really did, then I also suspect that there is someone else instigating her and that person must be the one who planned the incidents. Someone in the Beckham Family.” Benjamin said with certainty.

“That person wants Harrison to have no more heirs so he has a chance to inherit the company, but many people share the same motive. The first one we should suspect is Franklin.”

“You suspect Violet teamed up with Franklin to do those things?”

Hayden’s expression turned serious. He had never expected Benjamin to say such words .

.

.

.