Chapter 8



.

Stella shook her head and said to Hayden, “Mom, why don’t you divorce Dad?”.

Hayden was amused and asked, “Why do you say that?”.

“I feel like Dad doesn’t like Mom.” Stella bit her vegetable and stammered, “My friend’s mom and dad are always very affectionate, but I only get to see my dad twice a year. And every time dad comes back, he only says a few words to mom. He doesn’t kiss her or hug her, most importantly he doesn’t love me, I don’t want this kind of dad anymore.”

Hayden felt slightly uncomfortable. She didn’t dare tell him the truth, but she was afraid he would realize that all the kids in her neighborhood had her father but her. So he sought someone’s help and asked her to come to his house every year to let Stella know she had a father. He didn’t expect her to be so smart and had even thought for her.

Stella then added, “Mommy, you don’t have to think I’ll be sad when you get divorced. Instead of letting us see my daddy once a year, it’s better for Mommy to find a new husband. As long as my new daddy loves me, I might as well take another brother or sister!”

“Silly girl.” Her words made the rims of Hayden’s eyes turn a little red, “Mommy doesn’t need any husband; Mommy just wants to take good care of you.”

“But I want a big brother.” Stella let out a sweet smile, “I want Mommy and Daddy to love me, also a big brother who loves me like a princess!”.

Hayden patted her head and said nothing more. He remembered his oldest son, the one the butler had taken away, wondered how he would be at that moment. If he could, he really hoped to meet his son someday in the future and maybe give him a hug.

Catching a glimpse of Hayden’s wistful look, Stella secretly vowed to get a new tender, handsome daddy to make her mother happy every day.

That night, Hayden received an email from the ST Group’s Human Resources Department, notifying him that he was to go to the ST Hotel for work the next Monday.

As he was sorting through his things, he saw Stella fiddling with a tablet and couldn’t help but approach her. “Honey, what are you doing?”

Stella hugged the tablet with lightning speed and said, “I can’t let Mommy see this, Mommy, please go away!”.

“Okay, Mommy won’t see it.”

After waiting for Hayden to leave, Stella continued to type information into the tablet. She typed in Hayden’s name and attached his picture. In the lower right corner of the web page was the name of a certain blind dating website.

After completing everything, Stella stretched. The gentlemen she had seen today were all fine, but the one she had met at the airport was still very much to her liking!

She had thought he should definitely be with Mom! Unfortunately she couldn’t find any information about him and at the moment she could only replace him with another man.

Hayden had no idea that she was being ‘sold’ by her clever daughter.

…

The day Hayden came to work at the hotel was coincidentally the day the hotel turned 10 years old. After a brief introduction to the workers, Hayden began to get very busy due to the celebratory event. He stood in the lobby and assigned work to the upstairs workers over a walkie-talkie, a layer of sweat showing on his forehead.

“Hayden?” A familiar voice froze her in her tracks. Slowly she tightened her pace toward the front desk-could it be a coincidence?

She turned around to find a young couple. The man was tall and handsome. As he saw her turn around, an expression of surprise clearly appeared on her face, while the woman gripped his arm tightly. The two seemed to be exceptionally intimate.

Seeing her ex-boyfriend again five years later, it was impossible to say that she didn’t feel sad at all. Her heart ached so much. She clenched her fists tightly in an attempt to suppress her feelings and smile. “Long time no see.”

Kingsley West looked at her with a contradictory expression. He moved his lips, wanting to say something, but in the end said nothing.

.

.

.