Chapter 89



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There was a thunderstorm that ravaged the airwaves that afternoon, so all impending flights had to be cancelled. Everyone had to wait at the airport for two whole days before everything was back to normal.

Joseph had extended his stay in the Maldives by two full days, and when he finally arrived back in the country, three had already passed.

At the Imperial Villa, Joseph was standing in front of the guest room, and his brows were furrowed.

“Young master, Miss Downey moved all her things two days ago. She told me she had found a place to stay, so she’s not going to bother us anymore.”

“What else did she say?”

“She said she’s been here over a month, and that the accumulated rent is around thirty thousand dollars. It’s all here.”

The butler handed him a paper bag as he added, “I didn’t give him the family bank account, so, the next day, he gave me this bag of cash instead.”

When Joseph rested his eyes on that paper bag, his face sank.

Was she so eager to draw a line between them?

Noah tugged at his shirt relentlessly and seemed very nervous.

Joseph said wryly, “Didn’t you see him? He’s gone. It’s useless for you to keep tugging at my clothes.”

Noah immediately pressed his lips into a line and before long, tears began to flow from his eyes. He began to cry.

The butler and maids didn’t know how to comfort him, but to no avail. Joseph felt a stabbing pain in his heart, as intense as his mild anger. He raised his voice and said to her, “Is she that impressive? Why do you like her so much when she’s not even your mother?”

Noah was still crying, and at times even short of breath. The butler ordered the maids to take Noah away as he comforted Joseph, “Young master, you shouldn’t be angry. I see Miss Downey has something on her mind that gives her a somber and excited look. I cannot tell what would be the cause of it. Has something happened to her, was she unhappy about the trip?”.

At the mention of the trip, Joseph furrowed his eyebrows even more.

There had been an incident during the trip, but at the time he could not sense any discontent on her part. The night before she disappeared, she seemed fine when they were on the beach. However, it seemed as if her soul was lost when they were having dinner. From what she had heard from Freddie, did something happen at his house?

“Mark, do you know where the residence of Bentley, the President of the Downey Group, is?”.

His butler froze before replying, “I believe he is staying near the Jiangxin Villa area.”

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In the luxuriously decorated living room, one could tell at a glance that this house would sell for over ten million dollars based on the current market price.

In the parlor, a maid placed a cup of tea on the table while muttering coldly, “Miss Downey, your tea.”

She took the tray away immediately, but Hayden called out to her with a frown, “Hasn’t my uncle returned yet?”

The maid stopped short and looked at her expressionlessly. “Sir is very busy, and at this hour he is usually at the station doing his daily work. He won’t be home soon.”

Hayden commented, “Today is Sunday.”

“What about Sunday, do you think he doesn’t need to keep his appointments on Sunday? Miss Downey, you can stay here and wait as long as you want. Who knows if the gentleman will be home for dinner.” After saying this, the maid turned and left abruptly.

Hayden let out a sigh, which was permeated with all his complicated feelings.

When he left the Barnett Family at the age of five, everything was a mess. Due to his grandfather’s passing, his aunt sent him every last belonging to the Downey Family, as if demonstrating her conviction to never have anything to do with Hayden again from that point on.

In the years that flew by, he never once returned home.

If it were not to secure custody of her daughter in the future, she would not return home just to retrieve the inheritance her mother had left her.

After an indeterminate amount of time, a noise was heard coming from the second floor.

Someone was coming down the stairs.

Hayden looked toward the source of the sound and immediately his heart squeezed.

The sound of footsteps stopped halfway down the stairs, an older woman who looked to be in her mid-fifties peered out. She had a plump body, but her eyes were sharp and calculating like those of a hawk.

She said with utter contempt in her voice, “Hey, look who woke me up from my nap. It’s been almost twenty years since you’ve been here, hasn’t it? If the maids hadn’t tipped me off to your visit, I really would have thought I’d never get the chance to lay eyes on my niece who used to be favored by my father.”

Hayden clenched his fists as he started awkwardly, “Auntie, were you home?

She had been here for about half an hour and the maid had come up several times. Based on her aunt’s attitude, she could conclude that her aunt would have no intention of seeing her personally except that she planned to wait as long as necessary.

“I was napping. My maids know my temperament very well, no one would be able to wake me up when I’m sleeping, not even the mayor.”

Hayden had an uncomfortable expression on his face. He wanted to retort something, but nothing came out.

His aunt of his came from a family that had produced countless diplomats, and was able to make a name for herself in the capital. Hayden’s uncle was able to rise meteorically because of her family’s support, so, in the family, she had an important status.

Hayden had always been intimidated by her.

“Sit down.”

His aunt came down the stairs and stood mere inches from her. With a distant expression, she asked bluntly, “Why are you here?”

Hayden hesitated before answering, “I’d better wait until my uncle comes home before I explain myself.”

“Are you sure you want to wait? You might not get what you want because even I don’t know what time he’ll be back.”

Hearing that, Hayden grabbed the hem of his shirt and, after remaining silent for a few seconds, decided to blurt it out, “The reason I came back here is to get my mother’s inheritance back, which was protected in Grandpa’s name. I just want that house, nothing else.”

“I figured you were going with that theme. It’s been over a decade since you’ve been home, why do you think you’re still able-bodied?” His aunt snorted, “Your mother never got a dime from the Downey Family, and she died after she gave birth to you, who told you she left anything behind as a memento?”

Hayden blanched at that. He stammered, “My grandfather told me about it. Even though I was a child, my grandfather took special care to repeat it, so… I won’t misremember things.”

Also, although her mother had left the Downey Family without taking a penny with her, she still had some assets in her name. Part of it was due to her inheritance and the other part had been given to her by her in-laws when she married: her dowry.

Her aunt’s expression was still as cold as ever: “Oh, really? I don’t remember anything like that. When you left us, you were only five years old. How could you remember anything concrete? What’s more, in the first two years, when Bentley had just set up his company, he had asked your grandfather for money from time to time. You couldn’t say how much money he had contributed to his fledgling business, and you still naively think that your mother had left you some inheritance? You’re dreaming.

All the colors had drained from Hayden’s face, and he bit his lips so hard they almost bled. He wanted to get out of there, but he clenched his teeth and fists, “Aunt, if I’m not mistaken, Grandpa told me that the house my mother left me has my name on the ownership documents. Although I don’t have that document, if you insist that you don’t know anything about that house, I can still inquire about it at the Real Estate Office.”

“Oh?” His aunt had a drastic change of expression, “How can you say something like that? Are you implying that I have appropriated a house that should belong to you? Are you planning to sue me? If you’re so great, you can take this to court with your uncle. See if he’ll let you open a case.”

Hearing that, Hayden felt all trace of warmth drain from his body. His uncle was the Chairman of the N City Judicial Department.

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