Chapter 2
A car pulled up outside a villa. A man in a black coat held an umbrella over himself and the woman in his arms as they walked up the steps. The door opened, and a maid came out to take the umbrella from the
man
Hailey faltered when she didn’t see Terence. Then, she frowned and hung her coat over her arm instead. of handing it to the maid. “Where’s Terence?”
“Mr. Stone isn’t back yet,” the maid answered.
Hailey stopped. Only then did she remember she was supposed to celebrate Terence’s birthday with him that day. She’d only turned the car around and headed to the airport after receiving a call from Matthew.
She glanced outside the window. The sky was as dark as ink, and the howling wind brought with it a cold shower of rain through the window, which hadn’t been shut.
Suddenly, she felt guilty. Would Terence be mad at her?
Still, she pushed that thought out of her mind as soon as it formed. There was no way Terence would get mad at anything. He’d always known where to draw the line and spoke gently. He never got angry at anyone.
Over the years, she’d uttered Matthew’s name countless times when drunk, yet Terence acted like he didn’t hear her. He would make her a hangover soup without even batting an eye. How could he possibly get angry over something as menial as this?
I
Wi ne maid saw the hint of concern in Hailey’s expression, she asked, “Should I call Mr. Stone, Ms. Rainer?”
Hailey’s expression became nonchalant. “No, he’ll be back soon. Tell him to come to the study when he is.
She turned to Matthew, her voice tender as she said, “It’s getting late. You can sleep in his room,”
He looked at her hesitantly. “I don’t think that would be appropriate. It’s Mr. Stone’s room, after all…
Hailey shook her head. “He won’t mind.”
Meanwhile, Terence held the umbrella over himself after getting out of the cab. The rain formed a sheet of water around him, cutting him off from the world outside. It didn’t do anything to keep the biting wind out, though.
He pulled his coat tighter around him and decided to get a place for a temporary stay. After viewing several apartments, he settled on one by the river, immediately signing a half–year contract with the landlord.
His phone rang as soon as he shut the door. He frowned slightly when he saw the caller ID but still answered it. “Hello?”
“Good evening, Mr. Stone. I’m Matthew Cooke. I heard you’ve yet to return home after getting into a fight with Hailey because of me, and I wanted to let you know that I’m worried and sorry. I think I owe you an explanation about things between me and her.
“We did indeed date in the past, but that’s all it is now the past. We’re just friends now. I genuinely wish you both all the happiness in the world. Please don’t let my presence drive a wedge between you two. Could you please return her call soon? I don’t want her to be worried about you,” Matthew said.
Terence found this laughable. The Rainer family was rich and powerful–if Hailey really were worried
about him, she would’ve called him or sent someone to look for him. Yet Matthew was the first to call him when he’d yet to return home.
He didn’t want to listen to Matthew’s nonsense and hung up without a word. On the other end of the line, Matthew gnashed his teeth at the darkened screen. Then, he called Terence again.
Terence rejected every call Matthew made, only answering the final one. He didn’t say anything, though. After a while, Matthew chuckled. “It looks like you’re not as generous and rational as Hailey made you out to be.
“I thought you were a master at enduring this–you managed to stick it out for five years before causing a scene, after all. Yet it looks like this is all you’re capable of.”
He played with his nails and continued smugly, “Running away from home isn’t going to get you anywhere, Terence. I’ll ask Hailey to be more generous in compensating you if you’re willing to give up your position as her husband for me.”
Terence finally spoke up. “Sure.”
Matthew was caught off guard by that, evidently not expecting Terence to agree so readily. “What?”
Terence said, “You said you would ask Hailey to compensate me generously, right? How at a cafe tomorrow morning to discuss this?”