Chapter426 Insinuations
It was late at night, and the Bennett's Family mansion was brightly lit.
Hailey, dressed impeccably, sat at her vanity, stifling a yawn as the maid attended to her hair. "Engaging in such activities at this late hour seems unnecessary."
Hailey seemed to be complaining about something. The maid, who appeared to be in her forties, had been with Hailey for a long time. She leaned in and whispered, "Madam, it's William's first time bringing a girlfriend home. He's eager for you to meet her."
"Just in time for his business engagement, he brings a girlfriend," Hailey said, picking up a diamond hairpin from the vanity and placing it in her hair. "This will do."
Accompanied by the maid, Hailey descended the stairs to find everyone already seated in the parlor, arranged with impeccable precision.
Dalton glanced at his wife and introduced, "Come, meet Ava."
Hailey sauntered forward at a leisurely pace, casting a glance toward Ava, who nervously rose from the sofa. "Good day, Auntie," Ava uttered.
Hailey scrutinized her. "You're William's girlfriend?"
Ava, with a forced smile, nodded. "Yes."
Hailey didn't say much and took a seat, a bit distant from the others, giving off an air of solitude.
Especially between her and Dalton, there was a sense of detachment.
Dalton didn't say much either, turning to Ava. "Please, have a seat. Keep it casual."
As Ava sat down, William sensed her nervousness and gently patted the back of her hand.
Ava instinctively wanted to withdraw. However, considering their current relationship, she smiled at him as if they were truly a couple.
Dalton, with a faint smile, remarked, "I recall you both claimed to be just friends. How did it suddenly turn into a romantic relationship?"
Dalton's eyes were sharp, and he looked at them with a knowing gaze as if he had already figured everything out but chose not to reveal it.
Ava replied, "We kept our relationship secret before. I didn't want to make it public, especially since I had just divorced. But I didn't expect you to arrange a marriage for William."
"Is that so?" Dalton said. "But I did mention that I wouldn't object if you were William's girlfriend. Why didn't you say so at that time?"
Ava awkwardly smiled. "Because the news came as a surprise. William and I hadn't thought about marriage at that point. But after careful consideration and discussion, we decided to be honest with you. We've been together for a long time."
Ava held William's hand, pretending to be intimate with him. "So, I hope you can cancel William's engagement with Samantha."
Dalton pondered and said, "That might be difficult, as both families have agreed."
Ava argued, "Business cooperation doesn't have to rely on marriage. Once the two families are connected, it may lead to complications, making it even harder to resolve."
"Ava makes a valid point, but why should I believe you?" Dalton's voice turned colder. "How do I know if you two are scheming together just to change my mind and prevent William from getting married?"
"We didn't deceive you," Ava lied for the first time, her heart pounding nervously and her palms sweating. "William and I are trully in love."
William took the initiative to hold her hand, his thumb gently caressing her palm, offering her comfort.
"Is that so, Hailey? What do you think?" Dalton's gaze fell on Hailey.
She seemed to have been lost in her thoughts. When suddenly asked, she snapped back, looking confused. "Why ask me? Don't you decide everything in this house?"
"This is William's marriage. Shouldn't you be involved?" Dalton asked coldly.
"Oh, I see." Hailey straightened up. "It seems I've finally encountered something where I have a say."
Ava sensed a hint of tension in the couple's conversation, indicating their relationship was not good.
She had rarely seen a happy couple in her life.
If it weren't for William, she would have no feelings about marriage and wouldn't consider it a necessary choice in life.
After all, most people who chose to marry endured a lot of torment.
Hearing Hailey's insinuations, Dalton frowned slightly but didn't say much.
