Chapter 163 Come Back To The Valdemar Group
Albert's tone was so serious that Hayden had to take a second to realize he wasn't kidding.
Hayden was both shocked and pissed, taking a deep breath and then coughing like crazy.
A nearby servant quickly handed him a glass of water and patted his back to help him out.
Albert raised his hand, wanting to help, but then awkwardly lowered it, unsure of what to do.
Hayden's face turned red from all the coughing, but he kept glaring at Albert, like he was trying to scold him with just his eyes.
Finally catching his breath, Hayden gripped the water glass and snapped, "Albert, you're something else. You didn't tell me when you got married, and now you want a divorce? You owe me an explanation!"
Albert's jaw tightened. He knew Hayden's health wasn't great and didn't want to upset him, but he couldn't stay quiet. His face stiffened, and he clenched his fists, trying to soften his tone but still said stiffly, "Grandpa, I'm an adult. I can handle this myself."
Hayden shot back, "Handle it yourself? You can't handle this on your own! Do you even care about the Valdemars, or me as your grandfather?"
The more Hayden talked, the angrier he got. In his rage, he raised his hand and chucked the half-full water glass at Albert.
Albert stood his ground, fighting the urge to dodge, and caught the valuable ceramic cup.
The cup, a high-quality piece Hayden had someone find, was heavy and hard. It hit Albert's chest with a dull thud, making him let out a restrained grunt.
Seeing Albert's stubbornness, Hayden was both angry and heartbroken that he didn't dodge and got hit.
Hayden couldn't help but scold, "You've been the most stubborn since you were a kid!"
It took Albert a moment to gather himself, feeling a dull pain in his chest where he was hit. "Yeah. I deserve your scolding."
Hayden shook his head. "You're hopeless."
Albert pressed his lips together, taking it.
Hayden looked at Albert's face for a long time, his eyes slightly welling up, but he quickly pulled himself together. He sighed. "But I know, you're also the only one in the Valdemars without selfish motives."
Hayden paused for a few seconds, stared steadily at Albert, and asked in a deep voice, "Albert, are you willing to come back to the Valdemar Group?"
"No," Albert answered without hesitation, "I've already signed the papers to give up all the Valdemar Family assets. I believe James has already told you about this."
Hayden looked at Albert helplessly. Years ago, he had tried to bring Albert back in person. At that time, Albert, all grown up, was just as stubborn as ever. He slammed his fist on the table, eyes red with anger, and just said, "I'm not staying in the same house as the guy who killed my mom," before storming out.
At that moment, Hayden knew Albert was the only one like him, the only one in the Valdemars who didn't care about the family assets and had no selfish motives.
Hayden's hand was wet from the water spilled when he threw the cup.
He raised his hand to wipe it off, gently rubbing his fingers to feel the moisture, finally making up his mind to ask, "Have you ever doubted your mom's death?"
Albert's eyebrows shot up, instantly on edge. "What are you getting at?"
Hayden lowered his voice. "I was about to transfer some shares to your mother when she supposedly committed suicide. Do you really think that's just a coincidence?"
Albert was floored, staring at Hayden in shock, unable to find his words.
Hayden motioned for Albert to come closer. Still in a daze, Albert walked over mechanically. Hayden patted his arm gently and said, "Come back to the Valdemar Group, Albert."
Yvette dragged herself home, exhausted. As she unlocked the door, Lassie immediately ran over.
Lassie handed Yvette a glass of milk, smiling. "Albert called and said you drank too much last night and came home this morning. He asked me to make something for your hangover."
Yvette took it, sipped it without expression, and handed it back. "I'm fine."
As she changed her shoes and walked in, Lassie followed her, blocking the door from closing, looking at her curiously.
Lassie asked, "Were you two together all night? Did anything happen between you?"
Yvette frowned, clearly annoyed. "Mom, is this really something you should be asking?"
Lassie realized she might've overstepped and quickly changed her tone. "I mean, if you two talked, maybe things could get better. Did you talk about anything?"
"No," Yvette said coldly, "I drank too much and fell asleep."
"It's okay," Lassie said with a smile, "Just keep spending time together. Things will improve."
"Mom!" Yvette snapped, "I've told you, we're definitely getting a divorce. There's no fixing this."
Saying this, Yvette blocked the door, not letting Lassie in. "I need to sleep. Don't come in."
The two stood off at the door. Knowing Yvette's stubbornness, Lassie had to back off. "You're always so stubborn. I told you to talk more..."
Before Lassie could finish, Yvette had already slammed the door shut.
Yvette sat down in a chair, recalling Albert's disappointed look and harsh words when he left, knowing her resistance had hurt him.
'Being hurt by me is probably because of his pride. It's just as well. Disappointed feelings on both sides will make it easier to end things peacefully, without further entanglement.' Just as she was thinking this, Yvette's phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number.
On the other end was an elderly, kind voice. "Hello, is this Yvette?"
Yvette replied, "Yes, who is this?"
The elderly voice had a hint of a smile. "I'm Hayden Valdemar, Albert's grandfather."
Yvette was stunned, a trace of panic flashing in her heart. "Is there something you need?"
Hayden, afraid of scaring Yvette, spoke gently, "In a few days, the Valdemars will have a family banquet. My health isn't great, and I don't know how much time I have left. You and Albert are married, and I haven't met you yet..."
Before Hayden could finish, Yvette already understood his meaning. She bit her lip, nervously clenching her fingers.
Hayden coughed twice and continued, "If you're willing to come, contact me anytime. On the day of the family banquet, I'll send someone to pick you up."
