Chapter 146 You Won't Shake Me Off in This Lifetime
"William, if you dare leave like this, I'll hate you for life."
In the club's top-floor penthouse suite, after a fierce bout of lovemaking where they reached the heights of ecstasy, William got out of bed, dressed in a snap, acting as if nothing had happened, not sparing a glance for Hayden who was still under the sheets, and was ready to leave.
Hayden, wrapped in the sheets, could only watch his retreating figure in despair and shout out.
Her clothes were torn to shreds by him; there was no way she could go out like this.
If he were to leave just like that, showing neither tenderness nor care, she'd truly hate him.
William was adjusting his cuffs while heading out the door. At the sound of her yelling, his footsteps halted. Then, turning back, he gave her an indifferent glimpse but there seemed to be an aftertaste that still lingered in his deep, inscrutable gaze.
After that brief look, he averted his eyes and strode away without a second's pause.
She'd slung her fair share of harsh words at him; this last one was actually the mildest.
If he were to take her insults to heart, it would be akin to stabbing himself with a dagger over and over again.
So, from now on, he wouldn't give a damn about anything Hayden said, not a single word.
"William, you jerk!" Hayden fumed as she watched him walk away. In a fit of rage, she flung a pillow after him, but the only response was the resounding slam of the door.
"Bastard, don't you ever touch me again!" As the reality of his departure sank in, her eyes reddened with anger, reminiscing about the good times he had lavished her with, showing her so much attention and concern, always so caring; tears slid uncontrollably down her cheeks.
The William of today was unrecognizable compared to the man he used to be.
The previous William was like a loyal puppy, always rushing to her side at the slightest beckon. But this new William was nothing but a scum, a beast, a total douche bag!
Hayden, the formidable and assertive heiress of the Bush family, who never shed a tear no matter how badly her stepmother treated her, was reduced to tears by this jerk time and again.
Sitting on the bed, staring blankly in the direction William had vanished, she lost track of time. Eventually, Hayden calmed down and stopped crying.
Remembering she had an important meeting at 2 p.m., she couldn't afford to waste more time here. She threw back the covers, got out of bed, and began to gather her scattered clothes.
Damn it, all the buttons on her dress were torn off and her stockings were ruined; how could she dress and leave the suite like this?
And, even though her purse and cellphone were within reach, calling someone to bring her clothes wasn't an option.
"Ding-dong..."
Her gaze fell upon the landline on the nightstand. Just as she considered asking the front desk to arrange for new clothes, the doorbell rang.
Knowing she was in an upscale club of the Bennett Group, where no harm would come to her, she confidently went to answer the door.
"Hello, Miss Bush, these are some clothes Mr. Bennett asked me to deliver to you," said the club manager, standing at the door with feigned respect and a sycophantic grin, as he extended a white paper bag to her.
The club manager was no fool. Hayden stood there wrapped in a bath towel. With William having personally purchased a complete set of women's clothing for her, no one couldn’t guess what had happened between them.
Word had it that Hayden was haughty and imperious, leveraging her status to look down on others, and playing men like a pro. Never would the manager have guessed that even their boss, a man known for his indifference to the charms of women, fell under her spell.
As Hayden took the bag from the club manager and peered inside, her annoyance evaporated. The clothes were not only her size but also in styles and colors she fancied. She quickly grabbed the club manager, who was already a few steps away, and asked, "Did William personally pick these out for me?"
Hayden couldn't help but smile at the thick layer of jealousy in the club manager's eyes as she replied, "Miss, that I would not know. You'd need to speak with our CEO directly." She quickly turned around, wiping the smile off her face.
“Oh, William, even with your cold facade, a small token like this gives you away entirely. No matter what, I'm sticking to you. There's no way you're getting rid of me in this lifetime.” Hayden thought to herself.
...
"You deceptive, heartless, jerk, are you happy now? Spit it out!"
In the lounge of Gabriel's top-floor office in the Capital Construction skyscraper, Teresa lashed out at the man on top of her; the latest episode of their intimacy just concluded.
"Darling, are you dissatisfied with my performance just now? Shall we go again?" Gabriel teased, leaning in for another kiss.
Quick on her feet, Teresa dodged his advancing head and shoved him away, "Gabriel, you dare! If you lay a hand on me today, I'm taking Croissant back to my family home."
"Ah, as you please, my love. I wouldn't dare," Gabriel chuckled, pressing a kiss to her forehead before lying beside her, pulling her into his embrace. He then swapped their positions and planted another kiss on her forehead. "Stay put, and I'll tell you everything."
Teresa glanced at him sharply, pinching his trim waist, "Out with it!"
With a grin, Gabriel caught her wandering hand, kissed it, and then confessed, "Your brother and Hayden actually dated a while back, but they've since broken up."
Of course, a brother-in-law couldn't compare to the importance of his darling. To cheer her up and ensure his pleasant evenings, Gabriel had no qualms betraying his brother-in-law William.
"They were dating way back when?!" Teresa exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock, "How long ago are we talking?"
"Since the time your brother was studying abroad," Gabriel replied with a satisfied smirk, his arms wrapping around her comfortably.
Teresa frowned, mentally calculating the years, "My God, seven years ago? They got together seven years ago?"
William had finished college domestically before pursuing his Masters at the London Business School.
And she had completely forgotten, Hayden was an alumna of the London Business School as well!
"Mhmm," Gabriel nodded, his warm hand tenderly caressing her smooth, delicate arm, "But they split up after your brother came back to the States."
"Why?" she inquired on, seeking his gaze for answers.
He shook his head. "That, I don't know."
It was better not to delve into too many details.
"Gabriel, you must know something, right?" Teresa accused him with a skeptical look.
"Heh..." Gabriel chuckled, looking at her playfully, "Let's go another round, and maybe then I'll tell you."
"You jerk! Let go!" Glaring fiercely, Teresa immediately tried to push him away.
"Alright, alright, no more, darling. Get some rest," he quickly conceded.
Teresa hadn't fully recovered yet, and he was worried about overexerting her.
"By the way, how did you even know about my brother and Hayden?" she asked, suddenly curious.
Gabriel raised an eyebrow, "You forgot? When Grandpa was sick, to bring him joy and fulfill one of his wishes, Mom demanded I pick a wife from the several women she had selected. I randomly selected Hayden and then had someone look into her romantic history."
"You're terrible, treating marriage with such flippancy, as if it's just shopping for jewels?" Teresa chided him with a mix of reproach and resentment.
"Heh... is someone jealous?" he teased, once again enveloping her in his embrace.
"Jealous my foot," she pushed back, "Get going already, don't you have work to do?"
Gabriel let out a soft chuckle and planted a kiss on her forehead, "Of course, my love, I'll get to work, and earn the big bucks for you to spend," he declared, swiftly lifting the covers and getting out of bed.
