Chapter 403 William and Hayden (4)
Their mother had left them a hefty inheritance, more than enough for them to live lavishly for a lifetime. But that wasn't what Hayden wanted.
Once seated and after ordering their food, Hayden got straight to the point with James.
Hayden was interested in investing in wealthy villas or high-end apartments because it was the well-off who didn't think twice about spending freely on things they cherished.
James presented her with several investment-worthy properties, but ultimately, Hayden was most drawn to a luxurious villa in the South Kensington area.
This neighborhood of South Kensington was known for housing the richest residents and was one of the most expensive areas with staggering real estate and living costs.
The villa was compact yet fully equipped, now valued at £170 million.
After lunch, Hayden got in the car with James, and they drove straight to the villa.
Though her main interest was investment, Hayden needed to like the place herself.
What good would it be if she didn't like it? How could she then expect its value to increase for resale?
What she hadn't anticipated was bumping into William again upon entering the villa.
At that moment, William was talking to a man who appeared to be in his sixties, an English gentleman, accompanied by a real estate consultant.
James informed Hayden that the man was the villa's butler.
Feeling their gazes upon him, William turned his head in their direction, glimpsing Hayden. He smiled instantly upon locking eyes with her, his lips curling upward, but Hayden's expression soured just as fast.
"Let's go over and have the butler introduce us to the villa," suggested James, seemingly oblivious to Hayden's mood shift. He gestured for her to follow with a warm smile.
Hayden was no petty woman. She returned the smile with grace and walked over with confidence.
"Looking to buy a house, Hayden?" William remarked with a light curve to his lips as she approached.
With a look of indifference, Hayden retorted, "Is that any of your business?"
William shook his head. "No, just making conversation."
Hayden didn't engage further, turning her attention instead to the butler for a conversation.
The butler was amiable, and after a brief exchange, he led them on a tour of the villa.
In addition to its luxurious atmosphere, the villa boasted a collection of valuable paintings, contributing to its hefty £170 million price tag.
During the tour, Hayden's attention was entirely on the villa, while William seemed equally interested in the property and Hayden.
As they followed the butler through the garden towards the pool, a dog's barking suddenly filled their ears, prompting curious glances.
"Ah!"
Hayden jumped as an imposing Doberman charged towards her. She recoiled instinctively, not realizing the swimming pool was right behind her.
In the moment her foot found only air, she let out a sharp cry, "Hayden."
With quick reflexes, William reached out and caught Hayden's hand, preventing a certain fall.
Despite Hayden's momentum pulling him downwards, William wasn't prepared. Instead of pulling Hayden back, they both plunged into the water with a splash.
Upon witnessing the pair fall into the water, the massive Doberman stood regally by the pool and continued to bark loudly.
"Damn it, how could you get it wrong again!" The current lady of the house ran over, scolding her pet before turning to the two in the pool with an apologetic expression.
Fortunately, both Hayden and William were strong swimmers, and falling into the water wasn't much of an issue for them.
"Are you okay?" William asked, concerned. He pushed back his soaking hair and saw the streaks of bright red beneath Hayden.
Hayden, noticing his gaze, looked down and was mortified to see her blood trickling out. Ignoring William, she swiftly swam towards the pool ladder.
Watching her swim normally, yet with more blood seeping into the water and recalling her pained expression in the corner of the elevator last night, William guessed what had happened.
He couldn't help but give a wry smile and quickly followed, both of them getting out of the water one after the other.
Drenched from the mishap caused by the dog, the homeowners naturally had the butler prepare a room for Hayden and William to shower and change.
When the housekeeper brought over a set of clean clothes for both a man and a woman, William glanced at the embarrassed Hayden and murmured something to the female housekeeper.
Hayden, annoyed by William's whispering to the housekeeper, asked irritably, "What is it that I can't hear?"
The housekeeper, thinking they were a couple, smiled at Hayden and said, "Your boyfriend asked me to help you with a couple of sanitary pads."
"A hot cocoa, thank you!" William said casually to the housekeeper, who nodded with a smile and left to prepare it.
Hayden gazed up at William, her eyes reflecting a blend of embarrassment, apology, and an inexplicable emotion she couldn't quite grasp herself. It wasn't until later that she understood what it was.
It was the first flutter of attraction.
Although she felt genuinely sorry, as she looked at William, the words "I'm sorry" just couldn't pass her lips.
Perhaps sensing her thoughts, William didn't wait for her to speak. He took a set of men's clean clothes and walked into the adjacent guest room.
Watching his figure disappear, Hayden unexpectedly breathed a sigh of relief. Then, taking another set of clothes, she turned and entered a different guest room.
Men shower quickly—just a rinse, a quick towel dry of the hair, slip into some clothes, and that's it.
William had an important class that afternoon and needed to rush back.
In no more than five or six minutes, he stepped out of the guest room.
Glancing at the time and after thanking the estate manager and real estate consultant, William drove away from the mansion.
Hayden, unlike Christine with her long hair, spent more than five or six minutes just blow-drying her hair.
By the time she emerged from the guest room, a half-hour had already passed.
As soon as she stepped out, the mansion's housekeeper came over with a hot cup of cocoa.
Hayden accepted it with thanks, drank it down, and immediately felt a pleasant warmth flooding her body.
"Where's William? Hasn't he come out yet?" After finishing the cup of cocoa, Hayden unexpectedly blurted out the question as if compelled by some invisible force.
"William left almost half an hour ago," the housekeeper replied politely, taking the cup from Hayden's hands before departing.
She had thought this man was a gentleman, but he didn't even bother to say goodbye when leaving.
But then again, if he really were such a gentleman, he wouldn't have deliberately bumped into her, spilling her drink at last night's masquerade ball.
And why on earth was she bothered about whether he had left or not? What was he to her?
With a self-mocking smile and a slight raise of her eyebrows, Hayden walked over to James, who had been waiting for her and said directly, "I'll take the mansion. The deposit is ten million pounds, right? I'll pay it now."
Seeing Hayden, James lit up with excitement and immediately gestured for her to proceed.
