Chapter 409 William and Hayden (10)
"Hey, William?" Michelle called out again on the phone, not receiving a response.
Jasper tilted his head to glance at the screen once more and saw the name "Michelle" flashing. He turned to look at William.
William glared at him, tilting his chin upward, and gestured toward his phone.
Finally catching on, Jasper grabbed William's phone and chirped jovially, "Hey, freshman, this isn't William, it's Jasper. You're going to that lecture this afternoon, right? No problem, I'll pick you up shortly."
"Jasper, you... you're okay now?" Michelle was taken aback and a bit flustered to hear Jasper's voice instead of William's when she called.
"Thanks for the concern, sweetie. Just give me the address, and I'll be there in thirty minutes," Jasper continued, his smile audible.
"Then come pick me up at the dorm," Michelle conceded, not knowing how to decline, and gave him the address.
"Roger that. See you in half an hour."
"Okay." With that, Michelle hung up.
Hearing the disconnected beeps from his phone, William quickly snatched it back, turned on his heel, and said over his shoulder, "From now on, you look after your freshman."
"What's the matter, she tick you off?" Jasper asked while stretching and yawning, his muscular form like a sculpture.
"I think she suits you better," William said, leaving the bedroom behind.
Jasper got out of bed and started getting ready for the day.
......
William had errands in the afternoon and, on his way back, ended up at the London University.
He drove straight to campus and entered the lecture hall using his credentials as a Business School student.
The Business School, one of two graduate colleges at the University of London, hosted the lecture primarily for its students.
Once inside, William's eyes swept the room and almost immediately spotted a familiar figure in the back corner of the auditorium—Hayden.
She was there too.
Without much thought, William smiled and casually walked over with one hand in his pocket.
In the corner, Hayden intently listened to the talk, focusing on the stage where the distinguished business magnate spoke.
The magnate is none other than the CEO of Nebula Consumer Products and Capital Construction Group, Raymond.
Raymond was no stranger to Hayden; she had seen him twice when she was younger, but that was many years ago. By now, Raymond certainly wouldn't recognize her anymore.
Nebula Consumer Products and Capital Construction were well-known both domestically and internationally. The auditorium, with a capacity of 900 seats, was packed; many who arrived late had to stand.
Raymond stood on the stage, passionately discussing the "International Journey of Nebula Consumer Products."
During the lecture, he highlighted several pivotal transformations in Nebula Consumer Products's over twenty-year history and how it evolved from a regional business into a globally renowned company.
Originally, only Capital Construction was owned by the Garcia family. Nebula Consumer Products was founded the same year Gabriel was born.
Therefore, Nebula Consumer Products and Gabriel were the same age, and as Gabriel grew up, his significant contributions to the company's growth and success could be largely credited.
After about an hour, Raymond started to engage with the students in a Q&A session.
After a few students asked their questions, Raymond's gaze suddenly drifted to the back corner of the auditorium on his right.
His eyes skimmed over Hayden and then settled on William.
Meeting Raymond's gaze, William's eyes shone with clarity and vitality.
"The student in the back is wearing the sky-blue sweater. Do you have a question?" Raymond asked, prompting everyone to turn their heads in curiosity and follow his gaze.
Coincidentally, Hayden wore a white shirt that day, casually accessorizing it with a sky-blue silk scarf.
Upon noticing Raymond looking in her direction and mentioning a sky blue sweater, she turned around, curious herself.
When her eyes landed on the man standing right behind her, she was momentarily stunned.
Why was it William standing behind her? The blue of her scarf and the blue of his sweater somehow complemented each other unexpectedly.
To the uninitiated, they might assume the two were lovers.
The real kicker was how an unassuming sky-blue sweater could look so damn sexy and effortless on William. His casual yet somehow not-so-gentlemanly elegance and great physique gave off an irresistibly suggestive vibe.
"Why is William here, of all people? He actually showed up!" Michelle turned from her front-row seat, locked eyes with William, and excitedly nudged Jasper beside her.
Catching the sudden sparkle in Michelle's eyes, Jasper chuckled, "Would you look at that!"
William stood tall and distinguished. His presence alone drew gazes, even though his features were gentle; his aura of aloof nobility made him particularly eye-catching.
As the crowd's attention turned his way, William merely looked down at Hayden, offered her a slight smirk, then took the microphone handed to him by a student. He faced Raymond on the dais and inquired, "Raymond, back home, everyone says Nebula Consumer Products is all about acquisitions, especially pricey ones. Could you share what the overseas investment strategy is for the company?"
"That's an excellent question," Raymond said, smiling at William. "Our strategy abroad focuses primarily on acquisitions, supplemented by investments, with a key emphasis on the hospitality, entertainment, and tourism sectors. Nebula Consumer Products isn't just about buying expensive; we have strict criteria for acquisitions and investments. We ensure they align with our existing industry or that the business can be implemented domestically. We avoid irrelevant cross-sector acquisitions."
William nodded and smiled, appreciating Raymond's earnest response. "Thank you for clarifying, Raymond; I understand now."
Raymond returned the nod amiably. Soon, other students barraged him with their questions, which he addressed with equal seriousness.
William glanced down as he handed the microphone to someone else, only to notice Hayden had left her sky-blue scarf on her seat. She had risen and was walking toward the side exit.
Acting on an inexplicable impulse, William grabbed her scarf and followed.
It turned out Hayden was heading to the restroom, not planning to leave at all.
William couldn't help but smile when he found himself waiting outside the ladies' room after she went in.
Clutching the scarf still warm from Hayden's body, William didn't leave. Instead, he waited outside the restroom.
"Ahh!"
Suddenly, a familiar scream rang out from the women's restroom.
William's nerves tensed instantly, and he sprinted into the women's restroom without a moment's hesitation.
There on the floor lay Hayden, flat on her back, eyes tightly shut in pain, her eyebrows and nose scrunched up. He rushed over in three quick strides, bent down, and, without asking, scooped her up in his arms.
Lifted abruptly into the air, Hayden was shocked, and her eyes flew open.
...
