Chapter 417 William and Hayden (18)
After a moment's pause, Hayden took the ice pack from William's hand with thanks.
William flashed a grin and turned back into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
As Hayden watched his figure disappear around the corner where the living room met the dining area, she pressed the towel-wrapped ice pack against her face. Instantly, the stinging sensation on her cheek subsided, providing a much-needed relief.
Without William's ice pack, she would have almost forgotten the harsh slap from Finn just moments ago. Finn had never struck her before in the four years since their relationship had ceased to resemble that of father and daughter. But now, she feared the first occurrence would lead to many more.
Hayden worried even more for Jocelyn. Jocelyn was innocent and naive at just twelve years old, devoid of any guile or defense. Her mother, before taking her own life, had entrusted her to always look after her younger sister.
Now, as Jocelyn's sole surviving older sibling, Hayden knew she had to plan. What would become of her little sister if she didn't take action?
Standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows, the ice pack still resting against her face, Hayden only snapped back to reality when the sound of running water echoed from the kitchen. She made her way toward the sound.
The kitchen's open layout was fully visible from the living and dining room junction. William was there rinsing fruits and vegetables. He was still garbed in his running attire, focused on his task, and Hayden found herself once again staring transfixed at him.
"Do you need help?" William asked, catching sight of Hayden's distant gaze as he turned around from the sink, a smile swiftly curving his lips.
Hayden shook her head and replied, "I wouldn't know how."
"Just make yourself at home. I'll call you when breakfast is ready."
"Can I look around anywhere?" Hayden asked, a sudden boldness taking hold of her as she met his gaze.
With a nod, William signaled his assent.
"All right," said Hayden, nodding back before moving off in the opposite direction.
Beyond lay William's personal space—his bedroom, study, media room, and even a gym. His apartment betrayed no sign of a woman's touch. Instead, it spoke volumes about the life of a bachelor. And it was clear he was disciplined; everything was immaculate, and the bed he'd slept in was made up perfectly.
Considering that he had run into her during his morning jog and followed her plight with Finn, there shouldn't have been time for him to tidy up. So, it stood to reason that William had straightened up right after getting up.
Wandering around his apartment without a clear purpose, Hayden pulled out her phone, opened Isabella's WhatsApp chat, and typed a request: [Mindy, do some digging for me on a guy named William. He's a senior at my university, a year ahead of me, probably around twenty-five or twenty-six. I need everything on him, including whether he's ever had a girlfriend and how many women he's been with.]
Isabella quickly replied, her message tinged with curiosity: [Ooh, got a crush on this guy?]
Hayden replied hastily, her message underscored with impatience: [Are you going to help or not?]
She wasn't sure if she had fallen for William, but one thing was clear—she could not get entangled with a jerk.
Isabella: [Of course, I'm helping! My best friend's heart is finally fluttering again. How could I not assist? Wait for my update!]
Hayden: [Thanks!]
Knock, knock.
Someone knocked on the door before Hayden could send the message of gratitude.
Startled, she turned to see William standing at the bedroom door, a faint smile on his lips. "Breakfast is ready," he said.
She had indeed toured his bedroom and got caught in the act, yet Hayden felt no embarrassment. She nodded with a hum of acknowledgment, hit send on her "Thanks!" message, put away her phone, and walked out.
William had prepared breakfast—soup, along with milk and fruit.
Entering the dining area, the delicious scent of the soup made Hayden salivate.
Now, confronted with the steaming, vibrant bowl of soup, Hayden felt a strong urge to indulge.
Approaching the table, William pulled out a chair for her.
Hayden took a seat and looked up at him, "May I start eating?"
William replied with a smile and a nod.
Without hesitation, Hayden began to eat heartily with her fork while William took a seat across from her. He quietly observed her, not in a rush to eat himself.
Her enthusiasm for eating made it look like she hadn't eaten in ages.
Yet, being from the Smith family, even her hearty bites seemed graceful and pleasing to watch, and not a sound was made while she enjoyed her meal.
"Are you Catching my wolfish eating habits? Am I exceeding your expectations?" she asked, lifting her gaze to meet William's steady look, a slight smile dancing on her lips.
With a matching smile, William picked up his fork and responded, "Not at all, as long as you're enjoying yourself."
Click!
Just then, a faint sound came from the direction of the apartment entrance as someone walked in, followed by the door closing with a "bang."
William knew who it was from the sounds of the arrival and the door shutting.
So, he wasn't surprised in the slightest, not even bothering to show any sign of concern.
Hayden glanced at him, then turned her head toward the foyer. She soon saw Jasper's tall, leggy figure entering the scene.
"Hey, Jocelyn's here too!" Sniffing the savory scent in the air, Jasper headed straight for the dining room. As he caught sight of Hayden sitting across from William, his eyes sparkled, "I was wondering why I felt so upbeat this morning, like something good was about to happen!"
Hayden ignored him, continuing to eat her noodles without a glance his way.
"What's for breakfast? It smells amazing." Despite Hayden's lack of response, Jasper's good mood was unaffected.
Grinning, Jasper approached William and saw the bowl of soup untouched. He pounced, snatching the fork right out of William's hand. "Perfect timing—I haven't had breakfast yet. I'll have a bite."
With that, he sat down beside William, reaching for the soup in front of him.
William just looked at him, letting him be, not trying to stop him.
"Don't you touch it!" On the other hand, Hayden reacted immediately, standing up and darting forward to block Jasper, but as she did, her bowl clattered and tipped over, spilling soup everywhere.
William instantly reached out, trying to catch the bowl before it could tumble onto Hayden and drench her in the process.
But he was too late; the soup had already streamed down the table, soaking a large section of her top.
Seeing William's attempts, Hayden looked down at herself to find that she had spilled the soup, dampening a large portion of her clothes.
Without delay, William drew several paper napkins with a "swish, swish, swish" and then quickly stepped around the table to help block the soup from continuing its journey onto her.
"Uh..." Jasper, observing this scene, furrowed his handsome brow. While backing away, he chuckled, "Carry on, you two—pretend I was never here!"
The moment he finished, he vanished like a puff of smoke.
Hayden stared at where Jasper had disappeared, speechless.
"Here, wipe this off." William passed a few more paper napkins to Hayden.
Taking them, Hayden looked at the large stain on her outfit, not quite sure where to start cleaning.
"Maybe you should..." William said with a smirk, watching her, "Take a shower?"
Despite the devious smile on the man's face, Hayden unexpectedly nodded and then asked, "If I dry my clothes, can I still make it to class on time?"
"Sure," William responded without a hint of hesitation.
"Okay." Hayden nodded again and started walking toward the guest bathroom.
"Actually, you should use my bathroom," William quickly called after her. "There's a new towel and toiletries in the cabinet under the sink."
Hayden paused, glanced back at him, said nothing but nodded once more, then headed to his bedroom.
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