Chapter 435 William and Hayden （36）
Upon remembering something, she quickly got up and sat down in front of the vanity mirror...
Oh, my goodness!
Her face was as red as a baboon's behind, a sight so odd she couldn't describe it. Hayden slapped her cheeks lightly and closed her eyes, trying hard to steady her nerves.
Yes, from all the signs, she had fallen in love with William. Not just a crush, but truly in love.
Realizing this, Hayden was torn between happiness and worry. Finn had always told her that her marriage was his decision, and with Sophia involved, there was no chance they would let her go without a fight. They would do anything to ensure she married into the Johnson family.
But in her heart, Hayden knew that even in death, she would never be with anyone from the Johnson family.
Since Finn and Sophia both wanted to control her destiny, she refused to let them.
Her life was her own to command.
Regardless, she was determined to confront Sophia and her father, Finn, until the very end.
...
One afternoon, Hayden didn't go to Global Trust Bank; she stayed in her villa, trying hard to calm her emotions.
The next day, she didn't have any classes. In the morning, she dressed in a smart business outfit and went to work at Global Trust Bank.
She thought she was early, but when she arrived at the office, she found William and the director, Catherine, were already there. They were standing in Catherine's office, chatting and laughing.
Perhaps they hadn't noticed her arrival or were just too caught up in their conversation. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, with Catherine occasionally placing her hand on William's shoulder. Through the glass wall, Hayden could clearly see Catherine's joy.
Pretending as though she saw nothing, Hayden walked straight to her cubicle.
As she turned to walk to her space, William glanced at her from the corner of his eye without making a sound. He continued to banter with Catherine, and his gestures and demeanor seemed even more intimate than before.
Hayden sat down at her desk even though it was a good fifteen meters away. Though Catherine's office door was open and their cheerful laughter continued unabated, the sounds jabbed at her nerves with increasing intensity.
Frowning, she tried to endure the laughter, but as she heard it continue, she stood up and looked directly into the office.
What she saw didn't help: Catherine was now leaning one hand on William's shoulder, her chest nearly touching his, whispering something into his ear with a beaming smile—blatantly provocative.
As for William—well...
Hayden smirked coldly.
At that moment, William had his back to her, probably clueless that she was there.
Just yesterday, he had confessed his love for her and expressed a desire to be together. Now, here he was, playing cozy with his female boss, laughing, touching, and clearly flirting. What was this supposed to mean?
After witnessing the scene, she sat back down and gnashed her teeth in anger until her face nearly turned blue.
Lousy men, despicable men, jerks!
She picked up a pen and began to scribble furiously on a document.
William, you wait, she thought. I'll show you how to play this game.
In Catherine's office, William caught a glimpse of Hayden from the corner of his eye. After taking one look at them, Hayden sat down with evident irritation. Feeling that enough time had passed, he exchanged a few more words with Catherine before leaving her office and heading straight for the men's restroom.
From her cubicle, Hayden heard the laughter and chatter finally stop. Stretching her head, she caught sight of William exiting the office. She couldn't quite understand why but calmly got up and followed him out.
Stepping out of the office and noticing that William had entered the men's restroom, Hayden hesitated, biting her lip, before deciding to keep trailing behind.
It was early, and most of their colleagues had yet to arrive, leaving William the sole occupant of the restroom.
As he stood at the urinal, the sound of the restroom door slamming shut startled him. A smirk formed on his lips as he heard the lock click, and only then did he turn around to see Hayden.
Locking the door behind her, Hayden lifted her gaze and realized that William was in the midst of relieving himself. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she quickly looked away.
Noticing the shift in her expression, William let out a low chuckle, saying nothing, and turned back around.
Just as he did, Hayden suddenly lunged forward, her foot aiming a kick in his direction. William wouldn't have dodged if she had targeted any other part of his body, but Hayden's aim was precise. To make matters worse, she was wearing those sharp, high-heeled shoes.
As she kicked mercilessly toward him, William's heart skipped a beat, and he swiftly caught her ankle...
"Ah!"
Caught mid-kick, Hayden, standing on one high-heeled shoe, lost her balance. With a startled cry, she fell backward.
However, she did not crash to the ground. Instead, she tumbled into the familiar warmth of a broad chest.
With quick reflexes, William stepped forward and caught her by the waist, pulling her into his embrace.
Wide-eyed and still reeling with fright, Hayden looked up at the handsome face above her. Once she gathered her wits, without a word, she lifted her hand and prepared to strike William's face.
William released her ankle, stood her up, and just as her hand was about to smack against her face, swiftly grasped her wrist again. With a forceful pull, he drew her back into his embrace, pressing her close against himself. He then wrapped his other long arm tightly around her waist. He then lowered his head and skillfully captured her lips...
As William's handsome face suddenly loomed large before her, Hayden's mind went blank with a "boom."
