Chapter 445 William and Hayden （46）
The drive from the dormitory took about fifteen minutes, but from Global Trust Bank, it surely took William at least thirty minutes.
Upon seeing the unharmed woman in front of him, William wordlessly reached out and pulled her into his embrace.
Experiencing such love and appreciation was a joy Hayden had never felt before. The sensation was incredibly precious and wonderful.
Without realizing it, her hands wrapped around William's slender waist, her face pressed against his chest. She listened to his strong, steady heartbeat, feeling an indescribable sense of security.
"I'm really okay; you don't have to worry," Hayden enjoyed William's attention and care immensely, but she was not one to constantly play the damsel. So, after a moment, she lifted her head to look at the man above her.
"I know." William looked down into her eyes, his gaze intense and warm, his voice low and husky as he said, "I just wanted to hold you."
He leaned forward slightly, exerted some strength, and effortlessly lifted Hayden into a fireman's carry.
"Ah!"
Taken by surprise, Hayden let out a yelp as she was unexpectedly lifted off the ground, her hands instinctively clutching onto William's neck.
Once the shock wore off, Hayden glanced up at William, who was just inches away and burst into laughter, no longer resisting. Playfully, she shook her legs, causing her high heels to drop to the floor.
With a wry smile, William kicked the door shut behind him and carried her into the house, confidently striding toward the dining room.
He gently set her down on the table, leaned in close with his hands on either side of her, and softly kissed her red lips before asking in a husky voice, "Hungry? Should I cook dinner first?"
Locking eyes with him, Hayden wrapped her long, slender legs around his fit waist. She feigned innocence as she bit her bottom lip and teased, "After dinner, what's next?"
Feeling her boldness, William chuckled and leaned in for another kiss, his voice a deep growl, "Let's have some fun first, then we'll eat..."
Hayden giggled, her hands still clinging to his neck as she enthusiastically reciprocated his passion...
...
Hayden had a cocktail party scheduled for 8 p.m. However, William had an important video conference with another company at the same time, so he couldn't cancel it and wouldn't be able to accompany Hayden.
However, during their dinner, the doorbell rang.
"Why did you change the code to your place? Or did I enter it incorrectly? It's xxxxxx, right?" Jasper walked in, frowning as he passed through the doorway.
William briefly glanced at Jasper, not saying a word, and returned to his meal in the dining room.
"Hey, Hayden's here too! From the moment I entered, I could smell something delicious cooking!" Jasper announced without any manners, walking over to the table and sitting down with clear satisfaction. "Mmm, this is tasty. I haven't had dinner yet. Do you mind if I join you?"
Without asking for permission, he got up to fetch a knife and fork from the kitchen.
Hayden noticed his action and was initially going to show her annoyance, but then she remembered Michelle's assistance earlier that day and chose to overlook it.
Seeing Hayden's reaction, or lack thereof, William naturally didn't object. He casually allowed Jasper to take a seat and start eating.
While eating, Jasper couldn't help but glance at Hayden across the table. When he noticed faint but suggestive marks on her neck hanging just below the collar, he was almost certain William hadn't just changed the door code on a whim.
Jasper paused for a moment, surprised by the request. "Why me? I thought you and Hayden would go together," he replied, trying to hide his disappointment.
"Unfortunately, I can't make it. Something urgent came up at work," William explained with a slightly apologetic tone.
Jasper frowned, feeling unsure whether to be relieved or disappointed. While, on the one hand, he wouldn't have to witness William and Hayden's affectionate moments, he couldn't shake the feeling of being left out.
"Alright, I'll go with her," Jasper finally agreed, forcing a smile.
"Great, thanks, Jasper. I really appreciate it," William said, his expression grateful.
As the evening neared, Jasper went with Hayden to the cocktail party. He attempted to be engaging and entertaining, but his mind drifted back to the image of William and Hayden together. The feeling of being excluded persisted, and he couldn't shake it off.
The night passed quickly with conversations and laughter. Jasper ensured Hayden had a good time despite his own inability to enjoy himself fully. He secretly wished for a deeper connection with William, but it appeared that Hayden had already taken that place in his friend's life.
After the party ended, Jasper and Hayden returned home. They exchanged a few casual remarks, but the silence that followed was heavy with unspoken emotions.
As they entered the apartment, Jasper noticed the changed door code. It reminded him once again of the growing distance between him and William. He sighed inwardly, realizing that things would never be the same again.
Feeling disheartened, Jasper withdrew to his room, leaving Hayden and William to their shared space. As he lay in bed, he couldn't shake the thought of when he might be the one sharing intimate moments with William. But for now, he had to come to terms with being the outsider, forever on the sidelines of their relationship.
"A cocktail party?!" Jasper furrowed his brow, thought for a moment, and then looked at Hayden across the table. "Is Michelle also going to be there?"
Hayden glanced at him casually, then turned her gentle gaze back to William and said, "I'm not underage. It's just a party. Why would I need someone to accompany me?"
William looked at Hayden with a reassuring smile and then turned to Jasper for confirmation. "So, can you do it?"
"Sure, Michelle asked me to accompany her, and it's like watching one person or two. When you asked, how could I say no?" Jasper nodded while talking with a mouthful of food.
Hayden glanced at him expressionlessly.
"I'll feel more at ease if Jasper goes with you," William said, turning back to Hayden and taking her hand that rested on the dining table.
With William's statement, Hayden naturally didn't have anything else to say.
She and Jasper were familiar enough that his presence didn't really matter to her.
Hayden looked at Jasper and nodded firmly. She had decided to be with William, and she was prepared to confront any challenges that might come their way.
"Yep," she replied calmly. "I'm committed to this relationship."
