Chapter 127 I'm Begging You
"No way, Diana, you really don't remember? You sent me the recordings! How else would I have them, just back from abroad? My god, you really don't remember? How unlucky am I?" Daisy wailed, then added happily, "But now the Howard family must be in chaos, right?" Her tone had a hint of schadenfreude.
I said gloomily, "Yeah, Hayden was so angry he ended up in the hospital." I sighed helplessly, lowering my head in worry.
"Is it that serious? It sounds like Hayden's health has really gone downhill over the past couple of years," Daisy said, sounding a bit worried.
"Yeah, we might have been too hasty." I shook my head regretfully, a hint of self-blame in my eyes. Alcohol really messed things up; although I had long thought of exposing the Howard family's scandals, I never intended to do it this way.
As a lawyer, those recordings were valuable evidence to me, but by authorizing their release online, I turned them into evidence of privacy invasion. If Edward realized and wanted to hold me accountable, I wouldn't be able to escape. Thinking of this, I furrowed my brows deeply, my face showing deep concern, and my hands unconsciously clenched into fists.
I was lost in my thoughts when Daisy's worried voice snapped me back to reality. "Diana, what are we gonna do next?" she asked.
I took a deep breath, trying to clear my head. "Let's not rush things. I'm right outside the hospital now. I'm gonna go in and see Hayden, check on his condition and his reaction to all this, and then we'll figure out a plan. Honestly, with everything going on, I don't have a better solution right now. We'll just have to take it one step at a time."
Daisy was quiet for a moment, probably thinking things over, then she said firmly, "Diana, alright, you go ahead. Remember, if Hayden starts asking questions, don't admit anything. Just blame it on me. I've been working in Veridian for years and have quite a bit of assets. Worst case, I'll just go back to Veridian."
Her words made me feel a mix of warmth, guilt, and gratitude. With a slightly choked voice, I said, "Daisy, why are you being so silly? This is my responsibility. I can't let you take the fall for me."
Daisy quickly replied, "Diana, don't say that. Now's not the time for self-blame. We need to figure out a way to handle this. Don't worry; I'll think of something. If anything happens, we'll stay in touch. No matter what, I'll help you."
I nodded heavily, hoping she could sense my determination even though she couldn't see it. After hanging up, I walked towards the hospital with a heavy heart, still feeling uneasy about what lay ahead.
Finding Hayden wasn't too hard. As the most prestigious member of the Howard family, he was in a VIP ward. Sure enough, I quickly found his room. To my surprise, Aria was there with him! She was sitting on a chair with her back to the door, diligently massaging Hayden's legs.
She leaned forward slightly, her hands skillfully working on Hayden's legs, and said softly, "Mr. Howard, the doctor said your body needs regular activity to promote blood circulation. Since you can't get out of bed yet, I'll massage your legs to make you feel more comfortable."
Hayden looked quite pleased under Aria's care. "Aria, I didn't expect you to know how to do this," he said, clearly impressed.
Aria smiled sweetly and replied, "Mr. Howard, a friend taught me this while I was studying in Veridian. Do you feel better?"
"I do feel much lighter. You've been massaging for so long, you must be tired. Take a break," Hayden said.
"I'm not tired, Mr. Howard, as long as you're comfortable," Aria said gently, with a hint of flattery. I couldn't help but sneer inwardly; such flattery was beyond me.
As I thought about it, I let out a chuckle, which caught Aria's attention. She turned to look at me, her eyes first showing surprise, then quickly returning to her gentle demeanor. I forced a smile and nodded slightly as a greeting. When Aria turned back, Hayden also looked up.
"Mr. Howard," I called softly.
I expected Hayden to angrily drive me away, but to my surprise, he waved me in. "Diana. Come in."
Then he said to Aria, "Aria, let me introduce you. This is Edward's wife, Diana."
Apparently, Hayden didn't know that Aria and I were already acquainted, and Aria was an excellent "actress." Rising gracefully from her seat, she flashed a courteous smile, "I've heard Mr. Hayden Howard and Mrs. Clara Howard say that you're gentle and graceful, and now that I've met you, I can see it's true!"
Hearing her say this, Hayden nodded in satisfaction. Seeing me standing at the door, Hayden said to Aria, "I have some things to discuss with Diana. You can leave now."
"Okay, Mr. Hayden Howard, I'll go check on Edward. If you need anything, just call me, and I'll come right back." With that, Aria grabbed her purse from the small table and walked out. As soon as she turned her back to Hayden, her smile vanished, and her cold eyes seemed to pierce me like daggers. As she passed by, I heard her let out a disdainful snort.
Once Aria was gone, I stepped in, lightly patting the chair she had just used, even though it wasn't dusty.
The hospital room was spacious but had a cold, sterile feel to it. The faint smell of disinfectant lingered in the air. The bed sheets were clean and neatly arranged, and a slightly wilted bouquet of flowers sat on the cabinet beside the bed.
"Mr. Howard, Edward told me you were sick. Are you feeling better now?" I asked, trying to sound concerned.
In this family, Hayden was the only one who hadn't completely turned against me, so I tried to keep things respectful. Hayden waved his hand dismissively, looking a bit helpless. "I'm actually fine, but Clara insisted I stay in the hospital for observation. I'm getting old and frail. In the future, the Howard family's business will rely on you and Edward." His words left me momentarily stunned, unsure of how to respond, so I just stood there quietly.
"Diana, I know Anne has been causing you a lot of trouble lately. She grew up by my side and is like a daughter to me. It's my fault for not disciplining her properly. I never expected her to develop such inappropriate feelings for Edward..." Hayden's willingness to bring up the issue made me feel guilty. I thought to myself, who said taking the initiative couldn't be advantageous? In the face of Hayden's absolute power, I felt somewhat inferior.
Listening to Hayden, I felt quite sad. Not because of my own mistakes, but because I had better ways to use those recordings to divorce Edward, yet I chose such an extreme method.
I lowered my head, my voice tinged with guilt, "I didn't spread those messages." I explained cautiously, "A friend of mine heard about my situation..."
Before I could finish, Hayden raised his hand to interrupt me, his eyes filled with understanding and forgiveness. "It's okay. Diana, you're still young, and it's natural to be impulsive when things happen. Those online messages mean nothing to us. I'm old and don't care about these things anymore, but for Edward, he still has a long way to go."
At this point, Hayden sighed slightly, a trace of sadness appearing on his face. He said, "You know, Edward's biological mother died very early, and he was a maternal orphan from a young age. Fortunately, I later married Clara, who brought her own child, Anne. Although Edward isn't her biological son, she has taken good care of him all these years. But Edward isn't her biological child, and she has her own daughter. It's hard to imagine what will happen if I'm no longer around..."
"Mr. Howard, don't say that." Sensing Hayden's sadness, I couldn't help but try to comfort him.
"Diana, let me finish. Edward is my only son, and I want him to have a good life more than anyone, especially since he married a virtuous wife like you. But I heard that you've had some conflicts with him recently and even want a divorce. Is that true?" he asked. Although Hayden was seriously ill, his eyes still carried an imposing pressure. I quickly nodded, not daring to meet his gaze.
"Diana, I beg you, please don't divorce him," Hayden pleaded, his tone carrying a hint of desperation. "I know only you can help him keep the Howard Group." He looked at me, his eyes full of hope.
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