Chapter 21
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As the black Cayenne drew near the Leonard Manor, Lydia caught sight of two people by the gate through the car window. ‘They look familiar,‘ she thought.
The Cayenne pulled to a stop. Hayden rolled down the window a crack, his cold stare landing on Michael, who stood beside the car.
Michael was disappointed when he couldn’t see Harper. But when he spotted Hayden, his nearly crushed hope suddenly reignited.
“Mr. Leonard,” Michael called out, excitement flickering in his eyes. He hovered by the car, clutching a wooden box. “I came to apologize. This is a small token of my sincerity. Please, take it.”
Ciara stood behind him. When she saw the box being held out, her skin prickled like ants were crawling on it.
She knew Hayden and Lydia were close, and that meant Hayden couldn’t stand Michael. Giving away that emerald grail was like flushing money down the toilet.
She had warned Michael countless times, only without directly mentioning Hayden and Lydia’s relationship. But Michael had seized on Henry’s comment that Hayden favored Finnian Group.
Hayden’s gaze stayed icy. “First time I’ve heard of apologizing by blocking someone’s driveway. Real sincere move, Mr. Finnian.”
Lydia listened to Hayden’s sarcastic tone and suddenly felt embarrassed to even know Michael.
Back in the day, Michael had wanted to climb the ladder but never stooped to this. Maybe it was because Finnian Group topped Raventon’s rich list–he’d treated business partners as equals.
But now that he was no longer in the spotlight of the Finnian Group and had come to Jettridge, these tricks of his weren’t working anymore.
Michael picked up on the sarcasm. His hands trembled as he gripped the wooden box. “Mr. Leonard, I really hope you’ll give the partnership with us another thought.”
But Hayden stayed silent, ignoring Michael completely.
Michael’s face clouded over.
“Michael, let’s head back,” Ciara said. He eyed the slightly open window and instantly guessed there might be Lydia inside.
Ciara’s words gave Michael an out. He straightened, pride creeping back, and fixed Hayden in the car with a cold, angry
stare.
The black Cayenne pulled past them and rolled straight into the Leonard Manor.
Ciara looked at Michael, a flicker of sympathy in her eyes. “Michael, the Leonards are clearly giving us the cold shoulder. Let’s just drop this project.”
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Even if she hadn’t said it, Michael knew there was no saving it now. He clenched his fists so tight, veins popped on his forearms. “Mark my words,” he muttered, “I’ll make Finnian a powerhouse in Jettridge, and I’ll completely destroy Hayden.”
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Colorful lights flickered over the garden fountain. Lydia gently pushed Hayden through the front door.
Harper finally broke into a smile when she saw Lydia. “There you are. Earlier, two guys showed up at the gate asking for Hayden. I heard they had a wooden box that supposedly contained the emerald grail from a recent auction.”
The Leonard family had been a staple in the business world for years, and Harper had seen it all. She knew exactly what Ciara and Michael were after. She shrugged and said with a wry smile, “Looks like everyone wants a piece of me, huh?”
“That emerald grail’s worth 20 million,” Hayden smirked from the shoe bench, a mischievous glint sparkling in his eyes. Harper wrinkled her nose, feigning annoyance. “I picked up that grail for 2 million, and you turned around and jacked up the price to 20? Smooth move, kid.”
Lydia’s eyes went wide. ‘People who go to those auctions must be nuts,’ she thought.
Harper tugged Lydia toward the living room, eyeing her jewelry with a satisfied smile. “You’re getting your marriage license tomorrow. After dinner, Hayden, take Lydia to our fashion studio and get her a dress.”
Hayden rolled in after them in his wheelchair and nodded.
Suddenly, Lydia felt a cool weight settle on her wrist. She glanced down and realized Harper had slid her emerald bracelet onto her. “Harper, this is way too much. I can’t take this,” she said.
Harper patted her hand. “You’re Hayden’s wife. I should’ve given this to you the day we met.”
Lydia opened her mouth to argue, but Hayden cut in, “Just take it.”
She shot him a look–this little charade seemed to be way too real?
Hayden raised an eyebrow, silently telling her to keep the bracelet.
Turning down Harper’s kindness would only make things awkward. Lydia let the bracelet stay for now, figuring she’d hand it back to Hayden later.
Just then, a loud voice boomed from the doorway. “So this is Ms. Sullivan? Hayden, you’ve got good taste. Ms. Sullivan is a looker, and you two make a cute pair.”
Hayden’s smile dropped. “Lydia, this is my aunt–in–law Winona.”
“Hello, Winona,” Lydia smiled politely. She looked at Winona’s round face and flawless skin, and for a second, it was hard to even guess how old she was
Winona’s grin froze when she spotted the emerald bracelet on Lydia’s wrist. “Harper sure is generous,” she said. “That bracelet’s her favorite–I asked for it a dozen times, and she always said no.”
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Harper didn’t rise to the bait. “Still got that sharp tongue, I see.”
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Winona strolled over to Harper, pulling her son Daryl closer, and said with a smile. “Daryl’s engaged to a girl from the Lynch family.”
Harper saw right through Winona. ‘Humph, wanna squeeze some savings out of me to support her family, huh?‘ she sneered silently.
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“The Lynches are a fine family–all scholars, right? I heard the Lynch couple are university professors. We should definitely stay in touch,” Harper said. She sounded concerned, but she danced around the topic of money.
Lydia, sitting next to Harper, glanced awkwardly at Hayden. ‘So even the Leonard family has their own messes to deal with,‘ she thought.
Hayden stayed calm, his expression giving nothing away.
This dinner was gonna be a minefield.
