Hayden initially thought that Joseph just didn’t want to trouble her, so that was why he was standing on
ceremony. Only when she had swung the swing a few more times did she realize that Joseph sounded
like he was gnashing his teeth when he said, “Hayden, I said, let go of your hand.”
She hurriedly let go and ask while startled, “Wh...What’s wrong?”
Joseph stepped hard on the ground to gain control over the swinging motion of the swing. His
expensive leather shoes grinded out two visible marks on the sand on the ground as the swing stopped
its movement.
He turned around and glared at Hayden, “Did I say that I want to sit on this swing?”
“Didn’t you say that it is not safe? I thought you want to test this swing for Noah.” Hayden still didn’t
realize her mistake as she answered nonchalantly.
“Besides, in order to get along with a child, you should get used to playing with their favorite toys. Don’t
tell me you never spend time having fun with Noah?”
“Are those the reasons you think that I should sit on this swing here with you?”
There was a hint of anger in Joseph’s eyes as he glared at Hayden unhappily.
Hayden was still very oblivious as she studied Joseph. All of a sudden, the smile on her face seemed
to freeze.
He was dressed in a smart-looking suit, yet he was sitting on a swing with colors very contrasting to his
appearance. She was too focused on taking care of his feelings to the point that she had forgotten
about his usual cold and aloof demeanor.
“About that… Ahem…Ahem… I suddenly remember that I need to rush to work now. I’ll… I’ll take my
leave now.”
Hayden pretended to check the time on her watch before taking a few steps back and fleeing.
As he watched her scurrying away from him, Joseph felt his anger slowly dissipate, and an unusual
warm glow appeared on his face. With nobody around him now, his slender fingers were hooked on the
ropes of the swing, and he was all smiles at the moment.
Hayden didn’t stop jogging until she was out of the school compound, and when she was finally at the
school gate, she only stopped to catch her breath. She was clutching her chest as if she had just made
a narrow escape.
She was really scared out of her wits. If she had stayed for another second, she was sure that she
would be sliced up into pieces by Joseph’s murderous gaze.
“Ms. Downey, are you here alone?”
She looked up and met Viola who had just gotten off a van. Viola was crossing her arms and
approaching her with an unfriendly disposition.
Hayden knitted her eyebrows and recalled her forceful manner when interrogating Stella, hence she
immediately felt a surging sense of disgust towards her. She simply nodded in her direction and
mumbled a perfunctory reply before stretching her hand out to hail a taxi.
“You should have known by now that I am going to marry Joseph soon, right?”
Viola was not going to let Hayden off just yet.
Hayden could only reply her, “The rumors are flying everywhere in the company. It would be weird if I
didn’t get wind of it.”
“As long as you know.” Viola flaunted her hair while raising her chin arrogantly.
“Although it’s not official news yet, but we are going to hold a press conference very soon. My marriage
with Joseph is going to be a piece of widespread news in the nation. Therefore, if some unscrupulous
person wants to shamelessly intervene, she will have to face the wrath of the people of the nation.
Perhaps in the end not only she doesn’t get what she wants, she would also suffer losses.”
“You have been thinking too much, Ms. Kidman.” Hayden decided to feign ignorance in an attempt to
allow both parties to end this conversation peacefully, “I don’t get what you are trying to say.”
However, Viola wasn’t planning to proceed with this peacefully as she interjected her abruptly, “I am
telling you to get as far away from Joseph as possible.”
In the six years she knew Joseph, she had never seen him harboring any feelings towards any women.
She used to think that this side of him would work to her advantage since he was never really
interested in women and that would enable her to hold on to the throne of Mrs. Beckham tightly. She
would get everything she ever wanted without worry about him having a change of heart.”
However, this woman in front of her was somehow able to prompt Joseph to volunteer himself in
looking for a school for this woman’s daughter. The whole thing was beyond baffling.
When Viola stated her true intentions, they didn’t have to keep face anymore.
Hayden inhaled a deep breath while clenching her fists. She said with obvious displeasure, “Ms.
Kidman, I advise you take back your words.”
“What’s wrong?” Viola snorted coldly, “Are you feeling guilty right now?”
“Do you really think that all women who appear beside Mr. Beckham are trying to solidify themselves as
his partner or gain some advantage?”
“I do think so. Who knows what nasty idea you would hatch just because you have saved Noah? Let
me be honest with you, you’re just a management trainee in the hotel, there’s no way you are able to
send your daughter to Blue Castle Bilingual Kindergarten. You’re just doing this in order to inch closer
to Joseph. Don’t think that I’m oblivious to your intentions. I’ve seen way too much women like you.”
Hayden’s expression darkened when she saw that Viola was so dirty-minded and spouting such vicious
words, she retorted with another question of her own, “Women like me?”
“I’m talking about a shameless woman like you who only knows to ascend through the rankings by
using men.” Viola curled up the corner of her lips, and she was snickering coldly with obvious sarcasm,
“Let me warn you. Don’t reach your hands towards things and people that don’t belong to you in the
first place. You have to think for your daughter’s safety too.”
When she heard this, Hayden increased the strength in her fists, “Ms. Kidman, you better watch your
mouth. I never have any ill intentions towards Mr. Beckham. Everything is just baseless assumption on
your part.”
Viola wanted to retort to Hayden, but a familiar figure suddenly entered her field of vision from the
corners of her eyes. She immediately put on a smile and turned around, “Joseph, why are you only
coming out now?”
“Something came up.” Joseph shot a perfunctory glance at her before shifting his gaze onto Hayden.
He then offered, “I have some matters to attend to at the hotel. Do you want to go together?”
Since she had just been given an ultimatum by Viola, if she were to accept his invitation by not reading
the atmosphere, it would be blatant provocation on her part.
Hayden didn’t want to cause any ruckus, so she shook her head vehemently, “It’s alright, I will hail a
taxi there.”
Joseph didn’t insist on fetching her, so he got into the car with Viola and went off to the hotel first.
While they were on the way, Viola couldn’t stop studying Joseph’s expression and she discovered that
he was in an upbeat mood. She suspected that something had happened in the kindergarten, so she
tried to pry into him, “Joseph, although Ms. Downey did save Noah’s life, but don’t you think that you
have been treating her too nicely?”
Joseph continued to stare at the passing scenery outside the window and replied faintly, “Is that so?
You are thinking too much.”
“Ms. Downey’s daughter is able to study in Blue Castle Bilingual Kindergarten, and it’s because of your
arrangement, no?”
When he heard that, Joseph’s face became icy cold. He looked at his driver and issued a cold order, “It
seems that Magnus has been hiring personnel according to low standards. You can go to the finance
department to round up your salary, and today will be the last day you are working for me.”
“Mr. Beckham.” The driver was flustered, “I’m in the wrong here, I…”
“I was the one who asked him.” Viola tried to explain, “I was just asking him without any real reason,
why do you have to have this big of a reaction? This only further proves that you have been overly
concerned about Hayden.”
“I said,” Joseph glanced at her impatiently as he continued with displeasure, “You are thinking too
much.”
“Is that so? I just feel that…”
“What do you think about me concerned about her?” Joseph shot a warning glance at her and added,
“If you insist to continue this topic, you can get off the car too. You have been asking way too many
questions lately.”
When she heard that, Viola could only clam up while biting her lips. She couldn’t help clutching her
handbag perched on top of her lap. Even her knuckles were turning white.
Her instincts told her that Hayden was no pushover.
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