Ch. 221..230
Returning from the Dead Chapter 211
The hostility in Sebastian’s eyes dissipated with his good mood.
“What are you doing?”
Sasha turned melancholic and asked anxiously, “I’m trying to pick up the sound card. Sebastian, I might have gotten you involved in another nasty situation because I was in the middle of a fight with the maids of your aunt. Matteo couldn’t stand it anymore and accidentally hurt the legs of your aunt’s beloved grandchild. What should we do?”
She tried to defend her sons and took all the blame, but the moment she did that, she was on pins and needles. Since Sebastian’s aunt was involved, she felt helpless.
He hated to see her like this. “What’s the big deal? Are we supposed to be concerned?”
Sasha couldn’t believe her ears. She stuttered, “H-Huh? S-Shouldn’t we be concerned about his condition?”
The man started emanating an intimidating presence and dead-panned his reply. “Excuse me? Are you trying to be merciful towards the ones who have bullied your son?”
“N-No… He’s but a child. I’m afraid Matteo might have gone overboard…” Sasha explained herself.
As a mother, she knew parents would always side with their own children. She wasn’t trying to be a saint, but she couldn’t herself from sympathizing with them.
“Some children are born angels, but some are the exact opposites. Do you really think Matteo has gone overboard? Do you know what will happen if that brat manages to put the sound card into Ian’s instrument?” Sebastian countered.
Sasha didn’t reply him.
Ian, who has just taken his baby steps, will be ridiculed by the others. Their mockery would be a fatal blow to him.
Sasha’s hands balled into fists. Her eyes brimmed with tears. She couldn’t believe she had been so foolish as to pity that arrogant boy when he almost caused irreparable damage to her son.
“I-I’m so sorry for being such a weak mother.”
“No, you’re not weak and there’s nothing wrong with showing others mercy. However, you must protect your loved ones. You don’t have to be kind to those tyrants,” Sebastian said simply.
It sounded more like a gentle reminder than a reprimand. Judging by Sasha’s look of guilt, he knew she had learned her lesson.
Sasha nodded.
Little did she know, Sebastian kept the last part of his reply, which also happened to be the deadliest part, to himself. He would never allow others to force his sons into submission, let alone bow before them.
When Sebastian showed no signs of going to them, the Emmanuels decided to go to him. Sasha caught a glimpse of the approaching bunch and hid behind Sebastian.
The man frowned and looked at his children who were nearby. “Ian, come here. Show your siblings and your mother the way out.”
“Sure!” Ian was delighted to carry out his father’s instructions.
After he returned to his mother and siblings, he marched out of the hall with them, emanating a majestic presence similar to those of his father’s.
Just like his father, Ian would never allow others to challenge his authority.
Philip Emmanuel, the arrogant boy’s father, brought his wife over to Sebastian’s side when they were the only ones left in the hall. His wife was the middle-aged woman who had reprimanded Sasha in front of others.
“Sebastian, my wife was wrong. She went overboard because she wasn’t aware they were your children. I hope you won’t take that personally.”
Sebastian replied nonchalantly, “Oh? I won’t. As long as she bows before my sons.”
He had no intention to waste his time with them.
Philips was startled by his demand. It wouldn’t be much of a big deal for his cousins to bow to each other.
However, Sebastian wanted them to grovel at his sons’ feet. It was evident he wanted to humiliate the arrogant Emmanuels in front of others.
“S-Sebastian, don’t you think that’s too much? After all, my wife is their elder. Don’t you think it’s inappropriate for her to bow and beg for a child’s forgiveness?”
Sebastian decided not to put them in a tight spot. “If that’s the case, I guess I’ll liquidate Hayes Corporation’s shares in Eternal Group to compensate for my son’s losses.”
The Emmanuels and the Grahams went pale at his words.
“N-No!”
“S-Sebastian, please don’t make any impulsive decision! We’ll do it! We’ll do it at once!”
Flustered, Philip was about to pull his wife and sprint out of the hall in search of Matteo when he saw the impatience on his cousin’s face.
All this while, Eternal Group’s operation was sustainable due to Hayes Corporation’s support. Without the Hayes, Eternal Group might go out of business for real.
Returning from the Dead Chapter 212
Sebastian’s annoyance caused Philip and his wife to fall to their knees.
“Sebastian! Please give us another chance! We will never repeat such a silly mistake! Don’t worry! I’ll beat that brat up once we’re home! Can you please have mercy on us?”
The duo groveled at his feet as they begged for his forgiveness.
Sebastian paid no heed to them and marched out of the hall with his slender pair of legs. His mind was on Sasha and his children.
He couldn’t be bothered by the Emmanuel family. Over the years, they had been leveraging their relationship with the Hayes and caused him all sorts of trouble, including his Aunt Matilda. Regardless, he had turned a blind eye.
This time, since they had the guts to pick on him, he decided to get rid of them once and for all.
Sebastian showed no mercy and returned to his loved ones right after he walked out of the hall.
In the meantime, Sasha, who was outside of the hall, asked concernedly, “Ian, have we caused your father a lot of trouble?”
“Nope!” Ian replied with a determined look.
“Are you sure? We’re talking about your grandaunt’s family, aren’t we?” Sasha looked torn.
Along with her children, they were sitting on the staircases. She had been asking her son the same thing over and over ever since they made their way out of the hall.
Ian would reassure her each time. He couldn’t help but find his mother a silly woman.
What’s wrong with Mommy? Why would Daddy be concerned when he had never once taken the Emmanuel family seriously? Actually, it’s the exact opposite. They are the ones in huge trouble because they have picked on Daddy!
Staring at his silly mother, Ian heaved a long sigh.
Matteo was equally anxious because he had just reunited as a member of the Hayes. He had yet to sort out the unspoken rules and the relationship of the members of the family.
Shortly, he glimpsed Sebastian walking out of the hall.
“Daddy!” the little boy yelled in excitement, dashing in his father’s direction. He was certain things turned out just fine.
Stunned, Sasha turned around and walked cautiously with the children to meet him.
“Daddy, have you taught the bad guys a lesson on my behalf? Aren’t you afraid of Aunt Matilda?” Meanwhile, after Sebastian cradled Matteo in his arms and the little one wrapped his around his father’s neck, blurting out his concerns.
Sebastian took a peek at the anxious woman who was nearby. He narrowed his eyes and replied with a smirk, “What do you mean, Matt? Do you think I’m a coward?”
“Nope! But, she’s your aunt, isn’t she?”
“So, what if is she’s my aunt? Keep that in mind; I will never allow anyone to bully my children, not even the king of the nation.”
Sebastian finished his sentence with a confident smirk. It sounded like an announcement of his inviolable status.
Sasha’s heart skipped a beat. She was completely charmed by the man’s domineering manner.
The family boarded the black Bentley after they wrapped up their conversation. When they were about to depart, a white Lamborghini suddenly pulled in front of Sebastian’s car.
The curious Sasha couldn’t think of anyone who would have the guts to get in the tyrant’s way.
She leaned out of the window in curiosity.
A young man with blonde hair, who had decked up ostentatiously, alighted from the Lamborghini and walked towards the Bentley.
“Sebastian, are you going to liquidate Hayes Corporation’s shares within the Emmanuel family? Why? What have they done to trigger you again?”
Brandon?
The person who had stopped Sebastian was Brandon Emmanuel, the youngest son of Matilda.
A gloomy expression loomed over Sasha’s face the very moment she wound down the window. She had merely exposed herself for a few seconds, but the man had noticed her presence.
“W-What the heck! It’s Sasha! You’re alive! This is unbelievable!” Brandon’s jaw dropped open.
He ignored Sebastian, sprinted over to Sasha’s side with a look of disbelief, and he stopped her from winding up the window with his keys.
Suddenly, the Bentley was filled with an awkward and tense silence.
Sasha had a bad feeling about it and yelled at Brandon, “What do you want? Move your keys away!”
“I can’t believe you’re alive! Oh, God! Sasha, I had my doubts when others told me you weren’t dead! It turns out they have been telling the truth all this while! Can you lean over and let me pinch your face to verify I’m not dreaming?”
Brandon could barely conceal his excitement. He was in awe because he had the chance to meet the woman with ethereal-looking features again.
Sasha’s lips twitched.
Seriously? Has he lost his mind? How could he bring up such an absurd request? Does he have a death wish and want to be beaten to a pulp by Sebastian?
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Sasha moved away from the weirdo in front of her. “Brandon, have you lost your mind? Aren’t you supposed to join the rest of your family? They’re in the hall, okay?”
“What does that have to do with me? Am I supposed to be bothered by their whereabouts?”
“What do you mean? Aren’t you here to help them?”
“No. They got themselves involved in such a nasty situation. What happens to them has nothing to do with me. I’m here for you!”
Brandon tried to force his way through the narrow slit of the window right after he beamed his reply.
The window started winding up again before Sasha could respond to his flirting remarks.
Brandon was startled. Then he started growling in pain. “Sebastian, let go of me, you jerk! I will get you if my handsome face is ruined because of you! If I don’t get to stay in the showbiz, you have to compensate me for my loss!”
After hearing him shriek in pain for a few seconds, Sebastian, who had a wrathful look, finally showed Brando some mercy and wound down the window.
The latter stepped back quickly as he cupped his swollen cheeks and moaned.
The Bentley eventually left. Sasha, who was seated behind, dared not make a sound after she witnessed the shocking scene.
He’s such a horrifying man! Brandon is his cousin. Why has he gotten worked up over his cousin for no apparent reason?
When she turned around, she could still see Brandon pointing and yelling at them.
Sasha felt bad for Brandon. He had taken great care of her back in the day.
…
After they returned to Frontier Bay, Sasha was going to bring her children upstairs for a shower because they were drenched in sweat after the intense fight in the theater.
However, after she alighted from the car, Sebastian took the boys home, leaving a confused Sasha behind.
“Let’s go and have a shower.”
Why does he seem to be frustrated? He has been quiet throughout the entire ride home! What’s wrong with him? I don’t get it!
She decided to forget about it and take her daughter back into the villa.
“Welcome home, Ms. Wand! How was the show?” Wendy asked the moment she saw Sasha.
Sasha got Vivian a glass of water and shared the great news with the housemaid. “Everything went well. I guess it’s fine to make them their favorite dishes to celebrate the joyous occasion.”
Wendy was equally delighted. She headed into the kitchen to prepare the children’s favorite dishes as instructed.
Suddenly, she heard a little boy’s voice yelling from upstairs, “Mommy! Mommy!”
She couldn’t be sure if it was Ian or Matteo because she could barely hear the voice.
She reached the staircase and yelled in return, “What’s wrong? Who is it?”
The little boy, who was on the second floor in his father’s bathroom, yelled, “It’s Matt, Mommy! Can you please get us our underwears? Daddy can’t seem to find it!”
Huh? Does he really consider himself our sons’ father when he can’t even find their underwears?
Sasha made her way upstairs, into Matteo’s room to bring her sons their undergarment.
Little did she know there was another person in the room. He was standing in front of the wardrobe with his waist bent over, searching for something.
“Y-You…”
Before she could finish, Sebastian yelled at her, “What are you doing here? Get the hell out of the room now!”
Glaring at her, the indifferent man raised his volume without holding back.
What the hell is wrong with this scum?
Sasha was about to leave, but wrath slowly took her rationality over. As soon as she turned around, she recalled it was her son’s room.
Since she was the one who had brought Matteo up, she thought she shouldn’t be the one to get out of their son’s room.
She marched over to Sebastian’s side. “What makes you think you get to order me around? You’re the one who’s supposed to leave because this is my son’s room!”
Sasha pushed him away without giving him the chance to explain himself. Sebastian was infuriated because she started searching the wardrobe and ignored him as though he weren’t there.
From the moment they saw Brandon at the theater, he had been holding back his anger.
Is she trying to pick on me after Brandon shows up? How dare she push me away?
Sebastian’s expression darkened. The woman didn’t bother to show him any respect at all. Instead, she had the audacity to assert dominance when they were in his domain.
Completely engulfed by wrath, he grabbed Sasha’s wrist with all his might. “Sasha, it seems like someone has been getting pretty full of herself lately, huh?”
Sasha’s face puckered in pain. She returned the favor and started yelling, “Sebastian, have you lost your mind?”
He made light of her confrontation as though an evil spirit had possessed him.
“What has Brandon offered you? Why are you constantly picking on me because of him? Have you been keeping in touch with him over the years? Did you return to him because you know he’s one of Hayes Corporation’s shareholders? Sasha, I must say I’m impressed! It turns out you have been plotting against me all this while!”
What is wrong with him? Is it because he’s having a hard time falling asleep lately? Does that mean he’s not in his right mind?
Returning from the Dead Chapter 215
Immediately after Sasha returned to her bedroom, she banged the door shut and locked herself in for quite some time.
Meanwhile, the two little boys in the bathroom on the second floor were still waiting for their mother to deliver their underwears. After a long time, Matteo, who was in the bathtub, blinked his eyes and asked his brother, “Ian, why isn’t Mommy back yet?”
Ian, who was right opposite Matteo in the tub, gave it a thought and said, “Daddy is nowhere to be seen either.”
The boys exchanged a look of disbelief as a mutual thought flashed across their minds.
Their eyes gleamed in excitement; joy was written all over their faces. They wouldn’t mind going on commando if their parents, the adults they were concerned of the most, could spend more time together.
The two boys jumped in exhilaration in the tub.
On the other hand, things were the complete opposite for the Emmanuel family.
Emmanuel Residence was built in Imperial Garden in the east if the city. If Hayes Corporation hadn’t been pulling the strings behind the scenes, Imperial Garden would be just another premium residential area.
However, because of the Hayes, it became an exclusive property because the residents might get the chance to be affiliated with the Hayes if they stayed in the said estate.
Matilda had been acting as the informal leader of the residential area for decades by using her status as one of the Hayes.
Nevertheless, someone seemed to have challenged her authority and picked on her family members.
“Mom, it’s Sasha! If she hadn’t brought her children to the theater, Johnny wouldn’t pick on them! We wouldn’t have offended Sebastian as well! Sasha was the one behind our misfortunes!”
Jasmine started weeping in front of Matilda the moment she reached Emmanuel Residence. She blamed Sasha for their misery, but mentioned nothing about the things her son did.
Her husband played along with her and complained, “I can vouch for her, Matilda! Philips was there as well! He knew Johnny did nothing wrong. Even if Johnny did pick on his sons, Sebastian shouldn’t have liquidated the shares over such a trivial matter!”
Sasha?
Matilda, who was sitting on the couch in the living room, slammed the cup she had in her hand to the ground when she heard of the incident.
“The first thing she does after she makes her way back from hell is to pick on me?”
Philip’s wife, the middle-aged woman who had picked on Sasha in the theater, decided to chime in. “Mom, there’s more! I heard Sabrina was chased out of the Hayes because of Sasha! Up until now, no one knows of her exact whereabouts.”
Matilda’s wrinkled face puckered in irritation, forming a horrendous look.
She couldn’t suppress her frustration. Those around Matilda could feel her murderous intent as she felt a strong urge to devour Sasha and vent her anger.
“Sasha! I’m coming for you! Let’s go! I believe it’s time to pay her a visit!”
She brought herself up from the couch and was about to head over to Hayes Residence to confront Frederick to settle the scores once and for all.
However, when she was about to reach the entrance, a housemaid announced, “Madam, someone who addressed herself as Ms. Green has shown up and requested an audience with you.”
Ms. Green?
Matilda wasn’t in the mood to entertain any guest. “Who is it? I don’t know her! Tell her to come some other day!”
“E-Er…”
“Mom! Ms. Green? Could it be Sebastian’s fiancée? I think she is a member of the Green family.”
Philip, who had been keeping quiet by the side, reminded his mother.
Green! I think she is Xandra Green!
Matilda asked the housemaid to show the guest the way to the living room and dismissed the rest. Sitting on the couch in an ostentatious manner to assert dominance as the matriarch of the family, she was the only one left in the spacious living room.
When Kelly made her way into the living room and saw Matilda’s intimidating posture, she sneered deep down.
She’s merely living off the Hayes, yet she’s behaving like she’s the one in power! Does she really think can deceive me? If we don’t need this pawn, I won’t bother to waste my time with her!
Deep down, Kelly despised Matilda, but she put on an enthusiastic front and greeted the latter with a bright grin when she entered the living room.
“Aunt Matilda, it has been such a long time! I hope you’re doing great!”
Kelly was a top-notch socialite, capable of buttering up others to do her biddings. However, Matilda showed no signs of carrying on with the conversation at all.
She sat right where she was without bothering to conceal her frustration at the guest’s presence.
“Shall we cut the small talk and talk about the reason you’re here today?”
Kelly felt humiliated because she had gone to great lengths to put on the show.
This old hag…
She took a seat on the couch and smiled as though Matilda’s harsh remark at all did not bother her.
“What else could it be, Aunt Matilda? I’m here for the future of our families! Someone told me about the conflict between Sebastian and your family the moment my flight touched down! I rushed my way here from the airport because I was worried about you!”
Conflict?
Matilda sneered, “What sort of conflict are you talking about? He’s my nephew. Do you really think he will hold a grudge against me? Let’s assume something’s going on between us. Who are you to poke your nose into our business?”
Not seeing the need to be courteous, she blurted out the things she had in her mind.
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Kelly shot daggers at the old hag. The senile old fool seemed to be unaware of the things that would befall her soon.
She stopped behaving courteously and said sarcastically, “Oh? Isn’t Hayes Corporation going to liquidate their share from Eternal Group soon? I guess there’s nothing much I can do about it since I’m merely an outsider. However, since my niece is going to be Mrs. Hayes soon, I feel obligated to drop by and see if there’s anything I can offer. I guess that won’t be necessary, huh? I guess I’ll excuse myself.”
Kelly got up from the couch and brought her bag along with her in an attempt to leave.
Matilda’s expression changed because she forgot the cunning woman’s niece was Sebastian’s fiancée.
Although her brother, Frederick, was never fond of Xandra’s presence, there wasn’t anything he could do about it since Sebastian insisted on having Xandra as his fiancée.
When finally softened her approach and asked, “How can you be so certain? Sasha has returned, and she’s right in my nephew’s house as we speak.”
“You’re not wrong, but their children are the sole reason she’s given the opportunity to move in. They are the foundation of their relationship.”
Matilda had her doubts. “Are you sure?”
As Matilda indicated her will to carry on with the conversation, Kelly took a seat. “Of course! Xandra will soon be a member of the Hayes! You do remember Mr. Hayes has requested Xandra to make a trip back and attend your birthday party on his behalf, don’t you? Are you not aware of the meaning behind his decision?”
Kelly played the trump card she had been hiding up her sleeves.
Indeed, as Frederick has given his consent, nothing could possibly get in the way of Xandra and Sebastian’s marriage.
On top of that, they have always been a lovely pair in front of others. I guess it’s only a matter of time before Xandra becomes a member of the Hayes.
Matilda finally found Kelly’s words credible. “Great! I’ll be waiting for the day your niece becomes the glorious Mrs. Sebastian Hayes! When the time comes, I hope you won’t forget the Emmanuels!”
“That’s but of course, Matilda! As long as she becomes Mrs. Hayes, I’ll get her to refinance Eternal Group again. However…”
Halfway through her conversation, Kelly paused and arched her brows. Her concerns were written all over her face.
Matilda had always been an impulsive woman. Therefore, she pressed on and asked with an irritated look, “What? Hurry up and tell me what’s bothering you!”
“I’m afraid Sasha is going to get in their way. If only we can stop her from setting foot in Hayes Residence…” Kelly replied with a sheepish grin.
“You want to get rid of her once and for all? Are you sure you’re not asking the impossible? She’s the mother of Sebastian’s children. You can never stop her from seeing her children.”
“Exactly! That’s why we need to get Sebastian to stop her! I believe it can be easily resolved if we’re able to sow discord between them and get Sebastian to chase her out.”
Kelly enunciated her reply with a vicious-looking sneer, like a wicked witch who couldn’t wait to get the better of her prey.
She wants to get Sebastian to chase Sasha away? How is she going to achieve that? Sasha’s the mother of Sebastian’s children. I can’t think of anything that’s going to allow us to stop her from meeting the children… unless she has committed a serious sin!
Peering at Kelly’s pair of gleaming eyes, Matilda felt a chill running down her spine when she thought of the things that would soon befall Sasha.
Meanwhile, Sasha had been staying away from Sebastian for past two days after they kissed.
She would get everything sorted out as soon as possible and returned to her bedroom before his return. Thus, every time Sebastian reached home in the evening, she was nowhere to be seen.
In the morning, he wouldn’t get to see Sasha because she would stay in her room until he left for work.
She behaved as though she was a thief who was up to no good and would sneak her way out of her room after he left.
It had been the same for the past two days.
Their children gathered together and discussed the strange occurrence.
“What’s wrong with Daddy and Mommy? Why is Mommy trying to stay away from Daddy?”
“I think she has done something silly again!” Vivian concluded their mother was the one at fault again.
Meanwhile, Matteo and Ian exchanged glances upon hearing their sister’s words.
If she has done something silly, so be it! Why is she running away from Daddy? Could it be she was embarrassed?
In order to ensure they would get to live a blissful life as a family, the two little boys thought it was necessary to talk about it with their mother.
However, the day they dropped by her room, they noticed she was in the middle of cleaning up her room. She packed her clothes and daily necessities into a compressed suitcase that almost exploded from the sheer amount of things.
“Mommy, what are you doing?” Ian, who had always been a boy of few words, asked anxiously.
“Ian, it had been a long while since we moved here. I believe it’s time for us to return home,” Sasha explained the reason behind the mess in her room.
Huh? They’re leaving?
The sprightly Matteo strode over and queried concernedly, “Mommy, why are we heading back? What’s wrong with staying here? I enjoy staying here with everyone!”
Vivian nodded vigorously. “He’s right, Mommy! I enjoy staying here as well!”
Her children’s reply rendered Sasha speechless. She couldn’t think of the proper way to explain the reason behind their departure. After all, she couldn’t possibly tell them things had spiraled out of her control, and she felt slightly clueless after kissing Sebastian.
Sasha made up her mind to deceive her children. Meanwhile, Ian didn’t want his mother to leave and got in touch with Sebastian to tell him about her plan.
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“Daddy, are you having a fight with Mommy again? Why is she trying to run away from home?”
Sasha’s eyes widened in disbelief.
What does he mean by I’m trying to run away from home? I’m merely going back home, okay? Can Ian phrase his sentences properly and be mindful of his choice of words?
As soon as the startled Sasha took over the little boy’s smartwatch, she heard Sebastian’s low and hoarse voice. “What do you mean she’s running away from home? Where is she going?”
“I don’t know, Daddy!” Ian replied petulantly.
Sasha wanted to explain she would be making a trip back to her leased apartment instead of running away from home, but seconds after she lost herself in a train of thoughts, she heard the man’s voice from the other end of the conversation again.
Perhaps Sebastian was aware Ian was frustrated. He chuckled and instructed the little boy, “Ian, go tell the bodyguards to keep an eye on your mother, okay? Tell them if they let her get away, I’ll break their legs once I’m home.”
Sasha was completely stunned while her children rushed out of the room after they heard their father’s instructions.
They approached the bodyguards and repeated their father’s instructions to keep their mother grounded against her will.
That scum must have been possessed by an evil spirit, hasn’t he?
Sasha had no choice but to spend another day at the spacious villa with her beloved children.
In the evening, Sebastian finally arrived home.
Sasha, who was cleaning up the living room after playing with her children, was about to sprint up the stairs. Unfortunately, it was too late. He had walked into the foyer with a bunch of files and a laptop.
“Where are you going? Come over and hold this for me.”
“O-Oh… O-Okay…”
Sasha finally brought herself up and dreaded her steps over, holding the bunch of files and the laptop he had with him.
Sebastian had to deal with all sorts of things. Occasionally, he would bring some documents home and carry on with the unfinished work at home.
Oddly, Luke, who would usually tag along with him, was nowhere to be seen.
Holding on to the things he had handed over to her, Sasha stood right where she was rigidly and avoided the man’s gaze at all costs. She couldn’t wait to hand the things back to the man after he changed into a pair of indoor sandals.
She was on the verge of breaking down, but he showed no signs of retrieving his things.
Instead, he looked down upon her and held his chest high while delivering his instructions, muttering in a callous tone, “Bring those upstairs for me.”
“Huh?” Sasha arched her brows in confusion. But the man with a slender pair of legs had long departed after he made himself clear.
She braced herself and brought the documents upstairs as demanded.
As it was the last quarter of the year, Sasha didn’t have a lot of things on her schedule. She spent most of her time trimming the blooming flowers in the garden and decorated the entire villa with pots of exuberant-looking flowers.
She was also the one who had placed two pots of flower with incandescent colors on the stairwell. As they made their way up the dimly illuminated stairs, their long shadows could be seen shading the flowers.
When Sebastian returned to his study, he switched on the light and the heater before removing his jacket.
The woman behind him entered the room and asked, “W-Where should I put this?”
“On the table,” Sebastian replied gently as though he was afraid scaring her.
Nonetheless, it didn’t stop the horrified woman from fleeing. After she placed the things on the table, she scurried out of the room again.
When Sasha was merely a step away from the entrance, she heard the man’s callous voice.
“Come over here. I believe it’s time for us to talk about the things that are bothering you.”
“Huh?” Sasha stopped right where she was.
W-What could it possibly be?
The helpless woman stood right where she was and thought she could hear her heart racing ferociously once again.
She knew she was being a coward.
Over the past five years, she held a grudge against him and blamed him for her misery. She shouldn’t have been so flustered just because he showed signs of improvement.
Regardless, she succumbed to the man’s attractiveness over and over again.
She couldn’t help but curse herself for being such a useless woman.
“What happened in the morning? Where were you planning to go?”
“I-I’m not going anywhere… I-I just think it’s about time for me to move back to the leased apartment with Matt and Vivi… You said it wouldn’t be safe for me to stay there since Sabrina was still out there, but since she’s no longer around. I guess it’s time for us…” she stuttered while avoiding the man’s gaze.
Sebastian frowned.
How did she figure out Sabrina is no longer around? Who told her that?
His expression darkened. Within seconds, the temperature of the room fell drastically from the tension.
“Let’s assume Sabrina is no longer around. Why would you want to move back? Have I not made myself clear previously? I don’t want them to grow up in a single-parent household. It’s going to affect their growth!”
“B-But I can’t stay here forever!” she blurted.
Then she returned to her usual timid self and continued, “You’re supposed to move on with your life… Besides, it has been a long time since your fiancée’s last visit. I’m afraid she’s going to be mad if she knows I’m here.”
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The very moment she brought up Xandra, she felt her heart wrenching subconsciously.
Sebastian didn’t expect she would bring Xandra up out of the blue.
Xandra? Is that the reason she’s making a fuss for no apparent reasons?
The man finally eased up. A barely noticeable smirk appeared on his face. He seemed to be up to something in his mind.
“Are you jealous?” Sebastian asked in return.
“What? Me? Why would I be jealous?”
“Aren’t you going to leave because of my fiancée?”
His expression confused Sasha, and she couldn’t form a complete sentence to reply to him.
Indeed, Xandra was one of the many reasons she no longer wished to stay around.
However, she deemed it over the top to describe her departure as making a fuss out of jealousy.
The initially embarrassed Sasha got infuriated. “No! Why would I be jealous? She has nothing to do with me! I just don’t think it’s convenient for me to stay around any longer!”
“What’s bothering you? It’s my villa, isn’t it?”
“There’s nothing bothering me as of now, but we can’t be certain things will be the same in the near future, right?”
“I can assure you it will always be the same.”
To Sasha’s surprise, when Sebastian was confronted, he assured her nothing would change.
It will always be the same? What is that supposed to mean? That woman is his fiancée. How are things supposed to remain the same when she’ll eventually move in? Previously, he couldn’t wait to file for divorce with me because he wanted to get married to her as soon as possible!
Does that mean they’re going to move to somewhere else after they’re married? Is that the reason he couldn’t be bothered by her presence and say things will remain the same?
Sasha’s heart skipped a beat.
She clenched her fists as colors drained from her face.
“I know…”
Judging by her expression, he knew she had misunderstood him again.
Crossing his slender pair of legs, he explained himself once more. “Are you sure? Haven’t I made myself clear? For the sake of our children, I won’t file for divorce with you for the time being. In other words, I won’t be getting married to another woman anytime soon.”
She’s always been a smart woman. What has gotten into her mind and turned her into such a fool today?
Seconds after she heard his words, her glistering pair of eyes gleamed in excitement.
“Y-You’re not going to marry her?”
“Yes.”
“W-Why? Don’t you love her? Haven’t you been waiting for her over the years? Why are you giving up when you’re merely a step away from your ideal life?”
Sasha blabbered in confusion. Unable to get a grip of herself, it was evident the man’s reply overwhelmed her.
The news of him calling off his marriage with Xandra had taken Sasha by surprise, but it seemed to be a relatively trivial matter for Sebastian.
He looked at the confused woman with a poker face. “Since when have I said I would marry her? Sasha, the only ones I care about are my children! Do you think I can start a new family and forsake my children’s wellbeing like you?”
Suddenly, he was mocking her again.
Meanwhile, Sasha’s mind went completely blank for a few seconds because Sebastian had misrepresented the facts as well.
Since when have I started a new family with another man and forsaken our children’s wellbeing? You’re my one and only legal spouse!
Although Sasha was speechless, she had no intention to return his sarcastic remark because she was in a great mood.
Nonetheless, she decided to tease him in return. “You can always marry another woman and stop blaming me. It’s not like I’m trying to get in your way!”
The confused and helpless Sasha was nowhere to be seen as she had returned to her usual sprightly and sarcastic self. A gorgeous smile could be seen on her beautiful face.
“Ha!” Sebastian scoffed.
All of a sudden, a little girl yelled from the stairway, “Mommy! Where are you? I need you!”
When she found out she was being summoned, Sasha was about to tend to her daughter, but the man behind her said, “You’re not allowed to hide from me in the future!”
Sasha staggered and almost accidentally fell to the ground.
After the conversation they had in the evening, she stopped talking about leaving.
Similarly, she stopped staying away from him as instructed and got along with him as usual.
Since it was the end of the year, Sebastian had a lot of tasks on his plate. He didn’t have time to deal with the family affairs. Sasha was the one who had to deal with those on his behalf.
For instance, she would have to get everything ready for Matilda’s birthday party
“Ms. Wand, I don’t think Mr. Hayes has any intention to attend the birthday party. Why don’t you head over on his behalf with the children?”
Wendy ruled out the possibilities of Sebastian’s reply and told Sasha not to get her hopes high.
Sasha frowned. She loathed the idea.
Although Frederick had invited her to join him, she could foresee the outcome due to her messed-up relationship with Matilda.
Since she played a part in the Emmanuels’ misfortunes, she made the call to be absent as well.
A few days later, Royal Court One received an invitation card from the Emmanuel family. It almost seemed as though they knew none of them would take part in the birthday party and decided to pay Sebastian and Sasha a visit in person to deliver the invitation.
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“Sasha! Look! Check out the things I have brought you!”
The androgynous-looking man put on a fashionable denim set of outfits. He had dyed his hair ash brown and seemed to be relatively ordinary as compared to the sparkling blonde the other day.
The moment Brandon saw Sasha’s ethereal-looking face, he was in love with her again.
Brandon!
Sasha shivered and took a few steps back to put some distance between them.
“Stop right where you are, Brandon!”
He came to an abrupt halt.
The representative from the Emannuel family with the invitation card was none other than Brandon.
He was also Matilda’s youngest son. However, due to his gorgeous-looking face, he ventured into showbiz and became one of the most influential celebrities in the industry.
Frederick had given Hayes Corporation’s shares to Brandon due to his look.
He was the one and only outsider who possessed shares of Hayes Corporation.
Brandon’s bright grin disappeared the moment Sasha asked him to stay away from her. He arched his brows and pouted like a toddler.
“Sasha, how dare you yell at me? Don’t you know why I’m here today? Do you have any idea how long I have been waiting for Sebastian to leave just to see you? You’re supposed to be considerate towards me!”
Sasha stared at him, open-mouthed.
She knew nothing good had ever come from the shameless man, but she couldn’t believe he had the audacity to deliver such barefaced statements.
If you know he doesn’t want you anywhere near me, please stay away!
Sasha kept her distance as though a jinx were right in front of her. “As you can see, I’m perfectly fine! Now if you’ll excuse me! If there’s nothing else, why don’t you return to wherever you’re from?”
“Sasha, how can you be so cruel? Did you forget the one who had been keeping you company back then? Have you forgotten I was the only one who would buy you your favorite meal? Are you going to sever ties with me after you made a trip back from hell?”
Holding on to the bouquet he brought along with him, Brandon got infuriated for real. The gorgeous scene of blooming flowers in the garden seemed exceptionally irritating.
Sasha went dead silent for a few seconds. Eventually, she stared at the upset man’s departing figure as he made his way into the majestic villa.
One might wonder about Sasha and Brandon’s relationship. It turned out they were the exact kind of relationship one ought to deem them to be.
Back in the day, Sasha had no choice but to marry since her family had gone bankrupt. Unfortunately, she ended up being ridiculed by others. She was depressed because people started calling her gold-digger and thought she had become a household member of the Hayes because of their wealth.
No one enjoyed her presence and boycotted her for all sorts of reasons. She was merely a nineteen-year-old girl, yet she had to endure humiliations an adult couldn’t possibly pull through.
Brandon showed up when she needed someone the most.
As Frederick’s nephew, he had always been an obedient boy; he was one of Frederick’s favorite since he was young and was a frequent visitor at Hayes Residence.
During one of his many visits, he encountered Sasha, the daughter-in-law of the family, who was abandoned on her wedding night.
Brandon could vividly recall his first encounter with Sasha back then because he was utterly baffled by her.
Although he knew about the marriage, he had no idea his cousin’s legal spouse was such a young woman, who was a year younger than him.
As Sasha was pregnant back then, Brandon wouldn’t stop picking on her. He brought up all sorts of absurd suggestions in front of her.
“Sasha, your husband isn’t going to come back! Why don’t you follow me and start a new life elsewhere? I’ll find you a new husband!”
On another occasion, he said, “Tsk, tsk! You’re not even twenty years old! Have you lost your mind? If you give birth to his children, no one will get into a relationship with you anymore!”
He once brought up a ridiculous suggestion, and asked, “Sasha, do you need someone to keep you entertain? Do you want me to introduce a man to you? He’ll keep what happens between both of you!”
In short, Brandon was merely a douchebag back in the day.
However, he changed after he experienced a traumatizing experience. He heard that his cousin brought another woman home while Sasha, who had been neglected throughout her pregnancy, passed on with two of her children during labor.
Ever since the particular incident, he stopped dropping by Hayes Residence.
Sasha, who was trimming the flowers in the garden, neglected the ostentatiously dressed man after he made his way into the living room. She turned around and tended to the flowers once more.
However, Brandon showed up after a short while. “Sasha, I have bought you your favorite Mille Crêpes from Lady M! It’s fresh out of the oven! Why don’t you join me and have some?”
She continued trimming the withered branches and had her eyes glued to the profusion of exotic flowers in the garden.
When she was about to trim the next withered branch, she paused.
My favorite Mille Crêpes from Lady M? I guess he’s the only one who remembers those are my favorites.
She snapped out of the sentimental moments and continued trimming the branches.
Brandon stomped his way over to express his frustration. “Sasha, why are you ignoring me? Are you upset? What’s wrong with you? You used to be such a timid girl back in the day, but you’re a tough nut to crack now!”
She raised her head and confronted, “What do you want? Can you tell me the reason you’re here today? If there’s nothing else, why don’t you leave me alone?”
Brandon chuckled and returned to his usual playful self.
“I’m here for you! Do you miss me, Sasha?”
“On the count of one, two, three—”
“Fine! I’ll tell you! My mother is setting me up for a blind date with another woman during her birthday party. Can you do me a favor and pretend you’re my girlfriend?”
Brandon finally surrendered and told her the reason he had dropped by the villa.
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Despite being yelled at, Brandon was delighted when Sasha finally talked to him.
“What did you say?” Sasha thought she was hearing things. “Me? Your girlfriend? Is something wrong with you?”
Brandon craned over and asked seriously, “I think I’m perfectly fine, but just to be sure, why don’t you check on me?”
Sasha gritted his teeth and scoffed. “I think something’s definitely wrong with your brain! Have you forgotten who I am?”
“You’re Sebastian’s ex-spouse, aren’t you? It’s fine! I don’t really care! After all, few of us are aware of your identity!”
Brandon continued righteously, “Only close family friends and relatives were present back when both of you were married. Literally, no outsider knows of your identity. Otherwise, why would others consider Xandra to be Mrs. Hayes, the spouse of Hayes Corporation’s president?”
Crouching in front of the flowers, colors drained from Sasha’s face because Brandon’s unintentional remark had provoked her.
He’s right; who else is aware of my relationship with Sebastian? I have gotten married to him without anyone’s knowledge back then!
Although he has no intention to file for divorce with me, no one can possibly figure out I’m his legal spouse.
As Sasha gave Brandon’s word a thought, a dull expression could be seen on her face.
Suddenly, Brandon broke the silence, interrupting her train of thought.
“In short, it won’t be much of a trouble for you to do me the favor! Moreover, they will be there as well! Don’t you want to know what they are up to during the party?”
Sasha lifted her head and looked at Brandon. “Who are you talking about?”
“Who else could it be? Your ex-spouse and his fiancée! Wait! Are you saying you’re not aware of this?”
The seemingly unintentional question startled Sasha. She didn’t expect Sebastian would attend the birthday party with Xandra.
Wendy told me he had no interest in the party!
Why made him change his mind to go with Xandra? Wait! Xandra is abroad, isn’t she? Since when has she made her way back?
Sasha refused to believe Brandon’s words. “Are you sure you’re not mistaken? Sebastian has never mentioned anything about the party at all. Besides, Xandra isn’t around. Who told you about this?”
“Duh? Who else could it be? My mother!”
Brandon was equally surprised and had his fair shares of doubts. He couldn’t figure out the reason Sasha was kept in the dark when she lived under the same roof with Sebastian.
Although the Emmanuel family was quite a distance away, they had gotten their hands on the information ever since a few days ago.
Oh my God! Please tell me she’s not being deceived by the scum again! When will this foolish woman learn her lesson? Does she want to take a trip to hell again?
Brandon was heartbroken, but before he could grasp the situation, wrath took his rationality over.
“Sasha, I want you to tell me the reason he’s keeping you here! Why have you returned to him after giving your best to leave him five years ago? How are you related to him now?”
He leaned over and glared at Sasha.
She was flabbergasted.
Why is Brandon angry? How are we related? How else are we supposed to be related? He’s my husband, and I’m his wife!
Sasha wanted to tell him the answer she had in mind, but when she was about to tell him the truth, she noticed his wrathful and scornful look.
Suddenly, she linked the missing pieces of puzzles together and figured out the affection he had for her. She opened her mouth, yet she couldn’t bring herself to finish her sentence. It felt as though something was stuck in her throat, rendering her incapable of speech.
“Tell me!”
“W-We’re not really related to one another… I-I’m merely staying here to take care of the children…” she lied.
Feeling as though she had been drained of her energy, she dropped the pruning shears after she answered him.
Brandon heaved a sigh of relief when he heard the answer he had been anticipating. He didn’t notice what was wrong with Sasha at all.
“Goodness gracious! I’m glad you have finally learned your lesson. If you’re merely here as a nanny, it makes sense you’re not aware of the ongoing things in the house.”
“N-Nanny?”
“Is there anything wrong? You’re here to take care of his children on his behalf, aren’t you a nanny? Let’s forget about it! Since he has no intention to share his agenda with you, you can always tag along with me! What do you think? Why don’t you join me, Sasha?”
The heartless man beamed.
Sasha felt as though her heart had been ripped out of her chest, being exposed in front of others in the chilling courtyard.
She was overwhelmed by a tidal wave of emotions and recalled she was nothing more than a nanny for Sebastian.
Their children were the sole reason he chose not to file for divorce with her.
He said they would remain engaged to one another. But he never said he wouldn’t get into a relationship with another woman.
Xandra has been by his side for the past five years.
She sat in the bushes of flowers for a long time.
If Wendy hadn’t reached out to her, Sasha might not be aware someone else was there. “Ms. Wand, Mr. Emmanuel has left. He wanted me to tell you he would get the evening gown and accessories to go along with the dress ready. He’ll ask someone to bring them over on the day of the party. Does that mean you have agreed to go with him?”