Crossroads

Chapter 178

“There’s one thing I never understood…”

As dusk fell, Frostvale lit up with colorful lights, and the bustling commercial streets were filled with people. On the second floor of a high–end café, a woman sat by the glass curtain wall and gazed outside, her eyes a bit dazed, as if lost in memories.

Chloe, who was across the table, raised her voice again. “Hayley, I’m talking to you. What are you daydreaming about?” Hayley snapped back to reality and flashed her usual smile. “What’s up?”

Chloe raised an eyebrow at her, lit a cigarette, and took a puff. “Hayley, you’ve been an executive for too long. Your smile looks really fake.” She spoke very bluntly.

“It’s just an occupational habit.” Hayley didn’t mind and shrugged.

Chloe didn’t dwell on it either, knowing that Hayley’s role as an executive at the Innovate Group wasn’t easy.

Chloe continued, “By the way, Hayley, the Pearson family’s banquet should have started by now. Why aren’t you there?”

Hayley didn’t seem to care, taking a light sip of her coffee and speaking nonchalantly. “There’s no need to go.”

“The Pearson family is where you belong, Hayley,” Chloe said. “People see you as a strong career woman, but I know you long for a family because you grew up without parents. So, stop pretending.”

She married Scott right after she graduated from university. Chloe was a bit like Stephanie, with little social experience and a direct way of speaking. Sometimes Chloe compared herself to Stephanie but always felt she fell short, which irked her.

“If you ask me, you should marry a man while you’re still young and let love enrich your life. Stop thinking about work all the time. And also…” Chloe paused, looking at Hayley with a suspicious expression. “Hayley, there’s one thing I’ve never understood… How did you end up with that fool from the Pearson family?”

hand, which was holding the coffee

continued, “I never said anything when you were with that Pearson guy because Oscar

as possible. From what I know, Mrs. Teresa Pearson hates Oscar, the illegitimate child. They’re probably announcing inheritance matters at tonight’s banquet,

up her coffee, and took a few more sips

nothing but good looks, and he’s been in a vegetative state abroad for years. Even

voice carried a hint of complexity as she remarked, “I never had a

taken aback. “Weren’t you and Oscar a couple? You said it yourself. You were heartbroken when he had the car accident,

eyes widened in shock as she looked at Hayley and said, “I knew it! I was wondering how you

of freshman year, you mentioned him to me several times, the Wellington

her habitual smile, albeit slightly strained. She casually stated, “Dominick

Wellington family heir hated women. This quirk was well–known with a bit of

as she looked her over, snuffing out her cigarette disdainfully. “It seems

Pearson family she

paid no attention to the strikingly handsome Oscar, but he happened to be Dominick’s

were just this strange. They couldn’t control their emotions, feeling a strong urge

the twinkling streetlights outside the window, recalling the day she first met

Chapter 178

when she rushed and scattered her textbooks everywhere. Being new to studying abroad, she wasn’t used to the environment, and the outgoing nature of the foreign students made her uneasy. Though

gathered her fallen textbooks, only thinking about getting back to the classroom. Suddenly,

one more.”

was dimly lit, and she could just make out a well–built man leaning against the hallway

he called out and then did nothing, waiting for her to come and retrieve her book, not even