Faux Vows, True Desires

The two seemed to be in a heated debate.

Nathan glanced at Madeleine, who was lounging on the couch, his gaze icy and intense.

He left the room, the door left ajar and descended the stairs.

"Hayden, my mind is made up. It's late and you should head home."

Keith's face was hardened, his expression as cold as ice.

Upon entering the room, he didn't even sit down, and he headed directly for the stairs. He had only taken a few steps when he saw his father descending from upstairs, his face flushed, possibly from too much whiskey.

"Big bro."

Upon seeing his older brother, Hayden bypassed Keith, accelerating up the stairs. "Big bro," he started, "Pete made a small mistake, and now Keith's shipping him off to a branch office." Keith responded icily, "Pete's mistake wasn't small. He cost the company a billion-dollar deal."

Hayden ignored Keith, who never missed an opportunity to put his son down. Pete was exceptionally talented, holding a vice president position when he first entered the company. However, after the incident with Keith's wife and sister-in-law, he was severely disciplined by Nathan.

Ever since then, Pete had been the target of Nathan and Keith's retaliation. He held the title of vice president but was reduced to doing an assistant's work under Keith's thumb and at his mercy. Hayden was seething with resentment.

"Big bro, Pete has been working like a mule for the company, even harder than Keith. He just made a judgement error this time, and it cost the company a billion-dollar deal. We, the Blue family, can afford to lose that deal. Keith has already blown up at Pete in the office, threatening to dock his bonus for a year. Wasn't that enough?"

Even though Pete was being sent to a branch office as a manager, the competition within the Blue Corporation was fierce. If Pete were kicked out of the headquarters, it wouldn't be easy for him to return. Nathan tried to suppress his discomfort, speaking in a low voice. "Let's deal with company matters tomorrow at the office. Hayden, I'm not feeling well, and Madeleine is sleeping in my room. Could you please send her back to the Porter family?"

of rooms here? Madeleine often stays overnight. Why not let her stay since she's already asleep? Why bother sending her back to the Porter family?" He then asked with concern, "Big bro, are you okay? Your face was quite

father. After a moment of silence, he said, "If you're

yesterday. I took some medicine, thinking it would help, but it seemed I have a high fever now.

the Blue family's

neither Nathan nor

ill, they would go to their family's private hospital. The director

"Okay."

father-son relationship seemed strained, Keith was genuinely concerned for his father's well-being. Despite his exhaustion from work,

Nathan reminded his brother to send Madeleine back

here countless times before. She wouldn't be clinging onto Nathan so tightly if she was concerned about her reputation." Nonetheless, he went

was curious as to why Nathan insisted on sending Madeleine home.

that surprised Hayden. He had assumed that they had been intimate

again that night, which was why

was skeptical that

wouldn't Madeleine be by his side, caring for him?

took a deep breath, unable to identify the fragrance. Seeing that the windows were closed, he entered the room and opened a window. He muttered to himself, "What's with all this perfume? It

when he bought her a new bottle. The women he kept on the side were no

Madeleine was no exception.

opening the window, Hayden returned to the

flushed, he frowned, "Are you running a fever,

forehead. It was warm, but not as if