hapter 14
ove?” Nora shook her hand, which was sore from slapping Matthew. She sat down. “If you genuinely ved Hailey, why would you have approached me for money to leave the country?”
ailey’s head shot up. “What do you mean by that, Mom?”
ack then, she’d truly thought Nora had forced Matthew to leave the country because she was scornful of m. That was why she’d only returned to Rainer Manor when necessary–she was upset with Nora.
wever, it turned out that Matthew had willingly taken the money and left the country.
ow, his secret was exposed. He turned ashen and slumped onto the floor. Tears streamed down his ce, but he couldn’t explain the situation
ailey covered her face and laughed bitterly. She’d been formented by Matthew’s departure for so long, id she’d made countless excuses for him, Yet the truth was that he’d taken Nora’s money of his own ilition and left her.
he innocent and innocuous love she’d had for him was now shattered, and her memory of him became awed.
atthew cried, “I didn’t want to do it, Hailey! I swear I didn’t! But I didn’t have a choice–there was such a ige gap between us, and it was impossible for me to be with you…”
ather than watch his beloved marry someone who came from a similar background, he’d chosen to take ora’s money and leave.
timately Matthew only cared about himself the most. Everything he did was geared to reap the greatest !nefits ble. When he was younger, he’d asked Nora for money to leave the country so he wouldn’t
: left with nothing.
ow, he’d made so many mistakes because he knew Hailey loved him. It was all so he could live a better
ailey approached him and crouched so their eyes were level. This was her first time looking at him so thlessly and her last time being so loving. “You might not know this, Matthew, but I genuinely wanted a ture with you back then.
ven if the world was against us, I would’ve given everything up in a heartbeat to take you away.”
fortunately, he’d given up on her before she’d given up on herself.
atthew’s gaze slowly turned fearful. He felt something leaving him. “Hailey, don’t. Hailey!”
s heartwrenching pleas reverberated in the manor, but Hailey disappeared into the night without
other look back.
ailey spent the next week at the company, trying to get the attention on the scandal to die down and
pease the shareholders.
ie stared at the computer screen, her eyes bloodshot in the dim lights. Her phone kept ringing. timately, she leaned back lethargically and answered it. “Mom.”
ora said calmly, “Set the company and the scandal aside for now–your father will deal with it. What you red to do is find Terence, and don’t forget that you’re still pregnant. Your grandfather has been talking out that recently.”
chard had returned to his room after the ceremony because the reception would end late. So, he knew
nothing about what had happened during the reception
He was getting on in years and couldn’t handle the agitation, so the rest of the Rainer family was trying keep things from him for as long as possible.
to
It was only thanks to Nora’s reminder that Hailey realized Terence hadn’t shown up since the wedding day. She scrolled through her contacts and dialed his number, but no one answered. She tried repeatedly, but the result was the same.
After checking online, she realized her number had been blocked. She frowned and called her assistant. Find out where Terence is.”
How could he have left at a time like this? Wasn’t a wedding something he’d looked forward to?
