Mrs. Cooper could tell that it was an excuse.
“Mrs. Cooper, don‘t tell Elyette that I called you,” Averie said in a troubled voice. “We broke up, and we are supposed to lead our separate lives.”
“Alright, I won‘t,” Mrs. Cooper said understandingly, before suddenly changing the subject, saying, “Averie, your son, Hayden, is he Master Elyette‘s son?”
Averie’s heart sank at the question.
“Maybe I shouldn‘t have asked that?” Mrs. Cooper said apologetically. “I have met Hayden twice, and I feel like I’m looking at Master Elyette every time I see him. They look similar, and they have similar personalities as well. Don‘t worry, I‘ve only spoken to you about this, and I won’t say anything in front of Master Elyette.”
Averie did not remember how she ended the call. She was not sure if she should feel glad that Elyette had never suspected Hayden to be his. She did not want him to know about the children back then because he hated children to the point that he might hurt them. Now, there was another reason why she did not wish for him to know.
There were two women by his side, and no matter the circumstances and how they ended, it would not be appropriate for the children to reacquaint themselves with their father. If they were not going to reconnect with him, then there was no point for them to learn the truth.
During Autumn Festival, the five thousand drones that Sterling Group had ordered from Tate Industries hovered over the Sterling Group’s building, changing into different formations and colors in the night sky under Mike’s control.
“Chad, aren’t our drones great?” Mike asked proudly as he bit into an apple.
Chad glanced at the smug expression on his face and suddenly realized that Mike was not as bad as he thought he was. Chad had even started to think that he looked rather handsome.
“They are alright! Don‘t get too proud. Your drones are not perfect, and they could do with some improvements,” Chad said pridefully.
“Even you guys in the Sterling Group can’t claim to be the best, can you?” Mike retorted. “We have just started; it will get better from now on!”
“Good luck with that!”
“The moon tonight looks so round!” Mike sighed at the night sky.
Chad looked up and hummed in agreement.
“Let‘s not fight from now on.” Mike turned abruptly to look at him. He looked serious, “What if we need to work together in the future?”
Chad readjusted his spectacles and said, “You really enjoy my boss’s money that you can’t get enough of it, huh.”
“Meh! We have met sillier clients overseas before.”
“The drones that my boss has purchased from you will bring far more than just the one billion you are getting. This is going to be tomorrow‘s headlines, and everyone will know that Sterling Group purchased them in bulk. There will be many people trying to do the same.”
“I know, but I just think that it‘s the least Elyette should do as an ex-husband, or does he expect
Averie to be grateful?”
Chad felt defeated and amused at the same time. “But that doesn’t mean you should take it for granted!”
“Elyette did this out of his own will.”
“… Why isn‘t your boss here?”
“Neither is yours.”
“Um…”
Could it be that Averie and Elyette were both trying to avoid one another?
Time flew by and the season changed.
One day at nine in the morning, after dropping Shea off in her classroom at Angela Special Needs Academy, Elyette made his way to Hayden’s classroom.
When the teacher saw Elyette, she immediately left the classroom to give them some privacy.
Hayden glanced at Elyette and lowered his head onto the table in a bid to ignore him.
“Hayden Tate, let’s make a deal!” Elyette stood by the table and said, “Today’s Shea’s birthday, and she wishes to spend it with you. If you agree to keep her company, I will fulfill one wish of yours.”
Hayden opened his eyes. Though he was reluctant to celebrate Shea‘s birthday, Elyette had made him an attractive offer. Hayden thought of his mother and how Elyette might try to bother her.
After a brief moment of consideration, Hayden took out a piece of paper and a pen. He was going to get this down in writing as proof of their agreement.
Elyette was surprised that the boy was this careful, but he accepted the paper and pen regardless and wrote down the conditions, before signing his name at the bottom.
That evening, Averie came to pick Hayden up from school and was shocked to find Hayden in Shea‘s classroom.
She was shocked because Hayden hated Shea, and also because her classroom looked like it had been decorated in celebration of a birthday.
On the side table, there was a beautiful cake that almost looked like a piece of art.
“Is it Shea‘s birthday?” she wondered.
Averie pulled out her phone and checked the date.
She took a deep breath. If she was not mistaken, it was also Elyette‘s birthday.
“They have their birthdays on the same day? A coincident?” thought Averie.
Averie took her son’s hand and walked toward the door.
A towering figure appeared before her.
Elyette was dressed in a black trench coat that made him look cold and distant. She was not sure if it was her eyes playing tricks on her, or if he really did look thinner.
After two seconds of hesitation, Averie decided to wish him a happy birthday. Just as she was about to say something, she saw Shea throwing herself at Elyette, and with her arms around him, she said, “Big Brother, here‘s your cake.”
Averie was standing right next to Elyette and heard every word Shea said.
“Big Brother?!” she thought, “Did Shea just call Elyette big brother?”
Averie scowled as she studied Shea.
Shea could sense Averie‘s glare, and she met Averie‘s eyes. Perhaps it was because of the stern expression on Averie‘s face, but Shea felt slightly nervous.
She wanted to invite Averie to share the cake, but she ended up choking on her words.
“You called him Big Brother?” Averie asked sharply. She had not intended to scare Shea, but she could not help how sharp her words sounded.
Startled, Shea hid behind Elyette, and he grabbed onto her hand tightly. “Don’t be afraid, Shea. Let‘s go get some cake.”
The two walked past Averie and stepped into the classroom.
When Hayden saw the dazed state his mother was in, he tugged at her and said, “Mom, let‘s go home.”
Averie looked away, readjusted herself, and left with her son.
When they were inside the car, Hayden noticed the frown on Averie’s face and said, “Shea calls me big brother as well.”
Averie turned to look at Hayden as realization dawned upon her.
How could she forget that Shea was mentally disabled? Just because she called Elyette ‘Big Brother’, did not mean that he really was her brother. She had addressed Hayden in the same manner because to her, Hayden was older than she was. Perhaps she referred to Elyette as such for the same reason.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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