“Don’t even think about beating her if you can’t stop her from having the child!” Zoe said as she used her words to trigger Wanda. “You can also forget about getting any investments from me after that!”
Wanda’s eyes lit up, then said, “How much more money can you get from Elyette?”
Zoe lifted her chin, then said confidently, “At least another one hundred and fifty five million.
“Don’t worry!” Wanda said. “I won’t let the child she’s carrying see the light of day!”
When Averie returned home from work that evening, she noticed a car parked at the front gate.
Did they have a guest?
She parked her car, then opened the door and got out.
The two children and Shea walked out of the villa’s front door together.
“Mommy!” Layla called out.
Mike picked Layla up when she ran up to Averie.
“What’s Shea doing here?” Mike asked.
Shea approached them with a soft smile on her face.
“I’m going home, Averie!” she said, then left.
Averie glanced at Layla and asked, “When did Shea get here, Layla?”
“She was waiting at the front gate when Hayden and I got home from school,” Layla said with furrowed brows. “She told Hayden a secret, but won’t tell me about it.”
Hearing this, Averie turned to look at Hayden.
A secret?
What secret could there possibly be between Hayden and Shea?
“Didn’t you say you were hungry, Averie? Let’s have dinner!” Mike said, then carried Layla into the house.
Hayden did not tell Averie about his secret with Shea, neither did she ask him about it.
She should respect her son’s privacy.
The next day, the finals of the National Youth Programming Championships were being held at the city’s science museum.
Over sixty of the country’s child geniuses were competing.
Shea sat in the audience and fixed her eyes on Hayden.
She was the one who brought Hayden to participate in the competition.
Her teacher told her that the champion of this competition would be enrolled into the country’s top university and enter its elite class for young prodigies.
Shea thought it was a great opportunity, so she convinced Hayden into participating.
An hour and a half later, the judges unanimously granted Hayden a perfect score!
When the host announced that Hayden Tate was the champion, Shea’s heart pounded with excitement.
After the prize giving ceremony, Shea rushed on stage with a bouquet of flowers.
“Hayden! I knew you were the best!” she exclaimed as she picked Hayden up and happily twirled around the stage.
“Put me down!” Hayden said with a pained expression on his face.
Shea released him, then turned to the host and said, “Can we go now? We need to go and celebrate!”
There were other winners standing on the side who were older than Hayden but placed behind him.
They were extremely unhappy.
When they saw Shea holding Hayden’s hand, one of them shouted, “Isn’t that the crazy lady who ran off last year? The one that Elyette Foster spent millions to look for, remember?”
“Holy crap! I think it is her!” cried another boy. “I was wondering how Hayden Tate managed to get straight to the finals and become the champion! It was all because of Elyette Foster! That’s some shady business!”
Everyone in the venue glared at Hayden with mocking eyes and used cruel words to attack him.
Hayden’s body stiffened as he felt a throbbing ache in his heart.
He did not use Elyette Foster to win the competition!
He did not! With reddened eyes, he threw the trophy across the room!
Over at Sterling Group, Elyette answered his ringing phone.
“Mr. Foster, Miss Shea brought Hayden Tate to participate in the finals for the National Youth Programming Championships today,” said the bodyguard on the other end of the line.
Elyette’s brows furrowed, and he was dumbfounded as he said, “What are you talking about?”
The bodyguard repeated himself, then explained, “Miss Shea asked me not to tell you about it.”
“Why are you telling me now, then?”
Elyette massaged the space between his brows as a sense of foreboding rose inside him.
“When Hayden Tate won the competition, Miss Shea ran up on stage. Someone recognized her and things turned chaotic. Miss Shea’s isn’t hurt, but she’s a little shaken up.”
Elyette listened to the bizarre story and felt like it was made up.
Why would Shea take Hayden to the Youth Programming Championships?
Hayden was a loner who disliked meeting strangers. Logically, he would not be willing to compete in anything like a this.
How did Shea manage to convince him?
“Send me the address!” Elyette said in a deep voice, then hung up the phone.
Hayden was at a park near the science museum when he got tired of walking and saw down on a bench by the street.
With the trophy in her hands, Shea took a seat next to him.
“I’m sorry, Hayden,” she said apologetically. “I only brought you here to compete because I wanted you to join the elite class.”
“Why do I need to join an elite class?” Hayden snapped angrily.
“My teacher told me that everyone in the elite class is super smart. I think you’d be happier if you went to school there instead,” Shea explained herself. “Everyone there is the same as you. If there was a place where I could be with people like me, I’m sure I’d be happy.”
Hayden wanted to retaliate, but he was thrown off by Shea’s innocent, child-like face.
He did not want to reprimand her, but he was worried that she would repeat the same thing again.
“Did you think you could butt into my business just because you’re my aunt?” Hayden said as he shot up from his seat. “Even if you’re my aunt, you should mind your own business!”
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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