Chapter 26: The PROBLEMS
writer:Elise_Elleneth      update:2022-08-18 17:22
  Letting out a long sigh, Hailey next dialed Geoffrey's contact. She waited for the guy to answer. When he does, a tired voice greets her.

  "Hello?"

  "Hey, Geoffrey!"

  The guy remains silent for a few moments. Probably, Geoffrey was in the process if the voice from the other line is someone he knew all his life.

  Indeed, he checked the number registered on his phone. It was anonymous and stated that a call from overseas.

  Draw the phone back to his ear; he asked the other line. "Hail? Is this you?"

  "Yup! Do you have another Hailey in your life?"

  If Hailey in front of him, he would see how she pouted her mouth. But Jefferson could already picture Hailey's look, so then he laughed hard.

  "Haha. Yes, you are my angel. I'm glad I heard your voice at just the right time I needed it. Or I might dig a pit and throw someone in there. Anyway, to think over what that guy did to you, my anger worsened instead."

  Hailey rendered speechlessly. She understood what Geoffrey meant about his words.

  Geoffrey is the first one who punches Bryan after the boys learned the truth about why she called off the wedding.

  He is like a big brother to her and several other men that are so close to her.

  "Hey, just forget it already because I'm through it now," Hailey told Jefferson, hoping that the guy would calm down.

  "Then why aren't you coming back yet? Everyone is worried about you, Princess."

  Hailey could sense the sincerity of Geoffrey's voice. She already missed everyone, but she has a reason why she was away now.

  What happened between her and Bryan? Everyone now hates the guy. It shattered the once strong bond of friendship, and the person who could fix this is her, even if it did not go back to its true shape, but at least everyone would stop being furious at Bryan.

  But that's her biggest problem. She needs to be free from the contract first, so then she could go home.

  Because one thing that she agreed on is she could not leave the country unless she was with Vince or Vince gave her consent.

  It's not that Vince is keeping her in the city. He explains to her. He doesn't want to make the same mistake he did by trusting Eva.

  They didn't have signed any agreement papers. Now, Eva took him for granted and not holding on to her words to have divorced after two years. Also, Zenaida denied it when she's the one who stands as a witness to their conversation.

  Yes. Vince told her everything, which his parents didn't know about it the divorce agreement.

  So then, Vince wants assurance that she won't blackmail him or create a scandal using all information she heard from him.

  However, that would never happen. She has no reason to blackmail Vince. Moreover, start up a scandal.

  She was hiding her identity! That was the last thing she would ever do in her entire life! But probably for the runaway part. She might do that if a big emergency occurs in her projects.

  However, she needs Vince for real!

  Before she meets Vince, it already impressed her how the SHEN GROUP develops and improves Metro City's structures.

  And after an investigation, it shocked her to find out that Vince is not only Eva's husband but also the CEO of SHEN GROUP.

  What a fateful coincidence, isn't it?

  The man she is looking for is the same person she wanted to meet as well.

  But she didn't come to Metro City to tell Vince about Eva's affair with Bryan.

  She simply wanted to know more about SHEN GROUP and the CEO to offer the job and become a work partner.

  But then things got messed up and worsened the situation after she signed an agreement without thinking twice.

  She thought Eva would show up right away. She thought Vince would get his divorce so soon.

  Not only that, but she thought Vince wouldn't be this attractive to her!

  Ah! What she's doing now? She must stop thinking about this stuff. It only made her head swarming up about how to solve her issues with Eva.

  "Hail, are you still there?"

  Hailey came back to her senses after hearing Geoffrey's voice from the end of the line.

  "Yeah. I'm still here. Just a little stuff came to my mind. Erm…… You know, I should not have left in the first place. But for now, I want you guys to forget about what happened. If we can't start over the way, our friendships were before…… Then at least we all treat each other nicely."

  "How I would be nice to that guy!?" Geoffrey couldn't control his anger anymore. He went on, "That would never happen! And where is he now? He didn't just hurt you, Hail! He knew how you built this dream! It was him who was there on the very first day you drew your dreams on the air like it was just a child's imagination! He knew this is very important to you! So I want him to pay for hurting you!"

  "Calmed down, would you? Even you guys beating up Vince, we could not change what happened…… I…… I mean……" Shot! It's too late for her to realize!

  "Who's Vince?" asked Geoffrey.

  Oh, gosh! Her head was all over the place! Hearing Geoffrey ranting his resentment toward Bryan, all she could imagine are the boys beating up Vince after they would learn that she was living with him. A stranger man!

  Now her mouth just spills out his name. What excuse should she come up with? Racking her head, gladly words smoothly came out of her mouth.

  "Erm, he's a waiter in the resort! He approached me to take my order. I…… I was reading his nameplate! So my head and ears split up whom I listen to first."

  OMG! Did she just address Vince as a waiter? Hailey giggled inwardly. She bit her lower lip not to laugh.

  Well, Vince wouldn't know, anyway! A playful smile pursed on Hailey's lips.

  "Princess, I'm trying to do my best to act professionally every time Bryan and I have to meet because of work. But I can't guarantee to keep my cool."

  "Then keep your cool for me!"

  Geoffrey heaves a long sigh. His face darkened to hear that Hailey seemed like protecting Bryan and even wanted to forget everything he did just like that.

  Could it be that Hailey loves Bryan, not just like a brother, but she already falls in love with him for real?

  "Please???" Hailey begged afterward that no response from Geoffrey.

  Listening to Hailey's alluring voice, he knew that he could not further rant about Bryan.

  "Alright. I will be doing this because of you. We are already behind our target dates. I promised to work hard to help you build your Dream City."

  Hearing Geoffrey stating this, she knew the guy stood by his words, and she knew that Geoffrey is a reliable person. All of her friends are.

  "You guys can stop worrying about me. I'm also to blame about this whole thing. Bryan and I didn't act like a lover. I treated him more like an older brother rather than my future husband. So, normally he will seek someone who can make him a man."

  "That's bullshit!" Geoffrey blurted out. "Why does he propose to you if he could not stay faithful to you!? I already had a hunch he is not serious about marrying you. I'm glad you caught him before you both got married. Otherwise, I'm going to kill him if this happens after your marriage!"

  Hailey pursed a warm smile. It is one thing why she could not stay heartbroken because of her loving friends.

  She admits that she is not in love with Bryan. But she was hurt because she already made up her mind to give herself to him if Bryan asks to start a family after they get married.

  Hailey truly trusted him, the reason she accepted his marriage proposal. But then Bryan sleeps with his ex-girlfriend after they meet again. Now they are together.

  Heaving a sigh inwardly, Hailey pursed her lips and tried to lighten the mood. "Alright. Let's not talk about this, okay? I was more concerned about the workers. Tell me about their condition."

  "Two are in a coma now. And most of the workers on that floor are badly injured."

  "Oh my God! Did you already help their family?"

  "Yes. Leo was already communicating with the families and gave cash assistance. I'll handle this matter. I promise to take care of it, Hail. So, don't worry anymore, okay?"

  Hailey sank her heart, thinking about how worried her workers' family was feeling at this moment. She felt her energy slowly fleeing from her body.

  "Are the workers going to be okay?" Gloominess written all over her face, she asked further. Starting today, she could not have peaceful nights again. Her chest filled with concerns.

  "Dream City Hospital has all the advanced equipment. So nothing you could worry about, Hail. Our doctors were attending them 24/7 and did everything to ensure they will wake up and live a normal life and come back to work."

  "I'm praying so, Geoffrey. Okay…… I have a few things I must take care of first before I can come back home." Hailey tried to sound cheerful.

  But Geoffrey could sense the changes in Hailey's voice. The cheerfulness has now disappeared. It's the reason they didn't report it to her because they knew it would affect Hailey like this.

  "Don't worry too much, okay? We are all here to work on the problems. But since Bryan is the Vice President of the Davies Group, I have no choice but to work with him."

  Geoffrey hurls a furious sigh before he added.

  "If he properly took leave, we should know how long he will be gone so that we assign someone to replace him and oversee the work in his absence. But he just assigned the work to his assistant."

  Listening carefully, Hailey now understood why Geoffrey could not keep his temper. The accident happens under Bryan's direction.

  "Okay. I will visit the Dream City soon."