"Look at me, I’m talking too much again. Hayley, hurry up and change your clothes and come eat." Charlotte looked at Hayley lovingly, "If you don’t eat soon, your stomach will start protesting."

After speaking, Charlotte went downstairs first, giving Hayley plenty of personal space to change her clothes.

On this day, Hayley had an exceptionally happy time at the Seymour family home, and when Ethan came home in the evening, he found Hayley and Charlotte getting along better than a mother and daughter.

Ethan was quite pleased with this situation as a good relationship with Hayley meant more connections and support for his family.

"Uncle, why hasn’t James come back yet?" Hayley asked Ethan, having not seen James the whole day.

"James is busy with the bidding process." Ethan had just finished speaking before Charlotte glared at him, "Why would you tell Hayley that? Hayley, don’t mind him, let’s eat."

"Alright," Hayley said thoughtfully.

It wasn’t until close to eleven at night that James returned home. As soon as he walked in, he was nearly startled: "Hayley, why aren’t you asleep yet? What are you doing in the living room?"

"Waiting for you to come back." Hayley stood up from the sofa, staring at James’s tired face and asked with a complex expression, "You, have a lot on your plate?"

"Yes, there are some things going on." James smiled and said, "It’s late, go to sleep soon."

After speaking, James dragged his weary body upstairs, clearly feeling Hayley’s gaze fixed on him.

In a place where no one could see, a subtle smile played at the corner of James’s lips, seemingly satisfied with the outcome.

Hayley stayed at James’s house for three days, and truly got along very affectionately with Charlotte.

When she returned home, she saw Hazel busying herself around Mia, hustling about, and Hayley felt a pang of heartache: "Mom, who is really your daughter? Look, being the chairman’s daughter makes all the difference. Now that there is a real one, I, the fake one, have to step aside."

Hazel awkwardly held the soup bowl, unsure of what to say.

Mia furrowed her strong brows and questioned, "Hayley, what’s with your sarcastic attitude? Isn’t mom always busy with you at home?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Does that mean the same?" Hayley sneered, shoving the chair beside her with a loud noise, "I’ve been away for three days, not even a phone call. If I died outside, would there not even be anyone to collect my body?"

"Hayley, I didn’t..." Hazel stood up in panic, hands tense and helpless.

"Hayley, what kind of nonsense are you talking?" Mia grabbed Hazel, offering silent comfort, "Every time you go missing, isn’t mom the one who goes crazy looking for you? She mobilizes everyone around to search for you."

"When we found you, what did you say?" Mentioning these past events always agitated Mia; if it were her staff, they’d have been scolded long ago.

This behavior is pointlessly reckless and in need of discipline!

"You told us not to meddle, said we were hindering your freedom. Later, when we stopped looking for you, and you wouldn’t come home, mom called you, which time did you not scold her, saying she was annoying?"

"This past year is the only time mom hasn’t called to look for you. Do you even know how worried mom is every day?"

Rather than feeling guilty at Mia’s questioning, Hayley’s response was full of sarcastic ridicule: "Oh, mom, so now you’re teaming up with outsiders to bully me, huh?"