r 120
“Where have you been, Sylvia?” Hayden asked.
As soon as Hayden knew Sylvia left their home, he immediately made a call.
“I’m out.” Sylvia didn’t offer any further explanation.
Sylvia was sitting in the lobby restaurant of a hotel, phone pressed to her ear while her eyes kept darting toward the entrance.
The arrogant man had told her to come here, yet he was nowhere to be seen.
The man Sylvia was talking about was none other than Byron Blair, the notorious “Tyrant” of Silverton.
77%
A while back, Sylvia borrowed the Blair family’s convention center and ended up owing Byron Blair a favor. His only condition was to have dinner with
her.
+38
That’s why Sylvia accepted the dinner invitation.
Outside, dusk was settling in as the restaurant gradually filled with more diners.
Sylvia decided she’d give Byron a few more minutes. If he still didn’t show up, she would be out of there.
Sylvia thought irritably, “After all, I showed up. It’s Byron who broke his promise.”
Although Hayden had called, Sylvia still wouldn’t tell him where she was. Sulkily, he was about to hang up.
Just then, he caught the name “Wyndham Hotel” from the background chatter on the phone.
“Sylvia is at the restaurant of Wyndham Hotel!” Hayden exclaimed.
Hayden didn’t waste a second. He dashed out the door, jumped in
his car, and sped straight to Wyndham Hotel.
Hayden was determined to see for himself exactly which man had dared to ask Sylvia out.
When Hayden arrived at the restaurant, he found Sylvia sitting alone, at the table.
Hayden strode over to her and called out, “Sylvia!”
Sylvia froze for a second before rising from her seat. “Hayden? What are you doing here?”
“So you can go out with other guys, and I can’t show up?” Hayden asked, his voice thick with jealousy.
Sylvia let out a bitter chuckle. “Come on, this isn’t a date. I’m just here to talk business.”
Hayden snapped, “Just tell me who that guy is?” His irritation was obvious.
Sylvia huffed as she sat back down. “Hayden, will you stop prying? You should head home. We’ll talk later.”
Her history with Byron was far too complicated. And she had never breathed a word of it to anyone.
Hayden didn’t leave. Instead, he sat down across from her and said with concern, “Sylvia, I’m just looking out for you. There are a lot of smooth talkers these days, and I don’t want you falling for their tricks.”
Sylvia smiled. “Don’t worry, he’s not that kind of guy.”
Sylvia thought, ‘Byron is such an arrogant, narcissistic alpha male. He’d never bother with sweet talk, and even if he did, he certainly wouldn’t waste it
on me.‘
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Chapter 120
Sylvia thought bitterly, ‘Besides, I’ve never truly forgiven Byron, not even once.‘
Hearing Sylvia say that, Hayden’s chest tightened even more.
Hayden asked, his voice tight with emotion, “Sylvia, why are you taking his side? Does our relationship mean less to you than his?”
Just as Hayden was talking with Sylvia, a man stood imposingly a short distance away. It was none other than Byron, finally arriving for their appointment.
Byron’s sharp gaze locked onto Sylvia and Hayden, his chest tightening especially at Hayden’s words.
Byron was desperate to know where he stood in Sylvia’s heart. ‘At the very least, I should matter more to her than Hayden, he thought to himself.
Byron and Hayden had been family friends since childhood, always maintaining a close relationship as members of the same elite social circle.
Little did Hayden know that he and Sylvia had once been married.
He had always considered Sylvia unworthy of their social standing. Aside from the Blair family insiders, no one outside even knew she was actually Mrs.
Blair.
Hayden, don’t overthink it. That guy I’m seeing tonight is just a total idiot. He’s nothing compared to what we have.
Sylvia’s words instantly chased away the gloom in Hayden’s heart.
Standing nearby, Byron’s face darkened instantly, like a thundercloud.
‘Idiot? Did she just call me an idiot?‘ Byron fumed inwardly, a vein pulsing violently at his temple.
Hayden chuckled, “So, Sylvia, the guy you’re meeting tonight turned out to be a total idiot.”
With a cheerful grin, Hayden picked up the handbag from the table, took out the Aquamarine Star, and said, “Here, Sylvia. This was always yours. Now it’s back where it belongs.”
“Hayden, maybe we shouldn’t… This is way too valuable,” Sylvia gave a helpless, wry smile.
“Sylvia, are you really going to go back on your word?” Hayden gave a displeased huff. “If you don’t want it, then I’ll just throw it away.”
With that, Hayden pretended to toss the Aquamarine Star, valued at over ten million euros, straight into the trash can.
“No, don’t!” Sylvia cried out, urgently grabbing his arm to stop him.
Hayden finally grinned with satisfaction. “Since you don’t want me to throw it, then keep it. Let me put it on for you.”
Sylvia had no choice but to nod in reluctant agreement.
Witnessing the scene unfold nearby, Byron completely lost his composure. Jaw clenched with fury, he strode over, unable to hold back any longer.
“Hayden! What are you doing?” Byron demanded.
Hayden was caught off guard to see Byron here. After a brief pause, he broke into a hearty laugh. “Byron. Fancy seeing you here. Perfect timing. Let me introduce you. This is Sylvia, the one and only goddess in my heart.”
Byron’s lips pressed into a thin line as his cold gaze fell upon the Aquamarine Star on the table. “Take it back,” he ordered Hayden.
Hayden frowned in confusion. “But this is my gift for Sylvia. Why should I take it back?”
Byron’s eyes narrowed dangerously, a menacing glint flashing in their depths as the corners of his eyes twitched.
An overwhelming aura of dominance radiated from him, filling the air with palpable menace.
10:38 Wed, 25 Juno
Chapter 120
“Byron, what’s gotten into you? Why the sudden outburst?”
Hayden and Byron had known each other for years, and Byron was the undisputed leader of their elite circle. Usually, they could joke around without any issues, but if Byron ever truly lost his temper, even Hayden would feel a shiver of fear.
Sylvia frowned, worried Hayden might get hurt. Clutching her purse, she tugged urgently at his arm and said, “Hayden, let’s not stoop to his level. We’ll get out of here.”
Rage surged through Byron as he watched Hayden actually get ready to leave with Sylvia. Finally losing control, he stormed forward, grabbed Hayden by the collar, and roughly dragged him straight into the men’s room.
“Byron, what are you dragging me in here for?”
Hayden had a sinking feeling. He’d lost count of how many times Byron had roughed him up over the years, and it always happened either in a restroom or out in the garage.
Byron glared and sneered, “Sylvia is my ex–wife. What do you think I’m going to do?”
Byron finally couldn’t keep it hidden any longer. If he stayed silent, he was going to lose Sylvia to Hayden. He spoke in an icy voice.
Hayden froze, waving his hands in disbelief. “Wait, Byron. Haven’t you always been close with Joanna? How did Sylvia become your ex–wife? I always thought you’d get hitched to Joanna.”
This only infuriated Byron further. He pinned Hayden against the sink counter, raised his hand, and landed a sharp smack on his backside.
He was two years older than Hayden, so as the senior, of course he had every right to keep his little buddy in line.
Hayden’s face burned bright red, all the way down to his neck.
Hayden thought, ‘Here we go again! Byron’s been picking on me like this since we were kids. I’m a grown man now. How am I still getting spanked by him?‘
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