Chapter 456: Hayden is Anxious
Paula White cradled a coat in her arms, never before feeling such sweetness. By the time Hayden returned, Paula White had truly fallen asleep. Clutching Hayden’s coat to her chest, a smile typical of a little girl who had just received candy adorned her face.
Hayden carried a plethora of items-both finished and semi-finished products-filling up Paula White’s refrigerator to the brim. He also placed some takeout food in the microwave and tagged it with a note, reminding Paula White to eat it once she woke up. After arranging everything, he carried Paula White back to her bedroom and quietly left. The coat remained tightly clutched in Paula White’s hands, impossible to retrieve now.
The next day, Tina’s phone was bombarded with messages, all from someone nicknamed “Hand-torn Husky.”
“Serena, there’s never been so much in our fridge before!”
“He carried me to bed yesterday, ahhh, does he care about me?”
“Serena, is this a secret crush or an obvious one? Am I tormenting myself?”
Tina, reading the continuous stream of messages, rubbed her temples. Whether Paula White was secretly or openly in love, or if she was tormenting herself, Tina did not know. But one thing was clear-Paula White was definitely tormenting her!
“Shut up,” she texted back.
“Hehe, Serena, you’re awake! What do I do next? I don’t know how to proceed. He hasn’t said he likes me, but why does he care? I’m worried I might be overthinking things; maybe he was just buying me stuff.”
After a while, Tina fully woke up and swiftly typed on her phone, “Meet at the Silver Bar tonight at eight.”
She then called James. He picked up quickly, his cocky voice coming through, “My dear Serena, missing me this early in the day?”
“Get lost.” Tina momentarily regretted making the call.
Continuing, she said, “Tonight at eight, bring Old Ten to the Silver Bar.”
“Got it!” James paused, “Serena, is Paula White also coming?”
“How did you know?” Tina was startled.
James, with the expertise of a seasoned player, chuckled, “Little girl tricks, we all get it, except Old Ten is too dense to notice. He should have realized, ever since we were kids, the person he’s talked about the most besides you is Paula White.”
“A few times, Paula White seemed to be busy with some patent and didn’t come around much. He was really anxious then. Don’t worry, Serena, there’s potential between them.”
Reassured by James’ words, Tina felt relieved. If there was potential, her efforts weren’t wasted.
After a thought, she felt something was off, “You seem to know too much.”
James choked, “All thanks to Philip’s teachings, Serena. Rest assured, my heart is devoted to…”
Before he could finish, Tina ruthlessly ended the call.
James texted: “Serena despises me.”
Philip replied: “Serves you right, blaming me.”
At eight in the evening, Tina and Paula White appeared at the Silver Bar, taking the most central booth. Paula White, a rare beauty, and Tina together immediately drew many eyes. Several people approached, offering drinks, striking up conversations, and asking for contact details. Despite their interest, the formidable aura around the two women was somewhat intimidating.
Before long, Hayden and James entered together.
“Serena, he’s here, he’s here!” Paula White suddenly grabbed Tina, almost jumping with excitement.Content held by NôvelDrama.Org.
Tina held her back, “Show some dignity.”
While they were talking, Tina received a text message on her phone from Jared: “Tina, everything is arranged, I’m waiting outside for you.”
Tina’s eyes sparkled with joy as she picked up her phone and replied with an “Okay.”
Paula White said, “Aren’t you just like me?”
Tina replied, “There’s a fundamental difference between us-I’m messaging my future husband!”
Paula White admitted, “I can’t argue with that.”
James, with Hayden in tow, took a seat not far from Tina and Paula, and with a wave of his hand, attracted a bevy of beauties to join them.
Hayden nearly jumped up, alarmed, “Brother, if you want to indulge, don’t drag me into this!”
James clicked his tongue, “This is all for you; you should also start dating. Are you really planning to stay celibate for Paula White?”
Hayden kept his distance, “I’m not, I just… just…”
The thought of dating someone made Hayden anxious, fearing how Paula White would react.
Moreover, the idea of someone else pursuing him for fifteen years was genuinely frightening!
“Forget it, come have a drink, relax with some romance, there are plenty of beauties here, don’t be a spoil-sport,” James signaled to the women with a wink.
The women flocked over, but Hayden stood up abruptly, his gaze fixed on a nearby booth.
Rubbing his eyes, Hayden scrutinized carefully.
It was indeed Tina and Paula White!
“What are you looking at?” James approached knowingly.
Hayden pointed ahead, “Those two drinking with the men, are they Serena and Paula White?”
James squinted, “Indeed, they seem quite familiar with them.”
“Familiar my foot! Paula White has never been to a bar before, she knows fewer men than the fingers on both hands,” Hayden said as he started to run towards Paula White.
James pulled him back, “How do you know she doesn’t know this as the eleventh man?”
Hayden struggled to respond, “Well… she’s always been chasing after me since we were kids, how could I not know how many men she knows?”
“Maybe she doesn’t want to chase you anymore. Besides, you’ve even brought up your old man to scare her off, isn’t it good that she backed off? This way, you’re free to date openly,” James said, handing Hayden a glass of wine, which Hayden didn’t take but felt quite uneasy.
Something didn’t feel right.
How could Paula White possibly know an eleventh man?
He sat down but kept his eyes on the opposite side.
Hayden saw Paula White exchanging contact information with the man, who also handed her a bottle of wine and clinked glasses with her.
Wait, that was too forward!
Unable to restrain himself any longer, Hayden dashed over!
The stranger was brushing a fallen hair from Paula White’s shoulder when Hayden grabbed his hand.
He nearly crushed the man’s hand.
Everyone around was startled, especially Paula White.
“Hayden, what are you doing?” Paula White shouted angrily.
“I should be asking you that! Who let you come here? Who is this guy, daring to touch you? Why didn’t you move away? What are you thinking? Tell me, which bastard brought you here?”