CRESCENT PENTHOUSE

  Hailey took a shower after she packed some clothes for Vince. She was scanning her reflection in the mirror, recalling everything that happened just in one day.

  Last night, she and Vince were finally a couple. Not officially, as he's still married to Eva, but she accepted his confession of love.

  Even though Eva was with someone else since the beginning of their marriage, Hailey was still uncomfortable, so she asked herself if what she's doing was right.

  She didn't mind before because it was just a fake act. But not anymore. She was now Vince's real girlfriend.

  Hailey heaves a sigh and puts a smile on her lips. She should stop worrying about these things and trust Vince. Besides, what matters most to her now is Vince finally would start working on her dream city, and that is soon.

  Honestly, she never thought that the person she was looking for was Eva's husband. She has no other intention but to offer him a job, so she hopes that Vincent would believe in her once he finds out the truth.

  Thinking over it was never in her wildest dream that she would fall in love with him.

  No. That's not it. She never thinks that Vince already had a crush on her four years ago. And through time, his feelings develop into love, and he never forgets her.

  If she didn't investigate Vince, she wouldn't recognize him from five years ago.

  Five years ago, she visited Mainland City on her 20th birthday to give a huge amount as a donation to the Medical Research facility, wishing to help a little to those struggling to fund their treatment with rare cases of illness.

  While walking alone in the hallways, she saw a struggling man trying his best to walk again. And if Vince ever remembers that, still, he would not recognize her as Hailey Hillson in Hailey Davies' clothing. It was enough that Vince only remembers her as Hailey Hillson.

  And maybe things will be fine once Eva stops hiding and signs the divorce papers, then everyone stops thinking of her as only the mistress. But she also hopes that Bryan would not marry Eva. She still hopes for Bryan to find someone else. He deserves someone better.

  Hailey's thought was interrupted when her phone rings. It was Vince.

  Instantly, her lips parted into a smile. She picks up her phone and answers the call.

  "Hi!"

  ["When will you come back?"]

  Hailey almost burst out laughing hearing Vince's anxious voice. He sounded impatient, wanting to see her very soon. "I already packed your things. I am preparing to go back. But I'm thinking of making your lunch. However, I'm worried that you are alone there."

  ["Ah. Jake and Carl, we're here."]

  "Oh. I'm glad. Do you want me to cook?"

  The other line fell in silence for a moment. Later, Vince replied.

  ["Okay. I missed your food already. I'm looking forward to it."]

  Hailey chuckled. Vince had the food she made the other night; not even two days have passed. Now he's saying he is already missing eating the food she prepared. She wondered what would happen if he was mainly in Australia, and she stayed in P Country?

  "Alright. I'll make lunch for us," she told Vince afterward.

  "I love you."

  "I love you, too, Vince." Still, she blushes every time she replies to Vince.

  ["Please, be careful driving, okay?"] Vince reminds her before he ends the call.

  It touched Hailey how it concerned him about her, but because of that, now it came back to her mind about the fact that someone wants Vince dead. And she's hoping that the man she hired has gathered information as soon as possible. It was the same man she hired before to investigate who is the CEO of SHEN GROUP.

  Honestly, she could not wait to find out the truth. Whoever planned Vince's accident, she wanted that person to pay.

  Hailey steps out of the bathroom. She headed to the walk-in closet and scanned her dress.

  Now that she was Vince's real girlfriend, she wanted to look presentable in front of his parents. Before, she was wearing daring clothes as part of her act of being a beautiful mistress.

  But from here on, she has to look proper as Vince's girlfriend. And she would be honest; she wanted Madame Shen not to be misunderstood and stop casting a stern look at her because of her slutty way of clothing in the past.

  Well, not always. But the photos the media love to post about her are when she is wearing that types of clothes. She is trying to please them by giving them the image they wanted to picture her. A slut.

  "Okay. Time to dress up." Hailey tried a few dresses, but she didn't feel it was pleasing enough. She tried on other clothes until she gave up.

  Why does she have to dress so much? What she needs is a casual dress she will be comfortable with. But first, she needs to make lunch.

  Hailey set aside dressing up and began making lunch. She cooked spicy chicken wings and sweet and sour fish fillet. She also prepared a vegetable dish mixed with broccoli, sweet peas, carrots. She added chicken liver and green peas.

  She only plans to prepare three dishes, but she makes chicken soup and stirs fry noodles. Now she has to rush back to the hospital.

  Hailey ran toward her bedroom and changed her house clothes into a proper dress. She grabbed a long skirt and high-neck knitted blouse. She applied light makeup and only used lip gloss instead of lipstick.

  A long time ago, Vince fell in love with her messy look. A girl sells lemon juice on the sidewalk, wearing a plain t-shirt and denim pants paired to converse shoes.

  Her trying to please Hilda Shen is a way for her not to make things hard for Vince. He didn't tell, but she could sense that his mom nagged him constantly because of the affair.

  And so she wanted to show that she is not a terrible person. And if ever, she would not embarrass Vince.

  Hailey was following the traffic flow when her phone received an important email. It was an initial report regarding the investigation of Vince's accident.

  She read the statement. Now her face darkened while her hands were tightening on the steering wheel.

  Hailey phone Sandy.

  [Hello, Princess?]

  "I received your report. Please tell your friend to keep an eye on them."

  [Copy, Princess.]

  "DM me the bank account number of your friend to wire half of my payment."

  [One a sec, Princess!]

  "Good job. Tell your friend this."

  [Aye, princess!]

  "Keep me posted." Hailey ends the call.

  She texted Vince that she was halfway to the hospital.