Chapter 99: AN-EX

Hailee, who just got out of the car and wore a knee- length maroon dress with a watch and a cute chain bracelet on her wrist and a pair of earrings that matched her dress, looked very radiant.

Especially with a sweet smile on her lips when she smiled at Ramon, who had opened the door for her. 

Hailee slightly lowered her head and blushed as Ramon reached out to help her walk in the seven- centimeter high heels.

Overall, Hailee, who used to seem like a teenager and always tend to be childish, had now changed. But, not in a bad way.

That being said, this change was a plus point that made her look so elegant and very harmonious, when she stood side by side with Ramon Tordoff.

Hailee looked so mature and attractive. Anyone who saw her now would surely agree with Theodore's first impression.

For a moment, Theodore felt a sense of displeasure when he saw Hailee's hand being held by Ramon and this feeling continued to haunt him for the next few days.

Yet, Theodore was not the only one who had noticed that change in her, because Diego and Zia, even Aileen felt the same way.

Aileen bit her lower lip when she saw Hailee's current appearance. As women, it is natural for them to compare themselves with other women, especially when your men are involved.

So was Aileen. She couldn't help but feel the rustle of jealousy that was bubbling up inside her, as her mood got even worse when she saw Theodore's eyes that wouldn't stop ogling Hailee's figure.

With great effort, Aileen forced a smile on her lips, holding Theodore's hand slowly to attract his attention, causing the man beside her to turn to her.

"What is wrong?" Theodore asked in a low voice, thinking that Aileen had something to say.

But, Aileen just smiled at him and moved closer. "Nothing, I suddenly wanted to be close to you," Aileen then deliberately rubbed her stomach in a subtle way.

To others the gesture meant nothing, but not to Theodore, for his forehead creased as his body stiffened at once, knowing what Aileen meant.

Luckily the awkwardness was saved by Zia's voice, welcoming Hailee and Ramon.

"You are so Beautiful!" Zia exclaimed in joy at being able to reunite with Hailee, her beloved cousin, after several years of not seeing her.

"Zia, I didn't know you were back," Hailee responded with the same enthusiasm.

The two of them immediately hugged and chuckled, like two teenagers, for a moment forgetting their surroundings, let alone Aileen and Theodore, who were also there.

Zia had indeed been far from the city of R, as Diego sent his only daughter abroad to continue with her studies right after she graduated from high school. She only came back this week, because she was on vacation and Diego was in town to take care of the reading of the inheritance rights of his younger brother.

But, more than that Diego wanted to make sure that Hailee was all right.

"Mr. Tatum." Ramon stretched out his hand and accompanied with a smile on his lips, his attitude was so formal, but also not too stiff, it was clear that he was used to dealing with various types of characters with various backgrounds.

And seeing this, Hailee couldn't help but feel proud of her man.

"Mr. Tordoff," Diego said, shaking Ramon's hand.

Only then did Theodore step up and shake Ramon's hand followed by a nod from Aileen as a greeting. "We meet again."

"Yes," Ramon replied, not bothering to extend the conversation with Theodore.

"Let's go in," Diego invited Ramon to enter his house first, while Hailee had already been taken away by Zia into the house.

Zia, who had lost her mother since she was a child, spent most of her time at Hailee's house.

However, Aileen and Zia did not have a close relationship. Zia had shown her dislike for Aileen from the moment she met her.

And even though Zia is the same age as Aileen, which made her seven years older than Hailee, so when Diego sent her abroad, Hailee was still a child, but Zia had never been in good terms with Aileen. And after Zia went away far from home, she and Hailee only met occasionally.

Therefore, when Hailee got into trouble with Roland Dimatrio, both Diego and Zia were not in town R and completely out of reach for Hailee.

"Okay, tell me, how did you meet the hottest man in town A?" Zia immediately shot Hailee a question when they went to the kitchen to prepare drinks.

Even though it was actually unnecessary, as she could easily assign that job to a servant, Zia insisted on taking Hailee away for a moment, because she couldn't hold back her curiosity any longer.

This what you called gossip time!

"Long story." Hailee tried to dodge it. From the moment she set foot in this house, she already had a feeling that Zia would hunt her down with questions.

It was easy to guess, if one knew Zia well enough.

"I have all day little sister," Zia said, blinking her eyes flirtatiously and making Hailee laugh.

If she thought about it, Zia looked much more suitable as an older sister than someone whom Hailee thought as her older sister for twenty years of her life, but as it turned out she was the one she should be most careful of.

"I am the one who doesn't have much time," Hailee said, then sat down at the large dining table, which was enough to accommodate twelve people.

"Spend your last night with me, you know…" Zia moved her eyebrows up and down suggestively. "Girls night out, pajamas party, something like that..."

Hailee laughed again and gently pushed Zia's shoulder, who was sitting beside her. "I will ask Ramon."

"Geez!" Zia grimaced. "Is he that possessive?"

"No, no…" Hailee immediately shook her head, afraid that Zia would misunderstand. "As I am living in his house now, so I at least..."

Hailee didn't even get a chance to finish her explanation when Zia let out a muffled squeal and covered her mouth in a dramatic motion. Zia's trademark gesture.

"I just remembered that you have been living with the Tordoffs!" Zia exclaimed. "Why are you living there? And since when?"

"Ah, that… it hasn't been long since mom and dad passed away…" Hailee said awkwardly. She didn't want to remember the incident, but just like other gossipers, Zia usually didn't stop until she got the answer she wanted.

Even the topic regarding Hailee's parents couldn't keep her silent for a long time.

"I am sorry to hear what happened. But, it really happened too sudden," Zia said softly, rubbing Hailee's hand as if to comfort her.

Zia and Diego did return to the city of R for the funeral, but due to some things that could not be left unattended, they both had to return immediately afterward.

And because Diego thought Aileen was there to look after Hailee, he was not too worried, it was just that the last news he got was the wedding of Hailee and Ramon Tordoff which had made headlines in the mass media in recent weeks, which forced him to reconsider the situation.

"But, that doesn't explain why you chose to live with Ramon instead of living in your own house with your sister?" Zia snorted Aileen's name in displeasure.

"Regarding that…" Hailee was just about to speak, when a voice made them both turn in the same direction.

"Can I help you here?" Aileen asked from the doorway, walking in very gracefully, as if she were a model walking down the red carpet. "You guys are not in the living room, so I came looking over here."

Aileen didn't really want to be in the same room with Hailee and Zia, but the atmosphere in the living room was just as bad.

Especially when she heard that Zia and Hailee were in the kitchen to get drinks for them, of course for politeness reasons, Aileen had to catch up with the two of them to help.

Although, every one knew that this house was not lacking servants for such tasks.

"You want to help?" Zia tilted her head. "Of course you can help." she then nodded toward the bar stool not far from them, where there were two maids preparing drinks and snacks. "You can help them."

In other words, Zia regarded Aileen as no different from the servants in this house. When she and Hailee were busy chatting, Zia actually told Aileen to help prepare drinks.

Hearing this, Hailee laughed softly, but her laughter grew louder when she saw Aileen's sweet smile fade.

Hailee didn't even bother to pretend, she wanted Aileen to know that she was making fun of the woman, who had been her big sister, openly. Without any scruples.

"Zia, you are being mean," Hailee said with a sullen face, she then lightly hit Zia's hand.

Meanwhile, this cousin thought that Hailee was really reprimanding her, because she still didn't know about the latest developments in the relationship between Aileen and Hailee.

However, Hailee then continued her words. "Soon she will be engaged to Theodore Gevano, how could you order future Mrs. Gevano to prepare a drink?" Hailee then looked at Aileen, who now had a sour face. "Yes, sis?"

Hearing this, Zia snorted in annoyance. "I still couldn't understand, she is so shameless to show her face in front of you after what she did with your fiancé."

"Ex," Hailee corrected. "My ex-fiancé. Soon I will be Mrs. Tordoff, don't let Ramon hear of that. You know, he is a little jealous." Hailee then winked flirtatiously at Zia.

Hailee's attitude like this surprised Zia, but also excited her, because it meant that her cousin didn't care anymore about her cowardly fiancé and two- faced adoptive sister.

"Are you also going to announce your engagement to Theo in this event of my visit?" Hailee turned her attention to Aileen as she crossed her legs and raised her chin arrogantly. "Can't you just look for another day? To be honest I was a little annoyed, because I was hoping not to see the two of you here."

"Hailee…" Aileen tried to keep her tone calm, but it was very hard to do in the midst of her emotions clogging her throat. "I thought that you have accepted my relationship with Theodore. You know, you can't force who you fall in love with… "

"Just a moment." Hailee raised her hand. "You think I still can't accept your relationship with Theo?" She snorted. "Mom always says to give unused items to the needy, and that's what I did."

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