MasukThree days later, the wedding between the Hayden and Yates families was held in grand style at the most prestigious hotel ballroom in Atlantis City.As two of Hayden’s closest friends since childhood, Felix and Leo arrived early. One stood on each side of the groom, helping him welcome the steady stream of guests.Felix was dressed in a perfectly tailored dark gray suit. His silver-gray hair was styled with effortless precision, and even his usually cold features seemed softer today. When guests came up to speak with him, he was willing to exchange a few extra words. He still spoke with his usual brevity, but he remained impeccably courteous.Leo, meanwhile, looked as polished and elegant as ever. His light-colored suit made him seem even more refined, and his warm smile put people at ease immediately.Standing beside the confident groom, the two men made a striking contrast. One cool and steady, the other gentle and polished. Together, the three of them looked like they had steppe
Leo knew very clearly that from this point on, what he felt for Miranda would remain nothing more than the care and concern of a friend. He wouldn’t allow himself to hope for anything more.Miranda stepped into the elevator holding Mia’s hand, and Felix followed them in. While Mia busied herself pressing the floor button, Felix reached over and pressed 27.“Thank you for being understanding with Hayden tonight,” Felix said in a low voice. Beneath his thick lashes, his gaze rested on Miranda, as if quietly searching her face. “He’s been wanting a chance to apologize to you.”Miranda answered calmly, “I’ve already let the past go.”A flicker of remorse crossed Felix’s eyes. If Hayden hadn’t told him, he never would have known there had been tension between them too.“I’m sorry. Back then, you went through a lot because of me.” His voice was low, full of self-reproach.The failed marriage still touched something in Miranda, but not much anymore.Once, all those hurts had been like
Felix remained silent the entire time. He simply stood there watching Miranda. What flickered in his eyes was not relief, but heartache.He knew the grace she was showing now had been bought with all the hurt and loneliness she had once endured alone.Leo didn’t interrupt either. He left the space open for Hayden and Miranda to settle what lay between them.That was why Hayden had come tonight. He had wanted to apologize to Miranda properly. He had arrived tense and uneasy, but now that she had forgiven him so graciously, he finally felt some of that weight lift.“I should get going,” Hayden said. “There’s still a lot to take care of before the wedding.”“Go on, then,” Leo said. “Take care of what you need to. Felix and I will be there early.”Hayden nodded and turned to leave.Just then, Mia and Vivian came running over, both flushed and sweaty from playing. Miranda looked at Mia and said, “Mia, it’s getting late. Time to head home and take a bath.”Even though Mia was relucta
She started thinking about how to get out of going.Everyone in Hayden’s circle knew her.She could already imagine the looks she would get if she showed up on Peter’s arm. The disdain. The contempt. The polished image she had worked so hard to build as a glamorous pianist would shatter in an instant. To her, that would be unbearable.But if she refused to go, Peter would definitely be unhappy, and right now, she couldn’t afford to lose him as her backer.So for the moment, all she could do was wait until the third day and then come up with some excuse to back out.No matter what, she had to find a way to avoid that kind of public humiliation.That night, Miranda got home at eight-thirty and realized Mia wasn’t upstairs. Mrs. Young told her Felix had taken her downstairs to play in the neighborhood courtyard.So Miranda sent Felix a message asking when he planned to bring Mia back up.His reply came almost immediately.“Mia wants you to come down for a little while. We’re over
“Exactly. Felix moves fast when he wants to,” Hayden said with a click of his tongue. Then, in a more tentative tone, he added, “But honestly, if the two of them really can find their way back to each other, that would be a good thing for Mia.”“Yeah.” Leo answered quietly, his eyes shifting to the scenery sliding past outside the window, his expression hard to read.He and Felix had grown up together. The changes in Felix were obvious, and Leo understood better than most what those changes meant.Miranda also deserved to be treated well. Whether as her friend or as one of the men who had once hoped for more, Leo wanted her to be happy. If Felix was truly capable of giving her that happiness, and if Miranda was willing to accept it, then all he could do was wish them well.Even if part of him still felt a little hollow.“All right, I get it. I’ll be there early for your wedding and help you greet the guests.”“Thanks,” Hayden said, and hung up.The car fell quiet.Vivian looked
Now he was going to marry someone else.Xena had raised him into the perfect loyal hound, and now that loyalty belonged to another woman. That was something she couldn’t stomach.Hayden had once been nothing more than a carefree rich boy. She was the one who had shaped him into someone devoted and steadfast. She was the one who had turned him into the kind of warm, attentive man women dreamed of.And now Sera was the one benefiting from it.If she hadn’t been so obsessed back then with becoming Mrs. Gibson, the title of Mrs. Hayden would have been hers long ago.And all of it was Felix’s fault.He had been like some distant, untouchable iceberg, always just close enough to keep her hoping, never close enough to let her have him. He had kept her hanging there, letting her believe she had a chance while making sure she never truly could.For him, she had forced her way into higher circles. She had learned how to be elegant, how to be refined, how to become everything she thought a
“Wait.” Felix stood up abruptly, calling out to her before she reached the door.Miranda turned, waiting for him to continue.He regained his composure. “I’ll consider what you said.” Then he continued, steady but firm. “I’ll handle Xena. But understand this. If it means saving my family and prote
Sienna got up and headed toward the kitchen again. Miranda seized the moment and turned to Mrs. Gibson Sr. casually.“Grandma, do you know much about Mrs. Gibson’s side of the family? How were her parents’ health?”It was a personal question, but Mrs. Gibson Sr. didn’t hesitate. After thinking for
Sienna understood now.Everything she was doing was about her own and Susan’s survival. She had no choice but to cooperate with Felix.It felt as if, in the span of just two hours, the once-spoiled heiress had grown up overnight. Before coming here, she had still been living in a kind of fairy tal
Hayden called out sharply, “Get up here!”The housekeeper hurried upstairs. “Yes, sir.”“Tell me the truth. Who else came here last night?” Hayden demanded, his face darkening.The housekeeper had no choice but to answer honestly. “Ms. Yates came by. She stayed in your room for about two hours be







