“I don’t care how much you worth in the market, but you must work for me with a lower salary as we
have a good relationship.”
Hayden shamelessly tugged on Alayna’s arm and did not let go, “I will treat you roasted duck necks for
a year if you help me.”
“Even if you treat me for ten years, it won’t be enough for me to make a dress.”
Alayna rolled her eyes, “Hayden, are you trying to extort me.”
“I’m too broke for now. Moreover, I have visited Green Lemon Clothing. It is just a small broken factory,
having nothing. The financial affairs of the company are in a mess, and there aren’t enough workers. If
you don’t want to help me, no designer will come to work for me even I offer a high salary.”
“Oh dear, don’t say you are broke.”
Alayna showed a disgusted look, “Show me your bank balance if you can. I’m afraid mine is much
lesser than yours.”
“Do you want to help me?” Hayden loosened her hand, “If you don’t want, I will find someone else.”
“Yes.” Alayna pouted her lips. “Did I say no? I will even help you for free. After all, I am bored with high-
end design now and want to study normal design like yours.”
Hayden then laughed out and put up two fingers.
“When my company is listed, I will give you twenty percent of the performance shares.”
“Don’t just pay lip service.”
Hayden was speechless.
Alayna didn’t think too much when Hayden made the request. She had her fashion studio and would
also sign contracts with other clothing enterprises for a temporary period. She had a lot of free time and
would be obliged to help her best friend to start a business, as she was able to do so.
Early in the next morning, Alayna followed Hayden to the office of Green Lemon Clothing.
The location was strategic, surrounded by the business district. Moreover, it was a small and three-
story building, hidden among the tall buildings. One had to pass through two alleys to reach there.
The man who showed them around was a handsome young man in his early thirties.
“This is the former head of Green Lemon Clothing. His name is Anders Barlow. This is my friend, and
also our future chief designer. Her name is Alayna Cole.”
“Hello, Ms. Cole.”
“Just call me Alayna.”
After they greeted each other, Hayden sent Anders away and showed Alayna around the building.
“What do you think?”
“Do you want to hear the truth?”
“Of course.”
“It sucks.” She bluntly criticized the building, showing her discriminating eyes as a designer. “I guess
this building hasn’t been renovated since your mother stopped running things here in the last century.
Now is the era of reformation. When I first came in, I felt like it’s a place producing labor uniforms. Just
renovate this building as it is too old. Transform it into a building with an industrial style.
“I will follow what you said.”
“Moreover, change every worker you can change,”
Alayna frowned, “I saw the workers cutting their nails and playing games. They were too lazy. Why not
replace them with a new group of workers instead of spending time to correct them. The new workers
will do a good job as they don’t know the previous culture here.”
“Okay.”
Lowering her head, Hayden took a pen to record the points that Alayna said in a small notebook.
Looking at the way she was scribbling, Alayna felt puzzled suddenly.
“It’s not right. Didn’t you ask me to be the designer only? Why do I mind your business so much?”
Hayden smiled and held Alayna's arm.
“Able men are always busy. You are an excellent designer.”
Alayna felt that she had been trolled.
On Friday, Brook’s final medical report came out, and the doctor informed the inpatient department that
Brook could be discharged from the hospital to recuperate at home.
Sofia and Alayna rushed to the hospital with a large group of her family to pick him up and discharge
him from the hospital.
“Brook, my sister is really worried about you these days. She even had no appetite to eat.”
“Sofia’s eyes are all swollen with tears.”
“Sofia hasn’t gone out for a long time and she has been staying in the hospital. Luckily, you are much
better now.”
Hayden was speechless.
The relatives were very excited and harmonious inside the ward. Frowned, Hayden stood at the door
like an outsider. She hesitated for a moment and turned around to leave there.
“Why don’t you go in but leave?” Hayden was stunned when she heard the deep and steady voice.
When she raised her head, she saw a greenish-grey figure.
Surprisingly, it was Scarlett.
“Why are you here?”
“Come to pick up a prescription.” Scarlett looked calm, looking at the crowded ward. “Since you’re here,
why don’t you go in? Is it because there are many mistress’ family members inside and you don’t dare
to go in?
Hayden was still in a daze when her wrist was clutched.
She could feel the warmth in Scarlett’s palm. Scarlett pushed open the door of the ward with Hayden at
her back. They passed through the crowd blocking their way and walked towards Brook’s hospital bed.
“Brook, how can you let your daughter stand outside the door, while the ward is jammed with such a
group of poor relatives who came out of nowhere?
The relatives in the ward looked unhappy hearing her words, and the atmosphere suddenly became
unsettling.
Chelsea was not happy, “Hayden, what’s wrong with you? Don’t simply bring a stranger here, you may
scare daddy and…”
“Don’t interrupt when someone is talking.” Scarlett glanced at Chelsea with disdain.
“How dare you talk to me like that, bitch…”
Before Chelsea finished her words, she was slapped hard on her face the second time this month. Her
face was full of disbelief, and she didn’t regain her consciousness for a long time.
“Scarlett, how dare you slap my daughter?”
Sofia immediately stood in front of Chelsea, as she worried that Scarlett would slap her again.
Scarlett sneered, “You still remember my name is Scarlett, then you should also remember twenty-five
years ago, how I made you kneel in front of Florence’s grave for one night, and slapped you more than
two hundred times.”
Hearing her words, almost everyone in the ward gasped.
Was her face smashed after being slapped more than two hundred times?
Hayden also heard this story for the first time. She looked at Sofia in disbelief. Sofia’s face was pale
and she looked extremely embarrassed. Gritting her teeth and looking at the side, she did not say a
single word.
Sitting on the bed, Brook had changed his hospital gown into a casual polo shirt and a pair of beige
pants. When he saw Scarlett, his face which was originally pale became paler.
“Scarlett, it’s been so long, why you have to…”
“Don’t call me Scarlett. Just call me Ms. Zack or Mrs. Barnett.” Scarlett showed a cold face. “The
purpose I come here today is to ask you do you have anything to tell Hayden before leaving the
hospital with Sofia and Chelsea?”
Brook frowned, “I have already thanked her.”
“Thanked her?” Scarlett snorted.
“She had spent day and night stay with you for a month and now you only thank her? You really know
how to do business and that is a good deal. How can you leave her and don’t want to recognize her as
your daughter after you recovered?”
Hearing her words, Chelsea was angry and she hid her face in her hands, “What’s wrong with you? Do
you want to force my father to give you money? Finally, you revealed your true intention. Don’t act like
you are very noble.”
“Keep your mouth shut!” Scarlett glanced at Chelsea. Sofia was trembling and she quickly pulled her
daughter aside and didn’t let her say anything anymore.
After a long time, Brook faintly exhaled a breath.
“This is my family’s affairs. Mind your own business first.”
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