Kasie went on talking without even stopping for breath. "They all think that Megan's best days are behind her because the four most wonderful men in Y City protect you instead now. Carlos Huo has also clarified his relationship with Megan and declared to everyone that she is just his niece. She didn't even go to the party last night. There were too many rumors."
"Don't they have a life? Why do they have so much time to gossip?" Debbie was annoyed. No wonder so many of her schoolmates had looked at her differently this morning.
They'd looked at her like they wanted to get close to her but they were also afraid of her.
Kasie waved her hand. "People think you have the support of Curtis, Damon, and Hayden, but they don't know that you have the support of someone even more powerful. Wait till they find out that you're Mrs. Huo. Tsk tsk! Y City is going to be turned upside down."
In Y City, the most powerful thing wasn't money or status, but the name "Carlos". However, when people found out that he was married, they might admire and respect Mrs. Huo even more, because she had managed to capture the heart of the mighty Mr. Huo.
Debbie only half believed what Kasie said, considering that she had a tendency to exaggerate things sometimes, just like Jared.
After class in the afternoon, Debbie got a call from Hayden. "I'm not busy today. Can we grab a meal together?" he asked.
"No, thanks, Mr. Gu. I have class tonight." Debbie turned him down.
"Deb, we have known each other for a long time. Do you have to treat me like a stranger?" Hayden asked, sounding depressed.
"Yes. I'm married. I don't want my husband to misunderstand. I have to go. Bye, Mr. Gu."
Debbie didn't understand why Hayden was holding onto something hopeless.
When she and Kasie reached the gate of the university, they noticed a sapphire Porsche parked at the roadside, drawing attention from all sides. Hayden was leaning against the car and talking on the phone.
When he saw Debbie, he hung up and walked toward her.
Kasie nudged Debbie. "Your ex is here for you."
Debbie had seen him, but she decided to cut him dead. Arm in arm, the two girls walked on without looking at the man. However, he quickened his pace and stopped them in their tracks.
Once again, Debbie became the hot topic on campus. Everyone who was watching the scene started whispering excitedly among themselves.
"Sorry, Kasie, I need to talk to Debbie alone. How about I have my driver take you home?" Hayden said.
Fully aware of what he meant, Kasie didn't respond. She looked at Debbie, who was expressionless.
"Hayden, we have nothing to talk about. Besides, I don't have that kind of time," Debbie said resignedly.
But her words didn't affect the persistent man. "Deb, I know you're still upset, but can you please give me a chance to apologize?"
Debbie took a deep breath and turned to Kasie. "Kasie, it's okay. Go home. I'll see you tomorrow."
Kasie gave Hayden a pointed look. "Mr. Gu, Debbie has a husband. I hope you won't cross the line," she warned.
Hayden just smiled in response.
After Kasie left, Debbie got into Hayden's car. Both of them sat next to each other in the back seat.
After a while, they reached Saint-Raphael Restaurant, one of the best French restaurants in Y City.
Looking at the extravagant decor of the place, Debbie smiled sarcastically. It seemed Hayden had changed too.
He had never taken her to such a fancy place before when they had been together.
The manager received them and led them inside. Hayden was a true gentleman and let his arm linger near Debbie's the whole time, just in case.
They were led to a table by the window. But before they could sit down, Debbie caught a glimpse of two people she knew and her face fell. They seemed to have just gotten here too. Along with them was a teenage boy.
Debbie's heart broke when she heard the words that the girl she was looking at said next.
"This is my boyfriend, Carlos Huo," Megan said to the teenage boy.
The boy's face turned pale. He trembled like a leaf. "Let's sit," he finally managed to say.
Hayden saw Megan and Carlos too, but he didn't notice the expression on Debbie's face. "I just saw an acquaintance. Let's say hi before sitting down," he said quietly.
Before Debbie could say anything, Hayden took her to Megan and Carlos, who were just about to take their seats. "Mr. Huo, what a coincidence!" Hayden said.
Carlos turned around. When he saw Hayden, he maintained a poker face, but when he saw the woman next to him, there was a noticeable change in his expression.
He fixed his eyes on Debbie. "Mr. Gu, what a coincidence," he responded flatly.
Megan was surprised to see Debbie and Hayden.
When she met Debbie's eyes, she quickly looked away, as if she didn't know her, and then intimately took Carlos's arm. Standing beside Carlos, Megan looked like a sweet teenage girlfriend. She even nodded to Hayden politely.
Debbie glanced at Megan's hand coldly. What pissed her off was that Carlos wasn't saying or doing anything.
Hayden had seen Carlos several times before, but Carlos had never talked to him. Hayden had wondered for a long time if Carlos had a problem with him. But now, he realized that he'd just been imagining things.
Oblivious to the tense atmosphere around him, Hayden continued, "Mr. Huo, I heard that you went to H Country for a bid for a contract. Why are you back so soon?"
Everyone in the business circle knew about the open tender. Since it was a big investment, many companies were interested.
'Why am I back so soon?' Carlos thought to himself, glancing at the angry woman next to Hayden. 'It's all because of her. She said she missed me.'
Before Carlos could respond to Hayden, Debbie tugged at Hayden's sleeve and said, "Can't you see how intimate Mr. Huo and his girlfriend are? There's no doubt he came back for her. The manager's waiting. Let's go and eat."
Hayden knew that Debbie was being impatient, so he ended his conversation with Carlos. "Mr. Huo, enjoy your meal. We're sitting at the next table."
Carlos nodded silently.
Debbie turned around and sat in the seat that the manager had arranged for her. After they placed their orders, Debbie started sipping her tea absentmindedly. "Where's your husband? Why didn't he pick you up after class?" asked Hayden.
Debbie thought about it for a moment and then said in a raised voice, "Oh, my husband? He's walking the dog right now."
At the next table, the teenage boy exclaimed, "Megan, are you okay?"
Hayden was confused by Debbie's reply. "A dog? He left you at school alone because of a dog?" he asked.