It was Hayden's mom, Blanche.
Along with her were Hayden's father, Portia, a middle-aged couple, and a young man.
It looked like some kind of engagement meeting.
Since Blanche called her, Debbie knew she couldn't just run away. "Hi, nice to see you," she said, greeting Hayden's parents politely. She really wanted out of here. Seeing Hayden's family made her think of how he kept hitting on her. It was like he didn't want to believe she was really married, believed that he was entitled to her simply because he wanted her. Whenever he texted, her heart sank like a stone. Sometimes, while talking to him, she threw up in her mouth a bit.
"Why are you here?" asked Portia curtly, looking her up and down. She sounded surprised.
She didn't say it, but her tone told Debbie what she really thought was "Wow, woman, how can you even possibly afford this place?"
"Who is this?" asked the young man. Wearing a blue down jacket, he looked at Debbie the same way Portia had—only difference was he seemed interested. The glint in his eyes disgusted Debbie.
But somehow, the man looked familiar. She just couldn't quite place his face. She racked her brains trying to figure out where she'd seen him, but she couldn't figure it out. 'School? No. Maybe at one of Carlos' meetings? No. Who is this guy?'
"She's nobody. Lewis, Let's go," said Griffin Gu, Hayden's father.
Considering the history between Debbie and the Gu family, he knew nothing good would come out of this chance meeting. He wanted no trouble for anyone and hoped they could leave as soon as possible. However, Blanche wasn't done yet. "Are you here to see Hayden? No can do, sister. He's not here. He's on a date with my daughter-in-law-to-be." Her voice was full of contempt.
'Hayden has a fiancée? But why is he still texting me every day? What a jerk!' Debbie thought to herself. "It's not what you think. I didn't come here for your son. I'm just having dinner with some people," Debbie explained with a smile.
Hearing that Debbie wasn't there for Hayden, Blanche felt embarrassed. Clearly, she had fallen into a pit she dug for herself. To save face, she turned to the aloof woman standing next to her, and said with a fawning smile, "Mrs. Huo, this is my son's ex-girlfriend. My son dumped her years ago, but she still pesters him. Sorry about that. I'm so embarrassed."
'Mrs. Huo?' Debbie looked at the aloof woman again. She had the same cold presence as Carlos.
But there were some other people who had the surname "Huo" in the city. Debbie thought maybe she wasn't related to Carlos at all.
However, although she was a total stranger to the woman, she could see disdain in Mrs. Huo's eyes. Debbie turned to Blanche and retorted, "Mrs. Gu, you're wrong. Your son is pestering me. I think I may need your help to get through to him. Since we're here right now, I'll just say this: please tell your son to back off. I'm married."
Blanche's face turned hideous with embarrassed rage. "What are you talking about? My son? Pestering you? Don't be ridiculous! You hooked up with someone's secretary and do some skin care, and then you think you're rich and powerful? Get over yourself! You said you're married, but I don't see a ring. Maybe your husband can't even afford one!"
Just like her son, Hayden, Blanche also thought Debbie married Emmett.
Debbie took a deep breath and decided to ignore her. She turned to Mrs. Huo instead and wanted to give her a heads-up. "Lady, if I were you, I wouldn't let my son marry Portia. Look at who he'd have for a mother-in-law. Like mother like daughter, you know."
Mrs. Huo looked like she wanted to say something, but she thought better of it and remained silent. Her son had been staring at Debbie with interest the whole time. She felt so disappointed.
Debbie's words enraged Blanche completely. She viciously yanked Debbie away from Mrs. Huo and warned, "Watch your mouth! Or I'll make sure you won't have one anymore! You slutty, nosy bitch!" After that, she turned to the middle-aged couple with an apologetic smile and said, "Mr. and Mrs. Huo, Lewis, this woman is crazy. Just ignore her."
The couple didn't want to get involved in the drama. They turned to leave.
The young man, however, didn't move. He hadn't taken his eyes off Debbie from the moment he saw her. "I'm also worried that Portia would turn out like her mom. How about I call off the engagement and be your boyfriend?" he said to Debbie.
Portia looked at Debbie with burning eyes. Debbie took out her necklace from under her clothes and shook it before Lewis Huo's eyes. "See? I'm married."
Not wanting to be noticed, she had been wearing her huge diamond wedding ring around her neck as a necklace.
Of course, Carlos found out she hadn't been wearing the ring and punished her for a long time in bed. So she worked up the pendant as a compromise.
Portia fixed her eyes on the ring immediately when she saw it, and knew it was precious. Certainly more than any of them could afford. Even an idiot could tell that ring was priceless.
Shocked at the size of Debbie's ring, Portia started to study her accessories.
She found out that the plain-looking ear studs Debbie wore were actually worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The shoes she was in cost nearly twenty thousand.
'So, is Debbie really married to a secretary?'
But Emmett was Carlos' secretary. It made sense to Portia that he could afford these things.
"I like stealing other men's wives. It's exciting. Be my girlfriend. I'll buy you two rings just like the one you have. What do you say?" Lewis Huo said shamelessly.
Debbie couldn't believe her ears. She looked at the man who was smiling at her evilly. 'He's flirting with me right in front of Portia. So did I get it wrong? Maybe they're not here to talk about their engagement?'
Her thoughts were interrupted by her ringtone. She pulled out her phone, and saw it was Carlos. She walked away from Lewis Huo and took the call. "I'm heading back," she told Carlos.
When she was back inside the booth, Carlos took her hand under the table and asked, "You were gone for awhile. Where did you go?"
"I came across a friend. We talked," she answered casually.
"Okay. Are you full?"
"Yeah."
"Let's go then." Carlos held Debbie's hand and stood up.
Debbie was speechless. 'Leaving the table as soon as he is stuffed, Carlos is so arrogant.'
Seeing Carlos stand up, the others all followed. Someone took his and Debbie's coats for him. A couple of guests helped them get their coats on, and someone else opened the door for him.
Their enthusiasm made Debbie sick. But not Carlos. Her husband was expressionless, as if he were accustomed to it.
Once they were out of the building, they got into the car. "I'll drop you off at the manor, but I have to go back to the office. It's work." He shrugged, then continued, "Be home late tonight."
"Can't you do it tomorrow?" asked Debbie. It was already 9 p.m. He worked late every day. She was worried.
"I have work to do tomorrow too. If I don't finish up today, I'll just have more work to do tomorrow. I'll leave work as early as I can, okay?" he explained with a smile and then kissed her forehead.
She nodded. "Okay then. Don't be out too late."
The car came to an intersection after it left the underground parking lot. There was a traffic jam. The Emperor slowed down. Debbie looked out the window while Carlos was on the phone talking to Emmett.
Suddenly, she noticed some people pushing each other at the entrance of Alioth Building. There were men and women. The woman in a black overcoat looked familiar, though. After she pushed a man and turned around, Debbie saw her face.