After a moment of silence that had passed, Hailey further queried Geoffrey regarding the accident’s badly hurt workers.

She asked, “Geoffrey, are the two workers that are in a coma were locals or from overseas?”

“They were foreigners who are immigrating hereafter accepted to work for us,” Geoffrey replied. “What’s wrong?”

Geoffrey was curious about what was Hailey is planning now. He has known this girl all his life, and so he is certain that Hailey would do something for those workers.

Hailey ponders for a moment. She carefully weighs the idea she comes up with.

“Geoffrey, why don’t we help someone from their family to come over? They must feel devastated. It’s the least we could do to ease their worries. Manager Brown should assign someone to work on papers for the family representative’s visa and expenses.”

“Hm… That was a great idea, Hail. I will contact Manager Brown to work on it immediately!” He knew it. This girl would not just sit around.

“Thank you. I could not be at peace, knowing the family of these workers have no restful days, thinking about their injured family.”

“And you… Stop worrying too much, okay? We will do everything we can. I’ll be more worried that you will keep thinking about the mishap as well,” Geoffrey’s comforting words to Hailey. Honestly, this is Bryan’s role. He is the first man Hailey runs to before her dad. Geoffrey thought, he added. “I’m furious at Bryan right now because he neglects his work because of the same woman that caused your heartbreak.”

“I’m not heartbroken anymore, so there’s nothing you have to be concerned about. It’s not worth mentioning either.”

“I’m hoping that was true, Hail. I don’t want to see you were protecting Bryan instead, and you were saying all of this now, so we stop hating him and beat him again.”

“Nah. I’m totally over it. I’m totally fine now.” She does. Everything that happens in the past is just a bizarre event in her life now she could laugh at. “Well then, I must end this call, so then you can continue your work. I’m sorry if I burden you all with more task that is supposed to be my responsibility.”

“What are you talking about? It’s not your fault, although you have to put some action on Bryan’s negligence, I can punch him one more time if you allow me.”

“You just wanted to use it as an excuse to beat him up.”

“I would not deny it.” Geoffrey chuckled as he admitted it, which made Hailey giggled as well. It gladdens Geoffrey to hear Hailey laugh.

“Director Wilson, the meeting is about to start. Everyone is already waiting for you.”

Hailey picked up a female voice in the background. She recognized Geoffrey’s secretary.

“Alright. I don’t want to keep you away from your work. I will call from time to time from now on to hear the progress of the injured workers. I wanted to meet them. I will try to visit soon.”

“Okay, Hail. See you soon, then? I have to go now to start the meeting.”

After a bid of goodbye to each other, Hailey ends the call. She heaves a long sigh to lighten the worries she felt at the moment.

She needs to go home soon to make sure that everything is alright. Even if Geoffrey assures her to take care of the matters, it was her sole responsibility to make sure that her men are working seriously and the accident won’t happen again. And Bryan is not exempted from this matter.

She needs to visit Australia to meet the injured workers and call for a Board Meeting. But what excuse can she tell Vince?

‘Ugh! Pit should hurry his investigation and find Eva!’

~ ~ ~

When Hailey came back to her friends, they noticed the sadness in her eyes. The three girls exchange glances. It was Hazel who could not behave, not to ask what bothers her.

“Hail, what happened? You were gloomy after you made a call. Is there some problem with your family?”

Hailey nodded. She pursed a sad smile and said, “Just a minor accident,” she said.

“Are you sure that’s all?”

Hailey smiled. “Yes. It’s all right. I feel my aunt’s sadness.” She lied. But she has no other choice.

Honestly, she doesn’t want to lie to her friends. But it’s not the right time to tell them the truth. Maybe time would come…

~~~

Now their field activity in the afternoon ended, it’s time to go back to N University.

Hazel and her friends plan to have dinner in a fast-food restaurant near the university before heading home, but Hailey refuses as she has to make dinner for Vince.

Hailey sent Vince a message to ask him what time he will come home. She also includes her message that she might be home late, as maybe they’ll be stuck in traffic on their way back.

However, instead of a reply, Hailey’s phone rang. Vince is calling her. She was lining up to climb onto the bus. She excused herself and took a distance to answer Vince’s call.

“Hello?”

“Hi… Are you going back to the city now?”

Hailey could sense something different in Vince’s voice. It hints to her that Vince is not in a good mood. So then, she cheerfully replied, “Yes! The bus is leaving soon.”

“Great timing. I’ll be there in about five minutes.”

“Huh? Do you mean?” ‘Vince is picking me up? No. Vince is coming to the resort!’

It surprised her a bit. He is too busy at work, and this place is outside the central city, it’s far from his company. Maybe just a coincidence, and he is nearby.

‘Or maybe, he needs me to escort him for a dinner meeting with his business partners? Or… Ah!’

She doesn’t want to assume, but she has a bad feeling. Vince came because of what happened earlier.

Honestly, she has all these ideas because Vince has no reason to act like a real boyfriend unless for a show-off purpose that would reach the media or let someone recognized her as Vincent Shen’s girlfriend.

“Hailey, come on!” Liza calls out to her after all the students now inside the bus.

Hailey turned around to face Liza while pointing the finger at her phone. Liza figures out that it was Vince on the phone. Not that long; a black sports car is coming toward Hailey.

A worried look in her eyes flash for a moment, then she pursed a smile on her lips, staring at the car parked in front of her.

She bit her lower lip, settled her heartbeat. Vince didn’t drive his Maybach coming here. Instead, it was his latest black Lamborghini Aventador.

And because she was standing across the parking lot, opposite the school buses, all eyes were like watching a romance drama whom the FL picked up by the ML.

Suddenly, everyone took out their phone to take a photo. However, on the bus where the first-year college students, Hazel casually coughs and says…

“If you don’t want to face the consequences, I better delete it.”

Everyone growled in protest. But they know better that they could not post it on their social media and spread gossip.

Meanwhile, Hailey could still not believe that Vince is picking her up. She keeps convincing herself that maybe he has some business matter in the resort or something.

She holds her breath when the car door opens, and Vince gets out.

Hailey hid her emotion when Vince walked toward her.

She gathered her thoughts in one place to prepare herself. She knew the game. When they were in public as this, she must do her act.

“Hi! You’re here!” Pursed a sweet smile across her lips. Hailey held her breath when Vince lowered his head and kissed her left cheek.

‘Of course, it’s for a show.’ Hailey reminds herself.

Hailey blushed when Vince scanned her from the head down to her shoes. She did not perceive that Vince would pick her up today, and so she didn’t think of an excuse to give him.

Vince knew that these are not the clothes she wore when she left home this morning. But why does she have to change her clothes?

Well, it was better than seeing her look earlier. Gladly, she still has extra clothes left in the suite that belongs to Vince in this resort. She got to shower and changed into a comfortable dress, replacing her pink Converse shoes, now wore a green stiletto.

“Um… About the clothes…” Hailey attempts to explain, but she stops talking when Vince raises a hand.

His eyes sweep to the three buses that park across them. Later, the bus one by one left the resort. On the second bus, Hazel, Nadia, and Liza wave at her. Hailey nodded and waved back to her friends.

Everyone didn’t hide their curiosity—every pair of eyes staring at them when the busses pass them.

Now that they were alone in the parking area, Hailey even brightened her smile.

“So? It’s time for us to go as well?”

The uneasiness she felt was still there. Now that no one is around, Vince’s smiles disappear from his face and replace it with a serious expression.

‘He’s truly mad, does he?’ Hailey thought.

She doesn’t need to guess. She’s certain that someone in the resort reported to him what happened earlier.