His Contractual Mistress

'He is really that mad at me?' Hailey thought. 'What should I do now? How could I earn Vince's forgiveness? It seems like my cooking style won't work this time.'

Heaving a helpless sigh, Hailey strides toward the kitchen, gets an apron, and starts thinking about what dinner she could make for Vince.

Later, Hailey remembers she bought a Salmon yesterday. She decides... 'I'll bake a Salmon for Vince's dinner!'

With excitement crept toward her chest, she prepared all the ingredients she needed. After she mixed them into a bowl, she spread it all over on top of the Salmon. She also adds other vegetables in the rectangular glass container before she puts them in the oven. 

Next, she made crab and corn soup. It will be cold later, but if he doesn't like to have dinner together... 'Then let him preheat it for himself.' Hailey mumbled to her head with a pout.

'What dessert should I prepare for him? Is he even fond of sweets?' Hailey mused. Vince eats the carrot cake and banana muffins she made last time. 'Maybe a cookie? With lots of chocolate chips! That would be best with brewed coffee!'

Preparing the cookie ingredients, Hailey continues pondering if what she could do that Vince forgives her.

'Ugh. So hard to coax an old man.'

Not her dad, though. She will hug him and put on some sweet words; her dad would forget her mistakes. But Vince is only a stranger person to her. It will take a while before she could soften his rough treatment toward her.

'Ah, whatever.' She'll work well in the next few days and behave. Maybe Vince will forget what she did.

When she's done, Hailey placed all the food on the table. She ate quietly alone. After that, she wrapped the dishes with transparent cellophane.

She didn't eat any salmon, but she makes herself some pasta and lasagna. She left the salmon untouched. And yes! It was her way of peace offering to him.

As the night gets older, Hailey is pacing back and forth inside her bedroom. She couldn't hear any movement yet. So Hailey assumes Vince hasn't come out from the Study to have dinner. She looks at her phone, and it's past ten o'clock.

'He's skipping dinner again? Or he's really that mad to starve himself because he doesn't want to see me?'

'Wait… and why would I think of these matters? Do we even are a real couple? Why do I worry too much? Ah, whatever! If he wanted to starve himself, then fine!'

Sulking, Hailey climbed on her bed and tucked inside her quilt. She taps on her phone to play her playlists to doze off. The digital clock awakened her the following day.

Hailey rushed to the bathroom and washed. She made a quick movement around her bedroom that her knee kicks the stool in front of her dresser.

'Shot! Ouch...' Dang, she never gets up this early every single day. She never took a shower for less than thirty minutes, either every day!

She's not complaining, though. She's only upset that he is ignoring her this long after she apologized.

Hailey came out of her bedroom, exactly as Vince went out of his room. Suddenly, an awkward silence past her thoughts, she forgets to utter a greeting. Vince turned his back on her without saying a word either, Hailey stammered. "I will make a quick breakfast."

"I will have one in the office."

'Seriously? And whose employees are going to his company at this hour? Even his assistants and secretaries are still enjoying the warmth of their beds!' Hailey mused. 'Is he going to avoid me? I don't mind, and he has the right to ignore me. But he should not miss his meals and starve himself!' Hailey pouted. She couldn't make another remark when Vince went straight to the door and left just like that.

'Who's going to serve him breakfast? Is he planning to stop by in a restaurant? Then what's the difference if he'll let me make him a quick breakfast? He's only wasting money!'

'Ah! Why am I stressing myself? He's old enough, duh!'

But on second thoughts, it gives her a brilliant realization. When she returns to Australia, she must look into her employees' attendance and add rewards to those who come early, and give awards to those diligent workers. She must take note of that!

Well, since Vince left and her class is in the afternoon. She'll go back to sleep.

Hailey dropped her body back to the bed and rolled around. After two minutes, she sat up and rushed to the kitchen.

'Ahh! I should not just sit around!'

After three hours, she is all ready! Hailey trotted her Ferrari, squeezing the traffic while tapping her palms on the steering wheels, singing while driving.

'Dang! What insane traffic! How do people survive not being late every day?' She couldn't help complain because she missed driving a two hours' distance, which she would go down in just less than 40 minutes.

Now she's seated in front of the steering wheel for half an hour. And the distance from Vince's office and the penthouse, she could drive it for at least twelve minutes with the speed of Aparte.

Hailey glanced at the bag in the passenger seat. She breathes in and releases it. 'This man... He really makes me work like this!'

But things must be under control. So, she has to endure it until then. Hailey mused. Finally, the traffic is moving, Hailey has a smooth drive on the next avenues. Before coming into the office, she already texted Tim that she has something to give for Vince.