His Contractual Mistress

A loud slap echoed in the room, followed Hailey's scream. "How could you!?" 

Bryan opens his mouth, but no words come out. His gaze lowered as he felt guilt for his actions. 

"I'm sorry, Hail. I just wanted to..." Bryan paused to raise his head and meet Hailey's furious eyes. It is understood that she's even mad at him after he attempted to kiss her. But he will explain himself. "Tell me, Hail. Did he already kiss you?" 

Hailey rendered speechlessly. Instead of replying to him, a realization came to her mind. And these thoughts saddened her. 

"And why do you ask, Bryan? It would be none of your business if I kissed someone!" She sneered at him. The tiny thread that is holding her patience has finally cut out. She won't play with his game anymore! 

She's not the naive girl she was before who doesn't understand what romance is. Love shouldn't be manipulating! 

"Get out," she told Bryan, pointing at the door. 

In these two days since she came back to Dream City, she somehow discovers what kind of man Bryan is. At first, she doesn't believe it, even after the heartbreak. 

But more and more, Bryan is showing his true color to her. No. He is already this kind of man, but she is blind to see it when she is naive back then. 

Then how if they got married, and she just discovered that he is this kind of a man? 

It seemed like his possessiveness will trap her in an unhealthy relationship. In the past, it made her happy every time he would tell her not to have a boyfriend or don't kiss a boy and don't believe in their sweet talks. 

But now he is the perfect example of these men! How ironic is that? 

Hailey gritted her teeth while looking at Bryan with stern. She blurts out, "I will not repeat myself, Bryan. Get out! And don't show me your face before me. I don't want to see you anymore!" 

Her voice was trembling. The tears in the corner of her eyes threaten to escape, but she won't allow it. She won't shed tears for him anymore! 

Hailey turned around and helplessly looked at the merry people below. Her eyes search for Vince. Finally, he found him chatting with Architect Lewis and her dad. 

She wants to run toward him and hide inside his arms, where she felt security that she has never been. 

"Hail..." Bryan reaches out for her arms. But she quickly shrugs her shoulder and steps backward.

"Don't touch me! I told you I don't want to see you anymore! Why don't you understand?!" 

"What's going on here?" 

Both Hailey and Bryan turned their heads in the direction of the door. Andre stepped inside and gave Bryan sharp glares. 

'What does he want from Hailey?'

He moves his gaze to the girl whose eyes are red. It looks like it came both from anger and tears that she holds not to fall. 

What is going on? Hailey does not quickly get upset or angry. It must be something Bryan did to her. Andre thought. 

"You heard Hailey, Bryan. Why are you still standing there? If she wants you to keep a distance, you should do it." Andre's voice is threatening, and Bryan should remember he is not joking around to give this warning. 

Bryan smiles bitterly. In the past, he is the one who is telling those men to stay away from her. He is the one who would threaten them and driven every guy who wants to be close to her. 

Ironically, he was the one who got the warning now.

Bryan looks at Hailey with pleading eyes. He regretted his action. Now it is even more difficult for him to coax Hailey. But he's willing to ask her forgiveness even if she will make things hard for him. 

And Hailey is right. First, he should fix himself and come clean. By then, maybe finally she'll forgive him. 

Bryan lowered his head. He left the room with both of his shoulders dropped on his sides. He looks pitiful, but Hailey's heart doesn't feel any pity toward him anymore. 

Everything is not the same as what it used to, and it saddened him to accept this truth because he's still living in the past. 

Whenever he showed up in front of her with bruises on his face, she almost cried while tending his wounds. She always had this innocent pity look on her face, twitching her mouth while murmuring, telling him not into a fight next time. 

Bryan reached for his left cheek. Hailey slaps him hard; he could feel the tingling sensation on his skin, and he deserves it, though. It's not enough payment for what he did. 

Yet, he scares her away, and the way she looks at him is fierce; she's even more furious than the last time. 

Andre breathed out the frustration inside his chest. Seeing Bryan tonight, he seemed to be losing his mind each day. But everything that happens to his relationship with Hailey is his very own doings. 

Once Bryan disappeared from the door, Andre turned around and looked at Hailey. He joined her standing near the window and noticed the emotion lingering in her eyes while she's watching in the hall below. 

"Are you okay?" Andre reached Hailey's back. He gently rubbed her shoulder as a gesture of comforting her. "It looks like Bryan keeps troubling you." 

She didn't reply but leaned her head on Andre's shoulder. 

"Andre, I wanted to be happy." 

He didn't understand what she meant by that. But if Hailey is talking about moving on from Bryan, then whoever causes her sadness should stay away from her. 

"What do you want to do about Bryan?" 

"He is still my business partner and the one who helped me build this dream into reality." Hailey looked up and went on. "Can I just go to the place where I could be happy?" 

Andre studied Hailey's face. He wanted to ask a question, but maybe he better keep it to himself. 

If Dream City didn't make her happy anymore, he could not stop her from leaving Australia again. 

Later on, Andre nodded. "Okay. If whatever makes you happy, now, Tom is preparing the plane. We are good to leave soon." 

"Thank you, Andre. I want to bid goodbye to dad." 

"Alright. Sit here." Andre gently pushes Hailey on the chair. He bent on the floor and picked up her hat, and put it back on her head. "I'll fetch your dad." 

Hailey nodded and pursed her lips into a thin smile. The sparks on her eyes are now disappearing, unlike the time when she arrived. Not only that, she looks gloomy again. 

Andre clenches his fists. He could not make Hailey share what happened a while back. But he believes it's not just an argument, and he knew what he must do to find it out. 

Walking down the hallway, Andre phoned James and relays his message for his brother-in-law. After then, he went to the Security Room and watched the footage. 

"Bryan!" Andre tightens his jaw upon watching the recorded video from the security camera installed in the room where Hailey stays during the party. 

He marches to the hall and searches for the guy. James noticed him, and he could tell that he is in a foul mood. 

'And who dares to upset this wolf?' James mumbled while walking toward Andre. 

"What's up, dude?" 

"Did you see, Bryan?" Andre asked James the moment the guy got near him. 

"I think I saw him moments ago walking toward the veranda. What's going on?" James may look serious when he talked to Andre, but in the back of his head is someone eager to hear some gossip tonight. 

"Get your car and wait for us at the entrance." 

Andre didn't explain anything, and so James is confused. "Huh? Why?" 

"Just do it. How about moving your ass now?" 

James blinks, remain to stare at Andre. He knew how fierce this guy was when he got angry. And the way how firmed his tone is, it looks like someone is going to die tonight. 

'Who's unlucky ba...tard is this?' 

*

Meanwhile, Jacob is knocking on the door, but no one is answering. He pushes it open and looks for his daughter, but the room is quiet. 

"Maybe she is in the powder room," Jacob mumbled to himself. He sat down on the French chaise and waited for Hailey. 

Jacob is browsing his phone when a distinct voice is coming from the balcony. Hailey was on the phone, and she is talking with a sweet tone to whoever this person on the other line is. 

"I'm glad! Ah… I'm just missing you." 

On the other line, Vince could sense the sadness in Hailey's voice. 

"Did something happen?" He asked curiously. Although the agent paid to watch her, he didn't report anything to concern about. But still, it worries him. 

"Nothing. I'm just missing you." Her lame excuse. From her location, she could perfectly see Vince's silhouette standing outside on the Veranda. 

"I missed you too. I wish I could go back soon, but it will be busier for me from now on." 

Hailey replied, "I know. Don't worry about me. I am fine. It's just that I was in a perfect place, but…" I can't hold you. 

Vince is just meters away from her. They even look at the same skyline and the stars shining brightly tonight. 

"I wish you were here where I am." Vince groaned after a brief moment of silence from the other line. "The night sky would look more fascinating tonight." 

"I know. I am also looking at a beautiful skyline…" 

*

Jacob is eavesdropping on his daughter's conversation, and later, Jacob drops his jaw. 

'I love you?' His daughter told someone this!? Jacob stressed out. 

'Who's that ba...tard!?'