Chapter 1353
Before Cedric could lose his temper, Hailey grabbed his arm, peeking out from behind him. “So, that movie you did with the Hollywood actor was real?”
Antoine smirked, touching his nose. “What do you think…?”
Hailey guessed it was real, and Antoine snapped his fingers in approval. “Well guessed!”
Then Antoine’s gaze landed on Cedric. “I must say, your husband is quite the looker. Just my type.”
Hailey was about to ask how Antoine knew Cedric was her husband, but she noticed Antoine glancing at her belly before he left the room in his usual flamboyant style.
Antoine caught up with Bevis and Peterson, turning back to throw a flirtatious wink at Cedric. “Hey, my cousin Eleanor has my number. Give me a call, will ya?”
Cedric nearly gagged. “What a nutjob!”
Hailey, on the other hand, looked intrigued. “Honey, I wouldn’t mind if you two got together.”
Cedric cursed under his breath. “If I ever ended up with him, I’d rather castrate myself!”
Hailey pondered for a moment before responding. “Well, he might be gay, so even if you did…you could still be together.”
Cedric was too exasperated to argue. Hailey took his arm, cooing gently. “Mr. Laurence, I’m just joking. Don’t get mad.”
Cedric couldn’t resist Hailey’s charm. Her innocence always melted him. He wouldn’t dare get mad at her. He wrapped his arm around her waist, his tone authoritative. “Don’t ever go chasing after those disgusting celebs again.”
Hailey nodded, repeating her agreement three times. Only then did Cedric take her hand, the other carrying a casserole dish, and they entered the
room.
Once inside, Hailey, full of excitement, approached Eleanor. “Eleanor, Antoine just called you cousin. Are you really related?”
Eleanor had overheard their conversation outside and nodded, handing Hailey a document. “So it seems.”
After reading the document, Hailey patted Eleanor’s hand with a smile. “Eleanor, no wonder you have such a beautiful face. It’s in your genes!”
Eleanor tapped her forehead. “You only think I’m pretty because you’ve seen Antoine.”
Hailey waved her hands. “No, no, no. I’ve always thought you were beautiful. Much more than Antoine.”
The two of them chatted and laughed for a while before Hailey changed the subject. “Did they come here to claim you as family?”
Eleanor nodded. “I didn’t want to go back, so the brothers came to persuade me.”
Even though Hailey was a bit of a starstruck fan, she didn’t try to persuade Eleanor. “Whatever you decide, I won’t interfere. I only support you.”
Eleanor hugged her with a smile. “Hailey, you’re so good to me.”
Hailey hugged her back, comforting her. “Eleanor, it’s so great that you’ve finally found your family.”
Knowing where to go when it was time to return to one’s roots was comforting. But it made her feel a bit lost, knowing nothing about her own origins. Cedric saw her sadness and quickly intervened. “You’ve got me, and you’ve got Eleanor. That’s more than enough. Forget about those who abandoned you.”
Eleanor agreed with Cedric. “The orphanage director said your parents disguised themselves and left you there. They’ve effectively abandoned you, so you shouldn’t concern yourself with them.”
She touched Hailey’s belly. “You have me, you have Cedric, and soon a baby. We’re your family. That’s all you need.”
Hailey nodded, her gloominess fading. “Let’s not talk about such depressing things. Let’s eat.”
Before coming, Hailey had prepared some dishes and a pot of chicken broth to help Eleanor regain her strength. Now, Cedric was serving the food, observing Eleanor’s reactions as he did.
Cedric carefully broached the subject of her recent divorce from Bernard, his brother. “Eleanor, you’re still my family. And Bernard…he loves you. He wouldn’t abandon you.”
Eleanor managed a smile, despite the pain she felt at the mention of Bernard. “I know.”
Relieved, Cedric continued. “So…when he comes back safe and sound, could you give him a chance to explain?”
Eleanor simply nodded, her expression unreadable. “I will.”
