Chapter 8

The first thing Hayden saw when he opened his eyes was Jenny sitting on top of him. There was an excited smile on her delicate face. She looked different now compared to how Hayden remembered her. The childish look that Jenny had before had faded away. She had grown into a beautiful lady, with a beautiful appearance and figure. Her almond-shaped eyes stared straight into Hayden's. "You're all grown up now. You shouldn't sit on me like this anymore," he reminded Jenny while shaking his head. "No way! I used to sit on you all the time! And I still want to!" Jenny pouted and wrapped her arms around Hayden. Her face pressed against his, and her legs were coiled around him as if she feared that he would leave. Ever since Hayden had left, Jenny had been constantly sad. She had wanted to go to find him, but her parents had stopped her every time. After all, when Hayden was in the Sterlings' care, they were basically people from two different worlds. Even when Jenny had gone to find Hayden on her own, the Sterlings had chased her away. So, she had not seen him for three years. Hayden gently ruffled Jenny's hair and reassured her, "Jenny, I won't be leaving again. Don't worry." "Really?" Jenny lifted her head. "I've never lied to you," Hayden said to her sincerely while gazing into her eyes. Hearing that, Jenny let go of him and jumped up and down around the room in excitement. "Yay!" Hayden couldn't help but laugh as he shook his head. Just then, Serena's voice came from outside the room. "It's time for breakfast!" Hayden and Jenny left the room. After getting ready, Hayden joined the family at the dining table and started eating. Breakfast was simple, with just some bacon and scrambled eggs as well as tomatoes on the side. Still, it felt like a feast to Hayden. After all, he never had a proper meal like that back at the Sterling residence. "After breakfast, let's go get you some new clothes. You didn't have any clothes in your suitcase, so I'm guessing you didn't bring any back from that house." Serena had wanted to help Hayden wash his clothes, only to find out that he had hardly brought any belongings back with him. After discussing with James, they assumed that Hayden had not brought back anything from the Sterlings, further confirming his determination to cut ties with the Sterlings. "I want to go too!" Jenny quickly chimed in. She was eager to hang out with Hayden. Serena glared at her and scolded, "You just started school, yet you already want to slack off? Focus on your studies!" Jenny pouted and replied unhappily, "I just want to spend more time with Hayden." "It's fine. Today's a holiday. Let her take a break and have some fun. It will be a reward for her good results at school," James persuaded with a chuckle. "You spoil her too much… But alright." Serena shook her head and gave in. Watching their interaction, Hayden couldn't help but smile. He could feel the atmosphere of a real family with them. "Hayden, I'm one of the top ten students at my school! Are you proud of me?" Jenny hugged and shook his arm enthusiastically. "That's amazing, Jenny! I have to learn from you and work harder so that I can catch up to your achievements," Hayden said with a laugh. He knew that he had to start preparing for his college entrance exams that were only a month away. After breakfast, James left for work. Serena and Jenny began getting ready to dress up for their shopping trip. Meanwhile, Hayden moved his luggage and backpack into his bedroom. He was preparing to leave when he noticed that there were more than ten missed calls on his phone. Several of them were from Julia, but he also noticed another familiar number. It was Anna Sterling's number. She was the third daughter of the Sterlings. "Anna…" Hayden muttered. Sadness flashed briefly in his eyes. When he lived at the Sterling residence, Francis and Charlotte had been distant and cold toward Hayden. His eldest sister, Julia, was always busy with the company's affairs and hadn't really cared about him either. His second sister, Lily, was openly hostile like Morgan, and she had always belittled and abused Hayden. But Anna was a little different from them. She was the smartest one in the family. She had gotten into the top university, Brighton University, and became the pride of the household. Although she had never actively insulted or bullied Hayden, she had never offered him much care either. But that was mostly because she had not spent much time at home. She should be busy with her final year of college and preparing to pursue her master's degree. So, why had she called him? After a moment of hesitation, Hayden decided not to return the call. He had already cut ties with the Sterlings, so he had the right to refuse whatever reason she had for contacting him. After settling his belongings, Hayden headed to the mall with Serena and Jenny. … Meanwhile, Julia and Anna were at the Sterling residence. "He still hasn't answered your calls?" Julia asked. Her expression was sharp, and her brows were furrowed slightly. Anna sighed and put her phone down. "No. He's not picking up." She was dressed in a black tracksuit that accentuated her youthful energy. Her beauty was undeniable, and it was no less than her sisters'. Anna had returned that morning to pick up some documents, only to come across the drama that had unfolded at the Sterling residence. "It's been one whole night. If he doesn't come back by today, I don't think he'll be coming back at all," Anna said, her words hinting at something. Julia paused. "What do you mean?" she asked in confusion. Anna shrugged and replied, "He's always been under pressure here. This might be his breaking point. What makes you think he'll come back?" "This is his home. He would have a lot in the future if he stayed with the family. Why wouldn't he come back?" Julia sounded genuinely puzzled. Anna pursed her lips and said nothing. Although she had not spent much time at home, she wasn't blind to how poorly the Sterlings treated Hayden. Anna had always thought that Hayden was just a useless pushover, so she had not really cared about him. But the incident from last night, where Hayden had severed ties with the Sterlings so decisively, surprised her. His actions had completely changed her impression of him. "Just say what you're thinking. We don't have time to waste. If Hayden doesn't come back, Mom and Dad will be furious. You don't want to know what they will do then. "Besides, this involves Morgan as well. He's upset about this. We'll have another problem to deal with if he ends up leaving home too," Julia said, analyzing the situation. Usually, she would be able to solve any issue she came across. After all, she was someone who called the shots in Sterling Group. When it came to tricky matters, she wouldn't look for her parents for assistance. Instead, she would go to Anna for advice to solve her doubts. It wasn't surprising since everyone knew that Anna was the smartest among the Sterlings. She was also the only one who had gotten into Brighton University. Anna sighed helplessly in response. She found what Julia had said to be ridiculous. "So, you want him to come back?" Anna asked. "Of course! He carries the Sterling family name. If he doesn't come back, he'll be an embarrassment out there. And if he publicizes his relationship with us, it'll cause a scandal and damage our family's reputation," Julia stated coldly. "And you want him back just to keep mistreating him?" Anna shot back in an unimpressed tone.