“Why don’t you go lend a hand outside?”
“Got it,” Brady answered with a grin. Then he faced the Hayes couple and gave a polite nod.
“Mr. Hayes, Mrs. Hayes, I’ll excuse myself for now.”
“I’ll come along too!”
Together, Brady and Colleen left the room, his fingers laced with hers.
“Seems like everything went well.”
Grinning, Colleen stuck her tongue out playfully.
“Hadley really went all in today. She took her role as your big sister seriously.”
Brady gave a quiet nod and smiled.
“That’s just how she is. When she’s on her own, she finds a way to be even stronger. I know she’s always in my corner.” With a gentle squeeze of her hand, he added, “Now that we’ve gotten through the tough part, how about you show me around and introduce me to everyone?”
“I can do that… but give me a second. I need to hit the restroom first.”
“No rush. I’ll wait right here.”
Brady stopped near the restroom door and leaned against the wall, keeping an eye on the hallway while he waited. Just then, his phone started ringing. The caller ID lit up with one name—his mother, Noreen.
Brady saw the caller ID but chose not to pick up. Instead, he slipped the phone back into his pocket. A second later, a message notification lit up the screen. The sender was the same—Noreen.
“Brady, where are you? Did you recently transfer the Lanwan villa to Colleen?”
Brady skimmed the message without reacting, then tucked the phone away just as Colleen returned.
“All set!”
With a warm smile, Brady reached for her hand.
“Alright. Let’s go.”
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At the same time, outside the gates of the Hayes residence, Noreen was being blocked by the guards.
“Ma’am, entry is restricted. We need to see an invitation.”
“Invitation?” Noreen snapped, clearly irritated. All her attempts to contact Brady had failed.
“My son is inside! I’ve been trying to reach him!”
“That won’t change anything! If you keep causing trouble, we’ll be forced to call the police. Please leave immediately!”
As darkness settled in, the banquet was set into full motion.
For most of the night, Brady remained by Colleen’s side. Now that the Hayes family had openly acknowledged them, there was no need to hide anything anymore.
Away from the crowd, Ernest found a quiet spot in the garden and took a seat. Moments later, Hadley appeared beside him with a small plate.
“You’ve been on your feet all evening. Take a break and eat something.”
“Alright,” Ernest replied with a nod, taking the food without fuss. Ernest didn’t say much while he ate—his silence felt natural, even calming.
“Here, drink some water, too,” Hadley said gently, holding out a glass.
“Thanks.”
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