Dennis Hale quickly put down his chopsticks and held his wife’s shoulders, urging, "Didn’t we agree? Let’s talk things through, why are you so angry?"
Hailey Hale’s gaze withdrew, and she continued eating with a sullen face, pretending nothing had happened.
Paige stared at her daughter, anger rising involuntarily, only calming down after a while.
After dinner, Hailey Hale stood up and said, "Dad, Mom, I’m already 20 years old. I won’t be living at home forever. I don’t have to stay at Finn Morgan’s place; I can live at school or my own apartment."
With that, she turned and left.
"What kind of attitude is this?" Paige hurriedly stood up, "Dad and Mom are doing this for your own good! Do you know Finn Morgan has a fiancée?"
"What does his fiancée have to do with me?" Hailey Hale stopped at the door and turned her gaze.
Paige widened her eyes, "So it’s true?"
"What’s true or false?" She also became a bit confused with anger, "I’ve grown up! Can you give me some space? Do I not even have the right to make friends?" ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel[f]ire.net
She turned and went into the living room, quickly headed upstairs.
Paige was so angry that her chest hurt, "Honey, look at her, she won’t admit it! She’s living at someone else’s house but still won’t admit it!"
"Alright, alright." Dennis Hale hugged her shoulder, "With your temper, I should have talked to her. Maybe she’d tell me something."
After Hailey Hale went upstairs, she found the bedroom already tidied up, the sheets neatly spread and the quilt folded perfectly.
The white carpet felt very comfortable underfoot; Sister May had already helped her remove the mites.
The glass display was filled with the snacks she usually liked, placed neatly. This small detail surprised her slightly.
Hailey Hale turned her gaze, only to see Sister May standing at the door, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated, "Miss, this was specially prepared by Madam; she really loves you."
"Please tell my mom," her tone softened considerably, "I’ll say it one last time: Finn Morgan and I are really just friends. If she doesn’t believe it, there’s nothing I can do."
"Yes, you rest early; I’ll definitely pass the message."
After Sister May left, Hailey Hale locked the bedroom door; she felt a void inside.
She took off her shoes and sat hugging her knees on the sofa by the window, staring into the night outside.
In an apartment at Celestial Heights.
After getting off work, Finn Morgan made himself a bowl of noodles and ate alone in the dining room.
The surroundings were especially quiet; without Hailey’s chatter, he found it uncomfortable, even his appetite was halved, and the air seemed to carry loneliness.
After finishing the noodles, Finn Morgan stood up and went into the master bedroom.
The girl’s presence was absent here too.
In the bright light, he came to the bed and stood still, reaching out to pull out the charger plugged in at the bedside, thinking how that girl seemed to have no sense of safety at all.
If a child put the other end of the cable in their mouth, it could be deadly.
He also found a long hair lying peacefully on the white pillow, looked at it for a while before pinching it and putting it back in the trash bin without disgust.
The phone rang; Finn Morgan took a look — it was Hailey Hale calling. His listless eyes brightened, and he hurriedly answered, "Hailey." His mood immediately lifted.
"I forgot to unplug the charger, can you do it for me?" The girl’s gentle voice passed over, sounding somewhat down.
"Are you okay?" Finn Morgan was alert, "Where are you?"
"I’m at home." Hailey Hale sighed lightly, "My mom misunderstood our relationship; starting today, we have to avoid suspicion. She’s very unhappy, thinking I dated someone without telling her."
"... ..." Avoid suspicion? What does that mean?
Finn Morgan’s eyes flashed with sadness, "I understand."
"My mom also slandered you, saying you have a fiancée." Hailey complained, "If we stay close , given my mom’s personality, who knows how she might slander you."
Something flickered in Finn Morgan’s eyes; did Hailey’s mom investigate him?
Hailey continued, "Anyway, thanks for letting me stay; please help me pack my things. I’ll come to pick them up when I’m free!"
Just as Finn Morgan was thinking of saying something, Hailey hung up.
The busy tone sounded from the other end of the phone; Finn had no choice but to put down the phone and walk towards the liquor cabinet...