Chapter 48
As Myra and Henry looked up, they saw a slender woman standing at the other end of the fountain. Although she was in her late thirties, the woman looked barely thirty, her elegance only matched by the visible worry and sorrow in her expression. Myra instinctively felt that the woman was carrying some heavy burden.
Meanwhile, inside the mansion, Tony had just arrived. A maid quickly took his coat from him and handed him a pair of indoor slippers.
“Young Master Tony, Old Master Hart has been waiting for you in the study,” she informed him before retreating to the kitchen.
Tony knocked on the study door, and a loud voice called from inside, “Wait at the door!”
Though the voice was old, it still held a powerful edge, and it was clear from the tone that the person on the other side wasn’t in the best of moods.
Tony raised an eyebrow but did as instructed. He stood by the door without taking another step.
After finishing his calligraphy, Old Master Sebastian finally glanced toward the door. Realizing that his youngest grandson was waiting obediently, his foul mood, which had persisted all day due to recent news, lifted a little. Without looking directly at Tony, he grumbled, “Enter.”
Tony stepped inside, unfazed.
Sebastian dried his ink and placed a paperweight on the table, clearly uninterested in sparring with Tony. Instead, he got straight to the point. “Do you know the Young Lady from the Hay Family?”
Tony frowned slightly but maintained his casual demeanor. “Which Hay Family?”
Sebastian shot him a glare. “Which other Hay Family do you think I mean?”
Tony smirked, his eyes narrowing. “Bradfort City is a big place. There are probably many Hay families, and lots of people with the last name ‘Hay.’ How should I know which one you’re referring to?”
Sebastian’s face turned red with frustration. “You—Rascal!” he spat. “Of course, I mean the family that secured the Sunny Bay Project from the Hart Group! Do you know them?”
Tony paused, then gave a nonchalant smile. “Oh, you mean the Hay Group? I’ve heard of them, but I didn’t know they secured the Sunny Bay Project.”
Sebastian’s anger flared again. The old man from the Hay Group had just called, saying they were going to collaborate soon. He even thanked Tony for taking care of his granddaughter and wished the families well. Sebastian couldn’t help but wonder—when had Tony become so involved with the Hay Family? Why was he personally handling such a small project, especially one that involved a plagiarism issue?
Sebastian had quickly called Mr. Logan from the Project Department at Hart Group. The objective facts confirmed the involvement of the Hay Group and the Chase Group in the Sunny Bay Project, with a designer from the Chase Group implicated in the plagiarism case.
Putting it all together, Sebastian’s suspicions grew. Why would Tony involve himself in something like this unless it was for the Young Lady of the Hay Family? With his eldest grandchild, Serena, facing a divorce, Sebastian’s mood had already been sour. But this new piece of news brightened his spirits, albeit slightly. He hadn’t even told his wife before he confirmed the authenticity of the call and quickly summoned Tony to speak with him.
But as soon as Tony entered, Sebastian’s face darkened when he saw Tony’s dismissive attitude.
“What is this? Tony, you’re no longer young. Do you still think you can play hard to get with these young ladies?” Sebastian growled.
“What if she’s scared away by you?” he continued. “I’ve looked into it—although the Hart Family doesn’t match our wealth, this young lady is decent, kind, and has good grades. Even when others copied her work, she didn’t report them. She forgave them generously. That’s what matters most.”
Tony raised an eyebrow at the mention of Sasha. He already had an inkling of what his grandfather was implying. His eyes narrowed, and he asked, “Grandpa, are you suggesting that I like her?”
Sebastian scoffed. “You eagerly took over this project for the Young Lady of the Hay Family, didn’t you? Don’t pretend otherwise in front of me!”
Seeing that Sebastian was satisfied with his own conclusion, he took a few sips of tea, letting the warmth relax him. “So, when’s the wedding? Have you picked a date yet? If not, tell your grandma. It’s time for our family to celebrate.”
Tony gave Sebastian a mocking smile. He stepped forward, knocking on the table in front of him. “Who told you that I took over this project for someone from the Hay Family?”
Sebastian frowned, obviously confused. “Isn’t that why? You took over because you like the young lady, right? You’re not interested in the project, I’m sure!”
Tony’s eyes flickered as he looked at the calligraphy on the table, the word ‘Hay’ standing out. “It’s true that I’m not interested in this project,” he said coldly. “But the Young Lady of the Hay Family isn’t good enough for me.”
Sebastian’s face flushed with anger. “You!” His chest heaved as he struggled to maintain composure.
Tony’s indifference was unmistakable, his stoic expression giving nothing away.
Unwilling to give up, Sebastian asked, “So you’re not interested in her? Really? Why then did you take such special care of the Hay Family?”
Tony chuckled, a bitter edge to his voice. “I didn’t know I’d been ‘taking care’ of them.”
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed in thought. “Then why did the Hay Family say that…?”
Suddenly, he slammed his fist on the table. “That old fool!”
He paused, considering everything. It became clear to him why the Hay Family had given him such an ambiguous answer, but he was still unsure how Tony was involved.
“That Young Lady from the Hay Family seems like a good match for you. You’re not getting any younger, Tony. You’ve been in contact with her these past few days—why don’t you—”
“In your dreams!” Tony snapped, turning to leave.
Now that he knew why he’d been summoned, he had no intention of staying any longer.
Sebastian’s face alternated between shades of green and white as his grandson’s retreating figure disappeared from the room.
Outside, the woman approached Henry, scanning him up and down. “Why did you suddenly run out here? Do you know how worried Mommy and Great-grandma are?”
Seeing his red eyes, her expression softened with exhaustion. “Henry… I’m sorry…”
“Mommy…” Henry clung to her clothes with his tiny fingers, his heart heavy as he noticed her sadness. Though he was still struggling to accept the news of his parents’ divorce, he could see the pain in her eyes and felt the weight of it too.