Chapter 35 - Bar Night
The footsteps coming down the stairs made the two people on the sofa look up at the same time.
Hayes called out to the housekeeper.
The housekeeper came out of the kitchen immediately. "Young heir."
Hayes, playing the master of the house to the fullest, said, "Brew a pot of green tea."
Xander's eyebrow ticked up. He couldn't shake the feeling there was a hidden message in those words. Was this guy calling him a fake innocent?
"Right away." The housekeeper disappeared back into the kitchen.
Hayes sat on the opposite sofa.
Victor glanced at him, then smiled at Xander. "Xander, this is your brother. It's been a while since you two last saw each other."
Xander was excellent at playing the good kid. He looked at Hayes and called out warmly, "Brother."
Hayes looked like he'd swallowed a fly. Disgusted. Nauseated. He pressed his lips together. "My family's household registry has only one name on it. Mine. No brother."
Xander's eyelashes fluttered, as if hurt. He looked helplessly at Victor.
Victor didn't see this son often. Distance bred novelty. He looked at Hayes with disapproval and lectured earnestly, "Hayes, no matter how you spin it, Xander is your biological brother. How can you talk like that?"
"Biological brother? What biological brother?" Hayes's hand at his side slowly clenched. His tone was ice cold, eyes fixed on the pitiful act. "My mother had only one child. Me."
"I'm sorry." Xander took a deep breath and stood up, bowing to Victor. "You're busy. I'll go. I won't come bother you again."
A classic tactical retreat.
One he'd learned from Lily.
Lily couldn't survive without a man. In Xander's sixteen years, his mother had cycled through nearly twenty-plus boyfriends. Hardly any lasted a year. Plenty of them were married men. She was an expert at playing the victim, playing weak.
Victor stood quickly and caught Xander's arm. "Xander, sit. Sit."
Xander peeked carefully at Hayes's expression.
Noticing this, Victor's face darkened. "This is the Sterling house. I make the rules here. You're my child. Whether you're visiting or staying, you answer to no one's attitude."
Hayes felt like his heart had been ripped out and dropped into an ice cellar. The weather had barely turned to autumn, but he felt like he was standing in the dead of winter.
His mouth went tight. "What do you mean by that?"
"What do I mean? I'd like to ask you the same thing." Victor stared at him heavily. "No matter what, Xander is your brother. Look at your attitude."
"Brother?" Hayes let out a cold laugh and stood up. "I'll say it one last time. My mother had one child. Me. No brother."
Victor raised his hand.
The slap was about to fall. Hayes didn't dodge, didn't flinch. He only looked at Victor with disappointment.
Meeting his eyes, Victor hesitated a long time. The slap never came.
He gritted his teeth. "Your mother really raised a good son."
Hayes gave a cold laugh. "You don't get to bring her up right now."
He dropped that line and walked out.
He'd barely stepped out of the gate when he nearly collided with Luna.
Already in a foul mood, Hayes's expression darkened further. "What are you doing here?"
Oh.
This temper...
Looked like the love child had gotten under his skin.
Luna fought hard to suppress the urge to laugh. She made up a casual excuse. "I was going to ask if you'd come hang out with me tomorrow."
"No."
Probably fired up with nowhere to vent, Hayes stared coldly at Luna. His lips curled, tone razor-sharp. "I have zero interest in going out with you. A high-and-mighty heiress like you never sees anyone else's pain. You're really... insufferable."
Luna: "..."
She stared at Hayes in disbelief. Total shock. Not at all the hurt reaction he'd imagined.
"Are you out of your mind?!"
"Did I provoke you? Go wherever you want!" Luna swallowed the insult that almost slipped out. It wasn't time to burn bridges yet. She turned and left.
Hayes watched her back and scoffed, then hailed a cab and left.
New York had a famous bar street. Hayes walked down the street and picked a bar that was open even in the morning.
The vibe was nothing like the evening rush. No drowning in drink, no neon haze.
The music was quiet and raspy. The lighting dim. It gave off an extreme sense of relaxation.
He found a booth and ordered two bottles.
When Rory came out of the restroom, she had a call from Penny.
"Rory, are you coming home for lunch today?" Penny's voice was as gentle as ever.
Rory stood at the sink, looking at her waitress uniform in the mirror, and said sweetly, "Mom, I'm not coming back. They feed us here."
"If they feed you, that's good. That's good." Penny was relieved. "What time are you off this afternoon?"
"I'm off at five." Rory wheedled. "I want sweet and sour ribs for dinner."
"Yes, yes, yes." Penny said, "I'll go to the market and pick up some ribs."
Rory smiled sweetly. "Thanks, Mom."
Penny, completely charmed, said, "Tell me something. We don't lack for food or clothes. Why do you always go out working? It's exhausting."
At this, Rory wanted to sigh.
She clenched her fingers. All because of Luna. She now owed Hayes ninety thousand dollars.
Hayes had said she didn't need to pay it back, but her conscience wouldn't let it go.
She smiled, deliberately leaving out the debt. "I've got nothing better to do. I want to save up and buy Mom a gift."
"My sweet girl, you don't need to."
"I want to." Rory said, "I've got to go. Still busy."
"Okay, okay, okay." Penny hung up first.
Rory tucked her phone back in her pocket, straightened her uniform, and walked out.
The manager flagged her down. "Rory, come take these drinks to booth fourteen."
"Got it." Rory grabbed the serving cart and wheeled it to booth fourteen.
Booth fourteen was tucked away. Only one person inside.
The man was leaning back against the sofa, head tilted up slightly. Even in the dim light, you could see he was tall, with handsome features.
Rory thought he looked familiar. She parked the cart to the side and leaned in for a closer look, gasping. "Hayes? What are you doing here alone?"
Hearing his name.
Hayes, who'd already downed two bottles, finally stirred. He straightened slightly and looked through glassy, drunken eyes at the girl's fresh-faced face.
"Rory... Bennett?"