Chapter 498
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Durif understood what Harris was really saying. He smiled, then headed off with Harris to mingle with their old buddies.
Most of Durif’s old friends from back in the day showed up today.
Seeing Harris and Durif head off, Daron didn’t make his way over to Hayley either.
Since he’d already handed it over to Bette to deal with, he definitely wasn’t going to interfere.
The instant Hayley hit the ground, her eyes went straight to Daron. But he didn’t care at all about what was happening. He didn’t even glance her way. She knew that Bette was telling the truth.
Daron had known about her selling off the jewelry for a long time.
Hayley thought about how she’d kept pushing Daron about Zara lately, always reminding him of the favors she’d done for him in the past.
She figured Daron must be sick of her by now.
And what she pulled today had probably made him lose all faith in her.
Hayley bit down on her lip hard. Her eyes locked onto Bette, stubborn defiance burning in her gaze.
A smile tugged at Bette’s lips as she spoke. “Aunt Hayley, you accepted my apology without any guilt. Did you ever imagine you’d end up like this?”
Hayley didn’t say a word. She simply got up and tried to leave.
Bette called out to her in a serious tone, “Aunt Hayley, since things have come to this, I don’t want Daron to keep being held hostage by your so–called kindness.
“I’m also worried that once you walk out of here, you’ll spread rumors that he’s ungrateful and that the Blanchard family did you dirty. So don’t go yet. Let’s put everything on the table and talk it out.”
Hayley froze, her steps faltering.
Bette strolled up to Hayley with a smile, then turned to Genny.
“Mrs. Wright, I know you and my aunt are close, so make sure you catch every word I’m about to say,” Bette said.
“Back then, when the Blanchard family sent Aunt Hayley to the Zamora mansion, it wasn’t to marry my dad. She was sent there to look after Daron.
“Aunt Hayley isn’t actually related by blood to the Blanchard family. We’re only distantly related and just happen to have the same surname. And we didn’t force her to go to the Zamora mansion. It was her own request.”
As soon as Bette finished speaking, people started whispering among themselves.
Genny looked at Hayley in shock.
They’d been pretty close over the years.
Genny also knew that Leo’s secretary, who was also his lover, was always by his side.
Back when Wilhelmina was still alive, she could never get the upper hand against Hayley.
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Chapter 498
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When the Blanchard family sent Hayley to the Zamora mansion, Genny’s first thought was that Hayley must’ve been forced
into it.
After all, Hayley was still so young when she married Leo.
No one wanted to be a stepmother, especially when her husband had a lover stashed away outside, and she had to play mother to a kid who wasn’t even hers by blood.
Back then, everyone felt sorry for Hayley, thinking that the Blanchard family had sacrificed her.
But nobody expected that it was actually Hayley’s own request.
All these years, Hayley had been milking it for sympathy in front of Genny.
Whenever she talked about how tough things were when she first got to the Zamora mansion, she’d tear up, making all the ladies feel sorry for her.
It turned out that she’d been lying the whole time.
Hayley looked at Bette, her lips trembling, and retorted, “Bette, what are you trying to say? Are you going to deny all that I’ve done for Daron all these years?
“Have I ever mistreated Daron? Go ahead, call Daron over and ask him. If he says I ever failed him, I’ll own up to it.”
Bette just smiled, not letting Hayley steer the conversation.
“Aunt Hayley, no one’s ever denied your efforts, and no one’s ever called you out for your manipulations,” Bette said.
“When Daron was in trouble over in Frency, even though you were busy selling off my mom’s things and planning your escape, Daron never blamed you. But you shouldn’t have tried to ruin the lives of those close to him with nasty gossip.
“You did that because you wanted Daron to turn against Marina, just so you could get Zara to take her spot.”
Hayley’s expression froze.
Genny frowned, immediately addressing Hayley, “Hayley, you’re really foolish. Zara’s just your adopted daughter. Why go to such lengths for her? Even if you’re not Daron’s biological mother, he’s always considered you family.”
Over the years, Hayley had been buying jewelry sets one after another.
Even the other ladies wouldn’t dare splurge like that.
But Hayley never even blinked when she bought jewelry.
Sometimes, they couldn’t help but envy Hayley for having someone like Daron backing her up.
Bette sidled up to Genny with a grin.
“Aunt Hayley isn’t Daron’s biological mother, but she is Zara’s,” Bette explained.
Hayley had been trying so hard to keep it together, but when she heard Bette say that, she completely broke down inside.
She went quiet, like someone waiting for the axe to fall.
Seeing her like that, Bette’s voice stayed cool and distant.
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Chapter 498
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“Aunt Hayley, Daron was already willing to let you go. I wasn’t even planning to bring all this up, but you just couldn’t leave well enough alone,” Bette said.
“In that case, let’s have everyone here judge for themselves. Was it really the Blanchard family who did you wrong, or did your own ambition just get too big?”
Hayley didn’t say a word. She kept searching the crowd for Daron. She knew Bette would never let her off the hook. Daron was the only one who might still show her some mercy.
But no matter how hard she looked, Daron was nowhere to be seen.
Hayley felt utterly hopeless.
She took a deep breath, deciding that she had nothing left to lose.
“Yeah, my ambition grew out of control, but where did it start? Wasn’t it the Blanchard family who fed it from the very beginning?” Hayley snapped.
Wilhelmina and I are almost the same age. Why did she get to be the high–and–mighty heiress, while my parents and I were just the ones Durif helped out whenever he felt a pang of pity?
“Did we ever beg you for help? Why did you treat our lives like we were just some strays you threw a handout to whenever you felt like it?”
Tears slipped down Hayley’s cheeks, but when she looked at Bette, there was still that fierce defiance in her eyes.
Bette, you and your mother are both the same. Just impossible to like, and always so stubborn,” Hayley snapped.
“All these years, I’ve been living the life your mother used to have. Every time I see your face, every time I suppress you, I can’t help but think of her. Fate’s a tricky thing.”
As she said this, a weird, unsettling smile spread across Hayley’s face.
“She died, and then it was my turn. I just took my shot and clawed my way up, so what’s so wrong with that?
“You’re all business people, right? You know how this works. Bette, don’t tell me you’ve never scrambled for a chance to move up. Deep down, I’m really no different from any of you.
“You guys just got lucky, being born with a silver spoon, so you’re always trying to crush people like me, who are just hustling to get ahead.
“All I ever wanted was for my daughter, and her kids, to have a shot at the kind of life you all were born into.”
As Hayley spoke, her voice turned shrill, almost hysterical. “Was I wrong? How was I wrong?”
Bette’s brows knitted tight. She was honestly stunned by Hayley’s crazy talk.
Everyone else looked at Hayley in shock, thinking she’d gone mad.
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