Chapter 81
Chapter 81
The weekend, more specifically Saturday, had approached faster than | had anticipated. Naturally, Hayley was already over the
moon about what today meant and | found her at my bedside at a time that was too early for a Saturday all bright eyes and
bushy tailed.
| opened the covers and invited her in hoping she would call back asleep for a few more hours at least just so | could some extra
sleep in but it was impossible. | could feel her stare at me and every time | dozed back of to sleep, Hayley would promptly
proceed to ask me a question ranging from yachts to how they operate to what was she going to wear today.
She was excited, to say the least, and | was thrilled about it but | just wanted a little bit of sleep for the weekend. Eventually, |
had given up trying to catch any sleep and allowed myself to be dragged by her down to the kitchen so we could get some
breakfast.
Coffee and a small bite was a must for me when | had just woken up and Hayley, being as observant as ever, picked up on that
and knew that getting me to the kitchen meant that the day couldmence and soon we would be all ready to
go.
“| want some cereal. The chocte one that’s crunchy.” She opted for that and | happily ced a bowl, spoon, and the milk along
with the cereal for her to eat.
| was in no mood to whip up pancakes or any thing of that sort this morning. As for me, | made a cup of coffee and enjoyed it with
a cranberry and dark chocte biscotti.
“Do you
think that there would be other kids there?” Hayley asked as she mixed her cereal about.
| paused with my cup in my hands. | didn’t think so and the chances of such a thing was rare unless the friends Scott had been
inviting had children of their own that they asked to bring along which was something | also doubted.
“I''m not too sure about that. | didn’t want to go at all because | like spending weekends with you but then Scott, the man who
owns the yacht, said that | should bring you along too.” | exined to her while she ced a spoonful in to her mouth and
shrugged her small shoulders.
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“It doesn’t matter. | just want to be on a yacht. | haven’t ever been on one.” Her eagerness to rectify that out wayed her
disappointment of having not yet experienced it.
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“I''m sure you''d enjoy yourself and imm be right by you.” | reassured her and she nodded.
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Scott''s yacht was leaving the docks at 11 a.m. The weather was pleasant for such an outing and activity which | confirmed by
taking a peak through the kitchen windows. All | could see were light blue skies and airy white clouds.
| tried to drag the morning as much as possible to get Hayley to slow down since it was only 9 a.m but the time we had gotten
done with breakfast. For the second time that morning | had given up and just proceeded to give in.
Hayley showered then changed herself in to an all in one denim onesie. | spent time braiding her hair to make a band across the
front of her head before | cl*pped it in to ce and she was all too happy with how it had turned out. She picked out her sandals
and a cap to help her against the sun which she didn’t wear just yet insisting it would cover her pretty hair.
She had calmed down a lot after being ready and whilst she was still excited, it had slowed down a little bit and enough for to
watch some t.v while | had gotten ready myself. It was already after 10 a.m and it felt like the time had just flown by before |
could even realise it.
| didn’t go with anything too fancy but | did pull out a yellow sun dress with a halter n*eck strap. It was a decent length stoping at
the middle point if my knees and it had a more flowy bottom half after the fitting waist line. Paired with a wedge heel shoe and a
beige straw hat, it would look fitting given the outing. | applied a generous amount of sunscreen before doing my face up ina
light look.
It was roughly a fifteen minute drive from here to the docks and we left the house with enough time to spare. | unlocked my car
and was about to get in to it when a sleek shiny ck car drove down the driveway and parked just behind my own
car.
| didn’t recognise the middle aged man driving but his uniform indicated that he was a chauffer but | wasn’t about to stick to that
assumption until | knew for sure.
The man for out of the car then approached me. “Good day, miss. Mr. Vanderbilt sent me to pick you and your daughter up.” He
informed me with a jovial smile on
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That was nice of Scott even though it wasn’t necessary at all but | was not going to ruin the morning by declining the gesture.
“Give me a moment.” | said to him and he nodded curtly before returning to the side of the car he had driven.
| undid Hayley’s seat belt and told her about the change in n and she was even more excited as if she hasn’t been chauffer
driven her whole life by either myself or Dante.
“Why are youughing? Are youughing at me?” She question the smallest chuckle that had escaped me.
| shook my head immediately. “No, no. | just love that you get so excited about new things.” | reassured her as we approached
the back of the car which the chauffer held open for her to get
in.
“What is your name?” Hayley paused before going in to the car and looked at the man asking him the question even | had
forgotten to ask.
“Patrick and what is your name, youngdy?” Patrick asked with a smile that pushed his full cheeks up causing his eyes to
crease at their corners.
“I''m Hayley. It’s nice to meet you and thank you foring to pick us up.” She spoke so clearly and confidently that | felt proud of
her.
“You are very wee, Hayley.” He said as he motioned for her to get in. “A yacht awaits your little presence.” He added and
Hayley hopped in.
When Scott said that he was inviting a few ‘friends’ | should have enquired as who exactly he had been refering to in order to
have saved myself the shock that | had encountered when | set foot on to therge, very expensive yacht.
There has been a couple of individual on the yacht that | had heard about or vaguely knew of but have never met that were
present but they were rather friendly and easy to converse with like Haden Grey and his wife, Melinda. Both sessful
individuals and a power couple but very down to earth and approachable people. Even the men present were obviously business
associates who were also friends of Scotts and that made sense why there were invited but one man’s presence in particr
made zero sense.
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The second we stepped on the yacht and met with the rest of the problem already on board sipping on their champagne and
engaging in chatted, Hayley spotted Dante in the small gathering and immediately called out to him.
“Dad!” She waved at him letting got of my hand and immediately rushing over to him.
Dante, dressed in a pair of casual khaki shorts and a white t-shirt, crouched down to catch the leaping Hayley. He picked her up
and his face was pure happiness at seeing her.
“What are you doing here?” He asked her as he hugged her before letting her move back in his hold.
“I came here with mama. Her friend invited us.” She exined briefly but | didn’t give too much attention to listening in on their
conversation from where | stood.
My attention was fixed on the woman next to Dante. Tall, beautiful, and almost model looking. From the pictures, | was certain
that that had been Jessica. The blonde hair glistening beneath the sun and her eyes sparkled in the brightness. She work a lime
green sun dress that show cased her legs that went on for days perfectly. She looked like she had stepped out of a magazine
with her oversized sses on herbed back hair.
Again, that pang of jealousy burned through me seeing her beside Dante. Hayley had noticed her too and her face lit up in
recognition.
“Jessica! You''re here too.” Hayley said illiciting a small chuckle from every one around as they observed her.
Some of the people looked shocked to discover that Dante Crawford had a child but it was even bigger of a shocked when they
realised that | was her mother. Up until then, | didn’t think that many people had been aware of this fact.
Scott had been the first person to approach me appearing from some where | hadn’t noticed before and lead me further in and
away from the edge of the yacht. He handed me a ss of champagne and | had taken it.
“You made it.” He said but then looked around me. “Where is the kid you asked to bring along?” He asked and | opened my
mouth to respond to him when people beganughing at some thing Hayley had said causing Scott to look away and to the rest
of the crowd when he spotted her in Dante’s arms.
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“| guess we found her. She looks like you but very little.” | watched as Scott saw the striking resemnce between Hayley and
Dante and his eyes widened slightly in realisation.
“Oh. Oh! No way.” He whisper yelled as he turned to look back in my direction.
| shrugged sheepishly taking a gulp of champagne. “Yep. That is Hayley.”
“You and Crawford had a kid. | didn’t see thating but it exins a lot.” Scott said with a twitch of his I*ps.
“What do you mean?” | raised
mean?” | raised a brow at him.
“It exins why he was so against me joining yourpany. The man feels threatened with me potentially targetting the mother
of his child.” He said and | rolled my eyes at that.
Dante couldn''t care less and if he did it was because he was being cruel about it and wanted nothing more than to control my life
and make it miserable.
He had Jessica to prove it now.
“| doubt that.” | pursed my I*ps before asking the burning question. “What is Dante doing here anyways? | wouldn''t consider the
both of your to be the best of friends.” | pointed out and he nodded.
“That is true but Jessica and | go way back and she insisted on bringing him so here are.” He said tightly and | sensed that he
didn’t like Dante too much. Not that | had been too surprised about that.
| looked around the yacht as it moved through the dark blue waters and saw Dante look murderously in my direction as he stared
between the small space between Scott and I. | bit back a scoff and his double standard and noticed then that Hayley was now
with Jessica. She showed Hayley the scenery and pointed her to look at things of interest causing my blood to boil.
What was his point of forging this rtionship between Jessica and Hayley? Did he think that | would just step down and watch
him encourage a rtionship with his new arm candy? Don’t get me wrong, | liked that Hayley was meeting new people but what
| didn’t like was that it felt like Dante was using Jessica as some thing to rub my face in.
“We should head to the upper deck. I’m famished.” Scoff announced and one by
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one we made our way up to the upper deck.
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The upper deck was an entire different story. It boasted a long dining table that seated all of usfortably. | would have thought
that Scott would have had light snack food avable for people to snack on as they enjoyed the open air and soaked up the sun
but, my goodness, was | wrong.
Instead, he had a five course meal prepared for us and even went to the extent of curating a saperate menu for Hayley to be
more suitable for her palette and age. No one seemed to mind that Hayley was seated at out table but it was not difficult to notice
the burning question dancing in every ones eyes.
Ten people had been seated at this table and all of them besides Dante and | held the same curios nce each time Dante,
Hayley, or | had said a word. Hayley’s table manners were good and she didn’t cause any difficulty but Dante did try and engage
her in conversation many times asking about her food or how she was finding this outing so far. He would move to speak to
Jessica or any of the other men present at the table before he would check in on Hayley again.
It was unfortunate enough that Dante and Jessica had been seated across from Hayley and I. It made looking at Dante inevitable
let alone listening in to their conversations. They were civil and not disying public affection that made any one ufortable
and | was thankful for that but some thing about them didn’t add up as a couple.
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