Chapter 272 Lost Innocence


    Most of ST Group’s staff clocked off at 5, so did Hayden. But thepany’s financial affairs were really


    a mess, prompting Joseph to work extra hours.


    “Are you sure that you don’t want to leave with me?” standing at the door of Joseph’s office, Hayden


    knocked, smiling.


    Joseph shifted his focus from those numbers onto Hayden right away when he heard her. Her smile


    revitalized him. “It’s OK. I’ll go home soon as I finish this category. I t won’t take me long.”


    “You make me feel so bad. How about I give you a raise in your wage?”


    “Is that so? You’re feeling bad? I doubt it.”


    He squinted, beckoned at Hayden, e here.”


    “Change your mind?”


    Casually, Hayden walked in, stopped right in front of his desk, her body slightly reclining forward.


    “It’s not toote to change your mind, I’ll be here with you if you say yes.”


    In response, Joseph said nothing but pulled Hayden close to himself, leaving a peck on her lips before


    she could react.


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    The kiss made Hayden squirm. She broke away from Joseph and looked backward. Nervously, she


    muttered, “the door’s open, what are you doing?”


    Joseph working here had already unleashed a storm of rumors. The board would not go easy on them


    if they got caught flirting in the office.


    But Joseph was calm, as if nothing had happened. His eyebrows raised slightly, he said.


    “Alright, you could leave.”


    “Why? Are you mad?”


    Joseph nced over her with an ambiguous smile, “I just think that a kiss would be enough to recharge


    my batteries. Or, do you want any further actions?”


    “No, I don’t,” her face reddening, Hayden understood what Joseph meant by recharge instantly, “I’m


    leaving.”


    She fled out of the office without hesitation.


    The smile in Joseph’s eyes deepened as he looked at her back.


    In the garage, Hayden confronted Mark when she’s trying to start her car.


    “Miss Hayden.”


    “Mark?”Surprised to see him, Hayden asked, “What are you doing here? Are you looking Joseph?”


    Mark nodded kindly, “indeed.”


    “He’s on the tenth floor, you could take the elevator right there.”


    Pointing at the elevator, Hayden said politely.”


    “Thanks. But before that, I wonder if Miss Hayden has any odd moment? I’d like to have a talk with


    you?”


    “Sure. You haven’t had dinner, right? I know a great restaurant in the neighborhood.”


    It’s November, Nanking was entering winter and there was an impending cold wave. Trees on the


    streets were withering.


    Hayden and Mark were sitting by the window in a restaurant downtown, where they could appreciate


    the fabulous Nanking at night.


    “Mark, you could speak freely.”


    Hayden broke the silence.


    “Then I’ll be straight,” Mark nodded, “actually, you don’t have much to do with what I’m about to say.


    But considering the current stage you and Joseph are in, I feel you have the rights to know.”


    “Go ahead, please.”


    “There is a tension between Joseph and his grandpa because of the rtionship Joseph’s in with you. I


    assume Miss Hayden is aware of that.”


    “You want me to leave him?”


    “No.”Mark shook his head, “nobody can change Joseph’s mind once it’s set, not even Mr. Harrison.


    And I think I know Miss Hayden enough to know that you wouldn’t want to be the Beckham’s enemy


    and tolerate the rumors if Joseph didn’t insist.”


    She had to admit, what Mark just said was fair. She took a sip.


    “So, what is this all about?”


    “The biggest problem between Mr. Harrison and Joseph is actually not you. Watching Joseph growing


    up, Mr. Harrison has always known that Joseph is a cold person, he’s cold whether to his family or


    friends, and even to his son…”


    “How do you mean?”


    “You may have seen how Joseph spoils little Noah. But in the first year Noah came back to the


    Mansion, Joseph had never even taken a step into the house. In his eyes, Noah was a task that Mr.


    Harrison assigned him. And when the task waspleted, Noah became nothing to him.”


    Hayden frowned as Mark talked to her. She knew all the stuff that Mark had just said, and she had


    even made worst judgment about Joseph before. But somehow thosements were so harshing


    out of others’ mouth.


    “That’s not true.”She refuted, “Joseph is not the type of person you think he is. He’s nice to Noah, and


    Ste too. You’re wrong about him.”


    “Noah may be an ident in Joseph’s life.”


    Patiently, Mark tried to exin to her, “Joseph had been neglecting Noah until three years ago. Noah


    wouldn’t know what his father looks like if it’s not for the ident.”


    “Three years ago?”


    Hayden sensed something familiar.


    “When Noah almost died from the illness,” Mark continued, “when ST Group was nning on recing


    their CEO. On some level, these two things are connected though they seem irrelevant to outsiders.


    But I think you deserve to be in the know.”


    Hayden took another the sip of coffee to conceal her emotions. She forgot to mix some sugar in it so it


    tasted kind of bitter.


    Whatever Mark said, Hayden took it as a review of Benjamin’s investigation. They corresponded with


    each other. She’s not surprised at the oue but the muchrger number of people who were


    informed with the ident, muchrger than she thought.”


    Even Mr. Harrison knew. But still, he gave Joseph what he wanted, and nobody had ever thought of


    bringing justice to Noah.


    Were the pampering and spoiling in the past three years to make it up for Noah?


    But Noah’s only a kid of five. The innocence he lost was way more precious than all those material


    stuff.


    Mncholy and apathy filled Hayden.


    “So, Mark, why are you telling me all these?”