Chapter 12

The next day, Ilona Finch went to the Hathaway family’s house again. As soon as she entered, she stared intently at Case Hathaway, her eyes filled with curiosity. Since graduation, Case Hathaway had become increasingly strange. He was hot and cold toward her, and he went out every day. When asked where he went, he gave vague answers. At first, she didn’t pay much attention, but over time, she became more and more worried. There must be something Case Hathaway was hiding from her.

“Casey, are you going out today?” Eilona Finch suppressed her doubts, forcing a smile onto her face, trying to speak in a gentle tone.

Case Hathaway glanced at her for a moment, then lowered his head back to the documents in his hands. He nodded slightly. “Mm.”

“Case, what on earth have you been up to lately? Why do you go out every single day?” Ilona Finch asked, walking slowly toward him. She stared intently at his face, trying to detect any clues.

Case Hathaway was impatient, but he said calmly, “Nothing much. Just going out for a walk and taking a look at some projects.” He didn’t want to get involved with Ilona Finch any further, and certainly didn’t want her to know about Brent Haines. He knew Ilona Finch was capricious, and if she found out, it would definitely cause a scene.

As he spoke, he stood up, picked up his coat, and prepared to leave. Ilona Finch watched his hurried demeanor, and her doubts grew. But instead of pestering him as usual, she smiled and said, “Case, go ahead and get back soon. Be careful.”

Case Hathaway paused for a moment, glancing at her with confusion. Today’s Eilona Finch was far too strange. But with Brent Haines on his mind, he didn’t think further. He nodded and left the villa.

As Case Hathaway’s sports car disappeared from the entrance to the villa, Ilona Finch’s smile vanished instantly, replaced by a look of pure malice. She took out a photo from her bag. In the photo, Case Hathaway was gently putting a coat on Brent Haines. The two of them were hugging each other, looking very intimate.

Actually, after Case Hathaway left her on the street yesterday, she couldn’t accept it. She secretly took a taxi and followed Case Hathaway. She witnessed firsthand his meeting with Brent Haines and even took pictures of it. She’d already suspected that something was wrong with Case Hathaway. But she never thought he’d actually fall in love with another woman!

Iloona Finch clenched the photo tightly, her nails digging into her palms. Her eyes were filled with jealousy and hatred. “Brent Haines, what kind of person are you, to even dare to take Kayce from me? I won’t let you get away with this!”

Meanwhile, Case Hathaway had arrived at the agreed-upon place. Brent Haines was standing by the roadside, waiting for him in silence. The autumn wind carried a hint of coolness. She wore a thin, gauzy dress, and her long hair was blown around by the wind, making her look delicate and charming.

Casey Hathaway walked over quickly, frowning with displeasure. “Why are you dressed so lightly? Aren’t you cold?”

Brent Haines smiled and shook his head. “I’m not cold, really. Look, I’m not even shaking.”

Case Hathaway didn’t believe him for a moment. Without saying another word, he took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. His tone was firm, yet filled with tenderness. “It seems cold to me. You’re my woman, so it’s my responsibility to take care of you. There’s still a long time of wind blowing later. If you catch a cold, I’ll feel heartbroken.”

The coat still carried the delicate scent of Case Hathaway. As it wrapped around Brent Haines, it made her feel warm inside. Her cheeks turned slightly red. She gently pulled at the coat to hide her shyness. “I understand. Thank you, Case.”

“Come with me, I’ll take you to a place.” Case Hathaway gently put his arm around her shoulders and led her into a luxurious-looking building. Today, he wanted to take Brent Haines to pick out a engagement ring. He wanted her to know that he truly wanted to be with her.

The sight of the two embracing, every move they made, was watched by Ilona Finch, who was hiding in a corner of the building. She stared at Brent Haines’s coat and at Case Hathaway’s gentle gaze. Jealousy nearly drove her mad. She turned around and rushed towards the Hathaway family—she wanted to tell Mr. and Mrs. Hathaway that she would make sure Brent Haines disappeared completely from Case Hathaway’s life!

As soon as she entered the Hathaway family, Ilona Finch rushed into Mrs. Hathaway’s arms and cried bitterly, her heart breaking with sorrow: “Auntie, ugh-ugh-ugh, I don’t want to be with Case anymore! I refuse!”

Mr. and Mrs. Hathaway were drinking tea in the living room. Upon seeing this, they were stunned. Mrs. Hathaway quickly hugged her, patted her back gently, and asked anxiously, “Iloona, what’s wrong? Did Case bully you?”

Iloona Finch shook her head frantically, crying even harder. “No, Auntie, Case… he’s with another woman! He doesn’t love me anymore!”

“What?!” Lady Hathaway’s face changed, her tone filled with disbelief. “Iloona, don’t say such things. Case isn’t that kind of person. You’re the daughter-in-law we’ve chosen for our son. How could he be with another woman?”

“I’m not lying!” Ilona Finch raised her tear-streaked face and said through sobs, “I saw it with my own eyes. He took that woman to buy a ring today. Maybe they’ve already bought it by now!”

Mr. Hathaway remained silent the whole time. Hearing these words, his brows furrowed. He thought back to Case Hathaway’s strange behavior lately: leaving early every day and returning late, becoming increasingly cold toward Ilona Finch. Doubts began to arise in his mind.

“Ilona, could it be that you’ve seen things wrongly? There are many people in the world who look similar to each other. Maybe it’s just a misunderstanding.” Lady Hathaway still refused to believe it. She had always liked Ilona Finch and was convinced that she was the right person to become a member of the Hathaway family.

“I’m not mistaken!” Ilona Finch was so anxious that she stamped her foot in frustration. She took out the photos from her bag and handed them to Mrs. Hathaway. “Auntie, look! This is the proof. I took these photos myself. Case even took off his coat and put it on her. They looked like a couple!”

Mrs. Hathaway took the photo and examined it closely. Her face turned pale instantly—the person in the photo was indeed Case Hathaway. The girl beside him had delicate features. Although her right eye seemed a bit unusual, she was still very attractive.

“Sir, what… what should we do?” Lady Hathaway was panicked. She quickly turned to Mr. Hathaway, at a loss for what to do.

Mr. Hathaway took the photo, glanced at it. His face remained calm, but a flash of anger could be seen in his eyes. He shouted in a deep voice, “Butler Liu!”

Butler Liu hurried out of the kitchen and said respectfully, “My lord, what commands do you have?”

“Call the young master back at once. Tell him it’s urgent, a matter of life and death. He must return right away!” Mr. Hathaway’s tone carried an unmistakable authority.

“Yes, my lord.” Butler Liu didn’t dare delay. He immediately took out his phone and called Case Hathaway. On the phone, he deliberately exaggerated the situation, saying that Mr. Hathaway had suddenly fallen ill and needed to return home at once.

At that moment, Case Hathaway was helping Brent Haines pick out a ring. Upon hearing Butler Liu’s words, he became panicked immediately. Ignoring the ring selection, he quickly said to Brent Haines, “Brent, there’s an emergency at home. I need to go back right away. I’m sorry. I’ll help you pick out a ring another time.”

Brent Haines quickly said, “It’s okay. You should go back now and not waste time on this. I’ll wait here and go back by myself later.”

Case Hathaway rubbed her hair guiltily, then turned and hurriedly left the building, rushing in the direction of the Hathaway family’s residence. He had no idea that a storm was brewing against him and Brent Haines.