His Contractual Mistress

At the hospital, Vince was continued chatting with Jake and Carl. He instantly checks his phone when it vibrates, notifying a new message arrives. 

Jake and Carl knew that Vincent was only this attentive to check his phone because of his mom. Now it was because of his girlfriend. Love could really make someone into something...

Vince did not know what the two men were thinking about him. But he doesn't care. What was important to him is to have his own world while reading Hailey's text. 

Later, he lifted his head and glanced at Carl. He said, "Hailey is on her way back. She needed a hand to carry the lunch she made." 

Hearing the word lunch, Carl sat up abruptly and didn't wait for Vince to finish. "I'm on it, cousin! Ah! I'm starving!"

Since the penthouse is not that far from Metro City Institute of Medicine, Hailey would arrive in less than fifteen minutes unless there's a traffic jam, which would take half an hour. Carl went down to the parking lot.

Not long, Hailey arrived. She parked her car on the space reserve for the Shen family. 

They built this hospital to teach advanced Medicine that a Lopez family project helps the country train more skilled doctors and nurses. So it means Hilda's family owns a large percentage of this hospital. 

Hailey was about to step out of the car when she spotted Professor Carl walking toward her car. 

"Hi!" Carl greeted Hailey when she got out of the vehicle.

"Good morning, Professor Carl." Hailey greeted the guy. She walks toward the trunk, and Carl follows her. 

"Please, we're not at the university. Just call me Carl." 

Hailey felt awkward all of a sudden. But since she had no comment, she just nodded and smiled at Carl. Nevertheless, she could not open her mouth to say his name.

"Let me carry them. I don't want to receive a black eye from my cousin." Carl jokes that he actually means it. 

"Oh. But..."

He smiled. "Please, Vincent, sent me here to help you. Don't worry." Carl explained. 

He doesn't want Hailey to misunderstand him. He is aware that she is taking a distance from him, even though Vince's cousin. One thing he admires about her. She only sticks to his cousin's side and no other men she is close to. 

"I see. Thank you, Pro... I mean, thank you, Carl." Finally, she managed to say that casually. 

"Sounds great!" Carl meant he likes how Hailey is calling him by his name from now on. And it sounds sweet to the ears.

Hailey and Carl headed to the elevator. The lift arrived at the top floor, and they stepped out once the door opened. They were trailing the hallway when the elevator from another hallway opened. 

"Uncle Fred, Aunt Hilda!" Carl immediately calls out to the couple once he spotted them getting out of the lift. 

Hailey paused from walking since Carl halted and waited for Vince's parents to catch up with them. 

"What are you carrying, Carl?" asked Fred, looking down at the packages he was carrying both of his hands. 

"It was food that Hailey cooked for lunch, Uncle Fred!" Carl answered excitedly. 

"Oh. Perfect timing! We haven't had lunch yet," said Fred, looking at Hailey.

Hailey smiled timidly. She suddenly felt nervous to see Vince's parents. Hilda Shen was scanning her from the head down to her strap sandals. 

"Good noon, Mr. Shen." Hailey partly bowed to Fred before she turned to Hilda and greeted the woman. "Hello, Madame Shen." 

"Good noon, Miss Hillson." Fred returned the greetings. He glanced at Hilda to give her a warning stare. 'Remember what we just talk about, Hilda.'

They were arguing in the elevator about Hilda's cold treatment of their son's girlfriend. 

"Even you will throw a fret every day; you already heard our son. If you didn't understand the meaning of his statement, I would tell you now. That girl is the only one he wanted to be his wife." 

And what a coincidence. They just spoke about her. Now they see her in the hallway. 

However, Hilda still acted stubbornly. She glared at Fred. "Let's go. I want to see Vince's condition." 

After Hilda says it, she resumes walking, leaving them in the middle of the aisle. Carl and Fred shook their heads. 

Fred felt embarrassed about the way Hilda acted. He looked at Hailey and smiled awkwardly. "Probably Vincent is hungry now." 

It was a lame excuse. But Fred has no other defense he could come up with. Honestly, it upset him that Hilda continues digging a pit for all of them. 

The day Vincent got into an accident, he declared he would never break up with his girlfriend. Now he could not help but pity his son. He pondered about that matter, and he decided to support Vincent's divorce since nothing happens in his three years of marriage with Eva but a waste. 

Carl, who is silently watching on the sideline, whispers at Hailey once the couple walks ahead. 

"Don't mind Aunt Hilda. Even she will continue treating you coldly; she could never change Vincent's mind. He fights his love for you and is willing to go against his mom." 

She was supposed to be happy hearing this, but it saddens her that Vincent's relationship with his mom hurt because of her. And she doesn't want that to happen. It will never make her happy. 

Hailey silently followed behind. She was the last person to enter the private ward, and everyone gathered in the living room, including Vincent, sat on the sofa. What Vince did in front of everyone caused her cheeks to blush red. 

Vince pulled her close to him, using his right arm to hug her and kiss her in front of his parents, cousin, best friend, and assistant. 

Hailey wishes for the floor to open and swallow her. Vince, kissing her in front of everyone, melted her from embarrassment. Now she could not look at everyone straight into their eyes. It just feels different ever since her relationship with Vince became real and not just an act.

On the other hand, Carl and Jake wanted to beat Vince for being a show-off. They growled in envy. "Please spare the single men out here, bro!" 

Tim coughs to remind them he is also loveless. On the other hand, Hilda popped out her eyes from her face. She didn't expect that her son would be this bolder in front of her. And what she could only do is avert her gaze and ignore the scene in front of her. 

Meanwhile, Fred was only surprised a little. What to hide? Their photos kissing even inside their private suite were caught by paparazzi and posted online. However, that site suddenly disappears into thin air.

He clears his throat and says, "Carl, get the plates and utensils." 

"I will help to get them, Mr. Shen! I'm also starving." Tim volunteered. 

"Hey, who says you can have food? Buy your lunch, Timothy Cheng!" Vince yelled at Tim, but his assistant only ignored him. 

Hailey could not suppress to giggle, watching Vince acting childishly over food. She knew it was only a joke, but Vince looks cute.

"Don't worry. Here, I packed separate lunch boxes for you. You need more vegetables and remember? You have to avoid fatty foods." 

Everyone heard what Hailey said to Vince. They all now witness how Vince was taking care by his girlfriend, which a real wife should do. 

Jake and Carl are more than willing to beat Vince for showing off so much affection toward each other in front of them.