Chapter 216 Another Rival in Love
Seeing this scene, Ambrose didn't stop it. Instead, he turned to Caspian and said casually.
"Mr. Anderson, you're not eating with the Mitchell family tonight?"
Caspian had been sizing up Hayden, who suddenly appeared. Hearing Ambrose's words, he snapped back and replied, "Tonight's dinner should be for Mr. Boleyn. My status isn't appropriate."
Though these words sounded humble, if you thought about them carefully, you could hear the deeper meaning. He was implying this was a dinner between Ambrose and the Mitchell family.
"Mr. Anderson is also part of the Mitchell family, so no need to distance yourself so much." Ambrose didn't take Caspian seriously. He said this specifically for Scarlett to hear.
He was telling her that this guy named Anderson was also part of the Mitchell family, so even though he saved her, she shouldn't be fooled.
Scarlett, who was taking care of Hayden, naturally heard this hidden battle. She looked up, about to tell Ambrose to hurry to dinner, when she saw Octavia walking over. She reminded him coolly.
"Mr. Boleyn, the person looking for you for dinner is here. You should leave quickly, or it'll be awkward later."
Ambrose caught the jealousy in her words.
From her reaction, he could tell Octavia had arrived, but he didn't turn to look. He just stared at Scarlett, teasing her as if no one else was there.
"Seems like someone's jealous."
Scarlett rolled her eyes and ignored him. When Octavia reached them, a gentle, soft voice entered their ears.
"Ambrose, you're here. Let's go in then, they're about to serve the food."
Ambrose didn't respond, only looking at Hayden.
"Hayden, where are you eating?"
Hayden, eating with both cheeks puffed out, didn't even look up, mumbling, "I'm eating here."
After hearing this, Octavia frowned. She walked around the nearby plants to Hayden's side and put on a soft, gentle manner.
"Hayden, you came to eat with Mommy tonight. How can you eat here?"
Hayden swallowed the food in his mouth, wrinkled his little eyebrows, and glanced at her. "I want to eat here. You can eat here too."
After hearing this, Octavia hated Scarlett even more. Scarlett had just threatened her with that video, and she hadn't settled that score yet. Now Scarlett had snatched the child away halfway through. How could she swallow this insult? She had to get the child back.
She bent down, her delicate face showing a pitiful and sad expression. "Hayden, if you don't eat with Mommy, Mommy will be sad."
Hayden looked up at her coolly, completely unable to see any trace of sadness. Knowing she was lying again, he got angry and huffily exposed her on the spot.
"I can tell you're not sad. I hate when people lie to me."
Octavia's body stiffened, her face flushing with embarrassment.
Hayden didn't care about Octavia's reaction. He turned to Ambrose and questioned, "Dad, you said if I didn't want to go, you wouldn't force me."
The implication was: Ambrose should handle this.
Ambrose stood casually, his eyes calm, then spoke, "Let him eat here."
This was said to Octavia. Octavia had already stood up. Though very angry, she didn't show it, suppressing her emotions as she said.
"But my parents want to see him. They miss Hayden very much."
Octavia was determined to take the child into the private room with her. She wouldn't let Scarlett snatch the child away midway. Whether it was the man or the child, she wouldn't back down.
After she spoke, there was silence. Then Octavia turned her attack on Scarlett. "Ms. Mellon, shouldn't you talk Hayden into it?"
Scarlett, who had been watching Octavia's performance, looked up and sneered, "You're ridiculous. Even his father can't convince him, and I'm not his mother, so how could I convince him?"
The implication was that you were his mother, and you couldn't even convince the child, so whose fault was that?
Octavia gritted her teeth. "If you hadn't lured him, would he have run to you?"
"If you were sincere with him, no matter who tried to lure him, he would go with you." Scarlett's words were sharp, indirectly calling Octavia's feelings fake.
Octavia understood the meaning and pointed at Scarlett, demanding an explanation, "Make yourself clear. How am I not sincere with him?"
This was a restaurant. Though it was a corner area, people still passed by, and those passing cast sidelong glances. Seeing this, Caspian spoke up to mediate.
"Octavia, this is a public place. Watch yourself."
"Caspian, what do you see in this woman that makes you defend her at every turn?" Octavia was already angry, and seeing Caspian take Scarlett's side again made her even more furious. Her words became even more unpleasant.
Hearing that a man liked Scarlett, Hayden glanced at Caspian. Seeing he was quite handsome and looked younger than Ambrose, alarm bells went off in Hayden's mind. He quickly threw down his knife and fork, stood up on his chair, and glared at Caspian fiercely.
"I'm protecting Scarlett. Anyone who tries to compete with me, I won't be nice."
The scene fell silent. Everyone stared at Hayden with different thoughts.
Scarlett was first stunned, then delighted. Hayden's feelings for her were more genuine than anything. She really loved him.
So at this moment, she decided not to let Octavia take him away, to prevent a vicious person like Octavia from getting close to him.
On the contrary, Hayden's protectiveness of Scarlett was like a hard slap to Octavia's face. She was grinding her teeth in anger.
Didn't Hayden dislike Scarlett?
Why did he change so suddenly? What spell had Scarlett cast on him?
Ambrose, who had been silent, tacitly approved. The corner of his lips curved up slightly, thinking Hayden could indeed eliminate the rivals around Scarlett.
Caspian, who was targeted by Hayden, found it surprising yet interesting. Such a small child could say such things, which showed he really liked Scarlett.
"Hayden, what about Mommy? Don't you want Mommy anymore?" Unwilling to give up, real tears welled up in Octavia's eyes.