The Baby Name I Chose for His Mistress's Son

As they passed by, I overheard someone mention, "Did you hear Hayden Tran bought a yacht for his wedding with Laila?"

I quickly hid behind a tree, trying to stay out of sight.

"Wow, I'm so jealous. But what about Nora Stewart? Wasn't she crazy about Hayden?"

"Seriously? Haven't you heard? Three years ago, he conned her into going overseas to volunteer with Doctors Without Borders. Who knows if she'll even make it back in one piece?"

"Hayden just wanted to be with Laila. He was worried Nora would cause drama, so he did what he had to."

"As soon as she left the country, he hooked up with Laila."

Their words sliced through the air, cruel and clear, reaching my ears.

So Hayden had orchestrated this from the start, planning it all three years ahead.

And there I was, naively trusting him at every turn. The conditions abroad were brutal, yet I bore it all, thinking if I persevered, I would come back to marry him.

As they moved on, congratulating Hayden, one person teased, "Hayden, Nora's been into you for so many years. Aren't you worried about leaving her out in those tough conditions as a doctor?"

Hayden didn't even flinch, his eyes focused on his son.

"She's the one who's into me, not the other way around," he replied, his tone dismissive.

"If it weren't for my dad adopting her and his fondness for her, I would have set the record straight ages ago."

"You all know she's seven years younger than me. There's no chance I'd ever be interested in her."

"It's always been her chasing after me."

Their mocking laughter surrounded me, and despite the sunny day, I felt a chill run through me.