They were hardly familiar with each other. Back then, her boyfriend had been Ezekiel Simmons, Kasper's cousin. She would often see Kasper when she accompanied Ezekiel home for family dinners.
Hayden remembered that Kasper had never even spared her a glance.
In their circles, Kasper Avery was a legend. As the CEO of the Avery Group, a tech titan with a background in special ops and high-level government clearances, he was the ultimate prize for every socialite. A man who possessed every conceivable advantage—background, intellect, and raw power—should have been an unapologetic playboy. Yet, he was known to be single-mindedly devoted to only one woman: Charity West.
That alone had made Hayden curious about him.
To see Kasper Avery was to ruin yourself for anyone else. It wasn't until she laid eyes on him for the first time that Hayden realized the old saying was true. She had a boyfriend, yet she had accidentally fallen in love with him at first sight—just as Kasper was preparing to marry Charity.
Kasper’s long, calloused finger lightly swiped across his tablet screen. His tone was flat, yet laced with the absolute, unyielding certainty of a commander.
"You merely bumped your head and suffered a mild concussion, Hayden. Stop pretending to have amnesia."
Hayden froze.
Bumped my head? Amnesia?
Kasper didn't spare her another look. He picked up the landline on the desk and dialed downstairs.
"Come up."
Hayden stood barefoot on the plush carpet. Kasper completely ignored her existence. The atmosphere in the room was heavy, suffocating under the weight of his sheer presence.
A moment later, the door was pushed open from the outside. Mrs. Hayes stood at the threshold, her demeanor strictly respectful.
"Miss Le, please come with me."
Her heart filled with bewilderment, Hayden obediently followed her.
Mrs. Hayes didn't lead her to the adjacent master suites. Instead, she walked her to a small bedroom tucked away in the southwest corner of the sprawling villa.
"Miss Lana was just crying for you," Mrs. Hayes said briskly. "Mr. Avery has to go to the company tomorrow. Don't let Miss Lana's noise disrupt his sleep."
Having delivered her instructions, Mrs. Hayes left Hayden standing at the door and walked away.
Hayden's mind was a complete blur.
Inside the room, a tiny, soft little girl was sitting on the bed, hugging her knees and sobbing softly. Hearing the commotion, she immediately dropped her stuffed animal and stumbled forward, throwing herself at Hayden's legs.
"Mommy! Lana doesn't want to sleep alone. I'm scared."
The sweet, sticky voice carried a faint, milky scent. The little girl's features were almost a carbon copy of her own. Hayden's brain short-circuited, nearly causing her to faint on the spot.
She had a daughter?
Forcing down the urge to scream, Hayden crouched down and gathered the little girl into a full embrace.
"Lana?"
The little girl smelled wonderful, soft and warm like a freshly steamed custard bun. It made a person want to take a bite. Her little body was incredibly fragile in Hayden's arms.
Holding Lana carefully, Hayden asked, her voice trembling uncontrollably, "Lana, tell me... who is your daddy?"
Lana reached out with a chubby little hand, gently blowing on the wound on Hayden's forehead. She offered sweet, childish comfort. "Mommy, no pain, no pain~ Did Mommy forget everything? Daddy's last name is Avery. He's Kasper Avery!"
Buzz—
Hayden felt her soul leave her body.
She woke up from a sleep to find that she had not only slept with Kasper Avery, but actually had a child with him?
