Adrian was disappointed, but he knew this was his own fault.
Since Hailey's social circle now extended to the Lancasters and the Blackwoods, he naturally had to be more patient with her.
He said warmly, "Alright, then tomorrow. I'll come pick you up from your house myself tomorrow."
Hailey gave a noncommittal response. "We'll see. Isabella is calling for me, I have to go."
With that, she hung up.
Adrian stared at the disconnected call and frowned.
This was the first time Hailey had ever hung up on him.
And...
His friend had just said that was now facing the humiliating consequences of her loss.
How would she have time to call for Hailey?
"Aaargh! Adrian, you owe me a new phone! A new phone!" his friend shrieked, pouncing on the cracked phone.
He whipped his head around to glare at Adrian. "She's your ex-fiancée! Do you not understand what 'ex' means? Why are you so worked up!"
Adrian's frown deepened. The word "ex" was strangely grating, sending a dull ache through his chest.
He irritably pulled a card from his wallet and tossed it at his friend. "Fine, it's just a phone. I'll pay for it."
His friend snatched the card and pursed his lips. "I really don't get what you're so angry about. If you still have feelings for your ex-fiancée, then why were you just on the phone with your current one, laying the charm on so thick it was sickening? 'My apology,' 'let me take you to dinner,' 'I'll come to your house myself to pick you up'..."
He mimicked Adrian's tone from the phone call, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Annoyed, Adrian grabbed a couch cushion and threw it at him.
He leaned back against the sofa, frustrated.
After all, the Blackwoods, as hosts, had made their own daughter honor the bet, and the Lancasters, for the sake of their reputation, had to grit their teeth and make Isabella do the same.
So surely, the Lancaster family wouldn't look kindly on this young woman now.
But instead, they saw the stunning young lady walk off the main stage right after her performance and head straight for the Lancasters.
The Lancasters gathered around her with incredible warmth and intimacy.
"Who... who is this young lady?"
"To be that close with Mr. and Mrs. Lancaster, she must have an extraordinary background."
"Her piano skills are so great that even Mr. Kessler, a giant in the music world, admitted she was his superior. How deep must her connections be?"
"I wonder which family has been hiding such a talented and beautiful heiress. They should have introduced her to everyone much sooner."

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