As long as she was at home with Kevin, it felt to her as though her parents were selling her to him.

“Let’s go,” Kevin said, reaching for Hayden’s hand and pulling her along.

Hayden instinctively shook off his hand, refusing to let him touch her. She warned him coldly, “Kevin, please respect yourself. Don’t touch my hands, and don’t assume my parents support you. Just don’t dare to lay a finger on me.”

Kevin smiled and replied, “I’m not trying to take advantage of you; I just want to escort you downstairs.”

“I have feet and can walk by myself without you pulling me,” Hayden retorted, shoving the bouquet back into Kevin’s arms. “I’ve told you before, I don’t like flowers or anything typically associated with girls.”

After saying this, she brushed past Kevin and headed downstairs.

Kevin followed her, still holding the bouquet, and said, “Then what can I do? I have a tough task ahead. Hayden, for the sake of our close relationship, I need you to do me a big favor. I’ve already boasted to your parents about my capabilities. If I can’t fulfill the task they assigned me, my standing with them will drop significantly. They initially gave me 100 points, but without your help, I’ll only get 50, which is considered failing.”

Hayden paused and asked sharply, “What did my parents ask you to do?”

Kevin replied, “Both your Uncle and Auntie are counting on me to guide you back to the right path, to help you regain your status as a woman, and eventually to marry and have children like everyone else. Hayden, you must admit this is quite a challenge. I didn’t realize the difficulty at first and confidently promised to accomplish this task.”

Hayden stared at him for a moment before asking, “Did my parents say what would happen if you fail to complete the task?”

“Uncle said that if I can’t get you to dress like a man all the time and get back on track, my marriage with you might become a sensation in both cities. It’s unprecedented for two men to wear handsome suits and enter the wedding hall together.”

Hayden was furious, realizing she couldn’t expect her parents to give up this piece of brown candy. She left Kevin once more and headed downstairs to confront the man who constantly angered her. Despite her frustration, she remained patient and never resorted to violence, even though he deserved a thorough beating.

On the stairs, Hayden heard Kathryn’s gentle voice. She turned to see Kathryn sitting on a single sofa in the hall, surrounded by her parents and younger brothers, all engaged in conversation with her. The coffee table was piled high with gifts, and without needing to ask, Hayden knew they were from Kathryn.

Hayden was somewhat surprised by Kathryn’s visit. She had previously reminded Kathryn not to worry about her, as she couldn’t reciprocate her feelings, though she did appreciate Kathryn’s kindness.

As Hayden and Kevin descended the stairs one after the other, everyone looked up. When Kathryn noticed Kevin holding a bouquet of flowers and trailing behind Hayden, a teasing glint appeared in her eyes, though she quickly composed herself.

Whether the third young master of the York family preferred men or women was his choice. He was not someone to be taken lightly. In fact, his sexual orientation was quite distinct from the norm. As long as the elders of the York family had no objections, what concern was it to the onlookers?

To Kathryn’s surprise, Kevin had pursued Queen’s house, persistently bothering Young Master Queen in front of Donald and his wife, while their parents were…

Not angry at all? Kathryn wondered. If she were to pursue relationships with the same sex like Kevin did, and dared to entangle herself with others, her mother—the matriarch—would surely go mad. She might even renounce her position as the heir. Shiloh watched her like a tiger, poised and ready for the real daughter of the Farrell family to falter.