Chapter 319: Chapter 319: Memories of the Past
After the manager submitted the menu, he knocked on the door of Warren Prescott’s private room.
"Mr. Prescott Jr..."
The manager stepped forward, bent down, and whispered a few words into Warren Prescott’s ear.
Warren Prescott nodded slightly.
"You entertain them first; I’ll come over a bit later."
He was worried that if he went over now, it would affect Ashley Shaw and the others at dinner.
He recognized one of them, who was the lawyer Ashley Shaw found for Ariana Grant, so they probably had some business to discuss.
It would be better to wait until they’re almost finished before going over.
"Alright."
The manager gave a slight bow to the Hayes family of three and then left.
Hank Hayes spoke again, "Mr. Prescott Jr, if you have other matters, you could..."
"No worries, just some friends also dining here, it doesn’t matter, let’s continue."
Hank Hayes nodded stiffly.
The first time he said this, he feared Warren Prescott would not be willing to stay, so he proactively gave an excuse for him to leave.
The second time he said it just now, it was because...
Warren Prescott sat there expressionless, not selecting much food, which made them hesitant to move their chopsticks, making the meal more uncomfortable than when Lars Prescott was present.
So he took the opportunity when the manager came over to inquire again if Warren Prescott wanted to leave.
If he left, they could eat more comfortably.
But unexpectedly, Warren Prescott still refused.
What is going on?
But Hank Hayes did not dare to show any confusion or dissatisfaction, continuing to laugh and pick at the food—even though he was actually quite full now.
The Hayes couple felt tormented, but Zoe Hayes was secretly overjoyed.
Just now the manager came in, apparently for important business with Warren Prescott, yet he chose to stay for dinner with her.
Who would believe Warren Prescott does not have any interest in her?
She felt even more confident in her heart.
Moreover, even if Warren Prescott stayed not for her, it could have been for her dad.
Their family is not as without status as Dad says.
But more than this, she hopes it’s the former.
At this moment, Zoe Hayes’ phone rang.
It was her best friend in Riverton, Jessica Zane.
Zoe Hayes intended to hang up directly, but then thought, Jessica Zane is famous for frequently changing boyfriends, having her as an advisor to give some suggestions might be helpful.
Thinking of this, Zoe Hayes quickly picked up her phone, said "Excuse me, I need to take a call," and quickly walked out of the private room.
After the door to the private room closed, Zoe Hayes stepped away a few paces and quickly answered the call.
Jessica Zane’s voice instantly came through the phone.
"Zoe, why are you answering so late? Just going to Westcroft for one day and you forget me? What about the forever sisterhood you promised? Are you disregarding me now?"
Zoe Hayes pursed her lips and said, "How could that be? I was in the private room just now, came out to answer now."
Then, she immediately started explaining her affair with Warren Prescott with the shortest words possible.
After finishing, she hesitated and shyly asked, "Do you think he is interested in me?"
Jessica Zane chuckled from the other side, saying, "Westcroft is indeed great, even iron trees bloom. Even you, a super appearance enthusiast, managed to fancy a guy, indicating he is really handsome. Got any photos? Show me."
"No! Stop joking, I’m serious, please analyze it for me."
Realizing Zoe Hayes’ urgency, Jessica Zane couldn’t help but ask, "Wait, are you serious?"
"Obviously, why else would I tell you anything about it?"
Jessica Zane became serious and analyzed for Zoe Hayes.
"Based on what you said, the guy is a super rich second-generation and also handsome, if he isn’t interested in you, he wouldn’t choose to stay despite your dad’s repeated hints. Simply put, if not for you, he has no reason to continue dining with you."
Zoe Hayes’s eyes lit up.
"Right? I also think so... Then what should I do now?"
"Get his contact information! As soon as the meal is over, find an excuse to get his contact."
"What excuse?"
"Just say you’re unfamiliar with Westcroft, and want him to show you around if he has time."
"But...what if he refuses?"
"He won’t, no normal man would reject a beautiful woman asking for contact information."
"What beautiful woman..." Zoe Hayes instinctively touched her face and said: "Westcroft has many beauties, I saw one today... truly quite pretty. And I kept thinking she looked familiar, like I’ve seen her before."
"Oh, don’t worry so much, I am one hundred percent sure he stayed for you."
"Then according to what you say, he will proactively ask me for my contact info, right?"
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"Because those truly wealthy young gentlemen have their pride, so you need to lower yourself. As long as you take initiative, I guarantee he will go along with it."
Zoe Hayes felt an itch in her heart.
"Alright, I’ll follow you on this..."
Halfway through the sentence, Zoe Hayes suddenly saw a woman in light purple ancient attire coming out from the restroom nearby.
She scrutinized and realized this was precisely the beautiful woman she mentioned during the call.
As the woman got closer, Zoe Hayes could see her face more clearly.
Just as they were about to pass by each other, Zoe Hayes’ eyelids twitched, and by some strange instinct linked the woman to an "old classmate."
Previously she only felt the woman was familiar and didn’t recall who she was, but now a name suddenly popped up in her mind.
Reason being, upon closer examination, the woman’s face looked too similar to that old classmate.
Only her demeanor seemed vastly different.
Seeing the woman pass by and about to push open the private room door, Zoe Hayes pressed her phone tightly against her ear, pretending to speak in a call, and called out, "Ashley Shaw!"
Ahead, Ashley Shaw’s footsteps halted as she turned to look at Zoe Hayes in confusion.
In that instant of eye contact, Zoe Hayes was completely sure it was Ashley Shaw.
The daughter of the woman who was leading in being ostracized for being pregnant before marriage.
In small places, news travels fast.
When Ashley Shaw first arrived at their school, because she had a pretty face, many people liked to play with her.
Until the second half of the first year, news spread suddenly, claiming Ashley Shaw’s mother was pregnant before marriage, giving birth to Ashley Shaw.
Soon, it took only a few days for labels like "bastard," "unknown father," "mistress’s daughter," etc., to be affixed to Ashley Shaw.
Formerly well-liked Ashley Shaw became someone everyone scorned.
Later, there was news circulating that Ashley Shaw’s mom was a maid for a wealthy family.
Once the identity of a maid’s daughter came out, even classmates with worse family backgrounds than Ashley Shaw stepped up to trample over her.
That’s how it is in small places.
Even though the maid work is an upright job earning through labor, people will associate it negatively.
Adults handle it fine, but within the children’s world, Ashley Shaw became the lowest status person at school, always walking alone to and from school.