"Cole regrets not firmly establishing his identity back then, and he feels guilty towards his little sister."

"Guilty for what? She insisted on listening to the family..."

"Alright, alright, I can’t reason with you." The deputy chairman immediately got up, knowing this person was being stubborn again, and waved his hand impatiently.

"Hey, that’s not right. You run away when you can’t out-argue me. You’ve been using the ’slip away’ trick for decades, can’t you come up with something new?" The branch chairman immediately got up and chased after him.

"I’m afraid of you, okay? My wife is waiting for me at home to have dinner, why don’t you come home with me and argue your case with her?" The deputy chairman asked.

"I’m telling you, besides slipping away, your other trick is using your wife against me." The branch chairman puffed up with anger. His sister-in-law was as gentle as water, and whenever he was in front of her, he didn’t dare to speak loudly, afraid he might scare her and make her cry.

Let alone argue.

"As long as this trick works on you." The deputy chairman laughed as he turned away, because he couldn’t stand this person’s nagging.

——

Frederick Cole drove home and immediately sensed the awkward atmosphere upon entering.

"You’re back." Hazel Bennett quickly came up to greet him, reaching for his bag.

Frederick Cole furrowed his brows and stared at Hazel Bennett’s red eyes, asking, "Have you been crying?"

"No." Hazel Bennett rubbed her eyes with a smile, trying to cover up, "Some sand got in my eyes earlier, I got it out."

"Have you eaten?" Hazel Bennett asked, "I could fix you something. I didn’t know you were coming back, otherwise I would have waited to eat with you."

"Just make something simple." Frederick Cole said, "I need to talk to Hayley."

Hazel Bennett hastily stopped him, and facing Frederick’s serious gaze, she shrank back like a startled deer but managed to speak out, "She... she’s tired after returning, and has already gone to rest. If there’s something, tell me."

"She was probably angry when she came back?" Frederick Cole knows Hayley Cole’s temper well; she didn’t get what she wanted, she must be upset.

While he wasn’t home, Hayley would definitely vent her anger on her mother.

He came back to address this. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Not really..." Hazel Bennett mumbled softly, "She just has a bit of a temper..."

"You go and cook." Frederick Cole said, "I have to discuss the training camp matter with her."

Hazel Bennett was shocked upon hearing this, disregarding the need to soothe their father-daughter relationship, she held Frederick’s arm anxiously and asked, "What? Did she do something wrong? Would it cause trouble for you? Affect Jason and Mia?"

"No, I am just going to talk to her." Frederick Cole knew Hazel Bennett was gentle, but definitely not oblivious to right and wrong, yet as a woman like her... encountering family, husband, and kids throughout her life, she never received anything good.

"Alright." Hazel Bennett didn’t know what Frederick Cole was thinking; she nodded and worriedly reminded, "Don’t get angry with her, she... can’t change."

"You go cook first." Frederick Cole didn’t want her to face the scene where he talks with Hayley; he didn’t want to put her in a difficult position.

Seeing Hazel reluctantly head into the kitchen, he finally went upstairs.

At Hayley’s door, Frederick Cole knocked: "Open up."