Back From Prison, Built For Revenge - Chapter 12: Chapter 12

The air in the conference room seemed to freeze. Everyone kept their heads down, afraid of provoking Hayden's anger. Zaiden stood to the side, his brow furrowed. He knew that if the situation wasn't controlled promptly, this incident would bring immeasurable negative consequences to Stone Group.
"Mr. Stone, please calm down." Zaiden's voice was deep but carried a strong sense of authority.
Hayden lifted his head, his sharp gaze sweeping across everyone in the room. His chest heaved with heavy breaths, and his fists were clenched tightly, as though ready to erupt again at any moment. Under Zaiden's calm and steady gaze, he finally chose to compromise.
"I'm sorry." Hayden gritted his teeth as he muttered the words, his voice barely audible.
Zaiden nodded and then turned to the other attendees, speaking in a calm yet commanding tone, "The meeting ends here for today. Everyone, please head back. As for the project collaboration, I will arrange another time for discussion."
The attendees, visibly relieved, quickly got up to leave. Many didn't even bother to gather their documents, hastily escaping from the conference room. Soon, only Hayden and Zaiden remained in the room.
"What are you doing?" Zaiden walked up to Hayden, his tone filled with clear disapproval. "Losing control in front of so many people will only give others a chance to seize on your weaknesses!"
Hayden didn't respond. Keeping his head down, his face showed a complex mix of emotions, and his lips trembled slightly, but no sound came out.
Zaiden sighed, not wanting to say more to him. "Since it's already happened, blaming you won't help. Go back and calm down. Don't make things worse."
Hayden raised his head and glanced at him, his eyes filled with anger, unwillingness, and deep regret. He didn't say anything more, just grabbed his suit jacket and left the conference room.
When he reached the underground parking lot, the cold wind brought him a little clarity, but the suffocating pressure and pain still clung to him. He got into the car, placing his hands on the steering wheel but didn't start the engine.
A scene kept flashing in his mind—Chloe was in the courtroom, her pale yet stubborn face, and her eyes filled with despair and resolve. She could have defended herself, but she chose silence, all for the Stone family's reputation and benefits. And Hayden, knowing the truth, chose to stand by and do nothing.
He slammed his fist on the steering wheel with a low growl. The unease and regret seemed to tear him apart, but he didn't know what to do. "No, I can't do this!" He murmured, pressing the accelerator and driving out of the parking lot.
At night, he sat in a dimly lit bar, one shot after another burning down his throat. His thoughts grew fuzzy, but it couldn't truly numb the pain in his heart. He stared blankly at the liquid in his glass, as if the alcohol could swallow all his suffering and regret.
"Sir, would you like me to arrange a driver for you?" The waiter cautiously walked over, noticing his slightly drunken state, and quietly reminded him.
Hayden lifted his head, his voice hoarse, "No... give me another one."
The waiter hesitated but complied. Hayden downed it in one gulp, then slammed the empty glass onto the table. The alcohol reddened his cheeks, but his eyes remained cold and hollow.
Meanwhile, in the Stone family's living room, the atmosphere was tense. Peter sat on the sofa, his face dark, one hand continuously tapping the armrest while the other gripped his phone, repeatedly dialing Hayden's number. No one answered.
"This damn fool!" Peter could no longer contain himself, throwing the phone hard onto the table. "No sense of responsibility. He's completely useless."
"Dear, please don't be upset." Phoebe sat beside him, cautiously trying to calm him down. "Hayden might just be too tired from work and a little frustrated. He'll be fine once he relaxes..."
Peter sneered, "After something like this happened, instead of trying to make amends, he still has the nerve to go out and drink?"
Chloe stood to the side, silent. Her eyes were lowered, seemingly calm, but her fingers tightly clenched her clothes. She could sense that this matter was somehow related to her, and it made her uneasy.
Just then, the door was pushed open. Hayden staggered in, a strong smell of alcohol surrounding him. He looked disheveled, his tie loose, his shirt wrinkled, he was a far cry from the confident person he usually was.
Peter stormed over to him and grabbed his collar with force. "Look at you now! Is this how you should be?"
"Let go of me... " Hayden struggled to break free, but his drunken body was weak, and he could only let his father drag him. "I'm already suffering enough, don't push me further!"
"Push you?" Peter sneered with rage. "If it weren't for me protecting you, you'd have been kicked out of the company by those shareholders long ago! Now look at the mess you've made, and you dare come back and defy me?"
"Enough!" Phoebe couldn't hold back. She placed herself between father and son, speaking in a near-pleading tone. "Dear, stop yelling at Hayden. He's already in enough pain. If you keep this up, it will only make things worse..."
"What?" Peter widened his eyes, staring at his wife in disbelief. "He made the mistake, and now he expects others to clean up his mess!"
Chloe watched all of this, feeling helpless. When she looked up and saw her foster mother's gaze fall on her, the complex emotions in her eyes completely unsettled Chloe. It was a mix of apology, pain, and unease. Chloe realized that all of this might be related to her.
Chloe clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms, but still couldn't calm the unease within her. At that moment, she heard Phoebe softly say, "Chloe, why don't you go to your room and rest? This doesn't concern you."
The words felt like an invisible barrier, shutting her out. Phoebe only made her more curious about what had happened, and why everyone was avoiding talking to her.
Back in her room, she leaned against the door, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. But she only felt more uneasy.