Love Is Fair by Kerri

Chapter 370

Chapter 370 They Are of the Same Kind

When Wade saw Hailey's angry eyes, his heart skipped a beat.

Jalen nudged him, took a step forward, and said with a smile, "Hailey, don’t be angry. We don't mean to impose moral coercion on you. I just hope you can think about Owen's will.’

I won't go back.” Hailey remained expressionless when she said, We have divorced, so I don't have the right. Lily, see off the guests!"

Not wanting to say one more word, she stepped upstairs.

Wade and Jalen felt frustrated. They had failed to achieve their goal but had offended Hailey, so their face turned sullen.

Benson wrinkled up his nose in dissatisfaction and said, "Uncle Wade, your words were too harsh. No wonder Hailey got angry.

We are asking her for help, but your attitude is too bad. Aren't you asking for a snub?"

Wade was speechless.

"Benson is right. Dad, Hailey does not owe us anything. Owen left so many things to her in his will, but she has never asked for them. It is you that felt anxious and afraid she will take them away.”

Bob also defended Hailey and accused his father, saying, ‘After you begged her to accept them, she refused. It is embarrassing."

Wade could not believe they were blaming him together.

Shut up! Do you think we're feeling happy now?" Jalen rolled his eyes at them. Hailey had lost much weight and looked tired, so he felt uncomfortable. She was only in her twenties, so he wondered whether they were pushing her too hard. He then said,

“Let's go back first.”

Wade frowned, Why? They haven't agreed yet!"

Jalen said, "Even if we beg them here for another three days, they will not agree. Let's go back and try to figure out a way out.”

Then, the four men left in disappointment.

When Hailey returned to her bedroom, she took a bottle of red wine out of the wine cabinet, poured a glass for herself, raised her head, and drank half of a glass.

When there was a knock on the door, she walked over, opened the door, and said, "Grandpa?"

Jason came in with a pipe in his mouth, and the smell of tobacco sobered her up a lot. He was smoking, while she was drinking.

Obviously, they were both in a bad mood.

Pour me a glass of wine. I'd like to drink with you," Jason said, took the pipe out of his mouth, and put it away.

Hailey then poured half a glass for him. Seeing him about to drain the glass in one gulp, she hurriedly stopped him, saying,

"Grandpa, my red wine is not as strong as your whisky, but it will give you a hard kick later. Drink it slowly."

"I know." Jason took a sip.

Hailey looked at the painting he had brought in, paused for a moment, opened it, and appreciated the vivid city scene on it saying, "This imitation painting is good."

When she caressed the specially made paper carefully, her eyes lit up.

“Yeah.” Jason took another sip of the red wine and said, "Can you imagine this painting was drawn made by a ten-year-old child?"

What?" Hailey abruptly raised her head, widened her eyes, and asked, "A ten-year-old child?"

She could be said to be an expert, so she could see the painter's skills were immature although it was a good painting. She had guessed the painter was young but had not expected him or her to be only ten years old!

She was stunned for a moment before asking, "Did Donald tell you who the painter is?"

Yes." Jason said, "I was too curious, so I had pestered him for a long time. He hesitated at first and then refused to tell me. He did not tell me the truth until I threatened him that I will never go back.’

Hailey lowered her eyes, pondered for a while, and said, "This painting was drawn many years ago. The painter was ten years old back then, so he or she must have grown up.”

You're right." Jason sighed slightly, "He is in his thirties. He drew this painting more than ten years ago. He started it at ten and finished it when he was fifteen. It took him five years to draw it.”

Hailey was shocked because she had not expected the painting had taken the man five years. No wonder it had a feeling of vicissitudes. But even when he had been fifteen years old, he had still been a teenager.

What's his name? Where is he now? Is he still painting?”

The business of imitation paintings was different from other painting businesses. It was not a glamorous profession, and most people could not understand them. So, the practitioners usually lived in seclusion without disclosing their real names or occupations.

But Hailey couldn't hold back her curiosity and was eager to know who had completed such a legendary painting at the age of fifteen!

Jason deeply stared at her with his brooding eyes with a regretful look and said, He passed away.’

He had passed away?

Hailey suddenly narrowed her eyes and then looked into her grandfather's desolate eyes. She felt a nerve thumping in her head as if intending to rush out. And it made her have a splitting headache!

When she lowered her head to look at the painting again, the people in it who were laughing, shouting, or crying had all become the same man.

He faintly smiled at her and said gently, “Hailey!”

"Hailey, are you surprised? Hailey, don't ignore me."

"Hailey, it was my fault in the past. Can you forgive me?’

"Hailey, can we get back together?’

Hailey, will you feel sorry for me when I die?”

Hailey trembled all over and bit her lower lip hard. And she did not recover from the trance until tasting blood in her mouth.

She opened her lips with difficulty but could not make a sound. It took a long time before she could ask in a hoarse voice, "Is it Owen that drew the painting?"

She then looked up at Jason. Even though she had already known the answer in her heart, she still asked this question as if she could not believe it without his confirmation.

Jason lowered his eyes because he had also found it hard to believe it at the beginning.

"Yes, it's Owen," he replied, giving her the final confirmation.

It was him. But how could it be him?

Hailey shook her head, trying hard to get rid of the chaotic thoughts in her mind. Then, she murmured, "I've touched his hand. The thick calluses on his fingertips are not fake."

The calluses on her hands were caused by carving knives, while the calluses on Owen's hands had been caused when he had been in the army.

Jason said, ' When he drew this painting, he hadn't joined the army yet. Maybe he had never expected he would join the army at that time. Donald said when Owen was a child, he had a strong interest in antiques and paintings. His painting teacher was an imitation painting master, who took a fancy to his talent in painting and specially cultivated him. Except for Jacob and Donald, no one else knows about it.”

Hailey frowned, "Why did he give up?"

His teacher offended someone and suddenly disappeared. He is still a missing person until now. And it is he that guided Owen to complete this painting."

Jason drank up the rest of the red wine and added, Those people didn't find anything from his teacher, so they targeted Owen and almost kidnapped him. Donald and Jacob were afraid something would

happen to him, so they threw him into the army. The army was not only safe but also could make those people give up their evil plan. After all, once Owen had calluses on his hands, he could no longer work in the imitation painting business. Gradually, those people stopped pestering him.”

Listening to Owen's experiences, Hailey thought of his hands. Suddenly, she remembered when he had first entered her office and saw Calming the Waves, his eyes had lit up. She had thought he was delighted and surprised because of the ancient painting. Now, she knew it was not a surprise but a sense of nostalgia. Maybe he had also felt happy to find a person of his kind.

Their pasts were so similar. Maybe it was fate that had brought them together.