Hayden paused, and then gave Kevin an inquiry look.
“I always got a feeling that Edison will agree to divorce with you that easily. I hope I am just being paranoid.” Kevin explained.
“I trust him.” Hayden said with a smile.
It was then the car came to pick up Hayden. Kevin opened the door for her.
“Alright then, get in. Be luck with you.”
Hayden smiled back, “Thanks.”
Edison had been waiting for Hayden for a while when she arrived at the French restaurant. Edison beckoned her when he caught sight of her.
Hayden moved forward, sat down in front of Edison. They caught up for a while before they got into the main subject.
“We are going to submit our divorce petition tomorrow. This might be the last meal we have together as husband and wife.” Edison started.
“What? Are you sad about that?” Hayden asked.
“Kind of.” He admitted. “But the divorce, it has to be done.”
“We’ll still be eating together, as friends. No worries.” Hayden said, smiling.
“That’s true. Hope you won’t forget me.”
“I won’t, for a certainty.”
Brooding, Edison then added.
“Audition for the divorce lasts six months as the petition is submitted. If things go well, you need to be at the court by then.”
“Sure.”
That was a pleasant meal. Nothing was worth a whit of doubt.
Kevin was overthinking, Hayden thought.
She trusted Edison.
They went to submit the petition at the notary office. After it was done, Hayden went back to the country by a plane.
She could be married to Joseph half a year later should thing go smoothly.
Joseph the Busy Bee came to the airport to pick up Hayden himself when she landed.
She had a special feeling that she found no word to describe when she saw Joseph. That feeling urged her to run to Joseph, to the warmth of his embrace.
Joseph was surprised by her reaction, but he relished the intimacy with her.
“What?” affectionately, he hugged her, his hand stroking her head gently.
“Nothing. Just feel like it has been a long time. I miss you so much.” Hayden muttered.
“I miss you too.”
Joseph drove Hayden back home.
The kids came hopping and jumping out of their room when they saw Hayden’s back.
And all of a sudden, Joseph said to Noah solemnly. “Noah, call Hayden mom.”
Hayden was confused, she turned to look at Joseph, “What?” Noah has been calling her as mom, hasn’t he?
Lowering his head, Joseph looked at Hayden, his tone serious. “Benjamin told me everything. You are Noah’s birth mother.”
Joseph’s confession surprised Hayden.
Noah was no less surprised than Hayden was. He threw himself forward and clutched Joseph’s thigh, urging. “Dad, is it real. Mom is really my mom?”
“Then Noah is my brother?” Stella reflected, and shrieked.
Only Hayden was still in shock.
“Hayden, you gave me two kids sweet as honey, thank you. I would never had let you leave if I’d known the girl was you.”
“Joseph…” Hayden was at a loss, her mouth opening and closing
“Say no more. I’m certain about all this.”
“You’re certain?”
Joseph nodded and said. “I have our DNA tested. Mine and Stella’s, yours and Noah’s. I can’t be more certain now.”
Finally Hayden managed to grasp the news. She threw herself in Joseph’s arms and started sobbing. It weren’t tears of sadness but of happiness that she wept.
That’s so great, the kids are both theirs.
And truth of what happened years before finally came to light.
The new thrilled the elders even more. They gave their blessing and urged Hayden and Jospeh to marry soon.
But they had to wait until Hayden’s divorce with Edison was done.
Half a year later, Hayden’s divorce petition was approved. The whole process would be over with her confirmation.
Joseph was with her at the notary office this time.
And they had Edison’s full cooperation.
After she had the divorce certificate in hand, Hayden treated Edison to a meal and invited him to her wedding.
After they were back in the country again, Joseph wasted not even a second and got on the wedding plan instantly.
This would probably be the most fabulous wedding in Nanking ever.
For half a year they had prepared for the wedding to finally embrace this sacred moment of theirs.
They held a traditional Chinese wedding. With numerous protocols, the wedding was epic. Hayden’s wedding dress, wonderfully exquisite, was sewn thread by thread by the finest garment maker.
Stepping down the wedding palanquin, Hayden was ushered into the venue with a veil covering her head.
The atmosphere was jolly. Guests were garbed merrily with curious smiles on their faces, among them, the innocent laughter of kids spread through.
In front of their parents, Hayden and Joseph stood abreast.
As rituals of a traditional wedding, they would bow to the God, their parents and each other as a way of showing respect.
“To the God you may bow.” The host bellowed.
Husband and wife are tethered together after they bow their heads before God, people say, and they will find each other in their next life.
They would be together, to the end of their lives, to the end of time.