Kayden had done everything he could. Whether they believed him or not was no longer his concern. He had shown John Baker enough courtesy; if John Baker didn’t appreciate it, that was no longer his problem.
After Kayden left, May furrowed her brow in frustration and snapped, “So rude! Bragging and acting like he’s someone important-who does he think he is? Still the young master of the Scott family? He’s nothing but a discarded member of that family. It’s infuriating, absolutely infuriating!”
John Baker sighed helplessly and said, “Enough, he’s gone now. What’s the point of saying all this?”
Then, he turned to Ryder, looking apologetic. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Steele, you had to see that.”
“I truly don’t know what’s become of my nephew. Perhaps being cast out of the family fractured something in his mind. Maybe he’s been living in some delusional world ever since. Honestly, seeing him like this breaks my heart. Mr. Scott, wherever you are, please watch over Kayden from above.”
“Enough already! What’s with the prayers and all? You act like you were so close to him,” May interjected with a sneer. “Listen, from now on, don’t even say you know him. Don’t let anyone think he’s connected to us. I’ve told you before, don’t get too close to people like him-now you get it, don’t you?”
After scolding John Baker, she turned to Ryder with a bright smile. “Mr. Steele, please don’t mind him. That man has nothing to do with our family. If he did, we wouldn’t need to ask you for help in arranging jobs, would we?”
“No worries, no worries! Everyone cares about appearances; I understand Mr. Scott’s feelings,” Ryder replied graciously.
May beamed with admiration. “See? Mr. Steele is so understanding, so polite, and so wealthy. Any woman who ends up with a man like you must have incredible luck!”
Ryder chuckled. “You flatter me. Whoever marries Emma will be the real lucky one. But fortunately, that person isn’t Kayden-he doesn’t deserve her. Marrying Emma would only drag her down.”
May nodded in agreement. “Exactly! It’s all John’s fault-always saying the wrong things!”
“Enough! Let’s eat,” John Baker growled irritably, his frustration evident.
He was still heartbroken and regretful about Kayden’s downfall. How could someone who once had such promise end up this way? Could the events of the past have affected him so deeply?
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
May frowned, muttering, “Who could it be now? I’ll get it.”
She opened the door, only to find a man in a sharp suit standing there. His expression was serious, and his demeanor exuded authority.
“Is Mr. Kayden Scott here?” the man asked in a loud, clear voice, audible to everyone inside.
May froze for a moment before asking, “Why are you looking for him? He just left!”
The man nodded slightly and replied, “My employer has an invitation for him. I heard he was here, so I came to deliver it. Since he’s gone, I won’t disturb you further.”
With that, the man turned to leave.
Just as he began to walk away, May couldn’t help but call out, “Who is your employer?”
“Mrs. Rocco,” the man replied without looking back, his voice echoing as he disappeared into the distance.
His words landed like a thunderclap in the room. Everyone froze, stunned.
“Mom, who did he just say sent him?” Emma was the first to react. She doubted her ears and asked May again for confirmation.
May repeated in disbelief, “He said Mrs. Rocco!”
“An invitation… from Mrs. Rocco! Could it be that Kayden wasn’t lying to us earlier?” John Baker exclaimed, slapping his thigh in excitement. His face lit up as he continued, “I knew it! I knew Kayden wasn’t what we thought he was. His father was such a remarkable man-there’s no way Kayden would turn out like that. He wasn’t lying, he wasn’t lying!”
John Baker was ecstatic, his earlier disappointment replaced with joy.
Having followed Ambrose Scott for so long, John Baker had always idolized him. Seeing Ambrose’s son fall to such lows saddened him deeply. But now, hearing this news, he felt a sense of vindication-a moment of pride and relief.
May and Emma stood there, stunned, recalling Kayden’s earlier words. If he had been telling the truth, then Kayden might have far more influence and connections than they had imagined-perhaps even more than Ryder.
After all, the Steele family only had one member invited to events hosted by the Rocco family, and that was the head of the family himself. For Kayden to receive an invitation…
Emma began to feel a pang of regret-regret for having crossed Kayden. Beside her, May also started to sense that they might have overlooked something significant.
Just as their thoughts were churning, Ryder suddenly burst into laughter.
“Ryder, what’s so funny?” Emma asked, puzzled.
Ryder smirked and said, “You don’t actually believe what that man said, do you?”
“What do you mean? Are you saying he was lying?” May asked, confused.
Ryder chuckled. “Of course! It’s such an obvious trick. Don’t you think it’s too much of a coincidence that as soon as Kayden left, someone shows up with an invitation? Does that seem believable to you?”
Emma’s eyes lit up with realization. “So, you’re saying Kayden arranged for someone to come and put on an act to save face?”
Ryder gave her a thumbs up. “Exactly! That’s his style. He’s so obsessed with appearances-do you think he’d let himself lose face here? This was just a ploy to win your trust. Honestly, I have to admit-it’s a clever move. I wouldn’t have thought of it myself.”
Hearing Ryder’s explanation, May and Emma both breathed a sigh of relief. Just moments ago, they had been worried they might have misjudged Kayden. But now, they felt reassured that it was all just a trick.
Meanwhile, John Baker sank deeper into disappointment. His fleeting hope had been crushed, leaving him feeling even more disheartened than before.
Kayden’s obsession with appearances, to the point of orchestrating such a charade, only cemented John Baker’s disappointment.
Watching Kayden’s departing figure replay in his mind, John Baker couldn’t shake the feeling of despair.
May let out a long breath and said, “I knew it. There’s no way that guy could be so impressive. For a moment, I almost believed it was true.”