Call Me Gid

The tires of the Rolls-Royce came to a smooth halt outside the pristine, secure private wing of the hospital. Gideon stepped out immediately and walked to the trunk, unloading several rare, expensive health supplements. He shot a curt gesture at Hazel, who stood frozen by the passenger door. "Let's go," he ordered.

Hazel hurried to match his long strides. Her chest tightened with deep apprehension at the daunting prospect of finally meeting the prominent old Mr. Hayes.

"Are you nervous?" Gideon cast a sideways glance at her tense shoulders.

"Nonsense," she stubbornly denied, refusing to meet his eyes. "Not at all."

The gleaming steel doors of the VIP elevator slid shut, sealing them in the confined space. The tension became unbearable. Hazel couldn't help but turn to him, her voice betraying her nerves. "Is your grandfather a fierce man?"

"No," Gideon replied in a flat tone. He pivoted slightly to face her. "Call me Gid. I told my grandpa I've been with my girlfriend for two years."

The instruction hit her with a heavy realization. They had to flawlessly portray a long-term, entrenched couple. A two-year relationship meant they couldn't act like distant strangers.

She silently tested the unfamiliar, intimate name on her tongue. "Sure, Gid."

A spark of reckless mischief bubbled up inside her, countering her intense anxiety. She looked up at him with feigned innocence, deciding to playfully tease him about their four-year age difference. "Since there is a wide age gap between us, what do you think if I call you a cuter nickname?"

His reaction was chilling. Gideon's dark eyes turned freezing cold, stripping away any trace of tolerance. His jaw clenched tight. "Forget about it," he muttered harshly.

The elevator announced their floor with a soft ding. Gideon strode out rapidly, leaving her behind in his wake. Hazel stumbled forward, flustered by his abrupt mood swing. Dealing with such a volatile, superior man was going to be a real difficulty.

Hurrying to catch up, she found Gideon waiting outside the heavy wooden door of the luxury ward. As she approached, his demeanor shifted seamlessly. He reached out and firmly took her small hand in his large one, presenting a united front before pushing the door open.

Sunlight poured into the expansive ward. Edward Hayes, a frail but sharp-eyed octogenarian, paused his game of chess with his assistant, Wallace. Seeing them, the old man carefully stood up, his weathered face breaking into a warm, loving smile.

"You must be Haze," the old man greeted her. His voice trembled slightly but carried undeniable affection.

"Hi, Grandpa. Nice to meet you. I'm Hazel Brooks."

"Come, sit down." Edward gestured warmly.

Gideon stepped forward, presenting the extravagant boxes. "Haze thoughtfully bought these specifically for your health."

"Thank you, Haze." Edward chuckled, gently teasing his powerful grandson. "I heard you two have been dating for two years. This boy hid it from the family and wouldn't bring you to meet me."

Hazel didn't miss a beat. She delivered their rehearsed excuse, her voice hitting the perfect pitch of loving hesitation. "Grandpa, Gid wanted me to meet you for a long time, but I turned it down because, as you know, I'm just an ordinary designer in Hayes Group…"

Edward's eyes softened. He reached out and took her free hand in his trembling grasp. "We don't care about one's family background. As long as the two of you genuinely love each other, that means everything to the Hayes family."

Playing her designated part to perfection, Hazel turned her head and beamed a sweet, adoring smile directly at Gideon. "Yeah, that's what Gid told me too."

Startled by the sheer radiance of her fake smile, Gideon hesitated for a fraction of a second. Then, he reached out, gently caressing her hair. It was a calculated, intimate gesture that widened Edward's approving grin from ear to ear.

The old man's amiable nature quickly put Hazel at genuine ease, melting away her prior anxieties. After some lighthearted conversation, she happily joined Edward in a strategic game of chess.

Halfway through a complex move, her phone began buzzing relentlessly in her purse.

"Excuse me, Grandpa. I need to take this call," Hazel said politely, standing up and stepping away toward the far end of the expansive suite.

The second she was out of earshot, the warm atmosphere in the room vanished. Gideon sat down heavily in a nearby armchair. Edward's jovial expression instantly hardened, shifting into an intense, solemn gaze that pierced right through his grandson.

"Be honest with me, Gideon," the old patriarch demanded, his voice dropping to a serious, gravelly whisper. "Did you date Hazel and marry her because of Maya?"

The heavy, unspoken truth hung thick and suffocating in the sterile hospital air: Hazel's physical appearance bore a striking resemblance to the mysterious Maya.