Love me or leave me (Rebecca and Theodore)
Chapter 256

That night, Stacey and Hayden brought the children with them to the supermarket, and they unexpectedly encountered Theodore again. She thought Theodore would come over to bother them, but thankfully, he did not. After that night, they didn't see Theodore again. He had left. Perhaps he had finally moved on and wouldn't bother her and the children anymore. Stacey felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

Time passed quickly, and soon it was time for Christmas. Everyone was preparing to go back to their hometowns. However, unlike most people, who simply packed their belongings and went back, Stacey and Hayden had to stop in Strico before returning to their hometowns. Hayden and Jeremy had many belongings there that needed to be sorted out.

When Charlie saw Stacey kissing Hayden in the past, he quickly informed everyone in the family. Even though Stacey hurriedly chased after him, she couldn't stop him in time. As a result, everyone in the family was aware of her relationship with Hayden.

Knowing that Hayden and Jeremy needed to return to Strico first to pack things up, Debra agreed without hesitation, fully supporting Hayden. She strongly advised Stacey to accompany Hayden and Jeremy to Strico.

'Hay has been staying with us for quite a while. It's only polite for Stacey to visit his parents. Otherwise, it would be impolite. More importantly, now that they're in a relationship, it would be beneficial for them to spend time together and strengthen their bond. While family is important, nothing can compare to a couple's affection,' Debra thought.

Patrick wholeheartedly agreed with Debra. Stacey noticed a look in her father's eyes that suggested she was a third wheel if she stayed at home. Feeling somewhat speechless, she quickly packed up. She then left with Hayden, accompanied by Lillian and Kevin.

As Christmas approached, Gwen and Marie returned home for the holidays. It meant they could not follow the family around and look after the children like they used to. Fortunately, Lillian and Kevin had matured enough that they no longer required constant care. Otherwise, Stacey would have struggled to care for the three children alone now that she was also responsible for Jeremy.

However, Stacey quickly noticed that, while Jeremy clung to her, Lillian and Kevin did not appear to be attached to her at all. On the contrary, they seemed particularly fond of Hayden. Stacey secretly observed Hayden with the children and noticed that he seemed genuinely happy, not forced. He was very considerate and patient with them.

Stacey turned her gaze toward Jeremy as she reflected on this. When Jeremy noticed she was looking at him, he smiled right back. Stacey was instantly comforted by Jeremy's sweet expression and bent down to gently kiss his forehead. 'He's way too adorable!' she exclaimed inwardly.

They returned to Strico in good spirits, but to their surprise, shortly after they arrived, Queenie showed up as well. She brought a lawyer with her, claiming to be Jeremy's mother and asserting her right to visit her child. She threatened to sue the Hoggard family and expose the situation to the media if they didn't allow her to meet with Jeremy. When Joshua reported it to Hayden, Hayden's face darkened instantly. Jeremy, too, was very upset, angrily saying, "I don't want to see her. Just ignore her."

Joshua looked helplessly at Hayden. With a gloomy expression, Hayden turned to Stacey and said, "Stay here and watch the children. I'll go out and see what's going on."

Stacey immediately stood up and said, "Let's go together."

Hayden was dumbfounded, but Stacey didn't explain further. Hayden was momentarily puzzled, but then he understood and chuckled. "Okay. We'll go together," he agreed with a smile. He did not have to handle the situation alone. He and Becky were in a relationship, so she had the right to be involved.

He realized it would be wrong to meet his ex-wife behind Stacey's back. With that in mind, he said to Jeremy, "Jeremy, you stay here and play with Lily and Kev. Becky and I will be back soon."

"I want to go too. I have to make it clear to her that I do not want her to be my mommy. I want Becky to be my mommy. That woman is no longer my mommy!" Jeremy insisted in a solemn voice. When Stacey heard that, she felt nervous. Hayden hesitated for a moment before agreeing with a smile, "Okay."

"What about Lily and Kev?" Stacey asked, concerned.

"Let's bring them along," Hayden suggested with a smile. Although it might not be ideal to argue with Queenie in front of the children, it would be better to address the issue head-on rather than let it linger unresolved.

He knew they would be safe inside

Hoggard Villa, but given Becky's previous trauma from being kidnapped, leaving the children alone might cause her anxiety. Because of that, it was best to bring them along. While Stacey thought it might not be best to involve the children, she agreed for safety's sake, and they all went out together. With two adults and three children, they looked very much like a family

of five.

The moment Queenie saw them, she was stunned and then filled with hatred. She felt she had tried everything, including apologizing in all sorts of ways, just to save her marriage. 'Why did Becky have to take advantage of the situation and seduce my husband?' she mused.

Queenie, feeling concerned, was forced to employ an underhanded strategy to persuade the Hoggard family to tet her in. She knew that reconciling with Hayden was impossible, but she wanted to maintain some ties with the Hoggard family. As long as she could maintain contact with the Hoggard family, the Leavey family would benefit greatly from them.

Of course, in order to maintain a positive relationship with the Hoggard family, she had to

negotiate with Hayden and achieve a satisfactory outcome. After she betrayed Hayden two years ago, lot of those in their social circle became wary of her family, which hurt her family's business. The Leavey family lost out on a lot of major projects because many prestigious families refused to work with them as soon as they learned of their involvement.

Hayden finally walked over and stood in front of her. At that moment, Queenie realized that Hayden was incredibly handsome. It was at that moment that she realized that he was much more handsome than her ex-boyfriend.