Bill Has Another Surprise for Hayley—But Will It Be Enough?

Hayley knew that fitting into Fairmont Crest wouldn’t be easy, but she never imagined it would feel this impossible. Every glance, every whisper behind her back, every polite yet condescending smile from the town’s elite only reinforced what she feared the most—she didn’t belong. And perhaps, she never would.

But the worst part? Bill, the one person who should have been on her side, didn’t seem to understand how much it was tearing her apart. Instead of comforting her, he treated her concerns as if they were minor inconveniences, something she just needed to brush off. That was the moment Hayley snapped. Maybe it was time to end things before she found herself trapped in a life where she would always be the outsider. Maybe the wedding should be called off.

A Clash of Perspectives

Bill, ever the optimist—or maybe just oblivious—didn’t take Hayley’s outburst as seriously as she intended. He had always been confident in their love and couldn’t fathom why she let the town’s opinions affect her so deeply.

“Come on, Hales,” he said with an easy grin. “Channel your inner fire-breathing dragon and ignore the Duprees.”

As if it were that simple. As if her presence in Fairmont Crest wasn’t a constant reminder that she wasn’t one of them.

Hayley’s jaw tightened. “I’m beginning to think you enjoy this just as much as Dani does—torturing me.”

It wasn’t the first time she had drawn a comparison between Bill and his sister, but this time, the words hit a nerve. A flicker of something—hurt? Annoyance?—crossed Bill’s face before he quickly masked it with his usual charm.

And honestly? We couldn’t blame Hayley for thinking that.

The Surprise That Almost Makes Up for Everything

To his credit, Bill knew when to retreat. A fight wasn’t going to solve anything, and he wasn’t about to let Hayley slip away so easily. So, he did what he did best—he turned on the charm and surprised her.

When Hayley returned home later that evening, she didn’t find Bill sulking or stewing in their earlier argument. Instead, she found their dining room transformed. The lights were dimmed, candles flickered across the table, and the scent of a carefully prepared meal filled the air.

A romantic dinner at home. It wasn’t quite the extravagant Italian getaway he had once promised her, but really, what was one more disappointment on top of so many others?

Still, despite her frustration, she couldn’t help but soften at the sight. Bill had made an effort. He was trying. And maybe—just maybe—that was enough for tonight.

But would it be enough forever?

The Lingering Doubts

As the night went on, the wine flowed, and the tension between them eased—at least for the moment. Bill told stories, made her laugh, and for a little while, it felt like they were just two people in love, without the weight of Fairmont Crest pressing down on them.

But as Hayley lay in bed later that night, staring at the ceiling, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just another temporary fix. A beautiful distraction from the deeper problem.

Bill wanted her to be stronger, to ignore the judgment, to “channel her inner dragon.” But did he really understand how exhausting that was? How unfair it was to ask her to constantly fight for her place in his world?

And if he never truly understood… how much longer could she keep pretending it didn’t matter?