When the Contract Marriage Ended, He Stayed

Chapter 24: A Little Cold Won’t Kill You

Hazel Hawthorne glanced at the pitiful-looking Raina Lowell, then grinned and patted Aiden Xavier’s shoulder. "Your precious is calling for you."

Hazel Hawthorne’s cheeks were deeply flushed, reminding Aiden Xavier of how her high fever had refused to break the night before. He shot a quick glance at Raina Lowell, and when he saw Hazel about to leave, he grabbed her hand almost subconsciously.

"You’re out shopping while you’re sick? Can’t you ever sit still?"

Hazel Hawthorne froze for a second. She felt a burning gaze fixed on her, making her skin crawl. Casting a subtle glance out of the corner of her eye, she caught the flash of disgust in Raina Lowell’s eyes.

Hazel Hawthorne was torn between exasperation and amusement. She shook off Aiden Xavier’s hand and said flatly, "It’s none of your damn business. It’s just a little cold. It won’t kill me."

"Hazel Hawthorne, do you know why you don’t have any friends?" Rebuffed by Hazel’s indifferent and distant attitude, Aiden Xavier felt he was losing face, and his voice turned cold. "With the way you talk, no one would ever want to be your friend."

His words seemed to strike a nerve, hitting the softest part of Hazel’s heart. ’Someone had said that to her before, hoping she would retract her thorns. But before she’d had the chance, that person had left her forever.’

’She used to be gentle, too. She didn’t always speak this way. She would talk softly, and she would feel happy when others showed they cared. But then, too many things happened, and she learned that when there’s no one to protect you, only a shell of thorns can keep you safe.’

Hazel Hawthorne’s gaze turned icy in an instant. "I don’t need friends."

Aiden Xavier scoffed. "You don’t mean that."

"You should focus on the one beside you."

With that, Hazel Hawthorne walked straight past Aiden Xavier without sparing him so much as a glance.

Aiden Xavier stood frozen in place. Raina Lowell’s hands balled into fists at her sides. ’He’s worried about Hazel Hawthorne. He must have been with her last night after he left me. How else would he know she was sick?’

Raina Lowell knew Aiden Xavier disliked sharp-tongued women, which was why she always made sure to be the epitome of gentleness in his presence.

"Aiden, was Ms. Hawthorne upset because she saw you with me?" Raina Lowell asked, watching him carefully. "If she doesn’t like us being together, maybe you shouldn’t come see me so often."

Aiden Xavier snapped back to reality and looked down. "Why would you say that? What does what we do have to do with her?"

Raina Lowell let go of Aiden Xavier’s arm and lowered her head. As expected, her eyes were already welling with tears. Her voice, laced with hurt and sorrow, was tentative. "Aiden, have you fallen for Ms. Hawthorne?"

"What gave you the idea that I like her?" Aiden Xavier noticed Raina was no longer holding his arm, but he made no move. "I can only tell you this: she is still my wife for now."

"But your marriage is fake," Raina Lowell blurted out. "Didn’t you say you only loved me? So why do I get the feeling you care about her, too? Last night..."

Raina Lowell blinked, and a tear splashed onto the back of her hand, right where Aiden Xavier would see it. "Last night, you left me all alone at the hospital. Were you with Ms. Hawthorne?"

Aiden Xavier was silent for a moment.

"I had to see her about something. I didn’t know she was sick at the time," Aiden Xavier said coolly, offering Raina an explanation.

Raina Lowell was not satisfied with this answer and pressed him further. "Then why didn’t you pick up when I called you last night? You know I hate being alone in a hospital more than anything."

"Raina," Aiden Xavier said her name in a low voice. He paused before continuing, "You know I don’t like being interrogated. I have my reasons for what I do. I don’t need to report everything to you."

Raina Lowell was completely stunned. She stared at the man before her as tears began to stream down her face, falling like a broken string of pearls.

Aiden Xavier’s face was a blank mask, his eyes devoid of any affection, let alone tenderness. She didn’t even have the courage to act cute and coax him, and could only stand to the side, sobbing pitifully.

"Raina, you just need to know that I love you. That’s enough. And while my marriage to Hazel Hawthorne is a sham, we still have to maintain the appearance of a normal couple, you understand? Even if I don’t do it for Hazel’s sake, I have to do it for my mother’s."

Raina Lowell nodded silently. "Aiden, I know you love me, but I feel so insecure. You’re so exceptional. Even if you don’t go looking for trouble, other women will come looking for you."

"So you really don’t have any feelings for Hazel Hawthorne? You’ve been together for three years, after all. And for all those three years, I wasn’t by your side."

Suppressing his impatience, Aiden Xavier patted Raina Lowell’s head. "She’s not my type. Don’t worry. The moment I divorce Hazel, I will marry you. And I’ll get my mother to accept you, too."

Aiden Xavier was not a man who was good at comforting people. The very fact that he was controlling his temper for her was proof enough of her place in his heart.

Having known Aiden Xavier for many years, Raina Lowell understood him well. She knew that pushing any further would only make him angry, so she wisely decided to quit while she was ahead. Wiping the tears from her face, she said, "Aiden, I believe you."

Aiden Xavier nodded. "Do you want to keep shopping, or should we go back so you can rest?"

"Since we’re already here, let’s look around. I wanted to buy you a tie anyway." Raina Lowell pushed the incident to the back of her mind. ’She couldn’t control Aiden Xavier, but she could deal with Hazel Hawthorne. She would never allow any woman to occupy a place in Aiden’s heart.’

After leaving the mall, Hazel Hawthorne stared at a stone bollard in front of her, then furiously lifted her foot and kicked it hard. ’That scumbag Aiden Xavier! What right does he have to say I don’t have friends? Does he think he’s so perfect? He’s no better, wanting his cake and eating it too!’

She imagined the bollard was Aiden Xavier. Even though it hurt to kick, Hazel felt it was worth it to vent her frustration.

’When she was angry enough, anything and everything could become a stand-in for that detestable man, Aiden Xavier.’

Across the street, Julian Sterling watched Hazel Hawthorne kicking the stone bollard, a slight smile playing on his lips. ’She seems to have a habit of kicking things,’ he thought.

"Mr. Sterling, don’t you think Hazel Hawthorne is a bit strange? Every time we see her, she’s kicking something. Last time it was a car, now it’s a stone bollard."

Julian Sterling was curious as well. "Perhaps she’s blowing off steam."

"Who would have the nerve to upset Mr. Xavier’s wife?"

"Who else but Aiden Xavier?" Julian Sterling looked at a car parked not far away. The familiar license plate made his smile widen. "I hear Raina Lowell is back."

"Raina Lowell? The young lady of the Lowell Family?"

"Who else could make Aiden Xavier drop everything to go shopping? He even cut his business trip to Freyburg short to come back." Julian Sterling’s eyes never left Hazel Hawthorne, only retracting his gaze when he saw her turn and storm away.

"Mr. Sterling, you’re not planning on telling Mr. Xavier you’ve returned?"

"He already knows." Julian Sterling smiled and said no more. When he looked up again, Hazel Hawthorne was gone.

*****