When the Contract Marriage Ended, He Stayed

###Chapter 34: Fear of Heights

Hazel Hawthorne had disappeared from his own bar. This could be a minor issue or a major one. If she was found quickly and unharmed, he might be safe. But if something happened to Hazel Hawthorne on his turf, he could probably kiss this bar goodbye.

Aiden Xavier had come to the bar to unwind many times, and the owner had never once seen him with a dark expression. He’d long heard about Aiden Xavier’s reputation as The Ice King, but without witnessing it firsthand, he could never truly grasp the fear and oppressive aura people described.

The security guard who had given Aiden Xavier directions now stared at his boss and Aiden sitting before him. He couldn’t understand how the disappearance of a single person could warrant the personal attention of his boss. Moreover, looking at the man next to his boss, who had an imposing air without even being angry, he realized things had gotten serious.

"Boss, I really don’t know anything." He had just handed a bottle of water to the woman who came out; he hadn’t done anything else out of line.

The guard thought he could get away with playing dumb. But from the moment he’d started giving directions, Aiden Xavier had sensed something was off about him.

He was certain this man knew where Hazel Hawthorne was.

The bar owner naturally wanted to believe his subordinate, but he also knew that disappearances were common in bars. Sometimes, clients would ask for their help, and they would oblige to earn some extra cash on the side.

As long as no major trouble was caused, the owner would turn a blind eye.

But now, they had messed with the wrong person. The one who had disappeared was Aiden Xavier’s woman.

Anyone who dared to offend Aiden Xavier was tired of making a living here—it was tantamount to digging their own grave. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Aiden Xavier could sense the deception, and so could the bar owner. He immediately snapped, "What do you know? Spit it all out! If anything happens to Mrs. Xavier, you can pack your things and get out. And don’t you dare say you ever worked for me."

The guard’s heart tightened. He glanced at Aiden Xavier’s expression. Hearing the name "Mrs. Xavier," his mind immediately connected the dots to Aiden Xavier. Coupled with his boss’s attitude, he was now certain the man before him was Aiden Xavier himself.

The guard’s legs went weak, and with a THUD, he knelt on the floor. "Young Master Xavier, I really don’t know where Mrs. Xavier is now! You can kill me, but I still wouldn’t know! I just saw that Mrs. Xavier seemed to be in a bad mood, so I gave her a bottle of water."

Aiden Xavier shot him a disdainful glare. The guard immediately confessed, "I only know the water was tampered with. But as for who took Mrs. Xavier, I really have no idea."

The water was drugged, and Hazel Hawthorne had drunk it.

Aiden Xavier didn’t know whether to call Hazel Hawthorne stupid or just naively unguarded. To think she would dare to accept something from a stranger in a place like a bar.

’She really has no fear of death.’

"Who told you to give that water to Mrs. Xavier?"

Aiden Xavier stared at the guard in silence. How could the guard dare to hide anything else? He spilled everything. "It was a tall, fat man. He gave me ten thousand yuan and asked me to hand a bottle of water to Mrs. Xavier. I had no idea he was targeting Mrs. Xavier!"

"Do you remember what the man looked like?" Aiden Xavier asked grimly.

"He was wearing a mask. I only remember his eyes."

"What are you standing around for? Pull up the surveillance footage, now! Find Hazel Hawthorne in the shortest possible time. If anything happens to her, you’ll all be in for it!" the owner immediately barked his orders.

The bar owner immediately mobilized all the security staff, ordering them to check the surveillance footage and search everywhere. In an instant, the music came to a screeching halt, and the bar’s main lights blared on, leaving all the patrons confused.

No one present was allowed to leave until Aiden Xavier found Hazel Hawthorne.

「The Fiore Hotel.」

Hazel Hawthorne woke up in a daze. Looking at the unfamiliar surroundings, she rubbed her forehead and slowly pushed herself up, using the bed for support. The room was empty, and her head was pounding as if it were about to split open. She stood there for a moment to recover before walking to the door.

She tugged at the door. It was locked from the outside. Her mind felt sluggish for a few seconds before clarity gradually returned. Fighting back the headache, she went to the window, opened it, and looked down, immediately dismissing any thought of escaping that way.

’It’s at least the twentieth floor. If I jump, I’ll be smashed to pieces!’

Still, no one came in. Hazel Hawthorne didn’t even know who had kidnapped her. She paced around the room anxiously. Everything she had that could connect her to the outside world was gone. She was like a bird trapped in a cage, with no way out.

Time crawled by, and Hazel Hawthorne’s heart was consumed with anxiety. ’Aiden Xavier is probably off cooing with Raina Lowell right now. He definitely doesn’t know I’ve been taken, and he won’t come looking for me. I can’t call anyone for help. I can only save myself.’

’Save myself?’

Hazel Hawthorne had already frantically searched every inch of the room but found no means of escape.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded from outside the door. Hazel Hawthorne grew tense and flustered. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, then lay back on the bed and pretended to still be unconscious.

’I need to know who kidnapped me and why.’

The door opened with a CREAK.

She wanted to see who had come in, but she was afraid they would realize she was awake. She didn’t dare make a move and remained perfectly still on the bed.

The footsteps grew closer, and Hazel Hawthorne’s heart leaped into her throat.

A dark shadow fell over her, as if a thick fog had descended before her eyes. Tense and frightened, she wanted to open her eyes, but to her surprise, the person who had entered suddenly sat down beside her.

"Damn, she’s gorgeous! Even without makeup, she’s prettier than any woman I’ve ever slept with!" the man let out a lecherous laugh, his groping hand slowly reaching for Hazel Hawthorne.

When Hazel Hawthorne felt someone touching her clothes, she couldn’t take it anymore. She snapped her eyes open, only to see a greasy, fat face inches from her own. The left side of his face was horribly pockmarked, the very picture of ugliness.

The man seemed startled by Hazel Hawthorne’s sudden awakening. He hadn’t expected her to come to so soon.

It took Hazel Hawthorne a long moment to recover from the shock. She raised her hands, shoved the man away, and scrambled off the bed. Grabbing the nearest object, she aimed it at the sleazy man and demanded sharply, "Who are you? Did you bring me here?"

"That’s right. I noticed you the moment you walked into the bar. A beauty like you isn’t safe at a bar alone, so I was kind enough to have someone escort you," the man said, rubbing his hands together excitedly.

"This is the twenty-fifth floor. I’ve locked the door from the outside, and my men are standing guard. If you want to escape, your only option is to jump out the window."

Hazel Hawthorne had already surveyed the area. She truly had no escape route. Even so, she refused to be defiled by such a disgusting man. She would rather die than suffer that dishonor.

Her palms were sweating profusely from the tension. She didn’t have the courage to look down again. Because she was afraid of heights.

*****