When the Contract Marriage Ended, He Stayed

###Chapter 41: Do You Still Remember My Brother?

"Aiden Xavier, you don’t have to take me home. I can just grab a cab. I wouldn’t want to keep Raina Lowell waiting." Hazel Hawthorne felt she had always been very considerate of Aiden Xavier. A wife who actively pushed her husband toward another woman was a rare breed.

Aiden Xavier didn’t even glance at Hazel. He just had his secretary pull the car up to the restaurant entrance. Under Aiden’s insistent gaze, Hazel gave a helpless smile. She knew she couldn’t win against him, so she simply got in the car.

’Well, a free ride is a free ride. It would be a shame to waste it. I’m just being frugal.’

Ever since taking Raina’s call, Aiden’s expression had been off. Hazel didn’t ask. That was a matter between Aiden and Raina, after all. She never took the initiative to pry. Unless Aiden told her himself, she would just pretend she didn’t know.

After dropping Hazel off at home, Aiden didn’t even get out of the car. He just had his secretary drive away.

As Hazel reached the door, she instinctively turned to look in the direction the car had gone. She didn’t know why she did it. It was as if a part of her was hoping—hoping that Aiden would suddenly get out of the car and say he was staying the night.

But she knew better. Since he had taken Raina’s call, there was no way he would stay. He was definitely on his way to see Raina now.

At that thought, Hazel couldn’t help but laugh at herself. ’Have I been spending too much time with Aiden lately?’ It had made her start to hope for something more. Hope that he would abandon Raina for her?

Gazing up at the pitch-black night sky, Hazel burst out laughing. The very idea was absurd. She turned and went inside.

Back in her room, Hazel suddenly recalled what Raina had said to her that afternoon. She hugged the stuffed doll in her arms and sat on the balcony. The lights in the adjacent room were off. Moonlight spilled over her, draping her in a faint glow.

It made Hazel look lonely and desolate.

Her head hung low, her thoughts in a whirl. She wondered if Aiden had reached Raina’s side by now. Were they discussing when to get divorced? Or was he coaxing a fuming Raina...?

Sometimes, Hazel thought it might be nice to be a woman like Raina, someone who knew how to act coy and win people over. Most men seemed to like that, at least.

But on second thought, she was happiest just being herself.

The long, silent night brought back memories Hazel had long since buried. And these memories, hidden deep in her heart, began to play out in her mind like a movie.

She remembered the past. She had known Aiden Xavier since they were very young, though he probably had no memory of her. Back then, she’d actually liked trailing after him, simply because he was handsome.

But back then, Aiden only had eyes for Raina.

Hazel suddenly stood up, cutting off the memory.

Meanwhile, Aiden Xavier was staring expressionlessly at a fuming Raina. "I’ve told you before," he said in a cold voice, "the divorce isn’t something I can decide on my own."

"If you wanted a divorce, you could get a divorce. You’re Aiden Xavier! No one can change a decision you’ve made. Unless... you don’t actually want to divorce Hazel Hawthorne at all."

"Raina, I’ve explained this whole divorce thing to you many times," Aiden said, his anger simmering. "If you had any sense, you’d stop bringing it up. And don’t use suicide to threaten me. You know me better than that. I don’t respond to threats."

Raina was both crying and furious. "Aiden, I never meant to threaten you with suicide! You have no idea how much I’m suffering inside. I don’t want to see another woman by your side. I can’t stand it!"

"Many things in life aren’t about whether you can stand them or not. You’re an adult now. Think about the consequences before you act. If you’re determined to die, I can’t stop you."

Aiden’s gaze fell on a bottle of sleeping pills on the table. If Raina hadn’t said on the phone that she didn’t want to live anymore, he wouldn’t have rushed over.

He had been taking care of Hazel all last night and had barely gotten any rest.

Raina froze, stunned. She never thought Aiden would say something so harsh.

She sobbed, her voice thick with grievance. "If Julian Sterling hadn’t told me last night, I never would have known you were at the bar. And if I hadn’t gone to the bar, I wouldn’t have known that the first person you called when you were drunk wasn’t me. It was Hazel."

"Last night, you told me—right in front of me and Hazel—that she was your wife. Did you ever consider my feelings?" Raina looked at Aiden, utterly heartbroken. "When Hazel left, you chased after her and left me with Julian. Are you going to deny that you’ve fallen for Hazel?"

"The moment I think you don’t love me, I don’t want to live anymore."

The more Raina thought about it, the more upset she became. She remembered being left with Julian last night, how she had tried so hard to keep Aiden from leaving, only for him to shrug her off.

"Raina!" Aiden’s patience snapped. He was especially irritated hearing her claim he’d fallen for Hazel. For some reason, it just made him more agitated. Then he thought of Hazel’s attitude toward him, how she was always trying to push him away, and his mood soured even more.

With Hazel, he felt like a ball she was constantly kicking away.

"I just... I’m less and less sure if you still really love me. We were apart for three years, after all. Three years can easily change a person." Raina stared at Aiden’s face, her eyes blurry with tears. "Maybe you’re only... because of my brother..."

At the mention of Raina’s brother, Aiden’s expression changed drastically. He then heard Raina continue, "If my brother hadn’t died, maybe I wouldn’t be the person I am today." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Her words struck Aiden’s heart like a heavy hammer.

"Do you still remember what you promised my brother? You said you would never let me be wronged. You said you would take good care of me. Has it been so long that you’ve already forgotten my brother?"

"That’s enough!" Aiden snapped. "Raina, you need to calm down right now. If you continue with this attitude, there’s no point in us talking."

Raina instantly panicked, terrified that Aiden would leave. She rushed forward and grabbed him. "Aiden, I didn’t mean anything by it! I just love you so much. I just want you to divorce Hazel quickly."

"Besides, she promised me! She said if you ask for a divorce, she’ll agree to it." Raina hugged Aiden tightly, not daring to bring up the past again, not daring to provoke him further.

Aiden was silent for a moment. "You’re saying that if I agree to a divorce, Hazel will too?"

Raina nodded quickly. "That’s what Hazel told me." She knew Aiden had told her not to go looking for Hazel, but she could never help herself. Especially after seeing Aiden abandon her at the bar for Hazel’s sake. She couldn’t just sit still at home.

She needed Aiden to divorce Hazel immediately. She was terrified that he would actually fall in love with her.

"Aiden, if you really love me, please just divorce Hazel soon, okay? We’ve already been apart for three years. I don’t want to be separated from you ever again."

Aiden’s face was devoid of expression. He glanced down at the pitifully lovely Raina, his tone so calm it was impossible to read his thoughts. In the quiet night, his words sent a chill down Raina’s spine. "Is a divorce the only way to prove that I love you?"*****