When the Contract Marriage Ended, He Stayed

###Chapter 48: Ambushed by Paparazzi

The secretary was surprised to see Aiden Xavier staring blankly at something.

Aiden Xavier had once said that precious time should never be wasted on something as pointless as daydreaming. Every minute of his could generate wealth beyond imagination.

But seeing Aiden Xavier spacing out, the secretary was deeply perplexed. ’Mr. Xavier has been acting so strangely lately.’

As an observer, he knew how important Raina Lowell was to Aiden Xavier. But after Raina Lowell returned from a three-year absence, Aiden Xavier’s attitude toward her had changed in an indescribable way. He couldn’t guess what Aiden Xavier was thinking, but he could tell that whenever Aiden Xavier was with Hazel Hawthorne, he was clearly much happier.

Aiden Xavier snapped out of it. Seeing his secretary staring at him with a furrowed brow and a curious, questioning gaze, he spoke. "Is your time meant for daydreaming? Don’t you have work to do?"

At the sound of his voice, the secretary jolted back to reality. ’How could I have nothing to do? I’m so busy I have to schedule time just to take a sip of water.’

When you worked for Aiden Xavier, you couldn’t expect to rest whenever you wanted. Work had to be precise, accounted for down to the very second.

"Mr. Xavier, I’ll get right to work."

The secretary scurried out of the office. Aiden Xavier stared at the documents on his desk, his mind elsewhere.

Because of what had happened that morning, Hazel Hawthorne hadn’t forgotten to tease him on her way out. Recalling her meaningful smile as she left, Aiden Xavier felt a wave of irritation.

Aiden Xavier tried to calm himself down and focus on his work, but then he received an unexpected call from the private nurse at the hospital.

Raina Lowell was kicking up a fuss, demanding to be discharged. As soon as Aiden Xavier got the call, he pushed all thoughts of Hazel Hawthorne aside. He strode out of his office, and his secretary, seeing him, immediately stood up. "Get the car. We’re going to the hospital."

With Aiden Xavier showing up to see Raina Lowell so frequently, even their best attempts at secrecy couldn’t fool the shrewd Fiona Forrest.

Hazel Hawthorne was more than happy to be a bystander. Her only requirement for Aiden Xavier was simple: as long as he handled his business with Raina Lowell properly, she would pretend to know nothing and enjoy the peace and quiet.

But someone must have leaked the news. The moment Aiden Xavier’s car appeared at the hospital entrance, his sharp-eyed secretary spotted paparazzi hiding behind the hospital’s flowerbeds. He immediately made a turn, driving straight past the entrance.

"Mr. Xavier, there are paparazzi around. We shouldn’t stay here."

Aiden Xavier narrowed his eyes. ’How did the paparazzi find out my whereabouts so quickly? Someone must have told them in advance that I was coming to the hospital.’

Even though the secretary had reacted quickly and turned away from the hospital upon spotting the paparazzi, the sharp photographers still managed to snap a photo, instantly recognizing the rapidly departing car as Aiden Xavier’s.

Aiden Xavier couldn’t go to the hospital to see Raina Lowell. When Raina heard this, she became even more distraught. Ignoring the protests of her private nurse and the doctors, she said firmly, "I have to be discharged today. I know my own body, and there’s absolutely no need for me to stay in the hospital any longer."

Raina Lowell couldn’t let Aiden Xavier and Hazel Hawthorne have any more time alone together. Her feeling that Aiden Xavier had changed was growing stronger and stronger.

She had been absent from Aiden Xavier’s life for three years—long enough to change a person. She wasn’t even sure if Aiden Xavier loved the woman she was now, or the girl from their youthful, innocent past.

A sense of dread had already spread throughout Raina Lowell’s body. Compounded by Fiona Forrest’s meddling, her trust in Aiden Xavier was beginning to waver.

"Ms. Lowell, Mr. Xavier gave specific instructions. You can’t be discharged without his permission," the private nurse said, looking at Raina Lowell with difficulty. She couldn’t forget Aiden Xavier’s orders, but when Raina Lowell threw a tantrum, no one but Aiden Xavier could control her.

Aiden Xavier sat in the car, which his secretary had parked in a quiet, inconspicuous corner. The private nurse’s calls kept coming in. Suddenly, Aiden Xavier had an idea.

*****

After taking a few days off, Hazel Hawthorne returned to the office to find a mountain of work piled up on her desk. She felt completely overwhelmed. Sitting next to her, Sharon Winters shot her a sympathetic glance before pointing to her own workload.

"We’re all in the same boat," Sharon Winters said. She couldn’t help Hazel Hawthorne; she could barely keep her own head above water.

Holly Shaw was a perfectionist. She had high standards not only for herself but for everyone around her as well.

If she hadn’t recognized that Hazel Hawthorne was genuinely capable, she would never have allowed an intern to be so undisciplined as to take days off every other week.

Hazel Hawthorne didn’t dare to delay and threw herself wholeheartedly into her work.

The office was silent as everyone focused on their tasks, with almost no time for conversation. It was different during breaks, when people would go to the breakroom in groups, but Hazel Hawthorne was rarely part of such gatherings.

When only a few scattered people were left in the office, Hazel Hawthorne finally lifted her tired head. She glanced around; Sharon Winters was still buried in her work. Her own eyes were so sore and strained that she had to take a break.

Taking the opportunity to check her phone, she saw three missed calls from Aiden Xavier, the last one just five minutes ago.

By now, Hazel Hawthorne was immune to Aiden Xavier’s calls. Since Sharon Winters already knew about her relationship with him, she no longer had to deliberately avoid Sharon to answer his calls.

Besides, there were hardly any people left in the office, so Hazel Hawthorne couldn’t be bothered to move. When Aiden Xavier called again, she answered without hesitation.

Before Hazel Hawthorne could even speak, she heard Aiden Xavier’s commanding tone. "Come down immediately. I’m waiting for you downstairs from your company."

"I’m at work," Hazel Hawthorne replied without thinking. "You’re being way too arbitrary. You tell me to leave, and I’m supposed to just leave? On what grounds?"

"I’ll give you five minutes. If you don’t come down, I’ll come up. If you don’t mind everyone finding out that you’re Mrs. Xavier, then I can come up right now." Aiden Xavier’s words were laced with a threat; he knew exactly how to control Hazel Hawthorne.

This tactic worked on Hazel Hawthorne every single time.

Hazel Hawthorne covered the receiver, trying to control her temper. With her head down, she hissed through gritted teeth, "You just wait. I’m coming down now."

Aiden Xavier was the type to rub salt in the wound after getting his way. "Five minutes."

Hazel Hawthorne glanced at the time. When Aiden Xavier said he would only give her five minutes, he meant it. One minute more, and he would appear right in front of her. Not wanting her colleagues to find out she was Aiden Xavier’s wife, she quickly got ready to leave.

Seeing her flustered expression, Sharon Winters asked with concern, "What’s wrong?"

"Sharon, something’s come up and I have to step out for a bit. If Director Shaw asks for me, can you make up an excuse to stall her? I’ll be right back." Hazel Hawthorne could only hope that Aiden Xavier had a genuinely important reason for summoning her. Otherwise, she wouldn’t let him off the hook for this.

"Hey, what’s so important that you have to leave right now?"

Hazel Hawthorne grabbed her bag and quickly left the company. Aiden Xavier hadn’t given her much time. When she finally jogged all the way to find him, he was checking the time.

"Right on time."

*****