When the Contract Marriage Ended, He Stayed

###Chapter 52: The Old Flame is Back

Hazel Hawthorne still had no idea what was happening on Aiden Xavier’s end. Her phone was being blown up by the paparazzi, with nearly every call being a request for an interview. Watching the unfamiliar numbers call back immediately after she hung up, Hazel finally just set her phone to silent.

She contacted Aiden Xavier on WeChat. At that moment, Aiden was having his secretary pay to take down all the trending news stories. But it was too late. Raina Lowell had already been exposed to the public.

Everyone knew that Aiden Xavier’s old flame was back.

Following speculation from the media and online commenters, people concluded that the reason Aiden Xavier hadn’t been linked to any women recently was that Raina Lowell’s return had finally convinced the playboy to settle down.

No one spared a thought for how Hazel Hawthorne might feel. They were all just curious about how she would respond. Hazel expressionlessly scanned the online comments and the news stories rocketing up the trending lists, a bitter feeling churning inside her.

The worst part wasn’t that Aiden Xavier still hadn’t contacted her after the story broke. It wasn’t even that he was only concerned with Raina Lowell’s feelings, staying by her side. No, the worst part was her father, Harrison Hawthorne, calling at a time like this to berate her for failing to secure Aiden Xavier’s heart.

"I’m just a money tree in your eyes! What right do you have to tell me what to do? Even if Aiden Xavier really does divorce me, it has nothing to do with you! Ever since Mom died, have you once treated me like a daughter?"

Hazel Hawthorne furiously smashed her phone on the ground, shattering the screen. She hated Harrison Hawthorne. She hated everyone who had pushed her into the eye of the storm.

Right now, she didn’t want to answer anyone’s calls.

Hazel Hawthorne collapsed onto the bed, letting her mind go blank.

Meanwhile, on Aiden Xavier’s end, the paparazzi had discovered Raina Lowell’s residence. She had to be moved immediately to keep them from disturbing her peace. Aiden himself stayed at the office to deal with the fallout from the news.

When Fiona Forrest called to question him, Aiden simply gave her an evasive answer. The most important thing right now was to bury all the news stories.

Aiden Xavier was so busy his head was spinning. By the time he checked the clock again, it was already past midnight.

He picked up his phone, which had been buzzing all night, and scrolled through the missed call notifications. They were all from unknown numbers. Hazel Hawthorne’s name was just a silent entry in his contacts; she hadn’t called once.

As he watched the hands of the clock on the wall seem to spin faster and faster, Aiden Xavier wondered what Hazel Hawthorne was doing. He didn’t understand why she hadn’t contacted him. ’After something this big,’ he thought, ’she should have called me immediately.’

After a moment’s hesitation, Aiden Xavier finally dialed Hazel Hawthorne’s number.

The line was busy.

’Tonight’s news must have hit Hazel hard, too.’ His own phone had been blown up by the paparazzi, so he could only imagine what she was going through. ’Her phone probably hasn’t stopped ringing all night.’

His secretary brought in a cup of coffee, only to see Aiden Xavier grabbing his jacket, ready to head out.

"Mr. Xavier, we’re at the height of the scandal right now. Who knows how many paparazzi are camped out downstairs. Are you really going to see Ms. Lowell at a time like this?"

Aiden Xavier straightened his collar and gave his presumptuous secretary an emotionless look. "Who said I was going to see Raina?" he retorted.

"If you’re not going to see Ms. Lowell, then... where are you headed, Mr. Xavier?"

’Mr. Xavier had been caught up in scandals with various starlets and influencers before, but none had ever been this much trouble.’

"Home."

At that, the secretary immediately went to get the car ready.

Going home was a much better option than going to see Raina Lowell.

The early morning wind was always bone-chilling. Even for March, it still carried the biting cold of winter. Aiden Xavier felt no trace of sleepiness. Gazing at the familiar scenes flashing past the car window, he asked coldly, "Do we know who leaked it?"

Aiden Xavier had always kept Raina Lowell’s residence well-protected; even the most relentless paparazzi couldn’t find it. For every piece of information about her to be exposed like this meant someone had to be pulling the strings.

"It’s still under investigation."

"We should have some results by tomorrow morning at the earliest."

Aiden Xavier pulled his gaze away from the window, an image of Hazel Hawthorne surfacing in his mind.

’With something like this happening, Hazel must be furious. She’s probably at home right now, cursing my name or taking her anger out on my things.’

’When I see her, she’s sure to be full of cold scorn and sarcasm again.’

Aiden Xavier was already used to this. It was just how Hazel operated.

But when he arrived home, he found the entire villa was pitch-black. He glanced toward Hazel Hawthorne’s room; her lights were off. The scene was completely different from the one he had imagined on the way over.

The secretary cautiously glanced at Aiden Xavier. It was clear from his expression that he was now very angry.

Aiden Xavier walked into the house and went straight to Hazel Hawthorne’s room.

Usually, when Aiden wasn’t staying over, Hazel didn’t lock her door at night. So when he turned the handle and found it locked, he froze for a second, not having expected it.

He pushed the door open and went inside. With a CLICK, the lights flicked on, instantly as bright as day.

Hazel Hawthorne sat up reflexively, and her eyes met Aiden Xavier’s across the room.

Neither of them spoke. The atmosphere was strange and oppressive.

Aiden Xavier’s eyes fell on the shattered phone on the floor. Then he looked at Hazel, who had apparently been about to sleep peacefully in her bed. A muscle in his jaw twitched.

"With a crisis this big, why aren’t you by Raina Lowell’s side? What are you doing back here?" Hazel grabbed a robe from nearby and draped it over her shoulders. She got out of bed, walked over to Aiden, and bent down to pick up her shattered phone.

"The quality of this phone isn’t great. It was just a little fall, I didn’t think the screen would end up like this," Hazel said, as if to herself. "How’s the situation? If you’re going to hold a press conference, let me know in advance."

Aiden Xavier stared at the unnervingly calm Hazel. This was a stark contrast to the scene he had imagined.

"You..." Aiden started, but couldn’t quite put his finger on what felt so strange. He just stared intently at Hazel, trying to find a clue in her expression.

Hazel wasn’t a heavy drinker, but she kept a bottle or two of red wine in her room for an occasional glass. She turned to face Aiden. "Well, I’m not getting any sleep now. How about a drink?"

Aiden Xavier didn’t refuse.

They sat in chairs on the balcony. Hazel crossed her legs, holding her wine glass. In the bright moonlight, her slender fingers swirled the glass with a steady, gentle pressure. The moonlight spilled across her fair skin, catching the deep red of the wine, making her seem like a single rose in the dark of night.

Carrying an alluring fragrance and a breathtaking beauty.

A hint of fragility mixed in with her resilience.

Hazel took a small sip and glanced at Aiden. "Now that this business with you and Raina Lowell is out in the open, what are your plans?"

Aiden Xavier frowned. "What are you trying to say?"

"As long as I’m in the picture, Raina Lowell can never stand by your side openly. Is that what you want? I know I promised not to bring up divorce again, but the current situation seems to be forcing my hand."

The reason Hazel hadn’t reached out to Aiden was that she had been contemplating whether their marriage should continue at all.

She knew Aiden would come to her sooner or later; she just hadn’t expected it to be this soon.

’He must have come to talk about the divorce,’ she assumed. Rather than let him take the lead, she might as well seize the initiative herself.

*****