When the Contract Marriage Ended, He Stayed

### Chapter 66: Schemed Against Again

This was probably what they called sacrificing oneself for love.

Hazel Hawthorne couldn’t understand Raina Lowell’s train of thought. She chose to attempt suicide just because netizens were lambasting Aiden Xavier?

What was she trying to accomplish? Tell the netizens that Aiden Xavier was innocent? Use her death to coerce everyone into supporting them as a couple? Or was she trying to clear her own name?

Hazel Hawthorne often couldn’t comprehend Raina Lowell’s plays, but she knew exactly what she was probably scheming. The goal of everything Raina did centered on one person—Aiden Xavier.

She just wanted Aiden Xavier, and by extension, the Xavier Family.

Hazel believed she was right. Still, looking at Aiden Xavier’s utterly lovestruck expression, she could only shake her head in silence.

’When a man gets this lovesick, he can be even more irrational than a woman, if not worse.’

Raina Lowell sobbed in Aiden Xavier’s arms for a long time. First, she lamented how wronged she felt on his behalf, then she wondered aloud if their relationship had truly reached its end. Her subtext was clear: she wanted Aiden to hurry up and divorce me.

Only by divorcing me could their relationship avoid coming to an end.

Hazel Hawthorne scoffed. Only then did Raina Lowell seem to remember Hazel was still in the hospital room. She lifted her head, and as her eyes met Hazel’s, she clutched her head with both hands. Before Hazel could even react, Raina suddenly shrieked.

"Why is she here? She’s a demon! She’s the one who deliberately framed me and set me up. Aiden, we’re in this mess because of all the nonsense she’s been spouting online." Raina Lowell managed to free one hand, grabbing Aiden Xavier’s sleeve as if to command him.

"Get her out of here! I don’t want to see her. Now that she knows I’m not dead, she’ll definitely try to find another way to kill me. Aiden, please, make her leave. I’m terrified with her in the room."

Raina Lowell’s pupils were wide, her emotions seemingly strained to the breaking point.

Hazel Hawthorne could take a hint. She waved a hand at Aiden Xavier. "Fine, don’t trouble yourself with kicking me out. I have my own two legs; I know the way. However..." She glanced at the still-frenzied Raina Lowell and sneered, "Your acting is a bit subpar."

From the moment she’d heard about Raina Lowell’s suicide attempt, Hazel had been certain she wouldn’t die. Raina just wanted to put on a show for Aiden Xavier, to appear weak in front of him, to make him believe she’d chosen suicide because she couldn’t stand the netizens blaming him, thus taking all the responsibility upon herself.

Hazel knew, even before coming to the hospital, that Aiden would choose Raina Lowell, even if he saw right through her intentions.

So, when it came to Aiden Xavier, the truth sometimes didn’t seem to matter at all.

Hazel sighed helplessly. ’This must be the side effect of being completely lovesick.’

She had just stepped out of the hospital’s main entrance and hadn’t even reached the parking lot when a crowd of people swarmed her, surrounding her completely.

Microphones were shoved in her face, cameras were aimed at her...

It was the media, lying in wait. News of Raina Lowell’s suicide attempt had spread incredibly fast. The paparazzi and reporters must have gotten a tip-off and had been camping out here.

"Ms. Hawthorne, we received a tip that Ms. Lowell attempted suicide at home. Is this true?"

"Ms. Hawthorne, why are you appearing at the hospital?"

"Ms. Hawthorne, what are your thoughts on Raina Lowell’s suicide attempt?"

"Ms. Hawthorne, the media just photographed Mr. Xavier personally bringing Raina Lowell to the hospital. Have they been together this entire time?"

...

Hazel Hawthorne was used to going about her business alone. Without the tabloid drama that came with Aiden Xavier, she could walk down the street without being mobbed by the media, so she never liked having bodyguards around.

The overlapping voices rang in Hazel’s ears. The names ’Aiden Xavier’ and ’Raina Lowell’ felt like a curse. She tried to slowly calm herself, lifting her head to look at the oppressive sea of people before her.

Spotlights and microphones were all aimed at her alone. Seeing the commotion, hospital security guards rushed over, trying to clear a path through the crowd, but they could barely squeeze in themselves. How could they possibly help Hazel?

"Ms. Hawthorne..."

"Friends from the press, this is a hospital. I know what you all want to know, but this isn’t the right place to talk. Why don’t we find somewhere quiet? The most important thing is not to block the emergency entrance!" Hazel raised her voice to be heard over the din.

She managed to temporarily pacify the high-strung media. She knew what they wanted, and with her isolated and without backup, the best option was to go along with them.

Since they had her cornered, it meant they had come prepared. One could even say they knew something in advance, which was why they were specifically camping out here.

’If she couldn’t avoid it, she wouldn’t hide.’ They were just the media, after all. Whatever story they wanted to report, didn’t they still have to get the details from her mouth?

The media stopped crowding the hospital entrance. Hazel didn’t call Aiden Xavier; instead, she called his secretary and had him immediately arrange for a quiet coffee shop.

The secretary was incredibly efficient, so Hazel didn’t have to worry at all.

Soon, the entire group was led to a coffee shop. Hazel sat elegantly in a chair, holding the coffee her secretary had brought her. She took a leisurely sip, and seeing that the reporters were getting impatient, she finally smiled and spoke. "One at a time, and I’ll answer each of you."

The secretary stood respectfully by Hazel’s side, like a bodyguard. If anyone dared to step forward and cause trouble, he would fight fire with fire.

These were Aiden Xavier’s orders. For now, he was to prioritize Hazel’s commands. Whatever Hazel told him to do, he had to obey.

"Ms. Hawthorne, why were you at the hospital? Was it related to Raina Lowell’s suicide attempt?"

Hazel beamed at the reporter who had asked the question. "I appreciate your question. First, let me tell all of you that Raina Lowell did, in fact, attempt suicide at home. Fortunately, Aiden Xavier found her in time. After emergency medical treatment, her life is no longer in danger."

The moment the words left her mouth, the room exploded into a frenzy.

Hazel calmly surveyed the room full of reporters. Among them, she spotted two people whose expressions were a little too composed. ’They obviously knew already, so are they the ones Raina Lowell arranged to be here?’ she wondered. Her expression didn’t falter; she continued to smile at everyone.

One of the reporters who had remained calm upon hearing the news suddenly spoke up. "Ms. Hawthorne, you said it was Mr. Xavier who took Raina Lowell to the hospital. Does that mean we can assume Mr. Xavier has been living at her house?"

Hazel answered without missing a beat. "I’m sure you’re all well aware of the history between Aiden and Raina Lowell. Raina just returned to the country; she has no friends or family here. Whether you see him as her first love, a friend, or the big brother who watched her grow up, it’s only natural for Aiden to take care of her when something like this happens. It’s perfectly reasonable, don’t you think?"

"I have complete faith in Aiden’s character." As soon as she said it, Hazel couldn’t help but roast herself internally. "Aiden and I discussed him taking care of Raina," she added.

Hazel answered the rest of the reporters’ questions with a calm and measured demeanor. It wasn’t until they were all gone that she finally went limp, collapsing back into her chair and complaining, "Everything I just said was a complete betrayal of my conscience!"

The secretary returned, the corner of his mouth twitching violently. Hazel shot him a merciless eye-roll.

*****