When the Contract Marriage Ended, He Stayed

###Chapter 92: Why Did You Come?

"Speaking of Sharon Winters," Hazel Hawthorne started, briefly explaining to Julian Sterling that Sharon had been fired. "I’m also quite curious about the company’s reason for firing someone. Could it really be just because she offended Chloe Lee?"

Julian Sterling was taken aback by Hazel Hawthorne’s question. When Chloe Lee had come to him asking to fire someone named Sharon Winters, he hadn’t thought much of it. He had only agreed after checking with HR that there were no issues. Who would have known that Hazel Hawthorne would stand up for Sharon Winters.

Regarding the matter of firing Sharon Winters, Julian Sterling knew he was in the wrong. He had indeed only agreed because of Chloe Lee.

"If I didn’t know any better, I’d think Chloe Lee was the real boss of this company, firing whoever she wants. If this continues, Chloe Lee will eventually dishearten all the employees. Getting fired just for offending her? No employee would stay long at a company like that."

"You’re right." Julian Sterling was a little ashamed. "You probably don’t know the full story with Chloe Lee. Her mother passed away when she was young, and she grew up in our Sterling Family home. She’s the only girl of her generation in the family, so the elders have spoiled her since she was a child."

Hazel Hawthorne smiled, the meaning behind it self-evident. "If Chloe Lee keeps this up, she’s bound to cause you a lot of trouble in the future. But since you all don’t seem to think it’s a problem, it’s not my place as an outsider to say anything."

"I’ll take care of the Sharon Winters situation. Let’s just consider today a day off for her. As for Chloe Lee, I’ll have a good talk with her." Julian Sterling poured himself a cup of tea, then poured one for Hazel Hawthorne before glancing at Aiden Xavier. "As Chloe Lee’s cousin, I apologize to you."

Hazel Hawthorne wasn’t one to hold a grudge. Seeing that Julian Sterling was so reasonable and willing to talk things through, she didn’t press the issue, especially since he was letting Sharon Winters come back to work. This had already achieved her goal.

Despite this, Aiden Xavier didn’t pick up his teacup. Instead, he stared coldly at Julian Sterling.

Julian Sterling laughed. "Why hold such a grudge between brothers? Look, even Hazel Hawthorne isn’t angry anymore. Besides, it’s not like I knew who she was, right? If you had introduced her to me earlier, would she have had to suffer this injustice?"

Aiden Xavier snorted. After some coaxing, he finally picked up his teacup and lightly tapped it against Julian’s. "Speaking of which, Hazel Hawthorne working at our company... this wasn’t some special arrangement by you, was it? Trying to scout out our company’s secrets?"

"I have no interest in your company."

Julian Sterling clapped Aiden Xavier on the shoulder. "I was just kidding. But your sudden decision to visit the company today... it wasn’t specifically to stand up for Hazel Hawthorne, was it?" 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

’A special visit to the company? So Julian didn’t invite him?’

’That’s not what Julian Sterling said in the cafeteria earlier.’

Hazel Hawthorne looked at Aiden Xavier quizzically, trying to read his expression for any clues. Unfortunately, his face was a blank mask.

"You’re a bit chatty," Aiden Xavier said, staring at Hazel Hawthorne. "Eat. You usually eat more than this."

"...Nothing good ever comes out of that mouth of yours. You make it sound like I eat a ton."

Watching Hazel Hawthorne, Julian Sterling suddenly recalled what had happened at the bar. Looking at the way Aiden Xavier and Hazel Hawthorne interacted, and the way Aiden looked at her, they didn’t seem like two people with no feelings for each other.

Even though Aiden Xavier was his good friend, there were times Julian Sterling couldn’t figure him out.

After Julian Sterling left, Hazel Hawthorne finally asked Aiden Xavier, "Why didn’t you tell me you and Julian Sterling were friends from the start?"

"Is that important to you?"

"It’s not, really. But why did you make a special trip to visit the company today?" Hazel Hawthorne asked curiously.

Aiden Xavier glanced at Hazel Hawthorne’s big, innocent eyes. "Very curious?"

’Of course she was curious! Julian Sterling’s comment had her itching with curiosity. It was as if Aiden Xavier had come to the company specifically to see her.’

"Did you really come to the company just to find me?"

Aiden Xavier hummed in agreement. Hazel Hawthorne thought she had misheard and asked again in disbelief, "Are you serious?"

"You believe me?"

"Of course not. I definitely don’t believe you came to the company just to see me. You must have had other business and just stopped by on the way. You just didn’t expect to see me fighting with someone."

Speaking of the fight, Aiden Xavier couldn’t help but mock Hazel Hawthorne. "As my, Aiden Xavier’s, wife, you actually got hit by someone out in public. It’s embarrassing just talking about it. You’re like a ferocious tiger in front of me, but a sick kitten out in the world."

"Heh, a sick kitten? I was fighting four people by myself. Did it look like I was losing? If Nathan Miller hadn’t held me back, they would’ve gotten it much worse from me."

"Nathan Miller again. Didn’t I tell you to have less contact with him? Do my words just go in one ear and out the other? Or have you actually fallen for him? You eat together at work, and you eat together after work. You two seem very close."

Hazel Hawthorne sniffled. Aiden Xavier’s words sounded off, almost... sour. "I only have a few friends at the company. If I don’t eat with them, am I supposed to eat alone?"

"You used to eat alone when you didn’t have friends. Now that you have them, you’re not used to it anymore?"

Hazel Hawthorne was speechless and rolled her eyes at Aiden Xavier. "If you’re determined to think there’s something improper between me and Nathan Miller, then there’s nothing for me to explain. Think whatever you want."

Aiden Xavier was at a loss for words. He had expected Hazel Hawthorne to argue with him for a bit, which would have been less awkward. Now, he was suddenly on the back foot, as if he really cared who she was with.

"I didn’t mean anything else by it. I just want you to be mindful of your words and actions when you’re out. Don’t forget you’re still my wife. Even if you and Nathan Miller want something to happen, it has to be after we get divorced. Before that, you’d better exercise some restraint."

It was getting more and more ridiculous. "I can’t be bothered to talk to you. Think whatever you want. Before you lecture me, you should get your own affairs in order. You know I’m still your wife. You should be the one exercising more restraint when you’re with Raina Lowell."

Not to be outdone, she continued, "My situation with Nathan Miller is just baseless rumor, but you and Raina Lowell are a sure thing. You know full well which of us is more likely to get caught. Just because I don’t say anything doesn’t mean I don’t mind. It’s exhausting having to clean up after your tabloid scandals."

"That’s your duty as my wife."

"I have no such duty. If you were truly my husband and you were fooling around outside, do you think you could still stay by my side and be my husband? I would have divorced you long ago. I would never accept my husband keeping a woman on the side."

To put it bluntly, it was because Hazel Hawthorne didn’t see Aiden Xavier as her real husband that she didn’t bother arguing with him about these things.

This... Aiden Xavier felt a pang in his chest.

’So, it turns out he meant nothing to her. To Hazel Hawthorne, he was just an unimportant outsider. Even their three years of marriage held no special meaning for her.’

’So why did he always find himself worrying about Hazel Hawthorne’s feelings?’

’He had been considering her feelings, trying not to cause her any trouble, so he had rarely even seen Raina Lowell recently. But not only did Hazel Hawthorne fail to realize it, she didn’t appreciate it at all.’

*****