When the Contract Marriage Ended, He Stayed

### Chapter 93: The Cherished Jewelry Box

Hazel was confused about why Aiden had been so idle lately, but she resisted the urge to ask. She had long since grown accustomed to not prying into his private affairs. In her view, unless Aiden brought something up himself, she wouldn’t be the one to ask.

This time, however, Hazel felt Aiden was making a mountain out of a molehill. Her dinner with Nathan was just a normal social outing, but to Aiden, it was as if they were having an affair. She wasn’t him; she could survive just fine without a man, unlike him who couldn’t seem to live without a woman.

She had lived all these years without a man just fine. Besides, her being friends with Nathan was also to avoid hurting his feelings. She had told him long ago that if he didn’t want to be just friends, she wouldn’t force it.

She never wanted to hurt anyone who cared for her, so she did her best to protect the people she held dear.

"You’re always sticking up for Nathan. I’m not interested in what’s going on between you two, but let me give you a ’friendly’ reminder: don’t you dare do anything to disgrace the Xavier Family."

Hazel scoffed internally but replied calmly, "Oh, thank you. Thank you so much for your ’friendly’ reminder. Without it, who knows? Nathan and I might have actually headed in the direction you’re imagining."

Rebuffed by Hazel again, Aiden seethed. He couldn’t stand the way she always defended Nathan. Nathan wasn’t as handsome or as capable as him, so he couldn’t understand why she would protect Nathan in front of him.

Because Hazel constantly defended Nathan, Aiden was convinced there was something more between them. He figured that since he and Hazel weren’t divorced yet, the two were probably just carrying on in secret.

Once suspicion takes root in a person’s mind, it’s hard to get rid of. It was just like this with Hazel and Nathan. The first time Aiden saw them together, a seed of doubt was planted, and from then on, no matter what they did, his first thought was always that something was off.

Hazel, having a clear conscience, wasn’t afraid of Aiden’s wild imagination or his attempts to play matchmaker where there was no match. She knew that trying to explain herself would only complicate matters further.

Aiden’s moods were as fickle as a woman’s face—or so the saying went—changing so fast it was impossible to keep up. She’d often be talking to him, and he would suddenly turn sour. In Hazel’s eyes, Aiden was petty and held grudges.

Offending him would only make her own life harder.

While she wasn’t so desperate that she needed to cling to Aiden to survive, she didn’t want to truly anger him and add another layer of misery to her already difficult life.

Sometimes, Aiden was actually good to her. Thinking of this, Hazel could only try to focus on the times he treated her well. It was the only way to forget the infuriating expression he’d just had on his face.

All Aiden saw was Hazel’s silence, unaware of her inner turmoil. "What, did I strike a nerve? Is that why you’re speechless?"

Hazel took a deep breath. She was trying so hard not to get angry at him. "Aiden, do I look like I want to talk to you right now? What happened to your cold, aloof act? Why’d you drop it? Now you’re just nagging like an old woman."

"You think I’m nagging?"

"Aren’t you? Go take a look in the mirror. Not only are you nagging, but you’re rambling on and on. It’s just Nathan, isn’t it? What exactly did he do to piss you off? You seem to have it out for him, but logically speaking, you two don’t even have any connection."

Hazel was no longer silent; she was on a roll. "Be a man, don’t be so petty. Nathan is a perfectly decent guy. He’s always respectful whenever he sees you. What more do you want? Do you expect him to get on his knees and kowtow to you?"

The more Hazel spoke, the more ridiculous she sounded. Aiden let out a cold snort.

He belatedly realized he and Hazel weren’t on the same wavelength at all. She thought Nathan had offended him, when in reality, he was just uncomfortable with how close she was to Nathan.

Aiden couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. As long as Hazel was his wife, no other man could even think about getting close to her.

Aiden returning to the villa had become a common occurrence. Not only had he gotten used to it, but so had Hazel and the household staff. Seeing the two of them return together, the staff immediately greeted them with beaming smiles. It seemed this villa, which had been lonely for three years, was finally starting to liven up.

Hazel didn’t ask Aiden why he was staying again. But as she was returning to her room, he stuck his leg in the doorway, blocking it.

Staring at the foot wedged in the gap, Hazel looked at Aiden in confusion. "What are you doing now?"

"They washed the bedding in my room. I can’t sleep there tonight."

Hazel asked blankly, "So?"

"So I’ll have to stay here for the night." With that, Aiden shoved the door open. Hazel could only watch helplessly as he swaggered into her room.

’What a scoundrel.’

’Who just forces their way into someone else’s room like that?’

Hazel turned to watch Aiden’s back, her mind seemingly unable to function properly. It didn’t even occur to her to wonder why the staff would wash the bedding in his room, or why Aiden hadn’t mentioned that the house obviously had spare sets.

Aiden, however, looked completely at ease, as if he knew the place like the back of his hand. Hazel’s room was tastefully simple, with fewer girly touches and more quiet elegance.

Just being in here was enough to lift one’s spirits.

Hazel had no idea what Aiden was scrutinizing. He paced around the room without a word for a long time. It felt strange, though she couldn’t pinpoint why. All she could do was follow him silently from behind and see what kind of game he was playing.

"Had enough of a look?" Hazel said in a low voice from behind him. "This isn’t your first time in my room. Why are you acting like it is?"

"I never looked this closely before."

When she saw Aiden pick up a jewelry box from beside the table lamp, she rushed over and snatched it from his hands. She clutched it to her chest like a precious treasure, glaring fiercely at him. "Look all you want, but don’t touch my things, okay?"

"What’s so precious about it? I can’t even touch it?"

Hazel walked to the other side of the room, still hugging the jewelry box. She placed it in a cabinet and locked it. It was clearly something she treasured dearly, not to be touched by anyone. Just from Aiden’s brief touch, her eyes were already filled with disgust.

When had anyone ever looked at Aiden with such disgust? It was always him looking at others that way.

Aiden’s expression darkened. When Hazel turned back to face him, he fixed her with a cold, predatory gaze. Their eyes met, and an unknown current instantly crackled in the air between them.

A cold wind blew in from the window, making Hazel sneeze. She pinched her nose and rubbed it. Aiden’s tall frame, however, remained perfectly still, as if the wind itself couldn’t move him.

*****