When the Contract Marriage Ended, He Stayed

Chapter 22: Is He Worried About Me?

"Weren’t you the one who started flirting with me? What, are you scared now?" Aiden Xavier’s teasing, sexy voice was like an aphrodisiac in Hazel Hawthorne’s ear. A faint smile played on his lips. Seeing her look so scared and timid, he couldn’t help but smile more broadly.

"You’re the one who wanted to play, and now you’re the one who’s afraid to. You love the game, but you’re just no good at it."

With that, Aiden Xavier flung Hazel Hawthorne’s hand away. Hazel stumbled, nearly falling to the ground. She instinctively grabbed Aiden Xavier’s arm to steady herself.

"Heh, you think I was really worried you’d do something to me?" Putting on a brave face was Hazel Hawthorne’s specialty. "I was just playing along, giving you an out so you wouldn’t have trouble explaining yourself to Raina Lowell when you got back."

"Is that so?" Aiden Xavier couldn’t be bothered to call her bluff. He dusted off the spot she had touched, a look of disgust on his face.

Hazel Hawthorne was furious. She averted her gaze. If she looked at Aiden Xavier for another second, she was afraid her blood pressure would shoot through the roof.

’From now on, if anyone tells me Aiden Xavier is handsome, I’ll think they’re blind.’

’Aiden Xavier is all looks and no substance.’

"Why are you even here? If there’s nothing important, please leave immediately. I need to rest."

"This is my house too. I can come back whenever I want. Why should I listen to you and leave?" Aiden Xavier stared at her coldly. "Ever since Raina Lowell came back, you seem to have a problem with me."

Hearing this, Hazel Hawthorne burst out laughing. "How have I changed? You’re the one who’s changed. Raina Lowell is back. You should be focusing on her. Or what, do you want me to show up in front of her all the time?"

’I was being perfectly considerate, thoughtfully looking out for Aiden Xavier’s interests by trying to stay out of his and Raina Lowell’s way. It’s the best option for all three of us.’

’Seeing each other would just be grating. No one would be happy.’

"Raina Lowell doesn’t have any friends. I was hoping you might have some time to keep her company, chat with her."

"Chat? You want me to keep Raina Lowell company?" Hazel Hawthorne pointed at herself in disbelief. "Are you sure Raina Lowell even wants to see me, let alone chat with me?"

me,

with her. You have the most free time, so you’re the most suitable person to keep

have the most free time, so I should be the one to keep Raina Lowell company?’ She really couldn’t figure out what on earth Aiden Xavier was thinking. "Let me spell it out for you. Raina Lowell will not enjoy

she’s the other woman, and I’m the wife. In what universe do you think Raina Lowell could possibly like me? Aren’t you

thought that perhaps Aiden Xavier didn’t understand the dynamics, so despite her fatigue and headache, she tried to explain it

glanced coolly at Hazel Hawthorne. "So

So what?

Xavier’s serious expression told Hazel Hawthorne that he just didn’t

would you ask me to keep her company? As long as I’m around, she’ll never get better. If you loved her, you wouldn’t do things that

this out almost subconsciously, but Aiden Xavier’s expression told her that her words were

forget, you are my

be using on Aiden Xavier. *Because* I’m his wife, why is he asking me to take care

Xavier’s angle at all. She couldn’t help but wonder, ’Could this be Raina

never gets anything good out of our interactions—on the contrary, she just ends up furious with me. Why would she want me to be around them

further. He raised his wrist,

"Huh?"

to keep the window closed when you sleep. If you catch

Xavier’s lips opened and closed. Even after he left, his words still echoed in the room. Hazel Hawthorne sat on the

to the hospital

to see

the door properly for

actually worried about me just

me to take medicine if I

brought tears to her eyes. This wasn’t a dream. Everything that just happened was real. Which meant what Aiden

what exactly is Aiden

is he

she lay in bed, her mind was filled with her conversation with Aiden Xavier, their close proximity, and the faint scent of tobacco on him that had