When the Contract Marriage Ended, He Stayed

Chapter 27: Worried You’ll Fall in Love with Me?

"I only had the staff bring you a glass of hot milk because you were sick with no one to look after you. You don’t need to make a special trip to thank me. It was no trouble at all." Aiden Xavier glanced at her, then added, "And I never admit I’m wrong about anything I do."

Hearing this, Hazel Hawthorne sneered. Aiden wasn’t just a jerk; he was unbelievably arrogant. She refused to believe that he would go his whole life without ever admitting he was wrong, without ever apologizing. An opportunity would come, and she would be there to see Aiden eat his words.

"Mm, I understand. This is your house. You can stay here if you want; I won’t interfere. But let’s keep things as they were before and not disturb each other’s lives." Hazel wasn’t discussing this with Aiden; she was informing him.

Hazel started to leave, but then she turned back. "By the way, I’m curious—let me ask you a question. Have you realized you seem to be paying a little too much attention to me lately?"

Aiden didn’t need Hazel to point it out; he was already aware of the problem. Lately, it seemed his emotions were all too easily swayed by her.

When Hazel was sick, he would worry. He couldn’t help but stay behind to take care of her. When he found out Fiona Forrest had come to the house, he rushed back in the shortest time possible.

"I’m not trying to imply anything else. I just want to make sure you remember the contract we signed when we got married. We’re not supposed to fall in love with each other."

"Our marriage is fake. Neither of us should catch feelings in this sham of a relationship. We’re both adults, so we should know how to control our emotions. We just need to go back to how things were, staying out of each other’s business and living our own lives without interference."

"A polite, respectful distance is the only way we’ll have any peace."

"I trust you understand what I mean."

Hazel turned to leave, but Aiden’s voice suddenly cut in, a hint of a smile in his tone. "You keep emphasizing this point. Don’t tell me you’re worried *you’re* the one who’s going to fall in love with me?"

Hazel was floored.

you want. I just don’t want unnecessary complications when it comes time for our divorce." Hazel didn’t turn back. "If you can’t

she strode back to her room. The instant the door

was as if Aiden’s words had just exposed the deepest secret hidden in her heart. She gazed around the familiar room, and the anxiety churning inside her slowly began to

Lowell. I would never let myself become the other woman, interfering in someone else’s relationship.’ She reminded herself, again and again, that her marriage to Aiden was a sham. She just had to hold on for a little while longer, and then they would get

then, Aiden would marry

simple question left

eyes and stared into space for a while. It just proved it: she couldn’t get too

fill her

happened to run into Aiden, who was also on his way out. Her attitude toward him was as cold and distant as ever. She stood a few feet away and gave him a small nod—a greeting one might

ever guessed they were husband

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Sterling Group.

a concerned frown on her own. "You don’t look well at all. Are you sure you’ve recovered? You could have asked the director for more time off.

affect my performance review. Besides, it was just a little cold. I’m fine now. I probably

to cover the dark circles under her eyes that morning,

hard. But I get it, good jobs are hard to come by, and who knows how many people are eyeing your position.

the money. She just didn’t want to sit around at home

just let her life go to

work is what counts." Hazel patted Sharon Winters’s shoulder

turned back to her

wants to see you in her office." The speaker was the director’s

got up, offered her a polite smile, and

sketches and laid them flat on her desk. "Come