When the Contract Marriage Ended, He Stayed

Chapter 71: A Chance Encounter at the Hot Pot Restaurant

To celebrate Hazel Hawthorne going on a business trip with Holly Shaw, Sharon Winters invited her out for hot pot. She also invited Nathan Miller and Aaron Shaw to come along.

Hazel didn’t realize until she got to the restaurant that Nathan was coming. He had already cleared the air about his feelings in front of everyone so as not to embarrass her, but now that he was face-to-face with Hazel, things felt a bit awkward. Even Sharon could tell.

Hazel pulled Sharon into the restroom and glanced back toward their private room. "So, are you treating or is Nathan treating?"

Fearing a misunderstanding, Sharon quickly explained, "Me! I was craving hot pot, and you know my boyfriend hates it. He always complains the smell is too strong. I just happened to run into Nathan, so I asked him on a whim."

"And you didn’t expect him to actually say yes," Hazel said, exasperated.

"I was just asking to be polite! Who knew he’d agree right away? If I’d known, I definitely wouldn’t have invited him. Besides, I know how he feels about you. I wouldn’t dare try to set you two up... unless you divorced Aiden Xavier, that is."

Sharon wore a sincere expression. "Even though I don’t like Aiden Xavier and can’t stand the way he treats you, I would never try to break up a marriage."

Hazel believed that Sharon had no intention of playing matchmaker. "I’m just worried it’ll be awkward for Nathan. Ugh, I’m terrible at handling emotional stuff like this. It gives me a headache."

"Don’t worry about it. Since Nathan chose to come, he’s definitely accepted the fact that you’re married. At most, he just wants to be friends. Don’t overthink it. If you feel awkward, it’ll only make him feel even more awkward."

Sharon comforted Hazel. They stayed in the restroom for a while. Hazel could only console herself with the thought that since she was already here, she might as well make the best of it. She couldn’t just leave, nor could she kick Nathan out. That would be in really poor taste.

When Hazel and Sharon returned to the private room, the atmosphere had become much more relaxed. Nathan and Aaron Shaw were taking the initiative to chat, mostly about work, to ease the tension.

BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ... A strange sound suddenly rang out.

Hazel was happily chatting with Nathan and didn’t hear the strange noise at all.

Sharon, however, glanced around. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hazel’s phone vibrating nonstop on the stool next to her. She peeked at the caller ID, and as if realizing who it was, she quickly tapped Hazel’s shoulder.

"Your phone’s ringing."

the stool. It was a

noisy on Aiden’s end, and Hazel could barely hear what he was saying, forcing her to ask him to

"Where are you?"

restroom.

"Eating hot pot?"

if Aiden had installed a surveillance camera in here. "How do you know? Did you

the phone.

man like Aiden Xavier eats

must be seeing

does that have to do with me? It’s not like eating hot pot is some rare event he

are you eating

"If you need something, just say

that guy...

with Nathan, Aiden had seen her texting with him when he asked if she’d gotten home. Aiden had even snatched her phone

is my colleague and my friend. Is there

interrogating me... Does he think he’s catching me in the

at home not make you dinner? Is that why you

Hazel was even more baffled. ’I haven’t done anything to

He was ruining her

nonchalantly walked back out and resumed her cheerful conversation

had to be a killjoy

His presence

news, making him unforgettable. Nathan and Aaron

pretending not to see Aiden, and urged everyone to keep