When the Contract Marriage Ended, He Stayed

Chapter 104: Anticipation

When Raina Lowell appeared as if out of nowhere, it wasn’t just Hazel Hawthorne who saw her. To be precise, everyone at the party had their eyes drawn to Raina’s sudden arrival. Those who recognized her immediately turned to look at Aiden Xavier, who was standing beside Harrison Hawthorne.

Aiden Xavier remained expressionless, his attitude unreadable. He simply watched as Raina Lowell gathered the hem of her skirt and walked toward him in her high heels. As she passed Hazel Hawthorne, her eyes instinctively flickered over to her.

’She’s openly provoking me,’ Hazel thought. ’Showing up at my father’s birthday party, all dressed up just to challenge me.’ Especially now, as Raina stood beside Aiden, they looked as if *she* were his wife, and I were just a bystander.

"Uncle Hawthorne, happy birthday," Raina said. "Aiden only told me yesterday, so I just prepared a small gift. I hope you’ll like it." Her smile was sweet, her voice gentle. Hazel, watching from the side, thought that with such a display, she could probably capture not just Aiden’s heart, but her father’s as well.

Fortunately, Harrison Hawthorne was aware of the relationship between Raina and Aiden. He didn’t accept the gift right away, merely giving Raina an indifferent look before signaling a nearby server to set the present aside.

Then, Hazel heard her father call her name. "What are you still doing sitting over there?"

Hazel got to her feet with a certain languor and, at her father’s urging, went to Aiden’s side. She too had dressed up for the occasion—she couldn’t bring shame to the Xavier family, after all. But compared to Raina, she felt it was Raina who was stealing the show, the guest outshining the host.

"Aiden," Raina cooed as she saw Hazel approach. She immediately reached out to link her arm with his, but Aiden sidestepped the gesture with a subtle movement. In doing so, he inexplicably closed the distance between himself and Hazel.

Seeing that Hazel wasn’t reacting, Harrison Hawthorne spoke up directly. "Ms. Lowell, please enjoy yourself." He then had Hazel link her arm through Aiden’s and promptly led the couple away.

The atmosphere grew awkward with Raina’s arrival. Now, with Aiden gone, she stood alone, putting on a pitiful, damsel-in-distress look that made more than a few men in the room want to rush over to comfort her and ease her embarrassment.

Anyone with eyes could see where Harrison Hawthorne stood regarding Raina Lowell.

to leave, Raina

Aiden. ’I’m not the one forcing him to choose,’ she thought. ’He brought this trouble on himself. I won’t help him fix it, and I won’t clean up his mess. I’m just curious to

Hazel’s hand was still linked through his arm. He lifted his free hand and placed it over hers. It looked like a gesture of holding her hand, but Hazel could tell from

that moment, Hazel was

Raina called out

smirk touched her lips. ’Fine. If you find it so hard to choose, I’ll make the

to pull her hand away. But just as she did, Aiden’s grip, which had been loosening just a moment ago, suddenly tightened firmly around her hand. He

Hazel who breathed a sigh of relief;

Raina’s relationship. For her to show up so brazenly at Hazel’s own father’s birthday party was a clear

at Raina, then, as if nothing had happened, he led Hazel away to greet some of the

standing alone, her expression turning ugly as she watched

thought you were going to let me go and stand

genuine curiosity, "And if I had

"Didn’t you just see?"

he had hesitated for even a few more seconds,

her subtle movement, Aiden let out a sudden, sarcastic laugh. "I never realized you were

save my own dignity than wait

aching by the time she finished making the rounds with him and could finally sit down. She couldn’t help but stare at Aiden. "Have you

at her

one who is loved can

show up like this, completely ignoring the occasion, if she weren’t so loved and spoiled by Aiden? She’s only this bold because she knows that no matter what outrageous thing she does, Aiden will tolerate it. He’ll never get angry