Silas Hawthorne looked at her, and Evelyn Kendrick looked back. Their eyes met.
But Silas Hawthorne saw hatred in her eyes, and the sight stunned him.
She was the one who’d broken up with him so abruptly, disappearing abroad to study without a single word.
He had managed to find her back then, wanting to talk, but she had rejected him time and time again. So what was with this look of pure hatred now?
’I’ve never done anything to wrong Evelyn. Where is all this hatred coming from?’
Hazel Sinclair didn’t notice the undercurrents flowing between the two. Seeing the money that had just landed in her account, she was ecstatic.
’The fifty thousand I spent, I’ve already earned back from my patron! I’ll follow Evelyn Kendrick to the ends of the earth!’
"If anything like this ever happens again, you have to call me. I guarantee I’ll tear them a new one," Hazel Sinclair said, putting away her phone and patting her chest earnestly at Evelyn Kendrick.
"Fair prices for young and old alike."
Evelyn Kendrick was still fuming about Silas Hawthorne. Hazel’s words suddenly made her laugh in exasperation.
’Great value? A hundred thousand a pop? Hazel Sinclair’s rates were the highest in the business.’
"You’re a money pit," Evelyn Kendrick remarked.
Hazel Sinclair wasn’t offended at all. Instead, she grabbed Evelyn’s wrist and said with a grin, "In that case, Miss Kendrick, you’d better keep earning. This money pit is waiting for you to feed it."
"Oh, get lost. Give you an inch and you’ll take a mile," Evelyn Kendrick fumed. "And you even brought *him* here. You’re just trying to piss me off, aren’t you?"
Hazel Sinclair looked between the two of them and quickly asked her system.
’Do they know each other?’
They were a couple in high school but broke up for certain reasons.
Hearing the system’s reply, Hazel Sinclair’s eyes lit up. ’So Silas Hawthorne is her ex! I never would have guessed.’
"Hey, that’s got nothing to do with me. He’s the one who followed us," Hazel Sinclair quickly retorted.
Evelyn Kendrick didn’t believe her. She just snorted, got into the driver’s seat, and sped off.
Watching the luxury car disappear, Hazel Sinclair turned to Silas Hawthorne, who was still standing nearby. Her tone was reproachful. "Chairman Hawthorne, this is all your fault."
"If it wasn’t for you, Evelyn wouldn’t have talked to me like that."
Just then, Silas Hawthorne took out his phone, displaying his personal WhatsApp QR code. "Add me."
Hearing this, Hazel Sinclair immediately grew wary. "Why do you want to add me?"
"I know you and Evelyn are close. Keep an eye on her for me. If anything comes up, send me a message," Silas Hawthorne replied. Just as Hazel was about to refuse, he added, "Provide me with useful intel each month, and I’ll pay you two hundred thousand."
Hazel Sinclair: ???
’Wow. It’s like the God of Wealth himself knocked on my door. An opportunity too good to refuse.’
"Deal," Hazel Sinclair said, quickly adding his WhatsApp and nodding with extreme seriousness.
Once they were connected, Silas Hawthorne went on his way.
Hazel Sinclair hailed a ride and headed back with her box of fruit.
When she opened the door, she found Leon Sterling sitting grimly on the sofa, his arms crossed and a dark look on his face.
Fresh from her profitable evening, Hazel looked at his sullen face and asked, confused, "What’s wrong with you?"
"Having dark thoughts again? Thinking about killing yourself?"
Hearing her bring up suicide again, Leon Sterling defended himself with great seriousness.
"I wasn’t thinking about suicide. I just went to the riverbank to clear my head."
Hazel Sinclair tossed the fruit into his lap and sat down beside him, propping her chin on her hand. "Fine, you weren’t. Why so serious?"
"My things are put away. It’s been a long day. Aren’t you tired? Go get some rest."
They were sitting close, and Leon Sterling could clearly smell the faint scent of smoke on her.
Upon smelling the smoke, Leon’s hands, which were resting on his thighs, clenched into fists.
His expression darkened further. His gaze fixed on Hazel Sinclair as he asked stiffly, "Where were you tonight?"
"You reek of smoke."
Hearing him say she reeked of smoke, Hazel lowered her head and sniffed. He was right; she did.
’It must have been from when Mr. Fletcher was smoking that cigar. The smell must have clung to me in that enclosed room.’
Hazel Sinclair said nonchalantly, "Someone was smoking in the private room, and the smell stuck to me."
’A private room... ’
’Who asked her out? Was it Luke Lancaster?’
’Who else was there? Was it all men?’
Leon’s mind raced, but the questions he desperately wanted to ask died on his lips every time.
"Go take a shower," Leon Sterling said sullenly.
Hazel had just gotten back and didn’t feel like showering right away. She lounged on the sofa, scrolling through videos on her phone with one hand while the other propped up her head.
She looked completely relaxed and at ease, but the smell of smoke wafting from her was pure torture for Leon, who sat beside her.
’His mind filled with images of Hazel chatting with another man, a beautiful smile on her face as she looked at him, calling his name sweetly.’
The more Leon thought about it, the worse he felt. He pressed his lips together and repeated, "Hazel Sinclair. Go take a shower."
"What’s the rush? I’ll shower after I’ve had a little rest," Hazel said dismissively, a hint of impatience in her voice.
"Oh, and wash that fruit. I want some," Hazel added without looking up.
Seething but not daring to object, Leon pressed his lips into a thin line, picked up the fruit from the coffee table, and went to wash it.
[Luke Lancaster: Hazel, want to come to a banquet with me? If you’re worried, we don’t have to let that bankrupt husband of yours know.]
[Luke Lancaster: Be my date. I won’t let anyone look down on you.]
’Another message from Luke Lancaster. Doesn’t this guy have anything better to do than harass me with texts every night?’
Hazel Sinclair considered his message, then held her phone with both hands, her thumbs tapping on the screen.
[Hazel Sinclair: What’s in it for me?]
[Luke Lancaster: Plenty.]
[Luke Lancaster: [8 Images]]
[Luke Lancaster: There’s an auction and a buffet. You can bid on whatever you want, eat whatever you want. It’ll be fun.]
[Luke Lancaster: And I’ll pay for anything you bid on.]
Everything before that held zero appeal for Hazel, but that last sentence? That was what really got her attention.
She was thrilled, but her face remained impassive.
Leon returned with a platter of freshly washed fruit. He set it down and sat beside Hazel.
His gaze fell on her phone, and he read Luke Lancaster’s messages crystal clear.
When he read the last line, his expression turned even fouler in an instant.
’Of course it was that bastard!’
’Seducing a married woman! Does he have no shame?’
’Doesn’t he know that *I’m* her husband?’
"Are you still in contact with Luke Lancaster? Is he the one who took you out tonight?"
Leon watched her, asking his question earnestly, but his voice was laced with insecurity.
Ignoring his mood, Hazel just picked up an apple and started eating.
"Yeah, we are. He’s been hitting me up a lot lately."