Closing the door, Leon Sterling placed the package on the coffee table and said casually, "The skincare you wanted."
It was Helena!
Hazel Sinclair quickly sat on the sofa, grabbed the package, and started to unwrap it.
Looking at the little black jars inside, the smile on Hazel Sinclair’s face never faded.
The two of them ate breakfast together. Afterward, Leon Sterling washed the dishes, changed his clothes, and got ready to leave.
Seeing he was dressed more formally than usual, Hazel Sinclair couldn’t help but ask, "Where are you off to?"
"Yeah, I’m heading to the Bureau of Commerce," Leon Sterling replied.
"What are you going to the Bureau of Commerce for?" Hazel Sinclair asked, confused.
"I’m going to set up the studio." Leon Sterling opened the door to leave. "I’m off. Be good at home. The fruit is washed and in the fridge, and the juice is bottled."
"The snacks are in the coffee table drawer. Help yourself if you want some, but don’t eat too much."
"I’ll be back at noon to make you lunch."
After giving all these instructions, Leon Sterling finally closed the door, leaving Hazel Sinclair alone on the sofa to process the news.
’He works fast.’
’He probably started preparing the moment he asked me for money last night.’
Leon Sterling didn’t go straight to the Bureau of Commerce. Instead, he went to see a former business partner.
"Chairman Sterling, planning on making a comeback?" The man wore a white shirt and black trousers, the shirt tucked in with the collar unbuttoned and open, giving him the look of an unruly, freedom-loving soul.
His hair was slicked back, and a pair of black sunglasses rested on his nose, giving him a roguishly handsome vibe.
"Yeah." Leon Sterling looked down at the contract before him. Seeing no issues, he took out a black pen and signed his name. He then opened a red ink pad, dipped his thumb in the ink, and pressed it onto the paper.
Seeing that Leon Sterling was finished, the other man picked up a pen and signed as well.
True to form, his signature was as flamboyant and unrestrained as he was.
"The rent is one million. Can you swing that? Need me to draw up an IOU for you?" the man asked, sitting with his legs crossed. He lifted his sunglasses from his nose to look at Leon.
But Leon Sterling just shook his head. "No need. I have the money."
Then he added, "My wife lent it to me, actually."
"Ha, you’re married. Since when do you need to *borrow* money from each other?" the man asked, confused.
Leon Sterling glanced at him. "You’re single, you wouldn’t get it. You’ll understand when you find a wife."
But the man just scoffed. "I’d rather not be tied down. There’s no freedom in that at all."
Hearing this, Leon Sterling lowered his head, lost in thought.
’Hazel never seemed to manage him. He could come home whenever he wanted, do whatever he wanted. He even asked Hazel for money, and she’d give it to him as long as she had it.’
’She rarely texted him either; they only ever talked when they were face-to-face.’
Noticing Leon Sterling’s silence, the man glanced at him, and a look of realization dawned on his face. "Oh, so your wife doesn’t keep tabs on you?"
"You two are supposedly so in love, yet she doesn’t keep you on a leash? She just lets you run wild like some stray. Does she really love you?"
At those words, the handsome expression on Leon Sterling’s face contorted.
He shot back, "That’s impossible. My wife loves me more than anything."
"Julian Jennings, don’t talk nonsense."
Julian Jennings picked up a pack of cigarettes, stuck one between his lips, and offered another to Leon, who refused.
He lit his cigarette and said with a smile, "My sister-in-law keeps my older brother on a tight leash. He has to be home by ten every night, has to report everything to her, and isn’t allowed to smoke or drink."
"If my brother messes up, my sister-in-law throws a fit. Making him sleep on the couch is a regular occurrence."
Julian Jennings exhaled a cloud of smoke, then looked at Leon Sterling. "Has your wife ever done any of that to you?"
Leon Sterling thought for a moment, then shook his head. She hadn’t.
’Hazel never texted him first. If he didn’t initiate, their chat history would just sit there, frozen on the day they last spoke. She never asked about his business, either.’
"Your wife doesn’t love you, dude," Julian Jennings said with a smug grin.
With that, he grabbed his copy of the contract, put on his sunglasses, and left the studio.
As Leon Sterling went to the Bureau of Commerce to register his business license, and even while he was waiting, that one sentence kept echoing in his mind.
’Your wife doesn’t love you, dude.’
’She doesn’t love me.’
’Hazel doesn’t love me.’
After submitting his documents and finishing all the procedures, he headed home.
He passed a market on the way and went in to buy some ingredients for lunch, along with some snacks and fruit.
He was still mulling over Julian’s words on the way home. Half the day had gone by, and sure enough, Hazel hadn’t sent him a single message.
’Hazel didn’t care about him at all.’
When he got home and opened the door, his eyes instinctively scanned the living room. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw Hazel Sinclair lying on the sofa.
But when he walked over and saw the video on her phone screen, his expression froze.
’More men!’
’She’d rather watch these guys than send me a single text.’
"Hazel Sinclair, do you even love me?" Leon Sterling demanded, his composure finally shattering.
The sudden question made Hazel Sinclair jump. She looked at him and chuckled. "What kind of question is that? I love you. Of course, I love you."
But hearing her words brought Leon Sterling no joy, because he could tell how dismissive she sounded.
’Words like ’I love you’ shouldn’t be said so casually.’
"You don’t love me at all," Leon Sterling retorted.
"You don’t care about me one bit."
Hazel Sinclair scratched her head. ’What’s gotten into him? He goes out for a bit and comes back obsessing over whether I love him or not.’
"What do you mean I don’t care about you?"
"You never text to ask how I’m doing, you don’t check up on me, and you don’t give me a curfew," Leon Sterling listed her "crimes" one by one.
Hazel Sinclair felt a headache coming on.
’Give him freedom, and he complains it’s too much. But if I start being strict, he’ll complain about that too.’
Leon Sterling walked over and squatted in front of her, leaning his head close. "This is how other married couples are. We should be like that, too."
Hazel Sinclair rejected him flat out. "I don’t want to."
"Come home whenever you want. If I start meddling, you’ll just complain that I’m too strict later. I’m not signing up for that thankless job."
Hearing this, Leon Sterling quickly said, "I won’t! I won’t complain that you’re too strict."
"So, keep tabs on me."
Hazel Sinclair reached out to push him away but couldn’t budge him. Instead, he caught both of her hands in his.
"Will you agree or not?"
With her hands caught and Leon Sterling leaning in so close, Hazel Sinclair had no choice but to give in. "Fine, fine, fine! I’ll keep tabs on you, alright?"
"Deal." Having gotten his answer, Leon Sterling immediately planted a kiss on her cheek. "Hurry up and start."
"So childish," Hazel muttered.
After lunch, Hazel Sinclair seriously laid out her new rules for him. "Seeing as you’re starting a studio now and will probably be very busy, if you’re not back by eleven-thirty at night, you need to report to me. Got it?"
"When you go to gatherings with drinking, you’re not allowed to get drunk, and no smoking."
"If you smoke or get drunk, you can sleep in the guest room."