’Hazel.’ The way he said her name was far too intimate.
Leon Sterling’s expression soured. He turned to Hazel Sinclair, but she just sat there, not bothering to correct him.
"You’re about to cook, are you? Perfect. Hazel just asked me to stay for dinner, so I guess we’ll be putting you to work, Mr. Sterling," Liam Lancaster said, lounging on the sofa like he owned the place. His eyes were fixed on Leon, brimming with provocation.
Hazel Sinclair was stunned. ’When did I ever ask him to stay for dinner?’
"Hazel Sinclair, you’re actually letting him stay for dinner?" Leon Sterling demanded, his face dark as he glared at her.
Seeing his reaction, Hazel Sinclair quickly waved her hands in denial. "No, I didn’t!"
Liam Lancaster immediately turned to her. Fluttering his eyes, he put on a terribly hurt expression. "But Hazel," he whined, "you just told me what a great cook Mr. Sterling is and that I should stay for dinner. How could you change your mind so fast?"
With a sigh, he stood up and looked at Hazel Sinclair, phone in hand. "Alright then. Since Mr. Sterling isn’t willing to have me for dinner, I’d better be going."
"See you tomorrow, Hazel." After that little dramatic act, Liam Lancaster put on his shoes and left.
His move left Hazel Sinclair stunned. ’He can just switch into full-on drama mode in a split second?’
’That’s my move!’
’How is a guy so good at it?’
As Liam Lancaster closed the door, he looked over at Leon Sterling, lifting his chin in defiance. His lips silently formed the words, "We’ll be seeing each other again tomorrow."
Leon Sterling saw it all perfectly and understood the implication.
’They’re seeing each other again tomorrow?’
SLAM. The door closed. Liam Lancaster was gone. Hazel Sinclair grew flustered when she saw the thunderous expression on Leon’s face.
She quickly stood up to explain. "I asked Liam Lancaster to come over because I had something to discuss with him."
"I didn’t ask him to stay for dinner. He was lying."
Leon Sterling set down his keys, his dark eyes locked on her as he asked coldly, "What could you possibly have to discuss with him that you can’t discuss with me?"
"I’m your husband. If you have a problem you can’t solve, you can tell me. Why did you have to go to him?"
Leon Sterling put down the groceries, walked over to Hazel Sinclair, and gripped her upper arms tightly, his dark eyes boring into hers as he questioned her.
"Are you trying to divorce me? Do you want to be with him?"
Hazel Sinclair explained, "There are some things you can’t solve. I had to go to him for this."
"Don’t overthink it."
"You brought another man home, and I’m supposed to ’not overthink it’?" Leon Sterling thought of the scene he had just witnessed and couldn’t help but demand, "Does he come over when I’m not home, too?"
"I just asked him to help me with a small matter, that’s all," Hazel Sinclair continued, her tone tinged with impatience.
"If you run into trouble, you can tell me! I can help you solve it, too!" Leon Sterling grew even more furious. ’She had a problem and wouldn’t tell him, but instead went to another man.’
’What did she take him for?’
’And to think he’d rushed home from work to make her that special herbal chicken soup. If he hadn’t come back early... a man and a woman, alone in the house...’
’Hazel needed help with something, and it was something she was hiding from him.’
The more Leon Sterling thought about it, the angrier he became. Finally, he demanded, "Are you trying to divorce me?"
"I’m not trying to divorce you," Hazel Sinclair explained, exasperated.
"I don’t believe you, unless you—"
He didn’t get to finish. Hazel Sinclair interrupted him physically.
She raised her hand and slapped Leon Sterling across the face, then said in a cold voice, "Are you calm now?"
"I needed his help with something, and I am not thinking about divorcing you," Hazel Sinclair said, looking at him, her tone remarkably calm.
"I won’t divorce you. I swear... four," Hazel Sinclair said with unusual seriousness, holding up three fingers.
Leon Sterling looked at her, and after a moment, corrected, "It’s ’swear,’ not ’four’."
"Say it again."
’She’d hoped a little wordplay would be enough to smooth things over, but apparently, Leon Sterling wasn’t so easily fooled.’
’Then again, how could you so easily fool a man who graduated from a prestigious university?’
"I, Hazel Sinclair, will not divorce Leon Sterling. I will spend the rest of my life with him, through thick and thin, until we’re old and gray."
"I swear."
Hazel Sinclair looked at him and earnestly repeated the vow, this time with even more solemnity and gravity.
’The Hazel Sinclair from the book made a vow. What’s that got to do with me, the one who transmigrated into her body?’
’If he wants someone to fulfill the promise, he can go find the Hazel Sinclair in the book.’
Placated by her vow, Leon Sterling’s agitation finally subsided. He then cupped her face and kissed her.
It was a domineering kiss that left Hazel Sinclair feeling overwhelmed.
After the kiss, Leon Sterling spoke. "Hazel Sinclair, I’ll remember the vow you made today for the rest of my life. So, I’m never letting you leave me."
"I get it! Now go make your soup!" Hazel Sinclair shouted, wiping her swollen lips. She gave him another light slap, like a haughty cat.
’This stupid man, all he knows how to do is kiss, kiss, kiss!’
’My lips are all swollen.’
Having finally soothed the bristling man, Hazel Sinclair decided it was time to confront the real culprit.
Hazel Sinclair sat on the sofa, pulled out her old phone, and opened her messages with Liam Lancaster.
[Hazel Sinclair: What the hell were you doing just now? Are you insane?]
’Not only did he pull that crazy stunt, but he also got my lips kissed raw because of it.’
’And I even had to make a vow. What am I going to do if that man Leon Sterling actually takes it seriously?’
[Liam Lancaster: He’s got no magnanimity at all. Make me your number one, and I’ll let you keep seeing him. I’m much better suited for the role.]
When Hazel Sinclair saw this message, she pressed her lips together, closed her eyes, an expression of utter speechlessness on her face.
’Magnanimity? Number one? Liam Lancaster is fucking insane!’
[Liam Lancaster: If I were your number one, I’d definitely be more magnanimous than him.]
Seeing that, Hazel Sinclair fired back with a scathing comment.
[Hazel Sinclair: Someone like you as the ’number one’? You’d be the most vicious one when it comes to hunting down the side piece. You, magnanimous? Please.]
[Hazel Sinclair: Your magnanimity wouldn’t even fill a shot glass.]
Liam Lancaster couldn’t help but laugh when he read her words. ’Alright, she’s found me out.’
’If he could secure his position, Leon Sterling could forget about ever showing his face in Veridia.’
’Leon Sterling would never see Hazel Sinclair for the rest of his life. If he let those two meet even once, he’d consider it a total failure!’
[Hazel Sinclair: Your pretentious act is disgusting. Try that again, and don’t blame me for not playing nice.]
[Liam Lancaster: Hazel, darling, why must you treat me this way? My love for you is utterly sincere.]
[Hazel Sinclair: [Vomiting.jpg]]
After replying with the image, Hazel Sinclair immediately tossed the old phone aside, muttering, "Tsk. Filthy."
Leon Sterling washed the chicken and other ingredients, put them in the pot to simmer, and after taking care of everything, came out and sat on the sofa.
He sat pressed up against Hazel Sinclair, unwilling to be apart.
"Can you move over a little?" Hazel Sinclair asked, feeling warm from his proximity.
"You want me to sit where he was sitting?" Leon Sterling retorted.