Sulking at Wyatt Wallace’s place, Leon Sterling looked at his vibrating phone, picking it up again for a glance.
After seeing the message, Leon was anxious to reply to Hazel Sinclair. But just as he was about to type, he felt he was giving in too quickly.
’No, I have to let her know I’m still mad.’ Leon silently pulled his hand back, thinking to himself that he’d stay mad for another five hours.
’I’ll go back in five hours and pick up her favorite milk tea and cake on the way.’
Wyatt Wallace, watching this unfold beside him, said with exasperation, "If you really can’t stand it, just text her back already."
"Are you really capable of staying mad at her?"
Leon wasn’t. After calming down, he started getting angry at himself, feeling useless and incapable of being Hazel Sinclair’s rock.
"No, I’ll reply to her in five hours. When I go back then, I’ll buy her milk tea and cake," Leon said with great seriousness.
"Hmph, you’re just putting on an act," Wyatt muttered disdainfully.
’He’s the one who’ll be suffering for the next five hours.’
Hazel Sinclair waited for a while, but still no reply from Leon Sterling.
She was getting angry too.
She had already humbled herself and apologized, and he was still ignoring her.
’Hmph, fine. I’ll ignore him too.’
"Time to get out," Liam Lancaster called out, seeing her sitting there with her phone, a dark expression on her face.
"Mm," Hazel Sinclair responded.
After getting out of the car, she stood there and stared at the massive, luxurious cruise ship before her. All her unhappiness vanished in an instant.
’Silas Hawthorne, did your family eat a money-printing machine or something? How are you this rich?!’
"This entire cruise ship belongs to the Hawthorne Family?" Hazel Sinclair asked, looking at Liam Lancaster beside her.
"Yep." Liam Lancaster nodded, then shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking forward, adding, "The Hawthorne Family’s great-great-great-grandfather was already loaded back in the day."
"They have deep roots."
Hearing this, Hazel Sinclair clicked her tongue. ’Evelyn Kendrick is amazing. She managed to snag the head of the Hawthorne Family right out of high school.’
’Girl, even though you hate him, I still hope you two can become a power couple.’
’Silas Hawthorne is so much better than that disgusting man from the Fletcher Family.’
’He’s rich, he’s powerful, he just had a bit of a nasty mouth when he was younger.’
Stepping onto the deck of the cruise ship, a sea breeze blew past, messing up her carefully styled hair.
She raised a hand to brush away a stray lock of hair from her cheek, her gaze sweeping around. She realized this banquet was completely different from the last one.
Because the people here seemed even richer.
Hazel Sinclair could hear their wealthy laughter—a laughter filled with composure and calm, the effortless confidence of those at the pinnacle of society.
After listening, Hazel Sinclair tried to imitate it. She let out two laughs and immediately shut her mouth, because her own laughter reeked of poverty.
"What are you doing here?" Vincent Hawthorne’s face filled with disbelief when he saw her.
’That idiot Pearl Zane actually failed to get rid of her. She even let her come to this banquet alive.’
Hazel Sinclair heard the voice and turned to look at Vincent Hawthorne. A smile spread across her face as she said, "Surprised to see me?"
"I’m here to take your life."
Liam Lancaster looked at him, his disgust practically overflowing.
’Leon Sterling may be poor, but he’s skilled and capable. But the things Vincent Hawthorne has done are just too disgusting.’
Hearing her words, Vincent Hawthorne couldn’t help but sneer. "You came here with Director Lancaster. Does Leon Sterling know?"
"If he knew you were cheating on him so blatantly, he’d beat you to death."
Hazel Sinclair was already mad at Leon Sterling, and hearing this only enraged her further. Leon was her man; it wasn’t up to some outsider to spout this kind of bullshit.
She strode over and gave him a hard shove. Then, she grabbed Vincent Hawthorne’s tie, yanked him toward her, and slapped him square across the face.
SLAP—
Hazel Sinclair had put her full force into that slap, the print of her palm instantly appearing on his face.
"Leon Sterling is my man. It’s not your place to talk about him."
"You owed me that slap," Hazel Sinclair said coldly.
’Pearl Zane hit me, and I couldn’t hit her back. So I can only get my revenge on the one who started it all.’
’I let him off too easily last time. I can’t believe he got out after just a few days in jail for what he did.’
’How despicable.’
Vincent Hawthorne never expected she would actually raise a hand and slap him right here. He clutched his face, his expression absolutely hideous.
After the slap, a crowd of onlookers quickly gathered, whispering among themselves as they watched the scene unfold.
"This Mr. Hawthorne is pretty useless, getting slapped by a woman."
"I heard he picked a fight with the Sinclair Family. Looks like it’s true."
"Serves him right."
Listening to their words, his cheek not only stung painfully, but he also felt utterly humiliated.
"Bitch, you dare hit me!" Vincent Hawthorne snarled, his face dark and menacing.
Hazel Sinclair let go of his tie and, with a look of utter disgust, asked a nearby server for a wet wipe to clean her hands.
She didn’t bother to hide the loathing on her face at all.
Seeing himself being ignored, Vincent Hawthorne grew even more furious.
He raised his hand to hit her back, thinking it would restore his dignity.
But before his hand could fall, a server grabbed his wrist.
Liam Lancaster, who had intended to play the hero saving the damsel in distress, shot the server a glare for stealing his chance.
’No need to be a show-off.’
"Sir, uncivilized behavior such as striking a lady is not permitted on this cruise ship," the server reminded him with a smile.
After hearing this, Vincent Hawthorne pointed at Hazel Sinclair with his other hand and demanded loudly, "Then why didn’t you stop her when she hit me just now?"
"For this lady to resort to hitting you, I imagine you must have done something especially outrageous, sir," the server said with a smile.
"You have a double standard!" Vincent Hawthorne yelled furiously.
The server just stood there, watching him with a pleasant smile, saying nothing more.
In the end, Vincent Hawthorne could only swallow his anger. But the look he gave Hazel Sinclair was like that of a viper eyeing its prey; if he ever got the chance, he wouldn’t hesitate to strike a fatal blow.
"Hazel Sinclair, just you wait." Vincent Hawthorne pulled his hand back and lightly touched his face. The pain had mostly subsided, but it still felt like it was burning.
The stares and chatter of the crowd were like sharp daggers stabbing into his heart, making him feel utterly disgraced.
Hazel Sinclair scoffed and said, "Fine, I’ll be waiting."
"I’ll personally send you to prison." By now, Hazel Sinclair wanted to kill him too.
’The score from The Crimson Villa isn’t something that can be settled by him spending a few days in jail.’
After Vincent Hawthorne left, the surrounding crowd of onlookers automatically dispersed.
Just then, Evelyn Kendrick and Silas Hawthorne walked over. Evelyn raised her hands and clapped lightly, saying with a smile, "Not bad. You’ve learned to fight back."
Her eyes were full of approval as she looked at Hazel Sinclair. ’And here I thought all Hazel Sinclair knew how to do was curse people out.’