When the Contract Marriage Ended, He Stayed

Chapter 111: Chapter 111: He Definitely Likes You

### Chapter 111: He’s Definitely into You

The next day, as Hazel Hawthorne sat at the dining table for breakfast, she was keenly aware of Aiden Xavier’s intense gaze fixed on her. It felt hotter than the midday sun, making it impossible for her to look at him directly. She found it utterly baffling.

She snuck a glance at Aiden Xavier’s expression, but then it belatedly dawned on her. ’How could a mere mortal like me possibly see through Aiden Xavier’s thoughts?’

Hazel Hawthorne shot him a glare. Seeing his eyes still fixed on her, she couldn’t help but glare again. When he still didn’t react, she finally couldn’t take it anymore. "Why do you keep staring at me?" she demanded. "Is there something on my face?"

Aiden Xavier said no, but Hazel still touched her cheek. ’If I had a mirror, I’d definitely check,’ she thought. ’After all, his words have very little credibility.’

A moment later, Aiden Xavier was still staring at her. Hazel completely lost her appetite. "Aiden Xavier, is there something you want to say to me? If there is, just spit it out. Why do you keep staring at me like this?"

It was making her heart race. This was what Hazel couldn’t stand most about Aiden Xavier: when he said nothing and just stared, meeting every question with silence. It was a true test of one’s patience, and unfortunately for her, Hazel had very little patience when it came to Aiden Xavier.

Aiden Xavier simply gave Hazel a small smile and said gently, "Finish your breakfast first. I’ll drive you to the office later."

Hazel understood instantly. ’He definitely has something to say to me. He must think it’s not a good time with the household staff around. That’s why he’s going to tell me in the car on the way to work. It’ll just be the two of us, so we won’t have to worry about anyone overhearing.’

’I can be pretty smart sometimes,’ Hazel thought to herself. Having figured out the reason for Aiden Xavier’s strange behavior, she began to eat her breakfast with gusto.

During the drive to the office, she waited quietly for Aiden Xavier to be the first to speak. But a long time passed, and he simply remained focused on driving, only occasionally asking how the wound on her arm was healing. He didn’t say a single word about anything else.

Confused, Hazel leaned against the window, propping her chin on her hand. She stared out at the rapidly passing scenery, her mind heavy with questions. ’Why did he suddenly decide to drive me to work? And why did he keep staring at me without saying anything?’

"Aiden Xavier, isn’t there something you wanted to tell me? It’s just the two of us now, you can just say it. You know I’m very understanding. I won’t even get mad if you want to talk about Raina Lowell."

Aiden Xavier shot Hazel a sidelong glance and couldn’t resist a sarcastic remark. "Well then, it seems you really are quite understanding. To not even mind about Raina Lowell."

Missing the sarcasm in his tone completely, Hazel nodded with a chuckle, readily admitting how understanding she was. "Of course I am. We’ve been married for three years, you should have known that already. Are you only just now figuring it out?"

"You talk too much."

Hazel’s lip twitched. "I’m not the one talking too much! You’re the one who’s been weird all morning, staring at me. Isn’t there something you want to tell me? What could possibly make you so hesitant other than Raina Lowell? Who else would it be about? Why else would you be staring at me?"

"Why does it have to be about Raina Lowell?"

"If it’s not about Raina Lowell, then what? Don’t tell me you’re staring at me because you like me? That’s impossible. Didn’t you say it yourself last night? You don’t get jealous. If you aren’t jealous about me and Nathan Miller, how could you possibly like me?"

Hazel said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, not even bothering to look at Aiden Xavier’s expression. After a moment, she heard him ask coolly, "So, judging by what you just said, Sharon Winters’s dinner invitation last night was actually to help you test my reaction?"

Hazel never would have dreamed that Aiden Xavier was so sharp. In his mind, he had somehow connected two completely unrelated things and accurately guessed their true motive.

Hazel was sure she hadn’t let anything slip in front of Aiden Xavier last night. ’There’s only one explanation,’ she thought. ’Aiden Xavier must have figured it out on his own.’

But she certainly wasn’t going to admit it to Aiden Xavier’s face.

"You’re reading too much into it. Why would I need Sharon Winters to help me test you? Besides, the fact that you like Raina Lowell is an open secret, isn’t it? Why would I need to test that? That would just be asking for misery."

Hazel spoke with a nonchalant air, but she still snuck a glance at Aiden Xavier from the corner of her eye.

"I guess I was overthinking it, then." Aiden Xavier didn’t press the issue, and Hazel secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"You can just stop at the intersection up ahead. It’s a short walk from there, so you don’t have to drop me off right at the entrance."

"Are you worried your coworkers will see me dropping you off?"

"No."

"Then are you worried Nathan Miller will see me dropping you off?"

"That’s not it either. I just thought if you stopped here, it would save you the trouble of looping around. What are you thinking?"

"It’s no trouble. Stopping at the entrance will save you a few steps." Aiden Xavier insisted on driving her right to the door. When the car stopped, he leaned over toward her naturally. Startled, Hazel instinctively shrank back.

"What are you doing?" Hazel asked, confused. ’This is the entrance to my office!’ she panicked internally. ’There are so many people around. If anyone saw us, they’d get the wrong idea, thinking we’re doing something inappropriate in here. Our position is already so suggestive!’

With a deadpan expression, Aiden Xavier unbuckled her seatbelt. "What did you think I was doing? What’s going on in that head of yours?"

"It’s not like I can’t unbuckle my own seatbelt! Of course I’m going to be suspicious when you suddenly lean over like that." Hazel pushed Aiden Xavier away, threw open the car door, and practically fled into the office building. freewebnovel.cσ๓

When she turned back a moment later, both he and his car had vanished into the morning traffic.

Weird. So weird.

Someone tapped Hazel on the shoulder from behind. She whipped around to find Sharon Winters’s face inches from her own, a wide grin spreading across it as she stared. "What were you looking at? I called your name a few times, but you didn’t hear me."

"Aiden Xavier is being so weird."

Sharon immediately linked her arm through Hazel’s. "Weird how? Tell me everything so I can analyze it for you. I’m a relationship expert, you know! First, tell me what happened last night."

After hearing the whole story, Sharon slammed her hand on the desk, her expression one of utter conviction. "You have to believe me, Aiden Xavier is absolutely into you! I’ve always trusted my judgment, I’m never wrong about people, and I’m not wrong now. He definitely likes you more than he likes Raina Lowell."

"I still think you’re reading way too much into it."

"Have you ever heard the saying, ’The spectator sees more of the game’?" Sharon pleaded earnestly. "How else do you explain Aiden Xavier’s string of weird behavior after last night? Anyway, I’m convinced he likes you."

Seeing how certain Sharon was, Hazel found it amusing. "It’s not like I really care whether he likes me or not."

*****