When the Contract Marriage Ended, He Stayed

Chapter 7: Chapter 7: I’m Getting a Divorce from Aiden Xavier

###Chapter 7: I’m Going to Divorce Aiden Xavier

Hazel Hawthorne hadn’t been back to the Hawthorne residence in a long time, not since her mother passed away.

She could never forget the day her father showed up at their door with his mistress and their illegitimate daughter while her mother was gravely ill.

Because of that, she could never bring herself to believe in marriage or entrust herself to a man.

But Aiden Xavier was an exception.

She and Aiden Xavier had been engaged long ago, but it was an arrangement made by their grandfathers, and neither of them had ever taken it seriously.

Back then, after a major falling out with her father, she had left home with her terminally ill mother. She had intended to break off the engagement with Aiden Xavier, but he unexpectedly came to her first. He presented her with a marriage contract, asking her to be a puppet wife and hold the title of Mrs. Xavier.

Hazel had no lingering affection for either the Hawthorne or Xavier families and couldn’t be bothered to get involved in Aiden’s messy entanglements with Raina Lowell. But seeing her mother tormented by illness and facing the hardship of being cut off from the Hawthorne family, she ultimately agreed.

Aiden Xavier needed someone to hold the position of Mrs. Xavier for him.

And she needed money.

Unfortunately, her mother eventually succumbed to her illness. Just like her sham of a marriage, which had lasted three years only to come to an end.

"Mr. Xavier, we just wanted Hazel to come back for a visit. We didn’t expect you to come as well."

Seeing Aiden Xavier, Harrison Hawthorne was so tense and awkward that he looked less like a father-in-law and more like a subordinate under inspection.

He wrung his hands, then shot Hazel a dissatisfied glare. "And you... Mr. Xavier is a busy man. How could you take up his time?"

Hazel rolled her eyes and scoffed, asking nonchalantly, "What is it?"

Seeing Hazel standing next to Aiden Xavier with such a cold and distant air made Harrison’s blood boil.

He was about to lose his temper, but Jessica Clarke, who was standing beside him, pulled him back. "Hazel is rarely back. Let’s just treat this as a family reunion."

Aiden Xavier’s eyes crinkled into a smile as he put on the air of a ’good son-in-law.’ "You’re too kind, Father-in-law. Hazel is sick today and isn’t feeling well. I was worried about her being on her own, so I came along. We’re family; there’s no need for such formalities."

Hazel, standing to the side, shot him a sidelong glance, the disdain in her heart written all over her face.

She followed Harrison Hawthorne into the villa and, from a distance, saw a pile of old items near the entrance.

Seeing those things, Hazel frowned—

They were her mother’s collection of famous paintings and antiques. Even the clothes her mother had worn were piled up there.

Hazel asked, displeased, "Why have you touched my mother’s belongings?"

Harrison Hawthorne and Jessica Clarke exchanged a look, then both guiltily averted their gazes.

Finally, Jessica stepped forward awkwardly and tried to take Hazel’s hand. "Hazel, it’s like this... Your father’s company has run into some trouble lately, a real cash flow crisis. We had no other choice... We can only auction these things off to deal with the emergency."

Hazel sneered. "Is there nothing else the Hawthorne family can sell? You have to resort to my mother’s things?" freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

Harrison was growing impatient and started shouting, "Isn’t it because you’re such a disappointment? You’ve been with Mr. Xavier for years and haven’t helped the family one bit! What’s the point of keeping a dead person’s things? If you don’t want to sell your mother’s belongings, that’s fine too..."

He glanced at Aiden Xavier tentatively. He was clearly feeling a bit guilty, but he continued—

"As long as you can find a way to get me another two hundred million in investment, you can take all of this stuff with you."

Hazel laughed, furious. She instantly understood why Harrison had asked her to come back today.

Her lips curled into a cold smile. "Two hundred million? Are you insane? Didn’t you just borrow five hundred million from Aiden Xavier?"

"Also..."

Hazel paused, then dropped the bombshell. "I’m going to divorce Aiden Xavier."