Chapter196. 

Aeriss 

Gabriel, dressed in a black suit, exuded a noble auta. As he entered, many who sought to attach themselves to the Campbell Group came over to greet him. 

He instinctively searched for Hazel. From а distance, he saw her talking to a woman on the balcony. 

From the moment Emma learned that she would be attending the banquet with Gabriel, her heart surged with joy. 

Over the past few days, she had gradually immersed herself in the project of Boston Mountains, believing she had earned Gabriel’s trust. She was now one step closer to her goal of delivering a devastating blow to Hazel! 

The banquet hall was alive with clinking glasses, and the prominent figures were exchanging resources. 

Once, the Bond family had a place in this circle, but now, Shania could only ask her friends for an invitation. 

Shania’s fingers tightened around her wine glass, and her ambition grew stronger by the second. Why was it that these men always thought first of hurting a woman’s heart when seeking power? 

Others might not have noticed, but Shania saw the exchanged glances between her father and the woman in red. Thinking of the luxurious apartment Emma now lived in and the million–dollar car she drove, which were shared assets between her parents, she felt sick. 

She would rather throw that money into the sea than let such a woman use it! 

The change in the woman beside her didn’t escape Hazel’s notice. Ambition, in some ways, wasn’t a bad thing. It could inspire someone to push forward with great force. 

Hazel’s phone vibrated. It was a message from Lucia. 

Hazel said goodbye to Shania and headed toward the private room Lucia had mentioned. 

However, as she passed by a certain private room, a server opened the door, and in a fleeting glance, she saw Alfred and the woman sitting beside him. Her face immediately darkened. 

Having not seen Hazel arrive, Lucia stepped out of the room to look for her, only to find her leaning against the railing outside, deep in thought. 

Lucia smiled and said, “What’s wrong? You’re here but not coming in?” 

Hazel and Lucia had only known each other for two years since her divorce. After the incident with Gianna, Hazel became sensitive about such matters. She didn’t want what had happened to her to happen to her friend. 

Without hesitation, she asked Lucia, “Does Alfred know you’re at this banquet?” 

As the eldest daughter of the Moore family, and after years in the entertainment industry, Lucia had seen plenty of the dirtier side of both worlds. 

Hearing Hazel’s words, she immediately understood. 

Lucia said, “You saw Alfred, didn’t you?” 

She was sure about it. 

Hazel replied softly, “He’s in the private room downstairs.” 

Lucia, who had a deep understanding of Hazel, could tell that she wasn’t a 

naïve woman lost in love anymore. 

She grew up seeing countless couples in the circle who appeared happy but were really just going through the motions, so her expectations for love were never high. 

Lucia 

chuckled 

softly, “Alfred must have that new female artist, 

Elizabeth, 

sitting beside him, right?” 

She wasn’t in any rush to enter the private room, knowing that there were others inside with whom she had connections, handling things for her. 

Hazel looked at her friend with concern. She had once been part of the high–society circle, and her parents had been loving each other. 

After the Robinson family went bankrupt, her grandmother Annika took her to Nyack, where she was somewhat removed from the complexities of that world. Though life was hard, the emotional scars were fewer. 

From Lucia, she had learned a few other things. 

Elizabeth wasn’t the real threat. It was her late sister, Kirsten Brennan. 

In Lucia’s eyes, the late Kirsten was like the 

unattainable love that Alfred could never forget. 

When Lucia talked about this woman, her voice carried no trace of the melancholy she once felt when she and Hazel first met on foreign 

streets. The two women, once troubled by love, had rescued each other from their pasts. 

“Haze, it’s nothing special once you got a man. 

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‘Let me tell you a secret. Before I married Alfred, I had already made an agreement with my family. I would divorce him after one year. 

Lucia exhaled deeply, flashed 4 bright smile, and held Hazel’s hand Haze, 1 

To her, a marriage in the upper class was never about love. 

The only reason she had slept with him last night was just that he was still ‘pure‘. 

As for everything else… which man couldn’t do? 

don’t 

love 

Kim anymore.” 

Hazel smiled. The drunken moment the night before had made 

But now she realized that it was just Lucia’s 

her 

think Lucia hadn’t moved on 

last–ditch effort to break free from the hold of love. 

Men, it seemed, were born with confidence, thinking that a woman who had once loved them would always do so. They forgot that liking someone didn’t mean being bound to them for life. When a woman let go of love, she only opened the door to a broader world. 

Hazel said, “Whatever help you need, I’m here for you.” 

Lucia smiled, “Sure.” 

She said she still had big plans to get stronger and make money for her darling goddaughter. 

The two women shared a knowing smile. 

In another private room, Alfred suddenly felt a tremor in his heart, as if something was slipping away from him. 

Thinking of Lucia, who was back at the Moore’s house packing, the worry on his face faded. He lowered his head and sent a message to his newlywed wife, but he never received a reply. 

Jennifer, the female CEO of Lucky Pharmacal Company, was a strong woman in her forties and also a long–time friend of Lucia’s mother. 

The world of capital was essentially a vast network of connections. 

Cooperation 

between different 

companies 

only 

required 

someone 

to 

act 

as 

the 

intermediary. 

collaboration. 

Το Hazel, the discussion had 

Before leaving, Jennifer extended her hand proactively.“Ms. Robinson, I’m very much looking forward to working with you. I hope there will be an opportunity.” 

gone smoothly, but she didn’t immediately agree to the 

Hazel shook her hand.“I’m also looking forward to it.” 

Upon seeing the message on her phone, Lucia smiled with a hint of irony, and then put her phone back into her diamond–studded purse, not allowing the man to affect her mood. 

Jennifer said with a kind smile, “Lucia, when you have time, bring your mother over for some afternoon cakes at my place. And if Ms. Robinson likes it, she’s also very welcome to visit.” 

In response to Jennifer’s kindness, Lucía expressed her affection and closeness. She linked arms with her and coquettishly said, “Jennifer, we’ll definitely come.” 

After sending off Jennifer and the others, the private room 

Lucia raised her wine glass and smiled, “Here’s to our thriving careers.” 

Hazel’s expression remained calm as she raised her glass to clink with hers. Both their faces showed a serious determination to fight for their 

was left with just Hazel and 

Lucia. 

careers. 

They chatted about many of the interesting things happening in each other’s lives recently, and the peaceful and joyful atmosphere lingered in the room. 

Suddenly, Lucia said, “Haze, give me some long–acting birth control pills.” 

Hazel sat up straight and looked at her.“Have you made up your mind?” 

Lucia nodded. “I’m only 27, and I don’t want to have any 

Having seen Hazel compromise time and again for her child, Lucia thought that if she ever had a child, she wouldn’t want them to feel torn between their parents. So, the best solution was to avoid any possibility of that. 

Hazel had already given birth, so she had no choice. 

But Lucia still had the option. 

connection with my ex–husband after the divorce.” 

Hazel didn’t ask her why or try to persuade her. As a friend, she 

“Alright, I’ll have someone send them to you.” 

was willing to support Lucia’s decision. 

Long–acting birth control pills wouldn’t work permanently, and when the time came for her to want a child, there would still be a chance. 

But whether that child would come from Alfred, she wasn’t sure. 

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< Chapter196. 

Menu 

Downstairs in the private room, after introducing Elizabeth to a director friend, Alfred went out to find Gabriel, who was resting alone. Upon hearing that both Hazel and Lucia were here, he remembered the message he had sent earlier that hadn’t been replied to. He furrowed his brow but quickly relaxed. 

He had known for a long time that Lucia had liked him for over ten years. 

Back when their families arranged the marriage, he felt she would make a suitable partner when seeing her obedient demeanor in front of him. Thus, he didn’t refuse his family’s arrangement. 

Gabriel looked up. “Aren’t you going to explain?” 

Alfred raised an eyebrow. “Why explain? She’s loved me for over ten years. She’ll never be angry with me over something so trivial” 

Seeing his friend’s unshakable confidence, Gabriel tugged at the corner of his mouth and thought of Hazel’s current indifference. 

He said lightly, “Just don’t regret it.” 

Alfred couldn’t understand why he would regret it. 

He patted his friend’s shoulder and smiled faintly.“I’m not like you, and Lucia isn’t like Hazel. There’s no comparison between us. 

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