Chapter141.
The rooftop of the Campbell Group was one of the best places in Seattle to enjoy the sunset.
At that moment, the afterglow behind Gabriel bathed the sky, as if casting a mysterious and brilliant halo around him.
Hazel’s gaze fell on the clouds tinged with orange–red, and she continued, “Even if you kneel and apologize now, telling me that you still love me, I wouldn’t feel any joy. “Reality is not like a novel. We ended completely two years ago. Our relationship now is… the parents of our children who are raising them together. I hope you can recognize that.
“When you’re able to talk to me rationally about the custody of the children, we will go on.”
Hazel, at this point, didn’t need any affection from Gabriel.
She smashed the glass door with a fire extinguisher, leaving him with nothing but the cold back of her as she walked into the elevator lobby.
Around the corner, in a blind spot…
A woman in a red dress had hate flickering in her eyes. In a corner where no one could see, her lips curled into a sinister smile, sending chills down one’s spine.
Seeing Gabriel standing silently, the woman wiped her face of all emotion, lightly walking over to him. In a soft voice, she said, “Mr. Campbell, Ms. Robinson might just be in a bad mood today.”
The strong scent of perfume reached him, and Gabriel frowned, moving to the other side.
“Ms. Morris, clean this up.”
Emma Morris was another of Gabriel’s secretaries.
Ezra handled external affairs and attended business trips and banquets, while she was mainly responsible for internal communication within the company.
It was Emma who had suggested using Hazel’s favorite roses to smooth things over.
The rooftop fell silent again.
Emma watched her reflection in the glass door, a smug smile curling on her lips.
Making such a grand gesture when his ex–wife hadn’t forgiven him would only push the woman further away.
And that was exactly the result she wanted.
Emma thought of Gianna, that fool, and sneered disdainfully.
When Gabriel had instructed several times to thoroughly investigate Gianna, it had been she who altered the final investigative data, blocking any potential exposure. Yet, this idiot was still useless.
Since Gianna couldn’t be relied on, she would have to take matters into her own hands.
When Hazel returned to the underground parking lot, she received a message from her lawyer.
He explained Ezra’s actions and requests briefly and stated that if she didn’t reply within five minutes, he would call the police.
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Hazel sent him a message and then drove back home.
By the time she arrived, it was already late.
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Jaxon and Joshua were going to school the next day, so they had gone to bed early.
Leila had also already been coaxed to sleep by Ethan.
The TV in the living room was still playing Leila’s favorite cartoon. Ethan, wearing a bathrobe, lay on the sofa, patiently watching, trying to bridge the generational gap with Leila.
Hearing the noise at the door, he immediately got up.“Haze, you’re finally back.”
Ethan asked how her talk with Gabriel had gone, and Hazel shook her head.
He clenched his fist angrily.“I knew Gabriel didn’t have good intentions. The next time I see him, I’m definitely going to give him a good lesson!”
Hazel called out the facts.“I appreciate your good intentions, but you can’t beat him. You’ll only end up getting beaten yourself.”
Ethan felt that was a bit harsh.
The servants had all returned to their quarters, and there was a late–night snack prepared for Hazel in the kitchen.
Ethan brought it over to her and sat down at the table, watching her eat. After being glared at by Hazel for being too noisy, he noticed the familiar Rolls–Royce outside the yard and leaned in to say, “Haze, look outside.”
Hazel turned her head to look outside the living room’s floor–to–ceiling windows. The man from last night had come again.
Ethan seized the moment and said, “I’ve heard that he plans to set up a branch here in Seattle. Los Angeles was the Stevens family’s stronghold, where they had absolute authority.
But if he came to Seattle…
Even though Ethan didn’t like Gabriel, he had to admit Gabriel’s business talent. The business world of Seattle was ruled by the Campbell family.
“Haze, aren’t you going to invite him in for a seat?
“He’s not like Gabriel, cold and distant. If you were with him, I believe you would be happy.”
Hazel didn’t respond to Ethan’s words.
Relying on someone else for happiness meant that one’s emotions would always be influenced by others, but she preferred to be in control.
“I now have three children, and with you and the family in the lab, that’s enough happiness for me.”
Her words made Ethan blush, filling his heart with warmth.
He said emotionally, “I’ve decided! You’re my real sister now!”
Ethan was so touched.
Hazel shoved Ethan’s face away. He was already in his twenties, yet acted like a three–year–old. No wonder Leila liked him so much.
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“Ethan, from now on, don’t fight with Leila for lollipops.”
Ethan felt silence.
After dinner, Hazel went back to the master bedroom.
Menu
Like last night, she pulled back the curtain slightly, allowing a small gap to see the man under the streetlight.
She thought back to the year she graduated from middle school when her grandmother was critically ill.
Before she passed away, her grandmother entrusted her to an old friend who had married into the Stevens family, the wealthiest family in Los Angeles.
So she lived with the Stevens family for three years.
The man downstairs was Sebastian Stevens, the only son of the Stevens family, the wealthiest family in Los Angeles.
He was known for his exceptional investment vision in the stock market, creating a financial legend.
He was hailed in the financial world.
During their senior year of high school, he enthusiastically talked about studying at a prestigious foreign university and wanted to go with her.
But in the end, she returned to her hometown and applied to the University of Washington.
After the exam, she took a part–time job to earn living expenses.
She never spent any of the money the Stevens family gave her, nor did she take
away any of the gifts from Sebastian. Everything stayed in the bedroom she had in the Stevens’s home
Later, during her university, besides studying, she spent all her time working part–time jobs.
On graduation day, she not only completed her studies with excellent grades but also paid back the Stevens family for the three years of tuition and living expenses they had given her.
At that moment, she truly felt free from all obligations.
Sebastian seemed to know she was watching.
He took out his phone and typed, and then turned it sideways. A message scrolled across the
screen.
“Haze, can we meet up?”
Hazel pulled the curtain back into place, returned to her bed, and fell asleep, the sweet scent of her daughter’s milk powder filling the air.
Downstairs, the night breeze of autumn was cool.
Sebastian put his phone down slowly. Although he couldn’t see anything from upstairs, he had the feeling that she had been watching him.
Now, she should be resting, right?
He remembered seven years ago, on the day Hazel married Gabriel, he had been watching secretly.
The Campbell family had booked the entire hotel, and he had used connections to pose as a waiter and attend the wedding.
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Hazel had no family left and had not invited any friends.
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The wedding was only attended by a few important relatives of the Campbell family, and she appeared
very calm, her smile as she faced the guests looking beautiful.
At
that
moment,
Sebastian
had never felt such heartbroken for Hazel.
Given the Campbell family’s standing in Seattle, she should have had a grand wedding.
He couldn’t understand why Hazel had chosen to devalue herself like that, just as he couldn’t understand why, in her senior year of high school, she suddenly returned to her hometown and refused to study abroad with him.
At that moment, he received a new message.
He checked and saw that it was a message from Gabriel.
