075
“How much suffering have you endured all these years?”
Hazel had always been the sensible one, the kind of daughter who never burdened anyone with her troubles. No matter the storm raging in her heart, she always wore a smile and brought good news
Her mother knew just how deeply Hazel loved Ambrose
Over the e years, she had tried to bring Hazel back home, but each time, Hazel hesitated, torn by the thought of
leaving Ambrose. And so, the matter was left unresolved.
But if Gianna had known what Hazel had endured, even the risk of breaking them apart would have seemed
worth it. No mother would allow her child to suffer like that.
“Mom,” Hazel said gently, setting a bowl of preserved egg and creamy pork risotto in front of her. “We promised.
No more thinking about the past.”
To Hazel, it wasn’t suffering. Love had a way of making everything feel necessary, even when it hurt.
When Hazel loved Ambrose, she often felt like she was giving everything, never once counting whether he
returned her love in equal measure.
If she hadn’t seen how Ambrose adored Scarlett so openly, she might have continued to love him blindly, without
a second thought.
“Alright, we won’t talk about it,” her mother said, shaking her head with a smile. “My daughter is the best, let those who can’t appreciate her live with regret!
After the meal, her mother eagerly gave Hazel all the jewelry and accessories she had collected over the years. Slipping a large diamond ring onto her finger, Hazel admired it, realizing it was far more beautiful than the wedding ring she had once dreamed of
As she marveled at its sparkle, the doorbell rang
When she opened the door, she froze, caught off guard.
She hadn’t expected Ambrose to show up, much less to arrive so soon.
Ambrose had always prioritized his career above everything else. Hazel remembered a time when she had a high fever and needed him to take her to the hospital.
But in his study, consumed by his work, Ambrose only spared three seconds to call for help when he found Hazel
unconscious from the fever.
He never once stirred or uttered a single word of concern.
Hazel found it almost impossible to fathom that someone like Ambrose, so consumed by his business, wo leave everything behind and travel so far just to find her.
“Come back home with me.” Ambrose said, his expression a stone mask but his voice unyielding
Hazel’s lips curled into a frown at the coldness in his words.
“This is my home,” she replied.
His stoic demeanor stung like a shard of ice in his chest.
The coldness in her voice struck a chord with him, and he thought back to the last look she’d given him and the raw ache of loss that had swept over him.
Only now in this quiet moment, he fully realized what he had lost.
Running Away from Marage Leaving in hind
It was the same cute, childlike Hazel who had once chattered endlessly, always clinging to him.
Now, as he stood before her, Ambrose felt a sharp, suffocating weight in his chest. It was as if the air had thickened, and he found himself desperately trying to grasp onto something, anything, to hold on to
“Hazel, stop messing around,” he said, his voice strained. “I know you saw the surveillance video. It wasn’t true… those were just impulsive words.”
For the first time, Ambrose lowered his head, his words dripping with sincerity as he apologized.
“I’m sorry, Hazel, I’ve been caught up in everything lately and failed to see how it affected you. I promise it won’t happen again. Please believe me, no matter what, I truly love you I never wanted to hurt you.”
As soon as he spoke, a heavy silence settled over them. Ambrose stood frozen, struck by the weight of his own
words
Before coming here, he’d been consumed with anger, determined to make Hazel understand her place as his wife. But the moment he saw her, all of that fury seemed to evaporate
He couldn’t bring himself to speak another harsh word to her, not when she looked at him like that.
Hazel’s smile was a bittersweet mix of indifference and mocking amusement.