Ch. 431..440

Chapter 431: Does This Feel Real

“Yes, everything has been prepared.” Joshua nodded. He realized that Hazel misunderstood how he got her identification, but nothing would stop him from obtaining their marriage certificate.

“But…” Though Hazel’s heart was filled with love, she was a bit hesitant.

“Hazel, you don’t trust me?” He asked in a deep tone, he tried to look Hazel in the eyes, but she continued to look at the ground.

“I… No,” she said hastily. “But…”

She wasn’t prepared to rush into getting married. She had thought that after she proposed, they would wait until they spoke to her family and then pick a date.

Instead, Joshua immediately brought her to get a marriage license.

“You are the one who proposed at your graduation ceremony, but now you are afraid to get a marriage license?” He chuckled.

“Who says I’m afraid?” She blushed with embarrassment as she looked at him angrily.

A smile curved his lips, and he couldn’t wait any longer. Joshua put his arm around Hazel’s waist and scooped her up into his arms.

She exclaimed, looking shyly at Joshua. “Put me down! Everyone is looking at us!”

“Then let them watch.” He chuckled. Hazel buried her face in his chest as Joshua carried her into the building.

***

It is like a dream come true, Hazel thought as she continued to stare at the marriage license in her hand.

After an insanely crazy afternoon, they obtained a marriage license, went to a nearby church, and found a priest to marry them. It all felt so unreal, but she had the proof in her hand, they were married.

Walking out of the bureau, Hazel smiled at Joshua, she was beaming with happiness. “Joshua, pinch me, so I know this is real!”

Joshua thought it was adorable that Hazel was still in disbelief about their marriage. He smiled and slid his hand down from her waist to her bottom. He gave it a quick pinch and said, “Does this feel real?”

He pulled her close and kissed her lips. The passion flowing from his lips to hers left Hazel feeling hot all over. His grasp became stronger and stronger as if he was going to melt into her arms.

“Hm…” He gave her another deep kiss until she was out of breath.

“I asked you, does it feel real?” He chuckled.

“Yes! It does!” She blushed.

Their public display of affection attracted a lot of attention, and Hazel hoped Joshua would calm down, but he instead picked her up again.

“I, I can walk by myself….” Hazel said shyly. She tried to figure out why Joshua had to carry her out, he had carried her in, that was more than enough for her.

“I know,” he said with a faint smile. “I just like to hold you close.”

“Where are we going now?” Hazel asked as he sat her on the car seat, “Home?”

“Mmm, home.” he smiled mysteriously.

“Oh.” Her expression was a bit disheartened. She realized that since they were married, they would have a wedding night. Even though they hadn’t had an actual wedding, they eloped, so there was no special celebration with friends and family, but there would still be the wedding night.

“What’s the matter?” Joshua noticed that something was bothering her.

“Nothing.” Hazel smiled and shook her head. Joshua had proposed to her, and she had her marriage license in her hand, so it was going to be hard for her to continue acting virtuously.

Joshua smiled. He knew Hazel had no idea where he was taking her, which was good because he wanted to show her that he had more planned.

Hazel looked out the window and realized they were not going toward Denmark Residence, she trusted Joshua, so she didn’t question him. She had no idea where they were going, but she smiled as she closed her eyes.

Watching Hazel sleep was one of Joshua’s favorite things to do. He knew she had been worn out because of the excitement recently, he just looked at her and smiled.

As she woke up and stretched, Hazel looked around. She didn’t recognize anything and wondered where they were going.

“Where are we? Why are we still driving?” she asked expressionlessly.

“Just stay calm, we’re almost there,” Joshua whispered as he put his hand on her leg.

She was puzzled, but the car soon slowed to a stop. She opened the door and saw a beautiful villa in front of her. She was astounded by the scenery; there were mountains, a lake, and numerous flowers and trees all around.

A breeze blew, and the fragrance from the flowers left Hazel feeling safe and secure.

“Here, here…” She was too shocked to speak fluently.

“Shh…” He raised his finger and made a silent gesture. “Don’t try to speak. Let’s just go inside and have a look around.”

She nodded her head and followed him toward the villa.

Once inside, Hazel was even more amazed. She was admiring the beautiful fireplace in the living room when she saw something moving out of the corner of her eye. Suddenly, a large golden retriever was licking her hand and wagging his tail.

Hazel saw something else move from the other side of the room, it was a fluffy orange cat balled up on the sofa. The cat squinted at them when she heard the dog but then put her head down and went back to sleep.

The villa was identical to the home she told Joshua she dreamt about, he made it happen.

“Joshua, do you seriously know how to read my mind?” She gazed at him with sparkling eyes. “How could you know I wanted all of this?”

She was trying to hold back her tears; the entire thing was so touching. It turned out that he actually remembered everything she had ever told him. He really cared more about her than she could ever imagine.

“Because we know each other.” He smiled. Then he took her by the hand. “Let’s go upstairs for a look.”

She nodded slowly and smiled. After walking up the spiral staircase, Joshua led her to the bedroom. There was a large bed surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows so that the lake and mountains were visible. The balcony was lit up by sparkling white lights.

“It’s really beautiful here!” Hazel walked out onto the balcony and said happily.

“Do you like it?” Joshua asked softly, looking at her with loving tenderness.

“Yes, I like it very much!” She sighed.

“I’m glad that you do.” He kissed her on the forehead.

Hazel began to explore more, she continued to wander around the villa like a child.

They took a walk outside by the lake and found a bench nearby where they stopped to relax. Hazel leaned into Joshua as he put his arm around her.

After a while, it began to get dark, and Joshua whispered, “It’s time to leave.”

“But, can’t we stay here a little longer?” Hazel pleaded.

 

Chapter 432: I Love It

“We can always come here another time,” Joshua whispered in Hazel’s ear as he hugged her closer. “Tonight is our wedding night.”

Hazel trembled all over. She had been so overwhelmed that she had completely forgotten about it. However, since Joshua had mentioned it, she knew he hadn’t forgotten. After all, it was their wedding night, and some things were to be expected.

“Alright…” Hazel said a bit nervously, her heart was racing just thinking about it.

She turned to leave, but she was so excited that she tripped and fell forward. Before she could fall, Joshua reached out and caught her by the waist, he leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Let me carry you.” He started to kneel down so that she could climb onto his back.

“No, don’t do that,” Hazel said, blushing, “I just wasn’t watching where I was going. I can walk on my own!”

“So, you would rather me hold you in my arms?” Joshua looked back at her with a vague smile as if he hadn’t heard what she had said.

Hazel was speechless. She knew it didn’t matter what she had said; Joshua would turn it around. Before she could say anything, Joshua was kneeling on the ground in front of her.

“My wife,” he said softly.

Hazel’s heart trembled when she heard his words. She was his wife, and she loved hearing him say it. Although it still felt like a dream, she knew she would slowly get used to it.

As they were walking on the trail back to the villa, the trees on each side began to light up. Hazel looked at them carefully and saw they were covered with tiny flashing lights. She smiled with joy as she watched the beautiful scene in front of her while cuddling up to a man who loved her with all of his heart.

Hazel was still on Joshua’s back when she heard a loud bang, she looked up, and fireworks lit up the night sky.

“You prepared all this yourself?” Hazel asked happily.

“Yes, it’s our wedding night.” Joshua beamed with delight. He was willing to do anything to make Hazel happy.

Her heart had been feeling a little down, but now it was filled with joy and happiness. She reached up to kiss his cheek and quietly said, “Joshua, I love it!”

Joshua stiffened up slightly but then continued walking on their way to the villa. He thought he should have explained more to her but then realized there were some things he could teach her in time.

Back at the villa, the servants had prepared a mouth-watering candlelight dinner.

The flickering candles, the fragrant food, and the intoxicating smell of the wine made everything perfect.

Joshua knelt down when they got to the table, and Hazel climbed off of his back. He pulled out her chair and kissed her on the head when she sat down.

Hazel picked up the wine glass in front of her, she sniffed and realized it was real red wine.

“Wine?” She looked at Joshua in surprise. He had forbidden her to drink any alcohol because she didn’t know how to control herself when she was intoxicated, so she didn’t understand why he would give wine.

As if reading her mind, his eyes deepened, and he smiled at her. “You should have a little drink every now and then, especially on special occasions. Wine won’t hurt you, it might just give you a little courage.”

Hazel’s face turned red in an instant. What was he talking about courage? She knew what he was getting at, it was the same reason he was in such a hurry to get a marriage license, and now he was patiently waiting for bedtime.

After taking a deep breath, she put the wine glass down and asked the servants to replace the wine with juice.

“Hazel…” Joshua’s expression changed, and he couldn’t help but sigh. He couldn’t understand why Hazel was acting like she was.

“Joshua, don’t get me wrong.” She clenched her fist slightly as she looked at him. “I just think, whatever happens, tonight, I hope I…I’m sober.” Her voice dropped abruptly when she said the last few words. After all, it was going to be her first time. She may have been bold in some aspects, but she was still shy talking about certain things.

There was a flash of joy in Joshua’s eyes, and he smiled, knowing she was already trying to prepare for their first time together.

“I wish the meal was almost over.” He said vaguely, his lips curved slightly.

Hazel’s cheeks get red and warm. Even though it had been a long meal with many courses, she was too tense to eat much.

After they were done eating dinner, Joshua walked over and kissed her passionately. He took her hand to help her stand, then lifted her into his arms and walked to the bedroom.

Joshua put her down on the large, soft bed that was covered in rose petals. Hazel laid back and closed her eyes nervously as Joshua climbed on top of her.

All she could think about was everyone saying it was painful for a woman when she has sex for the first time. But, how painful was it, and would Joshua misunderstand if she cried out?

A soft chuckle filled the silence as Joshua reacted to her frightened expression. All of Hazel’s fear and nervousness disappeared as she opened her eyes angrily. “What are you laughing at?”

Joshua didn’t answer, he just kept grinning evilly at her. “Shall we have a bath together?”

“No, no!” She hurried to shake her head.

Joshua was about to say something when his phone rang. With an unpleasant frown, he took out his phone and was about to shut it off, but Hazel stopped him.

“Answer the phone! What if it’s something urgent?” Hazel said quickly.

He reluctantly got up and walked out to the balcony to answer it while Hazel rushed to open her laptop. During dinner, she had sent a text message to Ariel requesting that she send special “sex education” videos. She wanted to have at least some idea of what she should do with Joshua.

She hurried to find the email from Ariel. She immediately downloaded the attachment and clicked on a random video. “Hum, hum, ah, hum…” blasted out of the speaker on her laptop, she turned off the video quickly so she would not get caught. She looked out to the balcony filled with guilt, she hadn’t expected it to be so loud, she wondered if Joshua heard it.

But when Hazel looked out to where Joshua had been standing, there was no one there. She suddenly felt Joshua come up behind her and put his arms tightly around her, pressing his body against her back.

“What were you watching?” he asked with a chuckle.

Hazel tensed up and almost began to cry. Was she caught watching pornographic movies while Joshua was on the phone? Why did he feel the need to sneak up on here anyway?

 

Chapter 433: I Will Call You Honey

“It was nothing!” Hazel said, sounding ashamed. She looked even guiltier than she had sounded, she wasn’t even able to believe her own lie.

After taking a deep breath, she stated, “I was just watching some educational videos.”

“Educational videos?” Joshua asked with a sly grin.

He pulled Hazel’s chair out and lifted her up onto the desk, so she was facing him. He gently lifted her chin, his eyes deep. “There are some things I can teach you.”

Before Hazel could react, he had wedged himself between her legs. She felt a shudder go through her body and her breathing became more rapid.

“Joshua, what, what do you want?” She asked shyly as she felt her whole body get hot.

His eyes narrowed a little as he reached out and pulled her dress down off her shoulder. “What did you call me?”

She didn’t know what to say, she had never seen Joshua act like that before. He seemed to be angry and dangerous. She worried that if she said the wrong thing, something terrible might happen.

“Joshua, Joshua Denmark… Ah!” She shouted hesitatingly but instead of stopping, Joshua bit her soft lips. Then he began kissing her neck roughly, it wasn’t too forceful but enough that it left her feeling puzzled. She wondered what she had done wrong.

“Call me what, huh?” he asked again, a dark twinkling light flashed in his eyes.

“I…” she pursed her lips, then she glared at him. She couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him, he had never been so angry for no reason.

“What on Earth do you want me to call you?” Hazel pushed on his chest desperately, but he didn’t budge. “At least, give me a damn hint!”

“Dear wife, did you forget so easily?” There was a smile in his eyes. He picked up the marriage certificate behind her and swayed them in front of her, “You didn’t forget what happened today, did you?”

Her cheeks turned red, and she realized exactly what Joshua meant. He had told her earlier today that he wanted her to call him Honey after they were married. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

He knew what she was ashamed for forgetting; his mouth tilted upwards slightly at the corners. He kissed her lips again, but his hand went around her back and unzipped her dress.

The cold breeze on her bare skin made Hazel shiver. She hurried to speak, “I get it! I get it! Hon… honey…”

“Good girl.” He gave her a peck on the lips and stood her up so he could slide her dress down around her.

“I will call you, Honey…” She looked at him nervously, waiting for him to react.

“So, as a bonus, we’ll take a bath together.” A playful smile curved his lips. The next moment he picked her up and walked to the bathroom.

“Joshua… hm!”

He kissed Hazel hard on the lips before she could finish her words.

***

Hazel was woken up by a ringing phone. She was exhausted from the events with Joshua and thought she was dreaming, but when it didn’t stop, she knew she had to answer.

She smiled as she thought back of the sensuous bubble bath they had together. Joshua gently wiped her off with a fluffy towel when they were done and then wrapped a silk robe around her.

After they crawled into bed, Joshua kissed her body all over, she felt completely open to him and his actions. It was not nearly as bad and painful as she had imagined; she enjoyed every moment of it. Her only complaint was that Joshua was so energetic that he had kept her up most of the night and was sore all over.

Hazel felt around in the dark for her phone, she didn’t even check to see who it was, she just declined the call. However, the phone rang again, she answered in a groggy voice, “Hello?”

“Pumpkin, where are you?” There was deep unhappiness in Simon’s voice. “I heard you proposed to Joshua Denmark at the graduation ceremony? How could you be so impulsive? You should think more clearly about such important matters….”

Simon sounded really angry, he hadn’t tried to harm her at the University because Katherine was there. Although, he would have dealt with Katherine and the repercussions if he had known that Hazel was going to purpose. He would have done anything to ruin her plans.

“That is none of your business…” Hazel said impatiently.

Hearing the weariness in her voice, Simon immediately started to question her, “Where did that scoundrel, Joshua Denmark, take you? Are you with him? Is he next to you?”

Joshua lifted his head, he had actually been awake but wanted to cuddle Hazel a little longer, so he stayed in bed with her in his arms. When he heard Simon harassing her, he rolled over and grabbed Hazel’s breast.

“Ah… !” She moaned as she felt a twinge of weakness and numbness all over. She turned her head and moaned again, “Honey, don’t…hm!”

Joshua grabbed her face and kissed her lips passionately, he took the phone out of her hand and hung up on Simon. He could only imagine how frantic Simon would be on the other end, but he was not going to let him harass Hazel on their wedding night. Joshua was not going to show any mercy.

Hazel looked at him, helpless. She knew what he wanted, he rolled over and was already on top of her.

“Good girl,” he chuckled. “It only took one night to teach my wife how to address me correctly!”

As he spoke, his hips pushed down, and she shuddered, then wrapped her legs around his waist tightly and bit his shoulder irritably. Hazel knew that it seemed to be important to Joshua that she call him Honey. When she didn’t, he has a special punishment for her.

“Be good, scream out.” He chuckled. “I like to hear you make noise.”

Hazel couldn’t hold back any longer, she cried out in pleasure and then laid back on the pillow. Joshua climbed off of her and carefully carried her to the bathroom to clean up. He opened the door to a walk-in closet and took out a blue dress for her to wear.

She looked at him with annoyance. It seemed unfair that Joshua still had energy, but she was exhausted after just one night of making love.

“Come on, let’s go to have breakfast,” Joshua said softly. He bent down to pick her up again.

“I’ll do it myself!” She tried to get up from the stool, but her legs were weak, and she fell right into Joshua’s arms.

“It turns out my sweetie likes to throw herself at me?” He chuckled and picked her up.

“I didn’t!” she said shyly.

The smiling couple had just sat down at the table when Hazel’s phone rang. Impatiently, she picked it up, but when she saw the caller ID, it took all her willpower not to throw it across the room.

Chapter 434: Don’t Try To Deny It

“Who is it?” Joshua immediately saw her expression change and quickly asked.

“It’s me, my mom,” Hazel said with a shaky voice.

She had actually gotten married without telling her family. She not only got married, but they had done everything that they had promised her parents they wouldn’t. She had no idea how she was going to explain it to her family.

“Let me answer the phone.” Joshua took the phone out of her hand.

If the Crowe family needed to vent their anger, he’d rather be the one to deal with it than Hazel.

“No! I’ll do it myself!” Hazel hurried to take the phone away from him.

She thought the same as he did. If her parents were going to scold someone, she wanted it to be her.

Hazel answered the phone, she spoke quietly, “Mom….”

“Don’t call me Mom!” Rachel shouted crossly. “Hazel Crowe, tell me where did you stay last night?!

“Last night I, I…” Hazel bit her lip before she honestly said, “I was with Joshua.”

“You were just together?” Rachel sounded extremely angry. “I’ve been told that you had sex. Is that true?”

Hazel felt nervous and couldn’t help asking, “Who told you that?”

In an instant, Rachel was furious, “Hazel Crowe, do you forget what you promised us?! There were rules in place so that you and Joshua could not have premarital sex!”

“But we didn’t!” Hazel said innocently.

“Don’t try to deny it!”

“I’m telling the truth. We didn’t have sex until we were married.”

There was silence on the other end of the line. Moments later, Rachel, who understood what Hazel said, clenched her teeth and replied, “Hazel Crowe! Who allowed you to get a marriage license? We agreed that whether you get married or engaged, you had to wait until you graduated!”

“But I graduated yesterday. Do I need to show you the diploma?”

“You are really pissing me off!” Rachel was so angry that she couldn’t even speak. She didn’t think that Joshua would act so quickly, he didn’t even wait a day. He caught them all completely off guard!

Then Hazel could hear her father’s voice in the background, she couldn’t make out what he was saying, though. She jumped when she heard him on the phone. He had a deep, demanding voice, “Hazel, we are at Denmark Residence now. Joshua promised he wouldn’t get you involved in any situation, but he did, and he broke the rules. Why don’t you come here? You and Joshua both so we can talk about this.”

“Dad, why are you…” Hazel sounded like she was going to cry, but Harry was unmoved.

He continued to say, “If you don’t come, then we can only assume that since you know who your biological parents are, you don’t want your foster parents.”

“I…” Hazel’s eyes began to tear up. She knew he was only saying that to force her to go see them, but he was truly breaking her heart.

Joshua’s eyes darkened slightly, he grabbed Hazel’s phone. “Hello, It’s Joshua. Please don’t blame Hazel. It was all my idea to get married, she had nothing to do with it. We will be there as soon as possible to talk about it.”

After hanging up, Joshua gently held Hazel’s hand. “My dearest wife, don’t be afraid. When we get home, just blame me and say I forced you.”

“You?” She was so pissed off at him that she just laughed. “Aren’t you afraid my parents are going to force us to get a divorce?”

“They won’t.” He smiled a little and told her, “To them, your happiness is more important than appearance. You love me, so they won’t try to break us up.”

“Since you think they won’t try to break us up, why did you deceive me into getting married?” She glared at him, shy and angry. She had realized that if the Crowe family had known about and agreed to their marriage, then they wouldn’t be questioning them now.

“I wanted to be close, I didn’t want to wait any longer,” Joshua sighed. “Sweetheart, I was really afraid you were going to leave me. Are you angry?”

Joshua knew Hazel had a lot of men interested in her. It would be even worse when her true identity was revealed, she would have many more men trying to get her attention. He knew he had to be the one to marry her before someone swept her off her feet.

“No,” Hazel smiled and shook her head.

Her eyes twinkled when she kissed him on the cheek to reassure him. “In fact, I wanted to be close to you too, so even if I sensed it was a little wrong yesterday, I listened to you.”

She would never have normally gone to get the marriage license so impulsively, but she loved him.

Joshua smiled slightly. He reached out to hold her hand. “Let’s eat first. After we get home, whatever happens, let’s face your parents together.”

“Mmm.” She nodded firmly.

After breakfast, Hazel had a thought, she got Katherine’s number from James.

“Aunt Katherine,” Hazel hesitated for a moment before she finally said, “Well, I think I need you to do me a favor?”

Surprised, Katherine asked, “What do you need?”

Hazel explained the details of how she loved Joshua, but her parents were biased against him and didn’t approve of their relationship. Her plan was to have Katherine, who was Rachel’s idol, go to Denmark Residence with them to help break the tension.

Katherine agreed without question. “Okay, just leave it to me. But will you do me a favor when it’s all over?”

“Me?” Hazel was confused. “What could I possibly do for you?”

“Don’t worry,” Katherine said with a slight smile. “It’s not too troublesome, and it has nothing to do with Simon King.”

Hazel was even more puzzled, and she pondered what she could actually help Katherine with besides Simon King. But since she said it had nothing to do with him, Hazel agreed.

****

Joshua and Hazel arrived at Denmark Residence as Katherine was pulling into the driveway. Just having her there made Hazel feel more confident.

“Leave it to me.” Katherine winked at her.

Leaning against Joshua, Hazel nodded obediently. With his arm around Hazel, Joshua walked up to the Denmark Residence, with Katherine behind them.

“Hazel, you finally decided to show up!” Rachel scolded Hazel.

 

Chapter 435: Nice To Meet You

“Mom, I was the one who pressured Hazel. You can’t blame her,” Joshua explained while Hazel hid behind him. He did not hesitate to take all of them to blame for their actions after her graduation.

“Who are you calling Mom? Don’t talk to me like that!” Rachel looked extremely unhappy.

“We’re already married, so of course he will call you Mom just like I do,” Hazel mumbled quietly and then lowered her head.

“You…!” Rachel glared at Hazel angrily. “You are actually taking his side instead of your parents’ side?!”

“Mrs. Crowe, doesn’t that just prove how strong their relationship is?” Katherine said with a smile, looking over toward the newlyweds. However, when she looked at Joshua, she was filled with confusion.

Rachel had been so focused on Joshua and Hazel that she hadn’t noticed Katherine standing in the hallway. When she heard her speak, she looked over disapprovingly, she was ready to tell her to mind her own business. First, though, she wanted to know who she thought she was intruding on a family matter, “Who are you…?”

Before she could finish her interrogation, she recognized Katherine. She was so shocked that she froze and couldn’t speak.

Hazel knew that Rachel was thrilled to see her idol standing in front of her. Giggling a little, she took Joshua’s arm and winked. “Mom, Aunt Katherine witnessed my commitment to Joshua.”

It wasn’t a complete lie, Katherine was sitting in the audience when Hazel professed her love to him at the graduation ceremony.

Rachel’s expression changed a little as she glared at Hazel and snarled, “That is impolite! How can you address General Sanchez like that?”

“I asked her to call me like that, I like Hazel very much,” Katherine said with a kind smile. “Mrs. Crowe, Hazel is a very respectable girl. Please, let’s sit down and talk…”

Katherine was well aware that even if most people thought Hazel was not good enough for Joshua, in Rachel’s heart, Joshua was not good enough for Hazel, the little girl she had raised.

Rachel reluctantly sat down and listened quietly while Katherine praised Hazel. She began to smile, and with a bit of persuasion from her idol, Rachel had completely changed her attitude.

Although Harry was clear headed and not distracted by Katherine and her influence, Rachel always called the shots in the Crowe family. Since she was accepting of the marriage, no one would give Hazel and Joshua a hard time.

As Joshua said, Hazel’s family was more concerned about her happiness. The three rules were already broken, and they were upset, but since they were already married, it seemed pointless to force a divorce upon them.

After the Crowe family became more tolerant of their marriage, Joshua took the opportunity to present his wedding plans to them, “I want you to know that we will have a wedding so that our family and friends can attend and celebrate with us.”

Harry and Rachel were surprised but also impressed that Joshua had plans for an actual wedding and that he treated Hazel so well.

Katherine pulled Hazel off to the side as the others talked over wedding plans. She quietly whispered, “I would like to take you somewhere,”

Hazel was a little confused but told her parents and Joshua she was leaving with Katherine. Joshua walked them to the door, and Katherine chuckled, “Mr. Denmark, are you worried? Would you like to go with us?”

“I’m sure you won’t take Hazel anywhere dangerous,” Joshua replied faintly.

“Thank you for trusting me,” Katherine spoke in a flat voice.

Hazel was about to get into the car when Joshua grabbed her arm, pulled her close, and gave her a long, deep kiss.

“Don’t do that…” Hazel blushed and looked coyly at the car.

Katherine had already got in the car and didn’t seem to see anything.

“Come home soon,” Joshua said in a hoarse voice, reluctant to let her go.

He and Hazel were newlyweds, he really didn’t want to be separated from her for even a moment. However, he knew that Katherine really didn’t want him to go with them, or else she would have invited him at the same time she asked Hazel.

“I will!” Hazel smiled and got into the back of the car. She sat with Katherine in the back while her bodyguard, Crystal, drove them to their destination.

As they pulled out of the driveway, Hazel turned to Katherine and questioned her, “I am in the car now, so please, Aunt Katherine, will you tell me where we are going?”

Katherine’s face turned serious as she said in a low voice, “We are going to visit someone.”

Visit someone? Hazel’s brow wrinkled in confusion because she had no idea who she was going to see and what she would be doing. However, she was worried that she might upset Katherine if she asked too many questions, so she looked out the window and let her imagination run wild.

Hazel jumped when Katherine suddenly spoke, “Hazel…I have heard a lot about you and Joshua. I know he is the adopted son of Denmark. Has he ever thought of trying to find his biological parents?”

“I asked him before,” Hazel sighed helplessly. “He said he was too old to act like a child searching for his long-lost parents and that he didn’t care who his biological parents were because my parents had loved him like their own.”

Katherine’s face darkened as she listened and read between the lines. It was obvious that Hazel worded her answer kindly but what she wasn’t saying is that Joshua didn’t care who his biological parents were, and he never attempted to look for them. Katherine knew if he did, he had tried; he definitely had the resources to find out some information.

Hazel turned to look directly at Katherine, her heart was pounding. She couldn’t understand why Katherine would ask such a random question, then she began to wonder if the person they were going to visit had something to do with Joshua’s biological parents.

Her heart began pounding even harder, but she didn’t dare ask anything, even as they pulled up to a nursing home. Hazel got out of the car and followed Katherine into the building without saying a word. With just a simple glance around the entranceway, it was clear to Hazel that the facilities were first-rate.

Katherine led Hazel to a door and then knocked, “Stacy, I am coming in.”

Then, without waiting for an answer, Katherine pushed the door open and walked in.

Hazel felt strange, but she followed her anyway. Next to a large window, a woman with long hair sat in a wheelchair, she continued to stare out, not even acknowledging their entrance.

“Stacy, I brought a friend to meet you.” Katherine quietly said she squatted beside her and smiled.

Hazel looked at Stacy, her beauty was breathtaking, she looked like a little elf. With a soft tone, Hazel whispered, “Nice to meet you.”

But Stacy still did not make any movement, not even as much as fluttering her eyelids.

 

Chapter 436: Don’t Be Angry

Hazel wasn’t insulted, she could easily see that the woman in front of her was ill. It wasn’t that she was ignoring them, she obviously could not physically react to their presence.

Katherine quietly spoke to the woman, but no matter what she said, Stacy didn’t seem to hear her. The expression on her face never changed, and after a few moments, Katherine stood up a bit frustrated, “Stacy, get well, and I will come to visit again soon.”

As they left the room, Hazel was filled with mixed emotions, “She’s…?”

“Stacy Sloane, my friend….” Katherine paused for a moment before she finally said, “She may also be Joshua’s biological mother.”

Hazel let out a gasp. She had hoped Joshua would look for his biological parents, but he always seemed to be uninterested, no matter how much Hazel tried to persuade him. Even though he always cared about what she said and how she felt when it came to finding his parents, he didn’t take her opinions into consideration.

After many months of talking to him about it, Hazel had no choice but to give up on the subject. She planned to spend the rest of her life with him no matter what, but she didn’t want him to start questioning the motive behind finding them. However, she never thought that fate would possibly bring his mother to them.

The more Hazel thought about Stacy, the more she saw similarities between her and Joshua. Their eyebrows were the same shape, and their eyes were the same color, but that didn’t mean that Joshua was Stacy’s son.

“Why do you think that she is Joshua’s mother?” Hazel asked, puzzled.

“Because Joshua and Stacy’s husband look almost identical and given his age, I can confidently say I believe he is their son.” Katherine sighed.

“You know Joshua’s father?” Hazel asked curiously, “What kind of person is he?”

Katherine looked like she was in the middle of a horrible dilemma that she didn’t want to talk about.

“It is only my opinion.” She tried to change the subject quickly. “I will need to do a DNA test to confirm it.”

“You want me to ask Joshua to do a DNA test?” Hazel asked.

“More than that,” Katherine said gravely. “You saw Stacy. Her doctors are telling me that she is immersed in her own world, unable to communicate with the outside world. But if she’s motivated, maybe by seeing someone or something she cares about, she might get better. So, I am hoping that you can convince Joshua to cooperate with the doctors to help treat Stacy.”

Hazel bit her lip. No matter how much she wanted to help, she could not consent on Joshua’s behalf, and there was so much more to figure out.

Taking a deep breath, Hazel asked with questioning eyes, “Aunt Katherine, do you know why Joshua’s parents abandoned him?”

“I am sorry, the incident surrounding that is very personal, so I am unable to tell you.” Katherine’s eyes dimmed, but the next moment she said with sincerity. “But I can assure you that Stacy never abandoned Joshua if she had, she would not be in the state she is in.”

Although Katherine wouldn’t tell her what happened, Hazel trusted her because she saw Stacy, she had obviously been so distraught by what happened to her that she went into her own world and refused to deal with reality.

“I promised I would try,” Hazel contemplated as she spoke, “but I am not sure if Joshua will cooperate.”

Hazel knew Joshua all too well, he would always treat the people he cared for with love and admiration. However, on the other hand, if people were being manipulative and pretending to care about him, he didn’t care about them or their wellbeing at all.

Katherine nodded, “Just please try your best.”

***

After parting ways with Katherine at the nursing home, Crystal wanted to take Hazel back to Denmark Residence, but Hazel had another idea. She assumed that Joshua would be at Denmark Group, so she asked Crystal to drive her there.

Hazel and Crystal walked into the lobby to find a man yelling at his assistant.

The assistant said, “Please, Mr. Bryant, don’t be angry….”

“Don’t be angry? How can I not be angry?” Hanson Bryant flung the flowers he was holding impatiently into the assistant’s arms. “I was waiting at the door of Joshua-Hazel Pictures the entire day, but she didn’t show up at all! That woman is really unreasonable. If it weren’t for the fact that she owns most of the shares in Denmark Group, I would make Hazel kneel down in front of me….”

Hazel listened from a distance. She had seen Hanson Bryant several times at different events, he was the only son of Director Bryant and had a reputation of being a well-known playboy.

She wondered if he was there to hit on her. It seemed that quite a few people thought she was a fool and had plans to take advantage of her.

The young assistant looked over Hanson’s shoulder and went pale. Isn’t that Hazel Crowe standing in the corner by the elevator?!

The assistant tried to speak but couldn’t find the words, so he tugged on his boss’s sleeve, but Mr. Bryant continued rambling, “How can a woman as shallow as Hazel Crowe not be charmed by me? I am pretty sure I can deceive that stupid woman into sleeping with me and marrying me within a month.”

He smiled as he thought, ignoring the assistant’s actions, “After we get married, I will make her sign Denmark Group over to me and then file for divorce, she will be broke. I will get my revenge for embarrassing myself today. Why are you tugging at me? Do you want me to fire you?”

Hanson glared at his assistant but then followed his terrified eyes and saw the two women standing near the elevator. He had never actually met Hazel and was only going by the pictures that his secretary had given him. However, his secretary was also one of his mistresses, so she gave him ugly photos, hoping he wouldn’t leave her for Hazel.

“Hello Beautiful, let me buy you coffee,” Hanson said smoothly as he walked over to Hazel, his eyes lustfully fixated on her.

The assistant’s legs became weak, and he almost fell down. He wanted to yell at Mr. Bryant that the woman he was talking to was Hazel, how did he not recognize her?

 

Chapter 437: Are You Stupid?

Hazel looked at Hanson coldly. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think a shallow woman like me is good enough to have coffee with you.”

Hanson didn’t hear any of the sarcasm in Hazel’s remark, he was too caught up in the idea that she was trying to get his attention.

“Babe, are you trying to defend Hazel Crowe? Since you can walk into the office of Denmark Group so easily, you must know something about her, don’t you?” He chuckled and said, “She is an ugly girl who came out of nowhere, only to be the lost daughter of Denmark’s!”

He didn’t even stop to take a breath, he just continued on, “If Denmark Group is put into the hands of someone who is brainless, has no looks, and no sense of business, won’t Denmark Group be in jeopardy? I am trying to save Denmark Group, and then I can find my true love, right?”

Hazel was really shocked by his audacity, she couldn’t comprehend how highly he thought of himself and how lowly he thought of her.

The elevator door opened, Hazel tried to move past him, but he put his arm out in front of her. He smiled and tried to be charming, “Babe, you haven’t answered me yet….”

“The answer is no! Now, get lost!” She pushed his arm away and walked past him.

Hanson looked furious, “Which department do you work in? I will have you fired from the Denmark Group by the end of the day, I promise you!”

He grabbed his assistant, and both managed to get on to the elevator before it closed. Before Hazel had time to react, Crystal had already stepped forward and grabbed Hanson by the collar of his shirt.

“Let go!” Hanson was livid, he had never been treated like that by a woman. He shouted angrily, “Do you know who I am? Let me go! Or I will….”

Hazel waved her hand, and Crystal let go of him. Hanson had never been so humiliated, he was infuriated and started to rush toward Hazel. His assistant saw what he was going to do, he knocked him to the ground, “Mr. Bryant, you need to calm down.”

“What is wrong with you?! Do you want to be fired?” Hanson asked his assistant as he got up, brushing off his suit.

“You may want to listen to him,” Hazel cocked her eyebrows and looked at Hanson. “I am assuming you don’t know who I am. So, let me tell you…I am the shallow, ugly Hazel Crowe who is brainless, has no looks, and no sense of business.”

Instantly, Hanson froze, his face became pale. He couldn’t comprehend the fact that he actually degraded the woman he was trying to win over, right in front of her.

“I… This, this is all a misunderstanding,” Hanson stammered. However, even with all his excuses, he knew there was no chance of convincing Hazel.

“A misunderstanding?” Hazel sneered coldly.

“Are you stupid, or do you just think I’m stupid? Do you actually think I’m going to give you a chance to ‘save’ Denmark Group?” she asked.

“I…” Hanson’s mouth was so dry that he couldn’t speak. He didn’t know what to say, and the attitude that Hazel was giving him made him feel like he was facing off against Joshua Denmark himself.

“You still want me to kneel in front of you?” Hazel smirked, and her face got even colder. “What happens if I tell your father, Director Bryant, all of this?”

Crystal stretched out her leg so that she could kick Hanson and make him kneel before Hazel, but before she had the chance, he fell to his knees with a thud.

“I am begging you! Please, don’t tell my father,” he said, alarmed.

Hazel was speechless. The arrogant man that thought he could win her over was a coward, one word made him drop to his knees.

“I am giving you one warning,” Hazel said coldly. “Do not show your face around here again! If you do, drastic measures will be taken. You need to leave the building now!”

As the elevator reached the floor of the President’s office, Hazel walked off the elevator. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the assistant helping Hanson to his feet, he looked even more terrified when he realized what floor they were on. He stared for a moment and then quickly hit the button to go to the main lobby.

Hazel wasn’t worried about the encounter. After all, Hanson was just an arrogant coward who thought he was better than her. She pushed open the door to the office and walked in, leaving Crystal standing on guard outside.

“You’re back?” Joshua smiled as he looked up at her.

“Yes, I am!” Hazel nodded and walked toward him.

Joshua reached out and held her tightly against him. She felt her body tense for a moment when she felt something hard against her leg, her heart skipped a beat. She could not understand how he could still be so excited, even after he had made love to her all night long.

“Good girl…” He smiled and kissed her ear. “What did you do?”

“Aunt Katherine took me to meet one of her friends, but that was it,” she said. It was the truth with a bit of detail left out.

“Your mother got a call from Katherine asking her to go shopping.” His eyes became deeper.

“Is that so? That’s great news.” She was trying to play dumb.

A sharp light flashed across his eyes. “Honey, great news? She isn’t doing it just because she wants to. People don’t do things for anything, you have to give if you want something. What did you give?”

“What are you talking about?” She chuckled and pushed him on the chest. “She just wants to help me deal with my parents. It’s not a big deal. She is helping because she likes me.”

Hazel had no intention of telling Joshua about her promise to Katherine. After all, he had always been very resistant when they talked about his biological parents, she wanted to warm him up to the idea. She also knew that if she had mentioned it immediately after being out with Katherine, he would overthink the situation, she needed to wait until the time was right.

Suddenly, her eyes fell on Joshua’s ring finger, and then her eyes lit up. “A ring?”

“Yes,” He nodded as he held his hand up so Hazel could see it better. “It matches yours.”

She held out her finger, she was wearing the ring Joshua gave her when he proposed. His wasn’t as detailed as hers, but the two rings still looked perfect together.

“You’re so well prepared?” She chuckled.

“Of course, I have to be well prepared when it comes to getting married.” He smiled and kissed her on the forehead. “In fact, there is a little secret inside the ring.”

“What kind of secret?” she asked curiously.

“Guess.” He smiled mysteriously.

She took her ring off without hesitating; she didn’t want to waste any time finding out what the secret was.

 

Chapter 438: To Take You Away

Hazel’s brow furrowed slightly. She looked at the ring, turning it in her hand, but she could not find a hidden compartment. Besides, she knew it would be close to impossible to have a secret hidden in something as small as a ring.

She looked at Joshua and was about to give up when she saw an inscription on the inside of the ring. She held up the ring and looked at it carefully.

“With all my love from Joshua?” She read it out in a low voice.

“Yes,” Joshua smiled and nodded. He was happy that she had found it.

“Does your ring also have an inscription?” she asked curiously.

“Yes.” He took his ring off and gave it to her. She looked inside and saw the inscription “With all my love from Hazel.”

She felt so in love with Joshua, he never gave up showing his love for her. He did everything for her, making sure every detail was perfect.

“Oh, Joshua…” After putting her ring back on, Hazel kissed him passionately.

When she pulled her head back, there was a faint flash of light in Joshua’s eyes. He put his hand on the back of her head then kissed her even more intensely, he grabbed her hips and pulled her closer.

She was confused, wondering why he was kissing her so harshly. It was until he lifted her onto the desk and pushed himself between her legs that she knew he wasn’t stopping and something wasn’t right.

“Joshua…” She tried to speak but couldn’t.

“Looks like I didn’t teach you very well last night,” Joshua said with a sly grin. He took her hand and placed it on his belt, “What did you call me?”

When she finally realized what she had done wrong, her face blushed immediately. She quickly scrambled and whispered, “Honey….”

“Good girl.” He chuckled. “I guess I should give you a reward.” He put his hand over hers and helped her to start undoing his belt. Hazel’s fingers trembled at the thought of what was about to happen.

“Honey, don’t do that.” She lowered her head, wishing she could hide. “What if someone comes in?”

“Don’t worry,” he said, nibbling her ear. “I’ve told them not to bother us.”

“But… hmm!” Before she could finish the sentence, he kissed her on the lips again.

***

Hazel leaned her head against Joshua’s shoulder. She was completely worn out, so Joshua picked her up and laid her down on the sofa. He started getting dressed and smiled at her, but Hazel looked at him with resentment.

Joshua had seemed normal before, but why was he so insatiable since they got married. It had only been a day, and he was already talking about finding new positions.

“Work out with me later,” Joshua said calmly as he walked toward his desk.

Hazel’s eyes got big, and she mumbled through clenched teeth, “I’ve always been in great shape!”

Plus, she had been working with Crystal, so the martial arts techniques had gotten better. However, she knew she would not be able to keep up with Joshua.

“Huh?” There was a bit of amusement in his eyes. “Shall we do it again?”

“No, no…” she quickly said and looked at him with envy. “Aren’t you afraid you will run out of sperm?”

“I’m willing to try for my beauty.” He joked. “Besides, I’m not in rough shape. Why don’t we try again?”

“Be serious!” she said crossly.

Seeing Hazel’s anger, he walked over and lightly embraced her. He took her face in his hands and softly said, “Honey, I have waited more than 20 years for you. I wish you could understand that every time I am around you, I just want to find new ways to love you.”

“How can it be more than twenty years…” She was furious.

“You are my first and only woman. So, I have waited more than twenty years, right?” He chuckled.

Because of his commitment to the Crowe family’s rules, Joshua had been using all of his willpower to control himself when he was near Hazel. However, since they were married and he could have her, he wanted nothing more than to tie her to the bed and make love for days on end.

Hazel’s ears turned red, and she looked away awkwardly. She was afraid to say anything that might provoke Joshua again.

“What are you working on?” She tried to change the subject.

“I’m going to throw a party for you,” he calmly explained.

“Party? What party?” she asked curiously.

“You are the daughter of the Denmark family, so I’m going to throw a party and announce it to everybody so that they know who you are.”

“Do we really need to do that?” She struggled with the whole concept. In fact, she didn’t like the idea at all, if they had a party, people like Hanson Bryant would be swooning all over her.

“Of course. It’s very necessary.” His expression became serious. “If we don’t do it as soon as possible, I’m afraid more women with birthmarks will start to appear. Only by exposing your identity can we put an end to the claims. The party must happen soon and be before our big wedding.”

Then he continued, as if he could read Hazel’s thoughts, “Rest assured, I’ve planned the party. You just need to go through the motions. You are the daughter of Marcus and Cate, people are eager to be your friend and suck up in any way possible, but you don’t need to give them your time and energy.”

She was amused by Joshua, he was doing what was best for her. She finally agreed, “Alright, I’ll take your advice and trust you.”

***

After inviting the Crowe family to the party, Hazel told Rachel that she would pick out a dress for her. She knew that if Joshua had ordered a dress for her, she would not wear it, but this way, she would have a hard time refusing.

Just as Hazel arrived at the mall, she heard her phone ring. She looked at the number on the screen, sighed helplessly, and answered, “Simon King, can you please stop harassing me?”

Simon was constantly bothering Hazel. Even though she blocked his number, he would get a new number or call her from someone else’s phone.

“Pumpkin, our hearts are truly connected.” Simon chuckled, “You even know it is me calling.”

“What do you want?” She was extremely annoyed.

“To take you away, of course,” he said jokingly.

“Don’t even think about it!” She was enraged and ready to hang up.

“Don’t hang up,” he stopped joking and said in a deep voice. “Pumpkin, I’m serious this time. Please, think about it and come with me.”

 

Chapter 439: I’ll Be The Hero To Save Her

Hazel was so furious that she wanted to throw away her phone. “When have you not been serious? You need to stop!”

“I heard Joshua is planning a party for you?” Simon asked suddenly.

She was about to hang up when she heard him. She stopped and curiously asked, “How do you know about the party?”

“Joshua sent me an invitation. How else would I know?” He snarled with an evil grin.

“But I am warning don’t to go to the party.” There was a sense of seriousness in Simon’s voice.

Hazel was so irritated, as she hung up, she mumbled, “You really are insane!”

Feeling frustrated, Hazel put her phone back in her purse and continued walking. This was the same hoax Simon always used, so there was no reason to think that it was any different than conversations they had before.

Simon looked down at his phone after Hazel hung up at him.

“Sir, did Miss Crowe agree?” Chester, who was sitting next to him, asked.

“No.” Simon sighed with annoyance. “It’s going to be hard.”

“What do we do then?” Chester asked, sounding worried. “Your father knew about Miss Crowe and thought it was her holding you back. He has plans for her!”

Simon frowned impatiently. “Of course, I know that…”

It wasn’t a secret that he wasn’t on good terms with his father, but it was worse than most thought. As a precaution, Simon had spies infiltrate his father’s gang, and when he got word that his father was going to harm Hazel at her party, he called to warn her.

Chester persuaded anxiously. “Sir, I understand that you’re aware of your father’s methods. If he has his eye on someone, there is nothing that can be done to stop it! Plus, Miss Crowe isn’t aware….”

“You’re more anxious than I am!” Simon was so angry that he kicked a chair, sending it flying across the room. His expression turned cold and grim, “What? Do you really think I want to see the woman I care about taken away?”

“Sir, you are a misunderstanding!” Chester explained helplessly, “I’ve never seen you care so much about a woman. That’s why I’m afraid that if something were to happen…I’m just worried for you.”

“Don’t worry, even if Hazel is unprepared, Joshua won’t be.” When he said Joshua’s name, a glimmer of resentment flashed in his eyes.

“But, but…” Chester was hesitant.

“Say what you need to do!” Simon was impatient.

“I don’t know if the information is true or not, but according to my sources,” Chester said quietly. “Your father doesn’t plan to kidnap Miss Crowe, he plans to kill her!”

Simon stopped in his tracks. His father was more ruthless than ever, and even though he had hoped it wasn’t true, he knew that it very well could be.

He clenched his fist in anger. He knew because of Hazel’s rejections in the past that he couldn’t just take her away, he had been too impulsive, and so Joshua was watching him. If he acted recklessly, it could make things much worse.

As he wondered why he cared about Hazel, he thought even more. He realized that he had been watching her, but she wasn’t his real target, so if his father did harm her, it shouldn’t bother him.

However, he continued to think, he saw her bright eyes twinkling in the sunlight. Then he knew that even though she had rejected him and was never kind to him, he couldn’t bear the thought of anything bad happening to her.

Simon sat quietly, contemplating the situation, he had a brilliant idea, he smiled and said, “Let my father continue with his plan, we will follow them, and I will be the hero that saves her!”

Simon smiled, but his eyes were cold and ruthless. Hazel, you have to stay safe until I can rescue you. However, if you are not and I seek revenge, I am afraid I may regret it!

***

Hazel walked into the boutique that Joshua had recommended. The clothing looked more mature than something she would have picked, but there would be something perfect for her mother.

As she looked at the dresses, she heard laughter from a group of women behind her, “Katie, the Denmark family, actually sent you an invitation? You are so lucky!”

Hazel almost dropped the dress she had in her hand, she must have heard wrong. It would be too much of a coincidence if the woman was talking about the party that Joshua was throwing for her.

She looked back at the women and recognized one of them from somewhere.

“No,” the woman replied modestly, but there was an unspeakable triumph in her eyes. “The invitation is sent to my grandmother. Thankfully, she can take a guest, so she asked me to go.”

“Katie, you are indeed the most spoiled child of the entire Shawn family.” The woman continued praising. “But really, who wouldn’t like a nice, kind person like you?”

When Hazel heard the woman say Katie and Shawn’s family in the same sentence, she realized why the woman looked familiar. She was the same woman who wanted the pink diamond necklace at the auction, Katie Shawn. It would be interesting to see the look on Katie’s face when she arrived at the party.

The middle of the boutique was certainly not the place to walk over to Katie and reveal her true identity, so Hazel continued shopping. She picked out some dresses that would fit her mother, and even though she was trying to ignore Katie and her friends, the only thing she could hear was their voices and laughter.

One woman said, “What do you think about Denmark’s daughter?”

“I probably know something that you don’t!” another woman replied.

Hazel stopped and listened carefully, she was speechless. It was the first time she had heard her story from an outside point of view, and of course, the woman exaggerated some, but the basic details were true.

“So, that’s it….”

“Am I the only one who thinks that it’s strange? It could just be Joshua Denmark’s way to cover up things and save Denmark Group, couldn’t it?”

“You mean, you think that the woman is a fake?”

“Maybe. Who knows? It’s been 20 years, almost all of the Denmark family has died, then a woman just popped up. Who can prove that she isn’t a fake?”

Hazel’s lips twitched as she felt her frustration grow. She understood that there would always be people who judged and would try to impose their nasty opinions on others, but they shouldn’t be talking about it in public.

“Well, let’s not talk about it anymore.” Katie interrupted, sounding unhappy. She was used to being the center of attention. If her friends were talking about someone else, they weren’t focusing on her, so she had to find a way to bring their attention back to her.

She continued, “Since Mr. Denmark is throwing her a party, then he has identified her as the lost daughter. In a way, they are siblings.”

“Yes, true,” echoed her companions. “If the Denmark family recognized him as a son, then she’s his younger sister!”

 

Chapter 440: It’s Only A Rumor

Hazel could not believe what she was hearing. As she stood there listening to their gossip, she forgot why she was even in the store, all she could think of was how Joshua suddenly become her older brother.

The group of women continued chatting amongst themselves, they were dividing the Denmark family property up between her and Joshua as if they were the ones who owned it.

“Even if she is Joshua Denmark’s younger sister, most of Denmark’s property should be given to him!”

“What? I think that all of it should be given to Mr. Denmark. If it weren’t for him, the Denmark Group wouldn’t be as successful as it is!”

“Yeah, I think as long as he keeps that woman living a life of luxury, he shouldn’t have to worry.”

“But I heard that the woman and he are lovers…”

A timid voice cut in unexpectedly and silenced the crowd immediately.

“It’s only a rumor,” Katie suddenly said. “The other day, I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Denmark at the auction. He didn’t appear to have anyone with him.”

Hazel began to tremble with anger, she knew Katie was lying through her teeth. On the day of the auction, it was obvious that she was with Joshua and that they were a couple, but Katie insisted that Joshua was alone.

The girls’ eyes lit up, and they began interrogating Katie.

“You’ve seen Mr. Denmark?”

“What does he look like?”

“Is he as handsome as everyone says?”

“What did you talk about?”

With an incomprehensible smile, Katie said, “He is really tall and handsome, and also very kind. We were both interested in the same pink diamond necklace, so I was lucky enough to speak to him.”

Hazel glared with hatred in her eyes. Katie was not only egotistical, but she was also a liar, she was obviously just trying to keep her friends interested, and the fact that they didn’t have all the details kept them intrigued.

Katie’s story was believable, and one woman said, “You are such a beautiful woman, even though Joshua Denmark won the necklace, he gave it to you, right? Show us!”

It was obvious that Katie was extremely proud, she had everyone’s attention on her, and they believed every word she said. However, Hazel was curious as to how Katie was going to show them the necklace since she had it around her neck.

“No, you are misunderstanding what I am saying,” Katie said, slightly smiling. She lowered her eyes and continued on, “He didn’t know until after the auction that it was me bidding against him. He wanted to give it to me when he found it out, but I could not accept such an expensive gift. I spent a long time refusing it, but he finally understood why I could not accept it.”

The women surrounding Katie were envious but continued to encourage her.

“Katie, you are so kind. I think that Mr. Denmark may have been watching you for a long time. Maybe he sent the invitation to your grandmother because he wants to see you.”

“Yeah, I think that is why he sent the invitation.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Katie lowered her head with a hint of shyness. “I don’t have anything to do with Mr. Denmark. Please, don’t misunderstand.”

Even though Hazel knew what had actually happened, she was still manipulated by Katie’s lies. She had twisted the truth so well that anyone would have believed her, and the more she said that she had nothing to do with Joshua, the more her friends misunderstood.

Knowing that she could not cause a scene, Hazel decided to let Katie live in her fantasy world and went back to her shopping. She found a few different dresses for Rachel, but as the clerk put them into boxes for her, she noticed a beautiful blue dress. It was elegant and very different from the styles she had picked out for her mother. She immediately thought it would look perfect on Stacy Sloane, Joshua’s possible biological mother.

Stacy was a beautiful woman who would stand out in a crowd, she would look absolutely stunning in the dress. Hazel thought for a moment and then, without hesitation, picked up the dress and handed it to the clerk to wrap up.

“You have exquisite taste, Miss,” the clerk said happily. “This dress just came in for our new season. It is the only one in the store.”

But before Hazel could reply, she heard Katie state, “I will take it!”

Hazel had reached her boiling point. She hadn’t said anything to Katie, even when she was telling lies about Joshua, but now that Katie was trying to take a dress that was already in her hands, Hazel spun around and coldly said, “I saw it first!”

“But have you paid for it?” Katie looked at her innocently and said, “Madam, I want to buy this dress for a dinner party hosted by the Denmark family. You must have heard of them, right?”

Hazel looked at her with a half-smile. “Are you saying that if I don’t let you have it, I will offend the Denmark family?”

“Of course! Katie is Mr. Denmark’s girlfriend!” Katie’s companion chimed in.

Hazel felt her eyes begin to twitch, but she looked forward to Katie pretending to be Joshua’s girlfriend.

“Don’t say that,” Katie said hypocritically. “Piper, the Shawn family doesn’t use family and social status to bully people.”

Glaring at Katie, Hazel bit her tongue. Katie didn’t use the opportunity to deny her relationship with Joshua; instead, she tried to use Shawn’s name to help her get the dress.

“So, the Denmark family and the Shawn family both try to steal from people?” Hazel asked innocently.

Katie sneered at Hazel; she was sure that if she had mentioned both family names that she would have been given the dress, but instead, she was being provoked.

“You have misunderstood….” Katie’s eyes were getting misty, as if she was going to cry.

One of Katie’s friends was furious and growled, “How can you be so unreasonable? How could you accuse Katie of stealing from you? You are going to make her cry?”

Everyone in the store looked over in the direction of Katie and Hazel, the sales clerk lowered her head in embarrassment. The other customers saw that Katie was trying not to cry and assumed that Hazel was bullying her.

Hazel turned to stare coldly at Katie’s friend, who kept interrupting. The woman who thought so much of Katie might not have been stupid but trying to stand up to Hazel was not a good idea; there was no way she would be easily bullied.

With a faint smile on her face, she said sarcastically, “I thought she was going to cry because she felt guilty. I thought she knew that it was wrong for her to steal items from other people, so she was shedding tears of remorse!”

“You, you…” Katie’s face stiffened as she stared at Hazel. She was furious at the fact that her teary act failed her a second time.