### Chapter 111: He’s Definitely into You
The next day, as Hazel Hawthorne sat at the dining table for breakfast, she was keenly aware of Aiden Xavier’s intense gaze fixed on her. It felt hotter than the midday sun, making it impossible for her to look at him directly. She found it utterly baffling.
She snuck a glance at Aiden Xavier’s expression, but then it belatedly dawned on her. ’How could a re mortal like possibly see through Aiden Xavier’s thoughts?’
Hazel Hawthorne shot him a glare. Seeing his eyes still fixed on her, she couldn’t help but glare again. When he still didn’t react, she finally couldn’t take it anymore. "Why do you keep staring at ?" she demanded. "Is there sothing on my face?"
Aiden Xavier said no, but Hazel still touched her cheek. ’If I had a mirror, I’d definitely check,’ she thought. ’After all, his words have very little credibility.’
A mont later, Aiden Xavier was still staring at her. Hazel completely lost her appetite. "Aiden Xavier, is there sothing you want to say to ? If there is, just spit it out. Why do you keep staring at like this?"
It was making her heart race. This was what Hazel couldn’t stand most about Aiden Xavier: when he said nothing and just stared, eting every question with silence. It was a true test of one’s patience, and unfortunately for her, Hazel had very little patience when it ca to Aiden Xavier.
Aiden Xavier simply gave Hazel a small smile and said gently, "Finish your breakfast first. I’ll drive you to the office later."
Hazel understood instantly. ’He definitely has sothing to say to . He must think it’s not a good ti with the household staff around. That’s why he’s going to tell in the car on the way to work. It’ll just be the two of us, so we won’t have to worry about anyone overhearing.’
’I can be pretty smart sotis,’ Hazel thought to herself. Having figured out the reason for Aiden Xavier’s strange behavior, she began to eat her breakfast with gusto.
During the drive to the office, she waited quietly for Aiden Xavier to be the first to speak. But a long ti passed, and he simply remained focused on driving, only occasionally asking how the wound on her arm was healing. He didn’t say a single word about anything else.
Confused, Hazel leaned against the window, propping her chin on her hand. She stared out at the rapidly passing scenery, her mind heavy with questions. ’Why did he suddenly decide to drive to work? And why did he keep staring at without saying anything?’
"Aiden Xavier, isn’t there sothing you wanted to tell ? It’s just the two of us now, you can just say it. You know I’m very understanding. I won’t even get mad if you want to talk about Raina Lowell."
Aiden Xavier shot Hazel a sidelong glance and couldn’t resist a sarcastic remark. "Well then, it seems you really are quite understanding. To not even mind about Raina Lowell."
Missing the sarcasm in his tone completely, Hazel nodded with a chuckle, readily admitting how understanding she was. "Of course I am. We’ve been married for three years, you should have known that already. Are you only just now figuring it out?"
"You talk too much."
Hazel’s lip twitched. "I’m not the one talking too much! You’re the one who’s been weird all morning, staring at . Isn’t there sothing you want to tell ? What could possibly make you so hesitant other than Raina Lowell? Who else would it be about? Why else would you be staring at ?"
"Why does it have to be about Raina Lowell?"
"If it’s not about Raina Lowell, then what? Don’t tell you’re staring at because you like ? That’s impossible. Didn’t you say it yourself last night? You don’t get jealous. If you aren’t jealous about and Nathan Miller, how could you possibly like ?"
Hazel said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, not even bothering to look at Aiden Xavier’s expression. After a mont, she heard him ask coolly, "So, judging by what you just said, Sharon Winters’s dinner invitation last night was actually to help you test my reaction?"
Hazel never would have dread that Aiden Xavier was so sharp. In his mind, he had sohow connected two completely unrelated things and accurately guessed their true motive.
Hazel was sure she hadn’t let anything slip in front of Aiden Xavier last night. ’There’s only one explanation,’ she thought. ’Aiden Xavier must have figured it out on his own.’
But she certainly wasn’t going to admit it to Aiden Xavier’s face.
"You’re reading too much into it. Why would I need Sharon Winters to help test you? Besides, the fact that you like Raina Lowell is an open secret, isn’t it? Why would I need to test that? That would just be asking for misery."
Hazel spoke with a nonchalant air, but she still snuck a glance at Aiden Xavier from the corner of her eye.
"I guess I was overthinking it, then." Aiden Xavier didn’t press the issue, and Hazel secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"You can just stop at the intersection up ahead. It’s a short walk from there, so you don’t have to drop off right at the entrance."
"Are you worried your coworkers will see dropping you off?"
"No."
"Then are you worried Nathan Miller will see dropping you off?"
"That’s not it either. I just thought if you stopped here, it would save you the trouble of looping around. What are you thinking?"
"It’s no trouble. Stopping at the entrance will save you a few steps." Aiden Xavier insisted on driving her right to the door. When the car stopped, he leaned over toward her naturally. Startled, Hazel instinctively shrank back.
"What are you doing?" Hazel asked, confused. ’This is the entrance to my office!’ she panicked internally. ’There are so many people around. If anyone saw us, they’d get the wrong idea, thinking we’re doing sothing inappropriate in here. Our position is already so suggestive!’
With a deadpan expression, Aiden Xavier unbuckled her seatbelt. "What did you think I was doing? What’s going on in that head of yours?"
"It’s not like I can’t unbuckle my own seatbelt! Of course I’m going to be suspicious when you suddenly lean over like that." Hazel pushed Aiden Xavier away, threw open the car door, and practically fled into the office building.
When she turned back a mont later, both he and his car had vanished into the morning traffic.
Weird. So weird.
Soone tapped Hazel on the shoulder from behind. She whipped around to find Sharon Winters’s face inches from her own, a wide grin spreading across it as she stared. "What were you looking at? I called your na a few tis, but you didn’t hear ."
"Aiden Xavier is being so weird."
Sharon imdiately linked her arm through Hazel’s. "Weird how? Tell everything so I can analyze it for you. I’m a relationship expert, you know! First, tell what happened last night."
After hearing the whole story, Sharon slamd her hand on the desk, her expression one of utter conviction. "You have to believe , Aiden Xavier is absolutely into you! I’ve always trusted my judgnt, I’m never wrong about people, and I’m not wrong now. He definitely likes you more than he likes Raina Lowell."
"I still think you’re reading way too much into it."
"Have you ever heard the saying, ’The spectator sees more of the ga’?" Sharon pleaded earnestly. "How else do you explain Aiden Xavier’s string of weird behavior after last night? Anyway, I’m convinced he likes you."
Seeing how certain Sharon was, Hazel found it amusing. "It’s not like I really care whether he likes or not."
*****
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