Taking a deep breath, Hazel picked up the contract and went through it.
This agreement was extremely strict, and the terms in it were completely overbearing. Given the current state of the Haynes Group, it was barely possible to complete the contract in three years.
"This is unfair."
"If you're afraid of signing it, just say so."
Hazel gritted her teeth with hatred. "Chase Black, you're going too far! Be a man, will you?"
"Yeah, yeah," replied Chase. "I'm just annoying, alright?"
He slumped back in his chair, puffing on his cigarette, looking unconcerned. "If you're too scared to sign, just quit the Haynes Group!"
His arrogant look made Hazel's insides burn with rage. However, she was not a quitter, not then, and certainly not now.
The terms were unreasonable. But if she could finish the task, she could kick Chase out of the Haynes Group for good!
"Fine. I'll Sign It!"
Hazel signed her name on the contract without hesitation. Then she tossed it to Chase. "Here, what about now?"
Chase smiled devilishly and let out one last puff of smoke. "Well, well, now we wait and see how things are going to end."
Women were stupid. Especially this one!
He just teased her a little, and Hazel couldn't wait to take the bait. Chase was convinced that Hazel would suffer for sure.
"I hope you can do it perfectly," said Chase casually. "Otherwise, you're leaving the city, and this time, you are not allowed to come back!"
Hazel took another deep breath before shooting Chase a cold look. "If the contract is completed, you will get out of the Haynes Group!"
"Ooh, I'm so scared! I'll keep my eyes wild open to watch you burn."
With that, Chase pressed his cigarette butt on the conference table arrogantly, ready to go.
As he walked past Hazel, he was suddenly reminded of the naked–photo incident this morning. Anger rose from his inside at once as his thin lips curled into a sneer. "Don't ever do childish pranks ever again!" said Chase. "And you shrank my size? Was that to imply that I have never satisfied you in bed? Maybe I should have a go with you right now to remind you how big I actually am."
Looking at his defiant and arrogant expression, Hazel trembled uncontrollably with anger and failed to understand what he said. "What is the meaning of this?" she asked, ice in her voice.
"Oh, cut it off, Hazel Haynes." Chase was looking down at her. "You just like playing dumb with people, don't you? Never have the guts to admit anything! Ugh, you disgust me."
Hazel was so mad that she grabbed his tie and pulled him over violently. "I'll admit what I did, but not for some stupid, false accusation. Now, you better explain your fucking self about it!"
"Ha, like it wasn't you who photoshopped my nude photo," said Chase. What he didn't expect was that being tugged on his tie by her like this gave him an erection.
Hence, he didn't break free. Instead, he stepped forward a little and pinned her body against the conference table!
It seemed that his body had been missing her.
Chase thought he hated this scheming bitch to the core, but he just couldn't help the physical reaction when he was with Hazel.
Hazel took a glance at the nude photo on his phone, and she snorted with a sneer. "I'm not that boring. And, if it was me, I would have done the photo much better."
Chase snorted even louder when hearing this. "Who knows if you had done lousy work on purpose? After all, you have a record. Isn't that kind of your specialty?"
Hazel was utterly furious.
All these years, he had been torturing her, and he had not felt guilty for once because he thought he was the victim.
Well, he was not! He was the villain!
"I'll tell you one last time. I've never plotted against anyone! I've never… managed to sleep with you. I was framed. Believe it or not, I don't care!"
Chase leaned over the conference table and trapped her there. "It doesn't matter. Lyra and I are getting married soon anyway, and I've been sleeping with you for free for two years. No harm done."
"You shameless bastard…" Hazel's heart was torn to pieces by his words, and her whole body couldn't help but tremble with rage.
"Oh, and do you remember the 100 million dollars I offered? You didn't take it. So I used it to buy Lyra a big diamond ring!"
He hated Hazel. He hated her schemes, her being tough, and her being noble.
The nobler she pretended to be, the more he wanted to stomp on it.
"Get off me!" Hazel shoved Chase away!
Then she grabbed her purse and ran to the bathroom.
She was having an anxiety attack!
After years of taking antidepressants, her body was overwhelmed. She often had inexplicable tremors. When it got serious, she couldn't even hold a cup.
Watching that she was running away, Chase smirked triumphantly.
To deal with such a scheming bitch, one must spit on her and trample on her pride.
Inside the bathroom.
Hazel opened her bag with shaking hands and pulled out her anti–depressants. With tap water, she swallowed down a handful of pills.
All these years, she had been relying on pills and work to forget all her worries and pains.
Ten minutes later.
Hazel had not returned. Chase was playing the ring on his pinky absent–mindedly, his patience. running out.
He thought to himself, "She's been in there for too long. Is there something wrong with her?"
Then Chase strode to the bathroom and banged the door loudly.
"Aren't you the toughest? If you're crying, come out here. I don't want to miss the pleasure," he said.
The sarcasm in his tone actually made Hazel so mad and sad that she actually broke into laughter.
Yes, I am the strongest. No one can hurt me. Only I can hurt myself!" she muttered to the mirror.
With her words and the help of the medication, Hazel calmed herself down.
Upset and irritated, Chase pushed the door open.
"Why do you like to break into the ladies' room so much, Mr. Black?" Frowning, Hazel was looking at him with disdain.
It made Chase's mood even worse. Anger was burning in his pair of blazing dark eyes.
Hazel's heart skipped a beat when she noticed the sudden change in the look on his face. Chase was too dangerous to be alone with!
"Please step aside…" Hazel tried to leave with an indifferent look on her face.
However, Chase was closing in on her, blocking her only way out.
Hazel panicked and shouted, "What are you doing? Get out of the way!"
Chase's sanity was gone at this moment. Like a wild animal, he forced her back to the sink.
Before Hazel could make any response, she was caught in his arms. Her jaw was grabbed, and a vicious kiss bit her lips.
Chase was out of control.
These six years of separation had tortured him like madness. He tried not to think of Hazel, but she and her body haunted him day and night.
"What are you… let go…"