In the aftermath of Christopher's bold declaration, the night seemed to thicken around Hazel. She stood in his arms, too stunned to process what had just unfolded. Her heart raced with a mix of confusion, disbelief, and fear. Olivia's furious glare bored into her, and Hazel could feel the weight of the consequences she hadn't anticipated.
As the silence grew unbearable, Olivia let out a harsh laugh. "Marry her? You're delusional, Christopher." Her eyes flickered with rage as she took a step forward. "This isn't love. This is a mistake—a fleeting distraction."
Hazel wanted to pull away, to retreat from the storm that was about to break, but Christopher's grip tightened, keeping her grounded against him. She looked up at him, searching his face for some explanation. But Christopher's expression was unreadable, his eyes focused on Olivia with a cold intensity she hadn't seen before.
"I'm done playing your games, Olivia," Christopher said, his voice firm. "This isn't a distraction. It's what I want."
"You want her?" Olivia spat, her voice trembling with disbelief. "After everything we've been through, everything we've built—*you want her*?"
Hazel's breath caught in her throat. She wanted to speak, to stop this before it escalated further, but the words wouldn't come. This was spiraling out of control.
Olivia's eyes flicked to Hazel, her lips curling in disdain. "She's weak, Christopher. She doesn't understand you—she never will. And when you get bored of her, when she can't handle the truth, you'll come crawling back. You always do."
Hazel's chest tightened. Weak. The word echoed in her mind. She felt like a pawn in a game far beyond her control, pulled into a world of lies and betrayal she wasn't prepared for.
"I don't belong in this," Hazel whispered, her voice barely audible. She finally managed to step back from Christopher, disentangling herself from his arms. "This isn't my fight. I can't be a part of this."
Christopher's gaze snapped to her, his eyes softening for the first time since Olivia's arrival. "Hazel—"
"No," she interrupted, shaking her head. "This is between you and Olivia. You have things to work out… I can't—" Her voice broke. "I can't be the reason for more destruction."
Olivia's cold laughter cut through the tension. "See? She knows her place." She stepped closer, a cruel smile on her lips. "She's nothing more than a fleeting desire, Christopher. You're fooling yourself."
Hazel could feel her resolve crumbling. This was too much, too fast. She had been swept into a whirlwind of emotions, and now it felt like everything was collapsing around her.
But before she could take another step, Christopher caught her wrist. "You're not walking away," he said, his voice firm but gentle. "Not like this."
Hazel looked at him, her heart aching. "Christopher, I don't belong in your world."
"Yes, you do," he insisted, his eyes searching hers. "You belong with me."
Olivia's sharp voice cut through the moment. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Christopher. You're not capable of real love, and you know it."
Christopher's jaw clenched, but his gaze remained on Hazel. "I'm not letting you go," he whispered, his words like a vow. "Not after everything we've been through."
Hazel swallowed hard, her emotions a tangled mess. She didn't know what to believe anymore. Could she trust Christopher? Could she really leave behind everything she knew and take a leap into the unknown with him?
Before she could respond, Olivia stepped forward, her face a mask of fury. "You're making a mistake," she hissed, her voice low. "You think she'll stand by you when things get tough? When the truth comes out?"
Hazel's stomach dropped. "What truth?"
Olivia's smile was icy. "Ask him about the money, Hazel. Ask him why he's really so interested in you."
Christopher's expression darkened. "Olivia, don't—"
"Why not?" Olivia snapped. "She deserves to know. Or are you too afraid she'll walk away once she finds out the real reason you're here?"
Hazel's heart pounded in her chest as she looked between them. "What is she talking about?"
Christopher's grip on her wrist tightened slightly, but he didn't answer.
"Tell her," Olivia pressed, her eyes gleaming with malice. "Tell her about the inheritance. The deal you made. Or are you just going to keep lying?"
Hazel felt the ground shift beneath her feet. "Christopher?"
He finally released her wrist, his expression torn between anger and something else—regret, maybe. "Hazel, it's not what you think."
Her pulse quickened. "Then tell me the truth."
Christopher glanced at Olivia, his jaw clenched. "It was about the inheritance at first," he admitted, his voice low. "My family's wealth was tied to a deal that involved your family's business."
Hazel's breath caught in her throat. "So… all of this, everything between us… was a lie?"
"No," Christopher said quickly, stepping closer. "At first, yes, it was about the inheritance. But that changed. I didn't expect to feel this way about you. I never planned on falling in love with you."
Hazel's mind reeled. The betrayal she had felt earlier now took on a new form—deeper, more painful. "You used me," she whispered, her voice trembling. "You used me to get what you wanted."
Christopher shook his head, desperation in his eyes. "It wasn't like that, Hazel. It's more complicated than that."
Olivia's laughter echoed through the night, sharp and unforgiving. "Of course it is."
Hazel stepped back, her heart breaking. "I can't do this," she whispered, her voice shaky. "I can't be a part of this anymore."
Before Christopher could stop her, she turned and fled into the night, the weight of his betrayal pressing down on her chest like a stone.
Behind her, she heard Christopher call out her name, but she didn't stop. She couldn't. She had to get away, to think, to figure out how to piece her shattered world back together.
As she ran, tears blurred her vision, and she felt more lost than she ever had before.
*************
Hazel pressed her hand to her chest, feeling the dull ache spreading from her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision as she struggled to make sense of the emotions swirling inside her. "Why am I like this?"she wondered, her mind racing.
"I expected all of this... I knew everything was a lie..." Her thoughts tumbled over each other as the reality of the situation crashed down on her. "They're using me. I know that."Yet, despite knowing the truth, the pain in her chest only deepened. The tears she fought so hard to hold back finally escaped, streaming down her face as her body trembled.
"Why does it hurt so much?" she asked herself, frustrated with the raw emotions consuming her. "Why am I crying over him?" She shook her head, as if trying to will away the confusion and grief. She told herself, over and over again, "I never loved him. I'm never going to love him."
But the words felt hollow. Every time she remembered Christopher's touch, the way he made her heart race, the way her body responded to his presence—she couldn't deny the pull he had over her.
"Why did I let him touch me?" Hazel asked herself as she sank down, sitting on the cold, wet ground. Her arms wrapped around her knees, and she lowered her head, feeling defeated by her own emotions. "What is my relationship with Christopher, really?"
She buried her face in her hands, feeling her heart ache even more. "Why am I always drawn to him?"She clutched her chest, as if trying to calm the storm inside her, but it only made the pain sharper.
"Did I fall in love with him?"The thought made her chest tighten, but she quickly shook her head, refusing to believe it. "No… never." Her mind rebelled at the very idea. "I don't love him. I can't. He's a liar, a manipulator. He'll hurt me… he'll betray me…"
Images of Christopher flashed in her mind—his smile, the way he looked at her, the tenderness in his touch, the passion in his eyes when he kissed her. "But it's all a lie" she reminded herself. "He's going to cheat me, just like he's cheated everyone else. He sent me to jail, didn't he?"
Her thoughts spiraled, each one laced with fear and doubt. "I need to leave," she decided. "I need to get away from him. As far away as possible..."
Suddenly, she felt a presence beside her, and her breath hitched as Christopher knelt down next to her. His voice was soft, almost pleading. "Hazel…"
She didn't look up. She couldn't. Not after everything. Not after the tears that had already fallen.
"Please don't be sad," Christopher said, his voice thick with emotion. "I love you, Hazel. I love you."
The words cut through her like a blade, making her heart lurch. She wanted to scream at him, to tell him to stop, to shut out the pain his words brought. But she couldn't. She was too lost in the conflict raging inside her.
Christopher reached out and gently lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. His eyes were sincere, full of a raw vulnerability she hadn't seen before. "I said it, Hazel. I love you."
He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. The warmth of his lips against her skin sent shivers down her spine, but it also made the ache in her chest worse. Her body betrayed her once again, leaning into his touch despite her mind screaming at her to pull away.
"Please, be with me," Christopher whispered, his voice filled with desperation. "I need you. I want you."
Hazel's heart raced, torn between the desire to trust him and the overwhelming fear of being hurt again.
"I'll tell you everything," Christopher promised, standing up and lifting Hazel effortlessly into his arms. She gasped softly, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck as he carried her toward the house. His strength, his warmth, the safety she felt in his arms—it was all too much, too confusing.
She buried her face in the crook of his neck, inhaling the familiar, intoxicating scent of him. It was a scent she had grown to crave, even when she didn't want to admit it. It calmed her, made her feel like everything might be okay, even when she knew it wouldn't be.
As they walked, a sudden rain began to fall, soft droplets cascading down on them. The rain soaked through their clothes, but neither of them seemed to care. Christopher's arms tightened around her protectively, shielding her from the worst of the storm, while Hazel clung to him, letting the rain mix with her tears.
In that moment, everything felt suspended—the lies, the betrayal, the pain—all of it washed away by the rain. All that remained was the warmth of his arms, the sound of his heartbeat, and the question that loomed in Hazel's mind: "Could she trust him?"
As the rain poured down, she found herself wanting to believe in him, even though every part of her knew it was dangerous to do so. But maybe, just maybe, this time would be different.