Better Late, But Never His Again novel Chapter 126

After finishing dinner, Marcus set his silverware down, leaned back in his chair, and fixed his gaze on Hazel.

"Now that Audrey has been taken in for questioning, your name is effectively cleared. What's your plan now?"

Hazel thought it over. She had just told Professor Finch she wouldn't be returning to the Institute for a while, and going to the company was out of the question since word might get back to the professor and cause her unnecessary worry. Both avenues were a dead end.

"I'll focus on healing my leg first." She looked down at the bandages wrapped tightly around her calf and sighed. "I'll figure out the rest once I'm fully recovered."

Marcus nodded. "Then get better first. Your leave is approved. Come back to work when you're fully healed."

Hazel looked up at him, her eyes lighting up. "Thank you, Mr. Thornton!"

Seeing her earnest and grateful expression, Marcus's lips curled into a smile, evidently in a good mood. "At least you have a conscience."

"Since you're so genuinely thankful, there's a gala coming up soon. You're going to be my plus-one."

Hazel didn't hesitate for a second. She nodded.

Just then, her phone started ringing. An unknown number flashed across the screen. Hazel stared at the string of digits for two seconds, hesitated briefly, and then picked it up.

"Hello."

The line was quiet for a fraction of a second before Julian's voice came through.

His voice was incredibly raspy, as if he hadn't slept in days. The gritty texture of his tone filtered through the speaker, carrying an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. "Hazel."

Hazel's fingers tightened slightly around the phone.

"I've already found the person who set you both up," Julian's voice softened, speaking to her as if coaxing a child. "Please, stop being angry with me. Come home. I miss you."

Hazel paused.

She truly never expected Julian to be the one to lower his head first.

In all her memories of him, this man never once believed he was in the wrong. Even when he had locked her in the guest bedroom and nailed the window shut, he fully believed his actions were justified because he needed to give Evelyn a proper explanation.

But his so-called apology was nothing more than empty words.

Hazel's voice was frigid. "Julian, I haven't forgotten what you tried to force me to do when you locked me in that house."

The line went dead silent for several seconds.

Then, the next second, her phone vibrated against her ear.

Hazel pulled the phone away and glanced at the screen. It was a bank notification. A fifty-thousand-dollar transfer had just hit her account.

"What is the meaning of this?" Hazel's voice turned even colder.

"Hazel," Julian sighed, sounding equal parts helpless and completely entitled. "I was just panicking. This scandal threatened both yours and Evelyn's reputations. How could I not be anxious? You should be able to understand my position, shouldn't you?"

Hazel gripped the phone, saying nothing.

If this were the past, she would have absolutely exploded at him. She would have demanded to know what gave him the right to imprison her. But things were different now.

The day their divorce would be finalized was right around the corner. Less than two weeks left.

Marcus didn't say a word. He simply gave a stiff nod, stood up, and headed upstairs.

Hazel watched his retreating figure, getting the distinct feeling that he was angry, though she couldn't fathom what he had to be mad about.

She stood there for a moment, and in her daze, his broad shoulders suddenly seemed to blur and overlap with Zachary Ward's silhouette.

The exact same aloofness, the exact same intimidating aura that made people feel incredibly guilty even when he hadn't said a single word.

Hazel aggressively shook her head. She was definitely losing her mind. There was no way Marcus Thornton and Zachary Ward were the same person.

Gripping the handrail, Hazel slowly made her way upstairs to gather her meager belongings.

She wasn't going to let Julian know she had been staying at Marcus's house these past few days.

Their divorce wasn't finalized yet, and it wouldn't sound good if word got out.

She took a cab to a hotel she had quickly booked online, stood under the streetlamp, and sent Julian her location pin.

Moments later, the black Cayenne rounded the street corner and slowly rolled to a stop in front of her.

Hazel had completely braced herself. She had even planned out exactly what expression to wear and what to say when she saw Evelyn sitting in the passenger seat.

However, when the door opened, Julian stepped out alone. She froze in surprise.

Julian's gaze instantly zeroed in on the heavy bandages wrapped around her calf. His pupils constricted, and his brows slammed together in a deep, furious frown. "Hazel, what happened to your leg?"