Hazel's fingers tightened around the small paper bag.
All her life, she had despised clichés; a manipulative fiancé, a treacherous best friend. Stories like these had always sounded pathetic to her, so she always avoided those useless plots.
Now, standing with a burning cheek, staring at Holly, who Sophie claimed was her stepsister, she felt something cold crawl up her spine.
First a cheating partner, now a pathetic stepsister. The clichés annoyed her.
"What did you just say?" Holly finally recovered from her shock. Her expression darkened. "You really—"
"You really seem to enjoy saying ridiculous things," Hazel smoothly interjected. "Among other things. But I dislike repetition, and detest wasting my time, so let's make this very clear."
Her looked at the small paper bag in her hand. "Whatever is inside this, I'll have it looked at," she continued calmly. "The next time you feel the need to 'deliver' something to me, you will call ahead like a civilized person, not creating a spectacle out here. And you will never put your hands on me. Again."
Holly let out a short, incredulous laugh. "You must have lost your mind—"
"Don't worry, I'm in a generous mood today," Hazel added like she wasn't interrupted. "So I'll overlook your… barbaric display."
Holly stared at her like she was speaking nonsense.
"And I'll repeat it because I want to be absolutely certain you understand me. The next time you behave like this, you will remain exactly where you belong. Outside. And I will personally ensure you're reported for disturbance."
Holly's expression slowly fell apart. "You... Are you threatening me?!" Her voice rose in disbelief. It made no sense. Avril had never spoken back at her before, talk more of issuing threats to her face.
Hazel smiled slowly. "Sophie?"
"Y-Yes, Mrs. Avril." Sophie appeared almost instantly, like she'd been standing within earshot.
"Please see to it that Miss Holly leaves immediately—"
Holly flared. "What nonsense are you spitting? Are you out of our goddamn mind?!"
"...If she continues to cause a scene, call security."
"Y-Yes, Mrs. Avril."
Hazel turned to walk away.
"HEY! YOU—!" Holly's composure shattered completely. She pointed a trembling finger at Hazel. "HOW DARE YOU WALK AWAY?! STOP THERE!"
Hazel kept walking.
When she saw that she was almost inside, "OH! YOU F**KING BITCH!" She furiously reached out and almost grabbed Hazel, but Sophie stepped in front of her.
Her brows furrowed in disbelief. "MOVE, YOU IMBECILE!"
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that, Miss Holly," Sophie met her gaze. "You need to calm down. You're being too loud."
Holly's eyes widened. "Too loud?!"
Sophie trembled. "N-No, Miss Holly. I'm s-sorry. But if you take another step or attempt to touch Mrs. Avril again, I may be forced to call security."
Holly stared at her stunned. "HOW DARE YOU?!" She raised her hand to hit Sophie but some guards stepped in front of her, stopping her from launching any attack.
Furiously, Holly took a step back. "YOU ASKED YOUR WORKERS TO INSULT ME, AVRIL?!" Her voice rose with each word so that Hazel could hear. "YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE! THIS ISN'T OVER! YOU HEAR ME? YOU'RE FINISHED! COMPLETELY FINISHED!"
Hazel completely ignored Holly's furious scream that faded as the doors shut behind her.
She exhaled slowly as she stood at the foot of the stairs. Only then did she look at the paper bag clutched in her hand. Her curiosity piqued and she peeled the top, glancing inside.
For a second, she considered pulling the item out completely, but the sound of hurried footsteps behind her made her pause.
"I've gotten rid of her, Mrs. Avril," Sophie said quickly. "I'm so sorry I couldn't do that earlier."
Hazel's gaze lingered on the bag for a second longer before she closed it. "Is that a regular thing?"
Sophie was caught off guard. "N-Not that I know of." She paused. "Miss Holly is usually… very sweet. I don't know what came over her today."
Sweet?
Hazel frowned. She wasn't just pathetic, she was also clever enough to fool everyone. What an irritating cliché!
"Mrs. Avril…?" Hazel lifted her head, and Sophie's eyes widened instantly. "Oh my God—your face!"
Her fingers traced the reddened mark on her face.
"You've been hurt… I'll get you some ointment!" Sophie blurted out, already turning away in a rush. "Please wait here!"
Hazel took a deep breath, then her gaze dropped back to the paper bag.
She opened it again and pulled out what was inside.
Her brows drew together as she slightly turned the small bottle in her hand filled with neatly arranged pills. There was no immediate label that made sense on it.
Why would Holly deliver this to her?! What drugs were these?!
Sophie's approaching footsteps startled Hazel and she hurriedly placed the bottle back into the paper bag. Whatever these were, she'll figure them out later.
~♡~
It took a couple of hours before Hazel finally decided to return to the suite.
After she'd demanded a mobile phone, Sophie had informed her that all her devices—her phone, her laptop, everything that might explain this madness, was kept in there.
She exhaled slowly as she stood before the double doors.
She had avoided this place on purpose because of Alastair. But now, that avoidance felt childish and useless. If there were answers anywhere, they would be in there.
The suite greeted her with silence.
Her gaze swept across the room and she was grateful Alastair was still inside so she decided to quickly search for them. She looked through the drawers first, then the table, and finally the side console, but she found nothing.
Hazel frowned. "Where would you keep them…" she muttered under her breath, more to herself than anything else.
"Where would you keep what?"
Startled, she jerked sharply, her heart slamming against her ribs as she spun around to the voice that came from behind, only to see Alastair.
Her eyes flickered instinctively to the bedroom door, then back to him, and a chill slid down her spine.
When did he come out?! She hadn't heard a thing!
"Are you planning on giving me a heart attack?"
Alastair raised a brow, unbothered, then moved past her as if she wasn't worth the reaction, straight to the kitchen.
She turned, watching him with a faint frown.
He was half-naked again, wearing just a pair of joggers. It made her uncomfortable for reasons she didn't want to examine.
He grabbed a glass, poured himself water, and drank it in one smooth motion, after which, his cold gaze returned to her.
She shifted slightly under it, irritated at herself for reacting. "I don't remember where I dropped my phone. The maid said it was here."
His cold eyes studied her face, then it darkened.
Hazel felt the shift in the air before she understood it.
The glass slipped from his hand to the counter and he moved straight to her.
She instinctively took a step back but it was too late because he was already in front of her.
His eyes traced the faint redness of the clear imprints of fingers that did not belong to her on her cheeks, and they darkened even more. As if confirming what he was seeing, he gripped her jaw, tilting her face toward the light.
"Who did that?"
Hazel's fingers twitched at her sides. Her brows furrowed slightly at the sheer audacity of the proximity.
"I—"
"Don't lie."
His thumb brushed against the mark, making her heart pound. But it wasn't fear or nervousness, it was irritation at the fact that he was standing this close, touching her like he had every right to.
"It's nothing." She caught his wrist, trying to pull his hand away but he didn't move. His grip tightened just enough to send a clear message— Don't try it.
She frowned.
"Does this look like nothing to you?"
"Well, it's not your concern."
A vein stood out along his jaw. "Try saying that again."
Hazel swallowed. That sounded like a threat.
"Name."
"That's not necessary, Mr. Alastair." She tried to remove his hand again but he didn't budge. Annoyed, "Clearly, I already handled the situation. I wouldn't be here if I didn't," she said sharply. "If you don't mind, can you let go of my face? I feel suffocated."
Silence stretched between them.
For a second, something unreadable passed through his eyes. Then, his grip loosened slowly.
Hazel didn't wait. The moment she felt it, she stepped back, putting distance between them.
Just when the air felt easier to breathe, Alastair pulled her closer to himself once more until she was only an inch away.
"That's the most space you're getting," he said quietly. "I'm going to ask you one last time. Name."