Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Every time Piper came to visit me, she could not help but cry and apologize.

"Hazel, I am so sorry. It is all my fault. I thought Desmond would save you, so I stupidly followed them away."

"When I brought help later, I only saw him putting a girl into the ambulance. I thought it was you…"

"If only I had paid more attention back then!"

I listened to her, forced a smile, and gently patted Piper on the head.

"I don't blame you, really."

After lying in the hospital for a whole month, my injuries finally started to heal.

However, during this entire month, Desmond never came to see me again after that first day.

He only left me one single message.

"There is an emergency at the company. I have to go out of town for a few days. I will come see you when I get back."

But that very same day, I saw Chloe's post on social media.

In the picture, Chloe was smiling brightly. Desmond was looking down, handing her something.

They looked so close and natural together.

The caption read: "Thank you to Mr. Hayes for taking the time out of his busy schedule to guide my work!"

Piper's tone was full of heavy sarcasm. "Guide her work? Looks more like a romantic vacation with a candlelight dinner!"

I looked at the photo and clenched my fingers slightly, but I didn't say a word.

Piper asked carefully, "Hazel, are you okay? I feel like… he is…"

I cut her off. My voice was so calm it showed no emotion at all. "I am fine."

After Piper left, I leaned against the hospital bed and gently closed my eyes.

On the day I was discharged, Desmond came to pick me up himself.

He looked exhausted. He carefully carried me into his car, treating me like a fragile treasure.

But as soon as I walked into his house, I saw Chloe busy in his kitchen.

At that moment, my fingers curled up slightly, but my face stayed calm.

I used to love sticking close to Desmond. So when I moved out, I bought an apartment right across the hall from his just to be near him.

Now, looking at the lively scene in his home, I felt like a complete outsider.

"Hazel, everyone is here to celebrate your recovery," Desmond explained gently.

But before he could finish, Chloe's sweet, sticky voice rang out from the kitchen.

"Mr. Hayes, where do you keep the spices?"

"Let me find them. You definitely won't be able to," Desmond said as he walked toward the kitchen. His tone carried a hidden fondness.

"How do you know I can't find them?" Chloe sounded annoyed, but her voice was super flirty.

"Then try finding them. I bet you can't."

"Hmph, who are you looking down on?"

"Wow, why do you two always bicker when you are together? Need any help in there?"

Desmond's friends started teasing them. They went into the kitchen to help, and happy laughter echoed from inside.

I sat alone on the living room sofa, watching the remaining guests play party games.

Even though the house was full of people, there was no one I could talk to.

When I looked down, a flash of white brushed against my leg.

It was a beautiful Ragdoll cat, rubbing affectionately against my feet.

Piper had given me this cat as a gift, but Desmond had always been the one taking care of it.

I had excitedly offered to take care of the cat myself back then.

But Desmond just laughed, patted my head, and said, "My little princess can't even take care of herself. How can you raise a cat?"

"Well, I have my Desmond. If I don't know how, you definitely will," I had replied with a smile.

Now, the little cat was snuggling happily against my feet, but I couldn't help sighing.