LOGIN~~ Hazel's POV ~~I stood at the stage and looked out at the sea of confused faces."My name is Hazel Saint Claire," I said, my voice steady and clear. "For the past three years, you have known me as Hazel Rossi. But that is not my real identity."The room erupted in whispers."My mother was Elena Sinclair," I continued. "She was the daughter of Margaret Sinclair, the chairwoman of E&H Investments. My mother was supposed to take over as CEO of this company, but before she could do that, she passed away."I paused, letting that sink in."When my mother died, my grandmother asked me to take over her position. To step into the role that was always meant to be mine, but I didn't want that life. I wanted freedom. I wanted to build something of my own. I wanted to live a simple life with the people I loved."I looked toward my grandmother, who was watching me with tears in her eyes."So I said no," I said. "I refused. I wanted to be free. I wanted to open a restaurant. I wanted to be just H
~~ Kai's POV ~~The moment Margaret Sinclair stepped into the restaurant, the entire room went silent.It was the kind of silence that happens when power walks in the door. The chairwoman of E&H Investments. The actual chairwoman. Here. In person. This was insane. This didn't make any sense at all.Everyone's eyes were on her as she moved toward the stage, parting the crowd like water. I was scanning the crowd for Hazel. She should be here. She should be watching this moment. She should be seeing the chairwoman of E&H Investments because after all this is her restaurant opening.But I didn't see her anywhere.My chest tightened slightly.I caught Sophia's eye across the room and moved toward her, weaving through the crowd. "Where's Hazel?" I asked quietly, keeping my voice low so no one around us would hear.Sophia turned to me with a small smile that made my stomach tighten even more."She hasn't been back since Adrian came to get her," she said, her tone suggesting she knew exactly
~~ Hazel's POV ~~I was standing with Kai, Sophia, and Carrie in the private lounge area of the restaurant, away from the main crowd.Carrie was adjusting the hem of my dress, making small tweaks to the already perfect silver fabric."Stop moving," she said, tugging gently at the material. "You're going to mess up the drape.""I'm not moving," I said, but my leg was bouncing slightly.Carrie looked up at me with a knowing expression."Yes, you are," she said. "You're vibrating like a hummingbird. What is going on with you?""Nothing," I said too quickly. "I'm just nervous about the restaurant opening. It's a big night."Sophia was sipping champagne, watching me with an amused expression."It's just a restaurant opening," Kai said from where he was standing. "You've already done the hard part. The place looks incredible.""I know," I said, smoothing down my dress even though it didn't need smoothing. "But there are so many people here. Investors. Business partners. What if something go
~~ Melissa's POV ~~I watched Adrian on stage as he spoke.He had really changed. The awkward college guy who had followed me around for three years was completely gone. In his place was a man who looked polished and confident and incredibly handsome. He carried himself with the kind of authority that came from power and success.I had made a mistake turning him down all those times. But that was fine. That was something I could fix.I waited until he came down from the stage, then I made my way over to him, putting on my best smile."Hi," I said softly, stepping into his path.He turned and looked at me, and for a moment, there was no recognition in his eyes."Hi," he said politely."Do you remember me?" I asked. "I'm Melissa Rossi. We went to college together."He paused, and I saw something flicker across his face like a memory or an acknowledgment."Oh, really?" he said, his tone neutral. "I'm not sure I…""Come on," I said, laughing lightly. "You must remember me. You had such a
~~ Hazel's POV ~~The MC took the stage as the restaurant filled with guests.I stood to the side with Kai, watching the room, feeling my heart pound in my chest. This was it. This was the moment everything began to shift."Ladies and gentlemen," the MC said, his voice carrying through the restaurant. "Thank you all for coming to celebrate the opening of this beautiful new establishment. We have a special announcement to make this evening."The room quieted."E&H Investments," the MC continued, "one of the most prestigious investment companies in the world, has chosen to make a special appearance at tonight's opening. They are here, and we are honored to welcome them."The whispers started immediately. I could hear them rippling through the crowd like waves."What? E&H Investments? Here?""Why would they come to a mere restaurant opening?""Do you think they're announcing something?""Maybe they're opening a branch here and wanted to do it somewhere special.""The COO is so handsome.
~~ Kai's POV ~~I pulled Hazel aside before her family could cause any more damage."Are you okay?" I asked, studying her face carefully.She looked up at me and smiled, and it was genuine."I'm fine," she said. "Kai, I'm fine. This is nothing new. My family has always been like this–a mess. They've always chosen Melissa and their business. They've never chosen me. So this? This isn't surprising. This is just who they are.""They came uninvited to your restaurant opening and made fun of you, that’s not something you should let slide." I emphasized."I know," she said. "But I'm not going to let them ruin this day for me. This is my moment. I'm not going to waste energy on people who have never supported me."There was a strength in her voice that I hadn't heard before. A certainty.I was about to respond when I saw my father walk in.Victor Valentino moved through the restaurant like he owned it, his gaze sharp and assessing. When he saw Hazel, he offered a tight smile that didn't reac
~~ Kai's POV ~~She looked beautiful standing in the garden.The evening light was catching her hair and her skin, and for a moment I forgot why I had come here. Forgot about the lawyer and the investigation and everything else that had brought me to the mansion.Then she looked at me, and I rememb
~~ Hazel's POV ~~The mansion felt different when I returned.Smaller somehow. Like the walls had closed in on me while I was gone. Or maybe I had just grown too much to fit back into the spaces I used to occupy.I unpacked my things in my room and tried not to think about the penthouse. I tried no
~~ Kai's POV ~~I came home to find Hazel sitting on the couch in the living room. The moment she heard the elevator, her entire body went rigid. Her eyes met mine for just a second before she looked away, and I saw the exact moment she decided to run.She stood up quickly and headed toward the sta
~~ Hazel's POV ~~I made it back to the guest bedroom and locked the door behind me. My entire body was shaking.I pulled off the damp robe and threw it across the room like it had personally betrayed me. Which, in a way, it had. The silk nightie clung to my wet skin uncomfortably and I peeled that







