From Secret Wife to Queen of Her World by Anonymous

Chapter161.

Hazel had complicated feelings toward Sebastian.

No matter what had happened, they had once been best friends. She gave him a nod in acknowledgment.

Since their last

last dinner at

Hidden Bites, Sebastian hadn't seen her again.

Remembering how he had just told someone the night before that he missed her, only to leave Seattle the next

day, he quickly explained, “My grandma fell ill. Right after dinner that night, | rushed back to Los Angeles.”

He hadn't intended to leave without a word, but the biggest reason was that he didn’t have her number.

Gabriel's sharp gaze lingered on the two of them, his guard instantly up. Sebastian greeted him first.“Mr.

Campbell, we meet again.”

Gabriel's tone was indifferent.”Mm.”

His cold eyes barely skimmed over Hazel before he turned to Sebastian.“Move.”

Sebastian stepped aside.

Gabriel strode out of the elevator with his two assistants, heading straight for his room. Hazel hadn't brought any

other assistants along, just Johnson.

room was

right

across

from

next hers, directly

to Sebastian's.

Gabriel's Seeing Hazel, Sebastian didn’t rush to leave.

He dismissed his two assistants, then casually followed her toward her room. “Haze, my grandma knew I'd be

seeing you and askedto bring you sgifts.” “They're in my room. I'll go grab them for you.”

Hazel’s grip tightened around her purse, her steps faltering slightly. She looked at Sebastian’s calm face.

Sebastian frowned.“What? Do | have something on my face?”

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Clearly, he had no idea what his grandmother had done to Hazel in the past. Not surprising. Abbie would never

let her grandson be troubled.

Hazel lowered her gaze, suppressing her emotions.“No rush. Just leave it there.” Abbie had once been a dear

friend of Hazel’s grandmother. She had personally gone to Nyack to bring Hazel to Los Angeles.

also Abbie who had forced Hazel was

to leave. But three years later, it Sebastian sensed her sudden coldness. Thinking back to Hazel’s abrupt

departure all those years ago, a sense of unease crept in.

Could it be that it wasn’t just his mother’s doing? Had his grandmother been involved too? He studied Hazel's

face carefully, but her expression was already composed, giving nothing away. She clearly didn’t want to talk

about it. With a simple farewell, she entered her room

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< Chapter161.

Johnson entered the suite next door.

Menu

Sebastian stood alone in the hallway, deep in thought. Then, with quick steps, he returned to his room and made

a call.

“Roy, | need a favor.”

In the room across the hall, Gabriel listened to his assistants go over his schedule, though his thoughts were

elsewhere.

“You two can go,” he said.

Emma and the other secretary exchanged glances before quickly gathering their things and leaving.

Silence filled the room.

Gabriel's mind drifted to what he had uncovered about Hazel’s past.

She had lived with the Stevens family in Los Angeles for three years, attending the sschool as Sebastian.

They were academic standouts, often winning competitions together. But right before college entrance exams,

she had packed a small suitcase and returned to Nyack. She took the exams in a rural county and becthe

top scorer in the entire province, earning a sizable

government scholarship.

Yet, the very next day, she transferred all the money to Abbie’s bank account. Throughout her four years of

college, aside from her intense studies, she spent every free moment working.

Wherever the pay was higher, she went.

Even the infamous bar video that Jade had leaked had an explanation-Hazel had taken that job. because the bar

offered instant commissions.

Every bottle of alcohol she sold earned her cash on the spot.

If she managed to sell a bottle worth over 100 grand, the commission alone could reach five figures.

Hazel worked there for six months and becthe undisputed sales champion, earning millions in commissions.

Gabriel couldn’t help but notice how much Hazel had sacrificed over those six months. The amount she had

transferred to Abbie was nearly all of her part-tearnings. No wonder she had looked so thin and pale when

he first met her, like she hadn't had a decent meal in years.

His gaze shifted to the crumbling school building in the distance. It was the only middle school in Akron, the very

place where Hazel had once been a student.

Meanwhile, Hazel stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of her room, overlooking the county

town.

Compared to ten years ago, it had grown much busier.

But she would never forget the night she returned from Los Angeles, standing in the pouring rain with less than

two hundred bucks to her name, unable to afford even the cheapest motel. Even after coming back to Nyack two

years ago, she had rarely set foot in the county town, mostly

31.4%

(Chapter 161

staying in the village,

Thad passed, and things had improved,

thens

After resting for a while, Hazel grabbed her bag and left the hotel. She didn’t call Johnson. She wanted to take a

walk alone at Western Reserve Academy,

Night fell.

The town lacked vibrant nightlife, and tourism wasn’t developed.

The streets were quiet.

Hazel wandered aimlessly and soon found herself in front of the Western Reserve Academy.

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She had spent three years here after her grandmother brought her back from Seattle. Later, she was taken to

Los Angeles, and thanks to the Stevens family’s influence, she and Sebastian had spent three years as desk

mates.

Memories surfaced one after another. Lost in thought, she failed to notice the footsteps behind her.

It wasn’t until she passed a small alley that a greasy voice called out.

“Hey, sweetheart, all alone?”

Hazel turned around calmly.

The streetlights barely masked the man’s yellowed teeth and the lecherous glint in his eyes.

As she turned around, the man’s eyes lit up with surprise. He hadn't expected this lone woman to be so

stunning.

But in his twisted excitement, he completely missed the icy, calculating glint in Hazel’s eyes “I'm alone too,

babe. It’s a chilly night. How about

we warm up together? swift kick from behind. be sent flying by a He reached for her, only to Gabriel had been

watching her from the moment she left the hotel. He had also noticed the man tailing her.

“Damn it, who the hell dares mess with me?!”

The man scrambled to his feet, only to lock eyes with Gabriel's dark, stormy glare. His white shirt sleeves were

rolled up, and his black leather shoe pressed hard into the man’s knee, sending a

of wave agony across his twisted face.

Already weak-boned, he crumpled to the ground after just a few hits.

Gabriel leaned in.“Still feeling cold?”

“N-no! Not cold at all! I-I run hot! Super hot!”

Scrambling to his feet, the thug bolted, limping down the alley, terrified Gabriel might cafter him again.

the

hotel?” at of resting hour instead Hazel stood unfazed, watching in silence. Gabriel's frustration flared. “Why the

hell are you

this wandering around

alone at

Before he could say more, she suddenly lifted her hand toward him, her pale wrist catching the light, drawing his

gaze.