Better Late, But Never His Again novel Chapter 3

Standing by her bedroom window, Hazel watched Julian's car pull up to the driveway gates. He walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and gently helped the woman out.

Hazel looked down at the freshly printed divorce agreement in her hands and walked toward the stairs.-

The sound of the front door opening drifted up from below. She raised her eyes, and the moment her gaze met Julian's, his face broke into that familiar, gentle smile.

"You're awake? Perfect, there's something I need to tell you."

Hazel didn't say a word, her eyes shifting to Evelyn.

Evelyn stood in the entryway, clutching a delicate handbag. Wearing an ankle-length white dress with her long hair cascading down her shoulders, she looked as pretty and fragile as a painting.

Noticing Hazel's gaze, Evelyn offered a polite, graceful nod.

Julian walked over and wrapped an arm around Hazel's shoulder, his tone incredibly soft as he explained.

"Honey, this is Evelyn, a... friend of mine. She's going through a tough time right now. She's getting a divorce, and her ex-husband has been completely unhinged. He actually took a group of guys to her place today and cornered her. It almost ended terribly. I thought about it, and it's just not safe for her to stay alone, so I brought her here to crash with us for a while."

He looked down at Hazel, a flicker of apprehension in his deep eyes, clearly bracing himself for her to throw a fit.

Hazel met his gaze, saw the calculated manipulation in his eyes, and swallowed the bitter taste in her throat.

"Sure."

Julian froze, completely taken aback by how easily she agreed.

Evelyn chose that moment to step forward, her voice soft and sweet.

"You're so incredibly generous, Hazel. I truly admire you."

Hazel looked at her, a slow smile curving her lips.

"You're too kind, Evelyn. But if you're trying to hide, you should probably hide a little better. If your ex-husband figures out you're staying here, that would be unfortunate."

Evelyn's smile stiffened for a fraction of a second. Before she could speak, Julian's voice dropped into a dark register.

"Hazel."

Hazel turned her head to meet his gaze. The man's brow was slightly furrowed, a flash of irritation in his eyes.

"How can you say something like that? Evelyn is going through hell right now. Her ex-husband will stoop to anything. As a woman, you should be a little more empathetic to her situation."

Hazel felt a suffocating tightness in her chest. She hadn't even said anything horrible, yet he was already rushing to her defense.

"I was just reminding her to be safe. After all, she's staying in my house. If something happens, I can't take responsibility for it."

Julian handed the signed document back to her and affectionately ruffled her hair.

"I'm going to show Evelyn around. Could you take her bags upstairs for me?"

Hazel took the papers and gave a stiff nod.

She watched Julian turn back to Evelyn, shoot her a reassuring smile, and lead her up the stairs.

As Evelyn brushed past her, she paused, tilted her head, and offered Hazel a triumphant little smile before following Julian up the steps.

Hazel stood rooted to the spot, looking down at the signed paper in her hands.

The ink of Julian's signature was still wet, catching the ambient light.

Hazel stared at it for a long time before carefully folding it up and sliding it into a manila envelope.

Then, she turned and went upstairs to pack her bags, her memories rushing back with every item.

He had helped her pick out almost every piece of clothing she owned. She remembered smiling so brightly at the time, genuinely believing that this was what happiness felt like. She never expected that it was all just one-sided wishful thinking.

A sudden knock on the door made Hazel's hands pause.