Better Late, But Never His Again novel Chapter 37

Hazel stayed close to his side, her gaze sweeping casually over the crowd.

Not far away, two familiar figures stood together.

It was Julian and Evelyn.

Julian wore a dark grey suit, his gold-rimmed glasses catching the cool lighting, while Evelyn clung to his arm, looking gentle and elegant in a pale pink evening gown.

Standing side by side, they looked like the perfect match.

Hazel's breath hitched slightly. Were these two ghosts? How did they manage to haunt her everywhere she went?

She realized her outfit and makeup tonight were drastically different from her usual style; Julian might not even recognize her.

With that thought, she lifted her chin and continued following Marcus deeper into the venue.

Across the room, Evelyn was sipping champagne and making small talk with a guest.

She casually glanced toward the entrance, and her entire body stiffened.

Marcus Thornton, the man famously rumored to keep women at arm's length, actually brought a date tonight?

And that golden-yellow silk gown, that aloof elegance, that face...

Why did she look so much like Hazel?

Evelyn's heart skipped a beat, her brows pulling together instantly.

She immediately rejected the insane thought.

Impossible!

Hazel was supposed to be at home, wasting away in that empty mansion. How could she possibly be here?

And how on earth could she be walking into a place like this on Marcus's arm?

I must have seen it wrong.

Evelyn tried to console herself, but an unsettling anxiety lingered in her chest.

"Evelyn?" Julian's gentle voice sounded near her ear. He looked at her, his eyes full of concern. "What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"

A second later, she looked up again, glancing worriedly in the direction she had been staring earlier. "Julian, I really think I saw her."

Her voice trembled with feigned uncertainty. "Could you send her a text just to make sure?"

She was terrified. Terrified that the stunning woman truly was Hazel, terrified that Hazel had somehow attached herself to Marcus, and most of all, terrified that Hazel was actually that beautiful and radiant.

Seeing her act so worried, Julian's heart melted completely, and he gave her an indulgent smile. "Alright, I'll text her."

He pulled out his phone, stepped to the side, and sent Hazel a message.

"Where are you?"

Across the room, Hazel saw the text pop up, her eyes turning glacial. She knew that running into Julian tonight was inevitable, but she still didn't want him finding out this early. So, without a second thought, she typed back.

"At home."

Almost instantly, another message came through.

"Send a picture to prove it."