Chapter 69: Ivan’s Confession
Hazel needed to go to the supermarket for the ingredients to make the chocolates, but just as she was leaving the dormitory, she saw Ivan waiting for her.
She couldn’t resist frowning. Ivan still hadn’t called her since returning home after the incident in the mountains.
“Hazel.” Ivan walked toward Hazel hesitantly.
“What’s the matter, Ivan?” she asked politely.
“Nothing, I just wanted to visit you.” He looked to be in a gloomy mood. “Are you going out? Let me be your driver.”
“Don’t bother.” She smiled, distant. “I’m just going to the nearest supermarket, not that far.”
“Then I’ll go with you,” he said with a firm expression.
She had no choice but to let him follow her.
When they arrived at the supermarket, Hazel bought all the ingredients on the list while Ivan followed her with perseverance. However, he seemed to be distracted.
Walking out of the supermarket and looking at Ivan, who was still following behind her, Hazel suddenly stopped. “Ivan, if there’s nothing else, I will be going back to school. You do not have to walk me back.”
Ivan seemed to have made up his mind and spoke, “Hazel, let me buy you a drink.”
“Okay,” she said very distrustfully.
As Hazel and Ivan were walking toward a local coffee house, Kenny’s car drove by on their way to the University.
Vanessa looked out of the window and said, “Kenny, that is Hazel, correct?”
Kenny looked over and saw Hazel and Ivan walking down the street together.
Then he said, hesitating, “She looks like…”
“Looks like? It is clearly her!” Vanessa couldn’t resist sneering. “Who’s that man next to her? It looks like they just went to the supermarket together and are going to have dinner now? I can’t believe it. I thought Hazel was an honest girl, but when Joshua is on a business trip, she can’t wait to go out with another man…”
“Vanessa!” Kenny frowned and interrupted her with a little displeasure.
“Am I wrong?” said Vanessa angrily. “You clearly saw it with your own eyes. I can’t believe you don’t see anything wrong with the way that man is looking at her!”
Kenny was becoming more hesitant. He did not want to doubt Hazel or believe that Joshua made a bad choice to have her as his girlfriend, but it was Hazel he had seen.
“How is that, Kenny?” Vanessa said. “It seems that this is not a good time for us to talk with her. First, we should follow them to see if there is any misunderstanding.”
“... All right.” Kenny agreed. He turned the car around and slowly followed Hazel.
A sneer flashing across her eyes, Vanessa picked up her phone and pointed it at Hazel.
She originally wanted to find Hazel and ask her to give up of her own accord, but if Joshua found out about this, he would definitely be angry with her and may even blame her for being manipulative.
She did not expect that Hazel would be out with another man as soon as Joshua left for business. If she did send the photos to Joshua, hopefully, he would lose interest in the woman who was two-timing him!
After they reached the coffee house, Hazel went to find a window seat as she normally did. She sat down to watch the traffic on the road, but she had no idea that someone was watching her through the window.
“Hazel, I’m sorry…” Ivan said apologetically.
“Ivan, you don’t have to keep apologizing.” She smiled. “If you’re still feeling bad about the whole incident, you do not need to apologize. I don’t really care.”
He was still struggling as he let out a sigh. “Hazel, in fact, I did not doubt you back then. I knew very well that you are not the one who would steal.”
Hazel’s eyes flickered. She still felt a little uncomfortable recalling back the day when she was accused of stealing by Ivan and his friends.
She was thankful it was all over. “I understand.” She smiled. “Because everyone wanted things to be smoothed over quickly and you are closer to them, they are more important, you had to take their side first.”
Ivan’s face became pale as Hazel got up to leave. He knew that even if she said that it was fine repeatedly, he would still feel miserable.
“Hazel, that’s not true!” he caught her hand excitedly as she was walking past him.
Vanessa and Kenny had been upstairs looking for a place to sit, where they would not be noticed when they saw Ivan grab Hazel’s hand.
Kenny looked aggravated and wanted to go over to say something to both of them, but Vanessa stopped him and dragged him away.
“Why are you stopping me?” As he walked out of the coffee house, Kenny said with displeasure, “How can such a woman deserve Joshua? I remember she seemed to be having an unclear relationship with Isaac, too? She’s really talented. Even after she is obviously dating Joshua, she is out with another man and dares to deceive my friend!”
“If I didn’t stop you, what were you going to do?” Vanessa sneered. “Are you going to scold her? If she cries to Joshua later on, wouldn’t it affect your brotherhood if Joshua believed her?”
“Then forget it?” Kenny asked angrily.
“Of course not.” Vanessa’s eyes flickered with pride. “We will tell Joshua all about this. It is a matter between Joshua and Hazel after all.”
“You’re right.” Kenny nodded. But then he said with some embarrassment, “But Joshua won’t believe me, I have no evidence. What can I do?”
“I just took photos.” She shook her phone. “But if I send them directly, I’m afraid Joshua won’t believe me. I’ll send you the photos, and you can forward them to Joshua. Joshua will know what to do with the photos.”
Kenny was a little stunned that Vanessa managed to take pictures without him noticing. Finally, he nodded and said, “Okay.”
Upstairs, Hazel pulled her hand away and almost raised it to smack Ivan’s face, but she hesitated.
“Sorry, Hazel, I was too excited. But,” Ivan withdrew his hand with a sad expression, “in my heart, you are more important than those people! Hazel, I love you!”
Hazel was startled.
It never occurred to her that Ivan would suddenly profess his love to her.
She suddenly thought that Ariel and Summer were right when they cautioned her. She was really clueless, she did not know a single thought that was in Ivan’s head.
“Because I love you, I consider you to be closer than them.” Ivan sucked in a deep breath.
Then he smiled with a hint of resentment. “I did want to smooth things over. I just assumed that our relationship was closer than this, and as long as I explained my feelings after things calmed down that you would understand me...”