MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

"Mom, I was the one who pressured Hazel. You can't blame her," Joshua explained while Hazel hid behind him. He did not hesitate to take all of them to blame for their actions after her graduation.

"Who are you calling Mom? Don't talk to me like that!" Rachel looked extremely unhappy.

"We're already married, so of course he will call you Mom just like I do," Hazel mumbled quietly and then lowered her head.

"You…!" Rachel glared at Hazel angrily. "You are actually taking his side instead of your parents' side?!"

"Mrs. Crowe, doesn't that just prove how strong their relationship is?" Katherine said with a smile, looking over toward the newlyweds. However, when she looked at Joshua, she filled with confusion.

Rachel had been so focused on Joshua and Hazel that she hadn't noticed Katherine standing in the hallway. When she heard her speak, she looked over disapprovingly, she was ready to tell her to mind her own business. First, though, she wanted to know who she thought she was intruding on a family matter, "Who are you…?"

Before she could finish her interrogation, she recognized Katherine. She was so shocked that she froze and couldn't speak.

Hazel knew that Rachel was thrilled to see her idol standing in front of her. Giggling a little, she took Joshua's arm and winked. "Mom, Aunt Katherine witnessed my commitment to Joshua."

It wasn't a complete lie, Katherine was sitting in the audience when Hazel professed her love to him at the graduation ceremony.

Rachel's expression changed a little as she glared at Hazel and snarled, "That is impolite! How can you address General Sanchez like that?"

"I asked her to call me like that, I like Hazel very much," Katherine said with a kind smile. "Mrs. Crowe, Hazel is a very respectable girl. Please, let's sit down and talk..."

Katherine was well aware that even if most people thought Hazel was not good enough for Joshua, in Rachel's heart, Joshua was not good enough for Hazel, the little girl she had raised.

Rachel reluctantly sat down and listened quietly while Katherine praised Hazel. She began to smile, and with a bit of persuasion from her idol, Rachel had completely changed her attitude.

Although Harry was clear headed and not distracted by Katherine and her influence, Rachel always called the shots in the Crowe family. Since she was accepting of the marriage, no one would give Hazel and Joshua a hard time.

As Joshua said, Hazel's family was more concerned about her happiness. The three rules were already broken, and they were upset, but since they were already married, it seemed pointless to force a divorce upon them.

After the Crowe family became more tolerant of their marriage, Joshua took the opportunity to present his wedding plans to them, "I want you to know that we will have a wedding so that our family and friends can attend and celebrate with us."

Harry and Rachel were surprised but also impressed that Joshua had plans for an actual wedding and that he treated Hazel so well.

Katherine pulled Hazel off to the side as the others talked over wedding plans. She quietly whispered, "I would like to take you somewhere,"

Hazel was a little confused but told her parents and Joshua she was leaving with Katherine. Joshua walked them to the door, and Katherine chuckled, "Mr. Denmark, are you worried? Would you like to go with us?"

"I'm sure you won't take Hazel anywhere dangerous," Joshua replied faintly.

"Thank you for trusting me," Katherine spoke in a flat voice.

Hazel was about to get into the car when Joshua grabbed her arm, pulled her close, and gave her a long, deep kiss.

"Don't do that..." Hazel blushed and looked coyly at the car.

Katherine had already got in the car and didn't seem to see anything.

"Come home soon," Joshua said in a hoarse voice, reluctant to let her go.

He and Hazel were newlyweds, he really didn't want to be separated from her for even a moment. However, he knew that Katherine really didn't want him to go with them, or else she would have invited him at the same time she asked Hazel.

"I will!" Hazel smiled and got into the back of the car. She sat with Katherine in the back while her bodyguard, Crystal, drove them to their destination.

As they pulled out of the driveway, Hazel turned to Katherine and questioned her, "I am in the car now, so please, Aunt Katherine, will you tell me where we are going?"

Katherine's face turned serious as she said in a low voice, "We are going to visit someone."

Visit someone? Hazel's brow wrinkled in confusion because she had no idea who she was going to see and what she would be doing. However, she was worried that she might upset Katherine if she asked too many questions, so she looked out the window and let her imagination run wild.

Hazel jumped when Katherine suddenly spoke, "Hazel…I have heard a lot about you and Joshua. I know he is the adopted son of Denmark. Has he ever thought of trying to find his biological parents?"

"I asked him before," Hazel sighed helplessly. "He said he was too old to act like a child searching for his long-lost parents and that he didn't care who his biological parents were because my parents had loved him like their own."

Katherine's face darkened as she listened and read between the lines. It was obvious that Hazel worded her answer kindly but what she wasn't saying is that Joshua didn't care who his biological parents were, and he never attempted to look for them. Katherine knew if he did, he had tried; he definitely had the resources to find out some information.

Hazel turned to look directly at Katherine, her heart was pounding. She couldn't understand why Katherine would ask such a random question, then she began to wonder if the person they were going to visit had something to do with Joshua's biological parents.

Her heart began pounding even harder, but she didn't dare ask anything, even as they pulled up to a nursing home. Hazel got out of the car and followed Katherine into the building without saying a word. With just a simple glance around the entranceway, it was clear to Hazel that the facilities were first-rate.

Katherine led Hazel to a door and then knocked, "Stacy, I am coming in."

Then, without waiting for an answer, Katherine pushed the door open and walked in.

Hazel felt strange, but she followed her anyway. Next to a large window, a woman with long hair sat in a wheelchair, she continued to stare out, not even acknowledging their entrance.

"Stacy, I brought a friend to meet you." Katherine quietly said she squatted beside her and smiled.

Hazel looked at Stacy, her beauty was breathtaking, she looked like a little elf. With a soft tone, Hazel whispered, "Nice to meet you."

But Stacy still did not make any movement, not even as much as fluttering her eyelids.