MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

The atmosphere was a little dull. Simon gave them an indifferent look and got up from the sofa.

"We don't have to have dinner together today, lest we are all unhappy. As for..." Simon's eyes flickered with loneliness. To be honest, he didn't hate Joshua, and he didn't want to become a stranger to Hazel, but it seemed like their relationship had to end up like this.

He said in a deep voice as if he had made up his mind, "Whatever decision you've made, I don't care..."

With that, he looked disdainful and turned away.

Hazel tried to ask him to stay, but Joshua stopped her.

"Unless we choose to side with him, there's no point in saying anything," Joshua whispered.

Hazel sighed lightly. She knew, of course, that since Simon had said that, he had made up his mind to force them to make a choice. Unless they chose to side with Simon, he was unlikely to change his mind despite how she persuaded him.

Watching Simon leave, Hazel frowned and looked up at Joshua. "Do you think… if there was any misunderstanding? Is your father really that kind of person?"

Joshua looked a little graver as he mused, "Hazel, I don't want to lie to you by saying something too upbeat. Ted King is a man who only shows mercy and patience to those who he cares about, but he is absolutely ruthless to those who he doesn't care! Even if Simon's mother… was not killed directly by him, she should be forced to die."

That was why Joshua used the father-son relationship to pressure Ted because Joshua knew that if Ted wanted to get rid of Hazel, he would do whatever it took to kill her.

Hazel's heart sank. Even Joshua said that then the relationship between Ted and Simon was really unsolved.

Unless she and Joshua didn't get involved at all, no matter which side they took, they would not be able to stop the fight between Ted and Simon.

"I still think there should be something fishy…." She frowned and said, "Didn't you say that you came to Country Z because Ted asked you to take Simon home so that Ted could explain the misunderstanding between them?"

He furrowed his brows.

"Ted shouldn't be someone who's arrogant enough to think that a few sentences can explain everything and clear up the misunderstanding?" She looked at him.

"You're right." His face became grave, and he nodded. "Ted is ruthless, but he never dreamed of anything unrealistic."

She nodded. That was probably why Ted never looked for Stacy and Joshua, because for Ted, both of them were dead, and instead of fantasizing that they were still alive, he might as well help their revenge.

Suddenly, Hazel's eyelids twitched, and a strange thought rushed into her mind.

"Will you call and see if there's some inside story?" She hesitated but finally said, "Could it be that what happened to you and your mother had something to do with Simon's mother?"

"I'll look into it," Joshua's eyes went dark, "but Hazel... Whatever the reason, if Ted killed Simon's mother, it's a knot that can't be unraveled."

Hazel furrowed her brows tightly. Joshua was right.

Ted's taking Stacy and Joshua away meant he couldn't have any feelings for them. If they wanted to avenge their murder, then Ted's treatment of Simon's mother made perfect sense.

However, if Ted did kill Simon's mother, it was impossible for Simon to think his mother should be killed by Ted just because she did something bad. Whatever the reasons, Simon was unlikely to accept Ted.

"If all this is true, what… will you do?" Hazel looked up at Joshua.

"Are you worried about him or about me?" His heart was a little jealous.

"I just want to know your choice..." The corners of her lips twitched slightly. Even though Joshua had lost his memory, his habit of being easily jealous didn't change at all.

She said seriously. "But... Whatever you choose, I'll be for you."

His eyes turned dark. He could sense that Hazel was humoring him. Although Hazel didn't have any feelings for Simon, she couldn't be cruel to him because Simon was caring for her these days.

Simon lost his mother, and his father was his enemy. It would be cruel to him if his only brother, whom he did not dislike so much, turned against him. Maybe that was why Hazel's heart was softened.

Even so, Hazel hid her feelings because she had to care about his feelings.

"If that's true… of course I'll do what I should do," Joshua spoke flatly.

Seeing a flash of disappointment in Hazel's eyes, he whispered, "But every debt has its debtor. Now that Simon's mother has paid the price, there is no need for me to involve the innocent."

She looked at him with astonishment. "Joshua…"

He gently rubbed her hair and explained in a low voice, "Hazel, I don't remember what happened, but I can feel I don't hate Simon that much. He should feel the same way about me. Isn't he angry at me?"

She froze. Indeed, if things really turned out as her speculation, Simon's mother died because of Joshua and Stacy. But Simon's hatred was directed only at Ted, not Joshua. Joshua must have returned the favor for that reason.

Hazel became a little relieved and said with a serious expression, "I still don't think it's that simple, Joshua. Why don't you ask Ted and find out why?"

"If he was willing to tell me, he wouldn't have asked me to catch Simon." Joshua mused, "Maybe there's some inside story. But either Ted doesn't think a direct explanation can convince Simon, or he has other concerns."

Her face looked more worried.

"All right, don't worry about any other men," he said and squeezed her cheeks with jealousy. "Leave it to me, Hazel. I'll try to catch Ian Flores first."

"Simon's uncle?" She understood instantly. "Right, he must be one of the people who know those things. Also..."

"Also, it's likely that he often incites Simon." She seemed to think of something. Then she suddenly looked at him warily. "How are you going to catch him?"