MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

"I am sorry, Ivan, I do not understand," she came to her senses and interrupted calmly.

Looking at his face, she took a deep breath. She did not know how Ivan felt before, but she knew it now, so naturally, they had to talk it over.

"Ivan, your affection to me should not be love," she spoke quietly. "I always think that to love someone is to be nice to that person. It's the first time I've heard that the one you love must be persecuted first even if she did nothing wrong."

"I..." he wanted to explain something, but she interrupted him.

"As a friend, I can understand your helplessness but cannot accept it as an excuse. Besides, since you feel that your helplessness is more important than my injustice, doesn't that say something right there?"

"Hazel, I was so confused," Ivan said, looking at her with anticipation. "I can see clearly now. Can you please give me another chance?"

She frowned slightly and realized she needed to say things more clearly for Ivan to comprehend fully.

"I'm very sorry, but I have always treated you as a friend with no hint of anything more than that." she suddenly smiled softly. "Besides, I am already in love with someone."

"Joshua Denmark?" he asked, disappointed.

She was a little surprised, but she nodded and didn't deny it.

He smiled bitterly. "Right. He's the President of Denmark Group. He is a lot richer than me. You made the right decision to choose him."

She became very uncomfortable when she heard Ivan's thoughts. It didn't matter what Ivan thought of her or how he misunderstood her, but his remark seemed to downplay what Joshua had done.

She knew better than anyone what he had done for her, so she would not allow Ivan to insult him like that!

"I chose Joshua, not because he has more money than you," she said coldly. "He treats me well and does not want me to be wronged in any way. For example, recently, when my name was drug through the mud, Joshua stood up for me even though he knew his company would be involved. Would you have gone against your company and the media for me?"

Ivan sat back in his chair, looked down at the table, and shook his head slightly.

He would never have made the same choice as Joshua if it had been him. Just like his mentor and classmates were his weakness, the company would also be his weakness. His choice would have hurt Hazel regardless. 

It was not about him trusting her; it was just that he loved himself more than he loved Hazel.

Ivan smiled despairingly. "I have lost. I lost to him because of his heart and soul, I know I could not love you as he does. Hazel, no wonder you are defending him like this. I hope you will be happy with him."

"Thank you," she politely replied. "Ivan, I sincerely hope you will find a girlfriend for who you will be willing to do everything."

He smiled bitterly. He didn't say anything more. He just got up and left.

There was a chime on Joshua' phone, he picked it up and saw the photos that Kenny had texted. Kenny called him a moment later,  and Joshua answered the phone with a frown on his face.

Kenny had angrily planned to tell Joshua what he had seen. He did not know that before he could speak, Joshua would accuse him, "Kenny, why did you follow Hazel?"

Kenny was stunned, even forgetting what he had intended to say.

"Joshua, I didn't follow her," he said quickly, coming to his senses. "I happened to see her as I was passing by."

After that, he furiously told Joshua how he had seen Hazel at the supermarket with a man, walking intimately and holding hands. 

Joshua listened indifferently, his brows slightly down.

"Where you alone when you saw her, or was someone with you?" He asked.

Kenny glanced at Vanessa sitting next to him, and he felt inexplicably guilty. "Of course, I was alone when I saw her. Joshua, are you questioning me?"

Joshua said coldly, "It's not like you to give a personal assumption without knowing the facts."

Kenny broke into a cold sweat because it was true. What he told Joshua was more of Vanessa's guesses than his own.

"Joshua, we've been friends for so many years. Don't you believe me?" He was somewhat nervous.

"Okay, I see," Joshua said calmly.

"What are you planning to do?" Kenny couldn't help asking, "Hazel doesn't deserve you at all…"

"You misunderstood," Joshua spoke indifferently. "Hazel has her own life and her own circle of friends. I'm sure she can handle any emotional involvements like a woman."

"Do you believe her?" Kenny was offended.

"Of course," Joshua said in a deep tone.

Kenny hung up without saying another word to his friend.

"What did he say?" Vanessa asked hastily.

He told her what Joshua had said.

"Joshua is crazy, isn't he?!" She was furious. "He didn't believe you even though the photos were so clear. What kind of spell has Hazel cast on him?"

"Maybe we really got her wrong?" Kennedy was a little hesitant. "Joshua is not like those who can be cheated on very easily. He does have his own thoughts."

"But he doesn't have any emotional experience at all. I think he's just been cheated by Hazel!" She became more annoyed.

"Vanessa, I know exactly what you're thinking," Kenny looked at her quietly. "But the matter between you and Joshua is long in the past. He's serious this time. You had better let it go."

A hint of unwillingness flashed across Vanessa's eyes. However, now she knew that Kenny was unwilling to cooperate, so she could not continue. The worst part was that Joshua actually believed Hazel. 

Vanessa clenched her fists in anger. It seemed that she had to do something else to make Hazel leave!

Joshua looked at the photos on his cell phone. He believed Hazel, but the man in the photos was Ivan Lance, who Hazel had been very close to.

With his eyebrows cocked slightly, Joshua dialed Hazel's phone. She was just about to leave the coffee house when her phone rang, she was excited to see that it was Joshua's call.

"What's the matter?" she asked with a surprised tone.

"I miss you," Joshua said in a low voice.

She couldn't help but blush.

"I'll be back in three days at noon," he continued.

Her heart lifted at the thought of him being home, and she shyly let out a sigh. He smiled, not wanting to expose her excitement.

"By the way, where are you now?" he asked casually.

"I'm away from the school, I just met with my tutor," she said truthfully.