MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

Even if everything made sense, Hazel couldn't accept whatever reason Joshua had.

Joshua burst into laughter and said with a sigh of relief, "I'm glad I was there with the driver to take her home that day."

"Oh?" Hazel looked at him blankly. "You mean…"

If Joshua and the driver took Vanessa home, how could he do anything to Vanessa with the driver around?

"Hazel, I didn't touch her," he whispered. "I took her home with the driver and left with him that day. Then I went straight to the airport, so there was no way I could do anything to her."

"But I saw…" She looked at his white shirt, and her eyes dimmed somehow.

Joshua didn't change his clothes. He was wearing the same one he was wearing when he came back. There were still traces of tears on his shirt from Vanessa.

"What did you see?" He cocked his brows.

"I went to the airport and saw you are holding her," she said jealously.

How could a man have a normal friendship with a woman who he allowed to cry in his arms like that?

Joshua was caught off guard then finally understood why Hazel had such a deep misunderstanding that she would want to break up with him without any answers. 

There were really too many coincidences and misunderstandings, or rather, someone had deliberately misled her and caused this. He stretched out his arm and held Hazel in his arms lovingly.

Hazel, who misunderstood him, must be sad, right? He wanted to comfort her and protect her from all of the experiences she had endured since she met him. 

"You've hugged another woman, don't hug me!" She pushed him angrily.

"Hazel, listen to me first." He explained in a low voice, "Vanessa came to meet me at the airport. She said I had touched her that night and asked me to be responsible for my actions. I did not do anything with her, so of course, I would not admit to it."

Joshua continued to say, "However, when the driver and I left that night, Vanessa was actually assaulted. She could not accept the fact for a moment and cry. I could not push her away."

"You mean Vanessa slept with someone else, but she thought it was you?" Hazel looked at him in astonishment.

No wonder Vanessa was so confident and proud when she told her about it. It was just too coincidental…

"It appears so." He nodded.

His eyes deeper, he asked softly, "Hazel, will you believe me now?"

"Joshua, I'm very confused now. I don't know if I should believe you…" she bit her lip and stared at him blankly.

"If you don't believe me, it means the misunderstanding hasn't been cleared up." He frowned. "Shall I call the driver and ask him to explain to you?"

"... It's unnecessary," she whispered. "You can presume I believe you."

"Presume?" He slightly raised his eyebrows and gently lifted her chin with his finger. "To believe is to believe, to not believe is not to believe. How can I presume that?"

His lips pressed against hers, she tried to push him away, but he grabbed her wrist. He seemed to express all the feelings of missing her for the three days by kissing her passionately.

"You..." When the long kiss was over, she leaned against his chest and gasped.

"Hazel, can you feel it?"

"What?"

"My heart."

She leaned on his chest and listened to his steady heartbeat.

Her hand, which had been holding his shirt, suddenly tightened a little, and Hazel finally made up her mind, "Joshua, I believe you."

The stone in his heart fell at long last as Joshua chuckled. "What about the gift?"

"What gift?" She was a little stunned.

  "Thanksgiving Day gift," he whispered. "Shouldn't you have prepared a Thanksgiving Day present for me?"

If not, why would Hazel make a special trip to the airport to meet him?

"There's no Thanksgiving Day present!" she said awkwardly.

The chocolates she had intended to give him had been crushed in her hand and thrown into the trash can. How could she give them to him?

However, Joshua even could guess it, so she could only play the fool.

"Is it?" Joshua let her go and turned around to walk toward the trash can.

He took the box out of the bin and smiled. "This?"

"How did you know?" She was dumbstruck.

Joshua was too smart, wasn't he? She hadn't said anything at all!

"You kept looking at it when I asked you. I suppose you have left your present here." He explained with a smile.

She was convinced.

"What's in it?"Joshua sat down in his chair and looked down at the crumpled box.

Hazel had completely destroyed the box. He heaved a sigh and gently opened it.

"Forget it." She shyly grabbed the box and slammed it closed. "I'll throw it away and give you another gift in the future."

"The future is the future; the present is the present." He took her by the wrist and pulled her into his arms.

He took the box again and opened it, his eyes lit up. Hazel actually had intended to give him chocolates as a gift. Many of the chocolates in the box had been crushed, and their former shape could not be seen at all. Looking at the crushed chocolate, Hazel suddenly felt a little sad.

It took her several days and numerous attempts to prepare the box of chocolates, but she got angry and crushed it before giving Joshua the opportunity to explain.

She said hopelessly, "Throw it away, it's all broken…"

She was overwhelmed with surprise when Joshua calmly took out a piece of chocolate and put it in his mouth.

"Delicious." He smiled.

Hazel wanted to cry and said in a low, trembling voice, "They're so dreadful, you don't mind them…"

"What's dreadful?" He whispered, "It's from you. I like it very much. Hazel, this is the best Thanksgiving Day present I've ever received."

Feeling a warmth in her heart, Hazel leaned on his chest. "Joshua, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have suspected you before."

"Hazel, it's not your fault. Perhaps we should deepen our feelings." He looked at her tenderly and kissed her again.

The kiss had chocolate flavor. Hazel wrapped her arms around his neck in bewilderment and responded emotionally.

At the end of the kiss, Joshua gently touched her forehead, and they smiled at each other.

All of a sudden, the phone rang, and Joshua frowned.

"Answer the call quickly." Hazel smiled and warned him in a low voice.

He answered the call and heard Kenny's voice frantically say, "Joshua, come quickly, Vanessa killed herself!"