Chapter 16


    Ethan gracefully slid into the back seat of his car,


    “Drive to thepany.” He instructed.


    His expression a mixture of sourness and sadness.


    The vivid image he had just witnessed yed like a relentless movie in his mind, unleashing a torrent


    ofplex emotions within him. Hazel, the woman who had once been his wife, was now remarried


    and had children. He couldn’t help but emit a deep sigh, briefly shutting his eyes.


    The road stretched before him, eerily free of other vehicles, with only pedestrians ambling by. Hazel


    had transformed in ways that were hard for him to fathom. She exuded an air of maturity, her


    appearance radiating a newfound sense of adulthood. Gone was the fragile young girl he had known;


    in her ce stood a woman who had undergone a profound growth and change..


    Her alluring scent, reminiscent of Eucalyptus, seemed to linger tantalizingly in his senses. Her once–


    short hair had now grown considerably, flowing down her back in cascades. Her face had rounded out,


    adopting a fuller and more mature shape, while her l*ps had taken on a plump and inviting quality. As


    she had conversed with him, he had found himself unconsciously registering her features.


    “What the hell, Ethan?” he groaned audibly, grappling with theplexity of his thoughts. “Is there an


    issue, boss?” Axel, seated in the front, inquired, as the car came to a halt. “No,” Ethan replied curtly,


    though the reality was quite the opposite. He was thinking of his ex–wife!


    “Drive,” he ordered firmly.


    Ethan attempted to redirect his focus for the remainder of the car ride, but his mind. persistently circled


    back to Hazel. The man standing beside her, he deduced, must be her


    mate.


    Ethan reclined in his seat, thoughts swirling like a tempest in his mind. He couldn’t help but recall the


    enchanting faces of Hazel’s beautiful children, a soft chuckle escaping his l*ps as he reminisced about


    Daisy’s adorable pout and Liam’s fiery temper. The little boy had exhibited a fiery temper, even


    growling at him, an Alpha!.


    He was a tiny warrior, fiercely protective of his sister and mother. In some peculiar way, that boy


    reminded him of his own younger self, and it tugged at his heart.


    “Perhaps, if Hazel hadn’t left, those kids would be mine,” he mused momentarily, a wistful expression


    crossing his face. However, he swiftly leaned forward, dismissing such thoughts from his mind. He was


    remarried. So was Hazel. He sternly reminded himself of these facts.


    Hazel had undergone a significant transformation, but so had Ethan. He was no longer the same man


    he used to be, and he was certain she must have noticed it. The taint of a man who had been involved


    in unsavory dealings had marked him–his aura, his scent, even the look in his eyes had all changed..


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Nevertheless, the memory of that little boy walking up to him, growling and yelling, brought a genuine


    smile to Ethan’s face. The tiny cupcake clutching his leg and attempting to raise it was so small


    Yet, upon noticing her, an inexplicable urge had surged


    within him to lower himself to her eye level andfort her–until her protective brother charged in,


    disying his macho bravado. The little girl bore a striking resemnce to her mother.


    If she were his daughter, Ethan mused, he would have such endearing beings waiting for him at home,


    tugging at him with their innocence. Maybe, if he had such a family, he wouldn’t have be deeply


    entangled in the dark world he now inhabited. The little girl. possessed the kind of eyes that could


    render anyone a willing minion, catering to her every whim and desire. If she were his, she would have


    him wrapped around her little finger, Ethan thought with a sad smile.


    They looked so happy together; he couldn’t help but recall the heartwarming image of the children


    bursting into giggles. Even the initially grumpy little man who had growled at him just moments ago had


    softened at the sight of his mom. It expanded the abyss of emptiness he had long kept hidden within.


    Ethan had turned around onest time, stealing a final glimpse of Hazel’s radiant smile as she gazed


    down at her children. She looked truly lovely with that smile, and an air of mncholy settled over him.


    Perhaps, he contemted, it was for the best that they remained apart. His world was far too tainted


    and shadowed for her and those innocent cubs./


    “Axel, find out where that woman lives, where she works, and gather any other pertinent details,” he


    instructed in a low, measured tone.


    “Okay, boss,” came the prompt reply.


    “And,” he added with a note of secrecy, “don’t breathe a word of this encounter to the Luna.


    Understood?”


    “You met someone?” Axel asked, feigning ignorance.


    Ethan sighed with a hint of satisfaction.


    Ethan let out a frustrated sigh as his phone vibrated, interrupting his train of thought. He reluctantly


    answered, his tone curt.


    “Be,” he acknowledged.


    “Are you back?” she inquired.


    “Yes,” he replied shortly.


    “Are you on your way home?” Her voice carried a hopeful tone. Ethan’s demanding schedule often kept


    him at the office, tending to matters that Be remained blissfully unaware of.


    “Not yet, but I’ll be heading home today.”


    “Good. My exhibition begins in a few hours, and you can…” Be’s words trailed off into the


    background for Ethan. She was perpetually hosting one event after another, relishing her role as the


    wife of one of the city’s most influential figures. Material wealth and social status appeared to be her


    primary concern, it was all she cared about leaving Ethan feeling drained. His mind wandered away


    from the conversation, back to the image of the little girl who had squatted down by his leg, her


    innocent puppy–dog eyes gazing up at him. Her chubby cheeks were undeniably endearing.


    “Ethan. Ethan! Are you listening?” Be’s voice snapped him back to the present.


    “Yes, I’ll try to make it,” he replied, ending the call. Ethan couldn’t help but wonder if Be had always


    been so shallow, with her singr focus on wealth. It was a stark contrast to the genuine warmth he


    had once known in Hazel, a warmth he now sorely missed. Memories


    of Hazel’s pure and radiant smile, along with her infectiousughter, briefly flitted through his mind. He


    had to forcefully pull himself back from thoughts of his ex–wife.


    Returning to his work, Ethan’s trusted assistant, Axel, presented another matter.


    “The Clevnd Hospital organizers have requested a date that doesn’t conflict with your schedule for


    their g. Would the twenty–third of this month work for you?” Axel asked, his gaze fixed on hisptop


    screen.


    “That’s next week. What’s on my schedule for that week?”


    “Primarily, you have meetings rted to the ongoing takeovers. It’s not overly hectic,” Axel replied,


    consulting Ethan’s calendar. “However, it’s also the day of Mrs. Be’s art exhibition.”


    The Roberts family had yed a pivotal role in establishing thergest hospital in the country,


    specializing in various surgical procedures. Ethan had diversified his interests beyond the business


    world, engaging in charitable endeavors that included overseeing projects and sponsoring surgeries at


    the Clevnd Hospital, which currently ranked as the nation’s foremost medical facility.


    Ethan couldn’t help but let out an exasperated sigh at the mention of yet another one of Be’s


    exhibition.


    “The date works. Be can manage her little parties without my presence,” he stated firmly. Yet, buried


    deep within, a curiosity nagged at him. What were Hazel’s children named? Why had she returned to


    the country? A part of him yearned to see her once more, to engage in conversation, and perhaps


    catch a glimpse of her children’s adorable faces.


    ***


    “What’s the name of the specialist?” Chloe inquired, her curiosity piqued. They had settled into their


    new house, with only a few shopping trips left toplete their transition.


    They sat together on the sofa, indulging in ate–night snack, while Daisy and Liam, exhausted from


    the day’s excitement,y fast asleep. They had sought refuge in Hazel’s room, as their own still


    required significant work. Their new apartment, situated on the third floor, boasted two bedrooms and a


    spacious balcony. The kids had spent hours exploring their new home, utterly enchanted, as Noah had


    anticipated.


    “Dr. Gomez. I have a note right here, along with Daisy’splete medical history. I just need to meet


    him and seek his opinion on this case, to determine if the surgery can be scheduled earlier or not.


    Although Daisy seems healthier and better now, it remains unpredictable,” Hazel exined.


    “It’s like walking on thin ice. You can’t predict when it might crack,” Chloe added with a sigh.


    Hazel nodded in agreement, her mind preupied with thoughts. Chloe noticed her friend’s distraction


    and voiced her concern.


    “Are you okay?” Chloe inquired.


    “Hmm?” Hazel responded, her thoughts momentarily elsewhere.


    “I know you were shaken by the near–loss of the kids, but you’ve been on edge all day–ever since I


    picked you guys up from the airport. It’s like you have a lot on your mind. Is something bothering you?”


    Chloe asked with genuine concern.


    Hazel hesitated, unsure of how to exin her encounter with her ex–husband, Ethan. She had felt a


    distinct sense of threat to her children, sensing that Ethan had changed significantly. The look in his


    eyes, the possessiveness that emanated from his cold gaze when he looked at Daisy, it was


    disconcerting. She didn’t want to burden Chloe with this


    ren.


    She shook her head and offered a vague exnation. “It’s nothing. I’m just feeling scattered and


    overwhelmed. I’m really tired,” she admitted.


    Internally, Hazel was frightened. If Ethan somehow discovered that the children were his, he might not


    let them go. Her thoughts drifted to Martha and the maniptions she had with the pregnant tests that


    day, with it she had denied Ethan’s connection to her kids. But for how long could she maintain this


    facade? He must have felt some connection, especially with Liam.


    Hazel took a deep breath, mentallymitting to avoiding Ethan Roberts and anything associated with


    him.


    Changing the subject, Chloe brought up Hazel’s baby. “So, Dr. Gomez is quite the expert, right?”


    Hazel nodded, grateful for the change in topic. “Yes, the doctor back home said he used to be his


    lecturer years ago, although he must be close to retirement now.”


    Chloe expressed her hope that Dr. Gomez wasn’t retiring anytime soon. Hazel agreed, realizing that


    Daisy’s well–being hinged on this expert’s assistance. If Dr. Gomez were unavable, finding another


    specialist in a foreign country would be a daunting and costly endeavor, and she didn’t have much


    money to spare.


    “I just hope everything turns out well,” Hazel sighed, her thoughts returning to her desire to avoid any


    further encounters with Ethan.


    Chloe, taking a sip of her soda, inquired further about Dr. Gomez’s whereabouts and the hospital he


    worked at.


    “How do we find Dr. Gomez? Which hospital does he work at?”


    Hazel shared the information she had gathered. “Clevnd Hospital. From my research, it’s currently


    one of the best in the country.”


    Unbeknownst to her, Hazel was unwittingly stepping into Ethan’s territory.