She Was The Wrong Bride

It was already 7 p.m. and Hazel had spent more than an hour in the kitchen, so she walked to the bathroom to freshen up.

Hazel could hear her phone keep ringing, so she wrapped a towel around her body and hurried to the bedroom and retracted her phone from her bag. It was a call from her dad, so she sighed heavily and connected the call.

"Hello father"

"Hazel, how are you doing?" He asked, and she knew there must have been a selfish reason he called; her dad has never called her to simply check up on her.

"I am fine, father."

"Drop by the mansion tomorrow; let's have dinner tomorrow, okay?" He asked, and Hazel knew he would only throw hurtful words at her if she said no, no matter what; he was her dad, and she had to respect him.

"Okay, father, I will be there." Hazel answered before the call got disconnected; she dropped the phone on the bed and turned to return to the bathroom when her gaze met with Coyle's.

Hazel got so nervous and was about to rush back to the bathroom when she slipped and felt her body about to hit the hard floor when Coyle was quick to catch her.

Her feet left the ground as Coyle carried her princess style with her hands wrapped around his neck. "Be careful, baby," he muttered, and this left her completely flustered; she could feel his hands on her wet body.

"I can walk; please put me down," she pleaded, but Coyle turned deaf ears and walked to the bathroom with her; he placed her below the shower and picked up the body scrub.

"Do you need some help?" He teased, and she hurriedly pushed him out of the bathroom and closed the door.

"I could do it alone." Hazel yelled from inside and closed the door tightly. Coyle chuckled before he walked to the balcony and lit up a stick of cigarettes.

His phone rang, and he checked the caller; he turned to make sure Hazel was still in the bathroom before the call got connected.

"Boss, our lead is dead," one of his men said, and Coyle clenched his fist; he had expected such.

"Did you search his house?" Coyle asked, knowing fully well that someone had killed him to prevent him from talking.

"Nothing, boss, but we will keep digging," he assured Coyle, who hung up and threw the cigarette.

"Keep destroying each one of my evidences; I will dig you out and make sure you pay," Coyle promised through gritted teeth.

-

Hazel helped serve the table for dinner when Coyle joined them downstairs shortly; he was freshened up and dressed in casuals, but he also had an angry look.

"Is he angry that they came here to have dinner with him?" Hazel thought curiously before she dished some food for him.

"Hazel, did Coyle tell you about the company's anniversary?" Muna asked, and Hazel nodded. He had told her about this earlier.

"Good, you have to play the role of the Lady of the Anderson group. Just like Coyle's mom," Dora explained, and Hazel shook her head; she had never done such a thing and didn't even know what her role was.

"Let's just eat; no one is allowed to mention my mom." Coyle frowned at Dora, who nodded, and they ate quietly, with Hazel stealing glances from Coyle; she knew he wasn't okay.

After dinner, Muna said to Coyle, "Make sure to ask your uncle and Damon to be there at the anniversary; don't cut them off."

"They are not needed," Coyle answered, and Muna held her head, frustrated.

"Just do it; why do you always add to my illness?"

Coyle simply nodded before they walked them to the car, which drove out. Hazel helped Sharon clean the table as Coyle was on the couch with a tense look. He kept staring at the wine bar, wishing he could just have a drink and move on.

"I am not even allowed to quench my pain," he chuckled when Hazel sat next to him. 

"Are you okay?" She had to gather her courage to ask such a question; she felt he wouldn't open up, but she still chosed to try.

"Hmm," Coyle answered with his gaze still on the wine bar.

"Muna is very nice; she loves you, a lot." Hazel tried to take his mind off whatever was bothering him.

"Hmm, she is my favorite person from the family," Coyle replied, and Hazel thought for a while before she asked.

"Dora must be the second." Dora worried a lot about him and also made sure he didn't argue a lot with his uncle; she must be his second favorite.

Coyle shook his head at the negative "Sam is."

Hazel was taken aback; the last time at the family dinner, he was in a hot seat with his aunt Samantha as they kept arguing about every little thing.

So how come she was his second favorite person? Coyle stood up and extended his hand towards her, which she accepted, and they both walked to the bedroom.

He retracted a card from his wallet and handed it to her. "It's yours; you should use it how you please." 

Hazel's gaze was on the card before it moved to him; she didn't know why he cared so much about her, even though she was the wrong bride.

Not to sound rude, she took the card and smiled at him, "Thanks a lot."

He nodded and walked to bed, and Hazel lay next to him; she was about to switch off the lights when she got reminded of something.

"I will have dinner tomorrow at my parents; is that okay?"

"No," Coyle replied and switched off the lights as he was very tired. Hazel had a shocked look and turned to him.

"Why no?"

"The only person you are allowed to have dinner with is me, so don't think of having it with your parents."

"I won't be long; we could still have dinner when I am back."

"Just sleep, Hazel." Coyle muttered, and she pouted.

"I already told my father I would be there." She didn't think he would refuse for her to have dinner with her family.

"Of course, you could go," Coyle said before he finally drifted off to sleep.