Chapter 7 Who Is He To You

When Hazel heard his forthright words, a blush began to creep onto her cheeks. Perhaps a kiss of gratitude might be quite commonplace for city folk, but she, having been raised in the countryside by her nanny, was accustomed to the more conservative ways of rural life. Even if it was gratitude, at most it would just be a hug... His gaze fell upon her red lips, seemingly hinting at something. Zachary thought that perhaps a flying kiss could suffice. Hazel's heart skipped a beat, her normally pale earlobes had turned a fiery red. “We don't have such customs in the countryside,” she said. After she finished speaking, she turned her head to look out the window, ignoring him. Zachary watched her evasive demeanor. She was intelligent, lively, and independent. She didn't rely on anyone, nor was she willing to easily entrust her heart to others. Even a simple kiss was something she wouldn't casually give away. The red light came on, causing the luxury car to halt. From her position leaning against the window, Hazel spotted the most famous cake shop in Maritown. “Do you want some cake?” The deep, rich voice of Zachary echoed in her ears. A hint of melancholy appeared in Hazel's bright eyes as she softly said, “My mom used to take me to that store to buy cakes.” Zachary turned the steering wheel, parking the car by the roadside. “If you're hungry, go and buy something to eat.” This cake shop was a well-established institution in Maritown, particularly popular among the circle of socialites and heiresses. Every day, they sold their cakes in limited quantities. Since childhood, Hazel had a fondness for cakes. Her mother would often bring her here to buy them. It was a cherished memory, one of the most beautiful times in her life. It had been a decade, a full ten years since Hazel last visited this place. Her eyes were tinged with red, but she didn't want the man beside her to see. “Um... Could you wait for me a moment? I need to use the restroom.” She wanted to go and wash her face. Zachary watched as the girl's figure disappeared from view. Just moments ago, he had seen her on the verge of tears. She seemed truly like a naive young girl. He strode into the cake shop with his long legs. Coincidentally, Sage was also at the same cake shop, along with her best friend, Violet Kovac. Violet pulled on Sage's arm. “Sage, you mentioned earlier that Hazel, that country bumpkin, is keeping a lover? I think she's just found herself a sugar daddy!” Sage sneered dismissively, “No matter what, she's nothing but a despicable little b*tch. My mother despises her, and so do I! Whether she's keeping a pretty boy or finding herself a lover, it's all wrong! If it wasn't for the fear of implicating my dad, I would have spilled the beans about her affair to the folks at Maplewood Manor long ago.” “I've heard that the standards at Maplewood Manor for widows are extremely high, almost like a monastery. However, who really knows? Perhaps that place secretly shelters a multitude of lovers.” Sage declared, “Once my father's company is back on its feet, I swear I'll expose her affair! By then, the people from Maplewood Manor will surely not let her off the hook. They might even resort to arson to get rid of her...” At that moment, a deep, magnetic voice resonated in her ears. “Excuse me. I'll have a cake.” The sound of this voice was just too pleasing to the ear. The attention of Sage and Violet was immediately drawn, and there they saw Zachary. At that moment, Zachary was standing tall and upright by the counter. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt and black trousers; his height and long legs gave him the stature of a supermodel. Just his presence was enough to make one's eyes light up. Good heavens! This man is incredibly handsome. Violet was utterly mesmerized, quietly tugging at Sage's sleeve. “Sage,” she whispered, “this man's attire is quite unusual. Yet, I've never seen him in the upper echelons of society...” She meticulously recalled the faces of those families she had encountered, yet none matched... Could it be one of those heirs who shied away from the social scene and media exposure? Sage had never laid eyes on such a handsome man before. She didn't care about his identity or what his background was. Simply seeing his face was enough for her to fall deeply in love with him. A flutter of excitement filled Sage, as she realized she had met the right person. At this point, Violet whispered again, “Sage, do you think the man who's supporting Hazel could be this handsome guy not too far from us?” “What nonsense are you spouting?” Sage glared at Violet. “A country bumpkin like Hazel... Whether it's her pretty boy or her sugar daddy, they're definitely the bottom of the barrel. Ugly and fat... If she could afford to keep such a fine specimen, I'd be her dog!” Sage would have never believed that Hazel's pretty boy was actually this top-tier man standing before her. At that moment, the manager apologized profusely, “I'm sorry, sir, but the last cake had already been purchased by those two young ladies. We're sold out for the day. You might want to come in a bit earlier tomorrow.” The last piece of cake was purchased by Sage. Sage's heart was pounding wildly. She quickly stepped forward, looking at Zachary with a mix of excitement and shyness. “Sir, are...are you looking to buy a cake? I can give you this one, but... you'll have to give me your contact information.” Sage had already fallen for this man, so she couldn't wait to make the first move. She was quite a catch, youthful and beautiful. She had a lot of boys chasing after her. However, it was strange that she would feel so nervous when she took the initiative to strike up a conversation with this man. As Sage eagerly anticipated, Zachary inexplicably glanced at her, as if he was looking at a lunatic. He simply produced his black card, handing it to the store manager. “Then, I'd like to request the chef to work overtime to make one for me.” The store manager immediately spotted Zachary's black card, emblazoned with a golden “Luellen” on its surface. The last name was renowned throughout Maritown. The manager almost instantly deduced the identity of the man before him. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead as he realized that the influential figure, who held substantial sway over Maritown and had the power to change fortunes, had unexpectedly graced his humble cake shop. “Sir... Sir, please wait a moment. I'll have the chef specifically craft one for you.” The store manager rushed into the back kitchen. Sage and Violet were somewhat baffled. Why would the store manager go out of his way to create a custom cake for this man? They all had lined up. They realized that this man was certainly no ordinary individual; his social standing was at least above theirs. Sage didn't want to miss out on this attractive and well-positioned man. She subtly adjusted her strap dress, intentionally revealing the enticing curve of her chest. “Oh dear... Sir, I feel dizzy.” Sage feigned dizziness, and let her body fall into Zachary's arms. “Could you help me...” She closed her eyes, anticipating that she would fall into the man's embrace. But the next moment, she leaned directly onto Hazel's body. Hazel had indeed witnessed Sage attempting to seduce her husband in a public setting. However, to be precise, not many people were aware that Zachary was her husband at that time. “Sage, are you planning on falling for this handsome gentleman?” Sage straightened up and glanced upward. Surprisingly, she saw Hazel. Sage wore a look of disbelief. How could Hazel be in the cake shop? When she left, Marcus had already gone into the room. What's happening? Even more importantly... Hadn't she leaned on that handsome and influential man? How did she end up falling onto Hazel? Furious, she shoved Hazel away, shouting, “Move! You're blocking my view of Mr. Right!” Zachary acted swiftly, steadying Hazel by the waist to prevent her from falling. “What are you doing? Are you looking for trouble?” Zachary had no intention of maintaining any sort of gentlemanly demeanor in front of other women, especially not Sage, whom he had investigated. She was well-known for constantly tormenting his newlywed wife. Sage and Violet gasped in surprise. Hazel and this man looked incredibly close. “Hazel, who is he to you?” Sage quickly asked. Hazel flashed a teasing smile. “Didn't you say he was my pretty boy? Of course, you could also say he's my lover, my sugar daddy...” After she finished speaking, she mischievously looked at Zachary, who wore a puzzled expression. Zachary instantly understood what she wanted to do. He simply flashed her an indulgent smile and didn't say anything further.