Just a Night

Chapter 5

After two minutes of silently staring at each other, Hazel slowly walked toward him.

Jason stepped forward immediately, taking her hand gently into his. He pulled her closer until there was barely any distance left between them. His eyes searched hers deeply, like he was trying to make up for all the years they had lost apart.

“I’ve missed you so much, Hazel…” Jason whispered softly.

Without saying another word, Hazel wrapped her arms tightly around him and buried her face in his chest. Jason held her just as tightly, refusing to let go.

They remained like that for what felt like forever.

When Hazel finally pulled away slightly, her eyes were shining with unshed tears.

Jason gently brought out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the tears from her cheeks.

Suddenly, Kayla’s sharp voice cut through the moment.

“That’s enough! What exactly is going on here?!”

Hazel ignored her at first and looked straight at Jason.

“So you are the bossy, rude, arrogant CEO everyone fears?” she asked boldly. “The same person everybody warned me about?”

Jason smiled softly — the kind of genuine smile only Hazel could bring out of him.

“You were afraid of me, Hazel?”

Kayla stepped closer, her voice full of anger.

“Are you deaf? I asked what is going on here! Who do you think you are, touching him like that?!”

Hazel finally turned to her, calm and composed.

“Well, as you can clearly see… we are reconnecting.”

Kayla scoffed loudly.

“Reconnect? How exactly? You two don’t even know each other!”

Hazel smirked slightly before glancing back at Jason.

“Really? Jason and I go way back. We were classmates, best friends… practically inseparable. Our families were very close and always made sure we attended the same schools and grew up together.”

She paused briefly.

“We spent almost every day together until our families eventually relocated to different places. After that, we lost contact completely.”

Paul looked between them in genuine surprise.

“So your families were actually close? You two were really best friends?”

“More than that,” Hazel replied softly. “Jason was basically family to me. We did everything together.”

Kayla turned sharply toward Sandra.

“Sandra, tell me this isn’t true.”

Sandra nodded calmly.

“It’s true, ma’am. Every word of it.”

Kayla spun toward Sandra, her voice rising in anger.

“Then why didn’t anybody tell me?! How could you hide something this important from me?!”

Hazel shrugged lightly.

“Sandra wasn’t even living in the same country as me back then. She didn’t know every detail of my childhood.”

“This is absolute nonsense!” Kayla snapped furiously. “You’re making all this up just to get close to him!”

Jason stepped forward immediately, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Kayla, calm down please. There’s no reason to get this upset.”

She pulled her arm away from him roughly.

“Don’t tell me to calm down, Jason! Don’t you dare take her side!”

Jason sighed softly, then spoke seriously and firmly.

“She’s telling the truth. Everything she said actually happened. There is nothing hidden here.”

Kayla shook her head angrily in disbelief.

“I’ve heard enough of this nonsense! I’m done listening!”

Without waiting for another reply, she stormed out of the office and slammed the door behind her.

Sandra stepped forward politely.

“Sir, if you don’t mind, I’ll take my leave too.”

Jason nodded briefly.

“You may go.”

As soon as Sandra left and it was just the two men, Paul frowned at Jason.

“How come you never mentioned any of this before? I’ve known you for years and never heard her name.”

Jason remained calm and unbothered.

“I wasn’t hiding anything. It’s simply part of my past, something that happened long before I met you.”

Paul immediately fell silent, looking embarrassed.

Jason looked at him directly, his tone shifting to authority.

“Go and make sure her office desk is fully prepared and set up. She officially works here now.”

Paul scoffed mockingly.

“She has been employed already? Just like that?”

Hazel, who had been standing quietly, folded her arms confidently.

“Yes, Paul. Whether you like it or not, I work here now.”

“But nobody even interviewed you properly, or vetted you,” he argued.

Hazel raised an eyebrow, laughing softly.

“Interviewed or interrogated? Did I commit a crime just by getting a job here?”

Jason’s voice suddenly turned cold, sharp and authoritative — the voice of a true CEO.

“Paul, that is enough. Stop asking unnecessary questions and causing a scene. I am still the CEO of this company, and my decisions are not open for debate or questioning. Do I make myself clear?”

Paul nodded quickly, looking shocked and embarrassed.

“Yes, sir. Understood.”

He hurried out of the room immediately.

Hazel crossed her arms, looking at Jason with a teasing smile.

“So… do you interrogate everybody before employing them, Mr. CEO?”

Jason leaned back comfortably in his large chair, relaxing again.

“Only when necessary. In your case… I already knew exactly who you were. There was no need.”

Hazel shook her head slowly, studying him.

“You’ve changed a lot, Jason. You are so different now.”

His expression softened, turning a little sad.

“I had to change. The business world changes people. To survive and lead, you have to be tough, cold, and firm. That is just how it works.”

Silence fell between them briefly, heavy with memories and feelings.

“Hazel…”

She looked up immediately, meeting his eyes.

“I honestly never thought I’d see you again in this life.”

“Me neither,” she admitted quietly. “I gave up hope a long time ago.”

“I missed you,” he said simply, but with so much emotion.

Hazel quickly looked away, trying to hide the blush rising to her cheeks.

Jason noticed immediately.

“Why did your face change like that? What are you hiding?”

“Nothing at all,” she muttered, looking away.

“Hazel…” He drew out her name gently.

She lifted her chin stubbornly, challenging him.

“I doubt you actually missed me.”

Jason looked genuinely hurt.

“Why would you say that? How can you doubt me?”

“Because if you truly missed me, you would’ve looked for me. You would have found a way,” Hazel said firmly.

Jason sighed helplessly.

“I was busy, Hazel. I had so much to do.”

“That simply means you didn’t miss me enough,” she replied calmly.

“I spent years working for my parents, learning the trade, and building this company from scratch,” he explained seriously. “It wasn’t easy. I had no time for anything else.”

Hazel waved her hand dismissively.

“Fine. Let’s just forget the topic. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

Just then, someone knocked gently on the door.

“Come in,” Jason called out.

A female staff member hurried inside nervously, looking afraid.

“Sir… Miss Kayla is destroying things in her office. She is throwing files and breaking things.”

Jason stood up immediately and rushed out to stop her.

About two minutes later, he returned — and Kayla was right behind him, walking angrily inside.

“What is she still doing here?!” Kayla demanded sharply, pointing at Hazel.

Jason tried calming her down.

“Babe, please relax. She is here to work.”

“No! I won’t relax! It’s simple: either she leaves this place right now, or I leave! Choose, Jason!”

Hazel stood tall and confident.

“Jason knows very well he can’t send me away. I have a job here.”

Kayla glared straight at Jason, waiting.

“Well?! What is it? Choose now!”

Jason remained silent for a moment, looking torn.

Kayla scoffed angrily.

“Fine then! I’ll leave! You obviously don’t care about me!”

She stormed out again, slamming the door so hard the walls shook.

Jason sighed deeply, walked back to his chair, and sat down heavily, looking exhausted.

Hazel looked at him carefully.

“Does she always behave like this? Throwing tantrums, breaking things, shouting?”

Jason nodded tiredly.

“Whenever she gets angry or doesn’t get her way… yes. This is normal for her.”

“How do you even cope with all that attitude and drama every single day?”

He let out a dry laugh.

“I guess I’m just used to it now. I don’t even notice it much anymore.”

Hazel narrowed her eyes slightly, studying him closely.

“Jason… do you actually like her? Be honest.”

Jason looked surprised by the question.

“What kind of question is that? Of course I…”

“Just answer me,” she insisted. “Yes or no?”

“I don’t like her, but—”

Hazel interrupted him immediately.

“Then why is she your fiancée? Why are you with her if you don’t truly like her?”

Jason raised a hand gently, stopping her.

“Wait. Listen first, okay?”

He paused briefly before continuing seriously.

“I love her, Hazel. In my own way, I do. Even though our relationship was arranged by our parents, she became important to me. She has been by my side all these years.”

Hazel rolled her eyes slightly, smiling a little.

“Okay, okay. I only asked if you liked her, not her entire life biography. I get it now.”