Hazel

Chapter 33

Hazel POV

Chloe and I took an Uber to the venue, and as we stepped out of the car, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the sight in front of me.  The venue looked stunning. Chloe stood by my side, exuding confidence and support.

The paparazzi swarmed around, eager to capture pictures of everyone entering the event. Chloe, unfazed by the attention, laced her arm through mine, and we walked into the venue together.

"You know I don't like pictures, Chloe," I reminded her.

"Well, you look fabulous today, Hayz," she replied with a grin. I decided not to argue and let her have her way.

As we entered the venue, the atmosphere buzzed with excitement. Laughter, music, and the clinking of glasses filled the air. I looked around in awe, taking in the beautiful surroundings.

"Wow, this place is really nice," I whispered to Chloe.

"It's okay," she nonchalantly remarked. Chloe was accustomed to parties like these, attending them almost every week. The last time I went to a party of this scale was years ago, and it happened to be an event hosted by Chloe's parents.

Chloe effortlessly mingled with the crowd, greeting familiar faces along the way. I, on the other hand, did my best to hide behind her, feeling uncomfortable with the attention.

"Oh, look, there's Aiden," Chloe said, pointing across the room. I followed her gaze and spotted him, dressed in a black tuxedo and looking incredibly handsome.

"We should go say hi," Chloe suggested.

I glanced at the group of people surrounding Aiden and hesitated. "He seems a little busy. I don't want to interrupt. Maybe we can catch up with him later," I replied, feeling a hint of nervousness.

"Aren't you his date?" Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but, you know," I trailed off, feeling unsure.

"Hayz, I don't like the fact that you can't tell people," she said, sounding a bit upset.

"Chloe, you know..." I started to explain.

"Yeah, I know," she interrupted, understanding my reservations.

"Why don't we get something to drink?" I suggested, trying to change the subject.

"Sure, why not," she agreed, and we made our way to the bar.

As we waited, I spotted a familiar face approaching us. "Chloe, Hayzel!" I smiled when I saw Cara walking toward us. She greeted both of us and then turned her attention to me.

"Hazel, this is the second time I've seen you at a party. Will this become a regular occurrence?" she asked playfully.

"It should be," Chloe chimed in, joining the conversation.

"Really now? Are you dating someone here?" Cara inquired, raising an eyebrow.

I blushed and quickly replied, "Of course not."

"Are you sure about that?" she teased, winking at me. "Any chance it's Aiden? I heard you two work together."

"Cara, please. That's ridiculous," I protested, feeling my face grow warmer.

"Fine, I won't pry, but I have a sixth sense," she said, maintaining her mischievous smile.

"What about you, Cara? Who are you here with?" Chloe redirected the conversation.

"Andrew," Cara replied, a hint of blush coloring her cheeks. "It might be getting serious."

As I looked around the room, I saw Aiden approaching us with a smile. He greeted people as he made his way toward us, and when he finally reached us, he greeted Chloe and then Cara before turning his attention to me. He pulled me into a warm hug and whispered in my ear, "Hey, beautiful. You look absolutely stunning." He pulled away slightly, his eyes filled with adoration.

I blushed, feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Smiling at him, I simply said, "Congratulations."

"Thanks," he replied. "I'm glad the three of you could make it."

"Believe me, I wouldn't miss it for the world," Chloe interjected, and as if on cue, Spencer appeared.

"Good evening, ladies," Spencer greeted us. "Chloe, you look absolutely beautiful."

"Oh, hell no," Chloe responded, clearly not interested, and she walked away. Spencer followed her, leaving Aiden and me momentarily.

"Oh, there's Andrew. Excuse me," Cara said, noticing her boyfriend across the room. She excused herself and walked toward him.

Aiden and I were left standing together, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of nervousness. "Thanks for inviting me tonight," I said, breaking the silence.

"How could I not invite my beautiful girlfriend?" Aiden whispered in my ear, causing me to blush even more. "I wish I could kiss you right now," he added, his words making my heart flutter.

Wanting to give him his gift, I reached into my bag and pulled out a small box. But before I could hand it to him, we heard someone calling Aiden's name. We both looked up and saw Mr. Jameson, Aiden's father, approaching us.

"Aiden, there you are! I've been looking all over for you. What are you doing here Miss, Hart, I didn't expect to see you here tonigh." Mr. Jameson slurred, clearly having had a few drinks. His gaze fell on me, and I instantly felt a sense of discomfort.

"Dad, don't," Aiden warned, knowing what might come next.

"What? It's true. We don't usually invite our employees to these types of events," Mr. Jameson remarked, his words stinging.

"Dad, she's my friend," Aiden replied with a hint of anger in his voice.

"We really shouldn't be friends with our employees," his father continued dismissively. "Anyway, I've been looking all over for you. There's someone here who's dying to see you," he said, scanning the crowd.

And then, to my dismay, Stacy, Aiden's ex-girlfriend, emerged from the crowd. Aiden's expression turned to anger as she approached us.

"Oh, Aiden, sweetheart, I've been looking for you all evening," Stacy said, trying to sound sweet.

"Well, I've been doing my best to hide from you all evening," Aiden replied sharply.

"Aiden, please. That's no way to speak to your girlfriend," Mr. Jameson scolded.

"Dad, she is not my girlfriend," Aiden snapped.

"Aiden, sweetheart, we should have never broken up. You and I are meant to be together, but let's not talk about that now," Stacy said, pulling out a large black box. "Look what I got you," she exclaimed as she opened it, revealing a Rolex.

I looked down at the small box in my hand and slowly put it away. The situation became too much for me to bear, and I needed to get away.

"Excuse me," I whispered, my voice barely audible as I walked away. Aiden looked at me, his eyes filled with concern and a desire to follow me, but his father stepped in front of him, diverting his attention.

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I tried to find Chloe in the crowd, but she seemed to have disappeared. As I wandered around the venue, I noticed a small garden area with few people around. It seemed like the perfect place to gather myself before searching for Chloe.

I found a secluded spot, sat down, and took in the serenity of the garden. Thoughts raced through my mind—why was I even here? I shouldn't have come.

As I attempted to calm myself down, I heard someone call my name. Looking up, I saw a smiling Michael walking toward me.