Chapter 330 Then He Is Really Pitiful
The door opened a crack, and Hazel appeared in the darkness.
She seemed surprised to see Katniss and Samuel still there, pursing her lips tightly in astonishment, maintaining her posture of looking out without moving.
Katniss turned and walked over, "Are you okay?"
"Ms. Grey... can you find me some clothes?" Her top had been torn by Benjamin.
Hazel had planned to run away recklessly without anyone recognizing her, but Katniss and Samuel were right outside.
Katniss turned to Samuel and said, "Take off your coat."
"Okay." Samuel reacted a bit slowly, quickly took off his coat, and handed it to Katniss.
Katniss handed the coat inside, and a few seconds later, Hazel came out wearing it.
The oversized coat made her look like a child wearing an adult's clothes. She was already short, so the coat almost covered her butt.
"He's still inside. I helped him put on his clothes. He shouldn't wake up for a while. You should get him a room." Hazel didn't leave immediately, glancing back at the lounge a couple of times.
"Samuel, go get a room and find someone to take him there." Katniss didn't feel comfortable leaving Hazel alone, "I'll take you home."
Hazel didn't refuse, pulling her clothes tighter. When she turned back, Katniss saw her neck covered in kiss marks.
Moreover, Hazel's eyes were red and slightly swollen, so she must have been crying for a long time.
Samuel quickly got a room at the front desk and found a staff member to carry Benjamin out of the storage room.
Hazel insisted on watching Benjamin being taken to the room before leaving with Katniss.
She lived far away, and there weren't many cars at night. The surroundings were quiet, with only the occasional honk breaking the silence.
"Ms. Grey, Mr. White, is this the kind of arranged marriage they talk about in wealthy families?" Hazel suddenly spoke, her voice clear.
Katniss glanced at her innocent eyes and nodded, "Yes, a typical business marriage."
"Then he's really pitiful." Hazel suddenly smiled, but her eyes were filled with tears, "He doesn't even have the right to find someone he likes."
"How do you know he's pitiful?" Katniss stopped at a traffic light, turned to say seriously, "People live with desires. Benjamin desires fame and fortune. In business terms, he's successful. He's achieved his dreams."
Hazel was silent for a while, then concluded, "So, in his eyes, money and fame are more important than me?"
For a moment, Katniss was speechless.
Did Benjamin like Hazel? But a woman's intuition was usually accurate. If Hazel felt he likes her, then he probably did.
"What about me?" Hazel lowered her head, tears falling on the back of her hand, and she couldn't hold back her sobs, "Then why did he come to me? I was the one who helped him get back on his feet. I was with him through the toughest times. When the White family kicked him out, he almost drank himself to death. I took care of him."
At that time, Hazel was still a middle school student, at the age of first love, but very mature.
She was so weak, yet she pulled Benjamin out of the mire.
After that, he got back on his feet, found a close friend, switched careers to become a lawyer, and started over bit by bit.
He had said, "Hazel is a light in my life."
The light stayed in place, but he left.
Katniss felt a mix of emotions, only able to describe Benjamin and Hazel's relationship as an unfortunate fate.
"In terms of feelings, he's not worthy of you." She tried to comfort Hazel, "You're loyal, but he's the opposite. Forget him."
"My memory is very good. I can still remember the scene when I first met him. It's been ten years, deeply rooted. How can I forget?"
Hazel pursed her lips, smiling bitterly, "It's not that I don't want to forget, it's that I can't."
The neon lights outside the car window shone on her face, and the tears sliding down her cheeks reflected the brilliant lights.
The car sped along, finally stopping at an old residential building. The light here was even dimmer.
Katniss couldn't even see what Hazel was doing in the passenger seat.
But she could hear Hazel's crying and could feel Hazel's body trembling.
"Sorry, I share a place with others. I'm afraid if I go back crying, I'll disturb my roommates."
She sniffed, grabbed a tissue, and wiped her nose and tears.
Katniss saw the tissue box was empty, so she handed over another pack, "Be rational. Think about what you want to do next. If you want to leave, let me know anytime."
"Thank you, Ms. Grey." Hazel nodded to her, "Please tell Mr. Bennett that I'll return his suit after I wash it."
"Okay, go on. Be safe. I'll give you two days off. Rest well. I won't be going to the office these two days anyway." Katniss noticed her walking was a bit off earlier, probably having been through a lot.
She watched Hazel get out of the car, limping into the building.
The tungsten light in the hallway flickered twice, making her silhouette look even more desolate.
Katniss suddenly wanted to see Tristan, thinking about Hazel and Benjamin all the way.
Clearly, Benjamin and Tristan were completely different people.
Tristan valued emotions, emptied Synergy Global Corporation to establish Zenith Group, and to this day, it couldn't be confirmed if Zenith Group would be as glorious as Synergy Global Corporation once was.
He chose love, and his career was a gamble, letting things take their course.
Benjamin took a shortcut, stabilizing White Corporation at all costs, securing the White family, which was what he wanted.
If Tristan were like Benjamin, her fate would be the same as Hazel's.
At the fork in the road, one way to the hospital and the other home, after much thought, Katniss went home.
No matter how emotional she felt, what could be more important than her daughter?
After all, Tristan was in the hospital and couldn't run away!
Evie was sleeping with Sophia, who had considered that Katniss might come back in the middle of the night, so she took Evie to sleep in Katniss's room.
As soon as Katniss returned, Sophia woke up, giving time for them, and went back to her own room.
The sleeping Evie seemed to sense her mother's embrace, turned over, her little foot resting on Katniss's thigh, her head nestled against her chest, sleeping soundly.
Katniss couldn't bear to sleep, wanting to watch her a little longer.
But she hadn't been resting well in the hospital these past few days, and after a while, she fell asleep in a daze.
The next day, Katniss was woken up by a call from Benjamin. She quickly picked up her vibrating phone, got out of bed, and went to the balcony to answer.
"Where is Hazel?"
Katniss said, "I took her home."
"Was it her who drugged me last night?" Benjamin's tone was tinged with anger. He only knew he had been drugged, and when he was taken to the room, enduring the effects of the drug with a bit of clarity, he saw Hazel.
Hearing this, Katniss felt sad for Hazel, "It was Beau who drugged you, targeting both of us. Thanks to Hazel, we escaped, and it was Hazel who detoxified you. You hurt her."
Benjamin was silent for a while, then chuckled softly, "I thought too poorly of people."
"People in wealthy families are dark; I understand that. But you need to know, Hazel is an ordinary person." Katniss couldn't help but speak up for Hazel, "You can't have both love and career. Sooner or later, you'll lose both."
Benjamin said, "I had her stay with you because I was worried Beau would investigate me, find her, and cause trouble for me."
"You're very rational. As a woman, I hope you handle her well. She's a good, ordinary girl." With that, Katniss hung up the phone.
Evie woke up, delighted to see her, letting her hold her to wash her face and feed her milk.
As she stepped out of the room, she ran into Aaron, who had just finished washing up and was coming to hold Evie.
"Katniss," Aaron greeted, then said in a low voice, "I have good news. Remember I told you I was allowed to take the SAT? I finished it, and the scores are out."
"Really?" Katniss's eyes lit up, "Tell me, which university?"
Aaron held out his hands, "Let me hold Evie, and I'll tell you."
Katniss looked at Aaron, frowning, "I haven't been home for several days. Are you sure you want to compete with me?"
"Well..." Aaron was a bit reluctant, "Never mind, I have plenty of time after the SAT, and I'll be even more free in college."
"Get to the point," Katniss urged, "Which university?"
Aaron proudly raised his eyebrows, "TomorrowTech University in Velvet City."
TomorrowTech University in Velvet City was a top school in the country. Katniss was surprised that Aaron, skipping grades, could get admitted.
"What about foreign universities?" The cultural differences abroad are significant, especially in business and finance education.
If Aaron had the ability to go abroad, he could first study there and then return to practice domestically, gaining dual experience.
Aaron pouted, "I'm not going abroad. I'm staying at TomorrowTech University."
He couldn't help himself and forcibly took Evie from Katniss's arms, "Home is better, and Evie is here."
Katniss followed him downstairs, teasing him a bit, hearing him mention that he planned to treat his high school classmates to a meal in a few days, a sort of farewell dinner.
"Did you invite Donna?" Katniss asked, "After all, she came with you from Nightfall City, and you've been classmates for years."
"That crybaby," Aaron frowned, "When she heard I was allowed to take the SAT, she cried on the spot. Probably mad that I'm better at studying. If I tell her I got into TomorrowTech University, won't she be even angrier?"
Katniss was momentarily speechless but still said, "No matter what, invite her. It's basic courtesy. She might not be angry but sad to see you go to college."
"What's there to be sad about? It's not like we won't see each other again." Aaron said nonchalantly, taking Evie to make her milk.
Seeing him leave, Katniss didn't follow. She was about to help Sophia with breakfast when she suddenly noticed Matilda sneaking out of Sophia's room, looking like a thief.
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