Chris and Hazel

'So, he still didn't open up, ah?' Charlotte asked after Hazel unfolded the events that happened the previous evening.

'Yeah, in fact he was looking for a chance to divert the topic' Hazel said sitting on the sofa.

'But... why?' Charlotte questioned as she connected her earphones to her phone.

'I don't know...maybe he don't want me to know' Hazel answered uncertain. They have been trying to figure out for weeks now and all they managed to find was that he didn't have a wife; they didn't know whether he had one and they weren't together or he didn't even have one.

'...But he knows that you already know everything right?' Charlotte asked.

'I guess so'

'Then, why isn't he telling you the whole truth? Haze, you know how much investigation we had to do in order to confirm that Chris didn't have a wife'

'I know Char, but when I purposely lied to him saying that I know he was divorced he still didn't bother to tell that he wasn't married at all, he just played along. He just wants to keep me in the dark forever'

'Idiot! Why did you intervene? Maybe if you didn't say anything he would have told you the truth himself' Charlotte told her.

'Maybe, but I wanted to know whether he will correct me if I purposely guess something wrong. Why do I have to find out everything? Why isn't he telling us anything?' Hazel questioned as her voice grew weaker with each word.

'You just have to wait then' Charlotte consoled understanding Hazel's state from her voice.

'But...' Hazel started.

'I still can't figure out something, if he doesn't have a wife then what about Robert and Aurora? Are they adopted?' Charlotte interrupted her.

'No, that's not possible, they sure do resemble him. They surely are his kids' Hazel answered confident.

'Then there is a wife but she isn't with him, right?' Charlotte asked trying to clear off all her questions on this mystery.

'No, as far as we have enquired there is no wife!' Hazel answered her.

'Now I am confused again' Charlotte said sighing.

'I only have a week to find out Char, but this time I am not gonna lift a finger instead I am gonna play along with his script and make him tell us everything. I don't care why he isn't opening up but I have to know' Hazel said finally arriving at a decision.

'Yeah, you better do something fast otherwise there will be no use in pulling Ed away from Chris because we all know that when Ed is there it's gonna be real hard to pull things out from Chris. And I don't think I will be able to hold on for more than a week, so hurry' Charlotte warned checking her surroundings to see whether anyone is around.

'Yeah I will see to that. I think it will easy now as I have moved closer to his house. I will figure things out at any cost. Initially I didn't want to know anything about his past but when Ryan told me the things that happened between him and Chris it is obvious that Chris liked me back in college and the way he projected himself with me and with Ryan seems entirely different, something sure went wrong somewhere and I am just trying to find the final missing piece to complete the puzzle' Hazel said firmly.

'That's okay. You accompanied them only for my sake and I know you trying your best to find things from Ed' Hazel said smiling.

'Yeah, Ava said she will try her best too' Charlotte added.

'The advantage we have here is Chris and Ed doesn't have any idea about our investigations, but we don't have a clue about their plan either. But I am certain that they are planning something' Charlotte said sounding suspicious.

'I don't know too Char, but we'll find out' Haze assured her.

'When are you moving out?' Charlotte asked.

'This weekend' she answered.

'Cool! Try to move in as fast as possible and if you need any help just tell me I will arrange, ok?'

'Yeah ok, I am working from home tomorrow so that it will be easy for me to pack everything maybe I will work from home or take two days off to finish complete all the process' Hazel replied.

'Is Ryan coming to help you?' Charlotte asked after a moment of thought.

'No...But Chris wanted to but I declined' Hazel answered her.

'Fool, why did you?' Charlotte asked quite astonished by Hazel's foolish decision. The baby stage in their plan was to have a talk with Chris even if he wasn't willing to explain anything they thought they might get some clues because they learnt how hard it was to investigate a person with a tremendous background.

'Don't worry he'll come' Hazel answered smiling.

'How come you are so sure?' Charlotte asked confused by Hazel's reply.

'Because I told him Ryan is coming to help me' Hazel explained with a sheepish grin.

'Ha-ha! Smart girl! Anyways I will have to go now. Keep me updated! Bye' Charlotte said.

'Sure, bye' Hazel replied disconnecting the call.

The next day morning around 9:30 a.m. Hazel settled down in her living room to work on her pending project.

'I will start packing the remaining once I complete this project' she told herself placing her coffee cup on the table next to her laptop.

It was half past eleven when her doorbell rang; she answered the door to find Chris standing outside the door.

'Why are you here?' she asked looking at him.

He didn't bother to reply but instead walked inside and sat on the sofa.

'I told you that I don't need your help' she said closing the door.

'Well I am not here to help you pack Ms. White, I am here for your project' he answered calmly.

'I could have mailed you. You didn't have a reason to show up by yourself just for a project' she said sitting next to him.

'By the way where's Ryan?' he asked looking around.

'He…he'll come' she said looking away from Chris.

'Anyways just finish the project and show me then I will go' he said looking at her.

'I have other works too so maybe I will mail it to you once I complete it' she answered.

'No this is an important project so how about I will help you with your other works so that you could start on this project as soon as possible' he suggested.

'But…'

'Good let's start' he said getting up enthusiastically without waiting for a reply from her.

'…ok' she said giving in because she knew right from the start that Chris showed up there only to help her with packing and the project was just an excuse.

It was around 5p.m. when they finished packing her stuff.

'What about Ava's stuff?' Chris asked looking around the place.

'Her stuff can stay when she returns from her native we can help her move to Ed's place' Hazel answered him wiping off her sweat.

'Here' she said handing over a tissue to Chris. Chris accepted the tissue from her and wiped his sweat off.

'Is everything packed?' he asked her.

'Yeah' she replied skimming around the place.

'Ok get ready then' he said looking at Hazel.

'Are we going somewhere?' she asked puzzled.

'Yup, Robert and Aurora wanted to see you so I told them that we all can have dinner tonight' he explained.

'So, you decided for me too?' she asked giving him an annoyed look.

'I just thought since its Rob and Aurora you won't decline but no problem if you don't want to, I will tell them that you don't wanna come' he said taking his phone.

'Hey I didn't tell I didn't want to'

'So, it's a yes?' he asked her.

'...'

'Cool then, get ready' he said placing his phone back on the table.

'But I didn't say yes' she argued.

'You didn't say a no either so I took it as a yes' he answered walking out of her room.

Hazel came out of her room after getting ready and saw that Chris was waiting for her in the living room.

'Shall we leave?' he asked looking at her.

'Yes' she replied slowly.

As they were on their way to the restaurant, Hazel texted Charlotte that she was going out with Chris;

'Is it a date? Are you both going on a date?' Charlotte asked replying to her text.

'Noooo… I am going to meet Robert and Aurora' Hazel texted back

'Still seems like a date to me, anyways have fun!'

Hazel placed her phone inside her purse and looked outside the window.

'Why are you smiling?' Chris asked noticing her.

'Nothing' she answered quickly turning away.

As he was about to question her again the got a call from Ed; he answered the call using his Bluetooth,

'Hey Chris' Ed greeted.

'Yes tell me' Chris answered in a serious voice.

'Is Hazel with you?' Ed guessed.

'Yes'

'Guessed so! Did you manage to take her out on your little date?'

'Yes, on my way'

'Ok…ok have fun' Ed said giggling.

'I will call you back' he said disconnecting the call.

'Do you have some urgent work to do?' Hazel asked him.

'No why are asking this?' he asked her confused.

'Well you did tell someone that you were on your way and it sounded serious' she answered him.

'That…that was…it was Rob' he managed to lie.

'You talk to your kid like that?' she said her mouth wide open with shock.

'Well…' Chris struggled for a reply.

'Hazel it looks like as though we are on a date, right?' he asked after some time.

'...' Hazel remained silent as she thought that she misheard him but when she saw that he was looking at her for a reply she understood that she heard it right.

'Well you know, I don't date old men' she answered smiling.

'OLD MAN? I am just three years older than you' he squabbled childishly.

'You are married with two kids. Feel old yet?' she asked teasing him.

'But I am not old, ok?' he kept arguing.

'Fine ok. Then let me tell you another reason' she said.

'You aren't old but I don't date married men either' she said laughing.

'Ok logically rejection accepted' he said smiling.

It was around 10 when they finished dinner and returned back to the parking area of the restaurant.

'What about Rob and Aurora?' Hazel asked looking at Chris.

'They will go with the driver. I will drop you home' he said unlocking the car.

As they drove back from the restaurant;

'Chris this isn't the way back' Hazel said looking at him.

'I know'

'Is it a new route?' she asked.

'Nope'

'Then?'

'I am abducting you?' he joked.

'Very funny, stop joking and answer me' she asked turning serious.

'I arranged some men to move your things to your new apartment' he answered her.

'Why would you do that?' she asked extremely confused.

'To make it easier for you' he answered unperturbed.

'But I would have done it tomorrow' she told him.

'And who will help you?'

'Ryan' she answered at once.

Chris kept silent for a moment before answering.

'What if he's busy?'

'Then maybe you can help' she said.

'Maybe? Anyways I am going overseas for a couple of days for an client meeting so I won't be there to help you and that's why I hurried in moving you to your new place. Just take some days off and settle down before coming back to office' he advised her.

'No Chris I will stay the night at my old apartment. I will go to my new place tomorrow because it will all be messy now, if I go tomorrow then I could arrange things slowly after relaxing for a while' she detailed.

'Ok' he nodded.

'Chris you still didn't change the route'

'...'

'Chris?'

'We are here' he said stopping the car.

'But I…' she stopped as she found her apartment in front of her.

'But the route didn't seem familiar'

'I already shifted your things and I was kinda scared that you won't like it so I just misguided you a little to know your reaction' he explained.

'...That's… ok' she said in a low voice getting down from the car.

'Take care ok?' he said getting down.

She slowly nodded at him and turned back to walk into her apartment, before she entered the main gate she turned back at him;

'Chris?' she called out.

Chris stopped and turned towards her;

'Thank you' she said smiling at him.

'…Anytime' he replied smiling back at her.