Midnight Bride The CEO’s Temptation

"No," Jennie said quietly. "You can eat first. We can walk out home ourselves."

"Mm." Joshua nodded, not wanting to get up to see them off.

Jennie didn't say anything and walked out of the room with Sharon. As she closed the door, Hazel hit Joshua with an unhurt hand.

"Joshua, it's only a few steps. Why didn't you walk with them?" said Hazel crossly.

"Hazel, do you think of her as your future mother-in-law because she raised me?" Joshua smiled a little, but he was not in the least angry.

Hazel couldn't help rolling eyes at him. "When did you become so narcissistic?"

"For what?" he asked quietly. "You're very different to Auntie Jennie."

"Of course!" Hazel said as if it was a matter of course. "Wasn't you who told me that before the Denmark family funded the orphanage, Auntie Jennie raised money painstakingly by herself. However poor the life was, she wasn't willing to give up any of you. She is so great, so of course, we must treat her with respect."

There was warmth instantly in the heart of Jennie standing outside the door as she shut the door quietly.

"Hazel is a very lovely girl, isn't she, Auntie Jennie?" Sharon smiled.

Jennie nodded in agreement, though her face was still cold.

Hearing the mild sound of the door closing, Joshua's lips were slightly tilted.

He scooped up another spoonful of soup to Hazel's lips.

"Auntie Jennie is very good at cooking," he said quietly.

"Yes," Hazel pulled a long face, "but Joshua, though I hurt my left hand, I can use my right hand. Let me do it."

"No way." He insisted. "This is not negotiable."

Hazel was angry and moved. Why was Joshua treating her like a disabled person?

After he fed her the food, Hazel asked, "Joshua, when can we leave the hospital?"

"Do you want to leave the hospital?" He cocked his eyebrow.

"Yes, I just dislocated my wrist. You wouldn't put me in the hospital, would you?" Hazel pouted.

"You can leave the hospital," Joshua said simply. "But you must come back to Denmark Residence with me until you get well."

She frowned. "Joshua, you're making too much fuss..."

"No," he said quietly. "Denmark Residence or the hospital?"

Hazel was a bit speechless. How did she feel like she was being set up by Joshua? Wouldn't he want to deceive her into going back to Denmark Residence by using sickness? She had a feeling that after going back there, she would not get out again.

Joshua let out a sorrowful sigh as he inched closer to her forehead. "Hazel, come home with me."

His deep eyes were so close to her that Hazel felt her heart beat faster, and her brain was beginning to go blank again. She couldn't resist saying, "Okay…"

"Mmm, let's go home." A smile of triumph flashed through Joshua's eyes.

Realizing what she had said, Hazel burst into tears as she was seduced by Joshua again! She was so very helpless. Every time Joshua attacked her with his handsomeness, all of her defense would instantly be gone.

The discharge formalities were completed quickly. Joshua took Hazel back to Denmark Residence.

When Nanny Carter saw that Hazel was hurt, she felt sad and scolded Joshua very seriously.

After that, Hazel felt like she really turned into a disabled person. Whatever she wanted to do, Joshua and Nanny Carter would do it for her. Her right hand was perfectly fine, but Joshua insisted on feeding her.

Worse still, Joshua thought he had to accompany her to the bathroom. It only seemed logical to her that it was something she wanted to do on her own. He commented with a smile that he feared she could not take off her pants. She was so pissed that she kicked him out of the bathroom.

Hazel was getting ready for bed in the guest room when Joshua pulled her to his bedroom at bedtime.

"Sleep with me tonight," Joshua said quietly.

"What do you want?" she stared at him vigilantly. "Don't forget..."

"The three rules. I remember it very well," Joshua said quietly. "You can be sure that I won't do anything to you."

"Then why do you want me to sleep here?" Hazel asked blankly.

"Your posture in sleep is unsightly," said Joshua calmly. "If you sleep alone, I'm afraid you'll make the injury worse."

"Yours is unsightly. The postures of your whole family are unsightly!"

"Isn't my whole family you?" Joshua said quietly.

Hazel was choked back.

"Hazel, be good," Joshua said softly. "Now it's a special situation. I can't risk you making the injury more serious. You just have to put up with it. When you get well, you don't need to sleep here anymore."

Hazel was very sad. Why could Joshua sound so unselfish about it that she didn't know how to rebut it at all? And... Why did she want to compromise again? She must have been poisoned by a poison called Joshua Denmark!

"It'll be fine If you want me to sleep here." She gritted her teeth. "I'll sleep in the bed while you sleep on the couch!"

"Huh?" Joshua' eyebrows were slightly raised.

"You want me to sleep here, so you take care of me at night, don't you? So, is there any difference if you sleep on the couch?" Hazel's eyes lit up. She didn't want to be so passive and be set up by Joshua again and again. She wanted to counterattack.

Seeing Joshua was about to speak, Hazel said ahead of him, "Don't talk! Either you sleep on the couch, or I sleep in the guestroom. For the sake of our future, I won't give you any chance to make a mistake!"

Who couldn't speak in the stern and just words?! Hazel's eyes sparkled with joy.

Joshua smiled as he saw her smug appearance. "Okay."

As long as she promised to sleep here, there was no need for him to run and hug her in the middle of the night.

Seeing that he said yes, Hazel felt as happy as if she had won a battle. She was relieved and slept in the bed, but when she woke up in the morning, she found Joshua also in the bed!

"Joshua Denmark!" Hazel was so angry that she lifted her arm and tried to push him, but he caught it before she could.

"Don't move," he opened his eyes calmly. "Be careful of your wound."

"Asshole! Asshole!" Hazel freaked out and bellowed. "Didn't you agree to sleep on the couch?"

"Hazel, let me explain it…"

"I won't listen, I won't listen!"

Looking at the headstrong Hazel, Joshua frowned and suddenly kissed her lips.

"You... hmm!" There was a flash of panic in Hazel's eye, it changed to a feeling of upset very quickly.

Noticing she finally quieted down, Joshua explained, "Hazel, I did sleep on the couch last night, but when I tucked you in, you held me tightly. I was afraid of hurting your wrist, so I slept in bed."

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Dearest Lovies,

As I've promised earlier, another birthday mass release from this humble author, as my way of giving back the love and support you guys have showered to me.

It's been almost two years being part of this platform, and even though I haven't got any chance to see you all in person, yet I could feel the undying support you have given to every novel I've published.

From the bottom of my heart, a million thanks!

Wǒ ài nǐmen! (I love you, all!) Zàicì fēicháng gǎnxiè nín! (Thank you so much, once again!)

Anna Shannel Lin