Chapter 29 Cheryl's Conspiracy

Hazel stormed into the house, her face a mask of frustration, and flopped down on the couch, her brows furrowed.

Lawrence, with Jason pushing his wheelchair, came down the stairs. "You went to see Randy?"

"How did you know?" Hazel asked, surprised.

Lawrence's eyes darkened, and Hazel began recounting how Randy had cornered her, spewing his nauseating nonsense.

As she talked herself hoarse, Lawrence thoughtfully handed her a glass of water, his expression softening, his mood lifting.

Hazel took the water, gulping it down, then remembered her earlier question.

"Wait, how did you know I saw Randy?" Hazel squinted at him. "You’re not spying on me, are you?"

Lawrence responded with a question of his own. "Why, you got something to hide from me?"

Hazel paused, her eyes darting before she flashed a bright smile. "Of course not, everything about me is yours, honey."

Lawrence was momentarily speechless, glancing at her to see her eyes twinkling mischievously like a little fox.

He pulled out his phone. "Take a look."

Hazel, puzzled, took the phone. On the screen was a photo of her and Randy, taken from an angle that made them look intimate, almost like lovers.

Then a message followed: [Lawrence, I know Hazel is married to you, but she’s always loved Randy. She only married you because she had a fight with Randy. Now that they’ve made up, you should let Hazel go.]

The sender wasn’t saved in Lawrence’s contacts, but Hazel knew it was Cheryl from the tone.

Cheryl, pretending to be a concerned sister, had sent the message.

Hazel was furious. Even though it was fake, seeing herself so close to Randy in a photo made her feel sick. She swallowed hard to suppress the nausea.

She looked at Lawrence anxiously. "You don’t actually believe this, do you?"

Seeing Lawrence not immediately denying it made her even more worried. "This photo was taken at an angle. There’s nothing between Randy and me. Cheryl is a deceitful woman. She took this photo on purpose to drive a wedge between us. You can’t believe her."

Lawrence had known the photo was fake at first glance, but it still made him uncomfortable. Hazel’s reaction, however, eased his mind a bit.

He might not have realized it, but he had sighed in relief.

"Of course, I don’t believe it," Lawrence said.

Hearing this, Hazel finally relaxed, though she was still angry looking at the message.

Her eyes lit up with an idea.

"What are you planning now?" Lawrence asked, knowing her well enough to recognize that look.

Hazel gave him a knowing smile. "Since she wants to drive us apart, why don’t we play along and see what she’s up to?"

From that day, Hazel and Lawrence pretended to be in a cold war.

Hazel usually accompanied Lawrence to events, but recently, he had been going alone, prompting many to ask about their relationship.

Even Louis had asked tentatively, only to be silenced by a cold glare from Lawrence.

Soon, rumors spread that Lawrence and Hazel’s relationship was on the rocks.

Cheryl, hearing the news, was overjoyed and immediately dressed up to visit the Johnson Group.

Without an appointment, she was almost stopped by the receptionist.

Cheryl scowled. "Do you know who I am? Mr. Johnson is my brother-in-law. If you don’t let me in, I’ll have him fire you!"

The receptionist thought to herself that even Hazel wasn’t so arrogant, but still refused to let her in. "No appointment, no entry. If you keep causing trouble, I’ll call security."

Cheryl was fuming when Lawrence’s assistant, Stuart, walked by. Remembering Lawrence’s instructions, he approached. "Ms. Anderson, right?"

Cheryl recognized Stuart and was respectful to him.

"Mr. Johnson is upstairs. Please follow me," Stuart said.

Cheryl followed Stuart, her head held high, and shot a smug look at the receptionist, who was visibly annoyed.

Upstairs, Cheryl was amazed by the grandeur of the Johnson Group. She had been to the Anderson Group, but it was nothing compared to this.

The more she saw, the more envious she became of Hazel for being Lawrence’s wife. But thinking about Hazel and Lawrence’s rumored troubles, she felt satisfied.

Cheryl imagined herself married to Lawrence, with the Johnson Group under her control.

Stuart, seeing her expression in the elevator’s reflection, felt a flash of disgust. When they reached the top floor, he resumed his polite demeanor. "Ms. Anderson, please."

Lawrence was in a meeting. When he finished and heard Cheryl was there, he responded indifferently.

Stuart wheeled Lawrence into an empty conference room where Cheryl was waiting.

Seeing him, Cheryl immediately greeted him sweetly. "Lawrence."

"What do you want?" Lawrence asked, his tone cold and his handsome face impassive, making Cheryl’s heart race with excitement.

She wanted him even more.

Trying to appear demure, she said cautiously, "I heard you and Hazel had a fight?"

Lawrence asked expressionlessly, "How did you know?"

Cheryl said, "It’s all over. People are saying you and Hazel had a big fight and almost divorced."

Divorce was an exaggeration. Lawrence and Hazel had just been appearing less together in public, fueling rumors.

Lawrence didn’t deny it, just smirked coldly. "Do you know why we fought?"

His cold gaze made Cheryl feel like prey under a predator’s watch. She shivered but quickly recovered. "Is it because of that message?"

Lawrence’s snort was confirmation enough.

Cheryl, emboldened, continued, "I saw it by chance. I was shocked too. Hazel is married to you, but she’s still entangled with Randy? I even tried to talk to her. Even if she still has feelings for Randy, she’s married now. How can she cheat on you? Marriage is about moving forward, not dwelling on the past."

Seeing no reaction from Lawrence, Cheryl decided to drop a bombshell. "But it’s not entirely Hazel’s fault. She’s always loved Randy. They were always close. If they hadn’t fought, she wouldn’t have married you. So, her actions now are understandable."