The Billionaire's Mistake

MISTAKE 248

Chapter 248: A gentle Wife

Hazel acknowledged the query with a slight upturn of her chin. "He wanted a seafood porridge, but the place her asked for had closed. Stop by third avenue. There is a good seafood. restaurant there," Hazel instructed.

A tense silence fell over the vehicle for a few moments as the guard appraised her coolly, seemingly expecting more of an explanation about whatever had transpired back at the club's private lounge - the thunderous noises and chaos they had barged into upon arriving. But Hazel offered no additional context, simply sitting with her spine straight and hands folded primly in her lap.

Eventually, Wolf settled back against the leather upholstery with a sigh, evidently unwilling or perhaps just unsure how to broach the subject of his employer's wife unleashing wanton destruction on her enemies. The remainder of the journey passed in tense quiet. When the SUV pulled up to the weathered facade of Chu's neon-bedecked storefront, Hazel didn't wait for her escorts. She simply pushed open the door and strode inside, the muted tinkling of the front bell announcing her arrival to the elderly woman manning the register.

"Good evening, Mrs. Chu," Hazel greeted her politely as she approached the counter. "I'll need an order of the spicy master stock seafood porridge, please. With extra battered shrimp, this time."

The old woman's eyes crinkled with familiarity at the routine request, already reaching beneath the counter to produce one of the insulated carrying bags. Hazel waited patiently as the Styrofoam containers were carefully packaged up, allowing her mind to wander. While part of her felt slightly silly about catering to Marcus's bizarre cravings, she reasoned it was better to pick these little battles. Keeping him satiated, at least in some small regard, could go a long way toward maintaining a delicate balance. At least until she was ready to dismantle his entire operations once and for all.

With a polite word of thanks, Hazel accepted the warm satchel of food and exited the shop, buckling herself into the waiting SUV for the final destination - the medical campus where Marcus had been convalescing since his injury.

As the vehicle merged onto the expressway, Hazel pulled out her phone and quickly tapped out a voice note to Lydia:

"It's me. Just leaving the club right now and everything is....settled. I'll explain more once I've finished up some final business elsewhere. But you can stand down for now, I'm alright."

She ended the voice message with a amused shake of her head. Only Lydia would ever agree to be her glorified getaway driver and head thug as needed; if she had forgotten to message her, Lydia would have raged a storm.

a plain, unmemorable exterior. Hazel looked up at

satchel of still-steaming food clutched striding under one arm. From there, she was escorted with her usual

a statue on sentry duty outside. Hazel quirked a single eyebrow at

his weathered face and steely gaze immediately commanded the room like some apex predator asserting dominance over his territory.

was closed I got you one

line, Hazel strode over to the portable table beside the bed and carefully unpacked the satchel of take-out containers. "Your porridge

you doing tonight?" he asked, his tone cold, the

you where I went?" There was a slight accusatory

are for your safety. Have you

"I remember."

doing?, Marcus replied with an indulgent chuckle. " You went to such a place without taking my men.

refused to be baited so easily. With studied nonchalance, she opened the wide ceramic bowl and waved the pungent aroma of shrimp and spiced broth

also be reported

you

got there? My men said those people wanted to pass you around as entertainment." Hazel felt herself stiffen instinctively at the subtle needling, the way Marcus always seemed to intimate that he knew far more than what was on the surface. Squaring her shoulders, she met his loaded gaze

silence stretched out between them,

the pictures of the carnage of her room when she

when he had first seen Hazel. She had slammed trays into family members at a restaurant. It was