While I was working in my office, I got a text from Mark. Mark is the guy whom I have hired to be Hazel's bodyguard and also the driver.

He sent me a picture of Hazel sitting with a guy at some café. She seemed pretty happy with him.

Mark also told me that they were friends.

Friends?

But according to what I know, Hazel never had any friends. Is there something I missed out about her?

I called Christopher.

"Rafael Martinez it is." His voice sounded so happy.

But this man to me will always be annoying.

"I have something to ask." I hate him. I hate him with all my heart and soul. But to keep her safe I have to make few things clear.

Things this woman is making me do.

"What can I help you with?"

"How many friends do Hazel have?" I asked directly.

It took a minute for him to reply "She doesn't have any."

"You sure? You are not missing anyone, are you?"

"No. Aaron knows her the best he is saying she doesn't have any friends."

I hung up without giving him another chance to reply.

"He said she doesn't have any friends then who is this guy?" I said to myself scanning the picture.

I was about to ask my private investigator to look after it but stopped.

What if he is really a close friend of hers? I don't think I should invade her personal life. I can directly ask her about him.

I focused back on my work.

When I returned home I found Hazel talking to Dad looking really happy. Making my way towards them I said "Hazel we need to talk."

Both of them looked at me in confusion. Dad said "No hey, no hello, no I am back? Directly you are scaring the poor child."

I looked at Hazel to see her pouting making an innocent face, that made me smile.

Cute.

Wait. She's distracting me.

Turning to Dad I said "Hey Dad. I am back from work now if you don't mind I need to talk to my wife."

Not waiting for Dad's reply I held Hazel's wrist and pulled her with me. On reaching our room I closed the door making her stand in front of me.

Taking off my suit jacket and tie I threw them on the bed.

She bit her lips looking at me, clearly she was nervous.

"You have many things to clear out." I said.

"Like what?" She asked innocently.

Taking out my phone I showed her the picture "First, who's this?"

She carefully scanned the picture her eyes widened "Oh Sweet Jesus! You are spying on me. How can you even do that? That's so wrong Rafael. It's not like I will cheat on you and go around flirting with other men. Don't you trust me?" And with that she went on as usual talking too much not letting me say anything "Listen Rafael, I am sorry but I don't want to live in a trustless marriage. Wait. Trustless? Okay for now let it be trustless I can't find the word. So where was I? Yeah. I don't want to live with you. I wanted to tell you about my new friend today I was even talking to Dad about him but you.... You are so talkative that you never let me speak."

I sighed and waited for her to finish. When she finally stopped I asked "You done?"

She nodded with a proud smile "Yeah. Actually you know I don't like to talk much."

Of course you don't.

Note the sarcasm.

"Now will you please tell me who's he with whom you were so happily chatting at the café?"

"Rafael I know I am pretty and all but you don't have to be this jealous. I would never cheat on you. You don't look bad yourself. Connor even offered me to have a secret affair but I am a faithful wife."

Christ! This woman!

I gave her a stern look and repeated again "Hazel, who is he?"

She sighed "He is Connor, my friend."

"Your friend? And from when did you start making friends?"

"Why you being so rude?" This time she sounded a bit sad.

Fuck. I didn't want to hurt her.

"It's not like that Hazel. I just wanted to know about him."

Still with that sad look she answered "His name is Connor Campbell. He is the one who saved me from the mall attack, so we coincidentally met again today he asked for a coffee and he is also really nice."

"Then why are you calling him your friend?"

"Because he is. He asked if we can be friends and he seemed nice so I said yes we can be friends."

He wants to be her friend? Two meetings coincidentally?

These all sound just like a set up.

I stared at Hazel for sometime while she gave me a questioning look.

She trusts people too easily.

And Vincent will take advantage of her before that, I have to search about this Connor guy.

He is definitely not a good friend.

"Rafael. Is everything okay?" She asked.

I nodded.

She shrugged and was about to leave but I held her hand stopping her.

"We are not done yet." I said.

"What?"

"Tell me about your nightmare. You looked terribly scared last night."

She looked down struggling with her thoughts.

I held her hands turning her to me "Hazel?"

"You must be tired Rafael change first then we need to have the dinner too Dad must be waiting."

Pulling her hand away from my hold she made her way towards the exit "Stop avoiding it Hazel. Since morning I am noticing you, you are trying to run away from me whenever I am asking about the nightmare."

She didn't turn towards me but said "It's bad Rafael... it's very bad."

"I want to know."

"Can we talk after dinner?" She asked gently.

Nodding I replied "Sure."

She ran out of the room, I made my way towards the washroom. Standing under the shower resting my palm against the wall I couldn't stop thinking about Hazel.

There is a lot more about you Hazel that I don't know. A lot more that is hidden behind that cheerful and happy face. A lot more that I really want to know, I don't know why but I want to.

After the shower I made my way downstairs to see Dad and Hazel already seated on the dinner table, I joined them. The maid served the dinner. Whenever I looked at Hazel I found her busy thinking.

Is the explanation of her nightmare so stressful?

Finally when we were in our room she looked fully prepared for the explanation.

"So... Umm... My nightmare... It's related to my childhood." She took so many pause while saying this sentence.

"How?"

"I-I was fourteen that time one night there were sudden gunshots. I, Mom and Dad we were in our room sleeping. Hearing the gunshots Dad hid me inside the cupboard saying I should not utter a single word, he locked the cupboard from outside. But there was a small hole inside it so I could see everything that was happening outside."

The way she was saying I could feel her shaking already.

She continued "Some people came into the house they were wearing black outfits I s-saw them shooting D-Dad. I kept banging the cupboard door but no one opened it, Dad begged those men to let me go. I-I couldn't do anything, I just sat there not knowing what to do. I felt so helpless at that moment. I don't know for how many hours I was in it but when Simon found me he said I was unconscious. Simon told me they killed Mom too and all of our men who were trying to protect us."

By this time, she was already crying. I couldn't help myself from holding her in my arms.

While crying on my chest she said "I-I s-saw my Dad d-dying in front of my eyes but I-I couldn't do anything. I-I t-tried Rafael, I tried, I was banging the cupboard d-door continuously b-but no one opened it. I-I t-tried to save them but I couldn't."

I didn't know what to say to comfort her. I don't think anything can comfort her now. It did so much damage to her still Simon isn't backing away from this shit.

"T-These nightmares they n-never stop. I hate them. Everytime t-they make me realise how weak I am. Instead of me if Simon would've been there, he could've saved Mom-Dad from those bad guys."

I cupped her face in my hands "You are strong Hazel. Back then you were strong enough to try. You tried your best to save them."

"B-But I c-couldn't. I am such a bad daughter."

"Believe me you're not. Your Mom-Dad must be proud of you that their little daughter was so much capable of at least trying to save them."

She hugged me tightly. "I hate those men. I hate them so much for doing this to me, to my family. For taking my family away from me." Wrapping my arms around her waist I kissed the top of her head.

She's still that scared girl locked in the cupboard, who watched her Mom and Dad dying in front of her eyes.

Pulling away from the hug after sometime I made her lay down on the bed "You need to sleep Hazel and don't think too much about it."

She nodded her head slowly but I know though I tell her not to think too much she still will.

So the best option right now is to be with her all night.

I laid beside her, wrapping my arms around her I pulled her towards myself.

"Do you miss them?" I asked tracing my fingers through her silky hair.

She nodded "A lot. You know those 14 years of my life was the happiest. It was like we were complete with no sadness."

"You still have Simon to be with you."

"Not always, not the way I want. He is always busy. I haven't seen him over a year now. He says he is busy with his business. I know he loves me a lot but I need someone to share my feelings with, a person who will listen to me. A teddy bear cannot always fulfil Simon's absence in my life."

"You talk to the teddy bears?"

She nodded "I do. I don't have anyone to listen to me other than him. You may call it childish but my teddy is really nice he always listens to me quietly."

"So your teddy is a male and a very good listener?" I asked with a smile plastered on my lips.

"Yeah and he is too cute. You know his eyes are cuter than your smile." She said lost in the thoughts of her teddy bear.

"I am glad at least you consider my smile cute."

She looked at me totally shocked, like that's when she realised, she just called my smile cute.

"I never said your smile is cute." She defended herself.

"Oh you just did. Stop denying it."

She remained quiet.

"Don't worry I like the compliment though. Till now I have been given the title of hot, sexy, handsome not cute. I am glad I can add one more to that list and now adding that makes me perfect in all ways."

She rolled her eyes chuckling.

The whole reason of this nonsense talk was to make her feel a bit better. To get her mind off her past memories.

What is happening to me?

Why suddenly I want to be that person to listen to all your complains, your feelings? Why suddenly I want to be with you to calm you when you get those nightmares?

But I can't do anything like that. I can't be that person Hazel, I can't.

My past would never allow me to be the person to love you.

You deserve better.

Maybe this is the reason why you trust people so easily. You just want them in your life. You just want to talk.