Chapter 19: [XIX]
The atmosphere in the living room felt like a funeral. It was so silent that she could hear a pin drop.
Bob and Lucy, especially Lucy, were on the verge of exploding in anger.
Looking like a child who had done something wrong, Hazel lowered her head until the tip of her chin touched her chest. She didn't dare look them in the eye.
How the hell was she going to explain this? If they said that they had gotten drunk and signed off on the marriage certificate and that they were planning to get a divorce in two months, they would freak the hell out.
Zac stared at Hazel's parents. Although they stared at him as if he was a criminal who had kidnapped their daughter, he decided to answer frankly, "Uncle, aunt, it's really wrong to hide this from you. Hazel and I–"
"How long have you known each other?" Lucy interrupted him coolly. She was in no mood to hear his explanation.
"One–"
"One year!"
Hazel interrupted. Her mother would have fainted on the spot if she knew that they only met a month ago.
Bob took a deep breath, calming himself. " Hazel, tell me honestly, are you really serious about this? Or were you just driven by your emotions?" These days, eloping was very popular among the younger generation. He was afraid that his daughter would go and imitate them for the sake of not being left out.
"Dad, I'm serious." To emphasize her affection, Hazel held Zac's arm. She didn't want her parents to be suspicious. He held her hands intimately, cooperating with her act.
Bob was not amused. "Do Zac's parents know about this?"
"Well, not yet. We plan to talk about it when he go back home for the Spring Festival." Hazel wanted the earth to just swallow her life. At this point, she had to lie continuously to keep this up.
"You have gone too far!" Lucy shrieked, disappointed and outraged at what they had done. Hazel had always been a good girl.
Unlike other children who fell too quickly for love, she had always been reasonable. Lucy didn't expect that she would be hasty enough to get married with a man she had just met, especially without consulting her first! Didn't the failed marriage between her and her biological father serve as enough warning for her?
Hazel winced. "I'm sorry, mom." She really didn't want to lie to them, but at this point, she had no choice.
However, Lucy wasn't calming down. Instead, she packed her belongings into her suitcase and decided to go out and stay in a hotel. Knowing what kind of person his wife was, Bob decided to give her some time to cool off.
After escorting them to a nearby hotel, they were kicked out. Feeling distressed, Hazel bent over on the sofa in the lobby, sighing.
Zac knew that he was the only one to be blamed for taking away their daughter without even asking for their permission.
However, their arrival also came in good timing. If he got the recognition he wanted, she wouldn't even dare to bring up 'divorce' in front of them. It would be the perfect time for her to meet his family in the process, and drive away Valery for him.
Zac grinned as he placed an arm around her shoulder. "I'll make a reservation in a restaurant for lunch. We'll take them around Yang City as well. As long as they're happy with me, I'm sure they won't get mad at the both of us for any longer."
Hazel nodded. She was about to call around, but Zac held her back. "Let me do it."
"Didn't you just come to Yang City recently? Do you even know your way around?" She stared at him suspiciously.
"Don't worry." Zac patted her on the shoulder and began to make a phone call. At the same time, Hazel was already writing down all her parents' likes and dislikes, so he would avoid annoying them.
When he returned and saw the paper, he smiled. "You're so considerate, but if they've become too satisfied with me, do you really think we'd be able to get divorced at this rate? What should I do then?"
Hazel froze. She had once believed that they were going to get divorced in three weeks. But with her parents on the line...
The more she thought about it, the sadder she became.
Zac pulled her into his arms. "How about we don't divorce until the Spring Festival is over?" he suggested.
She furrowed her eyebrows. "Why do we have to wait until then?"
"It will only be right that I'll be with you to celebrate the new year with my in-laws. If I don't, then won't they ask you questions? What are you going to do then?" explained Zac.
That's right. Thinking about this, Hazel reluctantly nodded. Since her parents knew about it now, then they shouldn't get divorced in such a short period of time. That would only lead to suspicion. Her mother would be the most concerned about her marriage.
Given her spot checks from time to time, she would definitely notice if Zac wasn't living in her apartment anymore.
If they found out that they would get divorced after such a short period of time, they would think that she was treating marriage like a game.
Lucy would hate this so much that she might even take her back to her hometown. At that point, Hazel would be strictly guarded and all her freedom would be gone in a blink of an eye.
She sighed helplessly. "Fine."
Zac smiled to himself. He should be very filial to his in-laws to pass the test that they had set up for him.
When the clock strikes 12 o'clock, a handsome man came over. "Zac, the car is already parked outside."
"Thanks." With a small smile, Zac stood up and patted the man's shoulder. He introduced William to Hazel, who was stunned at the man's sudden arrival. "This is my friend, William Mai."
"You're very beautiful. Zac has good taste," William complimented. Since his boss asked him to pretend that he was his friend, he had to put on a perfect show.
Hazel gazed at the man up and down. William was very handsome. 'How many traffic accidents did they cause?' she wondered, shaking her head.
Zac asked William to wait in the car before he accompanied his wife to see his in-laws.
When they walked into the elevator, Hazel smiled. "I thought you didn't know anyone here. I didn't know that you have a friend."
"I have no choice but to contact him." He shrugged.
In the beginning, Lucy held a deep grudge against her daughter. She just couldn't believe that her daughter would run off with a guy without consulting her first! However, after her husband's persuasion, she gradually calmed down.
Since they had already gotten their marriage certificate, there was no use to blame her any longer. Plus, her son-in-law wasn't quite bad. He was good-looking, but they still didn't know much about his character.
This was why they devised a plot to test their son-in-law. If he failed the test, then they have to teach him a lesson! If he didn't learn from that lesson, then he had no choice but to divorce their daughter!
Preparing for the war that was about to break out, Hazel knocked tentatively on the door. However, when her parents walked out of the room, they agreed to her request without any hesitation. She held back a sigh of relief.
Right in time, William drove to the hotel in a Bentley.
Hazel's eyes widened. 'Holy shit! Is he rich?'
"This is my boss's car. Since he went abroad this month, I can use it," William said as if he could read her mind.
"Ah." Hazel nodded understandingly.
Zac opened the door for his in-laws and his wife. Without another word, he sat in the front.
"Where shall we go for dinner?" Hazel asked.
"Scenery Restaurant," he answered casually. It was the best and most expensive seafood restaurant in Yang City. Although Hazel was surprised, she couldn't help but be a little bit worried about the price. Even if she wanted the best for her parents, it would be embarrassing if she couldn't pay for the bill!
"You already ordered?" she asked, trying to maintain herself.
Zac glanced at her, knowing exactly what was running through her mind. He coughed. William immediately understood. He smiled. "I already made the reservations for Zac. Our boss is very familiar with the owner, so he could enjoy thirty percent off and
free service charge."
"I see." Hearing that there was such a good discount, Hazel's shoulders sagged in relief. "Thank you, William."
"No need for that. Zac's my friend." A smile tugged at the corners of William's mouth. His boss's wife had always led a frugal life. If she knew about his boss's family background, would she regret not ordering more expensive meals?
Once they had entered the VIP room of Scenery Restaurant, Zac handed the menu that he had ordered to the two elders. "Uncle, aunt, I've already ordered some dishes for you. Do you like them?"
Bob waved his hand. "It's fine. We're a very simple bunch. The cost may be too much."
Hazel waved her hand. "Dad, you can eat whatever you want as long as you're happy about it." Since there was a discount, what was the big deal?
The dishes were already served quickly as soon as they had arrived. Seeing that William still didn't come, Hazel asked Zac to call him. He shrugged. "He has other things to attend to, so he left the car for us."
"Left the car? Who will drive?" Her eyes widened.
"Of course I'll drive." Zac smiled. "We'll borrow it for a couple of days."
"You can drive?" Her voice raised unconsciously. When she realized what she had just said, she turned to see the doubt in her parents' eyes. Seeing this, she immediately invited them to eat to distract them.
However, Lucy wasn't going to let her slip-up go that easily.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone