Hazel Crawford watched in shock as her boyfriend passionately kissed her best friend. Without hesitation, she marched over and slapped them both across the face. A well-dressed woman passing by stopped in her tracks, staring at the scene in amazement. She approached Hazel and asked, “Excuse me, could you slap my son like that too?” Hazel blinked in confusion, but before she could respond, her now ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend started hurling accusations at each other. “You cheating bastard! I’ll never let you have custody of our child!” “You gold-digging whore! I’m done covering up your affair with that old rich guy!” They glared at each other, their silent accusations speaking volumes. Soon, they were at each other’s throats. Hazel felt a sense of satisfaction as she prepared to go home and mourn her dead relationship. Suddenly, the well-dressed woman grabbed her arm, tears in her eyes. “It’s not easy raising a child alone. Here’s a thousand dollars. I hope it helps.” Realizing the woman had misunderstood the situation, Hazel quickly explained that it was all made up. The woman paused for a moment, then asked again, “So… could you still slap my son?” Hazel was taken aback. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I don’t do that sort of thing.” The woman wiped away a tear and pulled out a credit card. “Ten thousand dollars.” “Really, I can’t-” “Fifty thousand.” Hazel hesitated. “Um… maybe we should exchange contact info?” The woman introduced herself as Mrs. Grant. Her son, Lucas, was hopelessly in love with his ex-girlfriend Ruby, who had been studying abroad and leading a promiscuous lifestyle while stringing Lucas along. According to Mrs. Grant, when Ruby returned home wearing a white dress, Lucas was overcome with joy at their reunion, completely ignoring his mother’s warnings. To avoid damaging their mother-son relationship, Mrs. Grant decided to hire Hazel as an “intervention specialist.” “Ruby dumped him as soon as she went abroad, leaving him depressed for three years. He nearly failed out of college, only managing to graduate by cramming in his final year. Now that she’s back, I don’t know what will happen to my Lucas…” Mrs. Grant explained tearfully. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Grant. I’ll take care of it,” Hazel assured her, pocketing the $5,000 deposit. For the first time in her life, Hazel splurged on a taxi instead of taking the bus. She arrived at Lucas’s place in record time, ready to deliver a slap. But as she raised her hand, she was struck by his handsome face and piercing eyes. Her fierce slap transformed into a gentle caress down his cheek. He was too attractive to hit. “I’m so sorry, how rude of me,” Hazel apologized. Lucas’s temple twitched slightly, but his good manners kept him composed. Encouraged by his politeness, Hazel extended her hand. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Hazel Crawford, a friend of a friend of your mother’s.” Lucas smiled faintly. Just as he was about to shake her hand, he suddenly put his arm around Ruby instead. “I’m sorry, but I have a girlfriend,” he said coolly. Ruby looked up at him, her face glowing with happiness. It seemed as if their relationship had just been confirmed in that moment. Hazel’s smile froze. She hoped Mrs. Grant wouldn’t demand a refund. Back home, Hazel began researching Lucas’s interests online, combining this information with what Mrs. Grant had told her. She started subtly inserting herself into Lucas’s world. They had “chance” encounters at cafes, and Hazel got a part-time job as a waitress at his favorite restaurant, her hand occasionally brushing against his as she served him. Ruby grew increasingly unhappy, and the couple started arguing. It was a good sign for Hazel’s mission. That evening, Hazel transformed into a sporty, sunshine girl, jogging past Lucas’s house. She deliberately tripped and fell into his arms as he was taking out the trash. She cried out in pain, then looked up, feigning surprise. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “Mr. Grant…” Lucas remained silent, his expression unreadable. Emboldened, Hazel confessed, “Actually, I’ve liked you for a long time.” The first step in breaking up the lovebirds was to sow discord. Lucas loosely held her, asking, “You like me?” Hazel nodded shyly. He lifted her gently, then unceremoniously dumped her into the recycling bin along with the trash. Keeping one hand on the lid to prevent her from escaping, he pulled out his phone with the other. “Hello? 911? Yes, there’s a stalker here. She’s been following me and just tried to sexually harass me.” “This is unacceptable, Miss Crawford! Even if you have a crush on someone, you can’t go to their home and harass them. Is this what they teach you in college these days?” The police officer lectured Hazel sternly. Hazel tried desperately to explain herself. The officer just stared at her coldly. “Call your academic advisor to come pick you up!” Calling her professor was out of the question. She didn’t want to become a social pariah on campus. Tonight, Hazel should have been in Lucas’s arms, feeling his lean waist, their breaths mingling… only to be caught by Ruby, leading to a dramatic confrontation. Then she would have tearfully collected her $500,000 reward. Instead, she was sitting in a jail cell, listening to a bunch of drunks howling and crying… With no other choice, Hazel called Mrs. Grant early the next morning. Mrs. Grant arrived quickly, using her status as a “relative” to bail Hazel out. Completely ignoring the suspicious looks from the police, she praised Hazel effusively. “You did a great job! Lucas called me last night in a terrible mood. He must have had a fight with Ruby…” As they left the police station, Mrs. Grant continued chattering away. “But he’s too soft-hearted. He made up with her and invited her over. Hazel, do you think you could go to his place and keep an eye on things? Just in case that girl tries to trap him with a pregnancy or something. How awful would that be?” Hazel turned to her wearily. “Mrs. Grant, do you think next time you’ll be picking me up from prison instead?” Breaking and entering would definitely land her in more serious trouble. Mrs. Grant seemed oblivious to Hazel’s concerns. “Don’t worry, Hazel. Just go for it!” Hazel vaguely felt that her relationship with the police was far from over. After finishing her professor’s urgent request for a thesis draft, Hazel looked up to find night had fallen. To avoid creating more “little Lucases,” as Mrs. Grant put it, Hazel reluctantly made her way to Lucas’s house. True to her word, Mrs. Grant had bribed the newly hired security guard, who let Hazel in without question. At that moment, Hazel felt a surge of confidence. The front door was slightly ajar. Through the gap, Hazel could see two figures on the couch engaged in some heavy petting. Lucas’s partially unbuttoned shirt was damp, clinging to his skin and revealing tantalizing glimpses of his muscular physique. Ruby frantically tried to dab at the wet spot with a tissue. “I’m so sorry, so sorry!” Lucas frowned slightly, blocking her hand. “Ruby, we’re both adults now. Some things…” He suddenly trailed off mid-sentence. Hazel’s heart skipped a beat. Were they about to do adult things?! She couldn’t allow that! Lucas’s piercing gaze swept towards the door. “Our visitor at the door, have you seen enough?” Hazel strode in with as much dignity as she could muster. Ruby immediately snuggled closer to Lucas, as if marking her territory. But that meant nothing. Mrs. Grant didn’t approve either. Hazel announced, “Mrs. Grant said she left something here and asked me to retrieve it.” As long as she couldn’t find this nonexistent item, she had an excuse to stick around and prevent any funny business between the couple. Lucas stared at her, his brows furrowed into a deep frown. He was about to stand up when he glanced down at his damp shirt. Instead, he turned to Ruby and said, “I need to take a shower. This wine you spilled is sticky. While I’m gone, please help our guest… leave.” He headed towards the bathroom. Ruby swirled the wine in her glass, her tone dripping with disdain. “I advise you not to use such underhanded tactics to seduce Lucas. He’s different from other men. He’s very loyal.” Hazel couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “He may be loyal, but are you?” Mrs. Grant had already investigated Ruby thoroughly. She had returned to the country, but she wasn’t being faithful. She had several backup boyfriends, but unfortunately, there was no concrete evidence to make Lucas believe it. Hearing this, Ruby’s face changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. “What are you talking about? I only love Lucas.” “In a relationship, loyalty is the bare minimum. And Miss Chen, you don’t even have that. But I do,” Hazel replied coolly. Seeing Ruby’s smile become increasingly strained, Hazel knew Mrs. Grant’s intel was spot on. Suddenly, a phone on the coffee table started ringing. Perhaps due to nervousness, Ruby accidentally hit the speakerphone button. A young man’s voice immediately filled the room: “Babe, are you coming over tonight?” His tone was lazy and intimate. Ruby frantically tried to mute the call, rushing outside in a panic. This was her chance! If she could just let Lucas see Ruby’s infidelity, her mission would be accomplished! Where was Lucas? The sound of running water came from the nearby bathroom. Oh right, he was showering. Hazel rushed over and pounded on the door. “Are you done? I really need to use the bathroom!” A languid voice replied from inside, “No.” “Hurry up, I can’t hold it anymore!” After a moment’s hesitation, Lucas responded, “There’s another bathroom upstairs.” “Please, I’m begging you! It’s an emergency!” Hazel pleaded desperately. Through the window, she could see Ruby’s lips forming what looked like “goodbye.” She ended the call quickly, while Lucas started speeding up his shower. Hazel clawed at her hair in frustration. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! As Ruby was about to come back inside, the sound of water in the bathroom stopped. To hell with it! Hazel kicked open the bathroom door and barged in. A Greek god emerging from the bath – that was her first thought.
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