Dating Enzo didn't feel as romantic as Hazel had imagined. Enzo was always busy, and it took him a long time to reply to her messages or call her. Even when he did, their conversations were short, leaving Hazel wanting more.

Hazel, a sensitive and emotional girl, craved love. She was the type to fall deeply for someone as soon as they showed her even a little affection.

Having little experience with boys and relationships, Hazel struggled with her emotions and often felt alone. She realized that love was heavy, not the simple, magical thing depicted in romance movies, TV shows, or books.

She didn't think Enzo was a bad person. The only issue was that he rarely reached out to her. But when he did, he always said the right things in a heartfelt way, which made Hazel hesitate to end things. After all, it wasn't easy to find a good man. Enzo wasn't abusive or toxic, so breaking up with him felt like the wrong choice.

However, day by day, Hazel realized that Enzo had no idea how much she missed him. Even though she tried to explain her feelings to him, he still didn't seem to understand.

Hazel struggled to make sense of the situation. She wondered if she was overreacting and blamed herself for being so emotional and sensitive. When she couldn't talk to or see Enzo as much as she wanted, she began to feel like there was something wrong with her—as if she wasn't normal.

—--

"Let's check out the new books. I'm so excited!" Benita said to Hazel as they stood in the storeroom of the bookshop. Benita was a book lover too, especially fond of romance novels. But for Hazel, romance novels only made her sad these days, so she avoided them. Instead, she stuck to mysteries, thrillers, and detective stories.

"Oh wow! Look, these are brand-new releases," Benita said, pulling some books out of a box.

"Wow! I have to buy these. I've been waiting for them to come out," Hazel said, feeling a flicker of happiness for the first time in days. She picked out a few books, hoping they would distract her from her thoughts about Enzo.

Around 4:45 p.m., Hazel received a call. It was Enzo.

"Oh, look, someone remembered me," Hazel said in an angry tone, though her voice wasn't as sharp as she intended. On the other end, she could hear a smile—the kind of smile that could melt her heart. Sometimes, she hated that it had such an effect on her.

How does he do this? she thought.

"Of course I remember you, always," Enzo said smoothly.

"I don't believe it. I'm sorry," Hazel replied.

"Come on, baby. I was busy. I have a surprise for you," Enzo said.

Hazel hesitated. "What is it?" she asked, her tone still guarded. She could hear Enzo smiling again.

"Are you angry?" he asked, his voice laced with amusement.

"Of course I'm angry," she shot back.

"Would you still be angry if I came and picked you up at five?" he asked, his tone teasing.

Hazel's mood shifted despite herself. She tried to hold on to her anger but failed.

"Are you here?" Hazel asked, trying to sound angry despite the excitement bubbling inside her. She didn't want Enzo to know how happy she was that he'd arrived.

It bothered her that Enzo often treated her like she was his last priority, yet when he wanted her, she was expected to drop everything and be ready for him. Hazel wished she were as busy as he was so she could say, I'm sorry, Mr. Enzo. I'm busy today.

Sometimes, she even considered lying to make him feel what she felt. But then the thought of hurting Enzo's feelings made her sad, and the anxiety of possibly regretting it held her back.

"Estoy aquí, cariño," Enzo said in his deep Spanish accent, and Hazel felt her resolve crumble. She couldn't keep up her angry tone any longer and broke into a smile.

"What?" she asked, confused. She didn't know Spanish.

"I'm here, baby," Enzo said again, his voice smooth and warm.

She was thrilled to know he was there but tried to stay composed. "Okay then," she replied.

Okay, I lose. You win this time too, Enzo, Hazel thought. Deep down, she already knew Enzo would always win these emotional battles.

—--------

"Are you not going home, Hazel?" Benita asked, noticing that Hazel hadn't picked up her handbag to leave. On most days, Hazel was the first one ready to head out.

"Oh, I'm waiting for a friend. You go ahead. I'll lock the door," Hazel replied.

"Okay then. Let's meet tomorrow," Benita said.

"Bye!" Hazel said. A minute later, she stepped outside and locked the door behind her.

"You're late by a whole minute," Enzo said, leaning against the wall with a playful smirk. He was wearing a black leather jacket that made him look stunning.

"So? Is that a bad thing?" Hazel asked, smiling back.

"One minute is a long time," Enzo teased.

"I waited an entire month to see you again, so don't make such a big deal about one minute," Hazel shot back with a grin.

"That's a fair point. But... nope. Come on, let's go," Enzo said with a mischievous grin. He didn't take her hand, which made Hazel wonder why.

When Enzo opened the car door for her, Hazel noticed a man sitting in the driver's seat. At first, she thought he might be Enzo's driver, but the man looked more like a rugby player. She couldn't help but wonder why Enzo would need someone like that as a driver.

"Where are we going?" Hazel asked curiously.

"To my hotel room," Enzo whispered, his voice low and suggestive.

"What?" Hazel exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Don't worry, I'll drop you home in the morning," Enzo said. But Hazel didn't feel particularly happy about that. He hadn't told her his plans beforehand, and she wasn't ready to spend the night with him yet. She couldn't help but wonder if they were even close enough for such a step, especially considering how often Enzo ignored her, claiming he was busy.

"No, Enzo, I can't spend the night in your hotel room. You should have told me this earlier," Hazel said firmly.

Enzo's face shifted. "I thought you'd like it. What's the big deal?" he asked, his tone tinged with annoyance.

"Because... I... I don't know. You should have told me beforehand. That's how it's supposed to happen," Hazel explained, stumbling over her words.

"So, you don't like me?" Enzo asked, his ego clearly bruised by the rejection. He wasn't used to being turned down, and it showed.

"I like you, but we need to talk about these things first. We barely have real conversations. You don't message or call enough, and then suddenly, you show up, make plans on your own, and expect me to just go along with them. That's not how it works," Hazel said. She felt a pang of guilt, not wanting to hurt Enzo's feelings, but for once, she decided to put her own feelings first.

She could clearly see the disappointment on Enzo's face.

"So, do you want to go home now?" he asked, his tone sharp with irritation.

"I'll stay for a few hours, but I can't spend the night," Hazel said, meeting his gaze.

Enzo thought for a moment, then glanced at the rearview mirror, where he saw Manuel subtly nodding his head, signaling him to agree with Hazel. Clearly, Manuel had been listening to their conversation.

"Okay, then," Enzo said reluctantly, but his tone revealed that he didn't like the rejection at all. No girl had ever rejected him, not even once. Hazel had already told him "no" twice. Enzo couldn't understand why he was so drawn to a girl who wasn't ready to sleep with him when he was the one who had suggested it.

"Are you religious?" Enzo asked, trying to change the subject.

"Yes, a bit," Hazel replied. "Why? You don't like religious girls?"

"I actually don't care about it, as long as I really like them," Enzo said, looking at her with a gaze that made it clear he would take whatever he could get. Hazel smiled slightly in response, and in that moment, Enzo completely forgot about Manuel. He leaned in toward Hazel and started to kiss her.

"Boss, are we going to the hotel?" Manuel asked, his voice cutting through the moment. Enzo quickly straightened up in his seat, his face flushing a bright red.

"Yes, yes. We are going to the hotel," Enzo muttered, still embarrassed. His face was as red as a tomato.