After all, their victory at the competition was overwhelming.Zoe didn’t hold back either, and poured herself a full glass while toasting Jay. "Sorry for being late, Mr. Parker. Bottom's up. "Zoe chugged her glass right after she spoke, while Jay glanced at her before picking her glass and finishing it in one go.Zoe remembered that he couldn’t hold his liquor.Had he improved so much after they were just years apart?Well, that had nothing to do with her anyway."I thought you were busy?" Jay asked nonchalantly."I was just finished," Zoe replied, not bothering to elaborate."Right." Jay didn’t ask anything further—it was just a polite exchange.After they drank, Candice pulled Zoe along to start drinking with the others. Though she was late, Zoe didn’t try to push them away. However, they were so intoxicated that they promptly joined in once Zoe offered them a toast.And thus it was a massacre in under an hour, with some of them vomiting their stomachs out right then and
Zoe quickly asked, "A-Are you alright? Should I call an ambulance?"Jay's heart rate was frighteningly fast! "I-I'm fine," Jay stammered, working hard to make his voice sound calm. "I just had a little too much to drink.""But your heart’s racing," Zoe said seriously. "You might contract something in your veins, and a blood clot in your brain can lead to stroke."Jay chuckled feebly at her words. "You really want me dead, don't you?"Zoe was speechless—that wasn’t what she meant, but whatever. She didn’t want to waste time on him; they were all adults, and it was his own business to take care of himself."Where's your phone? I'll call your assistant to take you home," she said."I think it's in my pants pocket," Jay replied, but he was not reaching for it.Zoe was speechless—a drunk person was really difficult to deal with.She reached into his pockets, but there was nothing in either of them.Was he messing with her?"There's nothing there," she said, not noticing that t
Jay was more or less keeping himself in line on the way home, saying nothing and not vomiting until they arrived at the destination.Zoe paid the cab fare and helped Jay out of the car, asking, "Can you go upstairs yourself?"Jay's figure wobbled, before he said slowly, "I don't know."That was definitely a no—Zoe knew that much.Jay had always been cunning, always troubling others even though he looked like the type who wouldn’t.Zoe clenched her teeth and helped him into his apartment complex, and up to his unit.Naturally, the man was staying in an affluent district. Zoe opened the door to see a spacious apartment, with glass walls covering three of the four walls. It was an expensive property Zoe hadn’t seen for a while, a little impressed and unable to resist giving it a few more looks.She used to scoff at grand apartments like these, but now, they were her dream house.As she helped Jay into his exceedingly luxurious bedroom, he suddenly said, "I think I'm going to be
Zoe quickly left Jay's bedroom, but she must’ve walked around the apartment twice before finding the laundry room. She threw all her clothes inside and pressed the buttons…only to find that it would take almost two hours for her clothes to dry.She suddenly remembered Jay taking Bob to his house three years ago, and how Bob vomited all over him. Jay waited for two hours at the time, too. The circle of life, indeed.As Zoe stayed in the laundry room, Jay never came to check on her—he probably fell asleep right after taking his shower, since anyone would easily doze off with alcohol.It was especially true for her, since she was already feeling drowsy without getting drunk.Still, it was understandable since it was already past midnight.She yawned endlessly, and checked the time to see that it was already one in the morning. She hesitated for a while before heading to the vast living room, out of the laundry room.The view outside the glass wall was indescribably beautiful
How did Jay get up so early?He really was operating like an elderly person would…"Sorry, I fell asleep without noticing," Zoe apologized. In a sense, she was also saying she didn’t want to stay there."I know," Jay replied. "Your clothes have been cleaned, and I’ve already taken them out. It's on the couch beside you.""I'll get changed right away," Zoe said. She promptly picked up her clothes and headed into the main bathroom, where she found even her underwear stacked neatly on her clothes…She decided to ignore it, and started to leave after changing.Their group was on break today—they all got drunk last night, and after a hellish week of rehearsals, they would all be sleeping in and resting to get themselves sorted on their break. Zoe was planning to go home and sleep the entire day too, but Jay called out to her just as she stepped out of the bathroom."Zoe…""Is there something else?'"Yeah. Have some breakfast before you go.""I'll pass.""It's ready…""I don’t
Cora said, "Mom’s asking everyone to eat at the manor. You didn't answer our calls, so she told me and Bob to swing by while we're heading over.""Oh, okay," Jay replied. "Will Cordy be bringing Dicky?""They're at the capital. They won't make it."Jay asked no further questions, and said, "Come on in.""Okay," Cora said, and headed inside with Bob."I'll go now," Zoe said, prepared to put on her shoes and leave right there and then."You can leave after breakfast," Jay said, stopping her."I'll pass.""It's fine—it's still early, and we're not going to Levine Manor straight away," Bob suddenly said.Zoe glanced at him, and nodded.Jay pursed his lips, staying impassive. Cora didn’t know that Bob used to date Zoe, and didn’t care much either since she believed that they were just good friends.Still, Zoe felt very much on edge, given the complicated relationship between all four of them who were now sitting in the same room.It was Cora who broke the awkward silence. "What'
Jay quickly offered, "I'll take you home."Zoe immediately declined. "It's alright. I can just take a cab.""That'd be inconvenient. You're quite famous now.""I just need a disguise.""Just wait a moment. I'll get changed," Jay insisted, not giving her a chance to refuse. "You're a cripple and you can't drive. How are you going to take me anywhere?" Zoe said bluntly, and Cora was stunned by her insulting outburst.How could she say cripple on a whim? No one around Jay ever said it for years!"I can go back on my own," Zoe added determinedly, not caring about the looks others were giving her."I can give you a ride," Bob suddenly said. "I happened to bring my car."Cora was slightly irked, since it was her boyfriend who would be getting in a car with another woman.However, Bob simply continued, "Cora, wait for me here. I'll be back to take you and Jay once I've sent Zoe home."Then, turning towards Zoe without waiting for anyone's approval, he told her, "Come on."With th
Bob suddenly asked, "Please don't tell me you're rejecting Jay because he's a cripple.""He's actually a cripple?" Zoe exclaimed in surprise."What, you didn't know? You even called him a cripple just now!" Bob was left dumbfounded. "I thought…it's just a fracture, and it'd heal soon," Zoe was even more dumbfounded than him.Bob shot her a look before stopping his car by the curb, which left Zoe perplexed. He had seemingly done it for no reason.Once he stopped the car, he asked solemnly, "You really didn't know?" "What?""That Jay was caught in a car crash," Bob said, still surprised. Zoe gasped in shock. "Was it serious?"Bob rolled his eyes. "Are we doing a comedy routine right now?"Zoe was speechless, but she definitely had no idea—she had kept herself isolated from everything the year she left North City, pregnant.Bob actually seemed a little disappointed about that. "Jay never announced it, but most of the people in the business knew—either immediately or eventual