"Did you guys hear that Zoe's grandmother is dead?" Audrey broke the silence at the dining table during breakfast. "Who cares that the sickly woman is finally gone anyway?" Ivy replied to her with heavy sarcasm, wondering why Audrey was suddenly choosing to talk about Zoe. For many days, they had not talked about anything particular at the dining table, except having the most chaotic arguments Ivy and Isla usually had. Everyone had pretty much gone back to their lives, even if it had not remained the same as the past. "It is a pity how unfortunate she is. She has no one by her side, and has always been so unlucky. Only her attended the burial. Even her supposed grandfather didn't," Audrey told them again, not minding if they were not interested in replying to her. She had been so interested in everything about Zoe and had been watching the way she acted, so that the crazy wheel of misfortune would not end up stopping at her name again. "Are you stalking her enough to know such a
Zoe had it the same at the office the next day, except with a little change that her afternoon had brought more peace than she ever thought she would find while working. Her secretary, Zara, seemed to have a new joke to tell her which was more fun than the previous ones, and she wanted her to try a new vegetable drink that she learned online too. Though there was barely enough time to make all that happen because of Zoe's busy schedule, she was grateful that someone truly made an effort to make her happy. Towards evening, Zoe soon realized that she would be encumbered with her job at the office till late hours, and called Martin to apologize for her plan to cancel their plans to meet. However, he told her that she could finish whenever she liked and that he would wait for her. Pressured to meet as soon as possible and not waste so much of his time, she had to give up the plan to work through the night and go on with the dinner date. 'It was probably the first time someone had invi
"You should find what makes you happy, Zoe. You deserve that as someone carrying a lot of responsibilities with her," Martin finally said softly, hoping that his words would get to her. "Why are you nice to me, Martin? It is obvious from our meetings that I am a boring person, and I don't have much to offer. Well, except my money," Zoe responded. "That is not all to you, you know. You have your own charms, and I want to be your friend. I'm pretty much a boring man myself too." "I don't think you are," she defended. "Yes, I am. But I am outspoken whenever I am around people I like being with," Martin replied, with his eyes fixated on her. "So, you like being around me?" Zoe speculated with a little doubt in her voice, as cold shivers ran down her spine. The dress she had on was designed with a small sleeve, and cold seemed to be crawling up on her skin and shooting tiny swells. "Are you cold?" Martin asked, observing that she was struggling not to fold her arms around her body. "
"Grandfather! How could you ask me to do something like that?!" Zoe demanded viciously from the rigid man that was standing before her, almost choking on her words. Francis' words, which sounded like a cruel joke, hit her like a ton of bricks, and sent shockwaves of pain and disbelief through her entire being. She could not believe what he had just said. She couldn't comprehend the absurdity. "Are you being serious now, or are you just trying to pull my strings?" She asked him, her voice quivering with a mix of pain and disbelief as she gazed at the resolute expression of her grandfather. "It is best for you, and you know it. Swallow your pride and get back with him for great good, since it seems like he wants the same too. You wanted to attain unprecedented power, right? Then you sometimes have to hold hands with your enemies for a greater achievement. That is a compromise. That is how the business world works!" Francis spoke briskly with an impassive impression visibly etched
Three weeks later…… As the lady on the bed slowly blinked her eyes open, the world around her came into focus in a haze of confusion. The sterile white ceiling of the hospital room loomed overhead and flashed at her eyes, as the sounds of machines beeped endlessly in her ears, reminding her that she was still awake. A sense of disorientation washed over her as she tried hard to process what was going on, but a blockage continued to obscure her thoughts and memories, making it hard to figure out anything. As she tried to sit up, a wave of dizziness and weakness forced her back down onto the bed instantly. "Ms Zoe. You are awake," she heard someone say to her, as the figure approached her bedside with a kind smile and gentle eyes. With a confused glint dancing in her eyes which narrowed at the lady talking to her, and she wondered what the lady was talking about. But firstly, 'Who was she?' "Who are you, please?" She asked the nurse in confusion, trying to understand what was goin
It was still so bright on the morning of the weekend at the Meyers mansion, and things were rowdy and noisier than usual, which drew the attention of every member of the family. The workers were busy with their clinking and clanking as they set to work on the meticulous renovations that would transform the mansion, while other servants seemed to be scurrying about, carrying trunks and boxes as directed by Edward. All the boxes that were brought in were being moved to Malcolm's room as directed, making everyone in the mansion puzzled about what was going on. Especially the main members of the family that have not been informed about anything. "What is going on? Who is moving out or in?" Ivy, who was coming down from the side of her stairs, yawned tiredly as she came down to meet Audrey, looking around meticulously. "I said what is happening?" Ivy questioned again as she whispered into Audrey's ears from behind where she stood, making her jump in fear as the cold words blew into her
"What the heck is going on in this house? I think I am about to go crazy!" Ivy yelled frenziedly, as she held her head like her head tightly like her life depended on it, while trying to comprehend what they had just been told by Malcolm's secretary as his message. "Edward said that Malcolm is getting married to Zoe again, and that she's going through a medical situation that has wiped off the memories of people that had caused her trauma in her life, which includes us," Audrey repeated, just in case they didn't grasp it fully, just like she did. Rather than feeling crazily perplexed like the rest of the family, she was just intrigued by what was going on. She didn't even know how to express her emotions, amidst the craziness that everyone was displaying. "Did I say that I was too dumb to hear?!" Ivy lashed angrily at her. "And do you really want to believe the explanation they are giving for this absurdity?! And the part where she agreed to get married to him again, because it
"Who prepared this?!" Those words came flying at the dining table, and every activity was brought to a halt in an instant at the vicious questioning from the dignified lady that had come to join breakfast, making everyone terribly uncomfortable with her presence. "It is I, ma'am," the chef, who had prepared breakfast that morning, came running. "How did you prepare the lasgna?" Zoe questioned him sternly, her beautiful eyes staring at him intently with curiosity. Though the chef had not seen the lady who was questioning him before, he knew that she was someone not to be disrespected by even from her aura alone. "I added shrimps, beef, mozzarella …….""It doesn't suit my taste buds, and I hate the taste of the garlic that was used. Do you have farfalle or rotelle?" She asked him, as her eyes were raised to meet the chef's in query. "Eat whatever you are given and stop whining," Ivy's voice interjected into her discussion with irritation lacing her voice, as she cast upon Zoe a l
“How did it feel to see her?” Malcolm, whose eyes were already shutting in weariness brightened at the mention of Zoe, saying she met her mother. “To be honest, I was so glad. I was exhilarated because it felt so surreal to know I still have a family,” a small smile graced her lips as she spoke of it, “She doesn't know yet, but I like seeing her every time. She is a gorgeous woman. Full of dreams, and beautiful. Fun fact, we have similar eyes,” she was so excited to talk about Jasmine to someone. Turning to look at her, Malcolm stared into her eyes with a smile, “Really?”“Yes. She is stunning,” her lips widened in a deeper grin. His heart, suddenly hurting at the thought of his mother again, Malcolm was curious, “You don't resent all the times you spent away from her? Or her?”“If I say I don't, I lie,” a soft sigh escaped Zoe, as she looked up at the beautiful chandelier that was sitting up on the ceiling of the living room, while staring at it dreamily like a new kind of attra
Ding dong! The shrill chime of the doorbell outside the door instantly cut through Jasmine's thoughts and her back to the present from her room. For a moment, she couldn’t move. Her body remained frozen as if her brain had paused, and her heart, hammered. It was when her phone which was by her side sounded with a loud notification, that she fully kicked out of the reset mode her mind had gone into. She grabbed the phone so languidly as if something was sucking life out of her. A message notification from Justine flashed through her face when she swiped the screen up, and it read, ‘I’m outside. Please come get me.’ Turning on the lights in the room, Jasmine rose to her feet and hurried out of her room with light steps, careful not to wake Raine up. When she opened the front door of the house, a silent gasp escaped her as soon as she saw her. Justine was looking like life had chewed her up and spit her out. Her eyes were red with weariness and swollen with tears, and her sho
The bedroom showed no sign of life because the lights there were off, but someone was sitting by the window side, staring out into her uninteresting compound, while lost in thoughts. She sat at the edge of her armchair with her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes fixed on nothing in particular. The air around her felt so thick with tension, and it felt too heavy to pull into her lungs, because it was constricted with pain. It had been almost two hours since Zoe left, but Jasmine’s heart had not known rest because of what she said. The most shocking part of her life was all exposed in just one evening, and she was still trying so hard to process it. Her truths were wrapped in so much pain.She had been trying to keep up with the chaos inside her head, but it was as if Zoe's pain now lived in her lungs.‘She was married?’ Jasmine could not get her mind off that part, because that piece of information was not included in her public biography. There was no news about it. ‘If she was
Zoe adjusted the face cap she was wearing and bent her head, her eyes boring deep into the floor as she entered into the elevator with Malcolm. It was when they entered and the doors shut, that she thought to herself that it would have been better if he had gone up first. ‘What could be worse than the tip-off of where she was staying the night? Meeting up with Malcolm Meyer in his private penthouse? It would look too good on paper. The speculations would be terrifying and suffocating!’“You can remove the cap now,” Malcolm told her as soon as they reached the penthouse of the forty-five floored building, and stepped out of the elevator. “Okay,” she muttered, even if she didn't pull it off immediately. She was still a little bothered that someone might see them. The penthouse was quiet when Zoe stepped in after Malcolm opened the door, and it was the kind of stifling silence that made her heartbeat echo in her own ears. And maybe somehow, because she had seen what his house looked
“Those two must have been planning it since! They must have!” Irina’s flare cut through his thoughts, as she gritted her teeth hard, “I have never even thought of her ever coming back. Mill assured her everything was over, and that she would never have reasons to return anymore!” Her heart continued to beat fast, as a raging headache began to rise within her head. She had been having that for days now, and it had just worsened. “This was his silent comeback?” A bitter scowl escaped her, as she sucked in a shaky breath of fury before taking her seat as she shut her eyes tight because of the terrible headache. “No wonder that bastard wasn't saying anything and just watched us run things behind him. He was planning to bring his mother back to the company,” Irina groaned. “Then we should tell the board. This might change their minds,” Andre blurted out without even thinking. “You stupid fool!” Irina cursed under her trembling breath, “What has that got to do with the shareholders?
Back at the Meyers mansion, the moment of peace shattered the moment the front doors burst open, and Irina stormed into the mansion like a hurricane still pompously dressed in her extravagant ball dress.Her hair was still perfectly curled, but her face, which was shining so beautifully, was scrunched up in anger that made the maids scatter as soon as they saw her coming. They hadn't expected to see her so early and had rejoiced endlessly since the plan was to be gone for five days on a nice trip. It made them so disappointed.“Where is my son?!” she barked, tossing her coat and purse aside as she turned to the terrified ones that remained. One of the maids that worked directly with her hurried forward, as she looked to the floor instantly, “Ma’am, Master Andre is in the….”Irina didn’t wait to hear the rest as she stormed past the lady, only for her heels to hit the huge vase along where she passed, causing her to stumble. However, she was fast enough to catch herself against a gil
Driving away from Jasmine’s beautiful and peaceful neighborhood, Zoe struggled to breathe behind the steering wheel of her car. Her entire body was trembling and she was so tensed up, because of the heated encounter she had with her minutes ago, and she had not yet regained herself even after the short discussion she had with Raine. She didn't even understand why she had ranted uncontrollably and talked about her entire life in just a few minutes. She had screamed about her past, pain, and everything she had buried under fine clothing, and business smiles to no one else but her mother. Of course, in the most bitter way ever. ‘Goodness!’ Zoe screamed in her head, mortified that even if she wanted her to see the good side of her, she had failed. Her hands struggled to steady behind the steering wheel as she drove and gripped it so tightly as if it would help her calm herself down, her breath coming in shallow draws. She was confused. ‘Should she call Jasmine back and apologize for
A bitter smile curved Zoe’s lips, “I am sorry I have made you uncomfortable all this while. To be honest, I just really want somewhere to feel at home,” she shrugged slightly as if it was nothing, even if she was crumbling within her. “Growing up with my granny, I had a very rough life. Was bullied endlessly because I had no Mum, and was dirt poor. I worked my ass trying to get an education, but it didn't pay off because I had too many debts. Then an old man my granny knew agreed to take away my debt if I got married, so I did, hoping to escape my lowly, but it was way worse. I suffered a lot,” Zoe began to recount everything that she had been wanting to let out, at least to the very woman she desperately wanted to tell the truth to. She wanted her to know that even if Emily had been her biological Mum, she had a trashy life in the past either way. She had never truly had a family. “You.. you've been married?” Jasmine's incoherent words stumbled out of her trembling lips, as she st
“What do you mean?” Jasmine, who had been pretending not to listen to their conversation almost asked, her eyes widening in shock at what Zoe had just revealed.But Raine took the words right out of her lips before she could say it. “What? Really?” Her eyes sparked up in curiosity.Zoe shrugged lightly, as if trying to make the conversation as natural as possible, “She told me she is not my Mum.”“How?” Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, “You were adopted?!” Her voice rose in speculation. “No,” Zoe laughed.More confusion crossed Raine's features, making her more puzzled than the last, “Then how? She picked you up?” “Maybe because she has lost her mind or something. She rambles on these days. That was when she told me,” she mumbled. “Lost her mind?” Raine's voice lowered in pity. “Yeah. She did pretty bad things, and I guess maybe that is her reward. She doesn't even recognize me,” Zoe laughed like it was some bad joke. Genuinely, Raine's eyes lowered in worry, as she questione