Zoe stepped out of her sleek red car that pulled in front of ANCLAIR imposing building, as the morning sun radiated against its polished surface and cast an eye-blinding reflection to those who cared to look. She stood like a regal figure as soon as she was greeted by the employees who were waiting outside to welcome her already, her impeccable three-piece, exuding sophistication and timeless elegance. As she proceeded through the revolving door into the lobby which was full of the usual busy activities of the morning, behind her was Gary, in his perfect suit, and the others, walking behind her like an army. Hush fell into the room the moment she sauntered past the marbled-floor lobby, the click of her heels echoing in the silence, as employees paused mid-conversation, their eyes widening as they caught sight of the daunting lady who was making her way into the elevator. As the doors of the elevator slid open with a soft chime, Zoe stepped inside together with Gary and the doors
As the thought of Malcolm came to her mind, Zoe’s mind could not help but flash back to what he had told her that morning before she left the house. It was when he gazed at her with some kind of expression that conflicted her. “Zoe,” he called her as if his breath had seized from him, his eyes twitching with something she thought seemed like sadness. “Do you think that you can leave this family now? And be away from everyone? Finally? Don't try to know anymore and just break off?” His voice carried a hint of something that sounded like weariness which she wasn't sure of, because Malcolm Meyer was not the type to express such emotions. “What do you mean?” her eyebrows raised with surprise, her questioning eyes searching him with curiosity to know what he meant by those words. “Nothing,” a smile she knew was not genuine curved his lips, as he slowly brushed a strand of hair from her face and tucked it gently behind her right ear, “I… I probably was too eager to hear if you would st
Zoe arrived at the discreet golf course in the evening after she clocked out of the company a little earlier than usual, as she spotted her friend, Martin, waiting by the golf tee, looking all fit and fine in his golf outfit. He waved the moment his head turned right, and he saw her, a smile curving his lips with delight. “Hey, Zoe,” he called out, still smiling, as they both hugged briefly and shook hands smoothly, “How have you been?” His eyes peered at her with admiration. “Hi, Martin,” a brilliant smile stretched Zoe's lips, as she adjusted her cap and the golf outfit she had asked Zara to order for her less than an hour ago, after he asked to meet there, “I have been great. Trust you have been too.”“Absolutely,” Martin responded, handing her a golf club, “Let us make this a good game,” he winked at her.The two made their way to a further place in the large field away from the eyesight of the few people that were around, till they got to what looked like a perfect spot for the
Martin's eyes took a haunted look, as he stood unblinkingly trying to process what he had just heard, before turning to stare at her with shock, “Your fiancé?” Blood drained from his face at that unexpected revelation, “Zoe are you serious?” there was urgency in the way he spoke. “She nodded, her gaze steady, “Yes, Martin. I truly am.”Martin shook his head as his stomach contracted into a tight ball, “But...how?” His voice failed him miserably, as he couldn't mask the deep disappointment he felt at that moment. He was suddenly confused. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know how Malcolm Meyer of all men would be her fiancé.‘Where did they meet? How? Since when have they been together? And why was it even a man like him? How was that even possible?!’ Martin's mind was stormed with different questions, his brain battling to process the numerous rhetorical questions one after another. He truly hoped it would not be true. He wanted to ask if she was sure he was truly her fiancé,
After Zoe left the golf course, she couldn’t bring herself to go home because of how she was feeling, and the surfeit amount of thoughts that were running through her mind. Instead, she drove to a faraway beach to clear her head, parked her car miles away, and walked down to the edge of the ocean where water could sweep her feet. She stood on that spot for a few minutes, her mind racing through many conflicting thoughts and emotions, before she finally turned back and sat down, wrapping her arms around her knees as she gazed out at the relentless waves from a distance while lost in thoughts. The disturbing revelation Martin had told her earlier made her so worried, as she slipped her phone out of her inner coat, and swiped across the screen to her gallery where the picture of the card she took was. It was an innocuous-looking card, plain blue, embossed with simple red lettering. If not for her curiosity about everything that was in Irina's safe, there was no reason for her to both
Zoe threw her phone back into her pocket, her hands trembling with rage as she got on her feet, straightened the rumples on her clothes, and stormed to where her car was parked. The drive to the six-star restaurant was almost at the speed of light, as she gripped the steering wheel so tightly, and floored on the accelerator so keenly with her eyes fully on the road, while navigating through the city’s evening traffic. The memory of Marcel, arrogant, disrespectful Casanova, who had asked to see her burned in her mind, and she knew she would not let unwelcome reappearance go unanswered in the right way. As she pulled up to the opulent restaurant, the valet took her keys with a nod after her orders, as she strode purposefully through the lavish lobby, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor. She was on her way to see him on the very last floor that was said to have been reserved for just the both of them, to resolve their differences.‘Ah,’ her lips twisted into a wicked
The information that Zoe had been on a blind date set by her grandfather when he was out of town, and the one she had been asked to go to again that day, drove Malcolm crazy when he heard that he lost every sense of reasoning at that point as soon as he dropped the call. He had not bothered to change his clothes, and just stormed out of his room, picked up a car by himself, and drove out without employing the help of a chauffeur. His hands gripped the steering wheel as he floored hard on the accelerator, his anger fueled by thoughts of betrayal from Francis Sinclair. The imagination of Zoe going on a blind date arranged by her grandfather and meeting another man played repeatedly in his head, with each version of his mind scene inciting the flames of his rage.‘Just why would he do that?! Why?!’ Malcolm was so enraged. His fingers trembled with fury as he dialed Zoe's incessantly, without any sign of response. “Fuck it!” His jaws clenched hard as he threw the phone onto the passeng
Malcolm drove out of Francis Sinclair's mansion still in anger, while trying Zoe's phone unsuccessfully with no one to pick it up. Though unfazed by Zoe's grandfather's words before he left, his mind could not help but drown with concerns about what the old man could be planning to do. “You will not be able to say this once she regains her memories,” those words flashed through his mind repeatedly, and overwhelmed him with some kind of unsolicited fear.He knew the kind of person that Francis Sinclair was, and could never say he trusted what he was capable of beyond business terms. In fact, he preferred not to know what he could do. The only person he was interested in was Zoe. Roaming through his head and mind, he thought of the perfect place that she could be even if she had gone on a blind date, and hoped that he would really be right, so he confirmed that she wasn't home either. Even if he knew he was supposed to be respecting her space by not arousing suspicions between the tw
“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