Shelia's POV:These past few days, I’d been pouring all my energy into Ada’s wedding, barely catching any sleep. But as the plans came together, I felt a huge sense of accomplishment. This was the first project I’d taken on since the divorce, and it held a lot of meaning for me. I cared deeply about making it perfect.Just as I lay down to rest at home, the doorbell rang.Zachary was standing at my door with a bag of food, and as I opened it, he brought out a bouquet from behind his back with a smile."Congratulations, Shelia," he said, handing me the flowers.I beamed. "I love your little surprises." He had a knack for romance."You look exhausted, Shelia. Have you been eating properly?""Well, I tried to eat well, but most days I get so busy I forget," I admitted with a shrug.He rolled up his sleeves and headed straight to the kitchen. A warm feeling spread through me. Back when I was with Hugh, I was always the one cooking, and he never took care of me. I used to convince
Hugh was kissing me while forcefully pulling me into the nearest room from the door. He slammed the door shut with a loud bang and locked it. Zachary clearly hadn't expected Hugh to suddenly lose it; he pounded on the bedroom door hard and fast, anxious and frantic.Inside, Hugh didn’t care. He pressed me against the door, his bloodshot eyes staring intensely into mine as if he could see right through me.“Tell me! Have you slept with him or not?”“What’s it to you?” I struggled against him, feeling both ashamed and angry. Why was he interrogating me like this? I wasn’t his pet to be treated however he wanted!“How far have you gone with him?” Hugh was still aggressive and hysterical. I turned my head away, not wanting to look at him. His madness and brutality made me feel disgusted.Seeing that I wouldn’t speak, Hugh became even angrier. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze, and then kissed me fiercely. His kiss was rough and intense, as if trying to suck my soul out o
In that moment, his gaze was sincere, as if losing me meant losing his whole world. His thumb gently brushed my palm, slowly trying to break through the walls I'd built.But I kept reminding myself—this was all an act, just another way for him to regain the power to hurt me. Without hesitation, I shook off his hand.Just then, Zachary appeared, holding a set of keys. His anxious face came into view. I hurriedly pushed Hugh away. His gaze darkened dangerously, like an enraged predator, glaring at me.I didn't dare look at him. Instead, I clumsily tried to straighten my clothes. Zach's handsome face showed a mix of fatigue and gloom. When he saw my swollen lips and messy hair, his expression dimmed even more.Did Zachary hear everything from outside the door? I wondered, my heart racing.Zachary quickly composed himself. "You two..." His eyes shifted from me to Hugh, standing behind me, his tone accusatory."This is between Shelia and me. It's none of your business," Hugh said cold
Zachary and I were sitting close together. I knew how selfish I was being, enjoying his company while my heart was still tangled up with another man—a jerk, no less.“Zachary, am I being too selfish, treating you like this?” I asked.“Don’t say anything. You’re exhausted. You need to clear your mind and get some rest,” he interrupted me, standing up and helping me off the couch. “I’m taking you somewhere.”I didn’t resist. Maybe it was his firmness that left me with no energy to argue, or maybe I really needed an outlet to release all my pent-up emotions.He drove us to a private horse ranch on the outskirts of the city. The vast green field stretched out like an ocean, the tender grass swaying gently in the breeze, filling the air with a fresh, clean scent. Sunlight bathed the meadow in a soft golden glow.“Do you know how to ride?” he asked, leading a sleek black horse over to me.I shook my head. I’d always wanted to learn, but for one reason or another, I never found the time
I'd never spoken up so fiercely in defense of someone before. Seeing Zachary like that ignited a fierce need to protect him. When he saw me stand up for him, his eyes filled with appreciation. I knew my words had hit Richard where it hurt. Guys like him—spoiled since childhood—couldn't stand being told they were inferior, especially in areas they prided themselves on.Sure enough, Richard's face darkened instantly, and he glared at me, teeth clenched. "You dare lecture me?"He sized me up, then suddenly yanked me into his arms. "Oh, I thought you were some innocent little thing, but turns out you've got your eye on my brother. What, trying to climb the social ladder? Why not play with me instead..."Before he could finish his disgusting words, Zachary lunged at him, grabbing his collar in one swift motion. His voice was icy cold, like a chill straight from hell. "Richard, if you dare speak to Shelia like that again, I'll tear your mouth apart!"Richard was caught off guard by Zacha
Zachary’s voice felt like a ray of light, piercing through the darkness of my despair. I clung tightly to the saddle, leaning my body forward to reduce the resistance.Zachary, riding his tall white horse, flew past me like the wind. He grabbed hold of my horse’s reins, trying to bring the wild animal under control.“Damn it, stop!” Zachary shouted, yanking hard on the reins. The horse, “Red Hare,” let out a pained whinny, rearing up on its hind legs. The sudden movement startled me, and I lost my balance. I could feel myself slipping from the saddle, about to fall...“Stop!” Zachary’s voice trembled slightly with urgency, and I could see the veins bulging on his hands as he pulled on the reins with all his strength. The horse, in response to the sharp tug, reared even higher, nearly throwing me off as I screamed in fear.At the same time, Zachary leaned back, lowering his body as far as possible, and I could almost hear the harsh scrape of his back against the ground. Under his
I carried the fondant cake I had made for Ada, pushing through the revolving doors of a luxury shopping mall. Classical music played softly in the background, the surroundings opulent and gleaming. I had thought Ada, this big celebrity, and I had become close, almost like friends. But now, her agent wasn’t answering calls, and she hadn’t replied to my messages. I’d been searching everywhere for her. Finally, I spotted her at the entrance of an upscale jewelry store.“Ada! I finally found you.” I squeezed past a group of girls who were screaming excitedly into their phones, making my way toward Ada. She was wearing sunglasses, casually browsing through the jewelry.“What are you doing here?” Ada took off her sunglasses, frowning slightly, clearly annoyed.I raised the cake I had brought. "Ada, I made your favorite fondant cake. The wedding situation was a misunderstanding, but we’ve got a solution ready."She didn’t even reach for it. Her eyes skimmed over the cake with disdain,
Hugh’s car came to a smooth stop in front of my building. I unfastened my seatbelt, my tone cold as I said, “Thanks, you can leave now.”But he grabbed my hand, his deep eyes filled with worry. “Shelia, I know you're still angry. I’ll take care of the issue with Carol…”“Hugh, what’s between Carol and me is just regular business competition. I don’t need your help. And we shouldn’t be involved anymore. I don’t want others to misunderstand.”My voice was distant and indifferent, like a bucket of cold water extinguishing any care he had in his eyes.“Shelia, do you really have to talk to me like this?” His voice was raspy, wounded, like the low growl of an injured animal.“Hugh, stop bothering me.” I looked at him coldly. “You got what you wanted—you used dirty tricks to secure the deal. We’re done. Please respect that.”With that, I opened the car door and stepped out without looking back.He followed me out, calling my name. “Shelia!”I ignored him, shutting the door to my apar