Zoe had yet to speak.Mason caught her hand, his gaze deep. "I'm flying back to Brookesville to handle this. Zoe, I will suppress this matter, and minimize the negative impact."Zoe lowered her eyes.After a while, she smiled bitterly. "How can it be suppressed? There are over a hundred thousand reposts, Mason. Tell me, how can you suppress it?"Mason tightened his grip on her hand momentarily, but he still left.This matter with Lilith not only affected the Sanders family but also the Lockwood Group.If not handled well, Lockwood Group's stocks could fall to their lowest today.Mason walked to the theater entrance.He couldn't help but turn around to look at Zoe, but Zoe didn't look at him.She stood under the spotlight, fragile and lonely.She softly told the theater manager, "I want to be alone for a while, is it okay?"The manager sympathized with her situation and quickly said, "Of course, Ms. Zoe. I'll clear the place for you. You can stay as long as you want. We close
Zoe returned to Brookesville and drove directly to the cemetery from the airport.In early winter, a chilly wind blew. She wore a black coat and held a bouquet of daisies, her mother's favorite. Standing in the cold wind, she gazed at her mother's smiling face on the tombstone.Her mother passed away in a car accident. In Zoe's memories, her mother was gentle and affectionate, deeply in love with her father. In the evening, the sound of a car would resonate in the courtyard of Kirk Manor. Her mother would carry her downstairs to welcome her father. Her father would kiss her mother first and then hug her, asking, "Did you miss Daddy?""I did! I want to follow you to pick up Noah from school.""Okay! Let's pick up your brother together and not disturb your mom while she paints."…The young Zoe sat in the black RV, watching her mother from behind the rear window. Her mother stood in the courtyard, wearing a shawl, with a blooming wax plum tree beside her and a faint smile on her
She resisted, and he forcefully pinched her cheeks.It hurt, and a bruise formed after a while.In a moment, her stockings were taken off and thrown to the end of the bed.Mason pressed against her lips, murmuring like a lover, "I won't let you go. I never liked her. I have reasons I can't avoid. Be obedient, okay? We were so happy not long ago..."Zoe's black hair spread on the snowy white sheets.Her clothes were disheveled. She was vulnerable and helpless.She looked at Mason, her voice slightly trembling. "Mason, don't do this."His eyes darkened. "What do you mean?"Zoe's lips kept trembling. "We are still married. You don't want any scandals, right? Mason, don't push me. If you force me again, I can't guarantee that I won't do something irrational. "Tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, maybe a week later, news of the president of the Lockwood Group being betrayed by his wife will fill all the media in Brookesville. I believe people will be more concerned about whether yo
The maid came upstairs again, her voice subdued. "Sir, Ava has arrived."Mason held the diamond ring in his hand, quietly looking at it. Upon hearing this, he calmly said, "Ask her to wait for me downstairs."Ava sat in the grand hall on the first floor. When she came, she heard from the maid that Zoe had moved out, separating from Mason. She thought she would be happy about it, but surprisingly, she wasn't.When Mason came downstairs, he had changed into a different outfit. He looked weary as he descended, asking, "What's so urgent that you had to come to my home to discuss it?" After saying that, he sat at the dining table to eat.Eating alone was always a bit desolate. He didn't have much of an appetite.Feeling compelled, Ava carefully spoke up, "After the incident, Ms. Lilith has been asking to see you. However, you haven't answered her calls or visited her. She cut her arms again in the hospital, losing a lot of blood."Still scooping the soup, Mason responded casually, "
Mason liked Zoe. He cared about her deeply.Suddenly, Lilith went insane. She ripped off the blood transfusion tube, and fresh blood flowed from her emaciated hand. However, she didn't care. Her face was full of indignation. "If it weren't for your mother, you would have married me. Mason, do you think she just innocently orchestrated that accident? No, she did much more. "She arranged for me to marry a vulgar man, the kind who beats his wife to death. Once, he beat me so badly that I bled below, and by the time I was rushed to the hospital, it was too late. I had to have something removed from inside me, and now I can never conceive. I became disabled. "Meanwhile, Mrs. Zoe, your dear wife, was pampered and kept in the house. I envied her. It's unfair that I didn't get what I deserved. The title of Mrs. Lockwood should have been mine."After saying that, she trembled all over. She murmured, "What did I do wrong to be treated like this?"Mason silently watched her.After
When Mason was about to head to the office the next morning, the servant informed him that someone had come, bringing two items.Mason adjusted his cufflinks, his eyebrows relaxing. "Where are the items?"The servant presented two meticulously crafted boxes, intending to carry them to the second floor for Mason. However, he calmly said, "I'll handle it myself."He took the boxes upstairs and gently opened them.The two items, though cleaned and repaired, couldn't restore the words Zoe wrote in the past.It was a diary, half filled with Zoe's passionate and naive words and half with white silk paper.Mason's slender fingers gently touched those words. His expression was tender as if looking at Zoe when she was 18, passionately in love with him.He looked at it for a long time, and the photo was hung on the wall.…Three days later, Zoe met Mason at a social event.She and David were seeking sponsorship for a dinner. After drinking two glasses of red wine, she felt a bit lighth
Zoe shook her head. "I'm fine. I'm just a bit tipsy."She took the coat from him. "I'll head back first."David nodded, hands in his pockets. "Let me give you a ride."Zoe knew David had other things to attend to and said, "You've had some drinks too. Take a cab. I'm fine. About the sponsorship—"David interrupted with a smile. "I've got it covered. Leave it to me and Mr. Aiden to handle the big stuff. If you're really okay, I'll head in now. There's still some other entertainment planned later."He was stubborn. Since Lilith gave up her music dreams, he hadn't contacted Mason.Zoe felt grateful, putting on the coat and bidding farewell to David.She arrived on the ground floor. The cab was taking a while due to the peak hours. After about half an hour, she finally got in, her face pale from the cold.Mason sat in a black Bentley, watching Zoe waiting for the cab with her slender legs trembling in the wind. He watched her tightly wrapping her coat to shield her from the cold wi
Zoe stared back at him calmly.After a while, Mason dialed her phone.Zoe answered, hearing Mason's icy tone. "Get out of the car."Zoe looked at him, speaking softly, "Mason, I told you we're separated. I can be with whoever I want. I won't deliberately distance myself from my friends just because of you. Besides, today is Mrs. Ruby's birthday. I am just having dinner. There's no reason for you to doubt me.""But you know that Cecil likes you.""Why does that matter? Doesn't Lilith like you, too? Did you do anything about that?"…Zoe hung up the phone.Through the car windshield, Mason saw the tears in her eyes. He assumed it was because Lilith was mentioned. It seemed like she still cared.On the other side, Cecil started the car, ready to accelerate and collide.The two cars grazed each other, making a harsh noise.Mason had a bad temper. He had never backed down, especially when it came to someone like Cecil.But Zoe was sitting in the car.He was afraid she would get
In the presidential suite, the newlywed night was fiery, filled with affection and intimacy. The wedding banquet was still bustling with excitement.There was a special guest, who quietly arrived and hoped to leave just as quietly. He was afraid to disturb her mood and feared that if she saw him, she might not be pleased. However, despite his best efforts, they still crossed paths in the hallway.Gael stood quietly, watching Yanni. She had just taken Ella to the restroom, as she wasn’t comfortable leaving her alone. Besides Ella, there was another small girl with her, probably one of the twins she had with Keaton. The other twin was her brother.The twins were named Shay Bright and Drew Bright. Ella adored her younger siblings. Whenever she came home from school, she would always spend some time playing with them first. At night, she would sneak her little sister into her room and cuddle her to sleep, treating her like a little doll.At first, Yanni was quite worried, but she lat
In the early morning, the first rays of sunlight bathed the earth, signaling a joyous occasion at the Sanders family home. The youngest daughter of Noah and Gwynn was finally getting married. Even more delightful, she was marrying her childhood love. Dressed in a headpiece and red bridal gown, she was as beautiful as could be, the most stunning woman Zion had ever seen.The Quarto family was busy with preparations. Although they were not extremely wealthy, Jordyn was a capable family head with a good reputation. He handled both inside and outside affairs with finesse and charm. To everyone’s surprise, he got along very well with Mason.However, Noah had some reservations. “Don't you have any relatives of your own, Mason?”Mason didn’t engage with his criticism. Together with Zoe, they helped with the wedding arrangements. A traditional Chinese wedding was far more elaborate than a Western one, but thankfully, the families had enough help to avoid any chaotic moments.During the d
That night, Jamie and Paityn returned home with their daughter Carol. As soon as they arrived, Carol went to do her homework, while Paityn went to check on their youngest son, Colten Lockwood. The housekeeper was taking care of him and, upon hearing footsteps, turned her head and softly said, "Madam, you're back? He hasn't woken up at all, he's such a good boy."Paityn smiled lightly and signaled for the housekeeper to go downstairs and rest.When the door closed, she looked down at the sleeping Colten. The little one, only eight months old, resembled his father completely; almost like a miniature copy of Jamie. Even Carol, at times, would look at her brother’s face and marvel: "It’s really a masterpiece from God!"Jamie replied, "You even know what a masterpiece is?"Carol teased, "A husband’s looks are the wife’s glory!"Paityn quietly said to Jamie, “She must have seen a supermodel runway show."Jamie immediately asked, "Did she like it?"Paityn didn't answer, just smiled.
On the second floor, Gwen was trying on her wedding dress for tomorrow. Just as Zion had wished, it was a traditional Zutriysteinian wedding.The red wedding gown was crafted by the top artisans from Zutriystein, elegant and dignified. The headpiece she wore was adorned with wild pearls; each gem was carefully embedded, and the headpiece alone cost tens of millions. A substantial amount of money had been spent.The woman in the mirror was stunningly beautiful. Gwen gently touched her headpiece and muttered to herself, "Zion really doesn’t mind spending money on this little hobby of his."Gwynn, as a mother, patted her head. "This little girl really doesn’t know when to keep quiet, but luckily, she’s married well and is right here beside me..."She had given a generous wedding gift, exactly the same as when Holly got married. Like Holly, Gwen didn’t want any shares of the Sanders Group. The money that Zion earned was enough to support both of them and his small hobbies.Meanwhile
Ignacio said, "We can’t take care of both of you."Holly was at a loss for words.Lucius was at that lively age, but he was raised by his father and had good manners. When he saw Ocelotte, he respectfully greeted him, saying, "Second Uncle."Ocelotte patted his little head, thinking that the boy seemed sturdier than his own children, possibly because Molly was too fragile. He made a mental note to make sure Yeager got some extra nutrients when he went back.The black Rolls-Royce Phantom sped down the highway, getting them back to the Qiao family mansion before evening.The Sanders family’s sons had all moved out, leaving only Gwen still living at home. Holly, who rarely came back, was also staying at the house. She didn’t refuse, planning to stay for a few days before heading to Silvercrest to visit her biological parents and pay respects.The car pulled into the Sanders Residence, and the house was lit up brightly.In the courtyard parking area, luxury cars were parked everywhe
In the evening, Gwen was preparing to leave work.In the parking lot, she spotted Zion’s car, but it was empty. Just then, a school leader passed by and said to her, “Zion came to school. There’s a donation ceremony happening in the auditorium. You should go check it out. "Then, you two can head home together afterward. On a cold day like this, a nice dinner would be perfect. What a cozy idea!”Gwen playfully replied, “You really know how to enjoy life.”The leader, holding a bag of groceries, laughed, “See? Your teacher’s wife has been nagging me since morning to go home and cook while babysitting the grandkids.”Gwen smiled softly, watching him leave.In the sky, clouds glowed orange and yellow, their edges tinged with gold.She carried a thermos as she walked toward the auditorium. Along the way, a few students noticed her and started chirping excitedly, cheekily calling her “Ms. Gwen.”Gwen corrected them, “It’s Ms. Gwen.”The students laughed and teased, “Ms. Gwen! Mr. Z
Gwen stared dazedly at the man.Zion, dressed in a black coat, stood tall in the study, exuding an oppressive aura. He walked toward her and pulled the teary-eyed girl, her face streaked like a little tabby cat, into his arms. One hand gently smoothed her hair as his voice softened to the extreme, "Still saying you didn’t cry."Gwen leaned against his shoulder, mumbling, "You did it on purpose.""Are you at least a little touched?"She pounded on him twice more in response.Zion chuckled lowly, letting the girl vent while his heart ached silently.These past five years had been filled with fear and uncertainty for him. He had been afraid that before he could make a name for himself, Gwen would fall for someone else. If that happened, what could he possibly use to ask her to come back to him?The love story of a poor boy and a rich girl might've existed in novels, but the reality was often harsh.Gwen didn’t care, but he couldn’t bear to let her endure hardship.Now, as they
Zion and Gwen's marriage seemed inevitable, with no one putting up any resistance. Occasionally, Gwen even had a strange illusion.It all went so smoothly that the years of separation seemed like they had never happened, as if she and Zion had always been together. After their reunion, he didn’t even ask her about her life abroad and treated her just as he did before.She was no longer as youthful and tender, but Zion still saw her as if she were a 20-year-old girl. Gwen felt a bit dejected, thinking to herself, he must just like girls around 18-year-old.But unfortunately, the spring river flows eastward and cannot return!Zion only smiled.In winter, the days grew shorter. After work, Gwen arrived at Zion's villa, but he had not yet come home. The two housekeepers had already started preparing dinner.When Gwen got out of the car, she received a call from Zion. Her voice was soft and tender.“When will you be back?”On the other end, Zion checked the time and said, “I’ll be
Zion noticed Gwen gazing at him with those wide, expectant eyes again. With a chuckle, he reached into the pocket of his trench coat, pulled out a sleek wallet, and carefully extracted a platinum card. He placed it in her outstretched hand and said with a smile, “This is my secondary card. There’s no credit limit.” Gwen gasped softly, then teased, “Wow, aren’t you generous? Thank you, Teacher Qin.” Zion gave her a light tap on the head. Not missing a beat, Gwen wrapped her arms around his neck and grinned mischievously, “Thank you, my sugar daddy.” Zion’s response was to pull her close, cupping her cheeks as he kissed her fiercely. Though he once carried himself as an educator and now as a refined businessman, he found himself utterly smitten by her playful antics. After the kiss, Zion leaned close to Gwen's ear and murmured something uncharacteristically crude that sent a shiver down her spine. He playfully nipped her nose. “Turns out you’ve got a thing for bad boy