Lowering his head, he looked at Gabriela. He held her waist and carried her up. He brushed past Zoe and said in a cold tone, “See to our guests, Zoe!”It was an afternoon in spring. The sun was shining bright, but Zoe didn’t feel a shred of warmth. Her husband had humiliated her and made her look bad in front of their guests. It was a good thing she didn’t invite Ella to this party. Otherwise, she just might pick a fight with him here and now.The party guests started murmuring among themselves.Everyone was wondering if Zoe could hold on to her status as Mason’s wife. His choice was obvious from his earlier reaction.That was when Rosemary raced over and said in a fit of rage, “Gabriela has stepped over the line! She disgraced herself, trying to hold onto a married man!”Smiling bitterly, Zoe said, “It takes two to tango! She isn’t the only one at fault here! If Mason hadn’t given her the chance, she wouldn't be able to get close to him.”Rosemary’s heart broke for her. Then,
Evening rolled on and Zoe was instructing the servants to clean up the manor after the party. Her waist was sore from all that work.Taking a half-hour bath didn’t seem to help with it either. Then, she went downstairs to have dinner. Layla asked her sheepishly, “Should we wait until Mr. Mason comes back?”Then, the clock struck seven times. Apparently, it was seven o’clock now. She responded lightly, “Serve dinner. We’re not waiting for him!”Layla knew her mistress was in a foul mood. So, she tried to make her feel better when she was serving dinner. “This is your favorite dish, Ms. Zoe. It’s grilled salmon! They say that the fish tastes the sweetest in this season. Try it.”Zoe nodded and took a bite. She had just chewed the salmon once, but she already felt nauseous. Covering her mouth, she rushed to the restroom and started dry-heaving. Nothing came out.Layla grew worried. She went outside the restroom and knocked on the door, “Is everything okay, Ms. Zoe?”“I’m fine!” Zo
Half an hour later, he took off his coat and walked into the pitch dark bedroom.Lying down behind her, Mason embraced her wordlessly. Pressing his face to her neck, he couldn’t help but gulp!After a long time, he pulled her out of the blanket and into his arms.He was burning to the touch!Zoe remained quiet and she didn’t push him away. Then, she heard his husky voice, “I don’t love her! The only thing I liked about her was the way she looked at me. It reminded me of you when you used to love me. You’d do anything for me back then!“No one has ever broken my heart and disarmed my pride the way you did, but I still can’t let go of you! In fact, I’ve thought about giving up on you. I tried to convince myself that you’re just another lady. There was no need for me to be that obsessed with you!”Holding her tighter, he rubbed her back tenderly. Then, their foreheads pressed against each other. With his eyes closed, he murmured, “I’m miserable, Zoe! I love and hate you at the same
Zoe checked her notifications. It was Liam. He sent over a document and asked her to print it. Putting her phone aside, she raised her eyes and wanted to continue her conversation with Mason.However, he was already on his way upstairs. He said nonchalantly, “We’ll continue this after I come back.”It was warm in spring, but she felt cold all over.He was her husband and yet he was acting so aloof towards her. She said softly, “You kept saying that I don’t treat you the way a husband deserves, Mason. Well. Have you been treating me with the respect a wife deserves?“You can say that you’re getting together with Gabriela and the other ladies because you wanted to rile me up. However, I think you know very well what Lilith’s role is in our marriage. Now, you’re going to take a flight to be with her and I can’t even have a minute to say something to you.”He stopped in his tracks. After a brief moment, he leaned over and looked at her quietly, “What did you want to tell me?”She was
Mason stayed in the study for a long time.Picking up the split vinyl, he looked at it for a while before tossing it into the trash can. Then, he slumped onto the couch listlessly and raised his head. Feeling that the light was blinding, he shielded his eyes.His hands still hurt from the earlier slap. It was proof of how hard he hit her.He couldn’t believe that he actually did it. Closing his eyes, all he could see was her faint smile from earlier. There were tears in her eyes. She was a lady who was raised in a wealthy family, surrounded by people who loved her. No one had ever slapped her.It was outrageous that he slapped her while claiming that he loved her!Then, his phone rang. It was Ava. “We’re here, Mr. Mason. Are you coming down now?”He responded nonchalantly, “Push everything back by a day!”Ava said without thinking, “The medical professionals are already waiting for you, Mr. Mason!”His voice was cold and unfeeling when he responded, “I said, push it back by a
Mason was sitting in the car when he raised his eyes and looked at the second floor. He asked softly, “Is Zoe home?”Layla paused for a moment before answering, “Ms. Barbara hadn’t been feeling well. Ms. Zoe was taking care of her at her place. She's been there for a few days now.”He visibly relaxed and asked the servant to take his suitcases upstairs. Then, he drove toward Lockwood Manor.Half an hour later, he had arrived and parked at Lockwood Manor. He didn’t ask the servants to announce his arrival to them. Instead, he walked straight into his grandma’s bedroom. It was quiet in there. Barbara was leaning on a pillow, resting her eyes while Zoe leaned on the side of the bed. It looked like she was asleep.Instead of waking Barbara up, he sat next to Zoe and touched her cheeks lightly. She had gotten slimmer. Her face, which was already small to begin with, looked smaller than his palms now.Then, she jolted awake. She remained quiet, even though she saw the weariness on his
It was dark in the car and both of them were panting.Zoe was still sitting on his lap. Her fair skin looked more perky and graceful against his deep grey long pants. Her stockings, which he had pulled down, were hanging on her tender ankles, adding a trace of erotic air about her.Mason didn’t come to his senses until after a brief moment.He was going to be a dad!It was something he looked forward to for a long time. It might even been a little girl, just like he wanted. However, he found that he lacked the courage to embrace Zoe. A month ago, she told him she needed to have a word with him, but he pushed her away by telling her that he needed to go overseas. Then, they got into a fight over Lilith and he even slapped her at the end of it.She was pregnant and he slapped her!Gulping, he touched her cheeks with his lean fingers. There was no sign of the slap at all, but he couldn’t help and asked her again in his husky voice, “Does it still hurt?”Instead of answering him,
After a brief pause, Layla continued, “Ms. Lisa and Barbara aren’t aware that Ms. Zoe is pregnant! I think it’s better if you tell Ms. Lisa about it. Otherwise, she’ll keep trying to set you up with Ms. Gabriela! She had all but forgotten that you’re a married man. On top of that, you’re about to be a father soon!”Mason felt better at what she said, and responded lightly, “Alright.”Snuffing out the cigarette, he was about to climb the stairs when he saw a ball of white fur scampered down. It was Sherry. It had been a long time since the little puppy saw him and it missed him dearly, as was evidenced when it yapped at him repeatedly. Bending down, he picked it up and carried it upstairs. Then, he bathed and dried it before letting run around in the bedroom.Zoe, on the other hand, had taken a bath. Dressed in a silk sleeping gown, she was reading ‘What to Expect When You're Expecting.’ In fact, she was so engrossed in it that she didn’t even notice him walking in.He started to
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