Mason gave her a look before pulling out a bathrobe from the wardrobe. He said dryly, “I sincerely hope you can do a good job! My wife used to grumble that I’m very picky and that it was hard trying to please me.”Zoe couldn’t help but ask, “Are you and your wife close, Mr. Mason?” Then, she immediately regretted asking about it. As expected, his face turned cold at once. “That’s none of your concern!”Zoe felt mortified. She felt as humiliated as the time she was at the motel, but she needed the job. So, she had to take all of the insulting and miserable moments that came with it.Opening the wardrobe, she picked out a suitable outfit for him. He’d be attending a formal meeting. So, she picked a deep gray, hand-tailored suit and a light blue shirt to go with it.Faint steam rose in the air when she was ironing them. The smell was familiar. In fact, everything she was doing in there felt like déjà vu to her. It felt as if she had been doing this countless times in a faraway dre
Zoe wasn’t a fool. She knew what he meant. Mason wanted her to be his mistress.If she slept with him and succumbed to his carnal pleasure, then he’d shower her with piles of cash. She didn’t even need to work twelve hours a day to attain a wealthy and comfortable life. However, that wasn’t the life she wanted for herself.She said in a trembling voice, “I had a husband and kids. They’re lost to me now, but I’m searching for them! You’re extremely attractive and wealthy, Mr. Mason. You could get your hands on any kind of lady. It’s different for me, though. My family is all I’ve got. That’s why I can’t have any complicated relationships with you, Mr. Mason.”His eyes grew darker at that. All of a sudden, he bent over and carried her up to the glass shelf with one hand. The cooling sensation from the glass startled her a little. Before she knew what was happening, he lifted her clothes with another hand, revealing her black bra beneath her white shirt.Shifting his gaze below
Sitting on a small desk, she ate her supper and flipped through a newspaper that was clearly worn and torn a long time ago. She spent a couple of hundred dollars on the missing person column at the center of the page.“Please contact Zoe Sanders if you have any clues or information regarding her missing family.”It was a small piece, but it symbolized her hope of reuniting with her family. She saved up for a long time before she could afford it, but it had been many days since it was posted up and no one had called her.Nobody found her!Her family didn’t see the small piece in the newspaper!She was reading it quietly and, before she knew it, fell into a trance. She had lost her memories. If she lost her hope as well, then she was no different from a shambling corpse. Life would feel depressing and pointless.…Zoe got downstairs at half past six in the morning. Luke was already waiting for her there.He opened the door for her. Again, she wasn’t a fool. So, she asked at onc
After that, Mason was very cold to Zoe. He seemed to be busy with work too. She continued to work as his personal assistant and complete house chores in his manor in the morning and after work. Sometimes, she even had to pick up Yanni from school and help her with her homework. The little girl still called her Alice, but she’d also invited her for afternoon tea. Yanni asked her servant to make them Earl Grey tea. She told Zoe that this was her mom’s favorite brand and that she had to try it.Zoe tried it and it did taste very good. Yanni’s mom clearly had some good taste.She had never dared to ask about Mason’s wife. After all, she was just his personal assistant. It wasn’t her place to ask about his private life. However, that didn’t mean Yanni wouldn’t tell her from time to time. The little girl told her all about her mom’s quirky habits, favorite outfits, and more. There was one point she even said to her, “Actually, you look a little like my mom, Alice! If you climb onto m
Mason didn’t respond to her. Instead, he headed straight for the stairs. It was raining. So, the clouds have obscured the moon tonight. The stairs were fairly new, but it had been a long time since it had undergone maintenance. Everything looked shoddy and in need of repair. Zoe felt a little embarrassed as she led him upstairs and opened the door to her apartment, revealing her cramped living room. It might’ve been a small apartment, but she kept it tidy. Above the deep-colored desk was a vase with a rose in it. It looked exceptionally delicate, reminiscent of its mistress’s hopes for her future. Despite being in her place, she felt a little uneasy. She said softly, “Take off your overcoat, I have a heater here. It’ll help dry your coat.”He did what she said and handed it to her while staring at her profoundly. Pursing her lips, she took his overcoat and went away to dry it. Then, she headed into the kitchen to make him some herbal tea. Meanwhile, he sat by the desk. Tha
Trapped in his embrace, Zoe wasn’t sure what to do. He had done so much to her body that she felt conflicted. There was something hidden in her body. She wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but it scared her a lot. It was something she couldn’t admit because it’d be too embarrassing to.She was a healthy lady and she had her needs too. What was worse, the man before her was so stunning and dangerous, in a manner of speaking. She did want to brush him off, but she’d be lying if she denied that she really wanted to do unspeakable things with him at that moment.All it took was a second to free the lady from her inhibitions. He understood this tactic very well. So, he began to grope at her sensually once more. She involuntarily let out a yelp and cried out, “No! I don’t want to do it! Please let me go, Mr. Mason…”The next thing he knew, she was cupping her face and crying. She didn’t even try to cover herself. Instead, she just sat underneath the dim light. There was even a small puddl
Zoe didn’t want to fall into it.Running into her bedroom, she picked up a stack of missing person posters and raced downstairs without putting on a coat. She ran all the way to the streets and started putting them up all over stores. “Please contact Zoe Sanders if you have any clues or information regarding her missing family.”It was raining and she was putting them up like a maniac, as if she could drive Mason out of her mind if she would just keep doing it. However, none of it did anything. She stood in the rain, feeling lost and confused. She couldn’t recall her past, no matter how hard she tried. It was a lost cause.A black Rolls-Royce was parked by the side of a road far away from her. The wipers kept swishing left and right, blurring everything in the car. The man lit a cigarette. There was a red glow at the lit end of it that rose and fell as he smoked. He was looking at her quietly, taking in the look on her face.Eventually, their eyes met each other. Zoe’s fa
Zoe said stubbornly, “That’s none of my concern!”Yanni feigned surprise, “Really? I’ve seen you stealing glances at my dad several times! I dislike people who wouldn’t own up to their feelings, Alice!”Before she could retort, Mason knocked on the coffee table a couple of times and said, “Keep working on your French with Zoe.” With that, he left the study. The door closed, but Zoe could still hear him relaying orders to his servants. He wanted Layla to bring Ramona to the guest room and make her her favorite coffee. He also asked another servant to change the flowers in there to roses because Ramona was allergic to lilies.He was so considerate that it pained Zoe to hear him. He must’ve had real feelings for Ramona, unlike the way he had treated her. Perhaps someone like her was nothing but a plaything, as far as he was concerned. She was feeling sorry for herself when Yanni leaned into her ear and whispered, “Feeling bad, huh? If you won’t climb onto my dad’s bed, plenty of
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
Zion could sense Gwen’s cautiousness and chuckled softly. Then, he cupped her face and planted a firm kiss on her lips. “Don’t worry, I won’t touch you. We agreed to save that for our wedding night. Besides, I just drank last night, so I probably wouldn’t be much use. I want your first time to be special, so I’ll make sure I’m well-prepared.” Gwen’s cheeks turned crimson. She buried her face in his chest, mumbling, “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” How peculiar! Back then, even though they were together, their relationship had always been proper and restrained. But now, here they were, sharing a bed, their bodies so intimately close it was both thrilling and embarrassing. Gwen had never experienced this before. Zion seemed to understand her thoughts. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “I haven’t either. Before the wedding night, I’ll make sure to study hard.” Gwen didn’t dare ask how he planned to “study,” though she had a pretty good idea—i
Zion maintained a respectful demeanor and immediately greeted, “Mr. Noah.” Noah, however, didn’t make things difficult for him. He gave a light cough, which could be considered acknowledgment. Then, turning to his youngest daughter, he said, “Go upstairs first. Your mother’s been waiting for you all night; she probably has something to say to you.” Gwen hesitated and didn’t move at first. Zion gently nudged her, his voice soft, “You should go.” Only then did Gwen start to move. But before heading upstairs, she walked over to Noah. As the youngest daughter and the most adept at charming her way out of trouble, she hugged her father. Only then, with visible reluctance, did she head upstairs. Her father’s anger dissipated by more than half after the hug. Watching her go, Noah turned his attention to Zion, his tone calm but firm: “Have a seat. Let’s talk.” Zion immediately sat down and, with practiced ease, poured Noah a cup of tea. Noah feigned irritation and remarked, “
But Gwen was not satisfied.With reddened eyes, she pitifully asked again, "Are you married? Is there someone else by your side? Do you still love me?"As she asked, she was more persistent than before, yet it made the man's heart ache even more.Zion remembered that when they parted ways, Gwen was still an innocent, naive girl. Now, however, she was willing to ask such direct and revealing questions. The braver she became, the more pain he felt in his heart.Zion no longer teased her. He looked into her eyes and answered seriously."No, I'm not married. There's no one else by my side. Her leg healed, and she got married earlier this year. And yes, I still love you. Very much."...Gwen's eyes turned even redder.Her voice trembled as she said, "That doesn't mean I have to be with you. I'm still mad at you."Zion took a step forward and gently wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes. It had been five years, and now she had become a teary little kitten. He remembered how
At that moment, Gwen was completely flustered. She didn’t understand what Zion meant, nor did she understand why he was deliberately getting close to her. She wanted to ask, but before she could, Zion had already led her out of the car. The restaurant arranged by the school leadership was nearby, just off campus. Gwen had been there with Zion before, but not in a private room. Returning to an old haunt brought a sense of nostalgia. Zion walked side by side with Gwen. He was six-foot tall, and she was about five-foot-five. They made for a strikingly good-looking pair. Considering their history, the school leaders naturally couldn’t resist teasing them a bit. Gwen felt slightly uncomfortable and replied, "We were young and foolish." Over the years, Zion had grown seasoned in the business world, exuding an effortless charm. He responded with a light smile, "I wonder if we can pick up where we left off—still holding a grudge?" As soon as those words were said, the schoo
After running away in a flurry that night, Gwen retreated into her home, avoiding the world outside for several days. Her father, Noah, meanwhile, busied himself with his new hobby of keeping turtles—purchased on a whim after his wife, Gwynn, teased him for being too old. In an attempt to prove his youth, Noah even released the turtles back into the wild one evening, making a point of marking one with the name "Zion" on its shell in a bold act of petty revenge. Gwynn, ever the pragmatist, found the gesture immature and pointless, but it brought him a fleeting sense of satisfaction. Gwen, however, was unaware of the antics her father had indulged in. All she knew was that her father had been unusually concerned during her self-imposed seclusion, urging her to get out and take a break. Noah's insistence that she shouldn’t remain cooped up at home was an attempt to draw her back into the world, to reconnect with life. But she couldn’t shake the weight of everything that had transp
In the lounge, Gwen curled up in Tegan’s embrace, crying silently. Tegan gently stroked her smooth black hair, sighing softly. “If you really like him, I’ll help you talk to him.”Gwen sobbed quietly, “Dad will say you’re being rebellious.”Tegan paused for a moment, then replied, “Your brother will help me, won’t he?”Gwen clung to Tegan, continuing to cry softly. She remembered that today was Yeager’s full moon celebration and decided to cry for just a little while. After all, who hasn’t shed tears in their youth?At that moment, there was a knock at the door. From the sound of it, the person outside had a very refined aura. Tegan immediately guessed who it was; it certainly wasn’t her husband. She gently rubbed Gwen’s head. “I’ll go answer it.”When Tegan opened the door, as expected, it was Zion standing outside. The two locked eyes, and after a moment of silence, Tegan calmly spoke, “You two talk.” Zion nodded.In the quiet lounge, the soft sound of Gwen’s crying fill
The following August. It was the party for Ocelotte and Molly's child. Molly had given birth to a boy, named Yeager Sanders, a name chosen by her eldest brother-in-law, Lorian. She was very fond of the name. As for Lorian and Tegan's youngest son, he was named Fergus Sanders. Yeager and Fergus were the next generation of boys in the Sanders family. However, the first child was still Lola, the one and only little princess. She loved following Gwen around. The little girl was now three and a half years old and about to start kindergarten. On the day of Yeager's party, Gwen was still taking Lola around, but she unexpectedly ran into an old acquaintance. It had truly been a long time. Since the year Zion had left for another country, although they had occasionally bumped into each other, they hadn’t had the chance for a proper meeting. How many years had passed? Gwen didn't dare to think about it, nor did she want to calculate. She vaguely felt it had been four