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
Turning around, Zoe stared at him. Mason had already picked up his magazine and started reading it again. The crystal chandelier on the ceiling shone on him, making it look like she was looking at him through a glass. The view was particularly captivating. However, he had no intention to talk to her further. He knew that she was still here, but he didn’t raise his eyes. Instead, he said absentmindedly, “Is there anything else?”She shook her head in response and closed the door as she left. At the next moment, he raised his eyes and looked at the door. He knew that she was mad at him because he invited Ramona over. He also knew that she was beginning to doubt herself. She didn’t have her memories, but she still loved him a lot. It was like they say, the heart wants what it wants. Perhaps Zoe’s heart wanted him and no one else. The thought of it gave rise to a bittersweet feeling in his chest.…The evening light was already dancing across the sky by the time she went downs
Zoe was a little worried about that. However, Mason wiped the key card, pointed to a bedroom in the suite, and said, “You’ll be sleeping here.”Zoe swept her eyes across the suite. Her bedroom and his master bedroom were at least sixty-five feet apart. She felt better with this kind of distance between them. She put her suitcase in her room before she went to the master bedroom with him. Leaning on the couch, he paged through the collaboration proposal while she unpacked his suitcase. In fact, she had packed his suitcase before they headed to the airport. Hanging up his shirts, long pants, and accessories, she discovered that it felt like second nature, as if she had done this more than a thousand times. She was stunned by the thought and slowly drifted off into a trance.Noticing that she was quiet, he raised his eyes and asked lightly, “What’s the matter?”Lowering her head, she tried to cover it and said, “It was nothing!”He asked, “Are you thinking about your husband?”
She wasn’t a fool. It felt as if she was nothing more than a plaything for him to toy around with. Mason had clearly done it on purpose!It didn’t matter if it was about Ramona or the young lady sitting next to him tonight. He wanted her to see it. Why would he torture her in this manner? Was it part of his game? Was it because he thought it was fun while he pulled her strings?All of a sudden, someone else appeared in the mirror. It was Mason!He was standing underneath the crystal chandelier while dressed up to the nines. It didn’t matter how she looked at it, he simply looked flawless.He had drunk two bottles of red wine, but she still couldn’t read what he was thinking. He was just staring at her. It was a different kind of stare than the one he gave the young lady in the private room. He had only ever absentmindedly looked at the young lady. However, he would always stare at her passionately every time he looked at her, as if undressing and caressing her with his blac
“Are you going to remain celibate for a man who doesn’t even exist?”She didn’t have anything to say to him. She wallowed in self-loathing and a craving for more of his affections. It turned out it was extremely easy to succumb to temptation.Then, she pressed her face against his neck and found out that he was having a high fever. …Ever since Mason sacrificed himself for Yanni during the surgery, his body had never been the same. On top of that, he didn’t take good care of himself after he stood in the rain last time. Now, he was having a high fever. Zoe called a doctor over to the suite to give him an injection. Fortunately, that brought down his body temperature significantly in the middle of the night. He was well below a hundred degrees Fahrenheit now.She let out a sigh of relief. Dressed in his pajamas, he leaned on the headboard. He wanted to get up and bathe, but Zoe stopped him. “The doctor said you can only take a bath after your fever goes down! Lie down. I’m
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
After Yanni finished speaking, the Sanders family stood frozen in shock. It was Gwynn who recovered first, quickly asking Yanni, “How is Molly doing?” Yanni smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Aunt Gwynn. Molly is fine, just a bit overwhelmed. I think the baby came as a surprise. Ocelotte is with her right now.” Before Gwynn could respond, Noah muttered under his breath, “A surprise is great! A surprise is wonderful.” Although the young couple’s relationship was excellent, what parent wouldn’t hope for grandchildren? And with Ocelotte and Molly’s stunning looks, the baby was bound to be exceptional. The mere thought of it had Noah brimming with excitement. He silently speculated that it was definitely going to be an adorable little girl. Definitely just like Molly.After a while, Ocelotte emerged, carrying Molly in his arms. She had regained her strength after sipping some sweetened water but was advised to rest for a few days at home. Moreover, during the first trimeste