Mason sat in the car, taking a moment to relax with his eyes closed. Suddenly, he remembered what Aiden had mentioned about that student who married her Romeo. Mason thought of Zoe again and their long-time acquaintance. 'Did she feel the same way when she married me? That she married her Romeo with a lifetime of companionship?' Although Mason had a steady temperament, he felt a bit restless about Zoe's situation lately.He dialed his assistant's number, asking, "How's the task I assigned you?"The reply came promptly, "Mr. Mason, I've already contacted Mr. Liam. In the next 12 hours, Mr. Liam's flight will land at the Brookesville International Airport. He will immediately join the legal team to handle Noah's case."Mason inquired in a calm tone, "How certain is he?"There was a brief silence on the other end before the response. "Mr. Liam quoted a sky-high fee of 300 thousand. He said that he is hundred percent confident."Mason trusted Liam's capabilities. After hanging
The two of them exchanged a few more words before reluctantly ending the call. After hanging up, Zoe curled up on the sofa, gently hugging herself as if it could provide some sense of security.She reminisced about many things. She reminisced about the beautiful moments spent with her brother during childhood, the longing for their mother after her passing, and how her brother used to comfort her every night by reading fairy tales and singing nursery rhymes until she fell asleep.Noah was the best brother in the world.As the night deepened, Zoe fell asleep in the hospital room. Her face rested on her knees, cold and beautiful.Outside the ward, Mason stood silently. A nurse stood beside him, lowering her voice, "She's been like this since she watched the news last night, Mr. Mason. Should we wake Mrs. Zoe? Sleeping like this might be uncomfortable for her."Mason's gaze was obscure and difficult to decipher. After a while, he turned and left, leaving only a sentence behind. "Do
Zoe hadn't responded, but she found herself already pulled onto his lap. As she settled, Mason let out a muted groan, likely aggravated the ligament in his injured thigh. Zoe whispered, "Should I get off?"Her slender waist was embraced, bringing them close. Mason exuded a purely masculine aura, a tempting warmth that was both near and distant.He lowered his gaze to her posture. She was clad in loose hospital attire, sitting on the man's lap with her fair legs resting on the dark fabric of his trousers,. Itemitted an indescribable sense of taboo, as if she were entwined with a man.Mason's voice grew huskier. "Just stay on my lap while you apply the ointment."Zoe didn't resist further. She took the medicine box he handed her and silently began applying the ointment. The soft lighting surrounded them as Mason, positioned higher, observed her expression.With lowered brows and willing to sit on his lap, he believed he understood her choice. She sacrificed herself to help her b
This was her condition, and she had to make it clear to Mason.They had no emotional connection, so it was best to keep things practical. He wanted her to be Mrs. Lockwood. In return, she wanted what she deserved.Being the astute person he was, Mason immediately noticed her transformation. Zoe had evolved from a girl into a woman.She had learned to be patient and negotiate with a man. She no longer demanded his affection. She had become pragmatic.Mason had always admired pragmatic people like Gregory's sister, Gabriela. He used to imagine that his future wife would be as smart and capable as her. However, in the end, he married the delicate and gentle Zoe.However, now that Zoe became more pragmatic, he seemed displeased.He felt uneasy. He scoffed, "I see that you've learned how to negotiate, Mrs. Lockwood."Zoe continued softly, "I have one more condition, Mason. I don't want to take money from you or Ava anymore. I want 2% of Lockwood Corporation's shares."Mason was quit
Mason wanted to slide the wedding ring onto Zoe's finger. She curled her finger inward slightly, resisting the act.He stared at her until she finally flattened her hand, allowing him to place the ring on her finger. The diamond ring sparkled on her delicate finger.Mason's voice was slightly hoarse. "Mrs. Lockwood, welcome back."Zoe trembled slightly. She had finally returned to him, ultimately selling herself to Mason. However, from now on, she was not just Mason's wife. She was now Mrs. Lockwood.…Mason did not stay overnight. The next day, he did not show up in person. Instead, he sent Liam directly to the hospital to meet Zoe. Liam brought two sets of documents. One document was an agreement for the transfer of Lockwood Corporation's shares, and the other was related to Noah's case.Zoe met him in the hospital's small reception room. Liam was more intimidating in person than on TV.He glanced at Zoe and smiled faintly. "Mrs. Zoe, you seem more delicate than I imag
Mason embraced Zoe. He spoke intimately to her, a level of closeness she was not accustomed to. She turned her face slightly and said, "Yes, Liam just left."She wanted to continue packing, but Mason blocked her. He held her slender waist, leisurely caressing her body without any apparent ulterior motives. It was as though he was just passing the time.After being married to him for several years, Zoe knew how he was was all too well. She did not resist. She let him touch her.After a while, Mason finally stopped, "What did you and Liam talk about?"Zoe's voice was calm. "Shares and the lawsuit."Mason waited for a while, but she did not bring up Gregory or his unwarranted advances. His gaze deepened as he looked at her for a long time.Rather than revealing what he had seen, Mason changed the subject. "By the way, I had Ava find an apartment with a great location and environment. It's perfect for your dad and Mia to live in. You can check it out tomorrow, okay?"He was co
After Mia left, Zoe stood by the window, silently observing. She saw Mia going downstairs, sitting on the roadside, sobbing uncontrollably. Zoe had never seen Mia like this before. Even on the day the Sanders family went bankrupt, Mia maintained her composure without losing control.Ava was behind her, unable to resist asking softly, "Mrs. Zoe, do you regret it?"Zoe lowered her gaze. After a moment, she smiled faintly. "I don't regret it. I've never regretted it."She had no choice. There was no room for regret. Zoe spent half a day at the apartment. When she left in the afternoon, she only took a small suitcase.…In the evening, as darkness fell, the sky was painted with colorful clouds, and the twilight was exceptionally splendid. A luxurious black RV passed through the ornate black gate, circling a few times before stopping in the villa's parking lot.Mason stood in the dusk, opening the car door for Zoe. He called her Mrs. Lockwood. With a handsome face, he revealed a
Mason looked down at her condescendingly.He watched her nose twitch and observed as she gradually sunk into ecstasy.If he did well, she would uncontrollably wrap her arms around his shoulders, gently panting near his neck. Only in moments of surrender, her face would not appear so cold and regain its lively and charming aspect.It seemed like the old Zoe had returned.Mason lowered his body and kissed her passionately.…Mason took quite a while, making love to her three times before finally finding some relief.In the end, both of them were covered in sweat.They quietly embraced each other, calming the emotional tide.After a long time, Zoe's body moved slightly, sitting up.Mason wrapped his arms tighter around her her waist, his voice husky in the aftermath of their passion. "What's wrong?""I need to take my pills."Zoe used her fingers to comb through her waist-length hair and explained calmly, "You didn't use protection just now, so I need to take my pills."Mason
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
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