Zoey thanked Laurence for his jacket.…The next day, Zoey went to the charity auction with Laurence as his partner and secretary.Even though it was a charity auction, it was hard to say where the funds really went in the end.But this wasn’t a concern to the wealthy. All they wanted from this was reputation.Zoey wore the dress that Laurence had picked out for her. This was one of his new hobbies, picking out clothes for her.Thankfully, he had good taste. The dresses he chose were quite beautiful.There were a couple that Zoey thought were nice, but Laurence did not allow her to wear them in public. She didn’t ask why.Zoey saw Shawn and Sarah at the auction as well. After last night, what little sentiment she felt toward Shawn was gone.He was nothing but a rabid dog who went around biting people for fun.Shawn came up to them and greeted Zoey. “Did you have a good night yesterday, Miss Jenner?”Zoey swallowed her anger and replied calmly, “No thanks to you.”Shawn ignored Laurence
Zoey knew that Laurence had just been teasing Sarah when he bid against her just now.She swallowed her words. She couldn’t compete against Sarah.If Laurence ever had to choose between her and Sarah, the choice was obvious. He would never choose her, no matter what happened.She still wanted to try though. It was her only chance.Sarah would never give her back her mother’s heirlooms once she got her hands on them.Zoey took a deep breath and grabbed Laurence’s hand. “Do you still mean what you said just now, Mr. Scott?”She only showed him affection when she wanted something from him.Laurence stared at her. “Yes, I do. What do you want?”Zoey’s heart pounded in her chest. She tried to dress up her words so that she didn’t seem too desperate. “That emerald necklace is quite pretty.” She hesitated, at a loss for words, as she met Laurence’s amused eyes. “It’s just a little too expensive.”She didn’t know what to say beyond that.As he stared at her flushed face, Laurence raised a hand
Zoey lifted her head and met Sarah’s gaze calmly. This degree of humiliation was nothing compared to what she’s experienced over the years, so an apology was no big deal. Zoey’s fist clenched, and she pushed down her frustration and turned to Sarah.“Sorry,” Zoey said nonchalantly, saying nothing more.There was nothing she could do except pretend that she wasn’t feeling ashamed at all. A bright person all her life, Sarah quickly stopped crying and grinned.“Alright, alright. How can we blame Miss Jenner when I was the one who asked her? It’ll just make me look petty if you make her apologize!”From the outside, Sarah played the perfect lady who was easygoing and didn’t mind the humiliation. Shawn looked slightly disappointed as he watched Sarah smile. He loved seeing her smile. It was familiar and nostalgic to him, but he couldn’t place a finger on what was different. He passed Sarah a clean handkerchief and instructed her.“Wipe off your tears before laughing.”Sarah accepted the clo
Zoey glanced at the glass of wine before her, not saying a word. Laurence sat beside her lazily, his arms draped naturally over her shoulders. The top two buttons of his shirt had come undone, making him look more relaxed. On the contrary, Zoey was stiff as a poker.Sarah drew a deck of cards from a drawer and sat cross-legged on the carpet. She had casually clipped her hair back, but a few loose strands still fell on her cheek, showing her fair, slender neck and intricate features.She asked, “Want to play poker? It’s fairly simple.”Zoey had no idea what Sarah was up to, but she knew it wasn’t going to be anything good.“I’m good.”Shawn snorted loudly before Sarah could reply.“What a spoilsport you are, Miss Jenner.”“So be it,” thought Zoey, too lazy to argue with him.Pretending to smooth things over, Sarah pleaded with Zoey.“Three people is not enough; we need four. Please help us out, Miss Jenner.”Sarah was already humbling herself, so Zoey would only look rude if she refused
Zoey’s body was beginning to burn up from all the alcohol, but Laurence’s words woke her up like a bucket of cold water. The wine had reached the top of her throat and was burning. Feeling the blood drain from her face, Zoey pulled her pale finger back, no longer expecting him to stand up for her like a knight in shining armor. All three of them were messing with her just to make things difficult. Zoey’s head was already spinning from the drinks she had, so she shakily picked up a glass of warm water and sipped half of it, but the burning sensation in her stomach didn’t ease up at all. The game continued. Zoey knew that there was no way she could beat them. Fury igniting within her, she ignored the cards on the table and filled her glass with wine.“We’re done. I give up.”With that, she downed her glass. The living room went pin-drop silent as nobody spoke. Sarah glared at Zoey, her smile hardening, while Shawn said nothing, his eyes dark like a deep lake, resembling the calm before
Dazedly, Zoey realized that she’d been an ignorant fool. After all, no one could win a battle of wills against Laurence. Sarah wasn’t trying to help Zoey out of kindness. She just didn’t want the men to feel sorry for Zoey, who looked miserable. When men start pitying a woman, it usually meant that they were about to fall in love.Zoey’s eyes were still glued to Laurence as she whispered, “I accept my loss.”She quickly emptied the two bottles Larry brought in. Being the apathetic bystander he was, Laurence never stopped her even once. Zoey wasn’t feeling as unsteady as before, so she pulled herself up using the back of the sofa and rushed into the bathroom, shoving past the man in front of her in the process. She doubled over the toilet bowl and emptied the contents of her stomach. Though noticeably livid, Laurence remained silent. As for Shawn, for some unexplainable reason, he felt uncomfortable hearing her throw up. After a few minutes, Zoey finally got up from the floor and washe
Zoey still remembered his promise to protect her all those years ago. Even though this happened when they were teenagers, she never forgot. Back then, Zoey had shielded Laurence from the whip and was in so much pain she couldn’t even cry out, and tears could only stream down her face.She was still a proud young lady then, so she gritted her teeth to hold back her cries and muffle her sniffles. Laurence had been blindfolded, so his hearing was keener. Zoey leaned limply against the wall in a dark corner, her face pale.Laurence asked, “Were you crying?”Zoey hastily brushed her tears away and denied it.“No, I wasn’t.”The young man smiled.“I heard you.”Zoey remained silent, embarrassed. After some time, Laurence’s voice broke the silence.“When we get out, I’ll protect you.”His voice carried through the air, its hoarseness causing a ripple in the still atmosphere. Wide-eyed, she responded.“I’m afraid you’ll lie to me. Let’s make a pinky promise.”He grinned and answered gruffly.“
Laurence didn’t like watching her confess her love to another man and show them her vulnerable side. He tightened his hold on Zoey’s waist to prevent her from falling off his lap. He purposely bit down on her lip in retaliation and sighed pretentiously when he tasted her sweet blood.“Why don’t you ever learn?”“Why do you always do things that displease me?” he thought.Laurence’s suit jacket was draped over her body, and the car’s heater was on, but Zoey still felt cold.She clutched his sleeve tightly and asked, “Can you take me away?”Laurence remained indifferent and peeled off her fingers one by one, looking at her pointedly.“Zoey, I’m Laurence.”Not the man she wanted to confide in. Laurence had never seen her so drunk before, so he was surprised to see her acting this way. Zoey nodded.“I know.” Looking down, she mumbled, “I know you’re Laurence Scott.”His surname was Scott, and he was seventeen this year. Confused, Zoey was suddenly thrown back to the chaotic summer, and her
Ryan had a reason for barging into the room. He thought he had seen something he shouldn't have.He had witnessed Zoey's relationship with his brother over the past few years. He hadn't thought so many things would happen between them when they got married.In the end, Laurence fell for her.The high and mighty guy had willingly become the loser for that woman.Zoey could tell from Ryan's reaction that he had misunderstood. Without bothering to explain, she walked straight out of the office.Laurence ignored Ryan, too. He treated Ryan as if he didn't exist and strode out the door after Zoey. Ryan was left alone in the office, dumbfounded.Laurence's assistant greeted him politely. "Are you here for ..."Ryan was still in a daze. He snapped to his senses and said, "I'm here to see my brother!""Mr. Scott just left.""I saw that.""Then, is there anything else I can do for you?"Ryan turned around to leave but returned halfway. He put his arm around the assistant's shoulder as
Zoey could feel the gazes on her as she stepped into the office. There were hardly any familiar faces left in the office.She secretly sighed in relief. She would have felt awkward and at a loss if she had to face the inquisitive gazes of acquaintances.Laurence held Zoey's hand, and she had no choice but to let him do as he pleased. She couldn't resist him.They entered Laurence's office. His office looked cold and plain, just like he was.Zoey noticed he was still grabbing her wrist. She took a deep breath and asked, "Where should I sit?"Perhaps surprised by her sudden cooperative attitude, Laurence raised an eyebrow. After a pause, he kindly reminded her, "The door is locked."Without a key, the door couldn't be opened from the inside.Zoey tried to pull her wrist away. "Got it."Laurence watched her sit on the sofa, and he relaxed slightly. He asked politely, "Would you like something to drink?"Zoey was momentarily lost in thought. She replied, "Warm water will do"Laur
Zoey was composed. She didn't seem worried about Laurence investigating her past in Novarvia. But deep down, she wasn't confident.Laurence had long lost any moral boundaries. Despite knowing she was married, he showed no concern about interfering in her marriage. He would likely become even more audacious and unrestrained if he discovered that her marriage was fake.Just the thought of it gave Zoey a headache. She never thought getting rid of someone would be so difficult, even if they held a certain position of power. Shaking him off became increasingly challenging.Lost in her contemplation, Zoey failed to notice the driver had changed direction. When she finally realized, the car was parked at the entrance of the Scott Group.Zoey pondered briefly. She thought the driver was sending Laurence off. She waited patiently and remained seated in the car.The man beside her calmly looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you getting out?"Zoey furrowed her brows. "Why should I?"
Sarah always seemed like she was thriving. Looking radiant, she hooked arms with the man beside her. She no longer looked as worn as she had a few months ago.Laurence was acquainted with the man beside her. His gaze was indifferent, showing neither surprise nor much emotion. Firmly grabbing Zoey's hands, Laurence wouldn't let her leave his side.Laurence had no intention of greeting Sarah or engaging with William. He held Zoey's hand, seemingly aware she didn't want to deal with them either. He turned his face to her and said, "Let's go."Zoey didn't refuse. They left quietly.This time, Sarah didn't stop Zoey. She usually tried provoking her.Once they were far away, Zoey immediately shook off Laurence's hand. He saw her furrowed brows and the undisguised disgust in her eyes. She must have hated Sarah a lot. She didn't even want to see her.Laurence explained, "I didn't know she would be here today."Zoey ignored him and walked ahead. The man behind her suddenly circled he
Zoey had no idea whether she was acting out of spite or being stubborn, but she arrived at the restaurant as promised. The restaurant had a private courtyard that offered great privacy. She didn't want to cause the person she was meeting any trouble. Neil's wife was once Zoey's client. Both parties were pleased with the business transaction. Zoey didn't like socializing, but she was out of alternatives. She forced herself to befriend Neil's wife. She had something to ask of Neil because her passport application had been dragging on without any progress. Zoey didn't want to lose control of her emotions again. She could still keep her cool if she stayed away from Laurence. To her surprise, Laurence had found out what she had been secretly up to. It was like he had installed a bug on her. She was horrified. "I've heard a lot of good things about you, Ms. Jenner." "You're too kind, Mr. Jackson." Neil was nicer than she expected. He didn't act superior or avoid the topic. Inst
Zoey ended the phone call. Without having to ask, Zoey knew what was going on when she saw Laurence. Needless to say, Laurence had taken the liberty to take the morning off for her. She couldn't be bothered to be angry. Instead, she felt numb as it had happened too many times before. Zoey looked down at her changed pajamas and turned to the man by the bed. She asked, "Where are my clothes?" Laurence met her gaze. He didn't feel embarrassed at all. "They were in the wash. They are in the dryer now." Zoey lifted the bed covers and stepped onto the carpet. She made a beeline for the walk-in closet, which was filled with many clothes she hadn't taken with her when she'd left years ago. She picked an outfit and put it on. Laurence was still in the bedroom when she walked out of the walk-in closet. He put on his tie and looked over at her. She glanced at him and said, "You should've woken me up last night." Laurence approached her. He was tall and looked sharp in his suit, with
Zoey was fast asleep. She thought she was dreaming when someone lifted her up. Her body clock over the last few days had been regular. She was going to bed early. Now, she couldn't keep her eyes open. Maybe she went back to sleep because she didn't sense any danger.Laurence hooked his arm behind Zoey's knees in a cradle and pulled her arm over his neck to secure her from falling. She mumbled in her sleep. He guessed that she was dreaming.Laurence couldn't hear what she was saying. He leaned in with his ear near her lips, but her mumbling stopped.The chauffeur, dedicated to his job, was on standby outside. Seeing his employer in the distance, he opened the door respectfully.Laurence carried Zoey into the car. The chauffeur closed the car door and glanced again at the woman in his employer's arms from the rear-view mirror. She looked familiar, but he didn't want to make any assumptions. "Where to, sir?" The chauffeur couldn't read his employer's mind, so he was careful not to
The bar wasn't too far from the restaurant. It was less than a ten-minute drive away. Laurence refused to let go of Zoey's wrist. He was bold to show off their closeness even though it was inappropriate. The others could hardly take their eyes off the couple. It was drama in the flesh. If they remembered correctly, Zoey had denied their relationship online two days before. She had even announced her marriage to someone else to set the record straight. What was going on? They had a hunch about the situation, judging by the resistance on Zoey's face. Maybe her ex-husband wouldn't leave her alone. The man seemed relentless in his pursuit. Nevertheless, it was not their business to get involved. At the end of the day, it was between Zoey and Laurence. Everybody quieted down and sobered up. The group caught a cab to the destination. Laurence shamelessly invited himself to join the group, and no one objected, not even politely. They weren't fools. They wouldn't offend the man for
Zoey felt a tingling sensation along her ear. It felt as if she had been electrocuted. Laurence's tone was half-joking, but there was seriousness behind it. He was ready to tell on her to her husband the moment she nodded. Zoey had lost her patience with him a long time ago. She couldn't help but snap back every time. She looked up. Her face was small. She was about to tell him to get lost when the man took the chance to deepen the kiss. He squeezed her chin, forcing her to part her lips to let him in. Zoey was pinned against the wall. His scorching breath took hers away. She was trapped like prey in a snare. The more she struggled, the tighter his grip became.Laurence didn't stop with a brief kiss. He didn't give Zoey room to breathe, and she could feel her limbs going weak. Her tongue was going numb. The woman opened her mouth, gasping for air. She hung onto his collar to stop herself from going limp. The man was always greedy. He could never get enough of her. Zoey had