Zoey was numb. Fortunately, the room was too dim for others to see her expression. Her body was shaking against her will. Although she was trying her best to pretend that she was fine, she was digging her thumb into Laurence’s hand, pleading for help. Didn’t Laurence care at all?Zoey suddenly felt cold all over, the bone-piercing chill making her teeth chatter. Everyone else remained silent. But who could guess what was going through Laurence’s mind? That was half true. Laurence’s eyes were dark and indecipherable as he smiled secretively. He ignored Zoey’s grip on his hand and glanced at her."Why are you still sticking to me? Don’t any of them catch your eye?"Zoey managed to force out an answer."No."Her face was turned downward, her tresses blocking her expression. Tristan studied her for a few moments. He couldn’t deny that she was a beautiful lady with attractive eyes that tempted men. Although he found her current situation quite pitiful, he was still a cruel man. He even plan
Evelyn's face fell at his words. The model restrained herself only because this was Mr. Gray. Otherwise, she would've slapped him. Evelyn couldn't give up on a loaded man like Mr. Gray. Although he had a terrible temper, he was young, handsome, and generous."What are you talking about? Of course they are real."Tristan was unamused."Like hell I would believe that." Then, he caressed her face and asked, "How much did you spend on your entire body?"Whenever Tristan acted like a refined gentleman, anyone would think he was a saint. Conversely, he would give one hell once his mask was removed. Evelyn's face flushed in mortification, her eyes watering from the insult. Impatient, Tristan's smile faded, and his expression became indifferent."Whatever. Get out."Evelyn looked like a kicked puppy. She grabbed her handbag and left quickly, not daring to stand up against Mr. Gray. After she was gone, Tristan subconsciously glanced toward the sofa. Zoey had fallen asleep with her head on Laure
Tristan felt stupid after saying that. Nonetheless, Laurence's reaction was surprisingly calm.Laurence met his gaze and remarked easily, "You have good taste."Zoey was a natural beauty and had a decent figure. In addition to her looks, she was educated, good-natured, and gentle. She had many talents, including being an excellent cook. It was normal for men to fall for Zoey.Unbothered, Laurence said, "I'll get the driver to send her home." Tristan sighed silently. Laurence was cold-hearted after all. Back in school, Laurence was the epitome of heartlessness. While numerous jealous girls would fight over him, the man wasn't even interested in reading their love letters, much less have compassion toward them. Only those he cared about could get some of his warmth.Tristan asked casually, "Why on earth did you two get married? You don't even like her.""Marriage doesn't require love."To people like them, love was a luxury they couldn't afford. No feelings meant less trouble.Stunned,
Zoey couldn't take jokes; she preferred to be serious about certain matters. Her pride was at stake, and she wanted to save it in front of Laurence. "I didn't seduce anyone."Her words were uttered solemnly. Laurence raised his eyebrow. He pressed his fingertips against her tender skin, leaving red marks with little effort.He said lightly, "Tristan told me he likes you."Zoey tried to find any signs of displeasure or concern on his face. Sadly, there was none. Laurence couldn't care less.Lowering her head, Zoey muttered, "I don't really know him." Then, she continued while suppressing her unease. "Besides, Mr. Gray has many intimate relationships. He must have his eyes on countless others."Laurence's thumb remained on her chin while his eyes bore into hers. There was an incomprehensible look in them."Not necessarily."Zoey stopped talking. The model Tristan had brought with him was a different woman from the one she saw with him at the banquet last time. Clearly, he was a fickle m
Mrs. Scott slammed the table angrily and then flung the front page of the day's newspaper at him."See for yourself what the media has reported."The newspaper hit Laurence square in the face. There was a photo of him and Sarah printed on the front page."This is a pretty good shot," he said with a scoff.The paparazzi's photography skills seemed to have improved. As the corporate group leader of the Scott family, getting involved with the Jenner family's daughter would easily instigate scandalous speculations. After all, women constantly sought opportunities to get in Laurence's pants, and the number of times he changed partners was immeasurable.So far, Jessica hadn't been replaced yet. Both he and Sarah belonged in the ruling class, and the outcome between them was uncertain. Laurence's off-handed remark made Mrs. Scott's blood boil."You are a married man. Do I still need to teach you about boundaries?"Needless to say, she despised Sarah. The mere thought of the girl irked Mrs. Sc
Zoey wasn't as shameless as Laurence. She stood still and refused to leave with him. Laurence smiled at her."You don't want to?"He seemed to be in a good mood that day, and his expression relaxed as he said, "Zoey, we have to do it even if you don't want to."Zoey started to feel annoyed. She knew that he was only joking with her, never considering her seriously. In the master bedroom upstairs, a double king-sized bed lay in the middle, with enough space to fit four people. Before Zoey could return to her senses, she was pushed onto the bed. Remembering the doctor's instructions, she clutched her belly."Mr. Scott, what are you doing?" "You," Laurence kissed her ear and whispered vulgarly. The next second, Zoey's hands were forced to rest on his waist. The obvious bulge in his pants and the straining belt buckle caught her attention, and she quickly pulled her hands back."It's not even dark outside."Laurence held down her palms."Who says we can't do it during the day?"Zoey's c
Zoey stayed in the car for a long time, leaning against the steering wheel. Her fingers clenched it firmly and the silence was deafening. Her phone had rung multiple times inside her bag, but Zoey ignored it.After what seemed like forever, Zoey slowly sat up straight and opened the car window for some air. It took her a couple of minutes to regain her composure. When she looked at her phone later on, she realized all the missed calls were from Arielle Flemming, who had just returned from overseas a few days ago."Zoey! Why didn't you answer my calls?"Zoey breathed in deeply and said, "Sorry, I was busy."Upon hearing her hoarse voice, Arielle sensed something was amiss."What's wrong? Did Mr. Scott mistreat you again?"At first, Arielle was genuinely happy for Zoey when her wish of marrying Laurence finally came true. Not long after, however, Zoey told her that their marriage was just for show and that they were nothing more than boss and employee.Arielle and Zoey had been deskmates
Zoey's listless voice tugged at Arielle's heart."Zoey, I'm coming to the hospital to get you. I'll treat you to a meal. You should stop thinking about unhappy stuff for a while."Zoey complied obediently."Okay."After ending the phone call, she remained in the car seat, dazed. She could already imagine the outcome once she broke the news to Laurence. The man had no desire for marriage as he didn't think it was anything special. During the previous new year, the Scott family had invited many guests. At that time, Laurence's cousin had just given birth to an adorable daughter. The baby was beautiful, with round cheeks, fair skin, and big round eyes. The family's elders couldn't stop holding her in their arms. As for Laurence, he'd only entertained his niece for a short while during his spare time. Obviously, he had no interest in the child. That very night, Zoey had gotten into bed after showering, and she felt that the room was too quiet. Therefore, she could only start a conversatio
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