Zoey had no idea how Laurence came to that conclusion. She had never dated anyone in her life. So, she decided to continue playing dumb. “No. I really don’t know him, nor have I ever seen him before. Mr. Scott, there are a lot of average-looking people who look similar in this world, and I just have a very average-looking face,” she pressed solemnly.Laurence didn’t believe her but let her finish her nonsensical rambling. He narrowed his eyes at her, “You don’t have an average-looking face.”“Is that a compliment?”“Forget it. If you don’t want to talk about it, I won't force you to either,” Laurence paused for a second before continuing, “Just stay away from him. He’s very different compared to his simple-minded older brother.”Zoey wasn’t planning on ever seeing Rick again, so she nodded good-naturedly, “Okay.”She assumed Rick probably wouldn’t want the world to find out about his unsavory past. Rick was one of the few people who knew about her relationship with Sarah. Back t
It was a working day again after the short weekend break. Zoey’s days were peaceful. Whether in her daily life or her slightly busy job, there were no problems big enough to give her a headache. She also repeatedly received good news from the hospital. The doctor said her mother was recovering faster than expected, and she was responding well to the treatment.Zoey was very grateful. She had made plans to move into a larger, two-bedroom home after her mother was fully discharged. The future felt hopeful, and she finally had something to look forward to in life. Even Anne noticed that Zoey, typically calm and poised, was in a good mood. Zoey was smiling, relaxed, and looked like a heavy burden had been lifted off her shoulders. It even looked like she had been swept off her feet. Anne couldn’t help saying in envy, “Miss Jenner, you look like someone happily in love right now.” Zoey covered her face, smiling uncontrollably. “Really? Is it that obvious?”Anne had never seen Zoey lik
"You don't have to come if you don't want to. But you know me, I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Don't blame me if things get bloody."As Zoey read the messages on the screen, she was so angry that she wanted to call the police. However, there wasn't much use in calling the police now, as Shawn hadn't committed any crimes yet.Shawn clearly wasn’t inviting her to be a guest. Without a doubt, he had no good intentions. Suppressing her disgust and temper, Zoey persisted and called him back.This time, he answered. Shawn's voice sounded relaxed, "What's the matter, Miss Jenner?"Zoey frowned. "Mr. Zuckman, what do you want from me?"Shawn walked to the window and looked at the night view of the high-rise building for a while before pausing. "I just wanted to invite you over for a drink."Zoey felt a headache coming on as she replied curtly, "Mr. Zuckman, please stop bothering me. I have nothing to do with you."However, Shawn was very interested in Zoey. He wouldn't let her go b
"What do you mean?""Nothing. I'm just curious.""Mr. Zuckman, could you please release my shoulder while you talk?""Miss Jenner, most of the time, the answer to your requests is no. And this time is no exception."Zoey took a few deep breaths, trying to hold back her anger. However, she couldn't resist and viciously stomped on his foot with her high heel. If an ordinary person had been stomped on with such force, they would have been writhing in pain. However, Shawn seemed to have lost all feeling. He showed no reaction at all. Unfazed, he teased, "Zoey, you were quite ruthless with that kick."Zoey pushed his arm away forcefully and cautiously took a few steps back. Shawn looked at her with a faint smile as if nothing had happened and she was a useless clown. His people were guarding the elevator entrance, and he had bodyguards waiting on every floor. From the moment Zoey stepped into the building, she was trapped.Zoey realized that the situation was not in her favor. Witho
Zoey's consciousness was hazy, and the back of her head felt hammered. Her eyelids were heavy as if filled with lead, and she struggled to open them but didn't have the strength to lift even her eyelashes. Her last shred of consciousness struggled in vain. She felt like she had been thrown onto a bed, sinking into the soft cotton, powerless. She couldn't even lift her finger. Intermittent sounds came from nearby."Have they all arrived?""They're all waiting at the door.""Don't make any mistakes. This girl is very alert. We've finally got our chance and we can't let her slip away.""Don't worry. We've got it under control. Plus, that drug could knock out a grown man. Taking care of this powerless girl will be a breeze.""Good." The man patted his shoulder. "If you do a good job, the employer will ensure you get your reward. After this, you can all buy your plane tickets and leave the country, understand?""Got it." Another man rubbed his chin, unable to resist saying, "Boss,
The man looked reluctant when his employer offered him a ridiculous amount of money as a reward. After completing his task, he would get a lot of money, even the woman on the bed. It would certainly be a shame for him to pass the opportunity up.Shawn's patience was thinning, and he began to count down from ten.The man had a gun to his head, which made his legs weak. He didn’t dare move an inch, for fear that his head would get blown up.After giving it some thought, he decided that he wanted to live. He could earn back the money, search for beautiful women another day, but it wasn’t like he could earn back his life once it was gone.Thanks to the deposit they received in advance, they had already received half of the money, so it wasn't much of a loss to them when they thought about it. He hollered at the others in the building and said through gritted teeth, "We’re done here.""Sir!""Let's go."A few of them were reluctant too but were afraid of losing their lives at the sam
Zoey didn’t have the faintest recollection of anything that had happened after that, even from her muddied memories.Her body still felt unbearably hot even after touching the cool skin of the person beside her. However, when she heard the unfamiliar voice in her ears, it was as if a switch turned on in her brain, and her brain fog had cleared. She could hear everything clearly at that moment. The man had said he wasn’t Laurence.Zoey’s eyelashes trembled. The man's features were hard to make out in the darkness. Her mind finally felt clear at this moment.But when she wanted to break free from the stranger’s embrace, he grabbed her hands firmly and said in a gruff voice, "Listen carefully now. This is Shawn Zuckman here."This made Zoey go into a trance. She felt as if her body had been thrown into a scorching hot yet freezing cold place all at once. One side of her body felt like it was being burned in a fiery blaze, while the other felt like it was being engulfed in the bone-c
It was a chaotic morning. Perhaps it was too painful because Zoey couldn't remember much of what happened. She looked like every ounce of her energy had been sucked out of her as she sat dazedly on the bed, holding the covers.Shawn got down from the bed half-naked. He had a great body, and his abs were well-defined, with the lines traveling past his shorts. He didn't explain. Even if nothing had happened the night before, he wasn't about to explain himself.It was hard to tell if Shawn was purely evil or just hated seeing Zoey living a good life. He considered lending her a helping hand, to test if her love could withstand challenges. He wanted to see if her years of love were worth it.Would Laurence be able to accept it? He was so obsessed with loyalty and dignity, surely he wouldn’t forgive a betrayal. Shawn knew Laurence well; they were the same. They were dignified men, and they were not that generously open-minded.Shawn casually got dressed in front of Laurence. "You came
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