It wasn’t that Zoey held a grudge. Rather, it was because she didn’t hold grudges that Sarah had been able to bully her into dust.She remembered everything that Laurence had said. She’d listened to those words in a daze at the time, her heart breaking into pieces that could never be mended. She'd never thought she could one day say those words back to him.At the time, Laurence believed his words made sense. “There would be no love involved.” It lessened a lot of trouble. He didn't forget; he just didn't like her then. When he'd blurted it out, he hadn't felt anything, not even when he saw her face turn pale. All he'd done was tell the truth, and the truth hurt. He'd thought she was weak for not being able to accept the truth. Now that it was his turn, he finally understood how it hurt. "Move.""No." No one was better than Laurence at being childish. Afraid she might say something hurtful again, he sealed her lips with a kiss.Zoey's struggle was futile. Even when her nails cu
In fact, Zoey didn't know how much chance she had to win the divorce case against Laurence. However, she couldn't just give up without even trying because of fear.In the past, Zoey had given in to him partly because she'd needed his money and had been willing to pay the price of love.She'd been so pitiful back then, without any money or love. She'd seen him as her savior, desperately trying to make him show her love, even if it was just a tiny bit. Yet it had only given him the opportunity to harm her recklessly.In high school, Zoey had even tried to imitate Sarah like a fool. She'd mimicked her fashion and her sunny and easy-going personality. However, imitators usually ended up being the butt of jokes, and Zoey's attempt had been no different. She'd failed to pull it off and had come across as awkward and unconvincing. Many things couldn't be faked, and she couldn't mimic the natural, carefree charm that Sarah possessed.As a result, Zoey had no idea how to connect with stra
An unequal relationship and unequal feelings. No matter how involved they got with one another, there wouldn’t be a good ending. Zoey’s unrequited, obsessive love for him, which she never revealed, had ended with that slap of his. She didn’t want to continue this fight any longer.“If you need me to continue acting as your wife in front of your parents, I will, up until our contract ends. But I will get that divorce certificate now.”“I don’t have it.” Laurence shoved his hands into his pockets, answering her bluntly. “Sue me.”Zoey didn’t get worked up; instead, she nodded in acknowledgment. “Alright, I understand.”Sometimes, Laurence thought Zoey was recklessly stupid, even though she was smart and obedient for the most part. Going to court wouldn't be easy. It would take time, energy, and effort, and Laurence wasn’t the type to give in when forced. If there was something he didn’t want to do, he wouldn’t do it. But Zoey was right; he wouldn't let her go after the contract ends
Zoey understood all too well that Laurence was now slightly interested in her. It was this tiny spark of interest that stopped him from agreeing to the divorce. Perhaps in Laurence's eyes, she was the ungrateful one who didn't know how to appreciate what she had. She was at a loss for words and couldn't even argue with him. Laurence's tone sounded indifferent when he asked her to sue him. Sometimes, Zoey felt like Laurence was the most infuriating man in the world.She'd never seen Laurence behave this way with anyone else; he was only this snide and relentless with her. In a way, he was taking advantage of her good temper.Zoey was frustrated as well. It was difficult for a person's personality to change overnight. She'd imagined herself returning victorious and dominating, but fantasies could only remain fantasies.Her career and relationships were a complete mess."Laurance, I have always been a boring person." No, I don't think so. I find you quite adorable," Laurence laz
Zoey felt like she had been attacked. His words had always stung badly. With just a few words, he had humiliated her. Her face paled.The elevator dinged. As the doors opened, she said, “Thanks for the compliment.”Laurence grabbed her arm, his expression indiscernible.Zoey was already tired. “Let go of me,” she said while averting her eyes.Laurence eyed Zoey’s pale face but he didn’t feel any sense of victory at all. He had hurt her, but he had lost as well.Zoey didn’t have the energy to resist him. She lifted her head, her eyes teary but with tears of anger. “How long are you going to hold onto my arm like that?” she asked.Laurence’s eyes were bloodshot. His throat hurt as though he had swallowed broken glass. He couldn’t stand the weariness in her eyes, as if she hated him. She hadn’t been like that with Damien earlier, however. No, with him, she was animated—a rare display.“You just had to mention those events to prove you’re more innocent than I am. I’ve never slept
Before Sarah could speak, Laurence handed her coat to her. “Stop acting like this. It’s no use,” he said.Sarah’s body went stiff before she shook her head hard. In the end, Laurence loved Zoey instead. What was this? Fate? Even though it had been a long time since Zoey had been the princess of the family, everyone still loved her.Sarah envied Zoey. It was normal to be jealous. She just wanted a better life for herself. She wasn’t in the wrong. Now, she couldn’t stop Zoey even if she wanted to. What would Laurence do in the future? Sarah couldn't imagine it.Sarah remembered that Laurence had a thing for Zoey back then. His face, usually so icy, became animated every time he brought up the events inside the factory. The brilliance of youth filled him, and he shone with it.He seemed to be afraid of Sarah, thinking she was angry because of his momentary slip of the tongue. Laurence grabbed her hands and explained, “I was only teasing you when I said you were ugly. I was worried tha
Zoey was still disoriented from being woken up so suddenly, so she didn’t understand what Shawn was saying. They were the ones who lied to him, not her. What was the point in running to her and announcing that? Even if Shawn felt he had been wronged, he shouldn’t have knocked on her door. She also wasn’t someone he could pour his heart out to.Zoey didn’t say anything as she hung up and went back to sleep, clutching her pillow.Shawn’s expression was blank as Zoey hung up on him. He remained seated, fingers mindlessly tapping away on the desk. There was a gun on it.The hospital director’s office was locked from the inside. Cold sweat beaded on Dr. Sheppard’s forehead, and his heart hammered deafeningly in his chest. He couldn’t bear the consequences of the conspiracy being unearthed. That case had been faked so realistically that it should have been impossible for anyone to discover the truth. He never thought that Shawn would come knocking on his door so soon. Before Shawn kicked
“Zoey?” Shawn muttered as he lowered his gaze.Dr. Sheppard thought Shawn didn’t believe him. He hadn’t been lying this time, and he didn’t dare to lie to Shawn again. “Yes, it’s her. She’s probably someone you had a crush on, right? You kept repeating her name back then.”Shawn racked his brain, but he couldn’t recall a single memory of this girl.Dr. Sheppard’s heart beat fast as he stared at Shawn’s pale face. He didn’t dare to make a sound, worried he would anger him.Waves of dull pain attacked Shawn’s chest. He could barely stand the pain much longer. He pressed a hand to his chest, gradually bending over. His face was whiter than a sheet of paper. He looked up at the doctor with bloodshot eyes and asked softly in slight disbelief, “I liked her?”Dr. Sheppard didn’t dare to hide anything from Shawn anymore, so he nodded. “Yes.” If his memory served him correctly, that was the case. Both Zoey and Shawn had been very young then. They had been at the age when young crushes deve
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