There was no telling whether Robert was trying to convince himself or was simply stating the reality. Robert had panicked at first. He'd been careful to wire the money to the driver, moving the funds between various accounts, and paid the man through the bank account of a distant relative. It never occurred to him that the police would manage to trace the money. It was hard to reopen an old case. Robert wasn't wrong to say that the dead man told no tales. He'd suffered from bouts of anxiety, barely able to eat or get a good night's sleep. His former parents-in-law had haunted him in his sleep. It had taken a few days for him to regain his composure. Money could make his problems go away. Besides, Jasmine would hire the best attorney for him to avoid litigation. What if the voice recording was handed over to the police? There was a possibility that it wasn't admissible as evidence. Robert put all his hope in his family and... Laurence. The Scotts, with their vast resources and
Zoey understood what Laurence was trying to say. It was his personal property, so she had no right to use their marriage against his decision. It wasn't up to her to decide who got to stay on the property, nor did she have the right to interfere with his decision. Zoey silently drew a deep breath and steadied her breathing to compose herself. She needed to be collected to talk rationally with him instead of giving the impression that she was acting on her emotions. She pursed her discolored lips. “Are you going to see her?” Zoey was determined not to let the precious opportunity slip right out of her hands. She finally saw a glimmer of hope. It was like the dawn before the sunrise. At the very least, she wanted a fair trial. Zoey was uncertain whether Laurence would offer Sarah another helping hand if the latter asked.Although Zoey didn't learn much about Laurence’s family, she'd heard of his father’s name on TV despite not keeping up with the current events. It was a piece of
Zoey’s face was drained of any color. Laurence saw through her, divulging the innermost thoughts she tried so hard to hide. Zoey believed Sarah wasn't completely innocent either. Nevertheless, Sarah played no part in the murder for hire. She'd only been about Zoey’s age at the time.Even though Sarah enjoyed the assets her father stole from Zoey’s family, it was true that she had no blood on her hands. “Yes, I hate her. It’s not new information to you. Is it weird that I want her to get what she deserves? Are you expecting me to be nice to the love child of my father's affair with another woman?” Snapping out of her thoughts, Zoey spoke with a straight face. Laurence wasn't trying to find excuses for Sarah. He stared at Zoey, and like her, he spoke in a flat tone, “Does she have a choice? Could she choose her birth parents?” A while later, Zoey grinned, but the smile looked awkward. “You win. I’ve got nothing.” Despite gaining the upper hand, Laurence showed no joy. In fact,
Zoey couldn’t help but ask, “Did you overhear my conversation with my mom?”“Yep. I heard you speaking on the phone the moment I came back to the room. That small town is indeed more bustling than this hotel at the mountaintop. A lot of travelers like to stay in that town.”“I see.” After a while, Zoey said, “Then let’s go take a look.”Although it was subtle, Laurence could tell that Zoey was in a good mood when she replied. He nodded in response.“Is anyone else coming with us?” Zoey asked hesitantly, not looking at Laurence.“No.”“Okay.” Zoey was relieved upon hearing that. She had a bad relationship with Sarah and didn't know his other friends well.The weather was good, and the sun shone brightly. Zoey’s mood improved as well.Laurence undid the top two buttons on his white shirt and rolled up his sleeve slightly, showing off his forearms. There was a time when Zoey would get distracted whenever she saw Laurence in a white shirt. She had been first attracted to him when he wore a
“Okay then.”Zoey thought that what Laurence said made sense. They weren’t fated to be together, so it didn’t matter to them.“I’ve been to places like that before. It should be very crowded. Are you sure you want to go?”Laurence said yes, and Zoey nodded in response. She was okay with it as long as Laurence didn’t mind the crowd.After finishing the coffee, Laurence led Zoey to the famous love lock bridge. He held her hand tightly the whole way.There were many ribbons and heart-shaped locks on the bridge. Many young couples were taking photos there.The two of them stopped in their tracks and observed the crowd for a while. Zoey felt alienated when she saw the young couples who were madly in love with each other. They looked so happy.Laurence turned his head and glanced at her. She was standing next to him quietly, looking rather aloof.He bought a childish heart-shaped lock on a whim.“Do you want to put it on the bridge?” he asked.Zoey looked at the lock in his palm and touched
“I can pay you back.”“Sorry, but I don’t need your money.”Zoey felt that Laurence didn’t really want the photograph. He just didn’t want her to have things her way. She pursed her lips and stopped bargaining with him. If he wouldn’t give it to her, then she didn’t want it either.…The sky turned golden as the sun set as the two of them returned to the hotel. Zoey put the gifts she bought into her luggage bag. Then, she lay on the couch and stared at the ceiling in a daze.Laurence was attending an online meeting in the study. Even though he was on vacation, there was still some work that he had to do.The door to the study was left slightly ajar. Zoey glanced in that direction, but she could only see a corner of the desk from where she was.She could occasionally hear Laurence speak in French in that deep voice of his.Zoey had attended a few French lessons in university, but it was a very difficult foreign language to learn. She almost fell asleep during those classes. She tried he
The plane took off and landed punctually. Zoey took a taxi back to her apartment and changed into house slippers the moment she went in the door, leaving her luggage on the threshold. Janet was out on the balcony, watering the plants. When she heard the noise, she turned around in her wheelchair and saw her daughter.Zoey walked to the balcony and saw that the wisteria plant had grown very tall and the flowers were about to bloom. "Mom, did you buy all these flowers?" Janet put down the watering can and said, "Yup, I got bored at home." Zoey recalled that her mother had loved to plant back in their old home too. The front yard had been planted with Janet's favorite roses, and during springtime, the flowers flourished magnificently. The only thing Zoey worried about was her mother's health. Zoey had been alone for so many years until she finally found family, and she didn't want to be left all alone again. It was really miserable to be alone in this world. "Just don't tire your
Laurence wasn't a greedy man. Zoey's voice interrupted his reverie, "Can't I move back in with my mother?" Laurence wondered if she had guessed what he and Janet had talked about. His gaze grew colder, and he answered indifferently, "I'm sorry, but you can't." Then, he suggested, "But your mother can move in with us."Right off the bat, Zoey rejected him, "There's no need for that." It was a reply Laurence had expected. He said curtly, "Let me know if you change your mind." He knew Zoey would never be so foolish as to let Janet move in with them. Janet would definitely realize the true face of their relationship in less than two days.Zoey leaned back in the passenger's seat and wound down the window to enjoy the night breeze. The weather in Northwell wasn't too hot or cold at that time of year. The wind lifted her hair, and her face looked gentle under the streetlights. Laurence drove slowly, and Zoey closed the window again. The light at the junction turned red. Laurence’s