Zoey hadn’t thought it through before she blurted it out. Laurence’s expression changed. She wondered if she had said something wrong and unwittingly hurt him again. She didn’t want to keep bringing up awful memory with him. She had no idea what came over her—perhaps the memory had…affected her that deeply. Even though she kept telling herself to forget it, to forget every hurtful thing he had done, she still subconsciously spilled her thoughts.Zoey rubbed her temples, trying to hold back her tiredness. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to use you as an example.”There was a subtle shift in Laurence’s expression. It was difficult for him to swallow his feelings. When she apologized, a fire roared in his chest. If it hadn’t been for the sincerity in her eyes, her words would have come off as condescending, mocking him for his moment of violence.Laurence’s face was impassive as he reined in his emotions. His gaze was chilly, and his aura as frosty as ever when he uttered, “It’s okay.”Since sh
Sarah’s unease grew. She attempted to pry more information from Tristan. He was sharp enough to sense her intentions and lazily eyed her. “Why don’t you ask him yourself? He always indulges you,” he urged with an ambiguous smile. Even though they were close friends, it wasn’t a good idea to intrude too deeply into family affairs. Tristan was never particularly curious about what was happening between Shawn and Marilyn. If Shawn intended to keep the reason under wraps, he naturally wouldn’t tell anyone. No one would know then.Sarah picked up her glass and sipped her juice to mask her nervousness. She pressed her lips together before speaking in her usual friendly tone, “I’m not a busybody. I’m just worried that he’s been down lately. You didn’t invite him out tonight.”Tristan was all smiles as he gazed at Sarah. When he wanted to, he did seem like a party boy. He countered, “But I didn’t invite you either.”Sarah’s heart sank, and her displeasure showed on her face. However, sh
Zoey didn’t know why Laurence tortured himself like this. Even when he called her a mood killer, he still wanted her to accompany him at parties. Even she could sense that the others were more tense and reserved when she was there.Zoey leaned against the window and slowly closed her eyes. Nowadays, she would stay quiet whenever she didn’t want to get into a fight with Laurence.The first thing Zoey did the moment they reached home was go to the bathroom and shower, eagerly washing off the scent of alcohol.That night, Zoey was tortured relentlessly. Laurence kept wanting more and more, as though nothing was enough to satisfy him. At first, she put up with it, but later she kicked him when she couldn’t take it anymore. Laurence easily grabbed her ankle and dragged her to him, then proceeded to be even rougher with her. Zoey’s mind was becoming hazy, her head heavy with sleepiness. She was forced to put her arms around his neck and bury her face in his chest. “Don’t be like this,”
With some editing, the video ended up being even more suggestive. Although it didn’t show the actual deed, the rest of the video would be enough to mislead everyone else. A scandalous video like this would be even more harmful to a regular person than a celebrity. For one, they weren’t as mentally equipped to handle the scandal as celebrities, who were more familiar with public scandals. A regular person wouldn’t be able to handle the onslaught of mean comments and disgusted gazes. Then there was the Scott family—so what if they were fond of Zoey? Would they be able to accept a stain on their name? Elite families were all the same. They would never allow any hint of a scandal mar their reputation.Sarah stared at her folder for a while before her lips finally lifted into a smile. She then pocketed the memory card and went downstairs to get the chauffeur to drive her to a distant suburb. She looked around for an internet cafe, and once she had ascertained that there were no cameras
The video and the pictures had been quickly wiped online with force. There was no trace of them any longer. Every news article about them was wiped, and every account that reposted them was banned too. However, news like that wouldn’t die just because the original media had been deleted. Now that the news had gotten out, many people already knew what those pictures contained, even if the original files could no longer be searched for.Zoey’s hands shook. All her strength left her body, and she nearly dropped her phone to the ground. There was no other emotion on her face other than helplessness. Those high-definition pictures kept reminding her of the painful things she had experienced.Zoey’s phone began buzzing. People kept calling and texting her, but she didn’t answer any of them, not even Laurence’s call. Zoey sat on the bench, her mind wandering. When Rose finally arrived, she was still in a daze. Her eyes stared emptily ahead. Rose had no idea what she was thinking. She slow
There was a troubled look in Zoey’s eyes as well, other than hatred. “You must be pleased now that my name has gone down the drain, right?” she asked steadily.Shawn slowly straightened up and took a deep breath. His face was blank. “It really wasn’t me. I never had anyone spread them.”Zoey nodded, believing him. However, her actions seemed to be for show. She smiled, her lips pale as she asked him, “Tell me then—who else could it have been other than you?”Who else hated her this much to the point that they wanted to see her destroyed?Zoey’s body trembled at the memory of those awful comments online. The humiliating commentators had torn her down until she had no self-worth left.Bitch. Used goods. Slut. Whore. Cheater. Loose morals. These words were hurtful enough on their own, but when used together in a coordinated attack, they knocked Zoey over, leaving her battered and bloodied.Zoey watched as Shawn remained silent, as though he couldn’t answer her.“Do you remember how
The security guard by the door immediately blocked Zoey’s way. Without an order from Shawn, he would not let her leave.Zoey stood by the door quietly, staring at the guard in black. She didn’t even turn to look at Shawn as she asked, “Is there any point in stopping me from leaving?”Shawn eyed her from behind for a long while before he walked into the living room and picked up the small knife meant for peeling fruits on the coffee table. He left the living room and shoved the knife into Zoey’s hand. “You hate me, don’t you?”Zoey didn’t say a word even as she gripped the knife.Shawn’s face was blank as he said, “It was me behind all those dehumanizing incidents. I can’t rewind time. Since you hate me for destroying your life, just stab me. A single stab won’t kill me, but it should be enough to lift the weight off your heart. And if that isn’t enough, you can stab me twice.”Zoey lowered her gaze to eye the knife. Her hands shook, not because of fear, but because she did want to
News spread online far faster than one could imagine. Although Laurence had clamped down on the spread at lightning speed, it was already too late.Laurence pressed his lips together at Zoey’s question, his expression icy. “And?”And what? Were there any changes to their relationship? No.An eerie calmness clouded Zoey’s eyes. They looked like a calm lake, completely without ripples, as though it didn’t matter that he treated this major incident with disregard. She slowly lowered her head to look at the rug.“Your friends and relatives have probably already seen them,” she said.News could spread quickly, reaching tens of thousands in a matter of seconds. There was no way to keep secrets hidden online once they got out.Laurence’s expression stayed frosty. He turned away, his icy gaze drifting elsewhere as he listened to her wordlessly. Just as Zoey said, everyone knew.Zoey looked up again, her neck sore from staring at the rug for too long. Her mind wandered as she regarded La