Fed up, Zoey kicked Laurence. Laurence maintained a straight face as if he knew no pain despite her loafer coming into contact with his shin in full force.Laurence would rather that she was angry than give him the cold shoulder. "Do you want to kick me a couple more times?" Zoey could not understand what had gotten into Laurence. "What is wrong with you?" she asked, exasperated.Sensing that she was about to make her escape, Laurence tightened his grip on her wrist and trapped her in place. Zoey scowled in pain. "Let go of me." Paying no heed to her words, Laurence uttered offhandedly, "We can do this all day if that's what you want." The stalemate was going nowhere, so Zoey begrudgingly pulled out her phone to remove Laurence's number from her blocked contacts. Laurence seemed pleased now. Still, something was nagging at him. "Don't block my number again," he warned. "I wouldn't have in the first place if you hadn’t pestered me repeatedly." "I had to call you since
The noise at the door startled Janet, who was in the living room. She went to the entryway for a look. What's the matter, Zoey?" Before Zoey could reply, the sick person outside the door brazenly said hello to Zoey's mom through the open crack. "It's me, Mrs. Fulton. Sorry to bother you,” he greeted weakly.Janet recognized Shawn's voice from the last time they met when Janet woke up in the hospital. Shawn was a stranger to her back then. "Come on in. We don't keep our guests at the door." "Thank you, Mrs. Fulton." Zoey had no choice but to open the door completely to let him in. It did not seem like Shawn was putting on an act, as he did look sickly. He pressed his lips against his knuckles to shield his coughing. Janet listened to his cough and asked, concerned, "Are you sick?" Shawn put on a brave face and replied, "I caught a little cold. That's all." Zoey was rendered speechless. Why did he come here for medicine if it was just a little cold? He could have toughe
A photo was attached to the news article. Katie had met Laurence several times at the workplace, so she recognized him. She was also in the know about Zoey's relationship with Laurence. Zoey found it amusing. "You won’t see him. He doesn't concern himself with these things." Katie gave it some thought and believed it to be the case too. Laurence's signature was not needed on a small contract, so he was unlikely to be there for the signing. While the pair chatted, the familiar clicking of heels echoed along the corridor outside the office. Diana was back, yet again. There had been a steep increase in her visits lately, and she went to the trouble of visiting their workplace. Her villa was near completion. If she was bored, she could monitor the work there instead. "Ms. Cole, what can we do for you today?" "Nothing." Diana was stubborn and acted high and mighty all the same. Katie thought to herself, 'Why are you frequenting our place then? Don’t you have anything better t
Zoey didn't expect Henry to be the first to discover her. She wanted to resolve this matter quietly, but everything was ruined now.Henry returned the medical records to her and pursed his lips. "What do you plan to do?"His question didn't make her feel pressured, but his tone was gentle and soft.Zoey didn't go into details. She lowered her head and looked at her toes as she replied, "The doctor said I'm not fit for another surgery." As she said these words, she had already made up her mind.She was worried about being condemned for keeping her ex-husband's child after their divorce. What would others think of her? Others might think she was desperately trying to maintain a connection with her prestigious ex-husband.Henry fell silent momentarily before saying slowly, "Then don't do it. Listen to the doctor."Zoey felt her nose twitch. Considering her age, she was still young. She was still in her early twenties, the prime of her life, yet she had experienced so much.Bustling
Zoey grew more distressed as she mulled it over. She contemplated for so long but couldn’t think of a perfect solution.After a simple breakfast, Zoey returned to the hospital to pick up her medication. Henry offered to drive her there. There was a queue at the pharmacy, and after a few minutes, it was her turn. The doctor checked the prescription and handed her two boxes in a plastic bag. Zoey expressed her gratitude and turned around, only to come face to face with a man she hadn't seen in a long time.Laurence's insomnia hadn't improved. Melatonin had no effect on him, and he still couldn't sleep through the night. Even when he did fall asleep, he was often startled awake by nightmares. Recently, he couldn't even get five hours of sleep a day. The quality of his sleep was also poor. He would occasionally wake up during the night. The bedroom was pitch black as he no longer need to leave the light on for Zoey. The black curtains almost completely shut out the moonlight from outsi
Laurence remained calm. He said dismissively, "The paparazzi are making things up. I didn’t know they would write something like that."He rarely explained anything, but this time he felt the need to clarify, obviously not wanting Zoey to misunderstand.Zoey smiled lightly and countered sarcastically, "I don't think any media would dare report false news about you."Laurence was no pushover. He had always protected his private life, and the media rarely touched or spread false news about him. Almost eighty percent of his news was real.Laurence answered modestly, "I'm not that capable."Zoey didn't have time to chat with Laurence. Henry was waiting for her in the underground parking lot.However, Laurence didn't intend to let her leave just like that. He stared straight at her and asked, "Where is that friend you mentioned?"Zoey paused briefly, then picked up her phone and called Henry. She spoke into the phone, "I'm done. Come to the entrance and pick me up. I'm being bothered
Zoey swore that it wasn't intentional. She must have felt nauseous from the car ride and vomited the breakfast she had eaten two hours before.However, her explanation was futile. Kimberly wouldn't believe her words. She would only think that Zoey did it deliberately to get back at her.Zoey offered, "There's a restroom at the end of the corridor. Would you like to clean yourself up?"Kimberly was so enraged that she couldn't speak for a while. She could mock and ridicule Zoey but couldn't bring herself to assault her physically. After all, she still had some self-respect.With a cold expression, she stomped her high heels forcefully and went to the restroom. After a quick wash, she still felt disgusted and called her assistant to bring her a fresh set of clothes. The incident had ruined her mood for the entire day.Kimberly didn't dare complain to her nephew. He wouldn't buy her story and would blame her for provoking Zoey in the first place. Kimberly found it strange. Zoey didn'
Given Zoey's character, Amanda assumed she would reject the offer. To her surprise, Zoey replied, "Alright. If it's someone compatible, I don't mind." Amanda tried her best not to look surprised. She regretted not regretting their conversation, certain that things would be interesting Laurence knew. Comment by Zhulin Yap: Not too sure what this means so I haven't edited it. Suggested edit: She was certain things would get interesting once Laurence found out."Isn’t the usual order, go on dates, get married, then start a family?”"That seems to be the case for most people.""Ah, I see. How long does the dating phase usually last before marriage?"Amanda's engagement was a business deal. Her fiancé needed her father's connections, while the Hartners needed the network his family had. Since they could satisfy each other's needs, marriage and business were practically the same. That was why she didn't know how long couples typically dated before getting married. Zoey had had i
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