Jasmine's voice on the phone was growing increasingly hysterical, and she sounded like she was about to lose her voice completely. The woman had always been a picture of poise and grace in Zoey's presence, often careful to maintain her image, but Jasmine had lost her cool and let loose a string of profanities. Zoey picked up a few valuable pieces of information from Jasmine's outburst. Sarah had been missing for some time, so Jasmine had turned her attention to Zoey. It explained why it had been a while since Sarah had last picked a fight with her. "I don't know. You can file a missing person's report with the police." "Don’t you think I did?”Jasmine drew a deep breath and gradually pulled herself together. She had contacted the police a while back when she realized she couldn't get in touch with Sarah. It had been a few days, but the police hadn't made any breakthroughs. Besides Zoey, Jasmine couldn't think of anyone else who would go after her daughter. Zoey may appear unas
"Nothing," Zoey muttered, her voice strained. "I just miss you. That's all, Uncle Jason." The last thing she wanted was for her uncle to overthink her words. Her heartfelt words took Jason aback as she was not usually the sappy type. She was not expressive, so the sentiment came out of the blue. Still, Jason appreciated her words. "I'll visit you once I'm done with work." Zoey let go of her doubts and hummed a response, "Sure." Jason urged her, "Take good care of yourself at home. Don't be fussy with your food. My door is always open if you face any trouble. Don't take on the burden on your own." Zoey replied, "Got it." Jason still saw Zoey as a child even though she was about to become a mother. Despite being pregnant, she still needed to be taken care of."I’ve got to go, Uncle Jason. I shouldn't take you from your job." "Alright." The smile across the man's lips faded once the call ended. He lifted his gaze and smirked at the person whose head hung low in the office.
Tristan raised an eyebrow at Laurence’s response. He hadn’t expected him to respond that way to the disturbing news."Aren't you worried? Sarah's mother is frantically searching for her. If something happens to her, you might regret it,” he urged. Tristan may have sounded well-meaning, but only he knew his ulterior motives.Laurence wouldn't have known about Sarah’s disappearance if Tristan hadn't mentioned it. The man pulled a poker face and kept to himself. It was hard to tell whether Laurence had been joking before. "Didn't her mother report her missing to the police? Where am I supposed to look for Sarah if the police can't locate her." Laurence had never been one to mince his words, but his reaction to Sarah's disappearance was out of character. Tristan curled his lips to smile, but all he could muster was a forced one. It slipped his mind that Laurence was too sharp to fall for his little act. He quit playing games and said, "Jasmine suspects Zoey is behind the kidnapping.
Laurence saw no need to bring up something Zoey wasn't involved in, as they were unrelated. It was clear that Sarah's disappearance had nothing to do with Zoey, but he couldn't say the same for Jason. Zoey must have told Jason what Sarah had done at the hospital. His niece saw him as a kind gentleman, but he was ruthless in other ways. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to establish himself so quickly. Besides, as Tristan said, Sarah was Miss Popular. She always carried a smile and hardly stepped on anybody's toes. Laurence could count the number of people she had a beef with on one hand. There was no question about who did it. Before heading to Zoey's place, Laurence sent his men to “have a chat" with Jason. He might get some useful answers out of Jason through discreet inquiries. Of course, Laurence would be lying if he denied having tried to make things difficult for Jason. Zoey would be pissed and probably would hate him more if she found out he messed with her uncle again
Zoey fell silent for a bit before speaking her mind, "Isn't it something you’ll do anyway?" The remark packed a punch. Although Zoey slapped his hand away, Laurence put his hand back on her belly. The warmth from his palm seeped into her skin while his other arm circled her waist, making them look like newlyweds on their honeymoon. She gave Laurence an attitude. "The child isn't yours. Why are you touching my belly?" Laurence couldn't feel the baby kick, probably because it was not his. He didn't feel the love or sense of wonder that came with being a father. The child was nothing more than a bastard, and it only got on Laurence's nerves that Zoey was so careful in tending to the child. Still, Laurence had wised up. Even if he despised the child, he must, in no circumstances, show it in the presence of the child's mother. "The baby should be cute when it's born," Laurence said, forcing out the fake compliment as he struggled to please Zoey.He wasn't incapable of making peopl
Paying no heed to Jason's question, Laurence asked, "Okay. I won't ask you where she is. Is she alive?" Jason replied, "I don't know. I don't have the answers." Laurence couldn't fire his gun at Jason like before, as he had reservations. Still, it wasn't as if there weren't other means he could use on Jason, but the image of Zoey hissing her hatred at him with tearful eyes haunted him. How couldn’t Laurence be affected by her hatred for him? Her opinion of him mattered a lot. Laurence was at breaking point and couldn't endure any more of her resentment. That was why he couldn't harm the people she cared about. Laurence's relationship with Zoey was like a broken mirror, its shards too sharp to be repaired. He tried to piece it back together, but the jagged edges only cut him deeper.The security detail dispersed at the wave of Laurence's hand. They walked out of the conference room and stood in the hallway outside the door. Laurence believed Sarah was still alive somewhere. If she
Zoey was rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night, and things were not looking good. She may have to deliver her baby prematurely. Zoey hadn't always been in the best of health. Although she was not sickly, her health couldn't handle much stress. Jason scowled with furrowed brows as he waited in the hallway. After some time, a doctor wearing a medical mask emerged from the ward. "The mother isn't doing well. We need to keep her under observation for a while. We recommend an urgent Cesarean if her vitals don't improve." At least the surgery was the best chance of survival for the mother and the baby. Nothing else mattered more to Jason than his niece's life. He asked, "How risky is the surgery? Can you guarantee my niece's safety?" The doctor had thought the guy was the pregnant woman’s husband since he looked so young. It turned out he was her uncle. He replied, "We can't promise that because any surgery comes with risks. We’ll do everything we can to ensure the safety
"Does Laurence know you were hospitalized?"Zoey shook her head. She had never been one to initiate contact with Laurence. There was no way she could've told him about the incident. She couldn't wait for the day she’d never have to see his face again. Laurence had been messaging her for a few days now—only concise, to-the-point texts—but she never replied.Rose was puzzled. How odd for him to suddenly appear at the hospital when he hadn't been there for days. "Could he have fallen really sick?" she speculated bitterly. He showed no signs of sickness earlier, though. He was still his usual sullen, unsympathetic self. He paced so fast, almost like a shooting star in the sky. Even the doctors behind him struggled to keep up.Zoey lowered her head and said, "He does go for a physical checkup once a year."Additionally, the Scotts had their own family physician—they would catch even the tiniest change in their health early. Rose felt Laurence's name no longer ought to be mentioned in