Hearing this, Mrs. Scott paused for a moment. She thought when her son had said “no longer here” he’d meant Zoey was no longer in Northwell. She didn’t automatically think the worst.Seeing Laurence in a trance, Mrs. Scott felt a little emotional. "You ought to calm down. All your life, you've hardly done anything out of the ordinary. Running around like a ..." She paused, stopping herself before saying the word "lunatic"—it wasn't the most pleasant thing to say. She continued, "... headless chicken looking for someone isn’t nice to see. You're only going to seem mentally unstable; it'd probably scare Zoey."As she spoke, her voice gradually trailed off. The whites of the man's eyes were streaked with discernible blood vessels, something she hadn't seen in her son in many, many years. He appeared fragile, as if he was on the verge of shattering. His gaze was so hollow and so helpless. His crimson eyes looked like they could shed tears of blood at any moment.It didn't seem like he w
Laurence took time off to visit Sarah at the hospital. Her gunshot wound hadn't healed. She lay in the hospital bed, delicate and pitiful. He didn't even bother sitting down and stood a few feet from her bed as he watched her calmly. This bullet had almost cost her her life. She had only managed to send in one of Jason's loyal underlings; only his fingerprints were found on the gun.Laurence continued staring at her, struggling to put into words what remained of his feelings for her. The affection he’d felt for her for years had gradually worn away. There ultimately came a day when he yearned to disregard the vows he had once made. He was no longer willing to protect her unconditionally. He no longer reminisced about the days they had spent depending on each other.Every time she went too far and did something incomprehensible, he had numbed himself with memories of the past every time she came to him and pleaded with tears in her eyes. He had always looked the other way and gotten
Letters sent from prison were required to go through a review process. In his letter, Robert only mentioned the items of utmost importance, urging Laurence to visit him in jail for a face-to-face chat.Laurence scanned the entirety of the letter to check the handwriting. It didn't seem forged. What could Robert have to tell him so desperately? He placed the letter aside lazily and instructed his assistant to book him a flight to Southgrove in three days. He was curious about what Robert had to say.Although it was a weekend, Laurence had already made an appointment with a psychiatrist. He knew he wasn't himself. Even though he felt perfectly normal, he knew his uncontrollable, irrational actions time and time again were trying to tell him otherwise. He was not acting normally—or at least not as much as he thought. Mental ill health often manifests in the form of physical actions.Laurence wasn't resistant to seeing a psychiatrist. It was just that he didn't feel that psychological t
Robert was so overwhelmed with emotion that he couldn't control himself. His facial expression hadn't changed much, but there were hints of an untamed animal within him starting to break free. He inhaled deeply to calm himself down. He had to speak normally, at least. Otherwise, Laurence might not believe a word he had to say.Laurence looked at the man before him, who looked like he had aged a decade during his time in prison. It appeared he wasn't doing quite well. Laurence's patience was running low, and he looked at Robert, "If you have something to tell me, spit it out. You're free to say anything you wish."A cunning glint flashed in Robert's eyes. After a short silence, he changed his mind and laid out his conditions, "I have a son who is now homeless. If you promise to care for my son and his mother, I will give you the information you need." Confidence filled his core as he waited for Laurence to accept such terms.Unexpectedly, the man before him pulled a nonchalant smile.
As soon as Robert was done, he stared intently at Laurence's face, only for disappointment to wash over him. Laurence did not look as tormented as Robert imagined he would be. The man sat before him, listening calmly. His face was initially pale and didn't appear to have gotten paler. Besides his ashen face, there wasn't much agony evident in his features.At first, Robert assumed Laurence’s composure stemmed from disbelief in his words; even the smallest pebble can create a ripple. However, with Laurence, the surface of his lake remained peaceful despite the passing storm.Robert clenched his fists tightly, reluctant to let this matter slide."Don’t you believe a word I’ve said?" Had it not been for the correctional officer pushing him down by his shoulders behind him, he would have sprung to his feet from the agitation. His face was tense and his features fierce as he suddenly raised his voice at Laurence, "I'm not lying to you! I may not remember every little thing down to the
Laurence coughed uncontrollably, his back arching slightly. He looked thin and frail.Matthew was stunned when he noticed the trace of blood at the corner of Laurence's lips. He didn't dare comment on it, but he asked carefully, "Mr. Scott, do you need to go to the hospital?"Gradually, Laurence stopped coughing. He used a handkerchief to clean his face. When he looked at his hand, there was blood. Even though he'd coughed up blood, his chest still felt suffocated. He closed his eyes. He grimaced before regaining an expressionless composure. "There's no need. Let's go back to the hotel."Matthew wanted to try and talk him into it, but Laurence seemed reluctant to speak of the matter. Thus, he didn't dare say more. Laurence had been fine before the inspection. Who knew what Robert had said that was provocative enough to incite such a reaction from him?Back at the hotel, Laurence stayed silent. He really didn't want to talk about it. His mind furiously replayed Robert’s words. Memor
Laurence woke up with a splitting headache. He couldn't remember what he had said last night. However, he went to the company in a suit and tie the next day, looking meticulous. He didn't look hungover at all. He continued entertaining his clients at night but wasn't out of control and hadn’t gotten drunk like he had before. Laurence was the only one who thought he was doing fine. He looked like his usual self, but inside, his heart was empty. Tonight, there were many acquaintances at the bar. While socializing, Laurence suddenly felt annoyed. He pulled at his tie to loosen it and felt relieved from the inexplicable irritation. With an indifferent expression, he walked to the window. From the high building, he looked out at the city's night view. The city lights were bright, and the streets were bustling. In contrast, his eyes were filled with loneliness. Tristan held a wine glass as he walked up and quietly stood beside him. He tilted his head, revealing the veins on his back, a
Never once had Laurence and Jason’s conversation ended happily, as they could never have a peaceful chat. In the end, Jason still arranged the funeral. However, he never expected Laurence to bring his men to clear out the venue. Zoey didn't have many friends, but her classmates rushed over from around the world to attend her funeral after learning about the incident. Arielle was dressed in black and wore sunglasses to hide her swollen, red eyes. Zoey's university roommate had cried before attending the funeral, and her eyes were also puffy and glistening with tears. She staggered when she saw the black and white photo. Her eyes stung as if they were almost empty of tears. Rose couldn't stand up and slowly sat back down as she gripped the chair. Although it had been a while since the accident, she still felt like it was a dream. As long as she woke up from another sleep, she would return to the day Zoey was still alive, holding her newborn baby as she sat in the sun. She looked so g
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