Zoey had never underestimated Laurence's efficiency. She knew it was highly probable that he had already managed to find out everything he could about her husband when she told him she was married. Since they weren't an actual couple, she wasn't bothered that her husband had other lovers. She had met his partner while she was in Novravia and found him very likable. However, she was annoyed that Laurence was intruding on her privacy. It seemed to have developed into a habit."Yeah, I know."These few words carried a lot of weight. The car fell silent, and they remained so for quite a while. Perhaps Laurence hadn't expected her to be so casual about this. Zoey’s indifference threw him off guard.Laurence lowered his eyelids, and his lashes cast a shadow on his cheeks. He asked, "Why?"Why didn't she care?"I don't mind." Zoey smiled. "As long as he's willing to come back to me. That's all I ask."Laurence wanted to imply that her marriage was far from perfect. She didn't believe
Zoey booked a return flight for the following day. When Teddy learned they were returning to Novarvia, he leaped with joy. He hugged his mother and kissed her cheek. When Jason found out that they were leaving, he frowned and asked, "Did you meet Laurence?"Zoey looked down. "Yeah, I ran into him."Jason looked at her as he loosened his tie and asked, "You're leaving to avoid him?" Five years in hiding should have been enough.Zoey nodded her head, but a shake quickly followed.As she bobbed her head like a pigeon, Jason cracked up. He raised a hand and ruffled her hair like he did when she was a little girl. "What are you trying to say? I won't know what you're thinking if you say nothing."Zoey lifted her head, and her eyelashes fluttered like a butterfly's wings. Her eyes sparkled as she said, "I'm not afraid to face him. I just find it more troublesome if I do. So I'd rather go back earlier. Plus, I have work to do there."Jason reluctantly accepted her explanation. Laure
"I know what you want to say," he continued calmly before she could speak. "I admit. I am a despicable, shameless man."He stood at the window and gazed at the horizon in the distance. Even through the phone, he could picture the expression on her face. She must be furious. Knowing she would be pissed wouldn't have stopped him from doing it. He wanted to keep her nearby, even if it necessitated dishonorable means.Zoey shut her eyes and focused on her breathing. After regaining composure, she asked in the iciest tone, "And the deadline?"The cold breeze attacked his face like rain that froze his skin. Laurence gripped the railing with one hand, his pupils as dark as black ink. "I don't know." A spiteful hint of sarcasm flashed across his eyes. He added, "You can ask your husband to meet you here."He spoke as though he had considered every aspect of her migration.Zoey hadn't been this angry in a long time. She’d had enough. She asked, "Is it true that you still love me?""That's
Sarah’s health started getting worse when she was in university. Zoey wasn't sure what illness she had because she was busy working and didn’t have time to bother about the princess’ problems.Sarah even took a month off to get surgery. It seemed to cure her. But when she broke up with Laurence that year, she went for treatment again but told everyone she was going abroad. Year after year, Sarah's health never truly improved. She had a chronic illness, and it kept coming back. Zoey wanted to praise Sarah for putting so much effort into harming others even when she was so sick."Sarah doesn’t have a job right now. When she no longer has the money to feed those bad people, they’re not going to stop being nice. They’re going to be hard to handle. They’ll keep coming back for more. You may not have any proof, but it’s not the same for them."Human greed knows no bounds. Desires are hard to please."Her life is different now. Because of her plagiarism, her reputation in the design indus
"Think about all the trouble you've caused. Haven't I always protected you no matter what? I gave you many second chances and cleaned up your mess." Laurence remembered the past. All those problems Sarah had caused were not smart. Yet, every single time, he had stood by her side.Suddenly, Laurence grabbed her throat. His lips tugged into a cold sneer. "Do you really think I'm such a fool?"Pain shot through Sarah’s body from her throat. She had little strength to resist. She knew he would never believe a word she said ever again. She had used a lot of his good grace. Probably a little too much.Laurence was tired of her. His impression of her as an unattainable lover transformed into poisonous arrows that struck his heart. The pain in his chest was genuine. She disgusted him. He didn’t even want her answer.She was so selfish and cruel. Her hypocrisy was far beyond his imagination. Her true self appalled him more and more every minute. He wanted to throw away the feelings he once
Zoey clenched her fists. It was bound to happen. She stared into his eyes. Her eyes were composed, but her mind was all over the place. She maintained a calm expression. She no longer panicked when lying to Laurence. She replied, "Four." Technically, Teddy was turning six. He was born prematurely with health issues. He didn’t look older than four.However, there wasn’t much difference between a four-year-old and a five-year-old. Laurence probably couldn't tell if she was lying. Zoey had no idea if she managed to fool him. Laurence finally said, "He seems tall for a four-year-old." Her heart sank. She didn't add to his comment. Laurence looked at Zoey. He wasn’t interested in the event. His eyes never turned to the stage. She had been avoiding him ever since they ran into each other. She didn't want anything to do with him. His gaze lingered on her face for a while. Zoey hadn't changed much in the last five years. She had lost a bit of weight. Her constant frown lines su
Laurence stood behind them with a piercing gaze. Even with her back facing him, Zoey could feel his eyes on her. She shielded her child, though it was no use. He had seen him.Laurence stared at the child’s face.While in the car, she said that he wasn’t even four yet. However, he already looked four or five. He could be four. Or five.While Laurence looked at the child’s face, he felt a sense of familiarity. He hadn’t felt it before. The boy was much more mature than he thought. He was calm when he met strangers. Laurence held his gaze. He felt like he’d seen him before. The boy’s eyebrows looked a little like his. It wasn’t just in his head.Zoey led the boy upstairs. Laurence watched them silently.The boy said something in Zoey’s ear. Her eyebrows relaxed, and she smiled happily. She smiled at other people a lot. He was the only one she treated coldly.Laurence was no longer anxious. He stood downstairs for a moment and only went into his car when he noticed the lights on the
The assistant was nervous when he was called into the office.He quickly went over his work in his head. Had he done something wrong? Mr. Scott would not call him to his office otherwise. He asked, “Is there something you need from me, Mr. Scott?”“Yes.” Laurence looked at him and drummed his fingers on the table. After a while, he asked, “Do you remember the little boy you met in that hotel corridor?”The assistant was busy every day. He had multiple tasks waiting for him. He honestly couldn’t quite remember.He thought hard before he understood what Laurence meant. It was when Laurence played along with Eliza in front of her family. They’d met a little boy lost in the restaurant. The assistant wondered why Laurence would suddenly bring up the matter.“I do.”“Good.” Laurence got straight to the point. “Did he look like me?”The assistant was stunned. Then, he realized that he had reacted inappropriately and quickly asked, “Are you asking me if that child looked like you?”The