Zoey turned her head away and avoided the man's intense gaze. His deep, dark eyes seemed to pierce through her, making her shiver with discomfort and fear."I haven't noticed any changes.""Okay." Laurence seemed unfazed by her reluctance to acknowledge his change. "I'll make sure you notice next time."He planned to make it more obvious next time. He really seemed different from before. People changed for better or worse.Zoey remained silent. She lifted the glass of her specially crafted cocktail and gently sipped on it. The drink tasted more like juice with a hint of alcohol. It wasn't strong. The alcohol content wasn't high. It wouldn't get her drunk, but it was enjoyable.Laurence was not one to follow medical advice. He had left the hospital against his doctor's recommendations. Now, he was indulging in food and alcohol without restraint. He held up his glass and took a few sips.Zoey couldn't keep her silence any longer. She blurted, "Don't you care about your life?" Her
Those insensitive to emotions tended to realize their feelings late. People with a keen sense of emotions were less likely to be oblivious to their feelings. Laurence pushed his loved ones away with his arrogance and prejudice.His sharp eyes turned a shade colder after he spoke. He had no interest in sharing his past with outsiders and didn't intend to say more.Seeing that he was about to leave, Claire grinned and offered her help, "We're going to visit the lake tomorrow. Would you like to join us?"Zoey began to feel unwell after returning to her room because of the alcohol. It wasn't like she had consumed much. She wasn't drunk and was still quite clear-headed. Yet she felt a discomfort that she couldn't pinpoint. She couldn't express where exactly it was coming from. She felt as if an overwhelming sadness was about to consume her. It suffocated her.She opened the French windows to let in the cold breeze, hoping it would alleviate her unease. She calmed down slightly.After
Zoey choked. Her expression was difficult to read.She was stunned and didn't know how to respond. She felt like she had lost her ability to retort or respond coldly after falling asleep on Laurence. Zoey hung her head and felt disheartened. She was frustrated. Laurence found her demeanor endearing.The vehicle had to stop by the side of the grassland. There was still a considerable distance away from the lake. Due to the high altitude and low oxygen levels, the trek was physically demanding. Zoey wasn't in the best shape. She'd hardly had the opportunity to exercise in recent years. She was fragile and prone to illness. After walking for a while, she struggled to keep up with the rest of the group. She didn't want to be a burden. So, despite her heavy breathing, she worked hard to keep up.Laurence strolled beside her calmly. With his tall frame and long legs, he looked more at ease when climbing. He paid attention to his physical fitness, so this mountain path was not challe
"How is that romantic?" Zoey asked with a soft voice. Her gaze drifted into the distance. Her dark eyes seemed to hold a deep pool of water. It reflected nothing but endless emptiness.Cold sweat formed on her back. Ultimately, she was afraid of this man. She feared his unpredictable behavior. There were times when Laurence seemed capable of anything. It was as if he could go mad and do things beyond the bounds of an ordinary person.If he truly wanted to commit suicide with her ...Zoey had no doubt that he would push her into the lake, drag her into its depths, and let her drown in the water. He would let her suffocate and take her to die with him.However, she didn't want to die. She had just gained hope. Her life had finally started to improve. Why would she choose to die?Zoey silently clenched her fists. Her knuckles turned pale, and her throat felt dry. Her voice was hoarse but not as stiff as before."Humans have nothing left once they die. What's gone in this life is
The conversation ended on a stiff note. Fortunately, Laurence said nothing more. He chose to keep his mouth shut. Zoey enjoyed a brief moment of silence. There weren't many people by the lake. The lake was a translucent deep blue. At a closer look, fish were visible underwater. Zoey sat by the lake, letting her mind go blank. It was pleasant to enjoy the gentle breeze.Claire led a few college students to snap photos by the lake. The young people were full of life and vigor. Their energy was as bright as the sun.Zoey watched them without feeling envy. She felt they were living life to the fullest. Unbeknownst to her, Laurence stood in a corner under the sun and took candid photos of her. He didn't take photos often, so there wasn't much to say about his photography skills. The photos he took were unsaturated and blurry. One photo captured half of Zoey's profile, looking serene and beautiful. The radiant sunlight glowed on the tip of her rosy nose, and her skin appeared trans
It was the weekend, so the kindergarten was closed when Zoey got home. She put her suitcase down as Teddy ran toward her. The child often got shy quickly in front of his mother. He hardly ever said he missed her over the phone because he was too embarrassed to say sweet words. In truth, Teddy missed Zoey a lot. Teddy clung to his mother's leg and looked up at her. "Mom." His purrs melted her heart. Zoey stroked his head and bent over to pick him up. The boy wrapped his arms around his mother's neck. He was aloof in public, but he always clung close to his mother to feel safe. She smiled. "Did you miss me?" Teddy buried his head. "A little." The boy's blushing ears betrayed his innermost thoughts. He felt the two weeks were too long. Even though her grandmother was good to him and the teachers in school loved him, his mother was his favorite person in the world. Teddy couldn't trust his mother to take care of herself. She wasn't foolish, but she was naive. People with kind
Zoey believed she might hurt Laurence's pride, but she wasn't intentionally insulting him with money. It was simply a way to keep their relationship transactional."If you find the hourly rate too low, I can add another twenty. I can't go any higher, though." Zoey thought Laurence would walk away, but the man remained unfazed. A moment later, he replied, "I don't need money." She kept things professional. "That won't do." Laurence looked at her with a pretentious smile. His eyes were deep and unreadable. He kept his cool better than she thought he would. He said unconcernedly, "I'll do it for free. I insist." "Oh," Zoey responded. She was surprised that he was swallowing his pride. Laurence went into the kitchen. The part-time helper had replenished the fridge with groceries. He hadn't lost his touch in the kitchen. His skills were sharp, and it didn't seem like he hadn't been in the kitchen for a while. Zoey still had to unpack her suitcase, so she left him to it. Not
Laurence felt a stinging pain. The five long years of pleading had ground away his bitter resentment. The once faithless man was now on his knees, praying for the safety of his beloved. The days were unbearable when his desperate pleas went unanswered. Sometimes, Laurence felt like his soul had been stripped away, and he was left staring at his empty vessel. He fell silent for a moment. He didn't want to argue and fight with Zoey during times like these. The sarcasm and backtalk couldn't make things better. In fact, they only fueled his jealousy. Slipping his hands into his pockets, Laurence seemed unbothered. "I forgot." Zoey had no words. Laurence loved playing innocent as if he wasn't lying. He acted like he had been through some sort of trauma and had selective amnesia. He was unfazed when he met her gaze. "I really don't remember." Zoey nearly rolled her eyes. She held herself together and stayed on topic. "Take the money and leave now." Laurence was reluctant to a
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