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
The news went viral online. The photo was shared widely and quickly. Most of the public had a hazy memory of the feud years ago, but now that Laurence and Zoey were mentioned together, they recalled the key details. Their bitter love story had caused quite a stir back then. Laurence had practically vanished over the past two years, and now he was on the news, possibly getting back together with his ex. It was living proof that anything could happen. "They've been divorced for many years. I remember many nosy people spreading rumors about the divorce being ugly.""Oh, I remember that too. I think the wife cheated. She was caught on camera." "Uh, Mr. Scott isn't exactly a saint either. Didn't he marry her to appease his family?" "I don't believe it. It can't be true! Ah!" "Isn't she the girl boss from that recent hit variety show? I still remember her. An anonymous source said she was well-connected." "I'm impressed. Are they getting back together? Now, I've seen everythi
"I didn't travel with him. He said he was on a business trip, and we ran into each other there," Zoey murmured. Truth be told, she was in a daze. The word "forgiveness" stung her heart. She wanted to tell her uncle that Laurence didn't need her forgiveness, but she knew it was an excuse to avoid the question. Laurence wouldn't have patience for someone for no reason. He did everything to make amends and compensate for the guilt. He expected something in return for his time and effort. Zoey was in a difficult position. She didn't want to accept the overdue compensation. Her past wound had seemingly healed, but it had festered inside, and she was still bleeding. The hurt was still too much to bear."Do you believe him?" Jason asked indifferently. Zoey felt suffocated by the downplayed interrogation. She was at a loss, but everyone was pushing her. She was wrong to forgive him, but she was also wrong not to.She pursed her lips. "I have to pretend that I do." It was clear that
Zoey had never posted anything on her social media before, and her account used to be private. Hardly anybody knew much about her private life, including the fact that she had married someone else. In her post, she disassociated herself from Laurence.As nothing stopped the photo and comments from going viral, Zoey's statement was a slap in the face for the Scotts. The Scott Group did not release a response to Zoey's post, and they offered no explanation.The press was relentless as they called the PR department of the group. The PR manager remained vague, replying that it was a private matter of the CEO and they had no comment. Their reluctance to deny any involvement suggested there was more to the story.Zoey didn't regret posting the update. She didn't want her personal life in the spotlight for all to see and comment, but she knew it would be difficult to escape the media's attention now. Instead of letting them speculate about her relationship with Laurence, she decided to cle
When Zoey read the text message, she lifted her head and looked around, but she did not see Laurence. She wondered if he was scaring her or if he had seen her at the restaurant. His string of messages left her speechless. He was either dripping with sarcasm or making outrageous claims. His words often cut her to the core.Zoey looked at messages, setting with anger. Nevertheless, she didn't let the rage get to her. It wasn't the first time Laurence had gotten on her nerves. She didn't have time for his unnecessary drama again. Besides, Zoey regretted her reply to him that evening. She had dismissed him, saying she was getting off work and going home to rest. She hoped he wouldn't disturb her evening. It never occurred to Zoey that he would be at the restaurant, too. It was likely Laurence wasn't lying to her. He had a lot of business engagements, so it was possible he was in the same place tonight. Zoey sobered up with the nice breeze before heading back to the private dining
The dim light made it hard to see. Laurence's hot breath brushed against her ear as he whispered into it. Sparks flew in more ways than one. His tone was flat, but his annoyance was clear.Zoey was trapped and had nowhere to run. The man eased the pressure of his finger on her lip, but his casual gesture felt like he was teasing her. Zoey turned her face away, unhappy by his actions. Laurence knew she would try to break free. He let out a chuckle and clutched her chin. As always, the man's fingers felt cold to the touch. The sensation against Zoey's skin was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable, but he no longer hid the aggression he had once tucked away. Now, he openly displayed his intensity. Zoey's silence did not mean anything to him. While his voice sounded gentle, the underlying threat gave her no room to escape. He asked, "Why aren't you talking?" Zoey took a deep breath. The hot breath against her ear burned. She replied, "You should be nice when you ask a question.
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
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
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