That being said, Laurence didn’t enjoy the feeling that he didn’t have Zoey fully under his control.He had an extraordinary urge to control her compared to others, and he didn’t think there was anything wrong with that.All men had such tendencies after all, and he was no exception.“Did you go alone?” Laurence asked casually as he looked at her.Zoey felt slightly embarrassed to merely nod her head yes as it would seem as though no one was interested in her and that she didn’t have any close relationships with anyone aside from him.She didn’t want herself to appear so pitiful, as she still wanted to protect whatever was left of her dignity.She turned to face him and lied with a straight face. “I called one of my friends.”Laurence cocked a brow but didn’t respond.To make her lie more believable, Zoey continued, “These tickets are quite hard to get, so I couldn’t just use one and let the other go to waste. I asked her to join me since she also happened to like the musical.
Laurence had a point—he was Zoey’s superior at their workplace so when it came to work matters, whatever he said, goes. Outside of work, they had a sexless and loveless contractual marriage, and he was also the one with a better heritage, so the same applied as well.Zoey wasn’t able to object or refuse him.Her hands and feet were especially cold, so cold that her body shivered.“You’re right, Mr. Scott.” She nodded and then continued indifferently, “Yes, I did have a date with another man. I won’t do it again if it isn’t permitted.”Laurence really hated whenever she put on a cavalier attitude. “I’m not a philanthropist, Zoey.”She merely nodded to show she understood.Laurence was a cold and emotionless capitalist who always had his reasons for doing things; he wasn’t one to let others be happy if he wasn’t.Zoey initially thought he would be in a better mood as it was Sarah’s birthday today but it looked like that wasn’t the case. He was the one who hadn’t kept their appoin
Sometimes, Zoey really hated herself for having such a weak immune system. Her walk in the rain had led to her catching a fever. She had a fitful sleep ridden with nightmares. Her temperature also ran so high that she was sweating in her sleep.Drenched in sweat, she was so warm that she tried to kick the warm comforter off herself. However, her attempts proved futile as someone held her down. Struggle as she might, she remained tightly tucked in the comforter.It got to the point where she got really uncomfortable. “It’s too warm,” she murmured in her sleep.Someone beside her said something, but she failed to catch it.She quickly succumbed to her dreams again.When Zoey woke up the next morning, she felt clammy all over as she had sweat quite a fair bit over the night. It wasn’t the most pleasant feeling but, on the bright side, she felt a lot less dizzy, and her head didn’t hurt as much as it did anymore.Laurence, who was up earlier than her, was already dressed for work. He was
The news that Miss Jenner came to work in Mr. Scott’s car quickly made its way through every department in the company. Even Mr. Scott’s invitation to Miss Jenner to ride in his private elevator was widely discussed. There were already people who speculated that there was more than meets the eye between the both of them, and it was only because Mr. Scott was a professional person and never brought personal issues into work that their relationship was never made public.Zoey was in no mood for work. After she had replied to several emails and finalized Laurence’s schedule for the next few days, she sat down in her seat and stared off into space.Laurence had made her take some medication for her cold that morning, and it made her drowsy.As Zoey did not wish to be caught sleeping on the job, she went to the washroom to freshen up. Just as she was about to leave her cubicle in the washroom, she heard footsteps.“I knew it! Miss Jenner is Mr. Scott’s lover.”“Why did I not see that comin
The mark was a love bite Laurence left on her in the car that morning. He insisted that she sit on his lap, then he pushed her hair out of the way and bit her on the nape as though marking his territory.After Anne pointed out the mark to her, Zoey put her hair down to hide it. She tried to cover things up and remarked, “No wonder I felt an itch there. I’ll apply some ointment on it once I get home.”Anne went on to ask Zoey about her skincare routine. She had always been envious of Zoey’s fair and dewy skin. With a sigh of relief, she told Anne, “I only apply a purifying toner to my face.”That got Anne even more envious as she exclaimed, “I guess some people are just born with good skin.”After some small talk with her, Zoey received the news that Laurence would fly off to Southgrove for a meeting that afternoon.Her enjoyment of the prospect of being free of him for a couple of days to catch her breath was cut short when Laurence informed her that she was to join him on the busines
“Oh,” Zoey muttered with her head hung low.Love was a precious thing, she was well aware of that.She also knew she should not be greedy and wish for things beyond her reach.The truth was, Zoey had once been a hair’s breadth away from opening her heart to Laurence.Back when they had just got married, Zoey had been extremely naive.She gave in to his tenderness so very easily.Laurence had been so attentive back then and took very good care of her all around.He ferried her from her rented lodgings to the villa and helped her move her belongings. At the time, she had just graduated from college and there were some loose ends that she had to deal with.Laurence was the one who personally chauffeured her to settle everything with the university, told her that things would turn out just fine, and sent her to the hospital.There were also times when she was in his bed that he would lose control and thrust into her a little too hard. Amidst the tingles that spread throughout her body, she
Even though Zoey would be more than happy to see Robert Jenner drop dead from anger, now was not the time. He couldn’t die just yet.He must pay for every single tragedy that befell the Fulton family.Robert had everything to do with the many years of suffering her mother went through on her sickbed and all the hardship her uncle had to live with in prison.“No office romance, remember?” Zoey reminded.“I’m the president of the company, and you’re the exception. What I say goes,” Laurence said as he leaned in to her.Zoey was very much moved by his words. That sounded like something one would say to a loved one.But she was no longer the naive young girl she was all those years back. She shoved him lightly and teased, “I’d be worried about all your past lovers coming back to find fault with me.”Laurence smiled. “Then fight back, Miss Jenner. I’ll back you up.”Zoey kept silent.A glance at the clock told Laurence that it was about time to set out for the airport.However, Zoey dared n
Zoey leaned against the car door and dozed off on the way to the airport. When she woke up, she found that somewhere along the way, she had shifted to rest her head on Laurence’s shoulder instead.By then, they had already arrived at the airport. In her sleepy daze, Laurence led her to the first class lounge and ordered meals for the both of them. As Zoey was hungry, she did not protest even though she did not particularly enjoy the food served.Laurence cut the food into smaller pieces and pushed it in front of her. “Here, have this.” Zoey muttered her thanks.After the simple meal in the empty lounge, it was about time to board the plane.All of Zoey’s documents, including their marriage certificate which she had only glanced at briefly before she placed it in his study drawer for safekeeping, were handled by Laurence. It was a short flight which was estimated to take about two hours.Zoey took another nap during the flight and somehow woke up to find that she had leaned on Laure
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