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
“What a pretty secretary,” Lucas Carlson complimented sincerely.Lucas and Laurence had met during their time studying abroad, and they managed to keep their friendship afloat all these years.Laurence had to admit, Zoey was very striking and beautiful indeed.After some pleasantries, Lucas got down to business. "The Jenners’ case is not a difficult one to handle, you can rest assured."The mention of 'the Jenners' caught Zoey’s attention. She wasn’t sure if Lucas was referring to Robert Jenner. But she couldn’t think of another Jenner who might need Laurence’s help.“Thank you for your help.”“Don’t mention it.”Lucas had brought someone with him today. She was a young lady who looked to be around Zoey’s age. Lucas introduced her to them, “This is my fiancée, Clarissa.”Clarissa looked cheerful and lively. She greeted them with a wide smile. “Mr. Scott, right? I’ve heard about you from Luke.”It has never occurred to Laurence that this was Lucas’ type. His fiancée looked like she wa
All the emotions and desire in Laurence’s eyes faded away in an instant.He slowly pulled away and backed off.The overwhelming sense of pressure Zoey felt from behind her disappeared as he withdrew. She did not mean to hint at anything else. That was just a calm statement of fact. A huge disparity in status had always existed between the both of them in this deal they struck.Laurence was the one who had always been in control, he had initiated the deal, set the rules, and had the final say on everything.Her thoughts never mattered.So why would he be worried about her getting pregnant again? She wouldn’t be able to, anyway.As he had said previously, ultimately it was her body that was being violated. She wouldn’t make things difficult for herself.Zoey blinked. “Are you going to continue, Laurence?”If he wasn’t, she was ready to catch some sleep.She was really worn out.After a long pause, she heard a cold and restrained voice with a hint of indifference, "No."She gave a hum of
Zoey could tell that he wasn’t in the best of moods from the view of his back alone.She felt that he wasn’t in this state earlier tonight. At least he wasn’t as upset as he was right now. Had something happened?But Zoey wasn’t too bothered. After all, she held no control over Laurence’s emotions.Sarah Jenner was the only one who could affect him.Zoey went back to the bedroom after she downed half a glass of water.She had just laid back on the bed and was about to go back to sleep when her hands were grabbed and pinned above her head. She was startled awake. It wasn’t until she saw the man before her that she heaved a sigh of relief.Laurence smelled strongly of cigarettes.She didn’t even have the time to ask him what was wrong before he forced a kiss on her. Her wrists were tied to the headboards with a tie, and she was left with no means to resist.She knew that Laurence was angry, but she really hated it when he vented his anger toward other people out on her.It made her feel
Zoey did not know what to term her time with Laurence. They were not on a date per se, but it was true that it was just the two of them.Laurence asked Zoey for the address as he drove.After a moment of hesitation, Zoey gave him the address on Stork Street. She was anxious as she hadn’t been back in many years. The view along the journey appeared quite foreign to her. “Please drive slower, you’ll have to stop at the entrance of the alley.Laurence reached out to stroke her hair and acknowledged her instructions. He seemed to be in a much better mood than he was the night before.He chuckled at the thought of something. His attractive eyes were slightly upturned when he smiled, which gave him a somewhat foxy look. “Sarah used to tell me that Southgrove was a nice place with lots of beautiful people. I guess she wasn’t lying.”Southgrove was a quaint town.Even the weather felt much nicer there.Zoey was distracted when he said that. She had told him the exact same thing before.He was
Zoey turned away from him to evade his touch, then she forced a smile and said, “I’m really alright.”They passed several traffic lights, crossed two main streets, and arrived at Stork Street.Laurence pulled up by the side of the road. “Is this it?”The sight of the alley which had hardly changed made Zoey feel slightly better. “Yes.”"Is this your home?"Zoey had nothing to hide. “My grandmother’s.”The cobblestoned alley was peaceful, with walls covered with vines of creeping plants that had withered over the winter.Zoey grew up in a very loving family, and she had a happy childhood.If it weren’t for those changes, she reckoned that she’d lead a pretty good life today.Zoey wore a light grey coat and a pretty hat that covered part of her face. She looked quite different from her usual appearance at the office.Laurence stood aside and observed her. Somehow, he got the feeling that she seemed very lonely. She looked like a lost child as she stood there alone.He went forward and to
Laurence wasn’t surprised. Although Zoey was very beautiful, she was way too introverted. She was an obedient and good girl through and through. Even if she grew feelings for another person, she would simply keep it hidden in her heart and hold onto that secret herself. “Well, that’s too bad,” he said offhandedly.Zoey’s grip on the note tightened. That piece of yellowed paper was filled with the thoughts of a lovestruck teenage girl. She was ever grateful that she hadn't dared to write his name on it. Instead, she had written his initials, L.S. And even that was hidden in a corner at the bottom of the page.Zoey lowered her head and said morosely, “Nothing to feel sorry over.”Laurence looked at her pursed lips and downcast eyes. She seemed really upset. It wasn’t hard for him to figure out that she must have really liked the boy. After all, it had been so many years ago, but she still seemed affected. Although Laurence didn’t love Zoey, he still didn’t like to hear her talk about
At that moment, Zoey didn’t know what to say.The boy left right after he finished his speech.Zoey was sure that Laurence had forgotten this incident. He would never know that it was her that he had warned once upon a time.Zoey took a deep breath. “I don’t want to talk about this.”“Then we won’t,” Laurence conceded.Zoey reigned in her emotions before she asked, “Do you want to go out? There’s really nothing much to see here.”Laurence had no objections to that. “Sure.”Stork Street was a famous historical street in Southgrove. Almost everyone who lived here was born and bred in Southgrove.The white walls and greyish paths looked like they came right out of a painting.Classes had just ended, so there were a lot of school kids on the street.Laurence took her hand in his. “Did you grow up here?”Zoey thought for a moment. “Pretty much.”“It’s a good place,” Laurence said. “Why did you move to Northwell?”Zoey stared at the sky. “My father brought us there,” she answered softly. “My
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