After Frank answered the call, he asked with an edge to his voice, "What is it?"
"Frank," Audrey called out his name, her voice trembling and filled with emotion. She took a deep breath and continued, "I, I," she stammered, struggling to find the right words. "You what?" Frank said, cutting her short impatiently. "You know what? I knew you never loved me and you were just using me because I'm wealthy." "No, Frank, I love you," Audrey replied, her voice quivering as she tried to hold back her tears. "Well, actions speak louder than words," Frank retorted, his tone cold and dismissive. "You say you love me, but your actions are saying a completely different thing. If you truly loved me, then you should have done as I asked yesterday, but no... You made up that clumsy excuse and ran away." "No, no, no, Frank, I love you," Audrey insisted, tears now streaming down her cheeks. "Please believe me." "Well, if you want to prove to me that you love me, you have to come to my house and let's make love," Frank demanded, his voice devoid of any warmth or affection. Audrey kept silent for some time, the weight of his words pressing down on her. Finally, she said softly, "I'm sorry, but I won't be able to come. My brother won't let me." "I thought as much," Frank said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Your brother won't let you? What an excuse. By the way, I asked your best friend Linda out on a date and she accepted." "What!" Audrey exclaimed, her voice rising in disbelief. "And guess what? We're gonna make love tonight. And just so you know, it's over between us," Frank declared, his words like a final blow. After saying this, Frank hung up, leaving Audrey to break down in tears, her heart shattering into pieces. Meanwhile, in another part of the house, Jake and Zach were sitting in the dining room, engaged in a serious discussion. Finally, Zach said, "Can I speak with Audrey in private?" "Sure you can," Jake replied. "After all, you'll be getting married to her. But remember our deal." "Sure, I will as long as I get Audrey," Zach said, a determined look on his face. After their conversation, Zach climbed the stairs and knocked on Audrey's door. Audrey, who had been leaning against the door, immediately got up and wiped her tears, thinking it was her brother. But when she opened the door, she was surprised to see Zach standing there. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice filled with a mix of confusion and anger. "Won't you at least let me into your room?" Zach replied, trying to maintain a calm demeanor. Audrey stared at him for some time before reluctantly saying, "Come in." When Zach entered the room, he sat on her bed and looked at her intently. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice trembling. "I want you to marry me, and you have no choice but to accept me," Zach said bluntly. Audrey stared at him with rage in her eyes before responding, "No, you're wrong. I do have a choice, and I can choose to say I won't marry you." With this, Zach smiled, a smug look on his face, while she continued, "You rich men, being spoiled from childhood, think that you can get anything because you're wealthy. Well, I'm sorry to crush your hopes, but I'm about to go through that door, all the way downstairs, and tell my brother I'm not marrying you." "If I were you, I wouldn't do that," Zach said, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "What makes you think you can stop me?" Audrey challenged, her eyes blazing with defiance. "Well, I never wanted it to be this way, but it's time you know," Zach began, his tone softer. "Your brother's suffering from a lung disease and needs a large sum of money to treat his illness. And I'm sure you love your brother, right? Never mind, but if you do, you'll accept me because we both know I have the power and money to help your brother." Hearing this, Audrey broke down in tears once more, the reality of Zach's words hitting her hard. She knew it was true, as her brother was a heavy smoker and had been struggling with his health for some time. Seeing her distress, Zach said, "Please don't cry, Audrey. I don't like seeing you like this. I never wanted to tell you, but you gave me no choice. I'm so sorry, but all you have to do is tell your brother you've accepted me and you're willing to marry me, and things will be fine." Finally, Audrey agreed and went downstairs, her heart heavy with the burden of her decision, while Zach followed closely behind her. She approached her brother and said, "Jake, I've accepted to marry Mr. Zach." Jake's ears couldn't believe what they were hearing, and a smile appeared on his face as he said, "I knew you'd eventually accept him. Zach's a nice man. All you needed was just time to think things through." Audrey forced a smile onto her face just to make Jake happy, and then she said, "I'll go pack my bags so I can sign the documents and leave with Mr. Zach." After speaking, she stood and went upstairs, leaving Zach and Jake together. As she packed her bags, she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of sorrow and resignation. She knew she was making a huge sacrifice for her brother, but it was a decision she felt she had no choice but to make. Audrey's mind raced with thoughts of what her future would hold. She wondered if she would ever find true happiness or if she would always be bound by the decisions made for her by others. She thought about Frank and the love she once believed they shared. How could things have gone so wrong? She wiped away more tears as she continued packing, each item a painful reminder of the life she was leaving behind. Downstairs, Zach and Jake continued their conversation, unaware of the turmoil raging inside Audrey's heart. Zach felt a sense of triumph, believing he had won Audrey over, while Jake was relieved, thinking his sister was finally making a practical decision. As Audrey descended the stairs with her bags, Zach and Jake looked up. Jake smiled warmly at her, but she could only muster a weak smile in return. Zach, on the other hand, looked at her with a possessive satisfaction that made her skin crawl. "I'm ready," Audrey said quietly, trying to keep her voice steady. "Good," Zach said, standing up. "Let's get this done."As Zach rose from his seat, he approached the briefcase resting on the chair and retrieved a document. He then addressed Jake, saying, "Here is the document. Sign it, and I will also require Audrey's signature." Jake accepted the document from Zach and, after appending his signature, handed it to Audrey. As she gazed at the documents before her, she found it difficult to fathom how drastically her life was about to change. A myriad of thoughts raced through her mind. She contemplated Frank and his affair with her friend. After a moment of reflection, she, too, signed the documents. With the documents duly signed, Zach and Jake shook hands. Jake then turned to Audrey and embraced her. Subsequently, they all proceeded outside. Once outside, a Rolls-Royce arrived, and a gentleman who appeared to be the driver stepped out. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt and white trousers, with well-polished shoes and a driver's hat. He greeted Mr. Zach and efficiently loaded all the luggag
The next morning, Audrey woke up feeling refreshed after a very good night's sleep. It was evident on her face. She stood up from her bed, went to the bathroom to wash her face and freshen up. Once she was out, she heard a knock on the door and thought it was Zach, so she didn't bother opening the door. She then went to her closet to select an outfit for the day. Hearing the knock again, she finally went to open the door, prepared for a quarrel. As she opened the door, she said, "What is it, Zach? I've to—" She paused, realizing the person in front of her was not Zach. It wasn't even a man; it was a young, beautiful girl with a smooth face and fine lips. "Hi," the girl in front of her said. "My name is Anastasia, but you can call me Anna. I was sent by Mr. Zach to assist you with anything you might need." A smile flashed on my face as I said, "Come in." Finally, I had someone I could talk to, someone who could understand me and help me with whatever I needed. Once Anna was i
Once Zach arrived at the building, he used the elevator to go to the top floor, which was filled with offices. As he reached the last floor, he walked through the hallway to the VC's office and entered. Sitting in front of him was a man with a white beard who seemed much older than him. The man offered him a seat. Once Zach sat down, the man, who seemed to be the VC, asked, "What may I help you with, Mr. Zach?" "I want you to help me run some formalities," Zach replied. "What do you mean by that, Mr. Zach?" the VC asked. "I want you to put my wife into the university, not here but in New York. That's why I need you to prepare all the formalities, including a transfer letter from you." The man, who was sitting erect with his hands on the office table, heaved a sigh and leaned back in his chair. Staring at Zach, he said, "Although I wouldn't have done this for anyone else, since it's you asking, consider the work done." "Thanks very much, Mr. Jones," Zach said in reply, then got up
"Why are you laughing?" Anna asked, her voice tinged with confusion."Sorry, sorry, I’m really sorry," Audrey gasped between fits of laughter, struggling to catch her breath. Finally, she managed to stop and said, "I was just laughing because you looked so funny. But never mind, I get it—you’re an emotional girl. Oh, and don’t be offended by this, but do you watch K-dramas?""Yes," Anna replied, a bit hesitant."Ah, now I see. No wonder you’re so emotional."Anna frowned slightly. "So, you don’t watch K-dramas?""I do," Audrey admitted with a sly smile, "but only the ones with cute guys like Lee Min-ho.""Oh, I see," Anna said, her curiosity piqued. "By the way, I hope you won’t be offended, but what did Mr. Zach mean when he said he took you away?"Audrey sighed deeply, the weight of the question pressing on her. "Okay, I’ll tell you everything, but first, let’s go to my room. And please, ask one of the servants to bring us some snacks.""Okay," Anna responded, sensing the seriousnes
The sound of the slap echoed through the room, leaving the few servants who had gathered to serve the dinner Zach had meticulously arranged in complete shock. No one had ever dared to raise a hand to Zach, a man of immense wealth and influence. Yet today, Audrey had slapped him—not just once, but twice, and in front of the servants.Zach, still on his knees, seethed with anger. *I won’t take this lightly, Audrey,* he vowed silently as he watched her walk away.He slowly stood up, aware of the eyes on him, the servants waiting for his reaction. But instead of lashing out, he turned and walked away, his mind racing.*If I don’t find out what I did wrong and apologize,* he thought, *my plans will be ruined. My mother will definitely realize that my relationship with Audrey wasn’t built on love.* The fear of his mother suspecting that their marriage was a sham gnawed at him. The thought that she might even think their marriage was fake shook him to his core.He quickly dismissed these th
Audrey raised an eyebrow in confusion, her thoughts swirling like a storm inside her head. For a moment, she thought she was done for. The intensity of the situation was overwhelming, and the last thing she expected was Zach’s reaction. The man she had braced herself to hate was now on his knees before her, looking up with a vulnerability that pierced through her defenses.Zach, who had always seemed so confident, so unshakeable, was now at her mercy. The very man she had slapped in anger was here, not to retaliate but to propose. Audrey’s heart raced. What is this guy made of? she wondered, bewildered by the sincerity in his eyes.As the seconds ticked by, Audrey realized Zach was still on one knee, his expression earnest and full of hope. The sight of him kneeling there, waiting for her response, made her pulse quicken. She had expected him to fight back, to yell or to demand an explanation, but instead, he was showing her something she wasn’t prepared for—genuine remorse and affect
As Zach entered his room, he flopped onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling with a wide grin spread across his face. A rush of satisfaction coursed through him; he had gotten exactly what he wanted, and nothing felt more exhilarating. He kept replaying the moment in his mind—Audrey's soft confession of her feelings, the way her voice trembled with sincerity, and the gentle peck she had given him on the cheek. It was like a spark igniting something deep within him. His heart swelled with joy, so much so that he almost forgot the sting of the slap and the humiliation he had faced earlier in front of the servants. Almost. Her touch had been soft, warm, and full of promise, and that was enough to erase the pain. Determined to share his excitement, he decided to call his mother and let her know that he'll be coming to his villa in New York. He reached for his phone, his fingers trembling slightly with anticipation, and dialed her number. After a few rings, the familiar, comforting voic
Anna stood up and walked to Audrey's closet, a smile playing on her lips as she began rifling through the neatly arranged dresses. Her hands moved with purpose, sliding across fabrics of all colors and textures. "This date is going to be special," she thought to herself. "We need to find something that will make Zach's jaw drop." Audrey, meanwhile, had slipped into her bathroom, the sound of running water mixing with her thoughts. As she splashed cool water on her face, she couldn't help but feel a rush of anticipation and a twinge of nervousness. She had never seen Zach so excited, and the thought of spending an evening alone with him made her heart race. Zach, in another part of the house, stepped out of his own bathroom, a wide grin spreading across his face. His heart felt lighter than it had in years. "I can't believe I'm going on a date with Audrey," he whispered to himself, the words tasting sweet on his lips. The joy in his heart was indescribable, a kind of exhilaration he