"Zoey, are you going to admit your mistake or not?"Water filled Zoella Fincheman's nose and mouth, burning her throat as she choked.Through the haze of near-drowning, Zoella forced her eyes open.On the edge of the pool stood her second brother, Bobby. Beside him, her fourth brother, Dennis, was
The moment Zoella walked in, all eyes turned to her.She met their gazes with an unreadable expression, her face a perfect mask of indifference.She wore a simple short-sleeved shirt, but atop her head sat an ornate golden phoenix crown. An emerald necklace rested against her collarbone, gold bracel
Bobby let go of the door handle.He rushed downstairs and saw Jasmine's flushed face—her temperature was obviously abnormal. "I'll get the car. We're going to the hospital."Bobby and Dennis took Jasmine to the hospital.Meanwhile, in the second-floor bedroom, Zoella lay in bed. Her face was burning
Zoella lowered her head, covering her mouth as a violent cough shook her body.Her thin frame curled in on itself, as if she might cough her lungs out.Dennis's voice was sharp. "Don't think faking weakness will get you out of this. I told you to take care of Jasmine at school—get her water, bring h
The infirmary fell silent once again.Zoella opened her mouth but, in the end, said nothing. Words felt meaningless.She had explained countless times before, but her brothers never believed her.Bobby gulped, but eventually, he let go.He looked at her, disappointment clear in his eyes. "If you kee
Zoella took a cab back to the Finchman family home.As she stepped into the hall, she heard Jasmine's voice, light and cheerful, like everything was just perfect. But the moment she appeared, the atmosphere stiffened.Without a word, she walked straight through the hall, heading for the stairs to he
She rejected Fred's proposal without hesitation.No—his command.Because it hadn't been a suggestion. It had been an order.Fred's expression darkened. "Did I hear that right? You're actually turning me down?"He hadn't expected this. He had told Zoella to join the team because, in his mind, there w
The words "as a family" sounded utterly ridiculous to Zoella.She had believed that once, too.Back in her past life, she had thought they were a team, a unit. But on the eve of the championship, she had been replaced—pushed aside so Jasmine could take her spot.Some family.Zoella's voice was calm
Zoella raised an eyebrow, her gaze sharp."I remember it clearly," she said.She would never forget.Without another word, she shut the door.Bobby stood outside, staring at the necklace in his hand, replaying his own words in his head.Regret hit him immediately.But he couldn't ignore the delibera
Bobby lifted a hand to his face and pressed his palm against it. So Zoella had done this much for him all along.He had never realized. He used to think her healthy dishes didn't take much effort.Regret crept in. He had overlooked her efforts too much. He had no idea how much Zoella had silently gi
It sounded as if Zoella was assuming Zach liked her.Zoella held the phone, her mind drifting to the online crush from her previous life. She had never confessed, and he had never said he liked her.But his presence had been like a flickering ember in the bleakness of her world, a small, steady warm
Zoella's expression darkened. She knew this was coming."Zoey, I'm your guardian. That school doctor isn't. There are already rumors going around the school. I can keep you home to focus on your exams," Bobby said.She lowered her gaze, masking the anger rising in her chest.Her voice came out hoars
Zoella looked at the stuffed bear. She had never agreed to participate in the finals.Right. This brand—she used to like it.The oversized bear was a limited edition, hard to get. In her past life, she had managed to buy one after much effort, only for Jasmine to use it as a giveaway for a livestrea
Fred approached, his expression complicated.He hadn't needed to bring Jasmine to school today, but something had compelled him to come anyway. Maybe because he knew Zoella would be here.He hadn't slept a wink last night.Being forcibly shut out by her—what the hell was that supposed to mean?Zoell
Zoella lay against Zach's chest, dazed and still.Zach lowered his gaze. All he could see was her smooth forehead, her damp hair sticking to her skin, the moisture seeping between them, even making her shirt slightly translucent.His Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped. Then he let go of her. "Here. Th
Anyone who played this game admired King. How could they not?Zach watched the video replay of Zoella pulling off a twelve-hit combo. His expression softened. After all these years, she was the only one who had managed to do it.They logged in to the game together. Their teamwork was seamless as the
Right now, Zoella was sitting in the car with Zach.As she watched the traffic outside, a knot formed in her stomach. "Bobby will definitely send people to look for me. He'll probably go to school too to cause trouble for you."This was, after all, the Finchman family's territory.It was the reason