ZeldaThe air in the hospital corridor felt heavy and thick with unspoken words and lingering emotions. I adjusted my bag on my shoulder, preparing to leave with Grandma when James Ferguson spoke."I'll come with you to send Grandma back."I frowned, caught off guard by his sudden offer. His voice held an unfamiliar toneâwas it sincerity? Guilt? I couldnât tell.Instead, I folded my arms and met his gaze with a blank expression."You should stay here and take care of Miss Susan," I replied coolly.James sneered. "You are so generous."I rolled my eyes, unwilling to humour whatever twisted logic he was playing at. I turned away, dismissing him, but Grandma wasnât one to hold back."Get lost! Can't you see that Zelda doesn't like you?!" she snapped.James, unfazed, simply slid one hand into his pocket and reached out with the other to hold the elevator door open for us."Then it's okay for Grandma to see me."Grandma let out a laugh, sharp and full of mockery."Which eye of yours saw th
ZeldaI stood just outside the door, the delicate tray of calming tea in my hands, but my attention was completely consumed by the heated exchange inside. I heard James's voiceâpowerful, confident, and yet somehow it struck a chord deep within me. His words rang in my ears.âI canât let her marry any man other than me.âI froze. My breath caught in my throat, and my hand tightened on the tray. It was ridiculous how much those words made my heart race. I shouldâve been used to his possessiveness by now, but hearing him say it out loud, so forcefullyâit made me wonder.Does he still care?The thought flitted through my mind before I could push it away. I bit my lip, my mind racing as I tried to rationalize it. It wasnât loveâit couldnât be. It was just his need for control, his arrogance, his overwhelming desire to keep things his way. Even if I was no longer his wife, James Ferguson was the same possessive man he had always been. His words meant nothing, absolutely nothing more than th
The throbbing in my hand was a dull reminder of Jamesâ grip. I yanked it away, my fury bubbling to the surface. I was ready to unleash a torrent of words, maybe even a kickâanything to make him feel the same frustration heâd caused me.But then, James rolled over, got off me, and sat up. He started to remove his shirt, the sunlight catching the contours of his back.It wasâĶ distracting.The way his spine moved, the play of muscles beneath his skin. For a moment, I almost forgot my anger.Almost.My foot was already halfway up, aimed squarely at his backside when he spoke.His voice, low and husky, sent a shiver down my spine.âIf you dare to kick me again, I'll make you cry under me.âThe threat hung in the air, thick with somethingâĶ dangerous.My foot dropped back to the floor like a stone.I was scared. Not just physically, butâĶ something else.He just sat there, though, breathing deeply. Didnât do anything. My heart finally started to slow down.And I couldn't help but stare at his
James"I said, donât pay attention to it," I snapped, my patience wearing thin.Cheng was worrying too much. Overestimating the situation. Overestimating her."Do you really think thereâs anyone in this city who dares to hurt me? Or do you think I canât even deal with a weak, middle-aged woman whoâs practically powerless? Do I look like I need bodyguards as if Iâm facing some great enemy?"Silence.Cheng stared at me for a moment, then finally backed off. He knew better than to argue. He knew what I was capable of. Muay Thai, karate, firearms, grapplingâI was trained, and experienced. I didnât need protection.He was being ridiculous.We arrived at the hospital, and I wasted no time heading straight for Susan Wengerâs room.She lay there on the hospital bed, wrapped in a thin gown, a bandage around her forehead. Pale. Haggard. The same woman who had once been so full of herself, so confident.Now?She looked pathetic.Her eyes, red and swollen, stared blankly at the ceiling, lifeless.
ChengI was really starting to worry about him. As his assistant, I felt like I had a pretty good read on the situation.The CEO clearly cared about his wife, about this marriage. Iâd seen it myself. Back when Zelda was still working in the office, Iâd walked in on him a few times while delivering documents. Heâd be staring at her, lost in his own little world.Sometimes he wouldnât even notice me come in. AndâĶ well, heâd have thisâĶ soft smile on his face. A real smile. Not the usual, carefully constructed one.It wasâĶ love. I was sure of it. I was so happy for them back then, for the CEO and his secretly married wife. I never imagined theyâd end up like this.Iâd thought it was just a loversâ quarrel. But then they signed up for their divorce. And heâd beenâĶ different ever since. Quiet. Short-tempered. There was a bitterness in his voice, even when he was just giving instructions.It was all because his wife was leaving. He was too proud to admit it, of course. But I knew. He needed
YuellOf all the people I could run into today, it had to be her.From the moment I saw her talking to Sia, something in my gut told me she was up to something. And when I realized where she was headingâtoward Director WangâI didnât hesitate.I closed the distance in a few long strides and grabbed her arm."Come with me."She recoiled, eyes blazing. "Hey! What are you doing? Yuell Qing, are you sick? Let me go!"Sia blinked in confusion, clearly unsure whether to intervene. She tried to follow, but my assistant stopped her."Miss Sia," he said smoothly, âMr Yuell has a few words with Miss Jian. Please donât go over there."Sia hesitated, then sighed. "Jian knows Mr Qin? Thatâs fine, I wonât bother them."I barely heard their conversation. My focus was on the furious woman I was dragging away.When we reached the bathroom door, she yanked back hard, attempting to free herself. I held firm. She huffed, then twisted sharply, slamming her elbow into my chest and forcing me against the wal
Jian"Jian, what's going on? Are you pregnant?"Director Wang finally snapped out of his shock, his face darkening as he glared at Jian.âSia, explain what is going on?âIt wasnât easy for Sia to land the role of the second female leadâif she lost it now because of this, what would she do?Sia immediately panicked, shaking her head frantically."I... I... I..."Before she could stammer any further, I grabbed her hand and spoke up."Director Wang, do not worry about it. I had a miscarriage."Sia caught on immediately."Yes, yes! She had a miscarriage because of her career!"James Ferguson let out a cold sneer."Miscarriage?" His voice was laced with scepticism. "When? Which hospital?"His sharp gaze sliced through the room like a knife, making Sia tremble. Under his piercing stare, she was on the verge of tears, her fingers clutching my sleeve."I don'tâĶ I don't know you," I stammered, voice weak. "This is a private matter. Why should I tell you? I..."Before it could finish, the produ
JamesMy jaw tightened as I strode through the airport, my bodyguards parting the crowd like Moses parting the Red Sea. Zelda. Where was she?Her flight was in two hours, and weâd locked down every exit. She couldn't have just vanished."Sir, all flights to Europe are waiting in Terminal 3. Your wife's flight should take off in two hours. We have already blocked all entrances and exits, but we haven't found your wife yet," the bodyguard reported, his voice tight with concern.My face was like thunder."Keep looking!" I barked, waving them off.My eyes scanned the sea of faces, searching for her. She had to be here. Two hours wasn't enough time to get far.A knot of anxiety tightened in my gut. Had she even arrived? I knew international flights boarded early. My gaze snagged on a tall figure talking to a woman near the gate. A surge of rage, hot and possessive, flooded me.Hammer Yassir. That snake.I stalked towards them, my blood pounding in my ears. I grabbed his shoulder and spun h
ZeldaAs the door shut, James exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. His body was tense, his fists clenched at his sides.James stood motionless, staring at the door, his jaw clenched so tightly that I thought he might break.Mr Ferguson was the first to speak, his voice firm but not unkind.âJames, I know youâre angry, but sheâs still your mother.âJames let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. âStill my mother?â His voice wavered. âWhat kind of mother does this to her child? What kind of mother lets him suffer for years and thenâthen when the truth comes out, she refuses to even acknowledge it?âHis father sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. âSheâs scared, James. Scared of losing everything sheâs built, scared of what the truth means.âJames turned on him, pained.âAnd what about me? Does she care how scared I was? How much I lost? How I spent years believing I was the mistake, that everything that went wrong was somehow my fault?âHelenâs voice trembled from the doorw
ZeldaI sit on the edge of the bed, staring at the divorce papers I had once been so ready to sign. My hands rest over my stomach, where our childâmy childâgrows.I told myself I wouldn't cry over James Ferguson again. But here I am, my heart still aching in ways I wish it wouldn't.He had always been my saviour. When I was just a scared thirteen-year-old girl, lost and alone, James had taken me in. I admired him, idolized him. But then admiration turned into something else. Love. The kind that consumed me, that I could never shake off, no matter how hard I tried.But James had never seen me that way.First, it was Susan Wenger... I watched as he gave everything to Susan, how he smiled at her the way I had always wished he would look at me. And when Susan was gone, I thoughtâmaybeâjust maybe, James would see me.But then came Luoxing.And that had been the final proof I needed to know the truth. I was never going to be James's first choice.That was why I decided to leave. I refused t
JamesThe Bai estate was as grand as ever, standing as a symbol of power, wealth, and the history that bound our families together.Or so I thought.I stepped inside without hesitation. No one stopped me. They never would. For years, I had been welcomed here like a son.I had thought I was.But tonight, the weight of betrayal clung to me like a second skin, suffocating, inescapable and true.As I entered the main hall, I found them all gatheredâMr. Bai, Mrs. Bai, and their daughter, Bai Luoxing.The moment they saw me, Luoxing was the first to react. She stood up, her eyes filled with something between relief and hesitation."James!"I lifted a hand to my head, stopping her in her tracks.She hesitated, then slowly sat back down, casting a quick glance toward her mother.Mrs Bai, ever composed, sat calmly at the head of the table, an air of relaxed control around her. She didnât look surprised to see me.She probably didnât know that I knew everything.Mr. Bai, on the other hand, was
JamesA slow, numbing realization crept over me, drowning out everything else.The Bai family hadnât just manipulated me.They had shaped my entire life."They couldnât just bring Luoxing back," Dom continued, his voice low. "Not when the whole world was looking for her. Not when they hadn't gotten anything from their attempt. So they kept her hidden, cared for her, made sure no one found her."I barely heard him. My mind was already racing ahead, connecting pieces I had never thought to question before."But the Ferguson familyâ" My voice caught. "We never stopped searching for her.""And thatâs exactly what they wanted."I snapped my gaze to him."Think about it, James." Dom leaned forward, the dim light casting sharp shadows on his face."Your parents. Your grandmother. You. You were all drowning in guilt, haunted by the loss of a little girl you thought you failed to protect. You clung to Madame Bai and saw her as a second mother because she was grieving too. She played her role p
JamesThe air in the car was filled with tension, Zelda's rigid posture and clenched phone screaming her silent fury at me. I deserved itâevery bit of her anger, every cold shoulder. But damn if it didn't carve a hollow ache in my chest.Then my phone buzzed, slicing through the suffocating quiet.I answered, and within seconds, the tension in my shoulders eased."We found Dom."The words sent a rush of grim satisfaction through me. Finally. After all the hunting, all the dead endsâwe had him.My grip tightened on the phone. "Alive?""Barely. He's talking."Good.I glanced at Zelda, still stubbornly turned away from me, her reflection faint in the window. This changed everything. With Dom's testimony, the Bai family's carefully constructed lies would crumble.But firstâ"Keep him secure. I'll be there soon."Hanging up, I studied Zelda's profile. She thought this was about the divorce. About me stalling.She had no idea the storm that was coming.And for once, I'd be the one to shield
JamesMadam Baiâs fingers combed through Bai Luoxingâs hair with practised tenderness, her voice saccharine."Donât cry. Mom knows your heart is too softâyou would have stopped me if you knew."Then she lifted her chin, her blind eyes fixed in my direction with eerie precision."James, I only helped your wife leave because she wanted to. I didnât want you two to become bitter enemies. You may not understand my intentions, but the truth is, this all started with her desire to run. Luoxing is innocent."Innocent.The word tasted like ash."So sending men to hunt her downâwas that also a favour?" My voice was lethally quiet.Madam Baiâs wrinkled face twisted in feigned confusion."Hunt her? James, I only sent people to find her after she disappeared! For her safety! And my nephewâwhere is Dom? Did you see him?"Zelda stiffened beside me. I could almost hear the furious drum of her heartbeat.I stared at the woman who had once been like a second mother to me.Even now, faced with the trut
JamesMy lashes lowered, hiding the smug satisfaction in my gaze as I buried my face against her again. Good. She didnât push me away this time.Thenâ Thump.Something struck the side of my face.I froze.Before I could process it, another hitâthis time square on the bridge of my nose. Not painful, but sharp, like a tiny jolt of electricity.My head snapped up, eyes wide."Was thatâĶ Littleton?"Zeldaâs lips curled, amusement flickering in her gaze before she pressed them flat again."Littletonâs here to teach you some manners," she said dryly.Of course, it was Littleton.Even in the womb, my kid couldnât stand watching their shameless father grovelling like this and decided to intervene.A stunned laugh caught in my throat.I stared at the slight swell of her belly, then slowly raised my hand, pressing my fingers where Iâd been kicked. The impact had been soft, muted by layers of flesh and fluid, but it sent a current straight through my chest.My heart hammeredânot from fever, but s
JamesThe pain in my chest was sharp, unrelenting, as I watched her smileâso effortless, so free. As if I meant nothing.If it were up to me, Iâd never let her go.Especially not now, with those men hovering around her like vultures, waiting for their chance. But I couldnât do anything. Not anymore.I didnât dare to force her, didnât dare to manipulate things behind her back like I used to. One wrong move, and sheâd slip even further from my grasp.And then there was Dom. Until he was dealt with, she wasnât safe here."Donât worry," I said, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. "Iâll fulfil your wish this time. Consider itâĶ compensation for the wedding."That damned wedding. My fault. All of it.Maybe ending this marriage was the only way to truly start over. She looked at me then, her eyes searching mine, and for the first time, she saw itâmy resolve. No tricks, no games. This was real.Her lashes fluttered, her grip on my collar loosening as she whispered,"So after we landâĶ
ZeldaOf course I couldn't bear it.I never wanted to compete with Bai Luoxing for anything. She was the one who forced her way into my marriage. Even then, I retreatedâstep by step, until I'd put an ocean between us.Yet the Bai family still wouldn't let me go. They wanted me dead. How vicious could they be?But Leiy hadn't said much earlier. Even I was only guessing. Did James... already know it was them?My eyes widened in shock. "You knew? Bai Luoxing helped me leave the country, and the Bai family has been hunting me since I landedâ"His face darkened at the mention of my escape. "How else do you think I found you?"I pressed my lips together, then let out a cold laugh."Well, color me surprised. I thought even if I accused the Bai family, you'd assume I was just smearing their name out of spite."The pain that flashed across his face was sharp enough to almost make me regret my words. Almost.His chest heaved, and before I could react, his hand shot out, gripping the back of my