ZeldaI blinked, realizing just how cunning James really was. He hadn't explicitly said anything about cancelling the divorce, but he’d subtly manoeuvred me into this position. Unbelievable.I puffed out my cheeks."You wish! I can't even count the ways you've made me unhappy. I'm only staying temporarily because of Little One, and because your injury is partly my fault! Don't think you've won me over that easily. You're just an…apprentice husband at best!""Apprentice husband?" James raised an eyebrow.I nodded firmly. "Don't you understand? Like the interns at Ferguson's. You're on probation. Less than a month. If your performance is satisfactory, I'll consider things. But if it's not…Mr. Ferguson should be very clear on the process, right?"He was silent for a moment, then I narrowed my eyes."Do you have any objections?“He clicked his tongue, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Then perhaps Mrs. Ferguson could enlighten me on the criteria for this…internship? What requirements must
ZeldaMy heart plummeted. James… he’d lied. Deliberately.The thought echoed in my mind, a cold, sharp shard of ice. He’d manufactured this whole injury, just to manipulate me, just for the baby. The same way Hellen Ferguson only cared about the child, not about… me.The realization stung, leaving me feeling foolish and betrayed.My legs had gone numb. I hadn’t even noticed the bodyguards leaving. I sank to the floor, hugging my knees, trying to contain the rising panic. After what felt like an eternity, I forced myself to stand. I clutched the incubator, a fragile shield against the truth, and walked to his ward. I needed to hear it from him. I needed to understand.But as I cracked open the door, their voices drifted out, stopping me cold.“Brother has succeeded in wooing his wife? Didn’t little Zelda Liamson cry and make a fuss before, insisting on getting a divorce and going abroad?” Miguel’s voice was laced with that familiar, subtle mockery.Then Yuell Qing’s laughter was sharp
ZeldaA prickling sensation crawled up my spine. Something was wrong. As the man reached for me, I reacted instinctively, swinging my bag and hitting him squarely in the face.“Someone, help! Help!” I yelled, my voice ringing out across the crowded club.The commotion drew attention, but the two men were quick. One grabbed the woman in the red dress, while the other wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close.“Baby, stop making trouble,” he said loudly, his voice dripping with false concern. “Let’s not quarrel, okay? It’s all my fault! Sorry, my wife drank too much…”He was trying to drag me away, to make it look like a lovers’ spat.Panic clawed at me. I saw, out of the corner of my eye, that the people I’d hoped would notice were buying his act, turning back to their dancing.“I’m gay!” I shouted, desperation giving my voice an edge. “Let me and my wife go! We’re a couple! We don’t even know you!”I struggled against his grip, trying to reach the woman in the red dress. “Let
ZeldaI woke up in the big bed at the Mansion, disoriented. The last thing I remembered was being in the car with James, the argument hanging heavy in the air. I looked down. My clothes had been changed. They were clean and fresh. Aunt Jiang, no doubt.My lips felt strange, a little sore, with a faint medicinal scent, like antiseptic. Someone had been… cleaning them? The thought made me uneasy.Aunt Jiang bustled in.“Madam, you’re finally awake! I’ve been to check on you twice. Breakfast is ready. Please eat quickly, so you can take it to your husband.”“How did I get home last night?” I asked, my voice still thick with sleep.“Mr. Ferguson carried you back himself, Madam. He took care of you all night before returning to the hospital. He wouldn’t let me help. I don’t know if his wound reopened. He looked so worried. His face was so pale when he left…”My brow furrowed. Guilt, sharp and unexpected, pierced through me. Aunt Jiang’s words painted a picture of James, concerned and carin
ZeldaLilian Wenger's red eyes and embarrassed flush were hard to ignore. She’s a dancer of some renown, and those in the arts often possess a certain nobility. But the comfortable life she was accustomed to was clearly weighing on her, the thought of losing it all outweighing any sense of shame.I never expected Susan to still be lying to her parents, still clinging to the fiction that James is her child’s father. My brow furrowed.“Please?” I prompted.“James has stopped investing in the Wenger family. It was agreed upon, but he’s cut us off without warning. Our funding has dried up…” This was news to me.James hadn’t breathed a word of it.“Zee, for your grandmother’s sake, you can’t just stand by and watch the Wenger family crumble. Grandma and Grandpa built that business.”Grandmother Wenger passed away when I was five. My memories are hazy, but I remember her warmth and her adoration. It’s undeniable that my adoption by the Fergusons was tied to my connection to the Wenger famil
"I am coming home."Zelda Liamson received a message from her husband, James Ferguson. Her husband had been away on a work trip for three months, and he was finally coming back.Zelda was so happy she couldn't hide the happiness and the smile on her face. Her relationship with her husband had been strained because they had gotten married under different circumstances, circumstances that did not involve love. When James left, staying away for so long, for those three whole months, Zelda thought that he was going to ask her for a divorce.She thought he took those three months away from her to give her space to get used to the idea of getting divorced.Although this message from her husband didn't specifically mean that he was not going to ask her for a divorce, she thought this was a great thing. If he was going to ask for a divorce, he would have just sent her the divorce papers. She would have dealt with lawyers, but he specifically wrote 'home' in his message.He was coming home to
Zelda remembered four years ago when she was caught in James's bed…..She would admit that she had always had a little crush on James growing up and had deep feelings for him, but she would have never acted on her emotions, and worse she would never have used trickery to get him to be with her. She wanted James to love her back and reciprocate her feelings.So, the fact that James blamed her for what happened four years ago when they were both caught in bed the day he was supposed to get engaged to his girlfriend, Susan, remained a mystery to her.James was furious and Nobody believed her when she said she had nothing to do with it.Nobody believed her, because she and Susan Wenger, who was James's ex-girlfriend, had a history.When Zelda was six years old, she found out that her parents weren't her biological parents, but that she and Susan had been switched at birth. Each child was taken back to their biological family. That's when Zelda found herself taken into a family full of vio
James pulled Zelda from the taxi towards his car, without saying a word. The minute he put her inside, he noticed that she was not wearing her necklace.“Where is it?” he asked, his tone firm.“What?” she replied, pretending she didn't know what he meant.“Where is the necklace? Where is your necklace?” James asked, getting more worked up“I threw it away,” Zelda said, her voice steady.“You threw it away!? Why?” James asked, clearly caught off guard by the answer.He knew how much Zelda loved that necklace. He had never seen her without it, ever since he put it on her neck himself“I want a divorce,” she said simply.James's expression shifted from confusion to anger and disbelief.“What are you talking about? What divorce? You're the one who wanted to marry me,” he said, disbelief filling his voice. “You drugged me and climbed into my bed, making sure that everyone knew that we were together, tying me to you, forcing me to marry you, and now you want a divorce?” he laughed mockingly
ZeldaLilian Wenger's red eyes and embarrassed flush were hard to ignore. She’s a dancer of some renown, and those in the arts often possess a certain nobility. But the comfortable life she was accustomed to was clearly weighing on her, the thought of losing it all outweighing any sense of shame.I never expected Susan to still be lying to her parents, still clinging to the fiction that James is her child’s father. My brow furrowed.“Please?” I prompted.“James has stopped investing in the Wenger family. It was agreed upon, but he’s cut us off without warning. Our funding has dried up…” This was news to me.James hadn’t breathed a word of it.“Zee, for your grandmother’s sake, you can’t just stand by and watch the Wenger family crumble. Grandma and Grandpa built that business.”Grandmother Wenger passed away when I was five. My memories are hazy, but I remember her warmth and her adoration. It’s undeniable that my adoption by the Fergusons was tied to my connection to the Wenger famil
ZeldaI woke up in the big bed at the Mansion, disoriented. The last thing I remembered was being in the car with James, the argument hanging heavy in the air. I looked down. My clothes had been changed. They were clean and fresh. Aunt Jiang, no doubt.My lips felt strange, a little sore, with a faint medicinal scent, like antiseptic. Someone had been… cleaning them? The thought made me uneasy.Aunt Jiang bustled in.“Madam, you’re finally awake! I’ve been to check on you twice. Breakfast is ready. Please eat quickly, so you can take it to your husband.”“How did I get home last night?” I asked, my voice still thick with sleep.“Mr. Ferguson carried you back himself, Madam. He took care of you all night before returning to the hospital. He wouldn’t let me help. I don’t know if his wound reopened. He looked so worried. His face was so pale when he left…”My brow furrowed. Guilt, sharp and unexpected, pierced through me. Aunt Jiang’s words painted a picture of James, concerned and carin
ZeldaA prickling sensation crawled up my spine. Something was wrong. As the man reached for me, I reacted instinctively, swinging my bag and hitting him squarely in the face.“Someone, help! Help!” I yelled, my voice ringing out across the crowded club.The commotion drew attention, but the two men were quick. One grabbed the woman in the red dress, while the other wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close.“Baby, stop making trouble,” he said loudly, his voice dripping with false concern. “Let’s not quarrel, okay? It’s all my fault! Sorry, my wife drank too much…”He was trying to drag me away, to make it look like a lovers’ spat.Panic clawed at me. I saw, out of the corner of my eye, that the people I’d hoped would notice were buying his act, turning back to their dancing.“I’m gay!” I shouted, desperation giving my voice an edge. “Let me and my wife go! We’re a couple! We don’t even know you!”I struggled against his grip, trying to reach the woman in the red dress. “Let
ZeldaMy heart plummeted. James… he’d lied. Deliberately.The thought echoed in my mind, a cold, sharp shard of ice. He’d manufactured this whole injury, just to manipulate me, just for the baby. The same way Hellen Ferguson only cared about the child, not about… me.The realization stung, leaving me feeling foolish and betrayed.My legs had gone numb. I hadn’t even noticed the bodyguards leaving. I sank to the floor, hugging my knees, trying to contain the rising panic. After what felt like an eternity, I forced myself to stand. I clutched the incubator, a fragile shield against the truth, and walked to his ward. I needed to hear it from him. I needed to understand.But as I cracked open the door, their voices drifted out, stopping me cold.“Brother has succeeded in wooing his wife? Didn’t little Zelda Liamson cry and make a fuss before, insisting on getting a divorce and going abroad?” Miguel’s voice was laced with that familiar, subtle mockery.Then Yuell Qing’s laughter was sharp
ZeldaI blinked, realizing just how cunning James really was. He hadn't explicitly said anything about cancelling the divorce, but he’d subtly manoeuvred me into this position. Unbelievable.I puffed out my cheeks."You wish! I can't even count the ways you've made me unhappy. I'm only staying temporarily because of Little One, and because your injury is partly my fault! Don't think you've won me over that easily. You're just an…apprentice husband at best!""Apprentice husband?" James raised an eyebrow.I nodded firmly. "Don't you understand? Like the interns at Ferguson's. You're on probation. Less than a month. If your performance is satisfactory, I'll consider things. But if it's not…Mr. Ferguson should be very clear on the process, right?"He was silent for a moment, then I narrowed my eyes."Do you have any objections?“He clicked his tongue, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Then perhaps Mrs. Ferguson could enlighten me on the criteria for this…internship? What requirements must
Zelda"What paternity test?" I asked, my brow furrowed. I took the phone from James, staring at the report on the screen.It wasn't a paternity test at all. It was a kinship test. And the result…grandfather-granddaughter? My confusion deepened."Whose grandchild is this?"I scrolled back, finally taking in the names of the individuals involved in the assessment. My eyes widened in surprise."It's…Bai Luoqi's child?"Luoqi! It all clicked into place. He’d passed away, which explained why James was so invested in this child. Luoqi had been busy with the Bai family’s overseas business these past few years, just like Susan.They’d both been out of the Country. And then, the timing…Susan had returned with James and the Bai's. The media had assumed they were Susan’s parents, making all sorts of incorrect assumptions. No wonder they’d all come back together."So," I said slowly, piecing it together, "the Bai family's IPO is at a critical stage. Luoqi's death is a huge blow, and you’re trying
ZeldaMy mind was a whirlwind. Tissues, where were the tissues? Liamson, Zelda Liamson, that's me, and right now I was trying desperately to stop James's nosebleed. It was all so embarrassing!And then there was James, throwing that cup of water. At Xavier! His brother. I felt a surge of mortification."I told you to stop messing around!" I scolded, my cheeks burning. "This whole ward is a mess!"James, bless his heart, just looked gloomy."It's inconvenient," he mumbled, "Let's just get discharged tomorrow.""Discharged?" I exclaimed, aghast. "How can we? Your injuries aren't nearly healed! And…and I need to see Xavier. James, why did you hit him?"I turned to go out, but James grabbed my wrist, his grip surprisingly tight. It startled me."What's wrong?" I asked, looking at him.He seemed to realize he'd been too rough and loosened his hold a little."I think…I think my wound might have opened again. It hurts," he said, his brow furrowed.My worry instantly eclipsed everything else.
I was stunned. My head snapped back, and a jolt of disbelief running through me.“How could you even think that?!” I exclaimed, my voice rising in disbelief. “There’s nothing between me and my Hammer. I don’t… I don’t like him! How could you even imagine such a thing?”James’s expression was a mixture of anger and something else… hurt? He sneered a harsh, bitter sound.“He coveted you back then. He even dared to come to the Ferguson family to propose! And in the past two years, he abandoned his life as the heir to the Yassir family to work at the Ferguson hospital… just to be near you. You kissed in the car. You hid your pregnancy. You talked about divorce. You were going to go abroad with him! And just now… you were snuggled in his arms! What am I supposed to think, Zelda? What?”His words hit me like a physical blow. He loosened his grip on my chin, but the damage was done. My neck felt strained, stretched to its limit. I stared at him, his eyes burning with a cold fury, and a wave
ZeldaHis hand, James’s hand, was a vice around my waist. His fingers pressed right on the bruise, a throbbing reminder of his unfounded anger. The scene in the ward replayed in my mind, fueling my own simmering frustration. He’d stormed out, furious, without even knowing what had happened.Then, his accusation about Hammer. I glanced at Hammer’s cheek, the fading bruise a testament to James’s… overreaction. Something snapped. I shoved him away, my brow furrowed.“James, have you said enough?!” I retorted, my voice trembling slightly. “I just fell asleep. Brother was worried I’d catch a cold and put his coat on me. Is that so terrible? I asked him for help at the airport. If you want to blame someone, blame me. Why involve him?”A wave of hurt washed over me. If James hadn’t forgotten I was waiting outside, would I have fallen asleep on that bench? And he had hugged Susan in front of me, without a word of explanation, but my innocent interaction with Hammer was enough to ignite his ra