Zacharyâs gaze had always been the coldest thing she had ever seen, but right now, there was a prevailing gentleness in those icy eyes. She didnât know that a stone-hearted man like him was capable of such gentleness. She was so captivated by him that she wanted to just let go of everything and go away with him.âLeave Garrison, be my wife. I assure you I will take great care of you.â Zachary was the most regal man in Rothesay, yet his hand was shaking now.âCarlie, promise me! Okay!?âSotiriaâs brows twitched.Sotiria was snapped back to reality the moment she heard the name âCarlieâ. It was as if a bucket of water was poured down on her head.âCarlie! Hah! Just as I said, you really treat me as your Carlie!âSotiria mustered up every ounce of strength from her body and flung Zacharyâs hands away. Her eyes were filled with pain, but there was a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.âIt seems to me that youâre not all there, Mr. Connor. Then let me clear your head. Look clo
Sotiriaâs heart had never stirred so much for any man before.She was a woman who valued her relationships.Garrison may have slowly entered her heart over the past few years, but she did not love him. The only reason she had agreed to marry him was mainly out of gratitude toward him for taking care of her and Naomi over the past few years.She had no idea what was wrong with her.She did not know if her innate âamorous natureâ or âflirtatiousnessâ was behind all of this. Sotiria was now engaged to Garrison. She shouldnât be harboring any intentions toward any other man at all.However, if Zachary had told her that he loved her when he proposed to her, she believed that she would have disregarded everything else and agreed to marry him! Then, she would find some other way to repay Garrison.She knew that this wasnât right!However, ever since she had met Zachary, her feelings for him had been overwhelming her like a turbulent, uncontrollable tsunami. They had surpassed the bou
âI couldnât help overhearing you asking Sotiria to marry you. Iâm guessing that itâs one of your methods to tease her. You donât actually want to marry her, right?ââWrong,â Zachary replied.âWhat?â Lucasâs jaw nearly dropped. âSir, she may resemble Mrs. Connor in some ways, but sheâs not Mrs. Connor. The number of men this womanâs experienced would go on longer than a train, and youâĶ Oh my God! Sir, how could you possibly fall for a woman like that?ââWatch your tongue!â Zacharyâs gaze immediately became terrifyingly cold. âRemember. I wonât love any other woman except that little girl.âLucas shivered at the sight of Zacharyâs apocalyptic glare. Meanwhile, his heart filled with a wave of pity.âPoor Mr. Connor! Since Charlotte's death, he hasnât touched any other woman, and heâs certainly never considered remarrying. Now, heâs disregarding Sotiriaâs reputation and identity simply because she resembles Charlotte. Heâs even disregarding the fact that Sotiriaâs engaged and wants to
âOh my God, look! Isnât that Sotiria Green?ââAh! It really is her! Isnât she engaged to Mr. Larson? Whyâs that man giving her flowers?ââDonât look so surprised. Doesnât Sotiria have a brother? Maybe that guyâs her brother.ââNo way! Didnât you hear? That man called her his wife.ââWhat? UhâĶ UhâĶ ErmâĶ Sotiria Green! Isnât she going a little too far? Mr. Larson is handsome and rich. Sheâs lucky that Mr. Larson isnât disgusted with her, yet sheâs still doing these things in public. Sheâs gone too far!âAt least 50 people began to surround the already crowded shopping mall entrance immediately and began pointing at Sotiria.Sotiria dearly wished that she could crawl into a hole.Her eyes filled with resentment as she stared at Zachary.âMr. Connor, could you please have some decorum. If you keep this upâĶ MmmâĶâShe couldnât continue the next part of her sentence because Zachary had firmly sealed her lips with his thin, addictive mouth. Boom!Her mind exploded.She tried her be
âYouâd better run, you sl*t! Quit being an eyesore with your humiliating ways. The sight of someone like you gives me an urge to attack. Iâm so pissed!âMany people rolled up their sleeves but were too afraid to actually hit Sotiria because they noticed Zachary, who had been standing behind Sotiria the entire time.No one knew who he was, but his powerful, regal aura, his innate, intimidating presence, and his cold eyes that resembled ice crystals made them shut their mouths.âSotiria Green!âAnyone who knew her was well aware of her past. She may have been loose and arbitrary, but none of the men who had been intimate with were good at all.However, setting aside the fact that Sotiria was now engaged to Garrison, who was an outstanding man, she had even found a lover who looked so handsome and regal.What was wrong with the world?Were all good men changing their tastes? Had they fallen for sl*ts like Sotiria Green?Sotiria ran across the road from the street, 100 meters away.
âShe is no daughter of mine. I wonât waste a single cent on her. Let her die.âHarvey had replied as such with an expressionless look on his face. He left after saying that, and Sotiria lost consciousness again.Sotiria had later discovered that Garrison had been the one who had paid for her emergency surgery. If Garrison hadnât arrived on time and if it was too late, she would have been dead long ago.Most people said that fathers were generally protective of their daughters.Sotiria did not understand why her own father hated her so much. Now, she gradually understood that she was a humiliation in her fatherâs eyes!However, she did not hate Harvey.She hated herself for her misdemeanors.Harvey was only aware of a small tip of the iceberg of everything she had done in the past, and he already found it unacceptable. It was perfectly understandable that others would be disgusted with her!Sotiria was like a snail. She carried a hard shell to cover her innately weak and easily
âSo, Mr. Connor, please let me go. Weâll consider everything thatâs happened over the past few days a total farce and move past it. Stop harassing me from now on and weâll stop seeing each other, okay? Iâm begging you, okay?âHer voice, her tone, and her gentle yet stubborn look reminded him of a replica of Charlotte. At that moment, Zachary felt as if the woman standing before him and saying these words really was Charlotte. Thus, when she said the word âbeggingâ, Zacharyâs cold, hard heart melted. He actually felt the urge to nod and agree to her request.ButâĶ the more she resembled Charlotte in his eyes, the more he couldnât bear to break it off with her!As a result, not only did Zachary refuse to comply, but he shook his head decisively.âI told you, your heart is mine.âSotiriaâs legs gave way. She nearly collapsed on the ground again. She couldnât hide it anymore. Tears began streaming down her face.âYou want me to be a laughing stock, just like I used to be in the
âYou may continue calling me by my name from now on,â Zachary replied, looking as regal as a god.âWhat?âSotiriaâs gaze turned from anxious to shocked.Zacharyâs cold yet melodious voice drew closer and closer behind her. âI think itâs quite intimate of you to address me like that.âSotiria let out a curse.The gloomy figure wavered in front of her. Long-legged Zachary had arrived in front of her.He lifted her chin with his left hand and slowly inched her small face upward. Then, he cradled her face with his right hand.She didnât try to get away.Her heart was well aware that it wasnât right whenever Zachary approached her and touched her intimately. She should be pushing him awayâĶ but she always seemed to turn into a statue, as if she couldnât move anymoreâĶShe was clearly afraid of him being so near to her.However, she couldnât help anticipating having him even closer to her.Thus, she surrendered and let his warm hand gently and warmly wipe the tears off her face just
As expected, a video had been sent to Charlotteâs inbox.Charlotte opened it and found a video of her recent sexual encounter with Zachary in the car. She screamed and blushed furiously.Before long, she received a message from Rufus.âThis exciting clip of you with Zachary is your remuneration. I will keep it safe and save it for my future enjoyment. Our debt has been repaid. Youâre welcome!âCharlotteâs expression stiffened.A few minutes later, she received another message.âI wonât let anyone see this. Donât worry.âCharlotte questioned herself.She had no idea how Rufus had managed to get this video. He was in a different city. However, she let go of the question soon enough, as Rufus had already sent the information to her inbox.The next day, at a high-class hotel in Rothesay.A black Masserati was parked outside the hotel entrance. As two bodyguards escorted a pot-bellied, middle-aged man out of the hotel, the driver hurriedly opened the Masseratiâs door and said in a
âLoryâĶâ A clear and melodious voice called out.A fair hand held her by the wrist as a car stopped nearby.âZachary is openly making love to another woman in front of you. Heâs obviously just trying to hurt you. You know this, so why are you still standing here, watching foolishly?âLorraine shook her head feebly. It took her a while before she calmed down and replied shakily, âYouâre wrong, Jez. Zachary isnât doing it with her to hurt me. Iâm nothing to him now. Carlie is the only thing that matters to him. He would never use tools to hurt me. Heâs doing this because heâs so in love with Carlie that heâs lost control!ââUhâĶâ Jezebel turned awkwardly toward Charlotteâs car, shook her head, and said, âLory, since you know you mean nothing to Zachary, why are you still torturing yourself? Forget him, and Iâll take you anywhere you like. Isnât that much better?ââNo!â Lorraine grimaced. Her eyes flashed hatefully.âItâs all Charlotteâs fault that Zach and I have ended up this way. I
The corners of Charlotteâs lips twitched. âI donât think thatâs a good idea.ââWhy?â Zachary kept his eyes on her.There was no doubt about it. Not only did his wife have an extremely exquisite face, but her figure was also graceful and well-proportioned, better than a supermodelâs.The subtle display of fair flesh underneath her skirt seemed to exude a seductive fragrance. Her waist, which was the width of an A4 size paper, was slender. He felt an urge to hold her in his arms. She crossed her slender and well-proportioned legs naturally, creating a dark silhouetteâĶâD*mn it!âZachary realized that the longer his gaze lingered on Charlotteâs body, the brighter the flames of passion burned within him, even though he had always abstained.âBased on Rothesay tradition, a man and a woman can only be considered husband and wife after holding a proper wedding ceremony. I know weâve registered, but people will talk if we live together without having a ceremony,â Charlotte replied calmly
Charlotte remained sitting calmly in the car. She knew that this time, Zachary was determined to strangle Lorraine to death.Of course, she didnât want Zachary to do itâĶ But not because she didnât want Lorraine to die. It was because Lorraine had Jezebelâs support. If Zachary killed her, Jezebel would do everything to avenge Lorraine.It wasnât worth it for Zachary to plunge into mutual destruction with Lorraine. She didnât deserve him.Charlotte knew very well that since Lorraine, who was a natural schemer, had the nerve to seek her out alone, it meant that she would have been prepared to run into Zachary and would ensure that Zachary would be too afraid to kill her.Thus, even though Zachary was strangling Lorraine, Charlotte did not exit the car to stop him.The car door opened and closed.Charlotte felt a bone-chilling aura throughout the entire car as soon as Zachary entered the co-driverâs seat.Zachary didnât speak. Instead, he stared at her.Despite her intimate relatio
âWhat have you done?â Zacharyâs voice was as cold as a frosty wind.âIâve hired a few assassins. The assassins and I have had an agreement. If anything happens to me, they will do everything in their power to kill Charlotte and her two kids!âCharlotteâs entire body went cold as soon as she heard this.âHeheheâĶ Sorry, Zach, I misspoke. I shouldnât have said âher two kidsâ. Theyâre yours and Charlotteâs kids, arenât they?âLorraine supported herself as she rose to her feet.In the past, no matter what happened, she would always do her best to maintain a good impression in front of Zachary, to show him the best parts of her.Now, she knew that his impression of her was gone with the wind. She cackled freely like a maniac. âHahahahaâĶ Look at that nervous look on your face, Zach. Youâve always been fearless, but sheâs the only one whoâs ever been able to make you lose your sh*t, isnât she?âZachary eyed Lorraine icily, his gaze as sharp as cold knives. Lorraine, whose heart was no
Lorraine forgot about the pain due to the intense panic she felt and stared at Zachary in disbelief. âZachary, what do you mean by these scary remarks? Iâm pregnant, yet you kicked me, disregarding mine and the childâs well-being. Could you be... Are you thinking of... Are you thinking of killing me?ââA wicked woman like you deserves more than just death.â Zacharyâs cold voice slapped Lorraine in the face.Lorraineâs lips trembled, but she could not utter another word, as if her throat was being severely strangled by an invisible hand.Cough! A large mouthful of blood was spat out of her mouth, dyeing her white dress red.Although she did not feel pain or fear, her heart was glacial.She also knew that she deserved more than just death!âBut... wicked woman?âI didnât expect to be labeled as a âwicked womanâ in Zacharyâs heart someday!âAs he was glaring at this pitiful woman, there was not even a hint of sympathy in Zacharyâs eyes, and his voice still sounded frigid and merci
Lucas called not long after Charlotte put down her cell phone. âMilady, I just received a call from my ex-girlfriend, who I dumped last month, and she said that she just found out that sheâs pregnant and she suspects that the baby might be my child... Ahem!âTherefore, I have to go to the hospital to get a paternity test with her as soon as possible. I donât have time to drive Naomi back to your house, so you can either pick her up yourself or just let Naomi stay at the Second Masterâs house.âCharlotte decided to pick Naomi up.As soon as she drove out of the yard gate, a crimson Ferrari dashed toward her head-on. She immediately turned the steering wheel sharply, avoiding a direct clash with the car.Braking harshly, the Ferrari hit the tree and killed its engine.Charlotte also stepped on the brake.The Ferrariâs door was pushed open abruptly, and Lorraine walked in front of Charlotteâs car angrily. She then pointed at Charlotte with her trembling right hand. âCharlotte Simmon
âDonât forget who I am. Thereâs nothing that I canât find out as long as I want to know... AaaahââBaby, youâre hurting me. Donât be too greedy... Oh, slow down, Iâm on the phone. Oh. Owââ The manâs voice was interrupted by a series of his own cries, and a womanâs moans were coming from the background at the same time.Charlotte vaguely pictured a rather explicit scene, blushed, and cleared her throat. âUm... I can call you later if itâs inconvenient for you to speak now.ââThereâs no need. Itâs convenient. Very convenient... Good girls, wait for me on the bed. Iâll get angry otherwise, understand?ââHmph, are we less significant than your phone calls? Hmph!ââDonât keep us waiting!âThe sound of footsteps faded away.The man squinted his rare violet eyes and said languidly, âMy little Simmons Princess, Iâve long heard people say that youâre still alive, and I really want to take a look at you with my own eyes, but Iâve sworn to never take another step into Rothesay. You should
Zachary looked at Charlotte through the window as a surge of pride swelled inside of him. âSheâs my wife right now, so sheâs your niece-in-law. You shouldnât call her âthat womanâ anymore.âThe corner of the manâs lips curled up a little when he heard what Zachary had said. However, he soon reverted to his serious expression and continued. âZach, even if sheâs your wife now, I have to warn you. You have to think twice before you act. My great-grandfather, whoâs also your great-grandfather, was framed and died in prison for offending someone from the royal family. Your great-great-grandmother wrote a letter with her own blood and came up with a family rule. The Connors are only allowed to do business. They are not allowed to deal with people from the government. Do you really want to break the family rule for her?ââYes,â Zachary replied, his deep brown eyes filled with murderous intent. âI owe her a wedding, and I donât want them to interfere with my wedding.âThe man opened his mou