Zoe instantly had a bad feeling upon hearing that name, and her intuition proved correct a few seconds later when the woman called by Grayford turned around.
Emily, Wolf's stepmother, was known to Zoe. A stepmother who is even crueler than Cinderella's. Her face, already quite beautiful yesterday, became even more beautiful with exquisite makeup and a stunning dress.With a sweet smile, the woman walked toward her. Zoe groaned inwardly, regretting being so happy to get the extra payment. Apparently, the job she was doing today really had to be extra special—there was a new burden because she had to meet the insane psychopathic woman."Hello, let me introduce myself. I'm Emily. I'm your fan!"Emily cheerfully extended her hand, and of course, Zoe accepted it with an equally cheerful face."Hello, thank you for being such a loyal fan." Zoe used the template response she used every time she met a fan—who claimed to have been a fan for a long time.Zoe had to walk with heavy steps to reach her apartment. She wasn't tired physically, but mentally.Of course, the devilish woman was responsible. Zoe was increasingly certain that the nickname was specifically for Emily. Zoe still didn't know what to do.Fortunately, that party was her last job of the day. Zoe wouldn't have to work hard anymore. She just had to make small talk and smile; no more singing afterward.Now Zoe understood why Clay said it was important for her to learn acting. Revenge or not, as an artist, at the very least she should be able to act—look normal in public.Zoe also understood why Sara mentioned that many artists actually suffer from severe depression but don't show it. And she understood why Wolf provided Sara and suggested his artists regularly consult with her.Zoe liked her job because it was what she had wanted since she was a child, but it was the first time she didn't want to smile or sing. Only once did she do her job
"I like the surprise. Really, really happy!" Zoe exclaimed joyfully. It's a bit too cheerful, though, hiding the issue."Oh... okay, okay..." Wolf was certainly surprised by her reaction—more than he had anticipated—but he hugged her with great satisfaction. The surprise's purpose had been achieved."I'm disappointed that I couldn't show this off, but it's still good that you're happy." Wolf removed the hat from his head. His attempt to greet Zoe with as colorful clothing as possible had failed, but the result was still the same."How long did you prepare for this?" Zoe asked. According to Wolf's somewhat disappointed reaction, it appeared that he had taken the surprise concept seriously."A few weeks. I really racked my brain to give you an epic surprise. Well, it's decent. Even though half of it failed, you still accepted it. So..."Wolf paused, and Zoe silenced him by putting her finger on his lips. She then grabbed the maracas on the table an
Of course, they are greeted by the sun. Zoe stepped off the plane in Vallarta. The city is located about five hundred kilometers east of Mexico City. Zoe regrets not bringing sunglasses, ignoring Wolf's advice.Now she could only squint as she moved from the plane into the car. Zoe now understands why they needed sombreros here. The hat was perfect for blocking out the sun.Zoe didn't mind embracing the sun, hoping to get a little color for her skin, but the sun made her dizzy as she tried to stare at the bright blue sky and soft clouds."Because of the difference in our face sizes, this may be too large for you, but it's preferable to you constantly squinting like that."Wolf placed sunglasses on Zoe's face, instantly making her feel like the weather had turned cloudy. She didn't rebuke, even though it was clear that her difficulty was the result of Zoe being stubborn about not wanting to get tan lines around her eyes due to the sun."What about you?" Zoe a
“BEACH!”Zoe looked more alive as her eyes caught sight of blue water and white sand near the hotel where they were staying. Of course, Wolf chose the resort closest to the beach so they could fully enjoy what Vallarta had to offer."Good thing I brought more than one swimsuit," said Zoe. Her main goal was to swim in that blue sea later."They have a special beach that guests who rent VIP rooms can use for free. Separated from the beach, it is used by the general public. And of course, your husband here has booked a VIP room so you can freely use all the beach facilities," said Wolf, patting his chest proudly.Zoe ignored that and jumped to embrace him, giving kisses on both of Wolf's cheeks."My amazing husband is indeed very understanding," said Zoe."Just on the cheeks? After I spent so much money to prepare everything and just on the cheeks?" Wolf felt the reward wasn't proportional."For now, it's good enough, and... you'll get mor
"You're incredibly cute!" Zoe exclaimed as she reached out to touch Mavis's cheek—who was smiling, showing off her two front teeth, out of affection—but Dustin's hand prevented it with a push."No, you'll make her cry!" Dustin swiftly lifted Mavis, who was sitting on the sand beside Lili, and carried her away. Moving her farther."I won't hurt her! Oh my!" Zoe widened her eyes at Dustin's aggressive stance. While Lili shook her head with a regretful expression, she let Dustin take her sister away."Let alone you; sometimes I'm not even allowed to touch her. Imagine that. I'm her mother—I'm the one who gave birth to her in pain and all, but Dustin's the one in control." Lili complained.But the complaint wasn't serious. Zoe didn't see Lili as genuinely angry. Despite her complaints, her eyes didn't look annoyed.Lili even smiled afterward, watching how Dustin laughed as Mavis scattered grains of sand into the air with her tiny hands, then tu
If the worst-case scenario were to happen, Lili actually started planning the details. And of course, Zoe laughed upon hearing that possibility. It was a great plan because, in Zoe's mind, scenarios began to form to deal with the worst.Let's say her name is ruined—she can no longer be a singer, and Wolf's credibility is also tarnished; they wouldn't be poor. At the very least, Wolf's inheritance is still available as a last resort. Of course, Zoe was also beginning to make money."My advice is to just talk to Wolf," Lili said.She no longer referred to the issue as a simulation because, of course, she understood that Zoe was trying to find answers to the problem between her and Wolf."I'll try." Zoe was very hesitant to discuss it with Wolf because she had a shadow of doubt that he might do something too reckless—maybe not to the extent of killing Emily, but he could do something that would make the situation even more complicated."And where ar
"Where do you want to go?" Wolf wondered as he saw Zoe still wearing the dress and outerwear she had on for dinner last night when he came out of the bathroom."We're going for a walk on the beach. Enjoying the night air," Zoe pointed to the beach area, which was obviously dark."No. There's no 'we' like that. We'll enjoy this together," Wolf refused, pointing to the bed."No. We're going for a walk on the beach," Zoe insisted, opening the door that would lead them to the terrace. There were stone stairs at the end of the terrace, which presumably ended at the beach."Why do we have to go for a walk?" Wolf protested, as it was clear he wouldn't be tempted by activities that didn't involve the bed at the moment."Because I want to," Zoe affirmed, opening the door and stepping out ahead of him."You can't even sunbathe anymore. Why go to the beach?" Wolf grumbled, but he couldn't let Zoe go to the beach alone."Oh, it's so cool," Wolf murmured as he manage
"That means you'll lose what you've built so hard; you have to redo all the hard work for years," Zoe continued to worry."So what? Difficulties didn't kill me before. I'm still alive now. I'll work hard again, and I'll repeat it. I'm more experienced, so it should be easier to build it again. Nothing is difficult."Wolf stroked Zoe's cheek, pushing the corners of her lips. He wanted Zoe to erase the worry from her face, forcing her to smile."The difficult part is finding a woman like you—who can boldly ask me to marry, knowing that I am not suitable to be a husband—this is the global opinion of women who have slept with me."Zoe, who was almost touched, of course had to laugh at those words. She didn't expect Wolf to discuss such a topic with those women."Are you seriously asking them about this absurd thing?" Zoe asked."Yes, but not all of them. But it's more or less the same. It means I have to take care of you because the incident where a woman asked me to m
"LORIA MOREAU!"Zoe froze. She heard her name, but couldn't believe it was hers."Wake up, baby. And smile. It’s yours."Wolf's whisper finally stirred emotions in Zoe. She blushed with emotion, only able to stand when Wolf helped her. Unfortunately, Wolf couldn't escort her to the stage.Luckily, Syanne's hand was there to assist her, followed by Jacob, who was closest to the stage, helping her navigate the stairs to reach the top.Zoe expressed her gratitude several times to the person presenting her award before finally standing in front of the microphone to deliver her speech.Zoe took a few deep breaths, wiping away tears, before finally being able to address the camera and the patiently waiting audience."This is something I never dreamed of, standing here and receiving this." Zoe glanced down at the trophy in her hands once more and smiled."I... I once buried this dream. I no longer hoped to sing, let alone receive this. Not long
Zoe did something that Wolf would not like. She wouldn't lie, but she would inform him later, once the task was complete. Zoe wants to handle this herself without anyone else's interference.Of course, it's not easy. She walks with an anxious heart. Zoe adjusts her sunglasses several times on her nose, while her other hand carries a beautiful pink flower and gift box.Zoe feels anxious, knowing that people will recognize her when she enters later. But she's resigned. It's not possible to hide her identity now, considering the person she's going to meet.Approaching the counter after filling out a form with the prisoner's name and number, Zoe submits it."Please wait over there. We'll call you," says the prison guard behind the counter.He stares at Zoe several times as another guard checks Zoe's belongings—making sure no contraband is smuggled, glancing to confirm—even reading her name on the form but doesn't comment.Relieved—because
"Here." Wolf handed the cup to Zoe.Zoe wanted to take it, but her hands were still busy responding to messages on her phone."Cliff really doesn't have a girlfriend, does he?" Zoe asked."Hm? Why are you asking?" Wolf asked suspiciously."For Sara. She wanted to confirm this because she doesn't believe someone like Cliff is still single.Zoe sighed, showing the message Sara sent to her. Showing that she wasn't lying. She was indeed asking for Sara, not for herself."Not yet. According to Clay, he used to have one—a journalist or an MC, if I'm not mistaken. But they broke up when Cliff was about to move here. Either he moved and then they broke up, or they broke up and then he moved."Wolf just repeated Clay's words, of course. And now Zoe repeated them in the form of a message to Sara and sent it to reassure her."How do you know these details?" After sending the message and taking her cup, Zoe asked in amazement. The knowle
"Should have been in jail..."Max denied reality once again. For him, Loria still couldn't possibly be Zoe because she should have been in jail."You're endlessly foolish!" Billy slammed the table and went berserk.He grabbed Max by the collar with his handcuffs. Of course, chaos ensued immediately, and shouts erupted as the police guarding the area rushed in to subdue Billy, pinning him to the ground.But evidently, Billy was truly furious with Max, as he continued to resist and curse at Max even while being held down."YOUR STUPIDITY KNOWS NO BOUNDS!""SILENCE!"The judge's thundering voice overshadowed Billy's outburst. Not only Billy fell silent, but also the journalists and spectators who were making noise."Once again, if anyone disturbs me, I will reschedule this trial! UNDERSTOOD?!"The silence in the room signified that they all understood."Take him out. Mr. Dacosta, I'll make sure your charges include this incident. Assaul
The prosecutor began with standard questions, asking about Sara's background—education, how long she had been a psychiatrist, and so on. Only after that did she mention Zoe."Since when has Ms. Zoe Anderson been your patient?" the prosecutor asked."For over a year," Sara replied clearly. Gone was the cheerful demeanor she usually wore when facing patients."Can you explain Ms. Anderson's condition at that time?""Zoe came with a desire to heal because she suffered severe trauma that was very visible and prevented her from leading a normal life.""Could you please explain more about that trauma?"Sara nodded calmly because everything matched the expectations given by Cliff."Zoe came in a state where she couldn't speak, but medical examinations showed that Zoe didn't have any physical injuries anymore. The absence of any disturbances in her nerves confirmed that her inability to speak was a result of PTSD. Severe trauma due to a bad incident
"That's... Strange. You must be kidding!" Iris shook her head vigorously while staring at Zoe from head to toe, trying to recognize her as the same person she saw before with Max."Have I ever joked when talking to you?" Wolf replied flatly, pulling a chair for Zoe. The chair is furthest from Iris. She was still at a loss for words and kept staring at Zoe."Are you really Zoe Anderson?" Iris continued to stare at Zoe."Yes, before I changed my name to Loria Moreau, that was also my name." Zoe replied calmly. The apprehension that had plagued her earlier had vanished.The meeting with Iris might have been unexpected and almost annoying, but Zoe felt empowered, knowing that she was currently in control.Seeing Iris's surprise, Zoe felt satisfaction. A victory for successfully showing her new self to Iris. Zoe was no longer the disheveled individual she had encountered, who garnered disdain due to her perceived inferiority."That's impossible! You don't lo
Zoe smoothed her cream-colored skirt and blazer. Darcy's choice, so Zoe wouldn't appear intimidating or grim.She felt nervous, as she could see from a distance how journalists were crowding in front of the courthouse. They were undoubtedly waiting for the enigmatic figure of Zoe Anderson. There were no images of Zoe in the news because there was no documentation of Zoe's case.Due to her prior injuries and hospitalization, Zoe did not attend the trial as a suspect. No one recorded her face or bothered to find out at the hospital because the case clearly made her a suspect.Zoe also ran her fingers through her hair, which was back to being blonde. She wasn't wearing a wig today. It was the first time she would appear without her black hair, and honestly, it made Zoe even more nervous. It felt like she was removing the mask that had protected her. Zoe would be Zoe in front of everyone, no longer Loria.Wolf, who had been observing Zoe's nervousness, said, "Your be
"He's trying to save himself! So cunning!" Wolf hissed irritably.It was clear from Iris's statement that she only wanted to save herself by blaming Max and Billy."She made them look like she was under pressure to hide the truth about Zoe. Iris then used that pressure as an excuse to justify all her strange actions. She hid from her mistakes by using mental health as an excuse." Sara shook her head, looking annoyed. She was obviously upset when someone used mental health as a lie."She managed to escape using a lifeboat before her ship really sank." Cliff looked at Iris, who continued to sob and cry amidst her words."It doesn't matter. Let it be," Zoe said, folding her arms and staring at the television without blinking."What do you mean, let it be? She's lying again!" Wolf also pointed to the television with a disapproving face."At least she has been honest, especially about me. Whatever she said makes things right; just let it be," Zoe repeated.
"Why so fast?" Zoe stared at the summons she had received in panic.When Benson mentioned that she would receive a summons to attend court, Zoe assumed the trial would take place maybe around one or two months later, but it turned out to be only three days later and effective in two days."I think Benson waited until his file was complete before calling you. That's why now he just has to submit it to the court, and the schedule comes down immediately," Cliff explained. He took the letter from her hand to examine it."I only have to come once, right?"Zoe asked to confirm, as she really didn't want to attend the trial multiple times."Yes, that's why I asked to meet with the psychiatrist who treated you. I need to ask them to answer questions about your condition well. They have to give the right answers for the judge to grant the request," Cliff explained today's plan."I think they'll be here soon. She said they still had a patient earlier,