All Chapters of The Comeback Code: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Watching Yvonne walk off, Zayn took a step after her, then stopped himself. No way he was gonna chase her.Snow whipped around him, piling up like it wanted to bury him right there.‘Babe, don’t be sad. No matter where I go, you’re the only one I’ll ever love…’‘Just wait for me, okay? Two years, that’s all. When I come back, let’s start a family.’Those sweet promises now felt like knives twisting in his chest.After a long, cold silence, Zayn chucked the bouquet into a nearby trash can.“So, I was an idiot,” he muttered.If she’d moved on that quick, there was nothing left to fight for. A girl like that? Not worth it.***In the hospital room, Zayn sat beside his grandma, his eyes red as he tried to get her to eat. His voice cracked. "Grandma, I made this cream soup myself. Just one more bite, okay?"Dr. Stone had warned him her condition was bad—whether she'd make it through the night was uncertain.“Zayn,” she murmured, staring out at the snowfall. “When’s Yvonne coming

Inside an apartment in Gimley Gardens, Zayn was packing up.This used to be his home with Yvonne, but now he couldn't get out of there fast enough.Knock, knock, knock.He opened the door and found a woman standing there, bundled in a scarf and huge sunglasses—like she was trying way too hard to look incognito. Behind her were two men, a weird pair: one tall and skinny, the other short and round, like some mismatched duo from an old sitcom."Uh, who are you guys?" Zayn asked, frowning."Mr. Zayn, we're with the Quandt family's security team," the short and round man said."The Quandt family?" Zayn raised an eyebrow.He'd just hung up with Edward, and these guys were already here?The man seemed to pick up on his surprise. "Our employer has a... considerable network. Finding you wasn't hard."We're here on Mr. Edward's orders to escort you and your fiancée to Cloudcrest Estate tomorrow."Fiancée? Zayn glanced at the woman wrapped up like a celebrity in hiding, and it clicked—t

"Your ex-wife seems to care about you," Amelia smirked.Zayn didn't answer. He just looked at her and said, "I'll wait for you in the Audi up ahead. After this, we'll head straight to Cloudcrest Estate. We might be there a while, so if you need to check in with your manager, do it now."He turned and headed toward the nearby Audi.After chatting with Kate and snapping a few photos with fans, Amelia slid into the Quandt family's Audi, shielded by her bodyguards.In the back of the black A8, Zayn and Amelia sat in silence, each lost in thought. Zayn stared out the window, his mind churning. His grandma's death, the mess of his marriage, the upcoming meeting—it all simmered beneath the surface, fueling his irritation.Years of searching for Bubbles had led nowhere, but his grandma's letter offered a new clue—still too vague to solve the mystery. Now Edward was promising more, though Zayn couldn't tell if it was genuine hope or just bait to pull him back into the family fold.Zayn's

Cloudcrest Estate was just as extra as Zayn had pictured. The place was this wild mashup of Khelmarian class and bold northern flair—like someone threw together all the fancy and dramatic elements they could find, complete with endless hallways and insane carvings.While they walked, Nathan filled him in on the lowdown of the Quandt family. They were one of Longoria's Big Five, along with the Arden, Blanco, Windsor, and Tayvor families—basically the ultra-elite, running the show in the city.Zayn's father, Edward Quandt, was the second son in the family but clawed his way to the top after battling it out with his brothers.After he came back to Longoria, he'd married the youngest Tayvor daughter and had two sons and a daughter with her. So technically, Zayn had two half-brothers and a half-sister, not that he cared. He was here for one reason: to get answers about Bubbles from Edward.After a ten-minute walk, they stopped in front of a three-story villa."Today’s your father’s bir

Edward ignored Fred and turned to Zayn."Zayn, I brought you back into this family, not to stir up chaos. If you don't have a good explanation, you'll be taking the punishment Nathan just saved you from."Zayn met Edward's gaze, a smirk forming. "Twenty years later, and you're still the same. For you, it's always been about the Quandt family."For a moment, guilt flickered in Edward's eyes. "I'll admit I hold some blame for what happened today. But you crossed the line."Zayn said flatly, "If I told you Cole hired four hitmen to stage a car accident and nearly got me killed, would you still say I went too far?"The room froze.Cole's face twisted with rage. "You lying piece of crap! Framing me to dodge punishment? That's low, even for you!"Zayn locked eyes with him, his own gaze ice-cold. "I'm telling the truth.""Oh yeah? Then show us some proof. Words don't cut it!" Cole shot back. "And why would I want you dead, anyway? I don't like you, but that doesn't mean I'd go that fa