He rarely forgave Zoe, but surprisingly, she rejected him. Zoe withdrew her slender finger. Mason’s patience was not without its limits, “What on earth do you want from me?”Zoe answered, “I want a divorce!”His work was demanding enough. Now, Zoe insisted on not going back home with him. Also, he had trouble finding the right cuff links this morning. Mason was about to pull his hair out. He was going to lose it when he saw Cecil chatting with a nurse in front of a white BMW in the parking lot. Mason was ticked off even more and clicked his tongue. At that moment, his phone rang. It was Ava. He answered the call and said, “What?”Ava said, “Ms. Lilith fell to the ground when she was getting out of her bed earlier. She might’ve hurt the nerves in her legs. She’s in a foul mood now. Do you want to visit her at Hucksburgh? She might be happy to see you.”Mason held his phone and said nothing. Needless to say, he did not want to upset Zoe. However, she heard everything because
Zoe sold the house two days later. It was worth fifty million, but the buyer haggled the price to twenty-eight million. Mia thought the buyer was too rtuhless, but Zoe gritted her teeth and sold it anyway. Noah was still in prison, and he could not afford to wait. Aside from his lawyer fee, she needed money to support her family. Under the stress of multiple predicaments, Zoe had no choice but to sell. She found a way to meet Noah after selling the house. Noah was a dashing, dignified young man who used to always have a pack of rich ladies at his heels. Looked a tad washed out, he was now talking to Zoe through a glass partition. “Find Liam. He’s a lawyer. He can help both of us, Zoe.”…She was about to ask more, but time was up. They were taking Noah back to his cell. He looked at Zoe, unwilling to leave her alone. Everyone in the family loved and cherished her ever since she was young, but now she had to take up the responsibility of caring for the entire family. Noah read
Mason pinched her delicate chin before she could react and said, “Are you going to prostitute yourself?”Zoe was trembling, but she could not deny what he said. He leaned in close and muttered as if they were lovers. “Who’s going to buy your service? Everyone in Brookesville knows you’re my wife. Who would dare lay their fingers on you? “Moreover, are you sure you can bear the touch of another man? Men who frequent prostitutes go right into the main action, much as how we did it on the night we got married. It was so painful for you. Did you forget about it already? ”Zoe paled. She could never forget how tough he was with her. He was taking revenge on her. She almost died that night. Mason stopped when he saw that his intimidation had done its job. He released her and fondled her cheeks gently. “Return to me. We can go back to the way things were.” Zoe’s neck stiffened. She saw a brand new violin in the bookshelf across the room. She recalled the news saying that he spent twen
Zoe looked undignified while Mason was dressed fully. There was merely a slight wet stain on his pants, revealing a hint of lewdness. Her hands trembling uncontrollably, Zoe was having a problem gripping the buttons on her shirt.He merely stood by and did nothing to help. He habitually felt around for his cufflinks and frowned when he could not find them. He still had not found them, but he was not about to ask her and make himself look incompetent.Much time had passed when Zoe was finally done tidying herself up. She looked at Mason, who was staring at her too. It was impossible to read him. Zoe had no intention of doing so either. She said, disheartened, “I’m tired, Mason! Let’s split up on good terms!” With that, she left the office.Mason did not stop her this time. He merely stood there and watched as she left. He smiled coldly after a long time had passed. It was typical for divorced couples to tear each other down. There was no such thing as splitting up on good terms!…
Zoe was good-looking and she played the violin very well. The person in charge paid her three hundred dollars for each show. He would ask her to play for three or four shows every day if business was good. That resulted in her playing violin for six hours a day. Calluses and blisters formed on her fingers from it.It was a hard life and she was occupied all the time, but she had never regretted her actions. She never gave a call to Mason, nor did he call her. From time to time, she would read news about him attending banquets and acquiring other companies.He looked stunning and arrogant in these events. She used to accompany him to such events in the past, her heart leaping from glancing at his dashing looks. Be that as it may, all she felt now was distant and strange.…It was evening. Zoe sat quietly on the top floor of the hospital. A can of iced Coke stood next to her. She rarely used to drink sodas because it was not exactly healthy, but she would drink one from time to time
It was probably because Lilith attracted too much attention to herself that Lisa decided to take matters into her own hands. She sought out Zoe.Zoe was performing in a supermarket. She was wearing a cheap dress the company rented for her, and her hands were bandaged up as well. Who would have thought that she was the former wife of the director of Lockwood Corporation?Lisa stood where she performed with a solemn face. Zoe halted for a second when she saw Lisa. Nevertheless, she continued to play her violin. During the intermission, Lisa walked over and said coldly, “There’s a coffee shop outside. I’ll wait for you there.” Then, she left.Zoe continued to clean her violin. One of her colleagues got worried, leaned in, and whispered, “Are you caught in a mess, Zoe? She looked like she meant trouble!” She shook her head and smiled faintly, “It’s fine! She’s my… friend.” Her colleague did not really buy her story.She changed into her usual attire and went to the coffee shop outsid
The window was lowered halfway and Mason’s arrogant face could be seen. He wore a black and white suit, as though he had attended a formal function. He looked very relaxed, which made Zoe look worse in comparison.They locked gazes silently on the rainy night. Zoe’s lips were trembling from the cold. She wrapped her hands around her violin tightly as if it were the last glimmer of hope in her otherwise bleak life. It was clear Mason was giving her an opportunity. All she had to do now was to yield and get in his car. Then, she would get a clean towel and a cup of hot water. She would not need to perform in a supermarket tomorrow morning. She could sleep on the grand, soft bed until she woke up. She could be his wife again.However, she did not want that!Zoe stood in the rain and looked at him wordlessly. The rain got heavier. It dripped on their eyelids and blurred their visions. After about a minute, Zoe shielded her head with a hand and started running in the rain.She ran and
Zoe ran all the way back to the place she rented. Mia was standing there with an umbrella, waiting for her. Zoe slowed down and asked, “What are you doing here, Mia?” They went back home together and Mia gave her a clean towel to dry her hair, “I’m worried about you. It’s raining so heavily. Why didn’t you hail a cab?”Zoe said lightly, “It’s hard to get one when it’s raining.” Mia urged her to take a bath. She gave Zoe a bowl of hot chicken soup afterward. She hesitated a little before asking, “Any updates about the divorce?”Zoe froze for a second before continuing to drink the soup and said lightly, “He wouldn’t agree to the divorce! I can’t seem to find a lawyer who’s willing to take my case too, but I’ve filed for separation. It’ll last two years. It doesn’t matter about what he thinks, I will divorce him.” Mia left it at that. She looked at Zoe’s wounds, treated them, and felt a lump in her throat. Zoe had been the best student in a music academy back in the day. Many
Zion and Gwen's marriage seemed inevitable, with no one putting up any resistance. Occasionally, Gwen even had a strange illusion.It all went so smoothly that the years of separation seemed like they had never happened, as if she and Zion had always been together. After their reunion, he didn’t even ask her about her life abroad and treated her just as he did before.She was no longer as youthful and tender, but Zion still saw her as if she were a 20-year-old girl. Gwen felt a bit dejected, thinking to herself, he must just like girls around 18-year-old.But unfortunately, the spring river flows eastward and cannot return!Zion only smiled.In winter, the days grew shorter. After work, Gwen arrived at Zion's villa, but he had not yet come home. The two housekeepers had already started preparing dinner.When Gwen got out of the car, she received a call from Zion. Her voice was soft and tender.“When will you be back?”On the other end, Zion checked the time and said, “I’ll be
Zion noticed Gwen gazing at him with those wide, expectant eyes again. With a chuckle, he reached into the pocket of his trench coat, pulled out a sleek wallet, and carefully extracted a platinum card. He placed it in her outstretched hand and said with a smile, “This is my secondary card. There’s no credit limit.” Gwen gasped softly, then teased, “Wow, aren’t you generous? Thank you, Teacher Qin.” Zion gave her a light tap on the head. Not missing a beat, Gwen wrapped her arms around his neck and grinned mischievously, “Thank you, my sugar daddy.” Zion’s response was to pull her close, cupping her cheeks as he kissed her fiercely. Though he once carried himself as an educator and now as a refined businessman, he found himself utterly smitten by her playful antics. After the kiss, Zion leaned close to Gwen's ear and murmured something uncharacteristically crude that sent a shiver down her spine. He playfully nipped her nose. “Turns out you’ve got a thing for bad boy
Zion could sense Gwen’s cautiousness and chuckled softly. Then, he cupped her face and planted a firm kiss on her lips. “Don’t worry, I won’t touch you. We agreed to save that for our wedding night. Besides, I just drank last night, so I probably wouldn’t be much use. I want your first time to be special, so I’ll make sure I’m well-prepared.” Gwen’s cheeks turned crimson. She buried her face in his chest, mumbling, “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” How peculiar! Back then, even though they were together, their relationship had always been proper and restrained. But now, here they were, sharing a bed, their bodies so intimately close it was both thrilling and embarrassing. Gwen had never experienced this before. Zion seemed to understand her thoughts. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “I haven’t either. Before the wedding night, I’ll make sure to study hard.” Gwen didn’t dare ask how he planned to “study,” though she had a pretty good idea—i
Zion maintained a respectful demeanor and immediately greeted, “Mr. Noah.” Noah, however, didn’t make things difficult for him. He gave a light cough, which could be considered acknowledgment. Then, turning to his youngest daughter, he said, “Go upstairs first. Your mother’s been waiting for you all night; she probably has something to say to you.” Gwen hesitated and didn’t move at first. Zion gently nudged her, his voice soft, “You should go.” Only then did Gwen start to move. But before heading upstairs, she walked over to Noah. As the youngest daughter and the most adept at charming her way out of trouble, she hugged her father. Only then, with visible reluctance, did she head upstairs. Her father’s anger dissipated by more than half after the hug. Watching her go, Noah turned his attention to Zion, his tone calm but firm: “Have a seat. Let’s talk.” Zion immediately sat down and, with practiced ease, poured Noah a cup of tea. Noah feigned irritation and remarked, “
But Gwen was not satisfied.With reddened eyes, she pitifully asked again, "Are you married? Is there someone else by your side? Do you still love me?"As she asked, she was more persistent than before, yet it made the man's heart ache even more.Zion remembered that when they parted ways, Gwen was still an innocent, naive girl. Now, however, she was willing to ask such direct and revealing questions. The braver she became, the more pain he felt in his heart.Zion no longer teased her. He looked into her eyes and answered seriously."No, I'm not married. There's no one else by my side. Her leg healed, and she got married earlier this year. And yes, I still love you. Very much."...Gwen's eyes turned even redder.Her voice trembled as she said, "That doesn't mean I have to be with you. I'm still mad at you."Zion took a step forward and gently wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes. It had been five years, and now she had become a teary little kitten. He remembered how
At that moment, Gwen was completely flustered. She didn’t understand what Zion meant, nor did she understand why he was deliberately getting close to her. She wanted to ask, but before she could, Zion had already led her out of the car. The restaurant arranged by the school leadership was nearby, just off campus. Gwen had been there with Zion before, but not in a private room. Returning to an old haunt brought a sense of nostalgia. Zion walked side by side with Gwen. He was six-foot tall, and she was about five-foot-five. They made for a strikingly good-looking pair. Considering their history, the school leaders naturally couldn’t resist teasing them a bit. Gwen felt slightly uncomfortable and replied, "We were young and foolish." Over the years, Zion had grown seasoned in the business world, exuding an effortless charm. He responded with a light smile, "I wonder if we can pick up where we left off—still holding a grudge?" As soon as those words were said, the schoo
After running away in a flurry that night, Gwen retreated into her home, avoiding the world outside for several days. Her father, Noah, meanwhile, busied himself with his new hobby of keeping turtles—purchased on a whim after his wife, Gwynn, teased him for being too old. In an attempt to prove his youth, Noah even released the turtles back into the wild one evening, making a point of marking one with the name "Zion" on its shell in a bold act of petty revenge. Gwynn, ever the pragmatist, found the gesture immature and pointless, but it brought him a fleeting sense of satisfaction. Gwen, however, was unaware of the antics her father had indulged in. All she knew was that her father had been unusually concerned during her self-imposed seclusion, urging her to get out and take a break. Noah's insistence that she shouldn’t remain cooped up at home was an attempt to draw her back into the world, to reconnect with life. But she couldn’t shake the weight of everything that had transp
In the lounge, Gwen curled up in Tegan’s embrace, crying silently. Tegan gently stroked her smooth black hair, sighing softly. “If you really like him, I’ll help you talk to him.”Gwen sobbed quietly, “Dad will say you’re being rebellious.”Tegan paused for a moment, then replied, “Your brother will help me, won’t he?”Gwen clung to Tegan, continuing to cry softly. She remembered that today was Yeager’s full moon celebration and decided to cry for just a little while. After all, who hasn’t shed tears in their youth?At that moment, there was a knock at the door. From the sound of it, the person outside had a very refined aura. Tegan immediately guessed who it was; it certainly wasn’t her husband. She gently rubbed Gwen’s head. “I’ll go answer it.”When Tegan opened the door, as expected, it was Zion standing outside. The two locked eyes, and after a moment of silence, Tegan calmly spoke, “You two talk.” Zion nodded.In the quiet lounge, the soft sound of Gwen’s crying fill
The following August. It was the party for Ocelotte and Molly's child. Molly had given birth to a boy, named Yeager Sanders, a name chosen by her eldest brother-in-law, Lorian. She was very fond of the name. As for Lorian and Tegan's youngest son, he was named Fergus Sanders. Yeager and Fergus were the next generation of boys in the Sanders family. However, the first child was still Lola, the one and only little princess. She loved following Gwen around. The little girl was now three and a half years old and about to start kindergarten. On the day of Yeager's party, Gwen was still taking Lola around, but she unexpectedly ran into an old acquaintance. It had truly been a long time. Since the year Zion had left for another country, although they had occasionally bumped into each other, they hadn’t had the chance for a proper meeting. How many years had passed? Gwen didn't dare to think about it, nor did she want to calculate. She vaguely felt it had been four