Ken Lowell was used to being overbearing, and her words were laced with thinly veiled threats.
Zoe Lancaster couldn’t muster a response. Even if divorcing now meant the agreement was void, putting the contract aside... her heart still trembled at the thought.
A flash of anger finally broke through Simon Hawthorne’s usual composure. "Mother! I said this is my business! It is my life. I am no longer a child you can manipulate at will, so please respect my decisions."
He rarely let his emotions show so openly.
The sight made Peyton Joyce’s heart ache fiercely. Simon actually... didn’t want a divorce. Was he taking this stance just to defy Ken Lowell, or did he simply not want to let Zoe go? She didn’t dare to think deeper into it.
Ken Lowell looked stunned, visibly taken aback for a moment. After a long while, she shot a resentful glare at Zoe, as if she were the chief culprit. "Fine, just fine. You really have some nerve. I’ve underestimated you."
Ignoring Simon’s outburst, she turned and marched away. But the seed had already been planted. No one knew how or when it would erupt in the future.
Peyton gave Simon a complicated look. "Simon, it’s my fault. I was so worried about your terrible condition that Mrs. Hawthorne noticed. She forced the truth out of me. I’m sorry."
In a foul mood, Simon simply gave a curt reply. "It has nothing to do with you. She would have found out sooner or later."
"I’ll go check on her," Peyton murmured. Before leaving, she shot Zoe an incredibly complex glance. Zoe didn’t miss the look in Peyton’s eyes—it was a mixture of shock and deep resentment. But Zoe didn’t have the mental energy to dwell on it.
While she was lost in thought, Simon stepped in front of her. His dark eyes were unfathomable as he stated calmly, "I wasn’t speaking out of anger with her."
Zoe didn’t understand what he meant at first, and Simon didn’t elaborate. It took a long time for his words to fully sink in. When Simon told Ken Lowell that he absolutely would not get a divorce, he wasn’t just talking back to defy her. He... genuinely meant it.
After Ken’s dramatic outburst, Zoe felt even more overwhelmed. There was a signed contract between them, and she desperately needed that money. Even putting her feelings for Simon aside, she was still under his control. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have stood there and taken the scolding. She knew exactly where she stood.
The next day.
Zoe arrived at the hospital early. Simon was still asleep; he was scheduled to be discharged the following day. She went downstairs to pay the medical bills. It was a rare, beautiful sunny day, so Zoe stepped outside to enjoy the fresh breeze. She spaced out for a while, and just as she stood up to head back upstairs, a harsh voice called out, "Zoe Lancaster!"
Zoe turned her head, and her expression shifted subtly when she saw the man rushing toward her. He was in his early forties, with disheveled hair, a scar across his face, and a look of pure fury. "Where is Claire Sutton? Where did you hide them?!"
He had been in Kingsford for two days, asking around for Claire’s whereabouts. When he couldn’t find Claire, he started tracking Zoe. After much effort, he discovered she had been visiting the hospital over the past two days and had deliberately staked out the place.
Zoe took a subtle step back. "Why are you looking for them? The trial starts in a couple of days. Leo Linden, stop your gambling and try to live a decent life." No matter what, this divorce was going to happen.
Leo’s face contorted with rage. "Bullshit! I’m not getting a divorce! If she tries to divorce me, I’ll kill her! And you too!" He pointed a finger at Zoe, his expression vicious. "Don’t think I don’t know it was you who egged her on! You destroyed my family and took my wife and child away. If my family falls apart, you’ll be the first one I kill!"
The man was clearly out of his mind with anger, his voice rising sharply. The commotion drew stares from people nearby. Kingsward Hospital’s security guards quickly rushed over. "This is a hospital! What are you yelling for? If you aren’t here to see a doctor, leave! If you keep causing trouble, we’re calling the cops!"
At the mere mention of the police, Leo flinched. He glared menacingly at Zoe. "Just you wait!" With that, he bolted away like a fugitive.
Zoe’s face was taut. She hadn’t expected Leo to be this deranged. After a moment of thought, she dialed Claire Sutton’s number. "Aunt Claire, Leo is already here. You and Autumn need to be extra careful so he doesn’t find you. Keep an eye out at Autumn’s school too. We’ll figure things out after the trial."
Claire was startled. Having suffered years of domestic violence, she had developed a stress response. "Zoe, did he find you?! Did that animal hurt you? If he dares to lay a finger on you, I won’t let him off, even if it kills me!" Her life was already ruined anyway. If Leo dared to go crazy, she would kill him herself!
Zoe comforted her softly. "No, I’m perfectly fine. Just don’t go out with Autumn until the trial."
Claire finally breathed a sigh of relief. "You be careful too, Zoe. I’m sorry for dragging you down..."
Zoe massaged her temples, forcing her tone to remain light. "It’s fine. I have Simon. You know how powerful he is, Aunt Claire. He’ll protect me."
Claire gradually calmed down. "That’s true, that’s true. He will keep you safe."
After hanging up, Zoe finally headed upstairs.
Not long after she left, Peyton Joyce slowly stepped out from behind a door in the inpatient lobby. She had just arrived at the hospital to visit Simon, only to see Zoe being cornered in a heated confrontation. The two of them seemed to have a deep-seated grudge. That man didn’t look like a good person at all. Peyton cast a thoughtful glance in the direction Leo had fled.
The caregiver, who had accompanied Peyton to the hospital carrying a food container, walked over from the parking lot. Seeing Peyton staring into the distance, lost in thought, she asked, "Miss Joyce? What are you looking at?"
Peyton’s eyes flickered before she finally withdrew her gaze. "Nothing. Let’s go. Simon loves osmanthus pastries. I made some for him; I’m sure he’ll like them."
*
The next day.
Zoe went to work as usual. Simon had already been discharged from the hospital. Although his wounds hadn’t completely healed, they basically didn’t affect his daily life. Being a complete workaholic, he immediately threw himself back into his job.
As for Zoe, aside from taking two days off to stay by his side at the hospital, she had been working her regular shifts. The moment she clocked out, she would rush straight to the hospital. She had barely rested over the past few days, and her nerves were stretched incredibly taut.
As a result, a heavy wave of drowsiness washed over her that afternoon. Sitting at her desk, Zoe felt her head grow incredibly heavy. Her eyelids kept fighting to close, and her head bobbed up and down in a doze. She was entirely unaware of how she looked.
When Miles Yates came down from the top floor for a meeting, he instinctively caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye. The woman was leaning back in her chair with her eyes closed, swaying uncontrollably. Her head bobbed from side to side without any support. His footsteps involuntarily came to a halt.
He had intended to head straight to the conference room. But seeing Zoe’s head suddenly pitch to the right—still completely asleep and on the verge of falling over—Miles frowned slightly. His body reacted faster than his brain, and he swiftly strode toward her.
Just as Zoe’s head was about to slam into the desk, Miles reached out, his palm instantly catching her falling head. Her cheek rested against his hand. The touch of her smooth, warm, and soft skin was unmistakable. Still fast asleep, she unconsciously nuzzled against his palm like a needy kitten.
Miles’s body stiffened slightly. His deep eyes stared intensely at her face. Even he realized that a taboo thought was threatening to tear through his well-bred manners and self-restraint.