Here is the translated and edited Chapter, tailored for a seamless, publication-ready reading experience:
Hearing her words, Simon Hawthorne narrowed his eyes. The dim lighting in the hallway made his exquisitely handsome, almost ethereal face look exceptionally dangerous. Instead of answering, he stepped forward, ignoring Zoe Lancaster’s shock as he stalked into the room.
He forced her to retreat step by step.
Zoe’s heart pounded with alarm. She looked up at him. The man’s towering height was deeply oppressive, almost completely blocking the light from the entryway. She could only watch helplessly as Simon elegantly closed the door behind him.
His deep eyes locked onto her until she had nowhere left to run.
Only then did Simon lean down. His long, elegant fingers cupped the back of her neck, gently caressing her skin. "Burning bridges, Zoe Lancaster? Is that your only trick?"
A shiver ran down her spine at his words, but Zoe steadied her nerves. "I’m just pointing out a reasonable possibility. After all, it was stated very clearly in our contract. If I violate the secret marriage agreement, the liability falls on me. But today’s events weren’t driven by my personal desires. Simon, this is on you."
Since this involved money, she needed to make the boundaries absolutely clear.
Simon stared at her quietly for a long moment. His absentminded caress against the back of her neck never paused. He didn’t seem angry; in fact, he appeared perfectly composed.
"So, you didn’t want me to step forward and acknowledge our marriage today?"
The question left Zoe momentarily speechless.
She couldn’t deny it.
Once upon a time, she had desperately wanted to stand by his side in the light of day. It had always been an impossible dream. Yet now—now that she had finally gotten what she wanted, her heart only felt emptier.
Simon’s lips curled into a faint, mocking smile. "Logically speaking, you should have been eagerly waiting for a day like this. Why are you suddenly so reluctant now?"
Zoe furrowed her brows and tried to push him away.
Instead, Simon simply pulled her into his arms, forcing her to sit squarely on his lap. His voice remained as cold as ice. "Is it because of Miles Yates? The dignified President Yates didn’t hesitate to drag his own reputation through the mud to confess his feelings to you in public. He certainly makes for a fine backup plan."
He absentmindedly toyed with the buttons of her blouse near her waist. It was a highly suggestive gesture, making it feel as though he might violently tear her clothes off in the next second, yet his expression remained as aristocratic as ever.
Zoe grabbed his wandering hand. "President Yates doesn’t feel that way about me. I was in a difficult situation today, and he simply used a graceful method to help me dispel those nasty rumors. Stop jumping to conclusions."
She genuinely didn’t believe Miles actually had feelings for her. He was a true gentleman; there was no way he could have just stood by and watched her suffer.
"It seems that in your eyes, he’s quite the gentleman."
"Is he not?"
At her retort, Simon’s eyes darkened considerably. Zoe might have been oblivious, but the words Miles Yates had spoken directly to him today clearly laid bare his ambitions. That man absolutely harbored illicit intentions toward her.
Yet here was Zoe, looking so frustratingly innocent and naive. She wouldn’t even realize it if Miles tricked her.
That man was harboring ulterior motives! He was just one step away from openly declaring war and admitting he wanted to steal another man’s wife.
After a long moment of silence, Simon suddenly bit down on the crook of Zoe’s neck. "Stay away from him," he demanded, his voice dangerously hoarse.
A jolt of electricity shot through Zoe’s body, causing her to shudder. She had never been able to withstand his teasing and nearly let out a soft moan. Still, her shock won out. "Simon, are you... jealous?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief.
The man buried against her neck paused. His biting softened into a teasing lick. He didn’t bother answering her question—likely scoffing at the very idea. Instead, he mocked softly, "Should I thoroughly take you a few times? Maybe then you’ll stop entertaining thoughts of cheating on me."
Her legs grew weak as she gasped for breath. "The contract..."
Simon lifted his gaze, his impatience plainly written in his eyes. "The contract only stipulates a three-year marriage. Keeping it a secret was merely a verbal agreement. You’ll get your money."
"You couldn’t have gotten out of paying me anyway," she retorted.
Receiving such a definitive answer finally allowed Zoe to breathe a sigh of relief. She had worked so hard to endure everything up to this point. She wasn’t going to lose a single cent of the compensation she deserved.
With that thought in mind, she didn’t hesitate for a second. She pushed the already aroused man away and stood up briskly. Catching a peripheral glimpse of the impressive bulge tenting his suit trousers, she said calmly, "As long as we’re clear. I’m going to sleep now. Make yourself at home, Mr. Hawthorne."
Her main concern had been that the public exposure would be deemed a breach of contract. Now that he had personally promised it wouldn’t affect her payout, there was no need for her to keep playing along.
The kidnapping incident had put a lot of things into perspective for her. She was tired of constantly being at the mercy of others.
Simon watched the woman turn her back on him so heartlessly, his brows knitting together in a rare display of surprise. Since when had he ever been so abruptly brushed off?
Zoe didn’t care what was going through his head. She retreated to her bedroom and had just prepared to lie down when the door was forcefully shoved open. Before she could even react, a heavy weight pinned her down onto the mattress, rendering her completely immobile.
She frowned, instinctively twisting and struggling beneath him. Her clothes bunched up in the chaos, exposing swaths of snow-white skin. "What are you doing?"
Simon stared down at her darkly, his jaw tight as if he were grinding his teeth. "You usually never reject me like this. Are you really going to tell me that Miles Yates hasn’t influenced you?"
Startled, Zoe’s eyes flew wide open in indignation. "What does he have to do with this?!"
"You keep bringing up divorce. Is it because you want to pursue something with him once we’re done? Do you have any idea what his true nature is? He puts on a tiny act, and suddenly you’re completely smitten?"
Faced with his barrage of accusations, Zoe’s temper flared, and she cast all caution to the wind. "President Yates knows how to take care of people! He’s a perfect gentleman, and he actually respects others! What gives you the right to think he isn’t worthy of being liked?"
"Zoe Lancaster!"
"We only have five months left! Our divorce is just a matter of time! When that day comes, whoever I choose to be with will be none of your business, and you can finally go sweep your precious first love off her feet! Do you really think forcing yourself on me right now is fair to the woman you’ve been pining to marry?"
Zoe bared her claws, her every word sharp and leaving absolutely no room for compromise.
It was incredibly rare to see Simon genuinely furious. His gaze turned lethally cold, sharp enough to pierce right through her. The hand gripping her slender waist unconsciously tightened, as if he were trying desperately to restrain himself. His terrifying demeanor made Zoe’s heart skip a frightened beat.
She instinctively shoved at his chest.
He caught her wrists instantly. Moving swiftly, he seized her chin, the web of his hand locking her head in place. His slightly hoarse voice was undeniably sexy, yet it harbored a terrifying undertone. "You don’t want me to touch you?"
Zoe forcefully jerked her head away, enunciating every syllable. "No. I don’t."
A heavy silence fell over the expansive executive suite. The only sound was the harsh rhythm of their breathing.
After what felt like an eternity, a sharp ringtone pierced the quiet.
It was his phone.
Simon continued to stare her down, remaining perfectly still until the phone rang for the third time. It had to be something urgent. Only then did he finally release her. His expression was completely blank as he sat up on the edge of the bed, his aura as cold as frost. Without bothering to step out of the room, he answered the call right there.
"What is it?" he demanded, his voice still simmering with suppressed rage.
Because they were still so close to each other, and because the room was dead silent, Zoe clearly heard the voice on the other end of the line.
"Mr. Hawthorne! Something terrible has happened! Miss Joyce... she attempted suicide and has been rushed to the hospital!"