THUMP.
Zoe Lancaster’s heart skipped a beat, hanging in suspense for a fleeting second.
Before she could even react, the man sitting on the edge of the bed abruptly stood up. He grabbed his coat and strode out without a backward glance, completely forgetting she was even there.
His voice betrayed undeniable anger and urgency. "I don’t care what it takes, make sure she’s taken care of! Nothing can go wrong!"
SLAM!
The bedroom door was slammed shut.
Zoe could only hear the sound of her own heartbeat, growing faster and heavier. Struggling to sit up, she smoothed out the clothes he had just rumpled, staring blankly in the direction Simon Hawthorne had left.
Peyton Joyce—
Suicide?
Why?
An answer practically leaped into her mind.
Only now did she truly understand the depth of Simon’s care for Peyton. Whenever a choice had to be made, Peyton would always be his priority. Zoe’s own existence, it seemed, was nothing more than the most inconspicuous speck of dust.
Taking a deep breath, Zoe unlocked her phone. She had originally intended to check the trending topics regarding the public exposure of her marriage to Simon.
Instead, she was met with the number one trending search.
#Violin Prodigy, First Love of the Hawthorne Family Patriarch Commits Suicide#
The topic had blown up out of nowhere.
Zoe tapped into the tag and saw a video of Peyton being wheeled out of an ambulance. Her face wasn’t blurred out; it was deathly pale without a trace of color, looking just like a fragile glass doll.
The accompanying article, meanwhile, dragged an old piece of history into the spotlight.
"Simon Hawthorne, the Crown Prince of the Hawthorne Family, and the violin prodigy Peyton Joyce were childhood sweethearts. They had long since pledged their hearts to one another, considering each other the love of their lives, and shared a passionate, unforgettable romance. Later, Mr. Hawthorne married his current wife. Most marriages in wealthy families are out of one’s control, and it’s not our place to speculate on the reasons. However, the most sensational detail is that right after getting his marriage certificate, Mr. Hawthorne stayed by Peyton Joyce’s side in Kaelan, never leaving her for a single step. It’s evident that their relationship only ended because they were forced apart.
"A commercial marriage might not have any real affection, but his feelings for his first love were entirely genuine. Mr. Hawthorne’s marriage was just exposed, and immediately after, Miss Joyce attempted suicide. Could there be a connection?"
The comments section below was exploding.
The netizens who had been swooning over the wealthy couple earlier today had completely changed their tune, and speculations were running rampant.
— [So, you’re saying Mr. Hawthorne doesn’t love his current wife at all? He was forced to marry her? With their relationship being exposed today, I’m starting to suspect if the whole thing was staged by her...]
— [I followed this drama years ago! This Crown Prince of the Hawthorne Family was a mega-genius who got early admission in Kingsford. A lot of people at school knew about him. He always had a girl by his side back then, and it must have been Peyton Joyce.]
— [Because of that, I’m starting to wonder if Mr. Hawthorne and Peyton broke up because Zoe Lancaster played dirty and wedged herself between them, leading to this whole mess?]
— [The comment above makes total sense!! The timeline matches perfectly! Those two were a match made in heaven. Today the hidden marriage gets exposed, and right after, Miss Joyce attempts suicide. It really makes you think!]
— [Then it’s highly possible that Zoe Lancaster is a homewrecker who stole someone else’s man to get to the top! That’s disgusting!]
Staring at the glaring comments, Zoe exited X and curled up on the bed.
This was the terrifying nature of the internet. Things changed in the blink of an eye, and turning black into white was as easy as breathing. Just today, she had been the envied young madam of the Hawthorne Family, and the next second, she was reduced to a universally despised "homewrecker who schemed her way to the top."
Meanwhile, Peyton—the actual third party intruding on someone else’s marriage—had been painted as the perfect victim.
The X post about Peyton’s suicide attempt had hit the trending list over half an hour ago.
Simon had left so decisively. Did he not realize what kind of speculation and backlash she would face the moment he left her side?
Zoe barely slept a wink that night.
She bought a ticket for the earliest flight back to Kingsford. Stepping out of her room fully geared in a disguise, she checked out of the hotel and headed straight to the airport.
The flight from Seacliff to Kingsford took two hours. When she landed, it was just eight o’clock in the morning.
As soon as she walked out with her luggage, before she could even process what was happening, a massive horde of people swarmed her like predators spotting their prey. Armed with cameras and microphones, they completely boxed Zoe in.
"Miss Lancaster, did you return alone? Is Mr. Hawthorne not with you?"
"Miss Lancaster, has Mr. Hawthorne already gone to the hospital to accompany Miss Joyce? Are the speculations on X true?"
"Does Mr. Hawthorne abandoning you at a time like this confirm that your marriage is falling apart?"
Hidden behind her sunglasses, Zoe’s face looked dreadful. Exhausted from a sleepless night and the arduous journey, her lips were completely devoid of color. The barrage of questions from the surrounding media felt like tangible daggers, ruthlessly stabbing her until she bled.
She hadn’t expected that she still wouldn’t be able to avoid them. Now, mobbed by so many people at the airport and appearing entirely on her own, she had practically become the laughingstock of all of Kingsford.
Between her and Peyton, who held more weight in Simon’s heart? Wasn’t it painfully obvious to everyone?
"Miss Lancaster, please answer us! Was there an ulterior motive behind your marriage to Mr. Hawthorne?"
The reporter’s question was incredibly sharp.
Zoe pursed her lips, fighting the urge to collapse. "I have the right to remain silent. Please step aside."
But her voice was quickly drowned out. No one was willing to let go of this explosive scoop.
A constant ringing echoed in Zoe’s ears. A wave of powerlessness dragged at her, and she was on the verge of collapsing.
That was, until a voice cut through the noise.
"Get lost! If any of you dares to write a single word of nonsense today, the Yates Family will hold every single one of you accountable!" The chilling male voice brought a sudden hush to the chaotic scene. Moments later, bodyguards swiftly moved in, scattering the entertainment reporters.
Zoe looked up in a daze. Jules Yates, who was supposed to be filming abroad, was striding toward her. Without a word, he pulled her into his arms to shield her, his usually laid-back and cynical face now completely frosty.
There wasn’t a single person present who didn’t recognize the man before them. He was the youngest actor to ever win Best Actor in the entertainment industry. As the youngest son of the Yates Family in Portellis, his background was unshakeable.
With that single threat, the crowd was struck with terror, actually lowering their cameras.
Practically drained of all strength, Zoe leaned against Jules for support. He looked down at her, his eyes swirling with complex emotions—the most prominent of which was sheer heartache. "I’ll take you home."
Zoe nodded and followed Jules into the car. Seemingly oblivious to the fact that Jules looked ready to explode with rage, she asked lightly, "Why are you back?"
Jules turned to look at her. "If I hadn’t come back, would you have just let that mob chew you up and spit out your bones?"
He had actually seen the news yesterday and immediately had a bad feeling. He bought the earliest ticket back, assuming Zoe would stay in Seacliff for the time being to lay low. His flight from abroad couldn’t go directly to Seacliff, so he had just landed in Kingsford for a layover—only to run straight into this mess.
Zoe pushed up her sunglasses and offered a small, forced smile. "I’m not a kid. You think a little problem like this can knock me down?"
Without warning, a hand reached out. Caught off guard, Zoe’s sunglasses were plucked from her face, revealing her beautiful, red-rimmed eyes, brimming with tears she had stubbornly refused to let fall.
Helplessness. Confusion. Sorrow. Despair.
With her vulnerability completely laid bare, Zoe froze as her tears suddenly spilled over, falling one after another.
Jules gripped the sunglasses tightly, his heart aching so much he could barely breathe. Through gritted teeth, he snarled, "I’m going to go kill that bastard Simon right now. I’ll send him down to keep that manipulative bitch company!"