Simon Hawthorne’s words left Zoe Lancaster stunned. She did indeed care about that incident—after all, it was their marital home. What had happened was as nauseating as being force-fed dirt. She had spent countless sleepless nights over it, but only after learning about Peyton Joyce’s unborn child did her heart truly turn to ashes.
But now... Did he mean that the whole thing was a misunderstanding?
A chill ran down Peyton’s spine. An unspeakable embarrassment flushed her cheeks before her face instantly drained of color, turning ashen. She never expected that the landmine she had planted would ultimately blow up in her own face.
Simon had brought her here just so she, the person involved, could explain everything to Zoe herself! Because he knew better than anyone that if he tried to explain it, Zoe wouldn’t believe him; she would only see it as a cheap excuse to smooth things over.
Yet, by doing this, he had essentially slapped Peyton in the face, breaking her heart.
She couldn’t help but recall that day. She had cast her pride aside and gone upstairs to find him, desperate to claim the man she had been infatuated with for years—even willing to offer her body to him!
Back then, however, Simon had stopped her. He had worn an unforgettable look of utter indifference, without the slightest hint of desire. "Peyton, don’t throw away your dignity."
He had told her not to throw away her dignity, but those very words had stripped her of all her pride! He had rejected her advances, leaving her feeling utterly ridiculous.
As her thoughts gradually returned to the present, she buried the deep-seated resentment she harbored toward Zoe and looked up.
"Simon and me?" Peyton said, a stiff smile forming on her lips. "Nothing has happened between us lately. Is there some sort of misunderstanding?"
She furrowed her brows, looking disappointed and incredulous. "Zoe, what kind of people do you take us for? Given the current situation, we know our boundaries!"
Looking at Peyton’s feigned indignation, Zoe figured that nothing had actually happened that day. The servants had probably just misread the situation and started a rumor. But that incident was merely the spark. What had ultimately pushed her into the abyss was the fact that Peyton and Simon had once shared a child.
As for the "boundaries" Peyton claimed to draw, Zoe found it quite laughable. If Peyton truly knew her boundaries, how could she—the other woman—try to persuade Zoe, the legitimate wife, to leave Simon?
She suddenly realized that Peyton was far more scheming than she had imagined. Peyton played the role of a frail, harmless victim so well, but her actions proved she was anything but simple.
"Whether you have boundaries or not has nothing to do with me anymore. I’m not the one who did anything wrong. Even if something were going on between you two, you’re the ones who would face judgment. The ’true love’ label doesn’t hold up so well in the face of basic decency and morals."
She really didn’t care anymore. It turned out there was a time limit on everything. Once the best window for an explanation passed, any words spoken afterward felt cheap and meaningless.
Zoe turned around and walked back to her room.
Watching her slender figure retreat, Simon felt a harsh squeeze in his chest. He took a deep, heavy breath, his brows knitting tightly together—whether out of anger or helplessness, he couldn’t tell.
Everything had been explained clearly. Why was she still acting like this?
Zoe didn’t care what Simon was thinking. The moment she returned to her room, she quickly pulled out Mrs. Lewis’s phone and logged into her own WhatsApp. Just as expected, a flood of messages poured in immediately.
Most were from Crystal Hayes. Then came texts from Jules Yates, as well as her aunt and Autumn Linden, asking her to come home for dinner when she had time.
And then, there was Miles Yates. His messages were brief but full of care.
President Yates: [Jules told me about the news. Are you okay?]
President Yates: [I’ve been tied up with some matters, but I’ve arranged to return in three days. If you need any help, just say the word.]
He was as respectful of boundaries as ever, ensuring he didn’t place any emotional burden on her. His message had been sent four days ago, which meant he should already be back in the country by now—either in Portellis or Kingsford.
She replied to them one by one. She told Crystal not to worry, told Jules not to rush back on her account, thanked Miles for his kindness, and told her aunt that she was too busy with work.
After finishing her replies, she scrolled down further and saw a message from two days ago. It was from the caregiver looking after her mom in Portellis.
Caregiver: [Madam isn’t doing too well. Her legs are showing signs of deterioration. Would it be convenient for you to come over, Miss?]
Seeing this, Zoe’s heart plummeted to the bottom of an icy lake, the sudden chill making her tremble uncontrollably.
Her mom’s condition was worsening, and she had been completely in the dark!
Extreme panic drained the color from her face. She had to go to Portellis!
Quickly logging out of WhatsApp, she rushed out of the room, only to bump into Mrs. Lewis right at the door. The older woman was visibly nervous, terrified of being caught lending her phone to Zoe.
Zoe couldn’t bear to see her like that, knowing Mrs. Lewis was afraid of losing her job over this. So, she swiftly slipped the phone back into Mrs. Lewis’s hand and acted as if nothing had happened.
When she walked out into the living area, Simon hadn’t left. Peyton had gone to the washroom, and he was sitting alone on the sofa. His long legs were spread apart, and he was hunched over with his elbows resting on his knees. A cigarette was pinched between his fingers, trailing a hazy plume of blue smoke. Through the mist, his features were set in a deep, chilling sternness, his emotions heavily suppressed.
Seeing him smoking, Zoe instinctively stopped in her tracks. "I don’t like the smell of smoke."
At the very least, her baby couldn’t be exposed to secondhand smoke.
Simon’s brows knitted tightly as he looked up at her. His expression remained unchanged, still as cold as ice. "In the past, you never said there was anything you didn’t like."
Despite his words, he stubbed the cigarette out. "Open the windows," he ordered.
Aside from Mrs. Lewis, Mama Carter immediately hurried over to open the windows.
Only then did Zoe walk over. "When you’re trying to please your sugar daddy, does it matter what you like or dislike?"
The term "sugar daddy" made Simon’s eyes darken even further.
She didn’t care what he thought, cutting straight to the chase. "Keeping me locked up like this is pointless. Simon, there’s no future for us. No matter how angry you are, you should be over it by now. I’m not your caged bird."
"What do you mean by that?" he asked, looking at her coldly.
Zoe pursed her lips. "I need to go to Portellis. My mom’s health is failing."
A scoff escaped his throat. "You’ll say anything just to get away from me, won’t you? Has your mother only been sick for a day or two? Why do you absolutely have to go at this exact moment? Besides, I have your phone. How did you even find out?"
Zoe trembled uncontrollably. It wasn’t that she couldn’t see through his mocking sarcasm—he simply didn’t believe a word she said! But she couldn’t sell out Mrs. Lewis either. Simon was still fuming, and if he knew Mrs. Lewis had lent her a phone, he would definitely punish her!
Simon was never going to let her leave. He was truly out of his mind! Placing her under house arrest, restricting her freedom—what was he even trying to achieve?!
"Don’t use your mother as a bargaining chip to negotiate with me, Zoe. I couldn’t care less whether anyone lives or dies." Standing up, irritation leaked from Simon’s brow. He grabbed his cigarette case, walked out onto the balcony, and shut the glass door behind him.
Zoe’s lips quivered, her heart pierced by his cold-blooded words. Did he really care about nothing at all?
Triggered by her emotional volatility, her stomach began to cramp again. She bolted toward the washroom, bumping into Peyton, who was just coming out. Zoe dug her nails fiercely into her palms, forcing down the wave of nausea to ensure she didn’t reveal a single trace of her condition.
Peyton, however, watched her with a pensive expression. Just as Zoe turned sideways to enter, Peyton spoke up, her voice dropping to a whisper. "If you want to escape and never come back, I can help you."