Chapter 1162


    Maja stood there for a while, her mind buzzing with unease when she returned to her car. Her


    difort stemmed from two sources: her unresolved situation with Ian and the cryptic words from


    Dn. Was something about to happen?


    She looked up, nning to strike up a conversation with Zoey, but noticed her friend''s quiet sobs. Zoey


    was sprawled over the steering wheel, so engrossed in her misery that she didn''t even notice Maja''s


    return.


    "Zoey?" Maja called out, finally snapping Zoey out of her daze. She straightened up, her eyes wide and


    startled. "Hi, Miss Pennyfeather."


    "Did your ex-boyfriend bother you again? I thought you had paid him back. Are his family still giving you


    a hard time?"


    "No."


    "Then did he send you a wedding invitation? Is he getting married to that woman and it''s making you


    upset?"


    "No."


    So, what was it then?


    Maja considered her close circle of friends, each with their own simple family backgrounds. Zoey came


    from a single-parent household, her mother barely tolerating her. Then there was Cornelia, an orphan,


    her parents both long gone, and Wilma, whose parents died even earlier. The only one with a happy


    family was Carol, the genuine rich girl. As such, Maja couldn''t guess what was bothering Zoey.


    "Is a business partner giving you trouble?" Maja offered a tissue from the box beside her.


    Zoey''s hand trembled as she reached for the tissue. "No, Miss Pennyfeather. I just watched a really


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    touching movie."


    Zoey had a gentle face, and even in the dim car light, Maja noticed her red eyes. For some reason,


    Maja felt a pang of sympathy.


    She was the president of Star Movie Group, and she had a certain protective instinct towards her close


    circle. But Star Movie Group was too small to offer much protection.


    A sigh escaped her as she massaged her forehead. "Let''s go home."


    Zoey''s hands shook as they clenched the steering wheel, her mind reying the words of the man who


    held absolute control over her. He refused to let her speak, pulling her into his games whenever he felt


    like it. He never stayed the night or sweet-talked her. Hisck of verbal abuse was the most grace he


    ever offered.


    When Zoey chose this path, she had to swallow her pride. She wanted to follow Maja out of the car


    earlier, but he pulled her upstairs.


    Below were the patrons of the BlueSky Bar, who would have known instantly what she was doing if


    they looked up. There was no concealment. Her clothes were disheveled and her hands were trapped


    behind her, rendering her powerless. She despised the smell of smoke, but he forced her to inhale it.


    "I give you anything, and you have to take it."


    His words sent a chill down her spine. She had no choice but to lower hershes and endure.


    When they parked in front of Rosewood Manor, Zoey''s face was ashen. He didn''t finish his business


    with her tonight, probably because it wasn''t the best ce for it. After he had his fill of her humiliation,


    he left her there.


    Maja''s voice snapped her out of her stupor. "Let''s go to that cocktail party together tomorrow night."


    "Okay, Miss Pennyfeather."


    Maja hoped to get a good night''s sleep but was rudely awakened by a phone call at two in the morning.


    It was from thepany.


    "Miss Pennyfeather, Shawn was taken by the police!"


    Maja''s heart skipped a beat as she sprang out of bed. "What happened?"


    Apparently, Shawn had recently taken on a public service advertisement about caring for children with


    autism. Now he was being publicly used by the parents of an autistic girl of viting their child.


    The ad required Shawn to visit the child''s home for filming andmunication. The parents were now


    using him online with a three-thousand-word heartbreaking ount, directly pointing fingers at Star


    Movie Group.


    Maja rushed to the police station immediately.


    Meanwhile, at the BlueSky Bar, Judith and her friends wereughing and chatting. Linda grabbed


    Judith''s hand.


    "Don''t worry. A little discipline now can easily disrupt her ns."


    "Linda, thank you."


    "Thank me for what, darling? We''re friends."


    As Linda said this, she shyly nced at Dn.