"I remember watching CNBC once, thinking Mr. Haskins was this untouchable, ice-cold tycoon. Never would''ve guessed he''d do something like this."


    "Just goes to show, even the coldest, unreachable rose has its moment of descent for love."


    "When he funded my professor''s research institute, he was so aloof. Nobody dared to approach him, standing there like a cier. I couldn''t even imagine what type of woman would catch his eye."


    "This is an official announcement from the Haskins Group themselves, so it must be a real cut-off, right? The elder Haskins have this incrediblework, all high-flyers and prodigies, and he''s just severed his ties with them, cutting off all his political connections."


    "He''s as ruthless as he is deeply in love."


    "Stop specting, guys. I heard she had his child, and the kid''s been with him all this time, never even been introduced to the Haskins family. Looks like they cut ties four years ago."Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    The onlinemunity was buzzing with spection and gossip.


    But Fitch couldn''t care less about the news; he was solely focused on being by Zoey''s bedside.


    Zoey wouldn''t speak a word to him, but that didn''t dampen his spirits. At least she hadn''t kicked him out.


    So, he busied himself in the hospital room, taking care of everything personally.


    Maja and the rest of the Star Movie group came to visit. Zoey felt a wave of shame when she saw them, her cheeks burning up, and she was too choked up to speak.


    Especially with Maja, who had promised during her time in jail that if Zoey ever wanted out, she''d move mountains to make it happen.


    But back then, Zoey felt she had nothing left to care for and wanted only a year to forget it all. She could never have predicted she''d end up pregnant.


    She couldn''t bear to meet Maja''s gaze, feeling utterly embarrassed.


    Maja simply brought a ss of water and ced it before her, "d you''re back."


    Zoey''s throat was too sore to speak, and her tears fell freely before words could form.


    Cornelia handed her some tissues from the side.


    Zoey lowered hershes, struggling for a long moment before managing to whisper, "Thank you."


    Cornelia didn''t say much, just patted her shoulder in an attempt tofort her.


    Carol sat at the head of the bed, ncing around to make sure Fitch wasn''t nearby before whispering.


    "Zoey, you remember everything


    now, right? What are you nning to do? Nn''s grown so much, and we''ve all watched him grow up. Ah it''splicated. We all adore him but the boy''s not much of a talker. Fitch, that man, deserves every curse, but he''s been nothing but good to Nn. All these years, the Haskins Group didn''t expand at all. He''s ignored so many orders to go abroad for coborations, just stayed put."


    Carol despised Fitch, fuming at the thought of what he did to Zoey.


    But love and hate are irrational, much like her past with Felix. She thought she hated him to the core, yet when she saw him leap from the helicopter, panic overwhelmed her heart.


    Love lingered, hate wasn''t enough, and the pain intensified.


    Perhaps it''d be easier to just move


    on


    eone like Wade


    Brennan. It''d be better for everyone


    y for the child.


    But she couldn''t suggest that to Zoey. Zoey had suffered too much; fate never seemed to favor her.