《Way Back Into Love (Essie)》 Chapter 1 We Are Married Chapter 1 We Are Married On ate spring morning, the sunlight, soft and diffuse, gave way to the first strong rays of the day. Flowers were colouring the world for the warmer days toe, waving in thezy breeze like a smile born of the cosmos¡ªhappiness in brilliant shades. "Achoo --" Essie Yi sneezed again. She was still in bed, draped in a heavy nket. Just as she turned to her side she hit her face on something warm and was startled out of her sleep. ''How does the wall get here?'' Forcing her eyelids open, Essie sat bolt upright and whipped her head around in wide-eyed confusion. After taking a moment to shed the sleep away from her eyes, she recognized the familiar floral curtains hanging at each side and the small oval table next to her bed. It was her room. Yes! Essie put her hand on her chest and breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps it was just a dream. She closed her eyes and was just about to drift off again when a big hand reached out from behind and touched her back. The suddenness of the touch made her tremble like a dry leaf. As she turned her T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. head around, there was the handsome face of a stranger sleeping next to her. "Oh my God!" a panicked scream broke out from her lips, shaking the walls of the room. ''What is going on? Did this guy break into my apartment?'' The man lying next to her was startled out of his sleep by her screaming. He shot up from bed like a jack-in-the-box, momentarily shocked and disoriented. Then, suddenly, his expression froze, allowing an eerie chill to permeate the air. Essie jumped into the corner of the bed and quickly wrapped herself up with the nket. It was unnecessary, as it was obvious that the other party had seen her naked. Suffice it to say, the man didn''t seem very happy. Essie grasped her aching forehead, desperately scrambling in her mind to make sense of everything, but her effort was all in vain. The man looked at her with a hint of mockery in his eyes. He picked up the clothes scattered on the floor and put them on, before he walked to the window and stood with his back to her. "You should put your clothes on!" His tone was cold and full of disdain. In a fluster, Essie snatched her clothes from the floor and put them on, while she looked around for a weapon to defend herself with. The man was at least 189 cm tall and strong looking. It became increasingly clear to Essie that she wasn''t going tost in a fight with him. She cast a nce at the night stand next to her, nning to use the rm clock as a projectile weapon. However, the rm clock was nowhere to be seen. The only visible objects were two red certificates on the night stand, on which was inscribed, "Marriage Certificate". Startled, Essie grabbed the red folder and opened it. There were two names in it, Essie Yi and Zac Rong, apanied by a double color photo of the couple. The groom on the picture was the very same man standing in front of her, and the bride was none other than herself. They even looked like the perfect couple in the picture. Smiling and happy. She looked at the registration date and found that it was yesterday''s. At that moment, Essie wanted nothing more than to dig a hole in the ground to hide herself in, and never toe out of it again. Where did this mane from? How did they get married? Could he be an actor hired by some TV station? With this thought in her mind, Essie charged at the man, thinking that this was all a part of some TV show and that this man was an actor hired to make fun of her on live television. "Which TV station do you work for? I''ll going to file aint to the police. Do you think this is funny? This is an invasion of my privacy and you''re shooting this without my consent. This is illegal!" Essie threw the marriage certificates at the man and started to look for hidden cameras everywhere. All the while, the man stood there, confused by her actions. He picked up the marriage certificate from the floor and nced at it. Suddenly, his face expressed his inner feelings with a frown. "Damn it!" he cursed, trying to recall what had happened yesterday, but his memories seemed fragmented and unclear. Thest thing he remembered was being in the bar. By now, Essie had turned the entire room upside down, but there was still no camera. Infuriated, she rushed over to grab his cor. "Tell me where the cameras are, or I''ll call the police!" The man stared at her insidiously. After a while, a hint of shock shed between his eyes and he said, "It''s you!" Chapter 2 Confession Of Love On Fools Day Chapter 2 Confession Of Love On Fool''s Day One day earlier. It was the first day of April or as everyone would say April Fool''s Day. ording to theizens it was the best time for someone to dere their love because if they got rejected, they could justugh and say¡ª"Haha, I made a fool of you!" At the very least, they could retreat in a splendid manner. The same thought crossed Essie''s mind. Finally, she had summoned all of her courage and walked up to her idol, Hanson Xia, on whom she had been crushing for many years. "Hey, I have been in love with you ever since we first met. I''ve got a good feeling that you and I are destined to be together. Although I am still not up there yet, one day I am going to be an icon in the fashion industry and be someone who is good enough to be with you. Would you please put me on your list of possible girlfriends?" Before Essie finished speaking, she heard a mockingughtering from behind her. "How interesting! ''Destined to be together''! Is that what you tell yourself when you cry yourself to sleep at night? Are you really that pathetic?" The woman ridiculing Essie was her sworn enemy, Sunny Yang, who elegantly walked towards Hanson and held his arm without hesitation. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Was she marking her territory? The thought filled Essie with an unbearable sorrow. Hanson, however, shook his arm, trying to draw it back, but eventually he allowed it. "Essie, I..." He didn''t know what to say to her, but before he could even think of anything, Sunny cut him short. "We''re getting married!" The words came, out of the blue, and hit Essie like a bolt of lightning. She should haveughed three times and told them that she was just joking, but the muscles on her face were stiff and she couldn''t bring herself to say anything. Her throat was blocked by a lump of sourness, taking away her ability to speak. With a smug smile on her face, Sunny deliberately leaned her head on Hanson''s shoulder to add salt to Essie''s wounds. "Hanson, dad wants us to go back for dinner. Let''s go!" Hanson extended his hand and patted Essie on the head, as if tofort her. "I''m sorry, Essie," he sighed heavily and then walked away with Sunny. Bang! Again, Essie heard her heart shatter into a million pieces. She felt like everything in her world had frozen over and the cold winds were mming her face like tiny little icy nails. Perhaps the only thing that could mend her ailing heart at the moment was a good bottle of wine. The True Color Bar was across the street, and she walked in without a conscious thought. The bar was very quiet. As the only customer, Essie sat at the bar counter and ordered a ss of long ind ice tea, which was the most suitable cocktail for a lovelorn person. Essie had overestimated her drinking prowess and as such, she waspletely inebriated by her third drink. Before long, another customer walked into the bar. He was handsome and radiant, like the sun in the early spring and the bright moon in mid autumn, that lit up the whole dark bar in an instant. The previously listless waiters immediately became energetic and rushed to ingratiate themselves. However, he didn''t even nce at them. He was as cold as ice, which had been frozen for thousands of years and couldn''t be affected by any sort of temperature whatsoever. On any other day, Essie would have never spoken to a stranger. But today, she was so drunk and broken-hearted, that she picked up her ss and staggered towards the stranger. "People whoe to the bar in the daytime are either crossed in love or bored. Which one are you?" she said, staring him up with her drunken, hazy eyes. Zac Rong ignored her and continued to drink on his own, as if he hadn''t heard what she had said. Essie, however, didn''t mind his arrogance. She sat down on the stool next to him and said, "Well, I guess you are thetter. People who look like you can only make others fall in love with you. It must be nice. Look at me! I confessed my love to my prince, the man I had loved for five years. And guess what? He''s marrying the woman I hate the most." Essie eventually vented her grievances by finishing the rest of her cocktail. "I''m done feeling bad for now. Since we''re the only ones here, let''s have fun and drink together, shall we?" Zac raised an eyebrow and nced at her. Although the girl had a in face, she had a great body, much like a diamond in the rough. Her two beautiful eyes, however, were limpid and pure like autumn water. Each time she raised an eyebrow to look up she looked even more charming. It was her eyes that made her unique, as they could make even a in face like hers look beautiful. Zac didn''t know why he nodded his head. Was it because of some magic, or because he was moved by her tantalizing eyes. Essie smiled again, revealing her white teeth. "Let''s y dice! You have to guess the number and if you guess wrong then you''ll have to drink shots." How fun! A disdainful smile appeared at the corners of Zac''s mouth. He had nothing else to do anyway. Why not y a drinking game with another stranger in a bar! Two hourster¡­ Zac was drunk beyondprehension. Chapter 3 Lets Divorce Chapter 3 Let''s Divorce Essie did not expect to win twelve times in a row. "You''re cheating!" The way Zac slurred made him sound drunk. "What? You''re the one throwing the dice. How can I be the one cheating? Just admit it, you didn''t think I was going to win. Well, that''s how gambling works!" Essie giggled. She had never had any luck in gambling all her life, as such, she didn''t expect her luck to be so good today. However, Zac wasn''t convinced. "Fine! Again!" He was determined to make aeback. Essie''s thick eyshes flickered open. "Okay! This is thest one. The big one! I have already lost everything today! So why the hell not. Marriage isn''t a big deal! I can get married whenever I want. How about this? If I win again, you will have to marry me!" "Deal!" The only thought in Zac''s mind was to win this game. Besides, he wasn''t used to losing to anybody. "Great! I like you!" Finishing her words, she pushed the cup closer to him. "It''s your turn. I''m guessing it''s a small number." "I''ll bet on big numbers!" Zac shook the cup before opening it. One, two, three¡ªsmall! Essie could not help bursting intoughter as she was quite pleased with herself. Never before had she felt so satisfied in all her twenty-one years on this. Zac, on the other hand, was at a loss. He had never been so displeased in all his twenty-six years on this. It was time to honor the bet! Zac grabbed her hand and said, "Let''s get our IDs and then go to the Civil Affairs Bureau!" Fast forward to the present day. The bright sunshine fell on the floor through the mullioned window. There was aplete silence in the room, apart from the sound of heavy and rapid breathing. The two people stood in front of the window silently, staring at each other nkly. They could not remember how they got to to the Civil Affairs Bureau, how they registered their names, and how they even made it all the way to the bridal chamber. However, it was certain that the red booklets were real and legit. In the eyes of thew, they were legally a couple. Zac was considering how to end this absurd marriage. He had a lot of experience on how to reject a woman, but he had never divorced someone before. However, he decided that no matter what condition Essie would propose, as long as it was not too far from the truth, he would try his best to satisfy it. After all, from the looks of it, there was no use hiding the fact that they had slept together. And what''s more¡­ The moment he looked at the blood on the sheet, Essie blushed and quickly ran to the bed to pull the nket to cover it. The reason why she hadn''t slept with any man for so many years was that she wanted Hanson to be her first man. Now, she had lost both Hanson and her virginity. Life could be so unpredictably cruel. She had fallen from heaven to hell in just one night. "Well, let''s go to the Civil Affairs Bureau and get a divorce now," Essie said, stifling all the pain in her heart. There was no use crying over spilled milk. It was better to nip that little romance in the bud. Zac was shocked as he didn''t expect her to be so straightforward. There were no conditions, no requirements and no ckmails. He was starting to admire her! "It''s half past ten now. The Civil Affairs Bureau will be closed at twelve o''clock. There is only an hour Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. and a half left! We have to take a taxi to get there on time. We can split the fare," Essie spoke in a straightforward way and a rare gentle light shed across Zac''s face. They came out of the elevator and walked side by side. But it was not easy for Essie, as she felt a dull pain in her legs. Even though her recollection of the night was still unclear, Essie could imagine how aggressive Zac must have been in bed. Zac sensed her pain and slowed down his pace. Just as they arrived at the gate of themunity, they saw Sunnying out from her BMW. Sunny was here to pick a bone with Essie. Since Hanson was there yesterday, she didn''t have a chance to tear Essie apart. Today, she hade for some unfinished business. Chapter 4 Provocation Of The Rival In Love Chapter 4 Provocation Of The Rival In Love Essie knew that the conflict between Sunny and her was about to escte. Knowing this, she asked Zac to wait before approaching her. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "I heard everything you''ve said that day." Sunny sneered. "Hanson loves me. You don''t even know half of what he does to me. In fact, he proposed to me within a few days since we''ve been together. In fact, he even said how I had so many admires that he was afraid that someone else would take me away." Essie snorted. Unlike Sunny, she had more important things to get to, and she didn''t want to waste her entire day by arguing with Sunny. "You''re thinking too much. Yesterday was April Fool''s. I was only kidding." "Stop pretending!" she snarled. "I know you love Hanson. Yesterday, he was so afraid that I''ll mistrust him that he even said that he''ll never fall in love with someone like you. You''re like a mouse who has just crawled out of the trash bin. He''s disgusted to be linked to someone like you. In fact, he even asked me to tell you to stop daydreaming. I bet the homeless people at the other end of the street would be more suitable for the likes of you," Sunny sneered. She knew that she would always win no matter what. In her eyes, Essie had always been more inferior than her in terms of both wealth and power. Not far away, Zac could vaguely hear their conversation. He only had one thing in mind, and that was to give Sunny a good beating! She better be grateful that he would nevery a hand on a woman, or she wouldn''t even be standing still the moment he heard those words. Essie''s face paled immediately at her words. She was about to leave when Sunny stretched out her hand to stop her. She wasn''t finished. At the sight, Zac hurried over and ced an arm around Essie''s shoulder. "Baby, shall we go now?" "You''re..." Sunny''s jaw almost dropped at the sight of the man. Although she had already seen him in the car, he looked even better up close. He had the face of a Greek God, and it was difficult to not stare at him this entire time. "Won''t you introduce me?" Zac asked as he ced his arm around Essie''s shoulder. "Zac is my boyfriend. Hees from Dragon City and his father is the chairman of a multinational group," Essie said slowly and clearly as if she was teaching a five-year-old. She tilted her head, as if daring Sunny to say a word against her now. Sunny was so surprised that her eyeballs almost fell from their sockets. The man in front of her was elegant and regal. He had this indescribable dignity that held himself together, as if he was a king and they were themoners. It seemed that Essie didn''t lie to her. "You look pale. Who bullied you?" Zac asked lowly as he pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Whoever she is, I''ll make sure to make her suffer." Although his voice was soft, Sunny could tell that it was an underlying threat. Sunny backed up unconsciously as if he would suddenly blow her head off. "It''s just a cockroach¨Cnot worth our time at all. Let''s go." Essie grabbed his arm and turned around. Looking at their receding figures, Sunny had a strange look in her eyes. She took out a marriage invitation from her bag and quickly caught up to them. "Hanson asked me to give this to you. He wants the two of you to attend our party," she said bitterly. It wasn''t true that Hanson had no feelings for Essie. If he''d see her with her boyfriend, then he might be tempted to love Sunny with all his heart. Essie bit her lips. Without another word, she took the invitation. When Sunny was finally gone, she quickly pulled her arm from Zac''s hold. It seemed that their agreement was about to change. Chapter 5 Pretending To Be Rich And Handsome Chapter 5 Pretending To Be Rich And Handsome "Zac, thank you for helping me just now. Well, can we put off the procedures until after the engagement party tomorrow is finished?" "It depends on you." Zac shrugged. It didn''t really matter if it was dyed for a day. "Thank you." Essie finally breathed a sigh of relief. She had to do everything to save her dignity tomorrow. With that, she invited him to have lunch with her. When they walked into the restaurant next to themunity, Essie ordered the cheapest thing on the menu¡ªsour noodles and braised soy bean curds. Then, she went Dutch and paid for her own bill. "Let me pay." Zac motioned to take out his wallet, but Essie, who didn''t seem to hear him, just handed the money to him. After taking her seat, Essie smiled and said, "We met by chance, and after this awkward marriage, we won''t meet each other ever again. We should just pay for ourselves." Zac nodded in approval to her words. Not long after that, the waiter served the noodles. Because she was the host, Essie gave Zac a dried bean. "Help yourself. The food here is cheap and delicious. And more importantly, they don''t use used oil here." Zac raised his beautiful eyebrows and said, "How do you know whether they use used oil or not?" "I have a really sensitive stomach and intestines. So if it''s used oil, I will have diarrhea if I take even one bite," Essie said mischievously. ''She should be in Food and Drug Administration with her talent,'' Zac thought, praising her in his mind. While they were eating, Essie suddenly stopped and took a sip of water. Then, she raised her head to look at Zac and asked, "So, what is it that you do?" She wanted to know more about him. After all, he was legally her husband. It would be bad if he was a wanted criminal or he was in a huge amount of debt. She could be held responsible for it. "I used to do architectural work. But I don''t have any work right now," Zac replied, not going into detail. She didn''t need to know about his background. ''Architecture? Did he build houses and move bricks on construction sites? Well, at least it was a job,'' Essie thought to herself. She was relieved at his words. She looked around with her big ck eyes before asking, "Where do you live now?" She had to figure out where he lived. That way, if she couldn''t get in touch with him tomorrow, she would be able to look for him at his house. "A hotel," Zac said perfunctorily. This woman had too many questions! "I don''t think it''s a good idea for you to live in a private hotel that costs only dozens of dors. When I first moved to Yang City, I was so shocked that I almost fell into a trap," she exined before suddenly covering her mouth with her hands. She realized that she had implied through her words that he was a hobo who came from another city and didn''t have much money at all, so he had to stay in some cheap private hotels because economical hotels were now charging several hundred for one night, and he couldn''t afford it. "I''m a man. Why would I be deceived?" Zac shrugged, hoping to end the topic of household registration as soon as possible. Essie agreed, thinking that his words actually made sense. He was a poor man that had nothing but his good looks. Frauds probably wouldn''t be interested in him. Sensing the impatience in his tone, Essie decided to stop digging deeper. They left the restaurant after eating lunch and parted ways. There was one other important thing for Essie to do. She wanted to make a nice business suit for Zac. As a jobless vagabond, he must have cheap stuff, and if he were to wear them, they would get exposed. She went to the market and bought good cloth. The next day, when Zac came, she greeted him with a tailored suit and a matching fashion shirt. "Try it on!" Essie said with a smile. Zac had always been picky. Anything he didn''t like was nothing but trash in his eyes, and he would never ept them, regardless of whether they were people or things. However, he thought that the little girl had good taste, and the clothes were very beautiful, so he took them. The size fitted him well. She admired the clothes both for her talent, and his perfect body. He had a nine-head body that was perfectly proportionate body and had perfectly toned muscles. His figure was exactly right. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. In fact, his body was so perfect that even beggar clothes would look fashionable on him. It was a blessing to have such a perfect model. One look at his body was enough to give her inspiration when her mind was exhausted. While she was busy thinking, Zac walked over to her and said, "How did you know my size?" "By visual inspection," with a smug smile, Ethan raised her eyebrows. Using just her eyes, she could tell the size of her clients without even getting their measurements. Zac curled his lips into a devilish smile. Then, he leaned in towards her and said, "Have you been observing me with your eyes in the daytime or at night?" Chapter 6 The Engagement Party Of Essies Prince Chapter 6 The Engagement Party Of Essie''s Prince His voice was low and it obviously hinted flirtation. For a second, Essie stood stunned. But slowly, his words began to sink in. She clearly understood what he was implying. And as a consequence, her face blushed crimson red. "Don''t mention it. I have forgotten it," she said, trying to maintain herposure. Zac''s ck eyes blinked, unable to believe she had forgotten it. He remembered everything, clear as day! Every second, the scene yed in his mind. He woke up feeling hazy today. At first, his head felt unusually unclear, and he was unable to remember a thing! But soon, it began to fill up. Missing pieces of yesterday, came to his mind, one by one. He was a neat freak. No woman could touch him even if he was drunk. But when she was around, the defensive system seemed to be invaded by virus, breaking down instantly. To start with, she wasn''t like any other woman he hade across. She was both beautiful and pure. Even her smell was intoxicating. At present, he couldn''t control himself. He was curious and wanted to know what she thought ofst night. "Did you really forget everything?" He stared at her with utter disbelief. He had hoped she would remember something. He was certain some of the details would be missing, but knowing she forgot everything pained him. After all, it was her first time. With her brows wrinkled in a straight line and her eyes filled with ferocity, Essie said, "I told you not to mention it again. You''ve ruined everything. We are ipatible in almost every way." She almost roared at him. Instead of getting angry, Zac wore a slight smile on his face. His first time was "destroyed" in her hands. Now they were even. She had expected Zac to get angry, but he didn''t. Instead, he merely stood, not saying anything at all. This was when she realized she had to hold back her anger. After the engagement party, they had to get a divorce and go on separate ways. She walked into the room and started to dress up. She put on the honey waist dress that she designed, tied up her ck hair and pulled it up into an elegant updo. Then she wore a light make-up. When she came out, Zac''s eyes froze for a moment. This girl was even more beautiful after dressing Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. up. "Don''t forget your role. You are rich and handsome," she reminded, hoping he wouldn''t mess up. Although he was an able man with a handsome face and powerful aura, she thought it was vital to remind him. It would be quite awkward if someone managed to see through his disguise. "Don''t worry." A charming smile appeared on his lips. This was a piece of cake for him. The Intercontinental Hotel was beautifully decorated. The wedding hall was brimming with joy. The engagement of Hanson and Sunny had caused a sensation in the select society of Yang City, and almost all the rich and powerful people in the city had been invited. When Essie walked in with Zac, everyone''s eyes began to be glued to them, like a moth to the me. Zac was as glorious as the sun which made all the men feel insecure and all the women be enchanted by him. The beauty of Essie was like the fresh lotus flower, blooming gradually. She made all the girls with their heavy make-up look less beautiful. Seeing the way every girl was admiring Essie''s radiating beauty, Sunny was ovee with jealousy. Hanson, on the other hand, had simr emotions course through him. If he said he didn''t like Essie, he would be lying. But he couldn''t love her. Love was a luxury ever since the moment he found his origin. "God bless you, Hanson!" said Essie. And Essie tried her best to smile and rx. She had decided not to love him anymore, but her heart was still aching. Zac and Hanson were observing each other with a murderous look in their eyes. Zac wrapped his arms around Essie, announcing his sovereignty over her. Then he led her to walk down the stairs. He found a seat and made her sit, like a gentleman. Upon seeing the way in which Zac was treating her, Hanson''s heart trembled with fury. Yet the worst part was, he couldn''t do anything. He waspelled to watch her happy life. Essie rested his eyes on the staircase. Hanson and Sunny were both born to wealthy families. This must be the so-called marriage of equal social rank! She analyzed the hall and the grand look of it. A feeling of rage began to brew in her heart. Yet she did her best to look happy. She used to be a princess of the castle and lived an extravagant life, but... Chapter 7 A Bet With A Love Rival Chapter 7 A Bet With A Love Rival Essie''s eyes started to be misty as she turned away, shaking away her thoughts. Zac slid his thumb down her chin. "Look at me," he said softly. He didn''t want her to feel wronged. In fact, that''s thest thing he wanted her to feel. He wanted her to feel as if she was the only one in the world for him. Hearing that, Essie sniffled and gazed up at him innocently. "What''s so attractive about you?" she murmured. "I''m better looking than him," he snorted. His dark eyes glinted under the dim light. "You wish." She barked out augh, but before she could say anything else, he leaned over and kissed her. His kiss was like a shock of electricity. She trembled against his touch as she leaned closer into his arms. Her face reddened. She didn''t expect that the cold man would have such an arrogant side. He even dared to kiss her in public! Since Zac was now her boyfriend, she couldn''t reject his hold, but she definitely wasn''t going to let go of him that easily. Essie lifted her foot under the tablecloth and secretly kicked him hard on the shins. He pulled away as he leaned against her ear. "I have the right to do that," he whispered. His breath fanned against the side of her neck, and she stiffened. "Your rightsts till the afternoon," she snapped softly. Essie continued to kick him, but every kick was lighter. For outsiders, it looked like they were flirting with each other. "I can always keep that right," he said casually. While Hanson was walking up the crimson steps, his gaze steadied on Essie. At the sight of her with another man, his heart crippled in jealousy. It was as if the world had decided to douse him with bitterness and sourness tost him a day. Sunny gritted her teeth beside him. "Shameless bitch!" she spat. "She confessed her love for you the day before yesterday and now she''s making out with some other man." Hanson clenched his fists. Suddenly he stood up from his chair and stomped out of the room without saying a word. "Where are you going? The ceremony is about to begin," she shouted, but hepletely ignored her words. Her nails dug into her palms as she thought of ways to hold him back. She would not let that bitch ruin this moment for the both of them! Seeing that Essie was heading to the toilet, she followed as a malicious smile threaded across her lips. "And here I thought you were innocent. I never knew you have such an obscene side," Sunny said with a smirk. Taking a deep breath, Essie decided to ignore her. Noticing this, Sunny decided to take a different approach. "Actually, I''m kind of worried for you. There must be loads of beautiful women hounding around your boyfriend. With you being so boring, I bet that he''ll grow tired of you in less than two months." Essie scoffed, "Even if you break up with Hanson, we won''t." "Humph! Bitch! You want to bet?" she taunted. "What''s the bet?" Essie crossed her arms over her chest and turned around, wanting to see what other tricks the woman had hidden under her sleeves. "I bet that your rtionship can''tst for two months. If you break up, then you lose," she said slowly. That was the bet! It was as if she was betting with a five-year-old! Essie sneered and was about to leave, but Sunny''s sarcasticughter stopped her in her tracks. "What a coward! I know you wouldn''t dare. You know what? I bet you can''t evenst a month in his arms. You probably got two weeks, and it''s over before you even know it."Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 8 We Will Not Get Divorced Chapter 8 We Will Not Get Divorced Taking a deep breath, Essie turned around slowly and said, "If you''re so sure of yourself, let''s take a bet!" "Okay!" Sunny smiledcently. She had beenpeting with Essie for such a long time. She knew her so well that she could easily predict her moves. Essie was obviously inferior to her. She was like a stupid bug whom she could bait and trap easily at will. Right now, she swallowed her trick hook, line and sinker. "Today is April 3. If you don''t break up with that man on June 3, you win the game. But you would lose the game if you two break up before the agreed date. As punishment, the loser would have to wear a bikini and dance in the Century Square!" "Okay!" Essie agreed without hesitation. She then took her cellphone out of her pocket and asked Sunny to repeat the conditions of the bet. The recording would serve as the proof of their bet, in case Sunny nned to back out when she lost. "You just wait and see how I will punish you!" She sneered as she walked away. Looking at Essie''s receding figure, Sunny disyed a sly smile. June 2 was the day of her wedding with Hanson. As long as Essie was stuck to that young man, she wouldn''t have the chance to take Hanson away from her. She would make sure that Essie''s remaining hopes would be destroyedpletely. She was not worried about the stake of the bet. After all, dancing and acting foolish was child''s y for her. Furthermore, she would be on a honeymoon with Hanson in Hawaii right after the wedding. If Essie was to run after her, she would have to go to Hawaii. Outside the hotel, Essie walked ahead while deep in thought. She was not a fool. She wouldn''t join a war that she couldn''t win. She wouldn''t dare lose to Sunny. She was the one who had the final say in the oue, so she dared to make the bet. The most important thing right now was to find a way to convince Zac to cooperate. That mysterious man was a bit tricky to handle. Seeing that she was silent for a long time, a mischievous smile appeared at the corners of Zac''s mouth. "You''re depressed, aren''t you? The truth is, you don''t want to leave and divorce me, do you?" "Don''t be so smug. If I could, I would fly to the Civil Affairs Bureau to divorce you as soon as possible. But when we rode to the hotel venue earlier, I identally left our marriage certificate in the bus," Essie replied in a nervous voice as she fiddled with her fingers. "Really?" Zac raised his thick eyebrows slightly. "So, we can''t do it this afternoon, can we?" "Yes," she replied quietly and avoided Zac''s suspecting gaze. "It''s very troublesome to request for another copy of our marriage certificate. It will take at least a month," she added. She decided to postpone the divorce for one month. After all, homeless people like Zac who didn''t have much work to do could neverst in this city. But with his circumstances, he couldn''t do anything to her. Clearly, she had the upper hand in this marriage. Zac''s lips stretched into a bigger smile. "You lost the marriage certificate? It''s indeed a good excuse, but it''s a pity that it''s not very clever. We might as well talk about the real problem now." He transfixed her with his prating gaze. His sharp eyes seemed as if it could see through everything. Feeling guilty, Essie lowered her head and did not dare look at him. ''This guy was more shrewd than expected. It''s not easy to deceive him.'' She observed silently. ''I''d better tell him the truth.'' She thought for a moment before telling him about her bet with Sunny. Zac touched his chin thoughtfully and did not say anything. After a minute of deliberate and suspenseful silence, he replied, "To be honest, I want to help you, but I don''t have a job now. It''s very Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. difficult to find a stable ce to stay here. I''m afraid..." He stopped intentionally, as if he was hesitating. He sported a regretful expression on his face but a subtle hint of naughtiness was reflected on his charming dark eyes. "You can live at my ce without paying for the rent." Essie offered. The circumstances were perfect. Her roommate had just moved away, and she could share the room with him because she hadn''t found a co-tenant yet. Hearing that, Zac smiled in his heart. The bet with Sunny had helped him a lot. Yesterday, he had hoped to end this absurd marriage as soon as possible, but today, he had a new n. Actually, he came to Yang City to seek refuge. He could take advantage of his marriage with Essie to solve his predicament. He decided to temporarily stay at her house in the next two months to get a better understanding of her. If he could discover her weakness, he could make her follow him obediently. "Okay, but I have two other conditions!" He gave her a devilish smile. Chapter 9 Im Taking Advantage Of Her Chapter 9 I''m Taking Advantage Of Her "Go ahead." Thinking of this, Essie sighed in relief. She would do anything as long as his list of requests weren''t asking too much of her. "First, no affairs. You don''t cheat on me. Second, you''ll have to take care of me," he said seriously as his lips straightened into a thin line. How dare he? The first condition didn''t even make any sense! The second one was that he obviously intended to treat her like a ve. As they say, if one handed you lemons, you can just go and make lemonade. She shook her head at the thought. But as long as she could win the bet against Sunny, then she could bear all of it. After all, it was only for two months. "Fine, but you should also behave yourself. Don''t take advantage of me," she warned him. "I''ve seen every part of your body, and there is absolutely no part that I haven''t touched. What else can I take advantage of?" he teased. Essie flushed, wishing that the ground beneath her could swallow her right up. She wanted to curse him into the oblivion as she turned and walked towards the bus stop. When they were waiting for the bus to arrive, a woman walked up to them. "It''s you two! What a coincidence!" she eximed. Essie furrowed her eyebrows, thinking that the woman must''ve mistaken her for some other person. "That day when you registered at the Civil Affairs Bureau, my husband and I were also registering at the same time." It seemed that the memory was still fresh in the woman''s mind. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Hello." Startled by thedy''s sudden appearance, Essie rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. The woman smiled and nced at Zac gently. "Handsome boy. You two really shocked us that day. The registration staff said that you two were drunk, so you can do it once you''re sober, but you grabbed his cor and threatened him to approve it or else he''d disappear from the ends of the earth." Sheughed, turning to Essie. "You''re more powerful. You grabbed a paper knife from the desk and pointed it at your wrist saying that if you aren''t going to be registered that day, then your blood will drench the office. We were so touched that we just had to tell the staff to serve you first." Zac coughed in embarrassment at the memory. It was better for him to not have remembered it at all. Essie''s cheeks flushed. ''I''ll want to marry the man over my dead body! Thest thing I want is to be married!'' When the bus arrived, she waved at the woman and dragged Zac inside. "It seems our separation''s blocked yet again," he said with a faint smile. Luckily, Essie didn''t divorce Zac today, or else they would be the talk of the town. As soon as they got back in the apartment, they began to fill each other''s void. They''ve said that when a man and a woman stay in the same room, they are either passionate or infatuated with one another. Essie was neither. The only man she had been infatuated over wasn''t even in the room. The next day, when she woke up, Zac was already gone. After getting along with him for a few days, she realized that she didn''t like him very much. Not only was he incredibly picky, but he''s rude and unpredictable. The only upside about him was that he was handsome. As long as he had the looks, he could definitely get by even with his horrible attitude. She snorted at the thought. After yoga, she went to the bathroom to take a shower. When she came out, Zac had finally arrived, holding a cup of coffee in his hand. The luminous moon reced the bright sun in the sky. The light in their room became a mix of silver and gold, looking as if God had descended in the midst of their household. Zac leaned against the handrail of the balcony, admiring the scenery above him. His eyes were simr to the brightest stars in the night sky, illuminating even the darkest of hearts. The cor of his shirt was popped open, revealing his well-defined chest muscles. Asshole! She swallowed hard. His eyes fell on her, and a sinister smile appeared at the corners of his mouth. It was then when she realized that she was just wearing a bath towel. Her face flushed. She wanted to hurry into her room, but when she passed through the sofa, the bath towel got stuck around the corners and fell from her grasp. Her entire body was in disy under his lustful gaze. Chapter 10 It Was Just An Accident Chapter 10 It Was Just An ident She quickly picked up the bath towel and wrapped it around herself. Her face was tomato red. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Zac''s eyes lit up almost immediately, looking like a kid whose Christmas present got in early. In the blink of an eye, he stood in front of her. She was so scared that shepletely forgot to run away. Essie bowed her head and stepped back, wanting nothing more than to keep a safe distance from him. However, every time she stepped back, he took another step forward. They continued doing this till he had her backed up in a corner. "What¨C what are you doing?" she stuttered out, clutching her bath towel. Zac''s strong arms blocked her from going left and right, locking her beneath him. He leaned in so close that she could almost hear his heart beating in his chest. "Did you do that on purpose?" he whispered, his breath fanning across her nose. His voice was hoarse and raspy as if he had just gone days without a cup of water. She inhaled sharply. "Nonsense. Why would I do that to you?" she said hotly, but she still couldn''t help but shrink under his lustful gaze. He raised his hand and let his fingers brush against her face like a light feather. She should''ve just turned, ducked, and ran, but she didn''t. Her stillness gave him another dose of confidence as he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. Soon enough, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled him closer to her. Essie froze under his grip, not knowing how to react. In fact, she was so surprised that she couldn''t even move. He acted like a curious child exploring her own toy as his tongue prodded inside her mouth. She groaned slightly, which aroused him even more. It was as if time had frozen around them. He kept telling himself to stop, but Zac was too enamored by her taste and fragrance that he found himself leaning against her even more. A few seconds had passed, and he finally, reluctantly, decided to release her. Zac stared at her affectionately, not even noticing the tenderness in his smoldering gaze. Essie gasped in surprise. She felt as if she had just been force fed some alcohol given how much of a daze she was in. Finally snapping out of it, she gritted her teeth and pped him right on the cheek. "Bastard!" Half of his face had the imprints of her hand. She was the first person who had the guts to p him! His dark eyes shed. "I''ll show you who the real bastard is," he snarled. Without another word, he lifted her up and carried her to the bed. As her back hit the cushions, Essie struggled to sit back up, but his rough hands grabbed her towel and pulled it. The air wrapped around her naked body as if she was a long lost friend. "No!" she screamed, clutching the pillow behind her to cover up her body. "If you touch me, I''ll tell the police, and I''ll sue you for molestation!" "You''re my wife. No one would care." Shit! "Look, I was wrong, okay? I¨CI''m sorry," she begged. Seeing as he was so fired up from the p she had just given him, she decided to ask for mercy. Essie closed her eyes, readying herself for the beating. Tears slid down her cheeks, wetting the cushion below her. Zac''s heart twitched. He nced at her plump lips and wet face. All of a sudden, his anger was gone. Instead, it was reced with tenderness and guilt. He took a deep breath and slowly approached her. When she heard the footsteps, she tightened her grip on the pillow and raised her head, as if preparing herself for the hit. Zac''s lips quivered at the sight. He raised his hand, flicked her gently on the forehead, and walked out without a word. He decided to let her go for now. Hearing the retreating footsteps, she opened her eyes and sighed in relief. She was safe. N?velDrama.Org content. Zac had gone into the shower. Not bothering to wait for him toe out, she grabbed her bath towel and ran into her room. For the whole night, she didn''t dare fall asleep. Her eyes were fixed at the doorframe. The day before yesterday, when she identally locked the door, Zac easily opened it with his credit card. Seeing as the lock didn''t stop him, what would stop him now? She nced around the room and an idea came to her. Essie jumped off the bed to push therge wardrobe behind the door before pushing the bookshelf to grant some extra support. Thinking back to Zac''s strong muscles, Essie moved the sofa for a third level of protection. Seeing as she was safe, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. Essie just hoped that a disaster wouldn''t hit her that night, because she might have nowhere else to go. Chapter 11 You Are Not Allowed To Die Chapter 11 You Are Not Allowed To Die It waste at night, and the weather shifted around them. Dark clouds were gathering in the skies, and soon enough, thunder sted across the city. In her room, small night lights emitted a dim light. However, Essie couldn''t help but shift and turn under the covers of her bed. Ever since she was a kid, she had suffered from ustrophobia. Essie made sure to have night lights plugged around her room to help ease her anxiety. Even then, she still couldn''t fall asleep as her mind drifted towards Hanson. Although he was going to get married, she still liked him. This love hadsted for more than five years, and she still couldn''t find it in herself to get over him. If the girl he intended to marry wasn''t the one she hated, then maybe she would have already moved on and have given all her heartfelt wishes. Seeing as he had chosen Sunny, it pissed her off to no end. Essie groaned, wanting nothing more but to w her face. A fierce wind came, rustling the leaves in the backyard. Lightning fell from the skies, crackling around them. The rain fell harder as thunders rumbled, as if ready to consume the world. She jumped off the bed, closed the windows, and drew up the curtain. As she walked back to the bed, thunder sounded before her and the nightmp she had up suddenly turned off. Suddenly, her entire room was void of light. Everything around her turned deathly still. Essie''s nerves tightened as she fumbled around her bed for her phone, but she couldn''t find it. "Shit," she murmured. The more she thought about this, the more fearful she became. Her mind was in a daze as darkness wrapped around her, threatening to eat her alive. She wanted to get out of here, but the door was blocked by all the furniture she dragged across the room. Her legs trembled as she tried to push the sofa away. Her breathing was already turning unstable as she mmed her fists against the cushions. "Let me out, don''t lock me, let me out..." The terrible childhood memory shed before her eyes, and she found that she couldn''t breathe anymore. Her heart beat heavily in her chest as she fell to the ground, trembling violently. "Zac!" she shrieked out. "Help me¨Cplease!" Hearing the sound from the next room, he jumped out of the bed like a koi fish jumping out of water and rushed out of his room. "What''s wrong?" he called urgently. "Let me out! Help me..." Her voice was growing weaker. He could hear her banging against something, but before he could yell out, she quieted down. His mind rushed with different thoughts. ''Did she have a heart attack?'' he thought as he urgently grabbed at the handle. "Hold on," he said firmly. However, when he tried to open the door, he failed. Zac guessed that she must''ve have gotten something to block the door. ''Fuck!'' Without another thought, he kicked the door open. Although it worked, he could see heavy objects blocking his entry. Zac swore. ''How insecure could this woman be?'' N?velDrama.Org content. "How are you doing, Essie?" he yelled out, but there wasn''t any response. A lump built up in her throat, preventing her from saying anything. Shit! Zac had always been fearless. Whether he was faced with a gun or a knife, he knew how to keep his cool, but there was something about this situation that sent fear down his nerves. "Hold on! You are not allowed to die," he ordered. If she wanted to die, then she might as well wait until they got divorced. There was no way in hell was he bing a widower. He gritted his teeth as he rushed out of the room. Seeing that there were so many things blocking his entry, it was best that he climb up the firefighting pipe outside. Violent winds blew heavily outside as heavy rain poured down the road. Lightning shed in the skies, as he narrowed his eyes and surveyed his surroundings, finding a ce where he could climb up. A thick sycamore tree had been uprooted by the strong wind, crashing onto the road. Although he was soaked, he didn''t give a damn about it. All he cared for was Essie''s safety. He had been trained by the special force before, so it was a piece of cake for him to climb up to the second floor using his bare hands. However, the rain had made everything more slippery for him to hang on. If he wasn''t careful, he might fall. Chapter 12 The Hero Saved The Beauty Chapter 12 The Hero Saved The Beauty However, the thought of him dying it any further came into his mind. Without another thought, he reached out for the handle, climbing up to the second floor. Zac gritted his teeth as he hoisted himself up one step at a time. Thunder crackled in a distance, but he didn''t care. All he wanted was to save Essie. N?velDrama.Org content. Once he arrived, he kicked the ss window and swung himself into the room. Under the light of his cellphone, he could see her lying on the ground. Her whole body was convulsing and her lips were colorless. She looked as if she had just joined the cast of zombies. Zac lifted her up and ced her on the bed. He began to perform artificial respiration. Essie was finally conscious. Seeing the dim light across the room, her fear had been relieved. As he continued to blow air into her system, the muscle in her throat slowly unwound, allowing her to breathe more easily. "Did you have a heart attack? Where''s your medicine?" Zac asked anxiously, ncing around. "No. I suffered from ustrophobia, that''s all," she answered weakly. His shoulders sagged in relief at the thought of her not suffering from a heart attack. ustrophobia came and went quickly. As soon as she finished up a ss of water, she felt much better. "Do you know what you did was dangerous?" she admonished. Essie didn''t expect that he would risk his own life to save her. She was grateful to him. A small smile inched into her lips. "How can Ie in then?" Zac motioned to the furniture surrounding the door. "About that...I''m sorry?" Her cheeks flushed as she avoided his startling gaze. "You''re all wet. Why don''t you change them? You might catch a cold if you''re wearing them for too long." She wanted to help him unbutton his shirt, but the moment her hand grazed upon his corbone, she retracted from her hold. "Even if you take the initiative, I''m not interested in you. I hope you keep that in mind," he said viciously. The grateful feeling she had for him had vanished in thin air. Although she wasn''t the most beautiful woman in the world, she certainly wasn''t as bad as he said she was. She had a rather full bust for a height of 169cm, and she was incredibly well-shaped. "Well, you''re not my type either," she snapped, rolling her eyes. "Who''s your type then? Hanson?" He scowled. "You got that right." Essie nodded firmly. Anger filled Zac''s heart. He mercilessly took off his drenched clothing and threw them onto the sofa, ring at her. The hazy light highlighted his well-defined muscles. Even Essie couldn''t help but let her eyes wander around for a bit. Drops of water fell from his dark hair onto his chest, trailing across his creamy skin and outlining his abs. She blushed. Zac smirked as he shifted his gaze towards her. "Liking the view?" he said coldly. Essie almost nodded subconsciously. As a fashion designer, she had always been ustomed to seeing great-looking models. However, this was the first time she had seen such a perfect figure. A part of her wanted to sketch him. "Who do you think is better now?" asked Zac. "If you''re talking about looks, you''re better than him," she said honestly. A small smile tugged his lips. "But personality-wise, Hanson''s better," she continued. Hanson was gentle and elegant. He was a sweet summery scent along the spring breeze. There was something about him that made her feel as if she was breathing in fresh air. Zac, however, was wrapped around in his own enigma. He was far too cold and deep that she sometimes couldn''t stand him. He was the type of person who one could admire from afar but could never get close to. "Are you blind?" he snapped. "Well, I am near-sighted if that''s what you''re asking," she said slowly, nodding. "No wonder. Maybe I should take you to an eye clinic." He flicked her on the forehead. She scowled. "There''s absolutely no need for that." "Your eyesight must''ve gotten worse," he murmured. Zac thought that Hanson was iparable to him. He couldn''t understand why Essie liked him more. Essie made a face and stuck out her tongue at him. She thought that he was extremely arrogant. Outside the window, the storm was raging behind them. Zac pushed the furniture back to their original positions, but before he could leave, Essie grabbed his arm. "Please don''t leave me alone," she whispered, showing her more vulnerable side. When he saw her imploring gaze, he couldn''t help but feel happy. His heart twitched. "I''m getting sleepy anyway," he murmured. Zac yawned. Chapter 13 Zacs Tricks Chapter 13 Zac''s Tricks "You can sleep on my bed," Essie stated. His lips twitched. "Okay." Zac walked towards the bed and proceeded to lie down. When he reached out his arms to hold her slim waist, she tried her best to shrug him off. "Let me go. I''ll sleep on the sofa," she snapped. ''There''s no way in hell that we''ll be sleeping on the same bed!'' she thought. Essie struggled under his arms, but it only encouraged him to pin her down even more. "I''m cold. Isn''t it your duty to warm me up?" "You can tuck yourself in if you feel cold!" She kicked the quilt towards him angrily. If she didn''t ask him for help in the first ce, then she would''ve taken the opportunity to kick him where the sun doesn''t shine! "Well, you''re warmer than the quilt." He ced his chin on her shoulder wantonly, breathing in her heavenly fragrance. There was something about her that made him addicted to her scent. Of course, this didn''t mean that he cared for her. He had always been indifferent to these types of feelings. He wouldn''t fall in love that easily. She was just a special woman. Being held in his arms, she couldn''t help but blush in embarrassment. The heat she felt against his chest spread across her veins. She couldn''t help but feel even hotter under his grip. She unconsciously began to twist her body against him. "I suggest you don''t move," he whispered. His voice was hoarse. She froze as silence drifted upon them. She didn''t want to irritate him. Unfortunately, in a few minutes, the phone ran out of power. Darkness fell around her like a curtain. Feeling as if she was trapped once again, she screamed and buried her head into his chest. Her small body was convulsing like a frightened cat. Zac''s body stiffened as he held her in his arms, trying to contain her. She calmed down after a few seconds. After a long while, her timid voice broke the silence. "Zac, can you sing something for me?" He frowned. He never sang. However, Essie lifted her gaze and pouted. "Please? I won''t be scared anymore if you sing," she urged. "Why don''t you use your phone?" He tweaked her ear. "It died." Essie pouted and started to draw circles on his chest with her finger, as if to express her dissatisfaction. The heat rose in his chest sharply. He hurriedly grasped her restless hand. "What do you want to hear?" Zac had never been this tender with any woman, but there was something about her that softened his guard around his heart. "Anything," she said slyly. He sighed. Without another thought, he began to sing an old song in English. His voice was incredibly maic and soft. It was as if she was listening to an entire orchestra in her ear. She leaned against his chest, feeling it vibrate as he continued. The man had absolutely no shorings. His English was great. In fact, he sounded like he grew up in the States. She couldn''t help but feel ashamed over her poor English. Zac was definitely not uneducated. "What else can you do?" she murmured bitterly. "You''ll know in time," he whispered. After a night of hasty winds and heavy rainfall, the sky became more peaceful over time. Essie didn''t know when she had fallen asleep. All she knew was that when she woke up, Zac''s arms were wrapped around her. Zac didn''t close his eyes till he was a hundred percent sure that Essie was sound asleep. She raised her head and stared at him secretly. He was indeed a rare beauty. Even when he was asleep, he still looked incredibly charming. The sharp edges of his jawline were softer, and his hair lied t on his head. Although it felt as if God had yed a cruel trick on her, she didn''t feel so bad about it anymore. It N?velDrama.Org content. wasn''t that much of a loss to lose her virginity to such a handsome man. She couldn''t help but let her thumb graze against his face. Even the man''s skin was good. Did he always have such a nice skin? Zac woke up at her touch, but he didn''t dare open his eyes. Instead, he continued to pretend as if he was still sleeping, wondering to what extent she was willing to go. Chapter 14 The Handsome Guy In Sleep Chapter 14 The Handsome Guy In Sleep However, Essie didn''t take further action. Instead, she slipped out of his arms, jumped off the bed, grabbed her sketchbook, and sat cross-legged on the bed. Zac squinted his eyes just a bit to see what was happening. The girl was sketching him without his permission! How dare she! He clenched his jaw and turned to the other side of the bed. She went to the other side and continued. Seeing that she wasn''t going to stop that easily, he turned back and she followed. "Are you fucking dreaming?" Essie grumbled, finally having enough. Sensing her frustration, he decided to cooperate her. If the painting wasn''t good enough, then he would just tear it to pieces and throw it into the nearest trash can. Seeing that he didn''t move, Essie shook her head and sighed. "It seems that you also dream so fast," she teased quietly. Zac felt embarrassed yet again. It was a humiliating experience for a man to be questioned of his ability to do something! ''If a tiger didn''te out from its slumber, you''d take for it as a sick cat. If a dragon doesn''te out of its cave, then you''d think of it as a humble worm. Do you really think I''m that weak?'' He tried his best to suppress his anger. Finally, in a matter of thirty minutes, Essie finally finished her masterpiece. "Perfect!" Essie pped her hands together. Although she was praising the painting she had just drawn N?velDrama.Org content. up, the man took it as apliment to himself. His anger towards her immediately diminished. As she was about to hide his painting, Zac raised his eyebrow. "Don''t you think sketching me infringes on my rights?" he said coldly. She flushed almost immediately. "We''re husband and wife. Of course I have the right to sketch you." Before she could finish, the person on the bed rushed over like a raging tornado. He pulled her into his arms. "Since we''re a couple now, shouldn''t you at least fulfill your duty as a wife?" Essie grasped her cor in a hurry. "Didn''t you say you''re not interested in me?" she snapped. "With all that teasing, don''t I have to prove myself?" Fuck! Essie stuck out her tongue for him to see. She didn''t know that he had heard all of that! "Well, you''ve misunderstood me. I was talking about football, you know? And..." Hearing her ambiguous exnation, Zac had the urge to roll his eyes. Although he was still pretty annoyed, he couldn''t help but find her adorable. However, that didn''t mean that he would forgive her that easily. "I''m hungry. Why don''t you go and cook?" he ordered. Essie gaped at him. The topic had changed so fast that she found herself unable to react. She turned around and gazed out the window. The sun was hanging out in the sky. It was already noon and she still hadn''t eaten. "If you''re hungry, then you can go out and eat." She curled her lips. "From now on, I''ll be eating at home. You''ll cook." He was like a king who was handing out orders. No one was allowed to object. Zac snatched the painting from her hand and gazed at the portrait that she had sketched out. It was a nice painting. He would definitely take it to his storage room. ''Ass!'' she thought. Fortunately, she wouldn''t be tied to him forever or else she might as well just sign her death will. In the past few days, Zac had a preliminary impression of her. She was incredibly daze and careless. Whenever she was pouring water, there was a chance that she could spill it on her legs. Whenever she was peeling fruit, there was a risk that she could cut her own skin. Whenever she went out, she might forget her phone. Now, he realized something else¨C Essie was stingy! Chapter 15 Revenge Chapter 15 Revenge At that moment, Essie took it upon herself to bargain with the venders by the roadside. "Sir, it''s already noon and look at you vegetables. The leaves are turning yellow and the stems are withering. If you don''t sell it at 1.5 per kilogram, no one would buy it. Besides, the governor has already sent his men to patrol around the streets," she urged with her arms crossed. Back then, Essie was used to bargaining for her ingredients in the wet market, so this came naturally for her. Hearing her Essie grinned, disying two dimples on the sides of her cheeks. Zac resisted the urge to snort. He didn''t expect her to be so stingy that she actually put some effort in convincing the man to cut the price in half, but he liked a woman who valued her money. As long as she was willing to cooperate with him, he would definitely give her a considerablepensation for her time with him. Essie picked up three kilograms and gave the seller twenty dors. The seller handed her 18.5 dors, three dors more than what she should''ve gotten. She handed him the extra. "You gave me an extra three dors, sir," she exined kindly. The man smiled. "There''s not a lot of people who are as honest as you, you know." "Honest money attracts honest customers," she stated. Zac''s lips twitched, satisfied with her doing. They finally walked past the wet market. Even if it was already the afternoon, the ce was packed with different people. Zac didn''t step forward. Seeing this, she had to go in and buy it herself. Essie Zac thought that she couldn''t cook to save her life, given that he had only seen her eat noodles and buns at home every day. He decided to get back at her for insulting his abilities. However, the events right after they got home turned out far different from what he imagined. There wasn''t any screaming, flying pans, or panicked running. In fact, Essie was very methodical when it came to her cooking. Although he was a tiny bit disappointed, he couldn''t help but admire the serious look on her face as she was panfrying her food. He knew that once she put her mind into it, she would do her absolute best. It was a trait that attracted him the most. Soon enough, two tes of dishes and one bowl of soup were ced neatly on the table. When Zac tasted them, his eyes widened momentarily. They were very delectable. In fact, it even suited his very picky taste buds. Essie smiled. "Do you like it?" "How do you know my taste?" he asked. "I don''t, but I''m talented enough to make a guess." She winked. "About what?" Since they knew each other, they only had dinner together once or twice. He was T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. curious as to how she was able to guess what he liked. Taking a sip of her soup, Essie cleared her throat. "The first time we had noodles in a restaurant, you ordered the waiter to prepare nd noodles with mushrooms and cabbage. In fact, you even asked him not to put too much of the soy sauce. That means you''re not a man who likes too much voring. When we were at the wedding banquet, you specifically chose fresh dishes. That''s why I prepared bamboo shoots and ms to align with your taste." Zac''s eyes twinkled in surprise. He was impressed. Essie may look like a fool, but she was actually very observant. He liked her. "Turns out marrying you wasn''t so bad after all." He finally smiled. There was something about his smile that erupted a fire inside her heart. Her lips twitched in response. She lowered her gaze. "Well, you''re a bad husband." "Why?" He smirked. "I, not only have to clean your room and wash your clothes, but I also have to cook for you. I''ve suffered a lot." "Actually, you can just do one thing." He shed a yful smile. "And what is that?" She turned towards him. Chapter 16 The Call For Love Chapter 16 The Call For Love "Warm my bed." Essie almost choked at his words. She coughed so hard that her face turned beet red. With tears in her eyes, she red at the culprit next to her. ''There was no way in hell,'' she thought to herself. Without even patting her back, Zac continued to eat his meal. It was as if it never happened or he couldn''t care less with her reaction. Her eyes shed with fury. Not only was he a rascal, but it seemed that he was also a cold-blooded animal. The woman who''s fated to marry him must be incredibly unlucky in her past life. She gritted her teeth. Once her time was up, she would divorce him not a secondter. They finished their lunch in ufortable silence. After tidying up the bowls and chopsticks, she took out her notebook she used to keep ount of all of her ie and expenses. Essie was used to writing down every penny that she spent. "These are the expenses we''ve incurred in the past few days." She ced the notebook in front of him. "I''ll pay your amodation fee, but the rest of the expenditures will be split into two. I''ll pay for it now, but you have to pay it back when we''re divorced." However, before she could add anything more, the man took out his credit card and ced it on top of her notebook. "Swipe it yourself. There''s no password, and it doesn''t need any signature," he said coldly, as if he couldn''t care any less what the amount was. Her jaw clenched. "Hell no," she refused, shaking her head. "We''re not rtives or even friends for that matter. I won''t take your card." ''We''re not rtives or friends?'' Zac snorted at the thought, raising his thick eyebrows. "From what I know, you''re my wife, aren''t you?" She gritted her teeth, glowering at him. "I''ll max out your card if I''ll take it," she warned spitefully. "I don''t care. In fact, it''s your loss if you don''t try to max it out during our agreement." He shrugged, crossing his arms. Essie''s eyes widened. It sounded like Zac didn''t care about what she did. In fact, he even encouraged her to use his card in the first ce! Did he even know the value of money at this point? She stuttered, trying to get a hold of her tongue. What the hell was the man thinking? "Since you insist, I''ll keep it for you. Don''t worry. I won''t spend an extra penny using this," she stated firmly. Since he was so generous, she would keep it. Maybe then, this could also prevent him from backing out of their agreement. Essie ced the card and her book in their room. When she came out, she heard someone ringing her doorbell. "Essie, are you there?" "It''s us. Open the door." She was very familiar with their voices. In fact, they belonged to her two best friends¨CMandy and Eva. They were best friends since they were kids. They all went to the same high school together, and they N?velDrama.Org content. even chose the same college to study in. Although they had different jobs now, they still lived in the same city. Mandy was an anchorwoman in Yang City Satellite TV. When she heard about Hanson''s engagement, she immediately called Eva and ran to Essie. On March 31, Essie had told them that she would be dering her love to her dream man. They were worried that she must be devastated with the news of his engagement. As soon as they entered the door, Eva observed Essie. Seeing that she was fine, she felt relieved. Zac sat on the sofa of her living room. At the sight of him, Eva smirked. "No wonder you don''t look devastated," she teased. "No! He¨C" Before Essie could exin, Mandy jumped in excitement. "Thompson! You''re Thompson!" Hearing the name, Essie and Eva were startled. They all knew that Mandy had been infatuated with Thompson for four years. He was her hero, but she didn''t even know his true name. Zac pursed his lips. He had only used that name once. How did this woman know? Mandy''s shoulders sagged in disappointment at theck of his reaction. She had looked for him for so many years. She didn''t expect that he didn''t know her at all. Chapter 17 The Dream Man Is Not Easy To Deal With Chapter 17 The Dream Man Is Not Easy To Deal With "I''m Mandy, don''t you remember me? Six years ago, during the trip to the Himyas, my traveling It was not until then that Zac realized what she was referring to. Yet, thispliment didn''t make him look proud. He continued to have an indifferent expression on his face. Shrugging his shoulder, he let go of the matter. However, hearing this, Essie walked over and patted him on the shoulder. With a yful look on her face, she said, "I wasn''t aware you had gone to the Himyas. It sounds amazing!" Mandy had repeated this story a million times in the past. It was something she enjoyed narrating every now and then. They had also named this story as the independent hero climbing the mountains and rivers. The way he had hit eight gangsters all by himself was the part she told with a relish. Zac gently pinched the tip of her chin. "There are still a lot of things you don''t know." Looking at them, Mandy couldn''t help but feel a little envious. She never expected that her dream hero would one day be her best friend''s hero. "Essie, how do you know him?" If they hadn''t known each other for a long time and if their rtionship hadn''t reached anywhere, then it meant Mandy still stood a chance. Thinking something was going on between the two, she was overtaken by an urge to curse. Essie, on the other hand, quickly noticed the change in Mandy''s expression and answered, "He is my roommate." She knew Mandy too well. Her biggest weakness was her paranoia. As soon as they returned from the journey, Mandy kicked her boyfriend mercilessly and urged her to apany her to do hymen repair surgery. Nervously, Essie obeyed and didn''t even dare tell Eva about this. She decided to keep the rtionship between her and Zac as simple as possible. She couldn''t let her other rtionships to be damaged because of it. Apart from the fact they had a fake marriage certificate and had sex once identally, there was nothing between the two. After two months, they would separate and never contact each other again. ''She had told them we are nothing but roommates,'' thought Zac to himself. It pained him to see the attitude with which she looked at their rtionship. ''Did that sex mean nothing to her?'' he wondered. Mandy was greatly relieved when she was filled in with the reality of their rtionship. Essie was her best friend and she loved her with all her heart. She could share everything, except love. Everyone was selfish when it came down to love. She smiled and looked at the man of her dreams. "I don''t know your real name yet," she said in a flirty tone. Even though her voice was loud enough, he pretended like he didn''t hear her question. Paying her no heed, he focused on the iPad in his hand. Seeing the awkward situation before her, Essie spoke, "His name is Zac Rong, 26 years old,ing from Dragon City." That was the only thing she knew about him as well. Prying was not her thing hence she didn''t bother probing him with questions. Thest thing she wanted was to make a fool out of herself. Mandy nodded, trying to look calm. But deep down, she was very disturbed. She couldn''t believe Zack had ignored her. ''Wasn''t I beautiful enough? Doesn''t he find me attractive?'' She couldn''t help but wonder as her confidence went down. All her life, she had lived with the knowledge she was physically striking. Everywhere she went, men and even women would stop and stare at her. Her breathtaking beauty and perfect features could easily steal a heart. Every man she liked reciprocated her feelings. It was the first time a man had ignored her! Embarrassment engulfed her. "Zac, can I call you like this?" She went on, trying to get his attention. Even though she was shocked, she wouldn''t give up so easily. "We are not that close," he said, nonchntly. Once again he had pricked her ego by turning her down. And the worst part was, he had no sorrow in doing so. At the moment, he was in a bad mood and her interest in him was only making it worse. Essie turned her head and looked at Zac. The cruelty in his eyes scared her. ''Who offended him? Why is he so ferocious!'' she wondered, running out of ideas to cate the situation. Mandy''s heart was wounded. She lowered her eyes and almost cried. Essie hurried to ease the atmosphere, "He was only kidding. You can call him as you like." As soon as she finished her words, she felt a chill sweep over her face. She chose to ignore it. Her words hadn''tforted Mandy. His cold face showed that he wasn''t joking. "Ladies,e and eat pears. I bought them today. They''re fresh," Essie said, trying to brighten up the atmosphere. It was getting quite gloomy there. She took a pear from the coffee table. When she was about to peel it, Zac grabbed the knife from her and said, "Didn''t I buy you a peeler?" "Oh you did. Ipletely forgot." After saying this, she ran into the kitchen and took out the peeler. Last time, she had cut herself while cutting an apple. Seeing the pain she had gone through, Zac bought a peeler. He could be quite considerate at times! She put the pear to the machine, and quipped as she rotated the handle, "Now that I have this peeling divine weapon, mom doesn''t need to worry about me anymore." "I am not worried about you. I am just worried you will use this wound as an excuse to have a rest." Zac sneered. Essie made a face at him and was brimming with rage! She knew he wouldn''t suddenly be kind but his reply irked her nevertheless. Next to them, Eva burst intoughter. "The more I look at you, the more I think you are not roommates instead a newly married couple." Zac nced at her. He wanted to agree. However, Essie frowned on listening to Eva''s words. Pretending like she didn''t hear it, she continued to work on the pear. Eva''s words didn''t make Mandy happy. She found that the coldness in Zac''s eyes disappeared every time he looked at Essie. ''Was it because they were familiar with each other, or because the rtionship N?velDrama.Org content. between them was more than that of two roommates?'' she wondered. Either way, she swore she would figure it out! Chapter 18 The Perfect Husband Chapter 18 The Perfect Husband "Essie, we thought you would be devastated because of Hanson''s uing marriage. You seem well Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. though, and we didn''t expect you to be so cheerful like now. Have you really moved on?" Mandy asked deliberately. At the mention of Hanson''s name, Eva suddenly coughed as if to remind Mandy not to aggravate Essie. Essie''s eyes darkened instantly. It was true that she didn''t have much time to think about Hanson after spending thest few days quarreling with Zac. She realized just now that Zac''s troublesome attitude was actually a blessing in disguise. Since there was no chance for her to end up with Hanson anyway, it would be a waste to think about him. "I''ve decided to concentrate on my work. I won''t date someone before the age of 25." She vowed solemnly. Eva wagged a disapproving finger at her. "You can''t miss the opportunity to pursue love just because of career! Your youth and good looks are wasted on you if you keep that up. Don''t think that you''ll be pretty forever. The best time to look for love is now!" Essie let out a sigh. "Not everyone is like you, changing boyfriends within a week and treating love as a game." Mandy turned her gaze at Essie. With a pitying look, she said, "Hanson is Essie''s true love. I don''t think Essie will ever forget Hanson." While speaking, she sneaked a look at Zac. The man on the other side was looking at the iPad in his hand and didn''t seem to listen to them at all. She couldn''t see his eyes well, so she didn''t notice that his eyes had dimmed at the mention of Hanson. Essie chomped down on the pear and finished it in a few seconds. Annoyed, she wiped the juice off her mouth and replied, "It''s hard for me to forget my feelings just like that. It''s such a waste to make such a perfect person as Hanson marry Sunny. Cupid must have been drunk when he shot his arrows at those two." "Well, maybe your Mr. Right is more perfect." Eva tried tofort her. Essie wasn''t convinced. She shook her head. "The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. I might be destined to be alone for the rest of my life." She lowered her head and sighed,pletely ignoring the piercing gaze from the other side. Out of the blue, Zac stood up from the sofa and said coldly, "I have something to deal with. You guys have fun." After that, he walked out without waiting for their response. When he heard Hanson''s name, he felt a little irritable. He was even more annoyed that he couldn''t exin why he would feel that way. He thought it was better for him to leave than hear their discussion. The moment Zac closed the door, Eva made a face towards Mandy and said, "I don''t think you can handle that guy. He is too cold, I can''t figure him out." Mandy red at her, but didn''t respond. She picked up the lemon tea on the table and drank it as if deep in thought. After a while, she whispered, "Essie, what does he do?" "He said he was involved in construction work before this. He must be a construction worker and now he is out of work." Essie shrugged. "Construction worker?" Mandy had stopped drinking her lemon tea. She was shocked. Essie understood what she was thinking, so she smiled and said, "Well, as for him, he was blessed with good looks but he was not born with a silver spoon, if that''s what you''re thinking." "Well, construction workers are not only the ones doing construction in the site. He must be a real estate developer or an architect." Mandy couldn''t believe what she just heard. He was a regal king with elegance and nobility all over his body. How could he be an ordinary man? Eva poked her forehead, "Let''s face the reality. A truly rich man lives in a vi, and drives a luxury car. If he''s well-off, why would he rent an apartment with Essie?" "Maybe there is some special reason. Maybe he is hiding his identity on purpose." Mandy cast a sidelong nce at her. Right now, she was imagining that he was a prince pretending to be a frog. It often happened in TV dramas. "Mandy, he really is an ordinary person with no house, no car, no savings, no background, and no employment!" Essie changed to a straightforward tone. Although it was cruel to shatter Mandy''s beautiful fantasy, she had to face reality sooner orter. Mandy lowered her head and didn''t say anything. The disappointment in her eyes was obvious. In her mind, there was a huge difference between being rich and poor, even if they were handsome. Only the most eligible bachelors of the city would match a beautiful woman like her. But on second thought, what if Essie was lying? ''She''s convincing me to give up, so she could take advantage of her favorable position! Even if she was my best friend, I can''t trust her,'' thought Mandy. "Do you like him?" Mandy looked square at Essie''s eyes and asked seriously. "Are you kidding me? We are just tmates." When Essie said the word "just", she felt very guilty. "Although you are just tmates, you still live under the same roof. You should be careful around him. What if he is a bad guy?" Mandy said half-jokingly. Besides, Essie was not clever enough. She believed that she could get what she wanted to know soon. Chapter 19 The Strongest Love Rival Chapter 19 The Strongest Love Rival Essie waved her hand again. Although Zac was unpredictable, he was certainly not a bad person. When it came to sex, they benefited from each other. But when it came to money... "He gave his credit card to me. Only I can rob him. He can''t rob me," Essie said with a smile. "What?" Mandy and Eva eximed at the same time. "You are just roommates. Why did he give you his credit card?" Mandy frowned. "It looks like he is interested in our Essie," Eva said with augh. Essie hastily waved her hand and said, "You''ve got the wrong idea. When we dine in the same restaurant, we pay fifty-fifty. But since I''m buying all the food from the market now, of course he has to pay me. Also, his card''s monthly limit is only 3,000, so he won''t lose much even if I use all of it up." "It''s awesome that he gave you the card! There is no other handsome guy like him! Just let him be your boyfriend." Eva snickered. Mandy rolled her eyes at Essie, feeling very depressed. He was her prince charming. Should she be clear about who she was? She took the cup of lemon tea from the table, but just as she was about to take a sip, she decided to put it back down. ''Forget it. Don''t drink any more. The more you drink, the Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. worse you will feel,'' she thought to herself. "Essie, show us the card." Mandy tried her best to wear a smile on her face. A bank card could reveal a person''s identity. If it turned out just amon card, she wouldn''t struggle with it too much. She could just let Essie have the card and let her have him. If the man did not have much money, then just like aptop with limited memory, he would not improve even when installed an advanced software like her. "What''s so good about a card? You have your own," Essie said hesitantly. "That is my dream guy''s card!" Mandy grabbed Essie''s arm and started shaking it. It was obvious that she was not going to stop until she got what she wanted. Essie sighed and took Zac''s credit card from the room. Mandy took the card and looked at it carefully. The surface of the card was silver and ck, and in the middle of it was a low-key, simple, and unique character. Just as she was about to turn over the card, Eva snatched it away. "Wow, this card is so unique. Can you get your name carved on a card? Is that a symbol of hisst name? Where can I get one? I want to get one too!" "You can look at it as custom tailoring. It must bememorative edition. The character on it means prosperity and joy. It''s a just a coincidence," Essie said, pouting. That guy was so lucky. Howe she wasn''t lucky? Mandy''s eyes shed. Other people wouldn''t have a clue, but she knew better. Her father was the senior manager of a bank, and she was absolutely sure that this was not just an ordinary card, and the person who owned this card was not an ordinary person as well. She already knew that her prince was not some mediocre man, but... She looked at Essie with a mysterious glimmer in her eyes. "If you are not interested in him, I will make a move," she said deliberately. "It''s really none of my business even if you kill him or something," Essie replied directly with a lighthearted smile. Mandy smiled with relief. She was just thinking too much. Essie had always been in a daze since she was a child. She was not a very smart person. In fact, if she was trafficked, she would probably help the kidnapper. She did not know how to lie at all. It was already evening when Zac came back. Essie had just finished having barbecue with her friends and had also just arrived home. She was just lying on the sofa whilefortably watching some TV. Zac took a cold shower and sat beside her. His trousers were slightly open, and Essie couldn''t stop herself from peeping at him. She took a deep breath and her nose was filled with the light fragrance of his body wash and his seductive hormones. All of a sudden, her face turned hot and her heartbeat got faster. ''Oh my God! Are you out of your mind?'' she thought to herself. She grabbed the juice on the table and took another deep breath to get herself back to normal. Then, at that moment, a hand reached out to her and gently touched her face. "What''s wrong? Why is your face so red?" Essie stopped breathing for a second. ''He has eyes as sharp as an eagle''s, and nothing can get past him!'' Essie thought. "I had barbecue this afternoon. Maybe I am sick," she stuttered. "Do you need my help?" He put his hand on the back of the sofa and continued getting closer to her. Frightened, she hurriedly moved to the other side of the sofa. Then, she took his hand and said, "Don''t even think about it!" "What did I think?" His dark eyes flickered in the light with a bewitching look. "Nothing but filthy thoughts." Essie looked away, trying to avoid getting eye-contact with him. With a cold and mischievous smile ying at the corners of his mouth, he slowly stood up from the sofa. ''What are you doing, lecher?'' Essie wondered. Chapter 20 You Feel Bad When Touching Chapter 20 You Feel Bad When Touching The more Essie thought about it, the more nervous she got. She almost jumped to her feet and tried to run away, but Zac didn''t go to her. Instead, he went straight to the fridge and took out a box of ice cream. "I just wanted to help you with this," he said. She took a deep breath, still petrified as Zac pointed at her temple with his index finger and said, "You think too much. But even if you wanted to do that, I still wouldn''t want to because you feel like a dehydrated dry carrot when I touch you." Her face became bright red as he spoke. When she noticed the cheeky grin on his face and realized that he was actually teasing her, she got angry, scooped out some ice cream, and wiped it on his face. This guy was a neat freak, so she thought he would immediately run to the bathroom and take a shower. She absolutely did not expect him to fight back, but he scooped out some ice cream as well and smeared it all over her face. ''You want to dere war on me? Fine! I''m not afraid of you at all!'' Zac thought. Then, an ice cream battle started. They ran all over the house whileughing until all of the ice cream in the fridge was gone. Afterwards, Essiey on the floor, out of breath. Then, she licked the ice cream around her lips. Seeing the flushed and naughty look on Essie''s face, Zac felt quite amused. A deep, rumblingughter came out of his throat, and pulled at her heartstrings, just like a dragonfly skimming its wings over theke and spreading out ripples. He was an extremely handsome man, and he became even more charming when he smiled. Whenever he smiled, his usually cold profile became gentle and bright. It was no wonder that Mandy was so mesmerized by him. It was as if God made this man so incredibly good looking in order to tease women and make them fight with one another over him. While she was still in a trance, Zac inched his face closer to hers until the tip of his nose was almost touching her nose. "Essie, you obviously like looking at me," he said. Upon hearing his words, Ethan felt her blood boil. She turned her head to the side and immediately sat up straight. It really was true that men always thought with the lower part of their body. "You sex maniac, if you can''t hold it in any longer, go and find a woman outside. Stop wasting your time on me. There are a lot of girls who would willingly sacrifice their body to you," Essie told Zac. Zac frowned at her. He took a deep breath, feeling like he had just suffered an internal injury. He had not had sex for several years. No matter how beautiful the women outside were, he was not interested in them at all. He was a germaphobe, and all he wanted was to be a quiet sleeping beauty. But Essie was the exception. Maybe it was because she looked so different that he became excited the moment he first saw her. He became valiant and imposing, wanting to march forward the moment he Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. could. "You are my wife. Should you be pushing me away?" "I don''t want to be your wife. It''s not proper to give myself up to you," Essie said with a pout. "You seem to be forgetting that you have already given your virginity to me." His voice was soft and teasing, like the humming of a cheetah as it ys with amb that he had already caught with his paws. "It doesn''t count." Essie''s face became bright red again. "Then what counts?" With an aggressive look in his eyes, his long fingers caressed her pink cheeks gently, like the gentle flutter of a butterfly''s wings. Essie licked her dry lips and quickly changed the topic. "Well, stop it. Come on, be serious! You now have a beautiful girl who is very fond of you. Move quickly and seize the opportunity as fast as you can," she said. "Who are you talking about?" Zac said, his eyes darkening. "Mandy!" Essie eximed. Then, she smirked and continued, "I know that you are a little tempted by her, and the only reason you left suddenly and treat her coldly is that you want to y hard to get, right?" Zac was rendered speechless. ''She really is different from any other woman, '' Zac thought. ''And other than that, her brain is also so unique.'' He frowned before putting on a sly smile and saying, "Are you jealous?" "Of course not. I, as your temporary wife, am being very generous to you. I turn on green lights for you all the time. And not only can you pass the Peach Blossom Road unimpeded because of me, but I am also helping you at a critical moment," she replied. Her carelessness somewhat annoyed Zac. He pursed his lips and squinted his eyes. Then, his face became serious and his voice became quite cold. "It''s your business. I''m not interested in your friend. Stop bothering me!" He hated it when women teased him. If she dared to tease him, he would definitely punish her! The fiendish look on his face told Essie that he was not joking. At that moment, she felt a mixture of delight and a bit of worry. What pleased her was how this cold guy was still calm even when another woman was flirting with him. It meant that he was not some kind of yboy. But what worried her the most was the fact that Zac was apparently not interested in Mandy. If Mandy really tried to pursue him, then she could end up being caught between the two of them. And as it turned out, the more concerned she was, the faster it all happened. The next day, Mandy called her early in the morning. She had a ticket for Be''s autumn fashion show, and she wanted to give it to Essie in exchange for helping her set up a dinner date with Zac. To be honest, thest thing Essie wanted was to get involved in this whole ordeal, but she really wanted to go to the show, so she had to throw all her reservations aside this time. But there was one problem. If Zac found out that Mandy was the one who wanted to go on a date with him, Essie was sure that he would refuse. She had to think of a way. Chapter 21 Meet The Prince Charming Again Chapter 21 Meet The Prince Charming Again She thought about it for a while and then sent a message saying, "Zac, I won''t cook tonight. Please arrive at Petrus Restaurant for a French dinner. See you at sharp eight o''clock. PS: If you stand me up, I am going to burn you alive." While reading this message, Zac was in the cottage by the bay with his subordinate, William. A smile made its way to his face as soon as he read Essie''s text. It was an unnoticeable one yet William caught it since he knew his boss very well. Moreover, his boss seemed to be in high spiritstely. There was a new cheerfulness about him. He couldn''t help bute to the conclusion that Essie had a part in it. He was also stunned to see this change in his boss. No other girl had managed to cate Zac since he Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. was indifferent to their feelings. Even the most beautiful women had no power over him. As the only person who knew the whereabouts of Zac, he also knew about this absurd marriage. That day, Zac was drunk and went back to get his identification. William had tried his best to stop him, but Zac wouldn''t listen, he fought his way out. After escaping from one marriage, he ended up getting tangled in the webs of another marriage. It seemed that his boss hadmitted a marriage crisis this year! "Valery and Mrs. Mary sent two groups to catch you. They chased after you from Paris to St. Moritz in two different ways." He reported that they wouldn''t stop until they saw the bridegroom on the wedding. "Tell Andy to continue ying with them," taking a sip of coffee, Zac said with a slight irony in his eyes. He had made full preparations for the escape from the wedding this time. He not only made up an illusion that he was going abroad, but also had his subordinates travel around the country using his name. "Why don''t you just take Miss Essie home? Try to convince Mrs. Mary and Valery that you have no interest in marrying Valery," suggested William, confused. Although he had worked with Zac for several years, he still had a tough time understanding what was going on in his boss''s head. "It''s not the right time yet," said Zac, devoid of any emotion on his face. Before he could do anything, he had to make sure Essie would cooperate. He still hadn''t convinced her! William said no more. Speaking less and doing more was the most important quality one had to have if they wished to work for Zac. At eight o''clock, Zac arrived at the Petrus Restaurant on time. On his way, he kept on wondering what had prompted her to make such a grand n! ''Is it because she was suddenly in a mood for some good dish or because atst she wanted to date me?'' He wished thetter was true. He hoped his charm had finally forced her to give in. A warm smile broke through Zac''s icy face, making him look even more handsome than he normally looked. At the sight of Zac, Mandy stood up excitedly and said, "Zac!" Zac''s smile froze in an instant. "Where is Essie?" "She just called and said that she had something urgent to deal with, so she won''t be able to make it." Mandy had alreadye up with an excuse. "What was so urgent that she had to leave the dinner?" A shadow flitted over Zac''s eyes. "There happens to be a fashion show tonight." Mandy shuddered at Zac''s coldness. She realized this wouldn''t go as her n. ''How dare she!'' Zac muttered under his breath, but Mandy couldn''t hear it. The darkness on his face magnified. "Achoo¡ª" At the century event, Essie, who was sitting in the front row, sneezed again. All her attention was on the runway, and she waspletely unaware that the seat next to her had been upied by someone else. "Long time no see, Essie." A low and familiar voice came to her ears, making her tremble slightly. She turned her head and saw the gentle and elegant face. Her heart stopped beating at once. "Hanson, why are you here?" She remembered clearly that there was a blonde foreigner next to her. It was beyond her how thatdy had been reced by Hanson. Seeing her perplexed face, Hanson smiled and exined, "I''ve exchanged my seat with hers." "Okay." Then she once again turned her attention back to the runway. She was a little flustered, as if she couldn''t face him. Every time she thought about him, their memories came flooding back. Hanson, on the other hand, didn''t have an ounce of shame. He wouldn''t move his eyes from her. Her light chestnut curly hair shone golden in the light. Her delicate face was like the bright diamond. Slowly, he was drinking her in. She didn''t put on any makeup, instead applied ayer of transparent lip gloss on her plump lips. She always kept it simple, allowing her pure beauty to shine, like a stream of clear moonlight pouring out. This was one of the reasons why people were amazed by her. And presently, Hanson wanted to hold her in his hands. The light blue organza dress on her body set off her tall and thin figure. And therge V-neck design revealed her delicate vicle. The hemline was even lower than her thighs. Watching this, Hanson''s Adam''s apple rolled. He said, "It''s a beautiful dress." Of course she was more beautiful, but he wouldn''t scare her withpliments. However, Essie thought he was talking about the show, so she nodded and said, "Ordinary people wouldn''t be able to pull off such a bold collision of colors." "I was talking about your dress," he said, clearing the misunderstanding. The hair at the temples of her ear was tossed away by him. The skin he touched was burning hot. She looked away in a hurry. "I... made it myself." Chapter 22 Late Confession Chapter 22 Late Confession "Letting you leave is Be''s loss." Hanson sighed. The light in Essie''s eyes dimmed. When she graduated from Donghua University, Hanson had just graduated from the famous Istituto Marangoni and returned to China. Later, he became the deputy CEO of Be. It was for Hanson that she overcame many tests and entered the design department. She thought that she could be with him day and night...that was, until she met Sunny¨Cher rival. Sunny had set her up and forced her to leave Be Company. In addition, she took advantage of her father''s influence and forced anypany she had applied to, to reject her. However, Essie wasn''t going to give up just like that. She opened a store on Taobao. She started to tailor clothes for her two friends who were private celebrities, which attracted plenty of people from the upper-ss. "There are so many talented people there." She lowered her head. "Well, you''re different." His deep voice was like the night wind blowing through her hair. She blinked in surprise and raised her gaze to face him. "It''s too noisy here. Would you like to take a walk with me?" He motioned to the outside. She nodded, still in a daze from his words. It was notte at night, yet the fragrance of newly brewed tea pervaded the air. It still smelled like summer. She inhaled as a smile curved her lips. The air was cool. She could feel her hair swaying from the breeze as the leaves rustled in response. When they reached the flower bed at the middle of the square, he stopped. Essie waited, not really knowing what he wanted to say. "When you told me you like me...was that true?" he suddenly asked. Her heart trembled in her chest as her hands shook. ''Yes.'' She wanted to scream on top of her lungs as she waved her hands up in the air, but she held herself. Essie managed to ster an exaggerated smile on her face. "Of course not. It was April Fool''s Day. I was only kidding," she lied. She didn''t want to hurt herself again. "So...it was just a joke?" The neon lights from the road shed and glittered across the night, but none of them could lighten up what he was feeling. "You''re getting married." Her words were like knives ramming straight into his heart. That was right. He was getting married, and he had no right to ask her that. Deep inside, Hanson had always liked her, but a part of him was satisfied with their lukewarm rtionship, but after seeing her with another man, he couldn''t find himself wasting another moment. His hands shook as he reached out for her. "I like you, Essie." Hanson held her cold hands and stared into her eyes. Essie quivered under his touch, feeling as if she had just been struck by lightning. She blinked, and a Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. part of her wondered if she had heard it wrong. "I like you," he repeated. Her eyes had gone misty and tears started to streak down her cheeks. She had waited for so long to hear those words from his mouth, and here they were. Hanson''s fingers grazed against her face, brushing away the tears. "I know that you were serious that day. I really, really like you," he whispered. He lowered his head and got close to Essie. She stood still, as if she had just been frozen in time. Her heart was beating faster and faster as if she was running a marathon. Not far away, a Bentley was parked under the tree. The dark color blended with the night''s shadows. At the other side of the car window, cold eyes stared at the two figures under the starry night. If looks could burn, everything would''ve already been lit up into mes. The man in the driver''s seat had already noticed Zac''s unusual behavior. Zac''s usual poker face was nowhere to be seen as conflicting emotions shed across his face. He couldn''t believe the fact that his boss could be so emotional over the woman. When Zac was about to turn away, a figure rushed towards the flower bed, disturbing the supposedly romantic sight. Chapter 23 Getting Rid Of Potential Threats Chapter 23 Getting Rid Of Potential Threats "What are you doing?" Sunny was furious as she rushed over to the pair. She looked like a dragon who was about to spit fire. Hanson let go of the woman in his arms. Although he was startled, he didn''t look the slightest bit guilty. He knew for a fact that Sunny had always been obsessed with him. In fact, she was the one who had brought up the wedding. "Why are you here?" "How could I not?" she snapped. A part of her wished that she could tear Essie down with her own bare hands. Having no intention to argue with Sunny, Essie turned. "I''m going in." However, just as she was about to leave, Sunny caught her wrist. Turning her around, she pped the woman hard on the face. There was no way she was going to let the woman go! Especially after trying to seduce her husband! Sunny clenched her jaw as malicious thoughts filled her mind. In the ck Bentley, Zac glowered. His fists cracked at the sight, tearing through the dull silence in the car. Although Essie deserved a lesson, he was the only one allowed to touch her or to even lecture her over what she had done. If anyone dared to hurt her, then they were about to face death himself. Zac was about to open the door, but he stopped himself when Essie raised her hand and pped the woman back without fear. Tears streamed down Sunny''s face from the startling pain. She stumbled back. "Essie, how dare you?" It was the first time she had ever been pped. Essie snorted, "You may be rich and powerful, but thest thing I''ll be is afraid of you! From now on, I''ll repay you twice as hard for everything that you''ve done to me." "You bitch!" Sunny raised her arm and was about to strike her, but Hanson held her back. "That''s enough!" he roared. "Didn''t you see that she just pped me?" Flushed red, she wanted to shake off his hold, only to find that he was too strong. "You were the one who hit her first," he said coldly, ncing apologetically at the woman in front of them. "I have to go." Essie had taken this chance to leave. It seemed that Sunny would always be a thorn on her side whenever she was with Hanson. If she ever got close to him, she would do everything to stab her back. A part of her wondered if it was worth it. Seeing her leave, Hanson finally released the woman. Pissed off, Sunny stomped on the gravel. "I forbid you to see her again!" she shrieked out. "Even if you forbid me to see her, do you honestly think you''re the only woman in my life?" he said lightly. She gritted her teeth. "What do you mean?" "Do you really think I wouldn''t cheat on you?" A mocking smile slid into his lips, and it sent a chill down her spine. All influential men have indulged themselves in the highest form of pleasure, and it seemed that Hanson was not an exception to all the temptation surrounding him. "My father will not stand for it!" She had no choice but to use her father''s name to suppress him. After all, given that the two families were business partners, he wouldn''t dare try anything rashly. Hanson snorted, "Where''s your father now?" ''Who does she think her father is?'' he thought. He left with a cold smile, and Sunny was left alone in the cold night. ''As long as you aren''t with Essie, then it''s fine.'' Finally, she took out her phone. "Billy, get some people for me." She would never forgive the person who had hurt her! It waste at night. The noise finally faded away. It was reced with crickets and chirps. Since there weren''t any direct bus to her apartment in the square, Essie had no choice but to walk to her ce from the nearest bus station. During this period, she needed to cross a dark alley. Both sides of the alley were shrouded in many trees. Since it was alreadyte, there were almost no one around her. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. A shiver shot down her spine. Feeling as if someone was following her, Essie quickened her pace. Chapter 24 The Hero Comes To Rescue Her Chapter 24 The Hero Comes To Rescue Her "Hey, girl, why are you alone? Do you need someone to stay with you?" Harshughter came from behind her. Essie froze. When she turned, she could see four obscene men gazing up and down at her figure lustfully. Sick smiles were imprinted on their faces. She didn''t take another second before she turned and ran. However, these men were quick. Soon enough, they already had her trapped around the middle. "Look, if you want the money, here it is. Let me go." Her hand trembled as she stretched out her bag, believing that the men were wise enough to not get themselves into any more trouble. The fat man smirked, looking her over. He wiped the saliva dripping from the corner of his lips. "Such a beauty," he slurred. "Boys, I think we got lucky tonight!" Besides, they were already paid. What he wanted to do was y with the woman in front of him. When Essie heard him, she got even more nervous. Knowing that she couldn''t get rid of them with cash, she had to fight them off. She swung her bag towards the shortest and thinnest man. While he used his arms to cover his face, she used this opportunity to shove him down and ran to the other side of the alley. There would be pedestrians who could see her if they ran after her. Essie gazed at the exit ahead, only to miss the stone that was blocking her way. She stumbled down, and her knees scraped against the gravel. She struggled to stand up, but one of the men held her down. "Let''s see where you can go now." He smiled lewdly. The three men quickly stepped forward to hold her down. They cackled like a bunch of hyenas about to get some fresh meat. "Come on!" they yelled at their leader. They couldn''t wait to get a taste of this. With an obscene smile, the fat man began to unbuckle his belt. Knowing that she couldn''t get free from the tight hold, tears of despair streamed down her face. "Zac!" she sobbed out. She didn''t know why he was the first person in her mind, but she yelled for him desperately. Closing her eyes and readying herself for the worse, an angry fist broke through the helpless night. Billy, the fat man, groaned in pain as he fell onto the ground like a motionless pig. Seeing this, the other three men let go of the girl and started to brandish their knives. Without another word, they rushed to the neer. They weren''t any match for him. In just a few strokes, all three of them fell to the ground as they searched for their knocked off teeth. Essie gazed at the man who had saved him. She squinted, not believing that it was actually Zac who came to save her. When his arms wrapped around her, she could smell his masculine scent wafting around her nose. "Zac," she sobbed. "You really came." She broke into tears. Zac had been angry for several hours. He was like a volcano waiting to erupt, but as soon as he heard her calling his name, the anger on his facepletely dissipated. The fact that he was the first one she had called for and not Hanson,forted him. After they walked out of the alley, a man in ck came over. In the moonlight, his handsome face and a bloodthirsty sneer hung on the corners of his mouth. Soon enough, with a mix of butchered screams and heartfelt tears, four disabled eunuchs appeared at the other end of the street. In the apartment. Still suffering from the shock, Essie found herself curling at the edge of the sofa, holding the small pillow in her arms. Zac fetched the medicine box and began to clean the wounds on her knees. "Why are you there?" she asked gently. "I went for a walk." His tone was t. What she didn''t know was that he had followed her to the dark alley. "Okay," she slowly answered. "Have you sent Mandy home?" She didn''t even finish when a sharp pain came from her knee. Essie groaned and winced at Zac''s grip, but he quickly softened when he realized that he was hurting her. Every time the subject was brought up, he just couldn''t help but be angry at her. He had already warned her, yet she was still careless as to set them up. The most hateful thing was that she left him to go on a date herself. The thought of her being with Hanson made his blood boil. Essie was aware that he was mad, but she still didn''t know what had happened between them. She pursed her lips. "It''s my fault that I didn''t tell you in advance, but Mandy is a nice girl. You can at least try to get along with her." The vein on his forehead bulged out and his eyes shed. If it weren''t for the injury that she had incurred, he would''ve twisted her over and spanked her. "It''s none of your business." She winced. "Okay fine." It seemed that helping him find a girl was a mistake. Zac frowned. "Do you still remember my conditions?"This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Chapter 25 You Have Gone Too Far Chapter 25 You Have Gone Too Far Essie didn''t quite understand what he meant. She shrugged. "I remember. I can still introduce a girlfriend for you." Zac gritted his teeth. If only she could feel how worked up he was in trying to drill what he wanted to say in her mind. He lifted her chin with one of his hands, deciding to cut to the chase. "During our marriage, I suggest you don''t see any other man. He could be your first boyfriend. Hell, he could be your dream lover, but you better get them out of your mind and never speak to them again." His words were harsh, slicing through the tension between them. What he really wanted was to wipe her mind off Hanson. He moved closer. Even if she was his fake wife, as long as the license was still registered, then he wouldn''t let her see another man. He lowered his lips against hers. She stiffened under his touch. Essie didn''t even know what he meant. It wasn''t as if she was having an affair...all he caught her doing was that the men were trying to rape her, but she knew for a fact that he didn''t mean that ordeal. That meant... Hanson''s confession came to mind. No. It was impossible that he would know such a private affair. While she was stuck in her thoughts, a burst of pain exploded from her lower lip. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. He had bitten her! ''Is he a dog?'' Essie shoved him away with all her strength as she gritted her teeth. "Listen here, I''m neither your pet nor your ve. Do you think I''ll listen to that excessive request?" He knocked her over the sofa. His fingers traced against her face before stopping at the edge of her lips. His eyes glittered. "If you can''t do it, then maybe I should teach you every night how to be a good wife," he whispered. She gritted her teeth. This was already too much! "We''re getting a divorce in five weeks," she reminded him coldly. His eyes darkened. In fact, they looked like a bottomless abyss¨Cone that Essie didn''t want to fall into. Divorce wasn''t easy. In fact, there were plenty of talks before it would even take ce. Moreover, even the thought of setting her free was making him ufortable. Zac didn''t like the fact that he was letting her go. "I''m hungry. Go make me some food." He finally released his hold on her and sat up. The topic had changed so fast that she couldn''t even decipher what had happened. "Didn''t you just "Just hurry up." After finding out that he was being cheated, he had turned around and left. In fact, he didn''t even drink a sip of water or eat a piece of bread. He had endured the hunger with rage in his heart. Essie didn''t know this. She had thought that he maintained his hunger because of his date. ''He''s only hungry to keep his own dignity, '' she snorted. "My legs hurt, so I won''t be able to walk. Cook it yourself." "Let me help you." Without even giving her a chance to deny him, he picked her up and ced her in the kitchen. He took out a pack of noodles and a tray of eggs from fridge. "You can do it now." It seemed that she had no other choice but to agree. ''For the sake of him saving my life, cooking noodles wouldn''t be so bad, '' she thought with a sigh. On the other side of Yang City. Sunnyy on the tiled floor near her toilet bowl, screaming in frustration. She had been sitting in her BMW as she waited for the news. However, what she didn''t expect was photos of Billy and his gang being tortured rather than a picture of Essie being molested. Two masked men dragged her out of the car before she could recover from the shock. Not only did they break her arms, but they had also force fed her ten cockroaches. Even the sight of them crawling all over her tongue made her vomit into the basin. She was scared for her life. She was a controlling tyrant in Yang City, and she didn''t expect that one day, she would be taught a lesson. But Sunny didn''t even dare say a word or else her naked pictures would be all over the inte. Three dayster, Essie got news from Mandy that her rival had been sent to the hospital. The advantage of working in a TV station was that they got first-hand gossip for everything. Of course, the news wasn''t asplete as it was, since Sunny could only admit that she fell and broke her arms. Thank goodness! Essie fixed her eyes on her friend''s luggage. However, Mandy didn''t juste here to tell her the good news. Chapter 26 Live With Him Chapter 26 Live With Him Mandy actually nned to stay in their house for the time being because herndlord had decided to sell her old apartment. Hearing that, Essie''s head was already hurting. If she knew her friend any better, her real purpose was to get close to Zac. However, an icy guy like him wasn''t nning on letting her stay over. The moment he heard of the news, his face darkenedpletely. In fact, what he wanted to do was walk over there and give her a piece of his mind. Seeing that he was about to drive the woman away, Essie pulled him into the room in a hurry. "Mandy will be moving out as soon as she finds a house. Just bear with her for a couple of days please," she begged, sping her hands together. "No," Zac said coldly. It was obvious that he wasn''t there to negotiate with her. Essie gritted her teeth. She had wanted to try and persuade him nicely, but seeing as he wasn''t responding to that, she went for another route. "Look, I''m the one who rented the apartment. Hell, I''m the one paying for it too, so Mandy will live with me if I say so. If you''re not happy, then you can find another apartment to live in for the next few days. You cane back when she leaves." Zac clenched his jaw. "And why would Ie back?" He sneered. "You''re the one who will lose the bet, not me. In fact, I have nothing to do with this!" Although he sounded like a spoiled child, she knew the underlying threat in his words. She sighed disappointedly. "Zac, did you have any misunderstanding with Mandy when you dated? Did you have a bad time at dinner?" His attitude towards Mandy was weird. In fact, Mandy was beautiful. Would it hurt him if he yed nice with her? "Is she really homeless?" Zac rolled his eyes. "Look, herndlord already sold the house, and she has no other ce to live. You know how the rent in the city has be outrageous these past few years." Essie held his arm and acted like a child begging her parent. "I remember that you like the stewed beef steak with radishes, right? How about I''ll cook it for you every day? The real Sichuan beef, that''s 60 dors per kilogram. It will all be on me." Slyness shed in his eyes. "That''s not enough. How about you cook whatever I want to eat?" Knowing how cheap the girl was, anything above 50 dors of her regr expenses would make her throw a hissy fit. If she spent more than that, then she''d rather be pushing Mandy out of their house in no time. Essie pulled a somber face. ''Bastard! At this point, I might not be able to pay the rent!'' In order to take advantage of staying in their home, Mandy had specifically asked for a three-day leave. In fact, she even nned to go to the beach with them just so she could show off her curvy figure. However, Essie was not in the mood to apany her. After reading the menu that Zac had handed to her, she was beyond furious. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. He wanted a bowl of rice with stewed beef, boiled prawns, and steamed turbot. ''Doesn''t he know that money doesn''t grow on trees?'' she thought exasperatedly. "Essie, which swimsuit do you think looks better on me?" Mandy didn''t notice the painful expression that had just passed Essie''s face as she was selecting her swimsuit for the day. "It''s rare for you to take a day off, don''t you think? How about I''ll apany you to find a house?" she suggested weakly. Although she loved her best friend, she didn''t want her to be staying in her house for too long. Otherwise, she might not have extra money by the end of the month. Mandy shot her a pointed look. "Essie, to tell you the truth, myndlord didn''t sell the house," she exined. "I just thought it would be more convenient for me to pursue him if I live with you. I won''t leave until he falls in love with me." Essie thought that she was going to break down right then and there. Except for the man''s looks, why the hell was Mandy so obsessed with him? "Don''t you always look down on the poor?" she said reproachfully, hoping to change her mind. "You once told me that money and looks don''t matter right? That''s the belief I''m practicing now!" Mandy grinned. Mandy let Essie think that he was a poor man. It was only in this way was she able to feel at ease. "Oh, the power of love." Essie sighed. Mandy held her hands. "Please, Essie, help a girl out!" Of course she would. For the sake of her own money, she would do everything to get the guy to fall in love at her. Therefore, she kept herself together and entered Zac''s room. Chapter 27 Teasing The Man Again Chapter 27 Teasing The Man Again "Zac, how do you feel about going to the seaside today?" Essie said as she sat at the corner of his bed. He squinted at her. "Is this Mandy''s idea? Are you really nning to use the same old trick towards me?" He was not going to fall for her tricks this time. In fact, he had grown more vignt to all Essie''s suggestions. "It''s my idea," she protested. "My business has been doing well these past two months. In fact, I''ve received lots of orders. Plus, it''s such a rare chance for Mandy to take a day off. She has a car too, so how about we go out and have some fun?" Essie stered a smile on her face. She had worked hard earning all that money, she was not nning to let it all go to waste just because she couldn''t help her friend get her dream man. Zac leaned back on the chair. "I don''t want to go. You can go by yourselves." He waved his hand dismissively. "I would rather have some quiet time." Essie rolled her eyes. "I''m pretty enough to attract different sorts of men. Wouldn''t you worry for my safety?" "I''m not worried the slightest." "Why not?" Essie frowned. Ever since herst fashion show, she had been ordered not to talk to any unfamiliar men, watch different men, or even to touch any other men except for him. In fact, he already treated her as if she was his own property, and now he was going to act like he didn''t care for her? That ass! As if he could read her mind, a smile weaved its way into his lips. "They''re not as handsome as me. I''m sure you aren''t interested in them." She was at a loss for words. Although what he said was the truth, did he really have to be so arrogant? Blinking, an idea came to her. Essie raced back into her room and took out two cups filled with three dice each. "How about we''ll roll the dice?" she suggested. "If you lose, then you''re going to the seaside with me." Zac hated this game with a passion. Not only did he lose thirteen times in the past rounds, but he had also lost every bet tied to that damned game. However, he believed that his luck was bound to change. "Fine, whoever adds up to the biggest number will win," he agreed. "Okay!" She handed one cup to him. "You first." Zac shook the cup hard before releasing it on the desk. He wore a smug smile. Five, six, six. Holding the other cup in her hand, she shook the cup while praying silently. With his legs crossed, Zacy on the back of his chair leisurely. She wasn''t going to win the game unless she came out with a six, six, six. At this point, her chances of winning was close to none. When the dice fell onto the table, his eyes twitched. Six, six, six. What the hell? How was that even possible? Essie couldn''t help but burst intoughter. At this point, she was already considering on packing up her stuff and leaving for Vegas. Maybe then, she''d have all the opportunity to win big.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Pack your things," she said happily. Zac gritted his teeth. He had worked around financial circles and casinos for years. In fact, his life was brilliant and promising. He didn''t expect that his day would be ruined with three dice! Noticing the displeasure written all over his face, she patted him on the shoulder. "You''re going to have a good time. In fact, you''ll even meet your girl," she teased. Zac stood up. "I''m going to have breakfast first." Essie tittered. Was he really going shift his anger onto food? She didn''t stop him, and he was out the whole morning. A part of her suspected that he had already eaten lunch at this point. When Essie heard the door open, she was about to tease him when he pulled her into another room. "I''ll go to the seaside if you wear this swimsuit." A swimsuit? ''Oh my god! Did he just buy me a swimsuit?" She took the bag from his hand and opened it. Chapter 28 A Terrible Swimsuit Chapter 28 A Terrible Swimsuit Was this a swimsuit or mummy wrappings? She stared at the swimsuit. In fact, it looked as if it belonged to a scuba diver. The only thing it was missing were the webbed sandals. As a fashion designer who had seen multiple fashion statements, it was the first time for her to see such a conservative design! "It fits you." A smile slid onto his face. Given that he had seen her before, Zac knew all her sizes like the back of his hand. She wrinkled her nose. "I don''t want to wear it. Not only is it ugly as hell, but it''s insulting for you to think that I''ll wear it!" ''He seems to be a man of good taste, so what the hell was running in his mind when he picked out this swimsuit?'' Zac shrugged. "It doesn''t matter. We can always sit on the balcony and watch the sunset today." It seemed that not only would he refuse to go with her, but he also wouldn''t allow her to go with Mandy! Essie red at the sky. For the sake of her money and Mandy, it seemed that she had to make the ultimate sacrifice. The beach in the West was beautiful and quiet. The silver sand powdered across the ground as the cold wind brushed the waters. Being far away from the hustle and bustle of the city crowd, the air was fresh and peaceful. Essie gritted her teeth as she mustered up all the courage she had to walk out of the fitting room. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Mandy burst intoughter. "What the hell are you wearing?" "A traditional-inspired swimsuit?" she said weakly before casting a stern nce at the culprit. Zac smiled silently. Well, he did win the bet either way. How could his wife be exposed to other men. Mandy''s swimsuit highlighted her tanned curves, and it had attracted the men''s attention as soon as she walked out of the fitting room. She ignored all of their lustful gazes and approached Zac. It was said that many people who went to the beach were promiscuous people looking to let off some steam. Although Zac wore sunsses and was properly hidden under the shade, his iparable elegance overshadowed the beautiful scenery. He attracted plenty of attention from different crowds. Essie couldn''t swim, so she had to wait by the roadside stall to get a floater for herself. Once she got one, she waved at them. "I''m going to have some fun in the waters okay," she said happily. Since Essie didn''t want to be the third wheel, she hurriedly grabbed her floater into the sea to give them an opportunity to be alone. It was already summer, and the ocean was warm from the sun''s scorching heat. She raised her long legs and clicked along the waves. Soon enough, she had gotten farther and farther from the coastline. Zac frowned. She couldn''t swim, so why was she going farther away from the coast? Mandy didn''t mind as she stared at him with loving eyes. "How about let''s take a walk on the beach?" she flirted. "Go by yourself." Behind his sunsses, his eyes were fixated on Essie. A wave surged in the center, tearing across the waters. It sshed across the shoreline heavily. Essie was lying on her stomach, enjoying the sunshine. She was too busy rxing to see the waves that were approaching. For a person who didn''t know how to swim, a strong wave could be fatal. "Shit!" Zac cursed. Taking off his sunsses, he rushed towards the sea. The waves came crashing on Essie''s back, knocking her over. Before she could reach out for her floater, she found herself being pushed deeper into the waters. She panicked, waving her hands up in the air and kicking her feet in the waters. She tried her best to float upwards, but she could already feel the currents dragging her deeper. She wanted to call for help, but as soon as she opened her mouth, seawater entered down her throat. She choked and coughed. Before she could sink into its depths, a strong arm reached for her and pulled her out of the seas. "Fuck!" she choked out, coughing violently. Zac patted her on the back gently as she coughed out the seawater. Mandy rushed towards her and handed her a bottle of water to rinse her mouth. "Are you okay?" she asked worriedly. "You scared me to death Essie." "I just drank some seawater." Essie managed a sheepish smile. "I can''t believe you. You were holding a floater, and you still drowned." She sighed. When Essie felt much better, shey down on the beach chair and took a sip of water. "It was just an ident," she exined. "I didn''t notice the wavesing. If I did, I would''ve grabbed the floater." "From now on, you''re not allowed to go into the waters alone," Zac ordered. "Of course not. To hell will I give you a chance to perform CPR," Essie snapped, pretending to be insulted. When in reality, she was actually touched by his words. Zac rolled his eyes. Affection was evident in his movements. Mandy nced at the two of them, not knowing what they were talking about. However, the word ''CPR'' made her eyes light up. Maybe then she could create a moment for her and her prince charming. Chapter 29 Fight Against Landlords Chapter 29 Fight Against Landlords As Mandy was lost in her thoughts, Essie took out a deck of cards from her bag and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, let''s have some fun, shall we?" With three people, they could y one of her favorite card Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. games. She began shuffling the cards and arranging the deck. Mandy turned to her with a disdainful look. Though they had always yed this game with Eva, but this would only bore Zac who was used to ying golf, polo and yacht. How could she force him to y such cheap card games? Just as Mandy had guessed, it was true that Zac had never yed such card games before. Nevertheless, his curiosity was piqued and he was soon very interested in it. "How do you y it?" he asked innocently. Essie''s eyes widened in amazement as if she had just heard the biggest revtion of the century. "You don''t know how to y ''Fight Against Landlords''?" "Is it strange?" Zac asked while raising an eyebrow. Essie was puzzled. This was the most popr poker game in China. Primary school students often y this game, so howe he didn''t know how to y it? "Do you know how to y ''Go Fish''?" Zac shook his head. "What about ''Old Maid''?" Zac continued shaking his head. Essie was speechless. She was starting to think that this man was not from the same as her. Was he from Mars? "Do you know how to y poker?" continued Essie. Zac shrugged. Actually, he rarely yed with cards. When he was in New York, he had learned about poker but he only yed it asionally. In his silence, Mandy took the opportunity to cut in, "What''s the fun in cards? Zac, let''s go sailing, shall we?" She smiled sweetly and hoped that she could finally have a moment with him. Zac ignored her words. Instead, he looked at Essie and said, "You can teach me how to y." Essie took a nce at her upset friend and feigned nausea. "Oh! Why do I feel dizzy all of a sudden?" She held her forehead and continued in a weak voice, "It must be because of the seawater I had swallowed earlier. I''ll take a nap first. You guys should go to the speedboat." Sadness shed through Zac''s eyes. Was she ying the same trick again to push him away? Was he really nothing to her? "Teach me, right here, right now! I won''t let you off until I learn it!" Zac snarled at her in frustration. Her inexplicable words and actions made him want to squeeze into her heart to see what was in it. How could she ignore him easily? Feeling helpless, Essie rolled her eyes and raised her hands in surrender. She had tried her best for her friend. Zac was just too smart to be fooled easily. Mandy was extremely disappointed. She put on her sunsses to cover her red eyes. She had been the apple of everyone''s eyes since childhood. Everyone wanted to make friends with her, and many men had run after her. Why was Zac treating her so coldly? Shey on the back of the chair and secretly gazed at him through the sunsses. He was so excellent and perfect. There was no one else in her eyes other than him. She would never be discouraged, and in whatever way, she would try her best to impress him! Essie started exining the rules to him, and turned on the game application on her phone to let him practice. Zac had already grasped the mechanics of the game, but he deliberately pretended not to know and let her guide beside him. After winning five rounds, Essie sighed deeply, as if she was tired from finishing a tough task. "You are a promising student and my efforts had not been wasted. Finally, I can take a nap." She covered her mouth and yawned deliberately. Mandy saw this as an opportunity. She stood up and asked Essie to apany her in buying a swimming ring. She was stunned for a moment and didn''t react immediately. Narrowing her eyes, she asked, "Why do you want a swimming ring?" Mandy was a good swimmer and as strong as a fish. How could she need a swimming ring? "I don''t know how to swim. Of course, I need to buy a swimming ring," she replied in annoyed tone. Then, Mandy dragged her away, not wanting her to spill the beans. While walking towards the stall, Mandy released her hands and stared seriously at Essie. "From now on, I can''t swim. Keep it a secret!" Essie nodded in a daze. What trick was she ying? Chapter 30 Lying To Me! Chapter 30 Lying To Me! When they went back to their seats, Mandy took off her sunsses and summoned all of her courage to invite her dream lover. "Zac, how about we take a swim?" she suggested. "I''m ying the Fight Against Landlords. Go on your own," Zac said, without even looking up at her. He was too focused on the phone. Mandy had already been refused for so many times, so she had gotten used to it. She secretly pinched Essie a few times on the waist, as if asking her to instigate the entire thing. Essie groaned in her heart. After what had happened, she didn''t want to go into the waters again. However, she knew that if she didn''t go, Zac wouldn''t bother going either. She didn''t expect that she would risk her life trying to y matchmaker. Sighing, she stretched her hand over the screen of the phone. "We can y at home. We don''t get to go to the beach every day, you know. Why don''t we enjoy ourselves?" Zac narrowed his eyes. "You want to go? Are you deaf?" She wanted to go alone? Essie frowned. "I remember everything that you''ve said, so obviously, I wouldn''t go alone. That''s why I want you to go with me." Her eyshes fluttered. His eyes gleamed with affection as he picked up the floater on the table. Without another word, he ced it over her head. "Follow me then. Don''t run around," he advised. Essie smiled and gave Mandy the OK signal. Mandy smiled stiffly. Instead of gratitude, she couldn''t help but feel a little bit jealous. Although he was cold towards her, he was an absolute gentleman when he faced Essie. Even if he was a ruthless man, he was warm towards her best friend. That wasn''t a good sign. Zac took off his shirt, revealing his well-defined muscles. "Wow, you have a great figure!" "He''s so handsome!" "Prince charming, shall we meet in the dressing room at the back?" Soon enough, they were being crowded by different women. In fact, those women were excited that they were practically salivating in front of him. Seeing that he was headed towards the water, everyone stood up and rushed towards the sea. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Obviously, all of them wanted an up-close sight of the man. Holding her forehead, Essie closed her eyes. She patted Mandy''s shoulder sympathetically. "It''s obvious you havepetition. You should keep an eye on your prince charming," she teased. "Please, they''re all ugly," Mandy snorted before gazing at Essie thoughtfully. Truth be told, she actually found her friend to be the most threatening. Since Zac was a germaphobe, he took her to the middle of the sea where there weren''t any people crowding around them. Mandy had no choice but to follow. Every time Essie tried to swim one meter further to give the two a chance to talk, Zac would pull her right back. He gazed at her sharply. "Stay next to me. I''ll take you wherever you want to go," he ordered. "Okay." Essie made a face. It seemed that she wouldn''t be able to escape from him. While they were talking, Mandy removed the air valve in her swimming ring. Soon, she pretended to be scared and screamed. Mandy swam towards him, cing her arms around Zac''s neck. "My swimming ring is broken. What am I going to do?" she shrieked. She pretended to tremble at the sight of the waters as she pressed her whole body against the man. The moment her skin rubbed against his, he pushed her away. Taking a deep breath, Essie knew what Mandy was up to. Although Essie knew that Mandy could swim, she couldn''t just sit there and watch him pushing her mercilessly. She clenched her fists. "What the hell are you doing?" she demanded. "Mandy couldn''t swim. Go and save her!" Zac''s eyes shed. He already knew that Mandy was pretending. In fact, he had seen her remove the air valve from her swimming ring. Even then, Essie continued to act with her. What did she take him for? He suppressed his anger deep in his heart as he sighed. Chapter 31 Do You Like Me Chapter 31 Do You Like Me With his left hand, Zac grasped Essie''s waist tightly. And using his other hand, he threw her floater to Mandy. "Hold it. Don''t damage it again," he warned, before bringing his attention back to Essie. Mandy didn''t like the way he had ordered her out! Essie, on the other hand, was too scared to be reacting. With her forehead oozing sweat, she asked, "What about me? What will I do? I can''t swim!" "You got me!" After shing her a mischievous smile, he grabbed her arms and ced them around his neck. Flushed with shyness, she stared at him angrily and was ovee with an urge to kick him. But her life depended on him, hence she didn''t dare to do anything crazy. Instead, she clung onto him like he was herst hope. Knowing too well she was doing this only because she had no other choice, Zac let out a smile of victory. As he took back his arm from her waist, she fell into his arms. "If you are afraid of drowning, then be obedient. Don''t move!" he spoke in a presumptuous tone and was proud that his ruthless and shameless trick was working. At present, her condition was akin to that of a meat on the chopping board, waiting for him to cut her into pieces. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Seeing the intimate behavior in which they were acting, Mandy''s eyes shot daggers at Essie. She mmed the sea angrily, causing the waves to ssh in all directions. Then she screamed and swam to the shore. "Mandy!" shouted Essie, noticing she was leaving. But she couldn''t follow since she was at Zac''s mercy. ''I have never been so helpless!'' she thought. Suddenly, a thought popped into her mind. "Zac, you did all of this on purpose, didn''t you? If our friendship is destroyed then you are the sole reason behind it! I will never forgive you for the rest of my life!" she spat out, brimming with rage. Clenching his teeth, Zac was ovee with rage as well. "Well, if you had told her our marriage was real, then there would have been no trouble." Essie red at him coldly, hatred building in her heart for him. A wry smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. "How easy it is for you to say such a thing! I was drunk and did something absurd. I hid it because I was afraid it would ruin our friendship. I did it for myself as well. sh marriage and sh divorce are not things I am proud of. I have no desire to tell my friends that I have be a divorcee at the age of twenty-one. You have no idea how humiliated I will be. Trust me, I will end up bing a The sun shone on his handsome face, but it couldn''t light up his dark eyes. He wondered why she hadn''t considered turning this mistake into something good. He wished she would ask him to actually be her husband! ''Why does she keep mentioning divorce?'' He was irked. "Since the idea of second marriage and divorce bothers you so much, why don''t you just marry me and be a real wife?" He probed her with a teasing tone. From the look of it, she assumed he was just kidding. Pouting prettily, she said, "You won''t like me, will you?" "How can you be so sure?" he asked challengingly. His voice was soft, more like a whisper. It brushed through her hair. She tried to smile at him, but the smile was blown away by the sea wind before it took shape. He never talked about himself. So far, she had gathered nothing except his name and age. Nor did he ever attempt to tell her anything. In his heart, she was not even a friend or at least that''s how it seemed to her. "Do you like me?" she asked, cutting to the chase. Even though her question was intense, her tone was light. It was the same tone one used while asking about the weather. He did not expect that she would be so direct. Her question had taken him off guard. His lips moved slightly, but did not open. His expression was like a undercurrent at the bottom of the sea,plicated and unpredictable. A moment of silence stood between them. They were so close to each other that their eyes reflected each other''s figures, but neither of them could see the other''s heart. For no reason, Essie felt stuffy and suffocated. She couldn''t stand another second with him. Once the bet with Sunny was done, they would get divorced. Their rtionship would only be a burden to them. Calcting all this, Essie thought it was best to end it. The waves pushed a floating ring over to her. She reached out for it and put it on herself. "Well, your silence answers my question. You don''t like me, you don''t like me at all!" Chapter 32 Find Me A Woman Chapter 32 Find Me A Woman She feigned a smile and swam as far away from him as possible. He stared at her receding figure with his unblinking eyes. The waves danced but he didn''t stir. He was in a daze and not even tsunami could cate him. As soon as Essie was ashore, she began to look around for Mandy. Luckily, she didn''t have to search long. Mandy was caught sitting on the beach chair, with her head bowed down. "Mandy, you misunderstood. There is nothing going on between the two of us," Essie exined in a hurry. Mandy suddenly stood up from her chair, raised her hand and pped her across her face. Writhing with rage, she said, "You are the most despicable person, Essie. You pretended to help me whereas behind my back you were trying to seduce him! You cheating bitch. Why did you do this to me? Did you want to prove that you are better than me? All these years, I considered you my best friend. And look what you did to me!" In spite of the burning pain on her face, Essie grabbed Mandy''s shoulder and said, "Mandy, we have yed together since childhood. Don''t you know who I am? If I really wanted to be with him, I would Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. have gone ahead and done it. Why on earth would I give you hope and pull you into this? No! This isn''t true. And about what happened earlier, he did it with an intention to piss you off. Guess what? It worked! You were stupid enough to fall for it." "Why did he want to piss me off?" Mandy asked in between her sobs. If he had done it just to anger her then it meant he hated her with a passion! Essie didn''t give a reply, instead she waited for her friend to calm down. Once she saw that she had calmed down, she took a deep breath. She picked up the fruit juice from the table and handed it over. "I am not sure why he is doing it. Perhaps he knows you have taken a liking to him. He is probably ying hard to get," Essie said in a soothing tone. Mandy opened the bottle of juice and took a sip. Still looking doubtful, she said, "Are you sure you don''t like him?" "Don''t you know who I like?" Giving Mandy a re, Essie dragged her to sit on the beach. The anger in Mandy''s heart almost died out. Yes, in the eyes of her bestie, Zac was a poor hobo. How could hepare with that rich and handsome Hanson? "What if he likes you?" Mandy asked, finally asking the question that was eating her alive. "Before I came here, I asked him this question. It turns out he doesn''t like me at all. It was silly of me to ask him such a question. I am not his type," she said with a shrug. Although Zac didn''t give her an answer, she took it for a no. That''s why it was believed that indecision was a decision within itself. His hesitancy meant he didn''t like her. "What! You asked him whether he likes you? How dare you!" Mandy poked her forehead, but she was in a much better mood. Knowing that Zac didn''t like Essie put her mind at ease. "You know what? It''s better if we live under the same roof. That will help us avoid misunderstandings." Essie smiled again. She hoped her friend would take the offer. Mandy was relieved. Yes, she agreed with her. If he indeed didn''t like Essie, it meant she stood a chance! After this, they apologized and made peace with each other. They didn''t realize that Zac was standing not far away from them and listening to the whole conversation. He was annoyed at Essie because she had lied! ''I never said I didn''t like her. How could she say such a thing!'' Zac was quite disturbed. Although he was not an easy-going man, Essie was indeed the most pleasing girl to his eyes. Everything she did made him happy. Mandy had stayed in the apartment with them for a week, and Zac started to go crazy. Their happy days were over. In short, Mandy''s intrusion hadpletely cut off their normal rtionship. Essie seldom talked to him, and she spent most of her time in her studio, busily designing. She even avoided sitting close to him while having meals so as to avoid any physical contact. She didn''t want to leave any room for misunderstanding. It turned out she meant what she had said! Friendship held a lot of importance to her. He, her nominal husband, waspletely abandoned! ''No way! I have to use a stronger medicine!'' thought Zac! He wasn''t someone who would give up easily. Then he took out his phone and dialed William''s number. "Please find me a woman, it doesn''t matter what she does. The only quality I am looking for is love for money. She must, at any cost, love money more than men." Chapter 33 Home Wrecker Chapter 33 Home Wrecker In the evening, Essie and Mandy had already gone home after long hours of shopping together. As Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. they were about to open the door, they heard a woman''sughter echoing from the inside. What''s going on? Puzzled by the sound, Essie immediately turned the door open. In the living room, Zac had his arm wrapped around a woman while he was watching TV. The woman was gorgeous. In fact, she had an angel''s face, but a devil''s body. She was decked in designer wear from head to toe as if she was fresh out of a branded store. She held Zac in his arms as she leaned against his shoulders. They looked incredibly intimate. Essie''s jaw dropped. He actually made a girlfriend? Why did he never mention it? Feeling as if she had just been struck by lightning, Mandy fell onto the ground. Luckily, Essie caught her from falling. Zac didn''t even bother to look at her. Instead, his stare was fixated on Essie. There was a sh of anger in her beautiful eyes. Although it was passing, he still noticed it. Good. That meant that she still had feelings for him. A smile weaved its way into his lips. "Her name is Mindy," he introducedzily. His grip around the woman''s waist tightened, as if their mere presence didn''t affect him as much as the woman did. There was an unspeakable feeling in Essie''s heart, as if an ant was chewing on her nerves. She winced, swallowing. Mandy was practically burning with jealousy. "When did you get to know each other?" She wondered if she had been half a step slower from the very beginning and someone else took over the price. "Recently," Zac answered inly. He whispered something in the woman''s ear. With a shy smile, Mindy followed him into the room. The door mmed shut. It was as if Essie had been punched in the stomach. She shuddered as a bad feeling rose up her heart. Mandy was on the verge of a breakdown. She ced her ear against the door, trying to monitor the situation inside. In the room, Zac sat on the chair with a smirk. He couldn''t help but imagine what Essie was feeling. Was it anger? Was it jealousy? Come in and save him! He waited for so long, but no one knocked on the door. Instead, all he could hear was Mandy shuffling her boots from the outside. Mindy sat by the window. Although she was in it for the money, she didn''t want to miss out on such a handsome man either. "I can always provide some extra service," she flirted. However at his cold nce, she found herself sitting back. Ten minutester, there was still no response from Essie. His eyebrows furrowed. He nced at the woman who was ying with her phone. "Scream for me," he whispered. Mindy smirked, giving him a thumbs up. Outside the door, Mandy''s eyes were swollen with tears. "Didn''t you say that I was being too forward? Look! The woman is even more forward than me and now, they''re fucking!" She gritted her teeth, wishing that she had just followed suit. Essie walked back and forth in the living room. Of course, she felt outraged for her best friend. What the hell was going on? What the hell was he thinking? Mandy was an amazing catch! Why the hell would he settle for someone like that material girl? When she was about tofort Mandy, there was a sounding from the bed followed by the woman''s scream of excitement. All of a sudden, her blood boiled. After all, she was his legitimate wife! Was it appropriate for him to take a mistress into the room and p the fact against her face! She couldn''t control herself anymore. With her fists clenched, she shouted at the top of her lungs, "Fire-" Chapter 34 Distance Makes The Heart Grow Fonder Chapter 34 Distance Makes The Heart Grow Fonder The man didn''t even respond, so she decided to change her tactic by yelling out, "Earthquake!" He still didn''t respond. Essie waved her hands exasperatedly up in the air. "There are thieves! Catch them!" An hourter, her voice was already hoarse from yelling too much. Fortunately, the door was already open. Mindy leaned against the doorframe and smoothened over her skirt. Her eyes glinted. "Thank you for the music." She winked, before turning to the handsome man inside. "Honey, you were awesome. See you tomorrow!" As soon as the door was closed, Essie rushed into his bedroom. Zac leaned against the headboard. As he wore his pajamas, azy and satisfied smile yed in the corners of his mouth. "What are you ying just now?" he snorted. "A disaster training exercise?" Bastard! Essie wanted to scold him again, but she found that she couldn''t bring herself to. Her throat was already hurting from all the times she had yelled. She bit her lips and raised her hand to hit the wall. Hisrge hand reached out to stop her. "Don''t hurt yourself." Zac stared at her with pity in his eyes, but she didn''t even bother to notice them. Her mind was filled with that materialistic bitch leaving his room. Shoving out of the way, she ran into her room. Looking at the direction she had disappeared, he smirked. "Are you jealous?" he whispered, but there was no one to answer. It was alreadyte at night. Essie was still awake. It wasn''t just because of Mandy''s sobs, but it was also because she was upset with what had happened. She knew all too well of that feeling. After handing thest piece of tissue to Mandy, she picked up her pillow andy on the bed. "Don''t be sad. There are plenty of good men in the world. We can find someone better than him," she reasoned. Mandy shook her head heavily. "No, I won''t give up." With her hands on her forehead, Essie stifled a groan. If she continued doing this, then she would be poor in an instant! Suddenly, an idea came upon her. "Mandy, there''s a saying that distance makes the heart grow fonder, right?" Mandy frowned. "Yes." She looked at her friend in confusion. "You''re so beautiful. Besides, you''re even an anchorwoman! There''s no reason why he wasn''t Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. unmoved by your gesture! But...is it because of your carelessness that he got to see your ws?" Not even waiting for her reply, Essie continued, "Look at me. He never treated me as a woman, because we live in the same house. He had seen everything there is to see. For example, my hair is always unkempt. Whenever I fall asleep, I passed out with dried saliva all over my face. When I get a cold, I''ll have a runny nose," she had listed everything there was to list. At her words, Mandy paled. She remembered the one time she ran out of her room to receive a parcel without any makeup on. He had seen that. ''Shit! Does he think I''m not beautiful?'' she thought. Essie saw the expression on her face and patted her shoulder. "Love is like a battlefield. Before you can capture your victim, you must first make him think that you''re perfect. Otherwise, your rival will take advantage of your ws and attack you." Mandy nodded thoughtfully, as if she had been very inspired. The next day, she packed up and left. Their apartment finally returned to its peaceful self and Zac was ecstatic. Hey on the sofa while ying with his iPad as he waited for his wife to cook lunch. Essie was still furious by what had happened. Gritting her teeth, she ced the food onto the table. ''White tofu, radish, cabbage. Is this punishment?'' he thought to himself while looking at the dishes. However, Zac said absolutely nothing as he picked up the cabbages with his chopsticks and ced them on his lips. Essie stared, a wicked gleam shing in her eyes. Although the dishes were pale, there was a certain mystery around them. Chapter 35 Here Comes The Mother-in-law Chapter 35 Here Comes The Mother-inw When Zac finally knew that something was up, it was already toote. The moment he swallowed the cabbage, it felt as if his whole mouth was burning. He coughed with great force, trying to get rid of the spice. Essie had put a whole bottle of wild pepper into the pot without anyone noticing. Seeing his face flushed and sweaty as he ran to the kitchen to get some water, Essie was in a good mood. She picked up the chopsticks and began to eat slowly. A smile was ying on her lips. When he returned to the table, Zac smiled bitterly. "Are you feeling better now? Do you want to punish me again?" Essie snorted in disgust. In fact, she was far from done yet. As long as she continued to think of Zac ''cheating'' on her, her anger continued to spread like wildfire. "You better clean your room today. I swear, don''t you even think about catching infectious diseases?" she snapped. She had always thought that Zac was a clean freak. It seemed, however, that sex was his exception. Zac took a deep breath. He knew that if he didn''t exin his situation as soon as possible, his life with her would be a living hell. His lips twitched. "Honey, nothing happened." ''Nothing happened? His entire bed was shaking that anyone would think that an earthquake was "Look, you''re free to do whatever the hell you want, and I don''t care. Since you already have a girlfriend, then we better keep our distance from each other, all right?" She mmed the tableware onto the counter before turning back to her room. At this point, he had already ruined her appetite. He stood up and hugged her from behind, cing his chin on top of her shoulder. "What the hell are you doing? Let me go!" Essie tried to kick him in the leg, but he still didn''t loosen his grip. In a rage, she turned her head and bit his arms. Zac groaned and winced, but he still didn''t let go. Instead, he leaned closer and said hoarsely, "Mindy is just an actress. I paid her a lot of money to pretend that she was my girlfriend. You''re my wife. Do you think I''ll cheat on you?" Stunned, she loosened her bite almost immediately. "What did you say?" She was afraid that she had misheard him. He sighed. "All you care about is friendship. You treat me like a gift that you''ll never open," he exined. "I have to at least know if you still have feelings for me." Zac''s helpless voice pulled on her heartstrings. Her gaze swept over his bleeding arm as guilt rose up in her chest. "Do you really not like Mandy?" "Well, I have to keep my integrity for my wife, don''t I?" he joked. "Your wife? I don''t know who she is." Essie pouted adorably. All the sadness and despair that she had felt the night before had vanished. Now, she looked like a kid who was told that Christmas came early. She couldn''t help but feel strange about it all. What were her feelings towards Zac? Although she didn''t sleep wellst night, she slept like a baby today. In fact, she didn''t even wake up until dawn. She was awakened by her phone ringing out. When she saw that it was her mother, she answered Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. drowsily. "Essie, are you still sleeping?" Lucy''s voice was soft and kind. "Yes," she mumbled. "Your father and I are downstairs at your apartment. Ask the security to open the door," she advised. What? Essie almost rolled off the bed in shock. "Wait, where are you?" she repeated as her eyes widened. "Your apartment." "Mom, why didn''t you tell me that you''lle here?" Essie''s forehead was already drenched with cold sweat as she thought of all the possibilities that could run her over. Lucy burst intoughter. "We wanted to surprise you, silly." It was a surprise, all right. It was going to be her surprise funeral. Essie didn''t take another minute as she jumped out of bed and put on her clothes. She rushed into Zac''s room. Her face was flushed. "It''s over," she said quickly. "My parents are here." Chapter 36 Exposure Chapter 36 Exposure Zac was shocked. He didn''t expect he would meet his inws so soon. But knowing he had to help her at the moment, he regained hisposure and said, "I''lle with you to pick them up." "No, thanks. I can go downstairs myself." Waving her hand, Essie added, "Don''t forget that we''re just roommates. You are not allowed to mention the marriage in front of them or anyone else for that matter." He nodded his head in understanding. Her parents hugged her as soon as they saw her. It was a great pleasure to meet their daughter. After she graduated from university and came to Yang City, they hadn''t had an opportunity to see her. In the living room, Zac had already ced tea for them. Before her parents could ask who he was, she answered, "His name is Zac Rong, and he is my roommate. We split the rent." Bob''s face creased with a frown. Even though he was a liberal man, the idea of his daughter sharing her apartment with another man bothered him. Lucy looked at Essie''s roommate, using her motherly instincts to figure out the rtionship between them. From what she knew, her daughter had never been in love. On top of that, she was a mother who believed in giving her daughter privacy. Hence she never tried to pry in her matters. "Uncle, aunt, have some tea." Zac poured them two cups of tea and began to peel the fruit. Bob wandered around the house, trying to inspect every nook and cranny. There were three bedrooms and two parlors, but only two bedrooms were furnished with a bed. The other room had a tailored table and a sewing machine. It was his daughter''s design room. "Only you two live in this house?" He was a little worried. Noticing her father''s expression, Essie held his arm and said, "Dad, it''s expensive now. But if we find a third person, we would be more than happy to take them in." ''Why not look for a girl to share your apartment!'' he wanted to ask, but bit back his words. Moreover, it would be wrong to speak about it in Zac''s presence. He hoped to mention it some other time. Essie handed the apples peeled by Zac to her parents and said, "Dad, mom, you should tell me in advance and let me make preparations." "We are family. You don''t have to prepare for our visits." "Actually we came with your aunt this time. Your cousin, Finney, graduated from college and now she works here. You two should often visit each other," Lucy suggested with a smile. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "That''s great. Whichpany does Finney work for?" Essie asked, looking quite interested. "Hengyaun Co., Ltd." As soon as these words came out of Lucy''s mouth, Essie''s face changed. "Okay," she replied without any enthusiasm. An unnoticeable shadow drifted across Essie''s face and she changed the topic immediately. "Dad, mom, have you had your breakfast yet?" "Yes, we did. But it looks like you just woke up. Do you have noodles? I''ll cook for you." Bob stood up. He was graceful in the drawing room and skillful in the kitchen. Essie pped her hands cheerfully and said, "Okay, I haven''t eaten the noodles cooked by my father for a long time. I am craving for them." After Bob went into the kitchen, Lucy began to sip her tea. Turning her gaze back to her daughter, she decided to ask about her job. Essie didn''t want them to worry about her, so she hadn''t told them she left Be Company and opened an online store. But now seemed like the right time toe clean. One by one, she filled her mom in. Lucy responded calmly. ording to her, it was a good thing for young people to start their own business. She wasn''t worried, instead she thought Essie was in the right direction. "What does Zac do?" she asked, her gaze shifting to her daughter''s roommate. "Mom, he is an architect." Essie didn''t give Zac a chance to answer. Instead, she answered for him. Hearing this, her mother was impressed. "An architect? That''s amazing," Lucy said with a smile. "Yes." Zac nodded and nced at Essie. Of course it was a lie. She had no idea what he was doing and didn''t want to know at the moment. She was d he decided to y along. ''It doesn''t matter. They will never have to know what he does,'' she told herself, hoping this lie was a safe one. After the breakfast, Essie and her mother began to clean up the room. Zac asked her parents to sleep in his room and he would make himself a bed in Essie''s work room. He was quite helpful today. "Mom, hang your clothes in my closet." Essie dragged the heavy suitcase in. Lucy meant to tidy up the cab so that there was enough room for her daughter. She picked up the canvas bag that was ced in a corner. Suddenly, a red paper fell out from it. "Mommmm!" Essie screamed, jumping up like a frog. But it was toote. Lucy had already read the bold words on the marriage certificate. Chapter 37 Angry Chapter 37 Angry The atmosphere in the living room felt like a funeral. It was so silent that she could hear a pin drop. Bob and Lucy, especially Lucy, were on the verge of exploding in anger. Looking like a child who had done something wrong, Essie lowered her head until the tip of her chin touched her chest. She didn''t dare look them in the eye. How the hell was she going to exin this? If they said that they had gotten drunk and signed off on the marriage certificate and that they were nning to get a divorce in two months, they would freak the hell out. Zac stared at Essie''s parents. Although they stared at him as if he was a criminal who had kidnapped their daughter, he decided to answer frankly, "Uncle, aunt, it''s really wrong to hide this from you. Essie and I¨C" "How long have you known each other?" Lucy interrupted him coolly. She was in no mood to hear his exnation. "One¨C" "One year!" Essie interrupted. Her mother would have fainted on the spot if she knew that they only met a month ago. Bob took a deep breath, calming himself. "Essie, tell me honestly, are you really serious about this? Or were you just driven by your emotions?" These days, eloping was very popr among the younger generation. He was afraid that his daughter would go and imitate them for the sake of not being left out. "Dad, I''m serious." To emphasize her affection, Essie held Zac''s arm. She didn''t want her parents to be Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. suspicious. He held her hands intimately, cooperating with her act. Bob was not amused. "Do Zac''s parents know about this?" "Well, not yet. We n to talk about it when he go back home for the Spring Festival." Essie wanted the earth to just swallow her life. At this point, she had to lie continuously to keep this up. "You have gone too far!" Lucy shrieked, disappointed and outraged at what they had done. Essie had always been a good girl. Unlike other children who fell too quickly for love, she had always been reasonable. Lucy didn''t expect that she would be hasty enough to get married with a man she had just met, especially without consulting her first! Wasn''t the failed marriage between her and her biological father serve as enough warning for her? Essie winced. "I''m sorry, mom." She really didn''t want to lie to them, but at this point, she had no choice. However, Lucy wasn''t calming down. Instead, she packed her belongings into her suitcase and decided to go out and stay in a hotel. Knowing what kind of person his wife was, Bob decided to give her some time to cool off. After escorting them to a nearby hotel, they were kicked out. Feeling distressed, Essie bent over on the sofa in the lobby, sighing. Zac knew that he was the only one to be med for, for taking away their daughter without even asking for their permission. However, their arrival also came in good timing. If he got the recognition he wanted, she wouldn''t even dare bring up ''divorce'' in front of them. It would be the perfect time for her to meet his family in the process, and drive away Valery for him. Zac grinned as he ced an arm around her shoulder. "I''ll make a reservation in a restaurant for lunch. We''ll take them around Yang City as well. As long as they''re happy with me, I''m sure they won''t get mad at the both of us for any longer." Essie nodded. She was about to call around, but Zac held her back. "Let me do it." "Didn''t you juste to Yang City recently? Do you even know your way around?" She stared at him suspiciously. "Don''t worry." Zac patted her on the shoulder and began to make a phone call. At the same time, Essie was already writing down all her parents'' likes and dislikes, so he would avoid annoying them. When he returned and saw the paper, he smiled. "You''re so considerate, but if they''ve be too satisfied with me, do you really think we''d be able to get divorced at this rate? What should I do then?" Essie froze. She had once believed that they were going to get divorced in three weeks. But with her parents on the line... The more she thought about it, the sadder she became. Zac pulled her into his arms. "How about we don''t divorce until the Spring Festival is over?" he suggested. She furrowed her eyebrows. "Why do we have to wait until then?" Chapter 38 The Secret Was Almost Exposed Chapter 38 The Secret Was Almost Exposed "It will only be right that I''ll be with you to celebrate the new year with my inws. If I don''t, then won''t they ask you questions? What are you going to do then?" exined Zac. That''s right. Thinking about this, Essie reluctantly nodded. Since her parents knew about it now, then they shouldn''t get divorced in such a short period of time. That would only lead to suspicion. Her mother would be the most concerned about her marriage. Given her spot checks from time to time, she would definitely notice if Zac wasn''t living in her apartment anymore. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. If they found out that they would get divorced after such a short period of time, they would think that she was treating marriage like a game. Lucy would hate this so much that she might even take her back to her hometown. At that point, Essie would be strictly guarded and all her freedom would be gone in a blink of an eye. She sighed helplessly. "Fine." Zac smiled to himself. He should be very filial to his inws to pass the test that they had set up for him. When the clock strikes 12 o''clock, a handsome man came over. "Zac, the car is already parked outside." "Thanks." With a small smile, Zac stood up and patted the man''s shoulder. He introduced William to Essie, who was stunned at the man''s sudden arrival. "This is my friend, William Mai." "You''re very beautiful. Zac has good taste," Williamplimented. Since his boss asked him to pretend that he was his friend, he had to put on a perfect show. Essie gazed at the man up and down. William was very handsome. ''How many traffic idents did they cause?'' she wondered, shaking her head. Zac asked William to wait in the car before he apanied his wife to see his inws. When they walked into the elevator, Essie smiled. "I thought you didn''t know anyone here. I didn''t know that you have a friend." "I have no choice but to contact him." He shrugged. In the beginning, Lucy held a deep grudge against her daughter. She just couldn''t believe that her daughter would run off with a guy without consulting her first! However, after her husband''s persuasion, she gradually calmed down. Since they had already gotten their marriage certificate, there was no use to me her any longer. Plus, her son-inw wasn''t quite bad. He was good-looking, but they still didn''t know much about his character. This was why they devised a plot to test their son-inw. If he failed the exam, then they have to teach him a lesson! If he didn''t learn from that lesson, then he had no choice but to divorce their daughter! Preparing for the war that was about to break out, Essie knocked tentatively on the door. However, when her parents walked out of the room, they agreed to her request without any hesitation. She held back a sigh of relief. Right in time, William drove to the hotel in a Bentley. Essie''s eyes widened. ''Holy shit! Is he rich?'' "This is my boss''s car. Since he went abroad this month, I can use it," William said as if he could read her mind. "Ah." Essie nodded understandingly. Zac opened the door for his inws and his wife. Without another word, he sat in the front. "Where shall we go for dinner?" Essie asked. "Scenery Restaurant," he answered casually. It was the best and most expensive seafood restaurant in Yang City. Although Essie was surprised, she couldn''t help but be a little bit worried about the price. Even if she wanted the best for her parents, it would be embarrassing if she couldn''t pay for the bill! "You already ordered?" she asked, trying to maintain herself. Zac nced at her, knowing exactly what was running through her mind. He coughed. William immediately understood. He smiled. "I already made the reservations for Zac. Our boss is very familiar with the owner, so he could enjoy thirty percent off and free service charge." "I see." Hearing that there was such a good discount, Essie''s shoulders sagged in relief. "Thank you, William." "No need for that. Zac''s my friend." A smile tugged at the corners of William''s mouth. His boss''s wife had always led a frugal life. If she knew about his boss''s family background, would she regret not ordering more expensive meals? Once they had entered the VIP room of Scenery Restaurant, Zac handed the menu that he had ordered to the two elders. "Uncle, aunt, I''ve already ordered some dishes for you. Do you like them?" Bob waved his hand. "It''s fine. We''re a very simple bunch. The cost may be too much." Essie waved her hand. "Dad, you can eat whatever you want as long as you''re happy about it." Since there was a discount, what was the big deal? The dishes were already served quickly as soon as they had arrived. Seeing that William still didn''t us." "Left the car? Who will drive?" Her eyes widened. "Of course I''ll drive." Zac smiled. "We''ll borrow it for a couple of days." "You can drive?" Her voice raised unconsciously. When she realized what she had just said, she turned to see the doubt in her parents'' eyes. Seeing this, she immediately invited them to eat to distract them. However, Lucy wasn''t going to let her slip-up go that easily. Chapter 39 A Flirty Smile Chapter 39 A Flirty Smile "Essie, you''ve known Zac for a year. In fact, you''re already married, and you''re saying that you don''t know whether he can drive or not?" Lucy demanded, narrowing her eyes at the couple. Essie paled. "Well, mom, that''s because he doesn''t own a car. That''s why I never asked him if he could drive or not." Lucy snorted. She obviously wasn''t convinced with her excuse. "This just means you don''t know each other very well." "Yes, we do!" she protested. Wanting to get down to the bottom of this, Lucy turned her gaze to Zac. "Fine. Zac, tell me how much you know about our Essie." ''Shit! I forgot to write that down!'' Essie thought to herself. However, Zac was extremely calm when he answered, "In my opinion, her personality is abination of contradictions. Although she''s indifferent in nature, she''s always careful with her money. In fact, every coin is precious to her that she even keeps her trusty notebook to jot down all her expenses. She''s easily satisfied, but she''s also very ambitious when ites to her career. She doesn''t easily back down from a challenge. Even if it would take days for her to finish even just one design, you can count that she''ll be on her work desk for days." He paused as his eyes gleamed with love. "She loves tough. In fact, when she''sughing, she''ll grin so crazily that you''ll find yourself smiling too. When she''s deep in thought, she would hold her chin and squint like those mad scientists you see on TV. When she''s making fun of you, she''ll twist her lips. When she feels ufortable, she''ll smile with tears glistening in her eyes. And when she feels sad, she will open her mouth and give you the most exaggerated smiles she could muster before running off to her room." He took a sip from his tea and continued, "She likes to cry a lot too. In fact, she''ll cry even in the smallest of things, but she''ll do her best to hide herself while she was doing so. She doesn''t want others to see through her weaknesses, so she''ll keep a smile on her face before she disappears right in front of you." While he was talking, Essie''s heart trembled. His words were like hands strumming against her heartstrings. Was he really observing her all this time? Why didn''t she notice? Bob and Lucy shared a look. From what he had said, it seemed that he truly did love their daughter very much. "The dishes are getting cold. Let''s eat," Bob said, smiling. Zac stood up immediately and picked up some food for them. "Uncle, aunt, please help yourselves," he said respectfully. Essie would''ve already swooned if it wasn''t for her parents watching their every move. A while ago, he had been so cold towards her, and now, it seemed that he was the perfect son-inw. Once they were finished eating, they walked out of the restaurant. Essie couldn''t help but feel a little bit worried at the thought of Zac driving the car. "When did you get your driver''s license?" she whispered. If he had just gotten his license, then there was no way in hell that she was going to let him drive the car. "I was eighteen when I got mine," he said carelessly. "What?" Her jaw dropped. ''How could he have gotten his license at such a young age?'' "Yo¨CYou''re a driver like William, right?" Such a conclusion was reasonable given that he had learned to drive at such a young age. Zac blinked at her words. Sometimes, he wondered if she was brain dead or something for forming such ridiculous conclusions. He coughed and started the engine silently, not even bothering to answer her question. Taking his silence as a ''yes'', Essie quickly fastened her seat belt. "This is a luxury car, so you better drive it carefully," she warned. "Even a scratch could cost us a hundred thousand dors." "Don''t worry. Besides, there aren''t many cars around." A charming smile made its way to his lips. Essie frowned. One bout of carelessness, and they could spend a lifetime repairing their mistake. After sending her parents back to the hotel, they returned to their apartment. Essie peeled two apples and handed one to Zac. "So, you seem to be very observant towards the way Iugh or smile today. Do I really smile that way?" she joked. Zac shrugged and ate the apple, not bothering to answer her. However, she wasn''t going to let him go that easily. "C''mon! Look what kind of smile I''m showing to you now." Her dimples poked out at the sides of her cheeks as her dark eyes widened with expectation. They looked likerge gemstones. Zac fixated his gaze on her for a moment before turning away. "You have another kind of smile," he noted. "What is it?" Her thick eyshes fluttered. He smirked. "That''s your flirty smile. It means you''re really attracted to me." Ass! She red at him. "I''m not attracted to you! You''re the one who keeps peeping at me." "Why would I peep at a dehydrated radish! It''s you who always stay around me," Zac snorted, staring at her dotingly. To be honest, he didn''t have a thing for her at first, but her damned smile seemed to break all his pretenses. Everything about her seemed to attract him now, leaving an imprint in his mind that he could never forget. Essie gritted her teeth. She stared at the apple in her hand and imagined that it was Zac''s face. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Without another word, she took arge bite from the fruit. "I don''t even know how your ex could stand you," she murmured. "Well, it''s none of your business." Zac rolled his eyes. "They probably couldn''t stand you. That''s why they broke up with you!" Only someone as crazy as Mandy could tolerate such a cold man. While they were talking with one another, Bob and Lucy were preparing to test their son-inw''s moralities. Lucy, who had experienced her ex-husband''s betrayal, cared very much of one''s loyalty. Since her son-inw was incredibly handsome, they nned to test his loyalty for their daughter first. Chapter 40 Seductive Activities Of Women Chapter 40 Seductive Activities Of Women When evening came, Essie apanied her parents back to the hotel. Meanwhile, Zac was lying all alone in the apartment, feeling a little bored and wanting to read a book. He suddenly received a message from Essie that said, "Zac,e to the bar opposite our apartment at half past eight. I will be waiting for you there." Zac touched his chin, feeling quite strange. He knew that Essie didn''t really like bars, so she didn''t usually go there. There were only two reasons she would ever go to the bar. One was that she was forced by her two besties, Eva and Mandy, and the other was that she was brokenhearted. Now that her parents hade to visit her, why would she go to a bar? Was it because she was put under too much pressure the moment she was discovered on the marriage register and she needed to rx? Zac immediately rushed out of the apartment, thinking about how easily she got drunkst time. Inside the bar, lights were flickering, music was sting, and the beautiful girls on the stage were dancing in an enchanting manner. Zac looked around and couldn''t find Essie, so he called her up, but she didn''t pick up the phone. Then, Zac received a message saying, "There''s something I have to deal with for a while, so I will bete tonight. You can just have a drink first." Zac frowned. What was she ying at? Was she ying the same trick asst time? He sat on the bar counter and ordered a ss of zero degree cocktail. He decided to wait for her. From the moment he entered the bar, a lot of women had been watching him. They were drawn to him Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. because of his charm, and the fact that he did not have apanion with him. They were wild with joy as they rushed to him to ost him. But despite the many women approaching him, Zac didn''t even raise his head. It was as if they were nothing but air to him. In a corner not far away from him, his father-inw secretly took a photo of him with his mobile phone, as required by his wife Lucy. She could only judge Zac once she had seen him with her own eyes. His son-inw was so popr that almost all of the female customers in the bar were attracted to him, and Bob couldn''t help but feel nervous for fear that Zac wouldn''t be able to resist the temptation. After watching him for a while, and seeing that Zac didn''t make any move at all, he felt even more satisfied with his daughter''s taste! Then, at that moment, Zac stood up. He found the air inside to be too terrible, so he decided to wait outside, calling Essie as he made his way out. He didn''t know that his wife''s phone was in the hands of his mother-inw. Lucy managed to get her daughter''s cellphone by pretending that she just wanted to y some games. She was just about to decline Zac''s phone call, but unfortunately for her, Essie noticed it. "Mom, I have to take this call." She reached her hand out to take the phone, and Lucy had no choice but to give it to her. "When will you arrive?" Zac asked on the phone. "Where?" Essie asked, slightly stunned. "The bar, of course. Are you going to stand me up again?" There was a hint of loss in Zac''s deep voice. "What?" Essie was shocked and puzzled by Zac''s words for a while, but then she realized what her mother had done. She immediately checked her text messages and saw the message her mother had sent to Zac while pretending to be her. No wonder her parents were behaving so weirdly tonight. Her mom did not know how to y mobile games, but she suddenly wanted to y Parkour. And her dad went out to buy cigarettes two hours ago, and he still hadn''te back. Were they ying a trick on her? "Zac, wait a minute. I''ll be there soon." After hanging up the phone, she made an angry expression at her mother, then she ran out without waiting for her mother to exin. There were many women as aggressive as wolves and tigers gathered in the bar. To them, it was as if an extremely handsome man had just descended from the sky, and they were certainly very excited. They all threw themselves at Zac eagerly. The gang of women also went outside the bar when their male idol left. A morous woman wearing designer clothes from head to toe edged towards him. She pretended to faint right in front of him, expecting him to lift her up and hold her in his arms. But to her surprise, there was nothing but a sh of coldness in Zac''s eyes as she fell to the ground. "Ouch!" she screamed before reaching out her pitiful hand towards Zac. "Hey, handsome, can you pull me up?" Zac didn''t even look at her. Instead, he walked directly to the intersection. Essie happened to see all of that unfold the moment she arrived. She looked at the woman with both mockery and a bit of sympathy. That iceberg did not have a tender heart for girls at all. ying that kind of trick on him was just asking for trouble. "Honey!" she called out to him sweetly as she held his arm. "I''m sorry I''mte." "It''s all good." Zac rubbed her nose dotingly. She didn''t y a trick on him this time. The woman by the door got up from the ground and grumbled, "He''s not gay!" Essie sighed again. After all, if she hadn''t tested him out in person, she would also doubt his sexual orientation. "Are you going in?" Zac said, stroking her hair. She pretended to look at her watch and said, "Oh, it''s already ten o''clock. There''s a good TV show that''s on today. I have to go home so I can watch it." She nced around and spotted the shadow behind the trunk. Essie thought that her father must be very tired since he had been taking photos for so long. She thought that she''d better let him go back to have a rest as soon as she could. "Okay, let''s go back!" Zac didn''t say anything more. He was too confused to even try to understand her mind. It was normal for a person like her to do something strange from time to time anyway. The night steadily grew deeper. The wind was a bit chilly, and the moon was round and big, its brightness trying topete with the dim street lights. Essie happily jumped up and down like a little white rabbit. The moonlight and the stars perfectly illuminated her beautiful face. "Zac, how many girlfriends have you had before?" she asked. "None of your business." He flicked her forehead. Was she proud to know that she was the first one? "I''m just curious!" Essie made a face. "Well, how many boyfriends have you had before?" he asked with a slight smile. She pouted and shook her head as if to say that she had never had one before. "Really?" Zac said, raising his eyebrows. The smile on his face deepened. Of course, he knew that she had given her virginity to him during their wedding night. "Your appearance isn''t bad. Howe nobody has tried to chase you? Is it because your mind is too dark?" he added. He made fun of her on purpose. "Well, I''m pretty and everyone likes me. Countless men have chased after me, but I didn''t like any of them," she replied. With her head down and her mouth in a pretty pout, she kicked a small stone under her feet subconsciously. When she was in middle school, she had to be a good girl and concentrate on her study. She met Hanson when she was studying in the university. He was the most handsome and excellent man she had ever seen, and since then, he had upied all the space in her heart, leaving no room for any other man. "What kind of man do you like?" said Zac in a careless tone while touching his chin. "It''s a secret," Essie teased while making a face at him. If he knew that she had been infatuated with beautiful boys since she was a child, he would try to amuse her with his beauty for sure. "Never mind!" he snorted. Then, Hanson crossed his mind, and a hint of sadness flickered in his eyes. "Anyway, I am the only one you can like now." ''Of course not!'' Essie sniffed and walked forward,pletely ignoring him. With an evil smile on his face, he dashed forward, grabbed her hand and pulled her back with such a force that she stumbled into his arms. "Let me go." She stared at him in a flirtatious manner and tried to break free from his iron arm around her waist, but he refused to budge. "Essie, I have a suggestion." "What suggestion?" She raised her eyebrows and looked at the weird look on his face. She had a feeling that he was up to something. Zac lowered his head and put his lips close to her ear. She could feel his mysterious aura like the cool air was gently caressing her hair. Chapter 41 A Simulated Relationship Chapter 41 A Simted Rtionship "Let''s fake a rtionship," he said lowly. She furrowed her eyebrows. "And what are we going to do then?" "Like, we can go on dates and stuff¨Clike pretend we''re together," he exined. Essie frowned, not really knowing what Zac was implying. "So, you mean we pretend to actually be a couple? Like one of those reality shows?" "That''s right!" Zac gave her a thumbs up. "I know that you haven''t been in love before, so I''ll make sure to make this experience unforgettable." ''Why are you being so kind-hearted? What are you thinking?'' These thoughts raced through Essie''s mind as she stared at him reproachfully. "If you really want to y couple, then you could ring Mandy up. I''m sure she''ll love that." She scoffed. His smile faltered and he tightened his grip around her waist. "Do you really want me to find another woman?" Her lips curled. "Well, that''s your business, isn''t it?" "Really?" Raising his eyebrows up in the air, he stared at her like an artist looking into the person''s soul. "Then why were you so angry when I was with Mindy?" he asked. "I''m not. I was just defending Mandy''s honor." Essie lowered her head unconsciously as a blush coated her cheeks. She didn''t know why she was so flustered by his question. Her hands fidgeted. He didn''t allow her to brush it off. Zac grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "Are you sure?" "Yes!" she answered decisively, without giving herself time to think. However, there was a mysterious ache in her heart that she just couldn''t express. Instead, she decided to bury it, hoping that she wouldn''t be able to feel it in the future. A hint of disappointment shed across his face. Frowning, his eyes darkened simr to a deep abyss. "Since you''re being so generous," he snapped coldly. "I won''t let you down." Without giving her a chance to reply, he let her go and strode straight to the doorway. Essie''s jaw dropped. Was he really going to do it? Thinking of him holding another woman in his arms, the mysterious feeling she had buried started to spread like wildfire. She ran up to him. "Hey!" she called. "I didn''t say I wouldn''t y pretend. There are just rules that we need to abide by." He finally stopped. "What rules?" "You shouldn''t kiss me, hug me, or even try to sleep on my bed. Are we clear?" She ced her hands on her hips and red up at him. "Okay." His eyes glinted. Although he wasn''t allowed to kiss her, she didn''t say anything about touching her. As for sleeping on her bed, that''s fine as well, since she didn''t say anything about sleeping on his bed. The next morning, Essie went to the hotel. She didn''t know what tricks her parents were about to y that she was about to stop them immediately. Otherwise, Zac was doomed. As soon as he got backst night, Bob sent a video he had snapped to his wife and reported to her. Lucy''s eyes were practically burning with fury when she saw lots of women getting out of the room one after the other. "I have to remind Essie to keep an eye on Zac. There are so many shameless women in the world." If it wasn''t for her carelessness, she wouldn''t have let another woman wreck her own marriage. "I think Zac is self-disciplined. If you want Essie to keep an eye on him, then she should do it secretly. Suspicions like that might just affect their rtionship," Bob said thoughtfully.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Before she knocked on the door, Essie managed to organize her thoughts in order to convince her parents. When she walked in, she immediately leaned on her mother''s shoulder. "Mom, you went a little bit too farst night. Just trust me, okay? My husband is not that kind of man." Lucy sighed. "Essie, your father and I have already been through this. We''re more experienced in identifying those types of people. Besides, as the saying goes, spectators see more than the yers. Since you''re already in this marriage, it''s inevitable for you to make the wrong judgment. We need a pair of objective eyes." Essie hugged her. "I know you care about me, but you really shouldn''t n this anymore. You always say that a fox cannot hide its tail. He won''t be able to hide his nature if he''s truly a cheater," she persuaded. "How about I''ll take you out for the next few days, and you can observe him? Maybe you''ll be able to get to know him then." Hearing her words, Lucy nced at her husband who gave their daughter a thumbs up. He honestly couldn''t agree more with their daughter. It seemed that she had learned something from them over the years. Half an hourter, Zac came with the car. Last night, he and Essie created a three-day travel n. They nned to climb mountains, go sea watching, drive to a farm by the countryside. All of these activities werepletely rxing. The proud son-inw acted as if he was their doting son. Seeing this scene, Essie couldn''t help but feel touched. She believed that he could be promoted to best actor of the year if he kept that up! He was great at acting! Once they had returned, Bob and Lucy summarized their entire meeting. "I''ve observed him very carefully. He doesn''t have any vices at all. Plus, he''s decent and well- educated," Lucy started. Bob continued, "He works steadily, but he isn''t a workaholic. Some people sometimes suck up too much to their inws and boast about themselves, but he isn''t like them." "The most important thing is that he''s kind to Essie," she said happily. Essie touched her forehead, shaking her head. ''My God. It''s been three days, and he had already charmed the pants off my parents. Has my parents been drugged?'' she thought to herself. "Mom, are you sure you''re not over-exaggerating? How can you tell that he''s being sincere?" Lucy snorted, poking her forehead. "Have you forgotten what my major was?" "I know that you major in psychology, but you were never a psychiatrist!" Essie pouted. "Although I''ve never practiced it, I''ve definitely learned something from my experience. In my spare time, I''ve also been studying micro-expressions and mind reading," she started. "If a person is faking it, you could see it in his eyes or the little movements that he makes. Okay. For example, when you crossed the road, didn''t you notice that he would naturally walk at the outerne for your safety? When we were at the farm, he didn''t let you touch anything with thorns. Although he said that it''s because you''re clumsy, you could see in his eyes that he''s caring for you, not ming you." Really? After thinking about it for a while, Essie just continually denied it. Zac''s acting skill was excellent. That''s all. As for her mother, she was probably enamored by the fact that she had a son-inw, that her judgment about the man actually being sincere was wrong. He was only pretending to be nice! What he said about her being clumsy was the absolute truth. When they returned to their apartment, Essie gave him a thumbs up. "I don''t know how you do it, but you acted great! Hell, I don''t think my parents will ever want to let you go at this rate." Zac raised his eyebrows. "Who said I was acting?" Smiling, she patted him on the shoulder. "All right. My parents aren''t here now, so you can cut it," she joked. Zac sighed in his heart. He was really not acting in front of them. In fact, he treated them as if they were his own parents. In time, he found that they were actually very easy to get along with. They were reasonable and amiable. Essie didn''t notice the helpless look that crossed his face. Instead, she took out the calctor from the studio. Zac was the one who had paid for their expenses the past few days, and now she had to calcte how much she should pay him. "You do know that you can spend all my money as long as our marriage is still set," he said frankly. "Zac, you really don''t have to do this," she insisted. "What if your savings get dried up?" "Rest assured, okay? I have my ways to get money." Zac ced an arm around her shoulder. What? Essie couldn''t help but scrunch up her eyebrows at his words. What else could he do except sell his body...unless... "Zac, you aren''t selling yourself, right?" she asked cautiously. Zac almost choked at her question. Howrge was this woman''s imagination? He hurried to change the topic. "Honey, the only thing you should worry about now is our first date." What? "Oh shit! It''s about our fake rtionship, right?" Essie had forgotten all about it. She thought that he was just joking on the spur of the moment. She didn''t expect him to take it so seriously. "Well, where are we going? How are we going to do this?" she asked. Essie didn''t really have the experience with these types of things. Zac smiled. He couldn''t help but be attracted to her affectionate and innocent eyes. "I''ll take care of everything," he stated. "All you need to do is look gorgeous." ''That''s it? Was it a trap?'' she was wondering. Chapter 42 A Date Or Exploitation Chapter 42 A Date Or Exploitation To be honest, Essie had never imagined that her first date would be with Zac, let alone in the Ferris wheel. Listening to the rxing music, looking down at the charming night scene below and enjoying a romantic candlelight dinner, made her almost forget that this was not a real date. Zac cut a piece of steak and fed it into her mouth. "It''s delicious!" She smiled brightly, and the dimples on her cheeks rippled under the candlelight. Her eyes were filled with joy and innocence. Zac couldn''t help but spoil her a little more. After eating dinner, she looked at him with a yful smile and asked, "Zac, do you often use this trick to deceive women?" He smiled beautifully and replied, "You are so silly and easy to please. I haven''t met a woman as foolish as you." She wrinkled her nose and stuck out her tongue. "I won''t be deceived by you. I have an excellent pair of eyes." He took a sip of champagne and said in a rxed tone, "You know, no matter how smart or fast a rabbit is, it can''t escape a lion!" He grinned at her confidently. ''Not necessarily!'' Essie thought to herself. An idea came to her mind. Her beautiful eyes sparkled like stars falling into theke. With a sly smile, she stood up and approached him. He stared at her curiously and was shocked when she sat on hisp seductively. Meeting his gaze, her forefinger touched his forehead lightly and swam along his tall nose to his thin lips. Her feather touch sent shivers down his spine. The night wind blew her dark hair and gently stroked his face. He quivered a little as if an electric shock had run through him momentarily. Enchanted by her sweet smell, he could not help reaching out to hold her. Time seemed to stand still at that moment. He stared at her beautiful face without blinking. His eyes seemed to be lit up by candlelight, burning, with a strange and profound light. In the light, there was only her shadow, as if there was only her in his world. The bright moon, the stars, the beautiful scenery, and everything in the world were suddenly forgotten. Only the two of them existed in that moment. She smiled enchantingly as her finger continued to move down. It stopped on his solid chest, and slowly drew circles. With her touch, his breathing becamebored, his skin warmed up and his face turned into a lovely shade of blush. A victorious smile graced her face. She lowered her head slowly and blew in his ear. "See, even this rabbit could catch a lion unaware!" When she had finished speaking, she stood up and turned around to go back to her seat. Zac stretched out his long arm behind her and grabbed her little hand. "Is that all?" He frowned slightly. His tone had told her that he seemed to be a little dissatisfied. "What else do you want?" "You know it!" He pulled her towards him and trapped her in an embrace. She opened her mouth to protest but before she could say anything, Zac pressed his lips against her mouth. He tried to move his lips a little and her body turned soft in his arms. If she wanted to y with fire, she must be prepared to get burned. Recovering from shock, she pushed him hard and beat him on the shoulder, but she could not get rid of him. Like a fierce fire, he soon melted her into soft water. Dazed by the warm sensation of his mouth, she lost her mind and fell into his arms dizzily. Unconsciously, she embraced him back and let him do what he wanted with her. When he let go of her, the Ferris wheel had stopped rotating. She blushed and hurried back to her seat. She felt dizzy, as if she had drunk too much champagne and was a little drunk. He narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at her with a smug expression on his face. "I thought you had an excellent pair of eyes. Didn''t you say earlier that you won''t be deceived by me?" Embarrassed and annoyed, she red at him and said, "You broke the rule. You are not allowed to kiss me." "I was not the one who started it." He smiled evilly. "Is there a difference?" She raised her eyebrows slightly. In her mind, regardless of who initiated, kissing was not allowed. "Of course there is." He suddenly leaned over with a sexy grin. This time, she reacted quickly and kicked him hard at his calf. He grunted in pain, "Don''t get me wrong. I''m just providing you an example. The action I was about to do just now was called kiss, and what I did before was called lovely kiss. So from now on, I promise I will only give you lovely kisses." Essie was dumbfounded. ''What is he saying?!'' she screamed silently. When Zac was not treating her coldly, he was as agile as a whip. She could never win when a verbal battle was drawing near. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Nheless, it was best for her to eat quickly and quietly. Otherwise, she might be too angry to vomit blood. Thus, she focused on eating and ignored him. Getting out of the Ferris wheel, she kicked the small stones at her feet and muttered to herself, "This is no longer a simted rtionship, but an exploitation. Someone is trying to take advantage of me by ying dirty!" He chuckled and raised his thick eyebrows. "You can also take advantage of me." "Do you think I can take advantage of you?" She pouted. "It depends on what you want." His tone was meaningful and inviting. Her mind was deep in thought. Suddenly, a little starlight flew into her ck eyes and lit up her dazed brain. Right, she shouldn''t stay passive and allow others to exploit her. She had to fight for her ce in a rtionship. Since this was a mock rtionship, she would use Zac to umte experience. With this, she would surely attain a dominant position in her future rtionship. "I will arrange the next date for us!" Essie announced excitedly. "Okay." Zac smiled charmingly. "Well, I will wait and see." Essie looked at him with a weird smile on her face. Chapter 43 No Marriage Without A House Chapter 43 No Marriage Without A House The next day, when Lucy and Bob came to visit Essie, she was still fast asleep. She was woken up by the doorbell ringing, so she went to open the door groggily and went back to lie on the bed. Lucy looked around and asked, "Where is Zac?" "Asleep in his room," she replied in a daze. After getting off the Ferris wheel, they went to see a movie and didn''te home until midnight. "I just saw that he isn''t in the room. He must be out." Lucy paused and added casually, "You two didn''t sleep together?" Upon hearing Lucy''s words, Essie became wide awake, scared. While she was thinking about how to answer, she suddenly heard Bob''s voice. "You didn''t have a fight with Zac, did you?" he asked. "No, we arepletely fine." Essie quickly came up with an excuse. "I don''t really sleep well at night. I either snatch the quilt from him or kick him out of the bed. Because of that, he can''t sleep well beside me and it has affected his work. So we decided to sleep separately on most days. We sleep together on weekends." Hearing her exnation, Lucy looked at her and mumbled, "Essie, since you two are living with each other, it is more or less inevitable to have some conflicts between the two of you, but you have to ovee that. Sleeping in different beds will have an emotional impact on both of you." She said that sincerely. "I know, mom!" It was so embarrassing for her to discuss this topic with her mother. Luckily for her, her mother didn''t live in there, otherwise, she would probably force them to sleep in the same room. Lucy didn''t say anything more. After all, she had onlye to invite Essie and Zac to have dinner with Essie''s aunt. "Call Zac right now to see if he has time." "Okay." Essie nodded and took up the phone from the bedside table. Just as she was about to make the call, she heard the door open. It was Zac. He came in with breakfast in his hands. When he saw his mother-inw and father-inw, he quickly put down the things in his hands and went Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. to pour them some tea, "Uncle, aunt, have you had breakfast?" "Yes, we have." Lucy smiled and winked at his husband. Bob took the hint and coughed. "We are a family now. Can you change the way you call us?" he said. Zac was very happy to hear that they had finally epted him as their son-inw! "Dad, mom!" He immediately corrected himself. Essie nced at her mother and father by her side, and she felt a mixture of both joy and sadness. She was happy that they didn''t get mad at her for "acting first and reporting afterwards", and at the same time, she was worried about how she would face them when they got divorced in the future. Zac seemed to have read her mind and gave her a mysterious smile. After they left the apartment, Zac drove his car to a shopping mall first. He bought two bottles of French wine and a fruit basket. Etiquette was always very important to Chinese people. Since it was the first time he, the son-inw, was going to visit his wife''s rtives, it would be inappropriate for him toe empty-handed. Bob and Lucy looked at each other and nodded with satisfaction. It made them happy to see that their son-inw was thoughtful and sensible. The moment they arrived at the Harkin Pce, they immediately heard Essie''s excited voice. "Wow! What a beautiful house! Did you rent or buy it?" "Of course we bought it. It''s a 100 square-meter apartment. It cost more than 700 million dors, and we paid it in full," Essie''s aunt Wendy said. She wanted to show off her daughter''s wedding room, so she decided to cook their meal by herself instead of going to a restaurant. With a smile on her face, Essie set her eyes on the man next to Finney. The man was about thirty years old, with a square face and single eyelids. Even though he had a rough set of features, he looked quite agreeable at that moment. "Finney, is this rich, handsome man my cousin-inw?" she asked with a smile. "His name is Antony Jiang." After introducing him, Finney looked at Zac and said, "By the way, Essie, who is this handsome man? Is he your exclusive model?" "No, he is not. His name is Zac, your cousin-inw," she said. The introduction was very simple yet direct. Zac felt quite satisfied at her words, and a smile appeared on his face. Wendy led them upstairs while continuously praising her son-inw. "Our Antony is just thirty years old, but he is already the CEO of a listed group, and he has thousands of people under his control. I n to ask them to register one of these days and hold the wedding ceremony on national day." Since Antony was such a good son-inw to have, there must be a lot of women chasing after him, and Wendy wanted her daughter to tie the knot with him before he could get seduced by another woman. Bob smiled. "I see that Finney has found herself a good husband. Now you and my brother can rx." "You''re right." Wendy smiled so happily that her eyes narrowed into a seam. Then, she nced at Zac and Essie and asked, "Have Essie and this man gotten settled too? Are they going to get married?" "They already got their marriage licensest month. Zac is now my son-inw," replied Bob with a smile. "Really? Then our family will have double blessings this year," eximed Wendy when she squinted her eyes for a while. She then led them to visit the three rooms and the balcony before leading them back to the living room. Once they were settled in the living room, Finney came and served the chopped mango. Essie took another piece of mango for Zac. Then, she smiled and said, "My cousin-inw''s mansion is sorge. But I''ll be satisfied if I have a 60 square-meter house." Zac stroked her nose in a pampering manner and said, "You''re easy to please." Wendy looked at them and said with her eyebrows raised, "Haven''t you bought a new house yet?" "No, we are working hard on earning enough for a down payment." Essie smiled again. "What about a car?" Wendy pouted. "We haven''t gotten one yet either," Essie said, shaking her head. Wendy patted her thigh and stared at Zac with dissatisfaction. "You don''t have a house or a car. How could you marry Essie? It''s like asking for a free service." Zac had been acting obsequiously and cautiously this whole time. He had immediately noticed that aunt Wendy was extremely sly the moment he entered the room. Essie didn''t expect that aunt Wendy would be so rude to Zac. So she immediately jumped to Zac''s defense and said, "Aunt, we are still young, and we are both working hard for money. We can just rent a house and take the bus while we don''t have our own house and car. Besides, the housing price in Yang City has gone up! How can two young people like us who have only been working for a short time afford to buy a house? We have to take it step by step!" "Are you an idiot?" Wendy sighed. "Don''t you know what a house means? You can only have a home when you get your own house. Did you know that even birds make a nest before asking for another bird''s hand in marriage? How could a man marry a woman without buying a house first? How is he qualified to get married? He was being irresponsible and selfish when he married you. He even hoped that you would be selfless and willing to live a hard life with him. Only a fool like you would be fooled!" Bob patted her on the hand and said, "You are right. Since they got married, they need to have their own house. Not only was it unsafe to rent a house, but they are also giving easy money to others. So, over the past two days, I have been talking to Lucy. If Zac''s family is in trouble, we can give them the money for the down payment. We will buy them the house first so they get settled down." Wendy snorted and thought, ''Luckily, Finney found a president for herself. If he were a poor man, I would''ve done everything I could to get them to divorce. A poor man without a house or a car would have no right to be my son-inw.'' "Bob, anyway, you can''t raise your daughter for nothing. You must uphold the bride price. ording to the standard of our tradition, you should at least ask 500,000 dors from him, or adopt him into our family." She paused and looked at Essie. "Essie, have you forgotten what you have promised to our family?" Chapter 44 Do They Have An Affair Chapter 44 Do They Have An Affair "Of course not." Then Essie shrugged. Hearing Wendy mention the past, Lucy felt unease sweep through her. Back then, because she couldn''t have another child, Bob''s parents were against his marriage with her. They did everything possible to break it off. Even though Essie was quite young, she was bestowed with sensibility. She was a considerate child. In order to make the family ept her mother and her, she even agreed to change herst name. She also swore that no matter who she married, she would maintain the surname and make sure her kids would have it. "Wendy!" When Lucy was about to speak, she was stopped by Bob. In a firm voice, he said, "About Essie¡¯s issue, I will deal it with Lucy. We will sort it out in Zac''s parents'' presence. But at present, we are here to talk about Finney." He made it clear to everyone that he didn''t want other people putting their nose in his daughter''s business. Wendy rolled her eyes at him and said, "I''m doing it for your sake." Listening to her aunt''s words, Essie sneered in her heart. She knew very well that people like her aunt cared about nothing but money. Human beings had no value at all! She held Zac''s hand and said, "There is a beautiful garden here. Let''s get a breath of fresh air, shall we?" "Okay," Zac replied with a smile. It was indeed suffocating in here. Antony also stood up. His condition seemed worse than Zac''s. His mother-inw was indeed a scary woman. "Finney, let''s go with them." Finney nodded, and the four of them left the room together. In the garden, they sat around a round table, enjoying the fresh air. Essie took a deep breath and giggled all of a sudden. Seeing the look on other''s face, she exined, "You rich people have your fun. And allow us poor people to have ours. We don''t have money. But as long as we are happy, nothing else matters. Don''t you think so?" Holding her by the shoulder, Zac''s eyes brimmed with tenderness. "It''s my pleasure to marry a woman like you." Antony looked at them with admiration and said, "Lovely! I love to see women who don''t value money too much." "Antony, but if every women became like me, then men like you who are tall, handsome, rich would lose their advantages." Essie was teasing him now. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. "That''s true," Antony smiled, with an indescribable shimmer on his face. Finney sighed and said, "I am d you are optimistic. However, you have to be mentally prepared for what is toe. Your wedding won''t be so smooth." Essie smiled and patted on Zac''s shoulder. "How many siblings do you have?" "One twin brother," replied Zac. "Twin brothers?" Hearing that, Essie was a little shocked. She wanted to know more so she probed, "Does your brother look exactly like you?" "Not really." Zac shrugged. "Do you have any photos? If so, take them out so that I know if he is as handsome as you." Her curiosity was piqued. If little brother was such a cold and strong man, then she was curious to know how the elder brother might be. Zac gently flicked her forehead. "Is this what you want to talk about?" Essie coughed and pretended to be serious. She then said, "Since you have a brother, you coulde here and take care of my family. Would it be too much if my family adopted you as their son-inw?" "Okay." With a faint smile at the corners of his mouth, Zac continued, "But I don''t think you can afford me." Essie passed him a challenging look and said, "Why not? I will feed and take care of you." "That''s a good suggestion." Zac gave a thumbs up in approval. "Okay, that''s settled!" Then she turned to Finney and said, "Look, the problem has been solved." Finneyughed and said, "It is not your ce to make the decision. When you give birth to a baby, the two families will surely quarrel over the surname. If grandma and grandpae to know that the baby is not titled with their family name, they are bound to be angry." Anthony joined and said, "I have a solid solution to this dilemma. You could give birth to a few more kids. Half of them should be titled with your family name and the other half with his. That would sort it out!" Hearing that, Essie could not help but chuckle. They had no idea this marriage was temporary. She would divorce after the Spring Festival. She had to deal with her rtives first in case her parents would go back and her grandparents would keep on nagging her. Zac''s smile deepened. He put his thin lips close to her ear and caressed her soft hair. Slowly, he whispered, "Honey, I like this suggestion." "Really?" With a smile, she secretly pinched him on his arm, turned around and whispered in his ear, "I have something better to say." "What? I am all ears." His fingers ran through her hair and continued to y with it. "This will happen but only in an imaginary world!" Her voice was so low that only the two of them could hear. He blinked and tucked her hair behind her ear. He was determined to turn this imagination into reality. At the sight of them, Finney thought they were flirting with each other, so she covered her mouth to snicker. On the other hand, Antony was sitting there in silence, his thick eyebrows frowning, as if something was bothering him. Essie noticed that his face had be dark when aunt Wendy criticized Zac. It seemed as if he was the one who had been criticized. She wanted to ask Anthony why his mood was off, but decided against it. Soon, they got back to the apartment. Just when she was going to take a nap, her phone buzzed, taking away her peace. ''Who would call me at this hour?'' she wondered. Seeing the caller ID, she was surprised. It was Hanson! They hadn''t seen each after the encounter at Be''s show. Although she often thought of that night and his confession, she wouldn''t act on it. After all, he was someone else''s now. Even if she hated Sunny, she would never be the woman to spoil their marriage. She went to the balcony, making sure no one was around. "Hello, Hanson." She tried her best to sound calm, but her nervousness was evident. "Essie, I wanted to know if you were free now. At the moment, I am downstairs. Would you like toe out and have a cup of coffee?" She hesitated for a moment but in the end she said, "Okay." She herself had no idea why she had agreed to it! After putting down the phone, she took a deep breath, walked to the mirror,bed her hair and applied ayer of transparent lip gloss. When she was about to open the door, a voice spoke from behind. "Where are you going?" Zac demanded. "I... I am going to the supermarket to buy some fruits." Essie was an awful liar. She always got caught. Presently, guilt was wing through her. But somehow, she consoled herself saying Zac had no business in her matters. "Do you want to me apany you? You could use another pair of hands," Zac suggested, a teasing smile ying around his lips. "No, thanks." She shook her head and hurried out. Zac wasn''t suspicious at all. Lazily, he slouched on the sofa, hoping to take a nap. But before he closed his eyes, his eyes fell on the purple leather bag. She had forgotten to take it. ''What a silly girl!'' he thought to himself. Knowing she would feel like an idiot at the supermarket, he caught hold of the bag and rushed outside. When he reached downstairs, he saw the slender figure not far away. Just when he was about to call her, something stopped him. The presence of a man left him stunned. Words wouldn''te out of his mouth. Hanson came out of the Lamborghini which was parked at the corner. His smile was as charming as the sunlight. "Hanson, have you waited long?" She smiled sweetly. "I would wait for years if it meant I could see your beautiful face." He opened the car door in a graceful manner. Seeing her disappear inside the car, Zac couldn''t help but clench his fists. Once the car was out of his sight, he turned around and brutally punched the old tree next to him. The green branches trembled. Sand and leaves began to shower on his shoulders. Even though he was hurt, he didn''t feel any pain. In short, the scene that had unfolded before him left him numb. Not far away, another pair of eyes witnessed this scene. ''Oh my God! Is my daughter cheating on Zac?'' Lucy put her hand on her forehead and almost fainted. She couldn''t wait to discuss about this to her husband. ''We were so busy testing Zac that we didn''t even think about our daughter!'' she thought with disappointment. Chapter 45 Forget Me Chapter 45 Forget Me In the coffee shop, Essie sat with her head bowed down. With nothing else to do, she preupied herself with stirring the coffee in her cup. An awkward silence persisted. Hanson felt a wave of disappointment in his heart. There seemed to be an invisible distance between them, like a white mist, spreading around. And it expanded slowly, making her farther and farther away from him. But the worst part was, he could do nothing to stop it. ''Is it because of my wedding ceremony or perhaps it has something to do with the man who attended the engagement party with her?'' His thoughts took him to dark ces. "How are you doing these days?" he asked, attempting to break the deafening silence. "Not bad." She pursed her lips and asked, "Hanson, are you here to invite me for the wedding?" She couldn''t take it anymore and wished to know the reason behind his sudden call. He trembled violently, a touch of bitterness emerging in his heart. "You want to receive it?" Hearing that, Essie tightened her grip on the cup in her hand. "I will bless you." "Are you going to give up on me?" Hanson said bitterly, sadness and destion written all over his face. Essie shook her head and tears welled up in her eyes. "Give up? I have nothing to give up. No one ever gave me anything to hold onto." She had been lingering, hoping he would take notice of her. However, just when she confessed, he became someone else''s. The love she had ardently wished to bloom hade to an end abruptly. "Essie..." His heart twitched. He held out his hand and said, "I don''t have any feelings for Sunny. The marriage between me and her can be best described as a political marriage. I love you, only you!" She slowly withdrew her hand from his. It didn''t matter that they were married out of political interests. Sunny would eventually be his rightful wife, and she would never entertain the idea of bing a secret lover. "Hanson, let''s just be friends!" A muscle on his face twitched violently. "Have you fallen in love with someone else?" "No, I haven''t." She wished to give no further exnation hence she looked down. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. His chest heaved violently, and his breath became heavy. Finally, he was going to ask the question he had been waiting to ask. "What about that man? What''s your rtionship with him? Are you dating or he is just after you?" "He..." Essie opened and shut her mouth. There was no right way to exin her rtionship with Zac. Just the thought of exining it made her at loss of words. Hanson took a different meaning of her hesitancy. Clenching his teeth, he decided she was indeed in a rtionship with that other man. The revtion brought a piercing pain in his heart. There was a proud side in his heart which was hell-bent on believing Essie was and would always be his. Now his misconception was shattered and broken into a million pieces. ''I have been so overconfident,'' he realized. After a moment of silence, Essie stood up again and said, "I should go now." Hanson did not respond. He just looked at her with a dull expression. His expression was akin to the one she had when she was rejected by him on April Fool''s Day. She bit her lips, turned around and walked out slowly. "Essie ¡ª" he suddenly rushed over and caught her from behind, hugging her tightly. "Don''t give me up. Give me some time! I think one year would be enough. I''ll divorce Sunny and marry you, okay?" She raised her head and looked at him. Her tears had made her vision blurry. It was hard to make out his face, but she continued speaking nevertheless. "Hanson, I like you very much. In fact, it will suffice to say I love you and only you. All my life, I have only loved you! I''m happy that you like me too. It really brings me pleasure in knowing my efforts haven''t gone in vain. But I made up my mind that I will try my best to forget you since you are someone else''s. If I don''t let you go, I will never seed in finding a true love that really belongs to me. You should take my advice and try to forget me as well. Marriage is not a game. Since you have decided to get married, it is your responsibility to do your best to make it work. I will bless you!" Her long speech was full of raw emotions. As she spoke, he felt that his heart was being ced on a hot iron. He broke out in cold sweat. Letting go of her hand which he had held onto, he left the coffee shop. He couldn''t see anything but darkness. It was trying to envelope him inside its gloom. Soon, Essie was back in her apartment. Today''s happenings had left her tired. Instantly, she copsed on the sofa. All her strength had been sucked out of her. She stared at the ceiling nkly and remained glued to the same position for a long while. A dark figure came into her view, bringing her back from her reveries. Chapter 46 Whose Car Did You Get On Chapter 46 Whose Car Did You Get On "What did you buy?" His voice was still eerily calm, just like the waves before a big storm, solemn and slow. She thought for a moment and remembered that she had told him that she would go to the supermarket. She waved her hand dismissively and said, "The fruit wasn''t fresh, so I decided not to buy any." "Did you forget your wallet?" Zac snorted before grabbing the wallet from the table and throwing it at her. "Yes¡ª Yes, I forgot my wallet." Embarrassed, Essie scratched her head and bit her lip. She forced herself to smile and pretended to be calm. Then, she said, "Where are we going to have dinner tonight?" "Wherever," Zac replied faintly. She raised her eyebrows and nced at him. She had a feeling that there was something wrong with him. Even though he had a nk expression on his face, there seemed to be some coldness hidden in his eyes. He looked so cold that she could not help but tremble. "How about the porridge shop? Over there..." Before she could even finish her words, Zac turned around and entered the room. Then he mmed the door behind him with so much force that the entire house seemed to tremble. Something was definitely wrong. Perhaps he was angered by what happened in aunt Wendy''s house that morning. Zac was a man who was good at hiding his thoughts. Her aunt''s words were immensely mean and hurtful, so even though he was pretending to be calm, his self-esteem may be deeply hurt. Essie knew that she needed tofort him. So she immediately walked up to his door and knocked. When nobody answered, she said, "Zac, please don''t take my aunt''s words to heart. She has always had a sharp tongue. We are still young and our career is just starting. It''s normal for us to not have a house and a car of our own. You are a very smart person. As long as you work hard, you will definitely be better than Antony!" Upon hearing her words, Zac was at a loss about whether he shouldugh or cry. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. This fool had no idea why he was so angry. His anger was just like vented on a pile of soft cotton, but bruised his insides. There was still no reply from the other side of the door. An idea struck Essie, and she was just about to change the way she wasforting him when her mother called all of a sudden and asked her to go to the hotel. After finding out what happened from Lucy, Bob decided it was best to beat around the bush. So when Essie arrived at the hotel, he asked, "Essie, are you not satisfied with Zac?" "No, I''m absolutely satisfied with him." Essie was quite confused. She had no idea why her father was asking her that. "Zac is not in a good condition right now. He has no house or car. Does that make you dislike him?" Bob asked again. "Dad, do you think I''m that kind of person?" She pouted her lips in discontent. The atmosphere in the room was quite weird, and her parents were being strange. Upon hearing this, Bob and Lucy looked at each other. They weren''t really worried about their daughter because of this. After all, if their daughter disliked the poor, then she would have gone back to live with her rich biological father. "Zac doesn''t like to say sweet words. Won''t you get a little bored after a while?" Even though Lucy had not spent a lot of time with Zac yet, she had learned his personality and gotten to know him well. She found that he was not very good at or disliked expressing his inner feelings or thoughts. "No, it won''t." Essie looked at her mother with a puzzled look on her face and thought about what to say next. ''Were my mom and dad bewitched by aunt Wendy''s words? Do they dislike Zac for having no house or car of his own?'' she thought. "Haven''t you epted him yet?" she asked tentatively. "We have. Both your dad and I think that Zac is a good person. It''s you we''re worried about." Lucy took her hand and continued, "You''re still young, and you haven''t experienced much. You may have gotten married a little earlier than most, but since you''ve already got a marriage certificate, you should learn how to settle down and live a good life." Essie was very confused. She couldn''t understand what her mother meant by her words. "What on earth are you trying to tell me?" she asked. Lucy decided not to beat around the bush anymore. "Tell me honestly, whose car did you get on today?" Essie finally understood! "No, you misunderstood what happened. He is my senior, and he is getting married soon. In fact, he''s giving me an invitation to the wedding," she said, thinking that it was probably the best exnation. She did not dare to mention anything about her admiration for Hanson. "Really? Are you serious?" Lucy stared at her daughter with sharp eyes. "Mom, I hate having affairs as much as you do," she added. With a smile, Bob took his wife in his arms and said, "As I said, you''re just being too sensitive. Our daughter is the most obedient girl in the world, and she would never make such a mistake." Lucy heaved a sigh of relief. She patted her daughter''s hand and said, "Zac was at the stairway when you got in the car, so he saw it with his own eyes. He looked very angry, so there must be some misunderstanding between you two. You have to exin all this to him as soon as possible." Of course, any man would be bothered if he saw his wife getting into the luxury car of another man. Essie was shocked again. It turned out that that was the reason Zac got angry. No wonder her attempt tofort him didn''t work. Now, she knew exactly what to do. ''Just wait and see,'' she thought. After leaving the hotel, Essie went to a fruit store first and bought some oranges¡ªZac''s favorite fruit. She was now ready tounch a sweet attack. Chapter 47 Leaving You In The Dangerous Situation Chapter 47 Leaving You In The Dangerous Situation Zac''s room''s door was still closed. He showed no signs ofing out. Even though Essie was sure he would have locked it from inside, she twisted the handle. Surprisingly, it wasn''t locked! She then peeped inside, trying to see what Zac was doing. It was already evening and the sky was dim, making the room extremely dark. Zac was standing in front of the window, motionless, like a lifeless thing. The night wind blew inside through the window, swaying the curtains. However, Zac stood firm on the ground, unperturbed by the wild wind. Nothing could arouse his reaction because his heart was in a much worse condition. Although his face was hidden from her view, she could imagine the gloom that would be etched on his face. Her presence didn''t bring any reaction from him either. She cut an orange into pieces and sneaked inside. "Zac, I''m back. Would you like to have some oranges?" But he turned a deaf ear to her. "This orange is so sweet and fresh! Yum!" She did her best to squeeze some reaction out of him, but in vain. Zac still didn''t respond. Instead, he stood as cold as the ice. "Give it a try, Zac. I know you are quite fond of oranges. I went to the fruit shop to buy it just for you. And let me tell you, it was very expensive." Essie acted coquettishly and hoped that would cate him. She peeled an orange and tried to put it in his mouth. When he didn''t open his mouth, she tried to forced it in,pletely ignoring his dark eyes. "I have checked it carefully. These oranges don''t contain either dye or chemicals." Knowing she wouldn''t stop bugging him, he had no choice but to catch her little hands. The orange fell from her hands and he screamed, "Get out from here!" His growl echoed in the room. His burst of anger inspired no fear in her. Essie rolled her eyes, picked up the orange from the ground. With a sigh, she put it into her mouth. Seeing what she was doing, he snatched it from her and said, "It must have gotten dirty! Why do you want to eat it? Didn''t you tell me you had a sensitive stomach!" "I think I deserve to be punished for lying to you. The truth is, I didn''t go to the supermarket. Instead, I went to see Hanson." She lowered her head like a child who was guilty for her mistake. Obediently, she stood, ready to face her punishment. A cold light shed in Zac''s eyes. He said in a mild tone, "How many times have you broken the rules?" She pouted and said, "I did lie to you, but it was a very small lie, Zac. Things aren''t like how it used to be. He is going to get married and I went to see him as a friend, nothing else. I''m never going to be the other woman in his life or anyone else''s life for that matter. I will fully give up my right ventricle and open myself to new love!" "Really?" Zac raised his eyebrows, the dark cloud on his face slowly fading away. His earlier feeling of gloom was changed to hope. "When will your left ventricle be free?" This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Her thick eyshes flickered, revealing a trace of mischief. "That depends on the person who will chase after me. If he has the ability to seize me then it will open before it is too long." A mischievous smile emerged on the corners of Zac''s mouth. ''Okay. Then I''ll give it a try,'' thought him. Zac was someone who was used to getting what he wanted. "Dummy, you better n our second date properly. Don''t let me down." "Okay!" She made a face at him before she left his room. Long after she was gone, the smile still remained on his face. In the evening, Essie began to work on her order. She had a lot of pending work. The new clothes she designed had been appreciated by everyone. Its fame was such that all of it got sold in a single day! Looking at the figure in her bank ount, Essie''s heart brimmed with tion. But this happiness did notst long. Lucy and Bob came, dragging their luggage in. They had nned to go back tomorrow. However, in the Staying in the hotel would cost them too much money, hence living with Essie seemed like a usible solution. Zac went to pack up in a hurry and made room for them. Seeing that he was about to sleep in Essie''s work room, Lucy caught him and stopped. "Zac, move your things to Essie''s room. A couple should under no circumstance sleep in separate rooms. As for her sleeping posture problem, with time you will get used to it." As a mother, she thought it was her sole responsibility to make sure things were going well with her daughter and son-inw. Expensive hotel was just an excuse. In truth, her ulterior motive was to make sure this marriage remained intact. Hearing her mother''s words, Essie''s eyes became wide. Embarrassment coursed through her body. ''How can she talk so openly in front of Zac?'' she wondered. Essie was quite disturbed and didn''t know what to say or do. Zac, on the other hand, opened his arms and put them around her. "Honey, don''t worry. I''ll let you kick me as hard as possible tonight. Truth be told, I find it hard to fall asleep without your kicks." There was a cunning smile ying on his face. On closer inspection, Essie noticed his eyes were shining and there was something animalistic about him. Like a lion, he seemed ready to pounce on her. She wiped the beat of sweat that had begun to form on her forehead. She knew she wasn''t going to sleep well tonight! Chapter 48 Fifty-fifty Chapter 48 Fifty-fifty After taking a bath, she d herself in clothes that covered her whole body. There was no way she would wear something revealing. Exposing skin would onlypel the big bad wolf to attack her. Then, she took out the thumping pillow from the closet and put it in the middle of the bed, making a demarcation line. "Let''s share the bed fifty-fifty and restrain from crossing the line, okay?" Holding the back of his head with his hands, Zac leaned against the head of the bed in azy and evil manner. "Honey, mom and dad just told me that we should hurry up and give them a grandchild." Essie rolled her eyes and said, "Why are you taking their words so seriously? We are not a real couple. We already made a mistake so it is time to rectify them, rather than make more!" He lifted the corners of his mouth gracefully, and his eyes began to shine. "Let''s make more mistakes together. It is fun to make mistakes with you. I want to be responsible for you.''" "But guess what? I want to sort things out and live a normal life. And thank you for your offer, but I don''t want you to take any kind of responsibility," replied Essie. "Okay, how about I have some fun and leave without taking any responsibility?" Zac smiled devilishly with an intention to scare her. She was speechless. Every time they had a battle of words, she had trouble gaining the upper hand. Zac was well adept at making people speechless. He had a vicious tongue! She red at him, turned her back to him, and pretended to be asleep! With a wolf beside, she had expected an uneasy and sleepless night. But surprisingly, she felt Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Hearing her light and steady breathing, a warm smile appeared on his face. He threw away the pillow that was separating her from him and engulfed her within his arms. Her silky hair let out a mild and pleasant fragrance. Her skin was as smooth as silk. This close proximity with this beautiful brought relief to his mind and body. Zac who was repulsed by the idea of being close to a woman was now dying for this woman''s closeness. While he was immersed in the process of admiring her, she seemed to feel his touch. She changed her sleeping position. He closed his eyes, trying to relish this moment. In fact, it was quitefortable sleeping with her. After half an hour, Essie, who was used to sleeping alone, felt something hard on her back. Worriedly, she looked around for the pillow. ''Why is he hugging me? Where is the pillow?'' Her mind was all over the ce. Her movements woke him up too. He snorted and grasped her hand. "Honey, rx and sleep!" His murmur panicked her even further. After a lot of struggle, she jumped from the bed. ''Oh, my God! He snuggled up to me this whole time!'' she thought. She covered her face with her hands. The embarrassment she was feeling was so strong that she wanted to make a hole on the floor and bury herself. "Zac, get out of here, right now!" she warned, as soon as she was able to speak. He turned over andy on his side. He rested his head on one hand and smiledzily. "Honey, keep your voice down. Our parents are next door. Your screams will only worry them." His tone sounded casual, but it was a powerful reminder. Like always, he managed to hit her on her weak spot. Presently, she had no choice but to surrender. The pillowy sprawled on the sofa. She put it back in the middle of the bed. "If you dare to cross that line again, I will kick you off the bed!" "It''s okay. I will consider your kick as a massage." Zac smirked. His eyes were full of passion. Nothing she said could annoy him. In fact, in this world, only she could do whatever she liked and get away with it. After they had breakfast, Essie started to step into the studio to make orders. Suddenly, her phone rang. It was a call from herndlord,pletely spoiling her mood. Her earlier emotion of tion was soon reced by gloom. "What? The rent is going to be raised? 4,000 is a huge amount! I can''t afford to pay such a ridiculous price!" "The subway near the apartment is opening soon. The rent around here has risen, madam. The other isn''t a lot. If this is too much for you, why don''t you move out next month?" Essie was furious and wanted to swear at them. These men who owned the houses were oppressing the ones who had no ce to go. After she hung up the phone, Lucy stood up from the sofa. She had heard the whole conversation. Both mother and daughter decided to discuss the matter with Bob. "4,000 dors is not a small amount, especially for a room that you are just renting," Bob said, agreeing with Lucy. They had nned to buy a house for the couple after their wedding. But now seeing how things were going, he decided it was time to do it. "Dad, mom, stop bustling around. Buying a house should never be a decision taken on an impulse. And even if we are going to get one, please opt for something small and less grand," she advised. "But why? We have got a whole month! We can buy a house with refined decoration and then move in," Lucy argued, unable to understand why Essie was against the idea of having a beautiful house. Essie sighed internally. When her mother was determined to do something, she wouldn''t stop until she had achieved it. And buying a grand house for her daughter was at present her biggest desire. She could do nothing to stop her! Once she thought about it, she realized buying a house was an investment given the heavily weakened currency. Based on her current ie, she could afford to buy a sixty-square-meter house with two rooms. But there was another big problem she had to consider before she made any rash decision. And that was her fake husband. After registration, she patiently studied the marriagew. The house she buys after marriage would fall under marital property. In short, it would belong to both of them. After divorce, she would have to split half of the property with her husband. Essie didn''t know what Zac was like. ''What if he fights against me for property when we get divorced?'' She couldn''t help but worry. It would mean her parents'' hard-earned money would be snatched away by this fake son-inw! She couldn''t let that happen at any cost. After contemting the matter for what felt like ages, an idea popped into her mind. Chapter 49 Be A House Slave Chapter 49 Be A House ve In the afternoon, Lucy and Bob went out to see houses. In the meantime, Essie drew up a property agreement. It said, "After the marriage, all properties under our names will remain our own, including all real estate properties. After the divorce, neither of us will be allowed to take any property in the other''s name." Essie had thought that Zac would pull a long face when he read the agreement, but contrary to what she had expected, he remained as calm as ake, with zero emotions on his face. Were his face muscles stiff because of the stimtion? She was extremely worried. To be honest, thest thing she wanted was to hurt his fragile ego, but his reaction was hard to predict. When it came to money, there were a lot of couples who ended up hurting each other, so she had to prepare for the future. "Zac, I honestly don''t mean anything by this. You see, there are a lot of couples who fight during their divorce over the division of their properties. They be enemies who end up trampling on the every divorced one day. If we have already foreseen all possible disputes by then, then we''ll be able to get along well with each other and continue to be friends. Don''t you agree?" Essie made sure that her voice was tender and gentle. Zac smiled. Essie was always very confused. But when it came to money, all the slumbering nerves in her brain would suddenly light up, and she would be smarter than ever. It was a good thing. She was not easy to deceive, but... "Honey, that''s not fair to you. I will leave all of my belongings with you, and I won''t take a single thing from you. But why does this agreement say that I will take my belongings with me?" Essie put her hand on her forehead. She actually felt dizzy from all this! ''Zac, what else do you have except for the clothes in your suitcase? You had nothing when we registered!'' she thought to herself. All the money they would spend on buying the house was hers. And when they got divorced, Zac shouldn''t be able to take even a note with him! She chose her words carefully, and tried to put it in a more euphemistic way. "Zac, I never take advantage of others. All of your stuff belongs to you. You can take them all with you, without having to give me even a single piece of paper," she said with a gentle smile. Then she handed him the pen and asked him to sign his name on the agreement. To her surprise, Zac put the agreement into his pocket and said, "Leave it here and I''ll sign itter." "Well, don''t dy it for too long. I need to hand this over to the notarization department." She pouted. If he insisted on fooling her, she would take his hand at night and force him to stamp while he was asleep! Over the next few days, the entire family became busy with house hunting, but they couldn''t find anything that was particrly satisfactory, either because of inconvenient transportation or the insufficient supporting facilities. When weekend came, William arrived. "Essie, Zac said that you are going to buy a house. Mypany has an apartment. Do you want to check it out?" "Of course!" Essie said. With a sparkle in her eyes, Essie thought, ''There must be some special discount for members of thepany!'' They drove up to the Legendary at the upscale residential area in the city center. Before they could even get out of the car, Essie already felt upset. She knew for a fact that the average price in that area was 80,000 dors, and there was no way they''d be able to afford it even with a discount. They mostly looked for houses in the high-end buildings in the suburbs. The apartment William showed them had a total area of 120 square meters. It was a duplex apartment with three bedrooms, two living rooms, and a small store room. It was a veryrge apartment, and it even had its own entryway to the private garden on the rooftop. Hearing the details of the apartment from William, Lucy looked quite satisfied. "The room and balcony are facing southeast. Based on Yang City''s location, it''s the best view," she said. Bob nodded in agreement. "The ceilings are nice too. Not too high and not too low. There''s also good lighting here." Essie just stood next to them, not saying a word. She couldn''t afford this ce, and all she could do was look. Zac cast a nce at her from the corner of his eye. He knew exactly what she was thinking. He walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Honey, what do you think? We can buy this ce if you like," he said deliberately. ''Do you think I''m very rich?'' Essie thought to herself. With her savings, she could only afford a bathroom, anyway. Essie rolled her eyes at Zac''s words and said, "I''ll sell you and I''ll buy it." "How much do you think I can sell for?" Zac teased. She then narrowed her eyes and looked at him with a mocking smile on her face. "I can sell you to a rich woman, and then I can afford the house here," she said. "Okay, I''ll sell myself to you, rich woman," he replied teasingly. William was very surprised to see Zac gently touch Essie''s nose and wear a doting look on his face. Wasn''t it said that he was the most cold blooded man who had crushed countless people''s hearts? Even though he was doing this to win Essie over and prevent his political marriage, wasn''t it too much? As far as William knew, Zac hated touching women, so why was he holding Essie so tightly now? Was he just very good at acting, or was it more than just an act? "William, how much is it for the house?" Lucy asked. "Fifteen thousand," William replied. What? "How much is it?" Essie asked in surprise. She must have misheard him. "Fifteen thousand," William repeated, louder this time. The more Essie thought about it, the more thrilled she became. Her eyes lit up so much excitement that it was as if gold had fallen from the sky. "The average price in this area is around eighty thousand, isn''t it?" she asked. "The office buildings and residential areas in this area were developed by thepany of my boss. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. This is a welfare house. Since I have been working for thepany for many years, he approved the price himself." "Wow, you are so rich now!" Essie said, giving him a thumbs up. "Essie, you are so lucky to be married to Zac. You are also rich!" said William as he nced at Zac and gave him a smile. Staring at them, Bob said, "William, why don''t you buy it yourself since it''s so cheap?" "I just bought a house in Dragon City, and I''m still working on it. I won''t be able to afford another apartment even if the price was as low as 8,000," William replied, pretending to be helpless. He had a lot of experience in the underworld. In fact, people would get scared at the sound of his name, but now, he was pretending to be nothing more than a poor house ve. What a strange experience it was. But on second thought, it wasn''t as strange as an arrogant boss who couls call the wind and rain having to dress up as a poor hobo to please his wife and parents-inw! He got psychological bnce instantly. He really admired the acting skills of the big boss. Given his cold, decisive, arrogant, and unruly character, it was surely difficult for him to act like a sunny and warm man. If he ever wanted to enter the entertainment industry, he would probably be worthy of a best actor Oscar winner. Bob understood what William was worried about. As the most prosperous and influential ce in the eastern region, Dragon City had properties with sky-high prices. There was no way average wage owners could afford two apartments with one apartment there. Meanwhile, Essie could not be happier at William''s words. She was thinking that she must have saved the entire universe in her previous life for her to be this lucky. "I''m going upstairs to have a look," she said. She needed to find a ce tough wildly! Downstairs, Lucy and Bob were discussing the payment for the house when Zac cut them off and said, "Dad, mom, I''ll buy the house with my money. You should save the money for when you two are old." Essie heard Zac''s words all the way from the second floor and rushed downstairs. "Zac, do you have money to buy the house?" she asked. "The stock market is in good condition these days and I have made some money from my stock market spection. I have enough money to buy the house," Zac said, understating his wealth. Hearing what Zac said, Essie''s eyes wandered about. ''No wonder he''s in no hurry to find a job even though he is unemployed,'' she thought to herself. It turned out that he was making money secretly and was lucky enough to earn a lot! "I didn''t expect that you''re that capable," said Essie. William nced at her with some sympathy. This girl really knew nothing about his boss. He was some sort of god in Wall Street. He put a stop to a financial crisis in Wall Street at the age of eighteen! Once Buffett and Soros got old and retired, the king of finance was probably going to be his boss. Lowering his head, Zac smiled and touched her face. "It must be my wife who has brought me the best luck. Ever since I got married, the stock I bought has soared above and beyond." Essie was wild with joy upon hearing Zac''s words. She patted him on the shoulder and said, "Don''t worry. I''ll give you more good luck from now on. You can invest more in the stock market and make even more money." William was sweating in his heart. The sight of his boss and his wife flirting was so weird that he needed some time to adapt. But of course, he understood that as well. Zac had always been good at deciphering other people''s minds. Rather than coercing others, he preferred to make people willingly surrender to him and go through fire and water for him. Therefore, he didn''t want to force Essie to help him stop the wedding by offering her money or something. Instead, he wanted to make her fall in love with him so that she would help him deal with the troublesome problem he had. After Zac insisted on paying for the apartment, Lucy and Bob didn''t say anything more. As the head of the family, a man still needed to maintain his dignity. If he relied on his father-inw to buy a house, it would be difficult for him to be proud in front of his wife. So they decided to keep their money and secretlypensated the couple for their food instead. A few dayster, William sent the property ownership certificate to Essie. She opened it and was just about to peek at the content, but she was shocked by what she saw. Chapter 50 A Knaves Thought Chapter 50 A Knave''s Thought Essie ran after William, but he was nowhere to be found when she reached downstairs. Even if she wanted to call him, but she did, because she did not have his contact details. That time, Zac was apanying her parents to buy furniture in shops in the city. Essie was chasing an order, so she was unable to go with them. She thought the matter was one of great importance, so she immediately called Zac and asked him to return as soon as possible. Zac calmly looked at the property ownership certificate, but there was an unfathomable glint in his eyes. "I didn''t bring my ID card yesterday. You were the one who signed the contract, so I put your name on the property ownership certificate." "Wasn''t it William who took care of it? Why didn''t he tell you about it?" Essie let out a sigh, exasperated at the carelessness of the staff at the Housing Management Bureau. "William had no idea until he got the certificate. It doesn''t matter, though, as long as it has one of our names," Zac said in an indifferent tone, but Essie was sweating. How could it not matter? The house belonged to the person whose name appeared on the property certificate. In case they got divorced ''Is this person really that kind or just too gullible? Doesn''t he even know the basics, like keeping one''s heart hidden for the sake of self-preservation?'' It was lucky that he met her; had it been another woman, that person would have already extorted money from him. "Hurry, call William and ask him to rece the name in the property ownership certificate. This is your house, Zac. Every square inch of the floor and every brick are yours. It has nothing to do with me." Zac sighed, an embarrassed look crossing his face. "Once the certificate has been submitted, we can''t change it anymore. Changes have to be processed as a transfer. However, the service charge and business tax fees add up to nearly one hundred thousand dors if the property is transferred within five years." "That much?" eximed Essie in shock. "Just leave it be. We''ll talk about it after five years," Zac said with a confident smile. He knew her. She was always careful with money and would never give money for nothing. Sure enough, Essie fell silent again, her bright ck eyes looking slightly ssy, as if deep in thought. After several long moments, she gently bit her lip and asked, "What about the property agreement I gave youst time?" Zac opened a drawer and brought out the document. Essie saw that the agreement was already signed. Surprise and shame filled her at the sight. There was an adage saying that, "A knave thinks of others in terms of his own desires". That seemed particrly suitable for her at that moment. She bit her lip and tore the agreement in half. "I''ll draw up another agreement stating that you''ll get the house after we divorce." She turned around to leave, but Zac stopped her. "Do we really need this?" This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Essie turned to him, expression slightly confused. "Aren''t you worried that I might end up sharing the property with you?" He smiled. "If you want it, I will give the entire thing to you, including myself. What do you think?" It was a very serious matter, but Zac did not seem to think so. The way he said it, it was like he was teasing her. "Don''t even dream of tying me up!" Essie said in a mock warning tone. She pouted her lips and pretended to be angry at him. "You may have made a small fortune and own a house now, but I still don''t see the appeal. I''m not the sort of person who is moved by wealth and power. So after we get divorced, I''ll give you back the whole house. Just call me, and I will take my ID card and go to the Housing Management Bureau to have the property transferred." Meeting Zac''s inscrutable nce, Essie continued resolutely, "Also, when I move into your house, I intend to pay the rent to you monthly ording to the family rule. I won''t be a freeloader." Zac''s eyes flickered slightly. He put his arms around Essie''s shoulders and said, "My dear wife, you should know better by now..." "Know what?" Essie asked quizzically. Chapter 51 The Big Bad Wolf Got Her Chapter 51 The Big Bad Wolf Got Her "First of all, you are my wife. Even if I bought the house, you legally own half of it. Thew will protect you from anyone who wants to take away that right, including me. Second, if you had shared your apartment with me, I would be worried about my sleeping ce all the time, so where will I get the time and energy to invest in the stock market? Finally, you''re my lucky charm in choosing which stocks to invest in. Without you, I probably would be suffering losses in the stock exchange. Now, do you still think you''d be freeloading by living here rent-free? All of those reasons make perfectly justify your stay here," Zac spoke in a slow, unhurried manner, and his voice wove a bewitching melody in Essie''s ears. It put her in a hypnotic trance; the more he spoke, the more she was convinced of the logic of such an arrangement. After all, she did make a significant contribution to Zac''s sess. Without her, he still would have been living as a penniless hobo. He would not have been able to afford his living expenses, let alone a house of his own. Fine, she could move in and live with him until they get divorced. Lost in her thoughts, Essie found herself smiling. Somehow, she felt happy at the thought of not having to be separated from Zac. Maybe they had been living together for too long that she already got used to it. As Lucy and Bob had yet to return, Essie sliced some oranges and sat with Zac on the balcony to eat and watch the sunset. "Now that you''ve bought a house, do you intend to live in Yang City instead of going back to Dragon City?" she asked casually. A slight smile turned up the corners of Zac''s mouth. "Marriage to me means that you will follow me anywhere. In the future, I''ll take you back to Dragon City together with me." "I won''t go. I don''t like Dragon City." She curled her lips in an expression of disgust. "Why not?" Zac asked, eyebrows raised. "Based on your ID card number, you''re a Dragon City resident, too." "I don''t like the climate in Dragon City. Or the environment. I don''t know, I just hate everything in that ce." A certain sadness, barely perceptible, was in her eyes even as she tried to say the words lightly. Nothing awaited her in Dragon City but darkness, people she did not want to see, and memories she would rather forget. That area was off-limits, and she never wanted to return. Zac looked at her face searchingly, eyes perceptive and all-seeing. "When did you leave Dragon City?" "I was seven years old then." She lowered her head, and her voice was as soft as the night breeze. After her parents'' divorce, she left with her mother to live in Jiang City. Her mother remarried, and she acquired a new father. Zac touched his chin, seemingly lost in thought. After a long while, he said in a low voice, "Dragon City has changed considerably in thest fourteen years. I''ll take you to visit one day, but if you still don''t want to live there, we can settle down in Yang City." This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. "Who wants to go back with you?" Essie asked in a demanding tone, shooting Zac a reproachful nce. "Even an ugly daughter-inw should meet her inws. You''re not even ugly,e to think of it." He gently touched her nose, with teasing affection evident in his eyes. "We''ll divorce after the Spring Festival. Find yourself a real wife by then and take her back with you to meet them." She wrinkled her nose at him and fled into her room. ''This guy has been teasing me all day. He is not serious at all,'' she thought with some exasperation. Zac leaned against the balcony railing and stared out at the scenery, lost in thought. At that time, she had no choice but to go back. When darkness fell, Essie started to feel nervous. For the past few nights, Zac did not move much, except to throw away the pillow in between them in the middle of the night and secretly draw Essie into his embrace while she slept. Still, she trembled in fear at the thought of what that wolf of a man could do. That night, she dressed like usual, wrapped like a dumpling from head to toe. However, something seemed to be different. When he emerged from his shower, Zac eschewed his night robe and wore only a pair of night pants. His torso waspletely exposed. His form was eye-catching and perfectly disyed. Drops of water slid down his muscr chest, glistening like little diamonds on his honeyed skin. His hair remained damp from his shower and fell in artless disarray over his forehead, perfectly framing his handsome face. To Essie''s dismay, Zac looked far too tempting. As the self-proimed president of the Appearance Association, Essie had always showed a particr weakness for beautiful people even as a little girl. Staring at the man in front of her, she could only think of how the moon outside absolutely paled inparison. Almost unwillingly, her eyes remained glued to him. Essie kept swallowing to moisten her suddenly parched throat. Unbeknownst to Essie, the look in her eyes reminded Zac of the evil woman who, many years ago, caused him to develop a disgust toward women. Other people attributed his excessive fastidiousness toward cleaning to a mania or a disease. Only he knew the real reason¡ªhis condition was due to that witch who boldly attempted to seduce him in the past. With an unusual glitter in his eyes, Zac lifted the quilt and quickly slid under the covers, towering over Essie like a giant mountain. Essie desperately scrabbled forposure and stammered uneasily, "What... What are you doing?" "Exactly what you want me to do," he quipped flippantly. A diabolical grin appeared around the corners of his perfect lips. Essie huffed out defensively, "I just want to sleep. We have to move tomorrow." With her parents asleep in the next room, Essie could not cry out or make any noise at the risk of waking them. Zac was as inexorable as the sea and sky. He was a lot stronger than she was, and resisting him would be an exercise in futility. She had no choice but to try and persuade him not to in a wiser way. "Are you toying with me?" Zac asked softly. His long fingers softlynded on her cheek and glided down, like a feather gently skimming over the contours of her face. Overwhelmed, Essie shuddered slightly, and electricity sparked down her spine and spread outward all over her body. Chapter 52 Am I A Toy Chapter 52 Am I A Toy "No... I didn''t..." Suddenly tongue-tied, Essie desperately scrabbled for a coherent response to Zac''s loaded question, but her brain seemed to have stopped functioning at that moment. "The way you looked at me revealed what you were thinking. You want me." Amusement and dark promise tinted his voice. His fingers slowly, deliberately slid down from her neck to rest on her sleep shirt cket, which was ced directly over her pounding chest. The warmth of his fingertips seemed to burn a hole in her pajamas. The heat started to burn her skin and transfer to her heart, which seemed to spontaneouslybust. "I''m sleepy," she announced to the room atrge. All of the fight drained out of her. She could only close her eyes and feign sleep. With a mischievous smile on his lips, Zac slowly lowered his head to kiss her lightly on the lips. With him that close, Essie could smell the refreshing aroma of his body wash pervading the air that she breathed. He had always used a shower gel that smelled like magnolia flowers. The elegant, pure scent wafted from his warm skin to her nose to awaken her senses and fan the current coursing through her. She felt dizzy and weak, and her mind was a nk. She had no strength to resist and think. Zac took advantage of Essie''s stillness and kissed her lips while he skillfully undid her pajama top, one button at a time. A draft of cold air touched her bare chest, but it was immediately chased away by the warmth of Zac''s body against hers. When Essie felt Zac''s hands wander to her waist, she suddenly regained her senses. "Are men all like this?" she whispered bemusedly. "Can you all have sex without any feelings involved?" she added. Zac stopped his exploration. After a few heartbeats, he let out a helpless sigh. The me burning in his bright eyes dissipated as if doused by a cold current until only an unfathomable darkness remained. No feelings? Did she mean on her end or his? He released a deep, pent-up breath, let go of Essie, and turned to lie on his back on the bed. Without a light in the room, his handsome profile was obscured by shadows. There was a slight frown on his eyebrows, and the expression in his eyes was inscrutable. A silence, thick and fraught with tension, descended upon the upants of the room. Between them, the air of hopelessness was so palpable. They could not see each other clearly through the thick fog of emotion. It was like their hearts were thousands of miles apart even though their bodies were separated by mere inches. Essie could feel her emotions crashing down on her in waves, with all their ups and downs. Once again, his silence proved that he had no feelings for her. In his eyes, she was only a momentary ything to divert him from his boredom. Resolutely, she told herself that she did not care one whit about what Zac thought of her. His feelings and opinions were of no consequence. Simply put, their rtionship was one of convenience, which suited them both. Once they separated, they would no longer be of any concern to each other. Just two ships passing each other in the night. N?velDrama.Org content. The next day arrived. Essie officially moved into the new house. After seeing their daughter and son-inw''s stable married life and steady rtionship, Lucy and Bob headed back home secure in the knowledge that the couple would be just fine. As soon as they had left, Essie packed up Zac''s belongings and immediately transferred them into his bedroom. Their days of cohabiting and sleeping together in the same room had finallye to an end. The ever- present threat of triggering that danger rm was finally lifted. Everything went on as usual. Atst, they did not have to put on a show or pretend to be in love with each other to reassure Essie''s parents. This return to normalcy appeared to have liberated Zac. He disappeared without a trace early that morning. As for herself? She headed to Ikea to shop for home decors. On the way to the store, she passed by a five-star hotel. Unexpectedly, her eyesnded on a familiar handsome figure. Zac? She was shocked. That morning, she was confused at his mysterious disappearance, and she became curious regarding his whereabouts. Little did she know that the luxurious hotel was his destination. What could he be doing in a five-star hotel? Was he perhaps closing a deal with a rich business partner? She was so deep in thought that she almost missed it when a beautiful woman made an appearance. When the woman saw Zac, she approached him with a bright smile and linked her arm through the crook of his, looking cozy and intimate with him. Essie''s eyes widened. What was going on? Perhaps... was the rich woman his sugar mommy? Chapter 53 The Handsome Guy Was Going To Be Eaten Chapter 53 The Handsome Guy Was Going To Be Eaten Zac and the woman got on the Rolls-Royce and soon disappeared. Far away from them, Essie''s eyes stayed glued to the ce they had stood earlier. It took her a long time to snap back into reality. ''Does it mean that he could not make money by hyping up shares? Is it possible he had sold himself for that apartment?'' She scratched her head while pacing back and forth. The more she thought, the more she was convinced her suspicion was true. And now, she felt guilty. ''This is all my fault,'' she muttered. His self-esteem must have been wounded by what aunt Wendy said. And she even forced him to sign the property agreement, it would be like rubbing salt into his wound. His self-esteem would be Although he looked cold on the outside, it turned out he was a simple-minded man. He handed over the credit card easily and didn''t worry when the property ownership certificate had the wrong name. Now, she was afraid that he would be tortured by the old rich woman. All kinds of terrifying illusions came to her mind. The more she thought, the more scared she felt. The idea made her wince! In the end, she decided she wouldn''t let such a thing happen. She was willing to do all she could in order to rescue Zac from that trap he had fallen into. As soon as she got home, she took out her cellphone and dialed his number. "Zac, where are you now?" "What''s wrong?" His voice was so low that it seemed like he didn''t want thedy beside him to hear it. "My stomach is going through an excruciating pain. Come back quickly. I can''t bear it!" She let out a cry to make herself sound more convincing. "I''ll be right back." Zac was much faster than she had expected. Within 10 minutes, she heard the sound of the doorknob being twisted. Taking this as a clue, she picked up the eye drops and dripped two drops into her eyes, pretending to be tearful. Then she covered her stomach with her hands andy on the bed. "Oh, my God." "Let me take you to the hospital." Zac''s handsome face was twisted in worry. Without waiting for her reply, he moved forward and was about to pick her up. However, she stopped him. "No, I... It''s just a period pain. I don''t think we have to visit the hospital," she exined. Her response made him somewhat rxed. He let out a sigh of relief. "I''ll make some brown sugar and ginger soup for you." Last month when she had suffered intense cramp, he had googled for a solution. That was when he stumbled upon this recipe. It had worked like a magic, curing her of the pain instantly. She nodded. When he came close to her, a feminine smell wafted through her nose. The thought that came along with it made her sick! ''What a bitch! How dare she get close to him!'' An unreasonable rage coursed through her body. If that woman had been in front of her, she wouldn''t have hesitated before scratching her eyes out. Zac continued to feed her soup. After she was done eating, she touched her stomach and said, "It''s quite effective. The pain has already be less." "Good. Lie down and take some rest." He caressed her hair gently, turned around and was about to leave. She hurriedly grabbed the corner of his shirt and stuttered, "You-- I think you should...." She trailed off. Zac looked at her, waiting for her to finish the sentence. After mustering up some courage, she said, "You should sleep with me." This seemed like the only alternative to stop him from visiting that old woman. She decided to keep him by her side to ensure he wouldn''t go back there. Her request came as a big surprise. He waspletely taken off-guard. His eyes were shining like stars reflected in the clearke. "Go change your clothes first." She gently pushed him away. She couldn''t tolerate that woman''s perfume any longer. He nodded with a smile, went back to the room and changed into his pajamas. Then hey down next to her. The clean pajamas only had his pure and charming masculine smell. She smiled with satisfaction and buried her head in his arms. A lot of questions were brewing in her head. She wanted to ask him where he went, whom he had stayed with and what he had done. But on second thought, she decided against it. Her queries wouldn''t This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. bring the truth out of him. No man would openly blurt out such a disgracing story. And she didn''t wish to bruise his self-esteem. As he yed with her face, she tightened her grip on him. Zac wondered if her stomach was still aching. He reached out his hand and gently massaged her tummy. "Does this make you feel better?" She nodded and peeked at him lovingly. There was sincere love and care in his actions. She couldn''t help but feel lucky. Lying next to him, she thought of all the times he had shown his love for her. He even climbed the window and risked his life just to save her. Heroically, he drove away the gangsters who had tried to assault her. In short, he always got her back. In spite of all this, she had repaid him by hurting him. She let him give himself to a rich woman. In the future, not only would he be physically abused, his mental health would also suffer. She was the sole person responsible for this! She didn''t bring him any good luck instead pushed him into the abyss. Guilt was eating her alive. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t get rid of this guilt. Tears slid down her chin, but she quickly buried her head in the pillow. Thest thing she wanted was for him to notice it. Even though she was in a miserable state, she managed to fall asleep. Perhaps it was his warm presence that let this happen. When she woke up, Zac was talking on the phone downstairs. She jumped off the bed and hid herself in the staircase, getting ready to eavesdrop. "So you are in the Jade Pearl Pub. And you want to drink with me... " Hearing what he had said, Essie''s heart twitched. ''That old rich woman wants him drunk just so she can y her dirty tricks on him,'' she thought as her face twisted with disgust. Thinking that he would soon be trampled ruthlessly, she stamped her feet angrily. Her action made noise which didn''t go unnoticed by Zac. He quickly hung up the phone and directed all his focus on Essie. "Does your stomach still hurt?" He went up the stairs and stood in front of her. She shook her head, trying to keep calm. It took a lot of effort to maintain herposure. "Was that a call from your friend, asking you to hang out?" she asked, feigning a smile. "Yes, but don''t worry. I will stay here with you." After all, how could he go out when she was in so much pain. "Don''t worry about me. I am feeling much better presently." Her thick eyshes flickered. "By the way, Mandy just texted me saying she would like to see our new house. There is a chance she may ask about Mindy..." Her voice trailed off. She knew how annoyed Zac would get at the thought of facing Mandy again. Her trick worked since he seemed a bit annoyed. "In that case, I''d better go and stay out for a long time. But promise me you will call me if you need anything." "Okay, I promise." Essie smiled at him, but deep down she wasn''t feeling any happiness. ''I will visit Jade Pearl Pub!'' she thought with determination. She wanted to meet this rich woman and settle ounts. She was willing to pay it all at once. And then Zac would be free from her clutches! Chapter 54 A Protector Chapter 54 A Protector When he left, Essie waited for a bit to make sure he was out of sight before she took out the bank card hidden in the suitcase. This was the bank card her real father gave her so she would have some ready money she could use if she ever needed it for something. Lucy had handed it to her before she came home. Since Essie was saving this bank card only for emergencies, she never really checked how much was in there and she didn¡¯t even ask. She just needed enough so she could pay for the down payment herself to save Zac from all the trouble. If she didn¡¯t need it this much, she wouldn¡¯t even think about touching the bank card. All she wanted was to give it back to him by the time she finally became sessful. She stopped and hesitated for a bit, but knowing this was an emergency, she just had to borrow the money. After all, she focused on getting Zac out of the trap he had fallen into. With the bank card in her purse, she finally made her way to Jade Pearl Pub, where Zac said he would be hanging out with a friend. She was determined to take him by surprise. "I will make this right," she uttered to herself, trying to build up some confidence. Jade Pearl Pub was one of the most special nightclubs in Yang City. It seemed kind of exclusive since it gave the impression that most rich people frequented this pub. Loud music and vivid lights weed her even before she stepped inside. She had a hard time searching for Zac since there was a sea of people dancing and roaming in the halls, while some just stayed in their booths. As though she felt his presence, she finally found Zac and that rich woman in a dim corner. Seeing them together, Essie then walked towards the DJ stage. His eyes were fixed on the turntable as he yed some beats, and his other hand sped his headphones on his ears. She waved her hands near his face so he could notice her despite the loud music. "Can you help me? I need to confess my love for someone in this room. I need to borrow the stage for a while. This won¡¯t take long. I hope!" She then handed the DJ two thousand dors as a way of thanking him for the favor. Since the DJ felt amused by the thought, he went along with it and slowly turned the music down. The halls became quiet and her face suddenly shed on the big screen. "Hey! Zac! Hey¡ª!" she shouted three times, trying to buy herself time so she could find the words to say. "It¡¯s me. Look at the big screen." From the corner where Zac was sitting, he heard her voice. Surprised, he stood up so he could see her face on the big screen. "What¡ª? What¡¯s happening? What¡¯s she doing here?" Stunned, he scratched his head in curiosity. Essie¡¯s voice sounded again, "Zac, listen. I¡¯ve been taking care of you all this time. I don¡¯t care if I have to pay for everything you need, because I can and I will." She reached for the bank card in her purse, held it high, and added, "See? I¡¯ll pay for everything. I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll get you out of every mess you face because you¡¯re my husband. You¡¯re mine and mine alone." Her face turned red like wine from speaking in front of so many strangers. Despite mustering so much courage she didn¡¯t know she had, her whole body shivered in embarrassment. However, she also felt relieved that it¡¯s over. When she finished speaking, the crowd erupted with whistles and big apuse. They also screamed and raised their sses, cheering her on. "Take care of me instead, gorgeous!" "My dear, I love the way you are. Please ept me!" In the corner where he stood, Zac gazed at her and let out a cunning smile. His eyes glimmered in the dark. He felt as though his heart was on fire that the burning mes melted him, and yet, his heart was full. The loud cheers kept going, and Zac still stood in amazement. Suddenly, the woman beside him talked to him amidst all the noise, "Wow. Direct, brutal, and overbearing!" She pped her hands in appreciation. "Who¡¯s the girl? Won¡¯t you introduce me? I¡¯d really like to know her." A smirk followed her remark. "She''s my woman." A charming smile appeared on Zac¡¯s face as he uttered those words. His deep voice sounded so pleased and content. He then walked through the noisy crowd cheering for Essie and jumped onto the DJ tform to meet her. When he finally stood face-to-face with her, the cheers and screams seemed like white noise. "What did you just do? That was crazy." Zac held her hand and gently pulled her close. He looked at her Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. intently with a smile that lightly crinkled his eyes. His voice was soft like a breeze at midnight. Her voice suddenly sounded hurried. "I¡¯m here to save you!" A big smile formed on her face, with her eyes almost tearing up. She was jiggling his hand that was entwined with hers. ¡®I hope I made it on time. Oh gosh, this is my fault. I don¡¯t want his self-esteem to be crushed by that woman. Please, I hope I¡¯m not toote.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t stop thinking and worrying until he said something. Despite the sea of people watching them, he finally pulled her to his chest and enveloped her in a tight embrace. He rested his head on hers, and a faint smile appeared on his face. Zac held her tight and didn¡¯t want to let her go. If he needed to scream and shout that Essie was his wife and no one could take her away, he would. The audience couldn¡¯t help but burst into cheers and apuse again, raising their sses to the ones who took the spotlight. Essie wrapped her arms around his neck and looked deep into his eyes, as though marking her territory and trying to scare off anyone who tried to snatch him away from her. Momentster, the chaos died down, and the two of them went back to their seats. Their eyes were glistening and full of indescribable feelings. Essie felt annoyed as she saw thedy hanging out with Zac. She stood before Zac and spoke to her face, "Don¡¯t even think about trying to trick him. He¡¯s my husband. Whatever he owes you, I¡¯ll pay you backpletely. Just back off." Just then, she smacked the bank card on the table and crossed her arms, looking very intimidating. Chapter 55 Is Your Old Lover Back Chapter 55 Is Your Old Lover Back Zac was shocked. Now, he finally understood what the little fool was up to. Apparently, she thought that he was going to sell himself so he can buy the house, and she came to rescue him. He saw her in an entirely different light. Even though she looked delicate and weak, deep in her heart, she was actually full of courage and would dare to pierce the sky if needed. "This is my aunt," exined he as he leaned to her ear, in case she was nning to say something more earth shaking. "Aunt?" Essie said, shocked. "She is your aunt?" she repeated, still unable to believe it. "Yes," Zac said with a nod. What a huge mistake she had made! Essie was so embarrassed that she almost wanted to dig a hole and crawl inside it to hide herself. In fact, if there was a teleportation station beside her, she would definitely jump into it without hesitation and go straight to wherever it may take her and never return. Marci Rong knew what she meant by her words. She frowned at her and said, "Who did you think I was?" Essie, who had always been smart and quick to react, scratched her head. She intentionally fluttered her beautiful ck eyes and said, "You are just so young and beautiful, and you look like you are only twenty five at most. You don''t look like his aunt at all. I thought he just made friends with a beautiful embarrassment. Marci smiled and said, "So you wanted to fight me as a rival in love?" Essie licked her lips again and hastily took up a ss on the table. Then, she poured some wine onto the ss and said, "Aunt, it''s my first time meeting you. I''m really sorry that I offended you so much. To make up for it, I''d like to propose a toast to you first." After saying that, she raised her head and drank the wine in one gulp, looking very generous. Seeing this, Marci felt a lot better. "Come on, don''t just stand there. Sit down," she said. Essie took a seat next to Zac. She couldn''t help feeling sorry for the 2,000 dors she had just paid. She acted too rashly! ''I should have investigated further before taking any action,'' she thought in dismay. Two thousand dors for nothing. She was a good girl who was always frugal with money. Why on earth did she act like a rich person and be so capricious? An arrogant, domineering man with his head up high in the crowd like Zac would definitely not yield to a rich woman? She was really crazy to make that decision. It was so surprising to Essie that this icy guy had a rich aunt. From the way they were talking and Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Yang City alone. He had no job, no house, no money, and was even close to living in the streets. Was he too egotistical and prideful to ept any help from others? While Essie was busy thinking, Marci looked her up and down carefully. She liked Essie¡ªshe was a forthright and smart girl, but... Marci looked at her watch and said, "I have an appointment. She should being soon." "Who are you going to meet?" Zac said with a frown. He hade across Marci at the Construction and Design Exposition. Fortunately, she supported him when he expressed his opposition to marrying Valery. He wasn''t worried that she would reveal his whereabouts, but others could say something, and it was better to be safe than sorry. Marci knew what he was thinking. She patted his hand in assurance and said, "Don''t worry. It''s Le. I nned on surprising you, but you surprised me first." "So Le hase back?" Zac said lightly. It seemed to Essie like he was talking about someone unimportant. Marci sighed and said, "She has been looking for you everywhere since she came back." Luckily, she didn''t see what had happened just now, or she would be very sad. When Essie heard these words, she muttered in her heart, ''Trying to find Zac? Is she his admirer or ex- girlfriend?'' After all, a man who looked as striking as him must have had a lot of experience with love. They chased after him either in secret or in a crazy way. Maybe they would even cross the earth for him? While Essie was preupied with thinking, a beautiful girl came up to them. She had an oval face, and almond-shaped eyes. She also had a Greek nose, a small mouth, and curly light brown hair that fell perfectly on her shoulders. Her snow-white skin was crystal clear, and her body had curves in all the right ces. ''She is so beautiful!'' Essie sighed. Le Qin took a nce at her and then looked at Zac. "I didn''t expect that you woulde to Yang City," she said to him. "It''s great. The scenery is beautiful and the climate is pleasant." Zac shed a smile and looked at Essie. The best and most important thing in this city was the little angel who always did things that amused and surprised him every day. Le looked at Essie and asked, "Aunt Marci, is this your model?" "No, she''s a friend of Zac." Merci deliberately avoided the word "girlfriend", as if she did not want to express the rtionship between them. But Le was still shocked. She felt jealous and ufortable. For so many years, she had been the only woman who could stand beside Zac. She had never been reced. But now, someone dared toe out and fight her for her position! What was even more horrible, she had never seen him look at anyone the way he looked at her¡ªwith so much tenderness in his eyes. Essie saw the gloom in Le''s eyes. Judging by the expression on the girl''s face, she was her rival with Zac. At that moment, she was almost a hundred percent sure that she was Zac''s ex-girlfriend, and that they had kept in touch. Somehow, her heart sank. She felt like she had free fallen from the sky andnded a million feet below the East African''s Great Rift Valley. He hade to meet his old lover. What was she even doing here? Essie quietly stood in the middle of the hall like a LED light bulb that distracted them from catching up. "Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom." She excused herself to leave so she can find a ce to calm down. Looking at Essie''s back as she walked away, a dark look appeared on Marci''s face. "Doesn''t she know who you are?" she asked. Zac shook his head. "You have to keep it a secret for me." The little fool had only begun to get closer to him. If he suddenly confessed his identity to her, it was very likely that it would scare her away. He had to wait until shepletely trusted him. Now it was better for him to enjoy the feeling of being taken care of by her. Upon hearing this, Le felt a little better. They were still in the early stages of their rtionship, and Zac was not yet in love with her. He just had a little crush on her. What she cared about more were the things that happened in Dragon City. "Zac, have you thought of a way to deal with Valery?" Chapter 56 His Ex Chapter 56 His Ex Valery had been Le''s rival in love for a decade now. Valery was arranged to be married to Zac, and she unted her engagement to him like a badge of honor. Now, Valery had her ws so deeply sunk in every aspect of Zac''s life that he could never cleanly sever ties with her. That was the reason why Zac was forced to leave Dragon City: to escape her clutches. "Let''s talk about itter," Zac said in a cold tone, evidently reluctant to discuss the other woman. Le dared not ask any more, but she guessed that he knew nothing about the situation, or he would have gone back long before then. Marci took a nce at her nephew and inwardly sighed, keeping silent. She had always said that Zac and Valery''s rtionship was a toxic one. At the bar counter... As soon as she returned from the restroom, Essie asked for another ss of Bloody Mary. She studied Zac over the rim of her drink as she took a sip. He and Le seemed to be enjoying their conversation. In general, Zac was indifferent to women, but he was close to Le. Evidently, Le upied a very special ce in his heart. To Zac, she was probably unforgettable. Maybe their rtionship was in the past, but nothing was stopping them from getting back together any time now. Essie suddenly felt a weird sensation in her chest. Was the cocktail too sour? She did not want to dwell on the feeling, so she finished her drink silently. She stepped away from her seat and did note back for some time. On his way to the men''s room, Zac passed by the bar counter and saw her. Zac approached her, saying with some amusement, "Did you really think that I wouldn''t allow you to drink, so that you had to hide here and knock back your wine in secret?" "Yes. Do you have any problem with that?" she sniped back at Zac, her nose wrinkled in anger. ''Go back to sweet-talking your ex-girlfriend and leave me alone!'' She really did not know why she was in such a strange, horrible mood. Eventually, she decided to attribute it to the two thousand dors that just went down the drain. How humiliating! Zac leaned against the counter beside her. "You can drink as much as you want. I''ll apany you." He lightly ruffled her hair and ordered a ss of zero degree cocktail. It looked like he had no intention Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. of letting her nurse her drink alone. She was slightly confused at his action. Her heavy eyshes shing, she asked him, "Will you be going home tonight?" He lowered his head to smile at her and answered slowly and carefully, as if talking to a drunk person or a child, "If I don''t go home, where will I sleep?" His ex-girlfriend had finally returned. Shouldn''t he celebrate with his ex-lover and rekindle mes or something? She raised her eyebrows in confusion. Zac was as unfathomable as the deepest sea and hid just as many secrets. "I''m going back." She picked up her ss and headed back to where Zac''s aunt was seated. Staying by the bar for too long would be too impolite toward the older woman. Noticing how she was weaving on her feet, Zac quickly reached out a hand to help her, but she swatted it away. "No, thank you, I can walk by myself." If his ex-girlfriend saw Zac acting like that toward her, she might misunderstand again. She didn''t want the other woman to me her. Sitting on the sofa, Zac poured Essie a ss of iced water. The cold drink quickly sobered her up. The sight of the two of them left a sour taste in Le''s mouth. Hiding her churning thoughts behind a gracious smile, Le turned to Zac. "What does Miss Essie do?" she asked him in a low voice. As the saying goes, "Know the enemy and yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat." "Fashion design." Essie had a polite smile on her face. Even so, she could tell that Le was none too pleased because of her misreading the situation between her and Zac. Le slightly nodded and took a sip of the red wine, and her bright red lips shone like wine-soaked cherries. "Zac, aftering back home, I started working at aunt Marci''s publication. I''m in charge of the magazine''s newly established ''Women and Jewelry'' section." She tried to draw his attention back to her. "You did major in jewelry design, after all. That work suits you well," Zac replied in a careless tone, a faint smile ying on his lips. "We have a jewelry show at the end of the month, so I will be staying here for some time. You wouldn''t mind if I go and disturb you every once in a while, would you?" She shed a bright smile at Zac, her beautiful eyes curving like crescent moons. Zac shrugged his shoulders and did not reply. To Essie, however, his response looked very much like acquiescence. She would have to resign herself to weing this visitor at home every now and then. After chatting some more, Marci nced at her watch and remarked on theteness of the hour. She decided to head back to the hotel first, so Zac stood up and saw her off. Before she got into the car, she patted her nephew on the shoulder and said, "I''m going back to Dragon City tomorrow. As for your matter in Yang City, I can keep your secret for now, but you can''t run away from it forever. Valery practically turned the world upside down in order to find you. You have to give her an answer¡ªafter all, she is pregnant..." Chapter 57 Eat And Sleep With Her Chapter 57 Eat And Sleep With Her "I know, aunt. I''ll be back soon." Zac interrupted her and turned his back to walk away. He didn''t want to deal with such things as he had other things on his mind. At the bar, Essie filled up Le''s ss and asked, "Are you Zac''s ex-girlfriend?" Le sat there while a sh of annoyance was seen from her eyes. She asked impetuously, "Why? Are you worried that I''ll take him away from you?" Essie passively waved her hand and casually responded, "I''m not worried about that at all. I just hope you don''t treat me as a rival." "What... What do you mean by that?" Le sat there frozen as her cheeks flushed pink. She wondered if she had been acting so transparent. "Take it easy, gorgeous!" Essie said in a pleasant voice. She had a friendly smile on her face while she picked up her ss from the table. "Don''t take this the wrong way, we''re just roommates. I don''t have a rtionship with him whatsoever." "Roommate?" Le was slightly shocked when she heard this. "Yes. We rent a house together," Essie passively said. She was not the type of person that would get in the way of a couple who were in love. She had no interest in causing difficulties and problems between the two. She also did not think Le had to know about her marriage with Zac. Besides, they were soon N?velDrama.Org content. to be divorced anyway. Le stared at her for a moment trying to observe her expressions. With Essie''s calm expression, she knew right away that she wasn''t trying to mess with her. Aside from that, it was lucky for any woman who could get along well with a man like Zac. Then how could she be stupid enough to deny her rtionship with him? As these thoughts rumbled through her mind, she saw Zac walking back towards them. She pursed her lips together and intentionally said, "I didn''t know that you were roommates with Miss Essie. I thought you guys were dating." Zac''s calm mood instantly shifted into a frigid, cold expression. His eyes that were beaming with brightness were now vacant and staring, while the rest of him were utterly still. He wondered thoroughly what was going on inside Essie''s head. She had just announced her support towards him in front of everyone. However, he had just shortly turned away and it seemed as though she had changed her mind. Gloom slowly crept into his eyes and seeped into his heart. He casually lifted his hand and pressed his hand harshly on Essie''s head. "How could I like someone who says such stupid, brainless things?" ''Neither am I interested in a cold-hearted person with a sharp tongue!'' Essie thought while she red at Zac with a burning hard stare that was brutal enough to tear him down. Le let out a sigh of relief and a beaming smile appeared on her face. She was d to see the kind of rtionship Essie and Zac had. She was still the only woman in his life. It was an hour before midnight. The sky was overcast with the grey, puffy clouds that slowly rolled in and approached them. Not a single star could be seen. It seemed like a strong storm was on its way. As they drove back home, Essie sat on the passenger seat, looked at Zac and noticed that he looked even more gloomy and darker than the sky. Not a single word slipped out of Zac''s mouth throughout the car ride and a deafening silence lingered through the car. Essie thought that Zac might have been upset about her reckless behavior in the night club. She bit her lip and finally had the courage to speak. "I apologize for my ignorance earlier on. I didn''t know that she was your aunt. I shouldn''t have said those things on stage." Zac was unhappy and his mind was clearly clouded with darkness. At this moment, Essie''s state of mind waspletely empty. She also worried that she would never know the reasons for his anger once heshed out. "From now on, I''ll be your paramour!" He made sure to take advantage of this moment so he could guide her towards the right direction. When Essie heard this, she shrank back into her chair and had a horrified expression on her face. "I can''t even afford you," she said. "That''s your problem. I''m just here to do my duty." He had a shameless wide grin on his face that leaked wickedness, like a lion that had just triumphed. However, his foolish prey had fallen into the and waspletely scattered out of nervousness. "What duty?" she asked, trembling with fear. He parked the car in an underground garage then rested his hand on the back of Essie''s seat, while the other on the window at her side, thus encircling her. "I promise to indulge you with a full night of service. This includes a good meal, drinks and the chance for you to sleep together with me," he said slowly, word by word in a seductive voice. Essie''s face slowly turned paler with every word. This was a modern story of farmer and snake, and she was kind enough to let herself get eaten. This man had no humanity. When she got back into her room, she was going to take a shower and hurriedly closed the door so that Zac wouldn''t be able to get in. However, she wasn''t fast enough, as a big hand reached out and stopped the door from closing. Chapter 58 You Feed Me Chapter 58 You Feed Me ''No! Is it possible he really wanted to sleep with me?'' she wondered. Seeing the sorrowful look on her face, he was both angry and amused. Just when he was about to tease her again, she spoke, stopping him, "Tonight, I''m going to make a n for our mock date. If you disturb me, I might end up screwing it up. Later don''t me me!" She was d to use this date as an excuse. Realizing she still remembered the date, an unnoticeable smile crept on Zac''s handsome face. "Okay, I''ll give you one night. If you can''t satisfy me, you have to do it again." "Challenge epted," said Essie, before she mmed the door shut. Leaning against the door, she sighed with relief. ''That was a narrow escape,'' she muttered under her breath. But of course, she couldn''t take a rest. She had a date to n! Zac wouldn''t let her go so easily. Next day, at dusk, she invited Zac to the rooftop garden. His eyes ran through the pot and dishes on the stone table. "You''ve had a lot of time to n. And yet, you have only managed to do this?" "There are moonlight, stars and lights above our head. And look around, you will notice fragrant flowers and beautiful scenery. If this isn''t romantic, what is? A very economical date." As she spoke, she smiled. Her wordscked sincerity. Zac crossed his arms, making no secret of his disappointment. Essie went on and exined, "There are two kinds of date in this world. One is extravagant and the other is simple. You probably expected the first one which is too mainstream. However, mine is genuine. I like to keep things simple and real." There was a mist in Zac''s eyes. His smile came out of the corners of his mouth, like a drop of ink that had been dripped into the water. It was a beautiful and poetic scene, spreading from his eyes and reaching the tip of his eyebrows. "Yes, your date is and so are you," he agreed and sat down on the chair. "It''s time for dinner." She was so beautiful that her thick eyshes were fluttering like butterfly wings. N?velDrama.Org content. The moonlight began to shine on her face and its beauty paled whenpared to hers. To be honest, a lot had happened in the past few days. She was devoid of time hence she couldn''t properly n this date. She opened two bottles of ice beer and handed one to him. "Cheers! Let''s toast for the second dummy date!" He smiled and reached out his hand. A clear sound was heard in the air, like the resonance between two hearts. He realized that as long as Essie was in front of him, any date would be wonderful. Essie then prepared two soups. One was spicy, and the other one was of seafood vor which Zac relished. Essie naughtily blinked her beautiful, big eyes and said, "Zac, spicy soup tastes the best. Would you care to try it?" "I will, but there is one condition," Zac said with a mischievous smile. Condition! Her instinct told her his request would be a challenge. A lump came to her throat. After swallowing it, she stammered, "What is the condition?" "Feed me!" He put down his chopsticks, leaned against the back of his chair and waited for her. ''That is easy!'' she thought with a sigh of relief. Internally, she admonished herself for panicking so easily. Then she added a slice of beef in the spicy soup and raised it to his mouth. He shook his head. "Feed me but not with your hands!" "If not hands, then with what?" "Mouth!" Essie coughed as soon as she heard his reply. Raising her eyebrows, she was ovee by an urge to burst into anger. Instead, she feigned a smile and said, "Okay!" After a second, she said, "You alwayse up with the weirdest idea." Her lips moved close to his. Once she had fed the food into his mouth, she took the opportunity to bite his lip. Zac slowly licked the ce where Essie bit and smiled yfully. "This tastes lovely. I am enjoying it more than a kiss," he uttered, looking extremely satisfied. She raised her hand to hit him, but he got a hold of her arms and pulled her into his. "Without beating or cursing while on a date, it will be boring." Angrily, she grabbed him and said, "If you dare to break the rules again, I will not spare you." "The more you fight, the more intense your love will be." He broke free from her grip and grabbed her chin. Just when he was about to do what he wanted to do, his phone rang, disturbing their romantic moment. Chapter 59 Getting Hurt Intended Chapter 59 Getting Hurt Intended "What the hell!" Zac cursed loudly as he took out his phone. When he looked at the caller ID on his screen, he saw that it was Le calling him. He was just about to hang up the phone when Essie took the phone and said, "Take the call," as she slid her fingers to answer it. She proceeded to walk away to give them some space to talk. "Zac! I just had an ident and got injured. I''m in the hospital and I don''t know anyone else from this city. I''m scared. Can you pleasee over?" Zac was silent for a few moments, before he finally said, "Okay." Upon she heard what Zac said, Essie''s heart sank with disappointment and utter dejection. She suddenly felt a hint of regret that she picked up the phone. "I''ll be back as soon as I can." He stroked her hair feeling a bit disheartened. He was unsure if his actions made her feel any better but he also didn''t have the time to console her. Essie faced away and pursed her lips together. Her anxieties caused her to wonder if he would even After Zac walked away and left, the rooftop suddenly felt unusually quiet. The silence left her with a heavy sense of difort while the loneliness crept up to her spine, making her feel like the only person left in the world. As she stood on the rooftop in the middle of the city, she stared up towards the dark eerie sky. The stars were blinking and were especially bright contrasted from noise from the chaotic streets. However, all of this only triggered her loneliness even more. ''If Zac finds himself a girlfriend, will he still have time for me in the future?'' After having spent so much time alone, having another man''s presence was overwhelming and noisy. However, now that she had been used to living with Zac, she started to feel lonely whenever she was alone. She released a deep sigh and tried to push her thoughts away. She decided to take some photos of the hot pot that was on the table to post on her social media. After a few moments, her phone beeped. She received a reply from Hanson which said, "It sucks that I''m bed ridden in the hospital. Otherwise, I would have gone straight there to eat with you." Essie''s eyes widened as she put her hands over her mouth. ''His wedding wasing in a few days. How could he end up in the hospital? Was this for real?'' she thought anxiously as she paced back and forth in the garden. Essie wondered if it would be a good idea to give him a call and ask if he was okay, but didn''t have the courage to dial his number. While riddled with thoughts, her phone beeped once again. Hanson sent another message asking, "Would you care to take a visit?" Soon after, she walked towards the table, grabbed the beer and chugged it down. She finally mustered up the courage to dial his number, and the phone started to ring. In Yang City Hospital. Essie passed by a stall to buy some fruits for Hanson before she went to visit. While waiting for the elevator, she coincidentally saw Le sitting by herself in the resting area. Apparently she had twisted her wrist while ying tennis. She had it checked up and the doctor confirmed that there was no severe damage. The doctor prescribed some medicine to promote blood flow and decrease the bruising. After she took some of the pills, Zac was seen walking towards her. "You''ll be fine after a few days of rest. I''ll take you back to your hotel." He proceeded to walk her outside. As Essie watched them walk away, she felt an indescribable aching in her chest. It turned out that Le was injured. Now it made sense to her why Zac was so nervous after he put down the phone earlier. He also had left in such a hurry. She previously thought that this cold person wasn''t capable showing tenderness towards women. It turned out that he only showed this side of him with the right person. He must love her very much. Essie quickly came into a realization that Zac had rejected Mandy because of her as well. If there was a woman he cared for deeply in his heart, he wouldn''t just simply ept another woman. Right? Essie found herself staring nkly into the air. She swallowed all her thoughts, straightened up and walked into the elevator. As she walked into a ward, she saw Hanson as hey down ufortably on the hospital bed with his legs wrapped in ster. His eyes sunk deeply, and his lips were parched. However, the moment he saw Essie walking towards him, his eyes instantly lit up with delight. He waved at the caregiver sitting next to him and asked her to leave the room for a moment. He clearly wanted to spend some time alone with Essie. Essie ced the basket of fruits on the table next to him and sat on the edge of his bed. She asked in a tender, sweet voice, "Why are you so careless? How badly does it hurt?" Her eyebrows furrowed and a Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. frown appeared on her face. She remembered the phone call earlier where Hanson had mentioned that he had fallen off his horse. "My leg doesn''t hurt anymore, but my heart does." He positioned his hand carefully on his chest. "Your heart hurts?" Her eyes widened as her small face tensed up from shock. When he noticed her nervousness, his lips slightly curled up and a subtle smile was seen from his expression. This proved that she still cared about him. He exined carefully, "I''m not physically hurt, but I''ve been hurt by you. Whenever I think about you giving up on me, my heart starts to ache." "This isn''t the time to be kidding around." She lowered her eyes with a sullen expression. Her thick eyebrows fluttered like butterfly wings. A rush of emotions came over Hanson and he quickly reached his hand out to grab Essie''s thatid on his bedside. "As long as I don''t get married to her, you won''t stop loving me, right?" His dark eyes sparkled in the light as if it were made of ss. His sudden act of devotion baffled Essie. Essie nced towards his eyes with her mouth slightly open and loose. She blinked and refocused her eyes, as she was lost in confusion. Is it possible for him not to get married? Chapter 60 Dont Come To Me Chapter 60 Don''t Come To Me Essie knew Hanson and his family quite well. Even though to an outsider his family seemed picture perfect, the reality was very different. On the surface, there was harmony but deep down they went through an undercurrent. He may be the only son of the chairman, yet that didn''t bring him any respect since he was still a bastard. Mrs. Xia and her three daughters were like tigers. And from what she knew, they would never let him take charge of the Be Group. If he married Sunny, his life would change for the better. Sunny''s family was powerful enough to support him and elevate his status. This alliance promised him sess. Essie''s thoughts were in a jumble. And Hanson seemed to understand what was going on in her mind. shing her a smile, he said, "Don''t worry, I''ll find a way to stop the wedding. What will happen? Nothing! I might have to fall again." His words were light, but caused a great disturbance in her heart. ''Did he fall down on purpose in order to dy the wedding?'' she thought. "Hanson..." Her heart was trembling, and millions of emotions surged forward. She couldn''t believe he cared so deeply for her. The man she had loved all her life was beginning to reciprocate her feelings! She felt a little ttered but this was too good to be true. Just like sitting in the flying chariot, someone had taken her to cloud nine. The weight of this news was burdening her. He seemed to have read her mind. He brought her face close to his and caressed it gently. "You are very important to me, so I can''t afford to lose you. Promise me you won''t give up on me. I need more time, okay?" She lowered her head, and for some reason, a person she shouldn''t have thought of, emerged in her mind. It was like a ghost, wandering everywhere. No matter how hard she tried to bring her focus back to Hanson, her thoughts drifted back to Zac. It wandered in her mind and then chased her, until she was fully consumed by it. ''Why am I thinking about him?'' she admonished herself. At this time, he was probably trying to please his ex-girlfriend. He was probably showering her with love and kiss. In Zac''s eyes, Essie was nothing but a clown with whom he could enjoy when he was bored. All his actions proved it. Seeing that she wasn''t giving a reply, Hanson''s heart tightened. "Don''t you want to wait for me?" He was in pain seeing her hesitancy. She shook her head and repressed Zac''s thoughts. "No, I will wait for you." She gritted her teeth, as if she was mad at the shadow for spoiling her beautiful moment. Hanson breathed a sigh of relief, revealing a charming smile. "Now that I have your support, I am more determined to break off this marriage. It won''t be too long before I ampletely yours." "Yes," she replied in a low voice, and a thinyer of tear rose from the bottom of her eyes. But she couldn''t tell if those tears were for him or for that shadow which flitted on her mind. Getting out of the hospital, she walked aimlessly on the street. A feeling of loss followed her wherever she went. Her mind was, at present, a clutter. She didn''t want to think about Hanson nor did she want to dwell on Zac''s thoughts. All she wanted was peace. She wasn''t in a hurry to reach him. The big house would echo her loneliness. It would make her realize how terribly alone she was. Essie was oblivious to the fact that Zac was back home. He twisted the door-knob, expecting to see her. But he was weed by nothing but darkness. He told himself perhaps she had decided to stay in their date spot. Slowly, he made his way to the rooftop garden only to find out she wasn''t there either. ''Where is she?'' he wondered, panic starting to overtake him. He immediately dialed her number. When she saw the caller ID, she rejected the call without any hesitation. ''Why is he calling now? Is it to inform me that he won''t be back any time soon?'' she wondered angrily. A wave of grievance rushed over her head. If the streets had been secluded, she would have screamed her heart out. However, bystanders were there and she couldn''t create a scene. It wasn''t just him she was disappointed at. There was a part of her that med herself too. ''What does it matter to me? Why do I want to know where he is or what he is doing? After all, it has nothing to do with me!'' she tried to tell herself. They had identally encountered each other. Sooner orter, they would have to bid farewell. She had no business in his affairs. He was a free man. He could do as he pleased! Thinking of this, she took a deep breath and then walked forward. Somehow, she felt a little better than she did a few moments ago. In the apartment, Zac was pacing back and forth. He couldn''t believe she had refused to pick up his call. Racking his brain, he tried to wonder what had made her so furious. ''Is she mad because I left in the middle of our date?'' He couldn''t help but entertain this idea. Taking a deep breath, he decided to message Essie. "It''s quitete. Where have you been?" ''It''s none of your business!'' she muttered under her breath and kicked the tree that was nearby. "I am having some fun in the bar. Just making my way through the dance floor with a handsome man. Please don''t bother me!" she typed. Not waiting for his reply, she switched off the phone. She had no interest in knowing what he had to say. He was probably way too busy with his ex- girlfriend. ''Why did he even bother to text me?'' She couldn''t find an answer to this question. It seemed like he was adding salt to her wounds. However, the reality waspletely different from her imagination. At this moment, Zac was shaking his head and smiling bitterly. Although he couldn''t see her face, he imagined her vividly, her mouth twisted into a pout. He continued to dial, but her phone was powered off. "What the hell!" he screamed to the empty space. Suddenly all sorts of thoughts popped into his head. He worried if she was extremely drunk and in a helpless state. Quickly, he rushed to the bar which was located nearby. Like a maniac, he went around inquiring about her. Turned out no one had seen her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He tried to call her but in vain. It was still powered off. ''What the hell! It doesn''t matter if she is angry. Why can''t she at least tell me where she is!'' his frustrated mind screamed. The more he thought about it, the more worried he became. All types of crazy thoughts entered his mind. ''What if some wicked men are troubling her?'' No way! He must find her! He called William and said, "There is an emergency! We need to find Essie. Send men to search for her." Chapter 61 Search Around The City Chapter 61 Search Around The City It was already three o''clock in the morning. Soon, it would be dawn and light would crack through her window. But Essie couldn''t sleep. She tossed and turned in bed, unable to put either her mind or body to rest. Lightning shed and thunder rumbled. Rain was pouring heavily outside. ''The weather matches my current mood,'' she thought with some annoyance. Her heart ached every second. Something in it expanded, consuming herpletely. Nothing she did would reduce the ache. Her imagination started to run wild. She could vividly imagine Zac with his beloved woman, cozily wrapped in his arms. Damn it, why did she always have to think about him! She cursed her thoughts for always running back to him. He was allowed to love whoever he wanted. And what he did with his lover was none of her business. She had no right to dwell on his thoughts. After taking a deep breath, she forced herself to think about Hanson. After all, today he had confessed his love for her. She was supposed to think about him and the happy future he had promised her. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. "Essie, think about Hanson. Think about his gorgeous face," Essie spoke to herself in this empty room. But her attempts went in vain. Zac''s face kept shing on her mind. The way he had taken care of her when she feigned a cramp. "Someone help me!" she screamed, feeling miserable. She tried to convince herself that Zac didn''t even think about her. Suddenly, her mind took a different turn. She couldn''t think about another man. Perhaps it was because she was Zac''s wife, even if this marriage was only an ident. In the eyes ofw, they were a couple. ''Was it appropriate to cheat on him? And most importantly, is it appropriate for him to be with another woman right now?'' The answer was no. Instantly, she got down the bed, grabbed the darkest lipstick from the dresser and rushed into Zac''s room. She drew open the curtain and sketched two bloody bones on the window! After returning to bed, she still couldn''t sleep. To entertain herself, she decided to y some mobile games. This helped her in keeping her thoughts away from him. A lightning shed through the sky. Due to the rainstorm, there were few cars on the street. But Zac seemed unperturbed by the horrible weather. With a group of men, he searched all the bars. He was drenched from head to toe. His face was overcast with rage which was more frightening than the storm. Every time he dialed her number, he waited expectantly for an answer. But when he realized it was still switched off, a gloom would befall his face and he would smash his phone into pieces in anger. After Zac got out of the bar, he stretched out his hand for another phone. William quickly handed the phone to him. Atst, there was a ring! It wasn''t switched off anymore. His ice cold eyes gleamed with hope. "It''ste at night. What are you doing?" Essie barked from the other side of the phone. She was shocked when she saw the caller ID. A part of her wanted to reject the call, but her curiosity "Where are you?" He tried his best to keep his voice steady. If it was possible, he would have crawled out of the phone and reached her. "Where can I be at this hour? I am home. I was sleeping but your call woke me up," she lied and hung up the phone. ''At home?'' thought Zac. His heart finally rxed. The anxiety he was feeling had been dispelled. "Take me back home!" Zac ordered and William started the engine without any objection. This was the first time that William had seen his boss lose his calm. Normally, he was like a cheetah, powerful and always in control. Nobody ever got to see his vulnerable side. Today, he was akin to an angry dragon who wanted to kill and tear everyone. It was true that men conquered the world while women conquered the men! However, his boss''s true emotions still remained a mystery to William. Even though his actions seemed to indicate he loved Essie, he never confessed it in in words. After all, his boss had always been indifferent and cold. One could never tell what was going on in his mind and heart. In the apartment, Essie heard the sound of doorknob being twisted upon. She was surprised to such an extent that her phone slipped from her hand, thudding against the floor. ''Zac is back?'' Retrieving back her phone, she realized it was almost 4 am. She couldn''t understand what brought him back during this hour. Perhaps he had a fight with his girlfriend, she guessed. Essie, who had been sad for hours, now broke into a smile. Knowing she had no reason to be happy, she controlled her emotions. Pulling the quilt, she pretended to sleep. As soon as Zac came in, he opened the door of her room. He was relieved to see that she was really there. He walked quietly to the bedside, bent over, and smelt her. ''Fresh and pure, like always. Not tainted with the smell of wine,'' he thought happily. He bent down to caress her hair. While doing so, a drop of water fell from his damp head to her cheeks. It sent shiver down her spine! She couldn''t help but open her eyes. He was wet from head to toe and the sight shocked her. Frustrated, desperate, depressed! That was how he looked. Well, now she was sure her suspicion was right. Indeed he had fought with his girlfriend! Chapter 62 Someone Is Peeping In The Opposite Chapter 62 Someone Is Peeping In The Opposite "Did I wake you up?" Zac''s voice was slightly deep and hoarse, most likely because he had just been caught in the rain. "You should change into some dry clothes," Essie said with eyes that showed a kind of gentle concern. She couldn''t tell whether he was upset. He didn''t seem to be worried about getting sick from the rain either. When Zac saw the look on her face, he quickly realized what was going on. He took his time, however, and went to the bathroom to take a shower and change into his pajamas. She wasn''t in the mood to talk to him when he got home. However, she quickly empathized the moment she saw his tired and miserable face. She picked up some pills from her drawer and handed them to him. "Take them as soon as you can so you don''t get sick. I don''t want to end up catching a cold from you." He took the pills with an endearing smile. "You''re not upset anymore?" "Why should I be upset?" she scoffed as she rolled her eyes. "I shouldn''t have left in the middle of our datest night, but when Le called, I thought she was badly hurt..." Before he could even finish his sentence, Essie quickly interrupted. "It''s not a big deal, it wasn''t even a real date anyway," she said in a casual tone, deliberately trying to make it seem like she didn''t care at all. As Essie said this, Zac felt a wave of sadness seep into his bones. N?velDrama.Org content. He had prepared some lines to say to her when he was on his way home, expecting that Essie would be furious. However, he was stunned from Essie''s selfless response towards the situation. ''If you weren''t angry, then why did you hang up and turn off your phone?'' he thought. "Did you end up in the barst night?" he asked as he wore a skeptical expression on his face. She quickly remembered that she had left Zac a message earlier on. So in return, she beamed him a smile and acted all giddy and excited. "Yes, and I had a great time. I ended up dancing with a lot of men." "Were you drinking?" "I''ve kept in mind some rules whenever I go to a bar alone: don''t drink liquor and don''t ever let anyone take advantage of you." She took these rules seriously as she never wanted to be gullible enough to be fooled by men while she was alone in a bar. He was relieved when he heard this, but soon after, his eyes turned deep and dark while his frown was almost painful to watch. His worries overcame him and he rubbed his forehead as thoughts rummaged through his mind. He thought that maybe she had hung up the phone simply because she did not want to be disturbed. He wondered if he just got it all wrong and misunderstood the situation. Apparently his presence, or "It''s gettingte. Get some sleep," he said as gloom enveloped his mind and body. He turned around, deeply disappointed, and went straight to his room. The rain stopped the moment he arrived inside his room, but after a short while, it continued to pour heavily again. He thought about momentarypse of brightness in his heart, before the sound of thunder boomed from the grey clouds above. He walked towards his window to open his curtains and let some fresh air inside, but was shocked with what he had seen. There were two bloody skulls painted vividly on his window. He shook his head andughed aloud in wonder. However, by this point his mood ricocheted between highs and lows, and he felt much better now. From her room, Essie had heard Zac draw the curtains. It suddenly urred to her that she had done something foolish earlier on, so she quickly grabbed a duster cloth and rushed straight into his room. Her face turned red and flustered from embarrassment while she walked towards the window to wipe it. Zac pulled her arms back to stop her. "I didn''t expect you to be such an elegant woman. This piece of art needs to be treated well and preserved!" he said with a smile as he mocked her. Her face blushed from her neck to her hairline and quickly exined herself. "Earlier this afternoon, I was hangingundry in your balcony when I saw a woman from the opposite house peeping at you. So I drew these two skulls to freak her out!" "Really?" Zac asked while he raised one of his eyebrows, "The other building is more than a mile away from us. What kind of woman has such keen vision?" "Of course I found her staring at you with a telescope!" She pouted. "If you could see a hair on the moon, of course you could see the reflection of a telescope from a mile away!" Zac looked up as he touched his chin. "But you don''t have a telescope and your vision is horrible. How could you have seen a woman using a telescope from the other building?" Despite the awkwardness of the situation, Essie swallowed hard and continued to exin her side calmly. "I couldn''t help feeling like there was a pair of eyes staring at us. My strong intuition was bothering me, so after you had left, I decided to walk to the othermunity when I found a huge telescope on the balcony of the sixth floor." "So it seems to be." Zac finally decided to give it up and act like he understood. He didn''t want to push her any longer to avoid any repercussions. Otherwise, he might end up triggering Essie into an explosive rage. Content with his response, Essie proceeded to pick up the piece of cloth and said, "You should clean it up. You never know if the person watching from the other side would end up with a heart attack." She wiped the window several times until it was clean, when a cunning expression suddenly shed in her eyes. "Maybe you should consider closing your curtains before you sleep, unless you want someone to watch you ying around with two women." The remark stemmed from vengeance for his behavior during dinner. He had abandoned her as if she was garbage to have a private meeting with his old lover. Zac choked when heard this, confused from the sudden air that came from Essie. His expression soon changed into arrogance and quickly disputed. "They are stupid and silly. Many skills don''t work. My baby doesn''t like them. If I want to y with someone, it must be you." "No way!" She walked away while stomping her feet on the ground and mmed the door as she left. Essie wasn''t not simply a second choice or a backup n, however it always made Zac happy to quarrel with her. At the jewelry show that weekend, Le had once again asked Zac to apany her because she had injured her ankle. Essie decided to toughen up and asked to join them despite the embarrassment. She had no choice but go despite her hesitance as she had been entrusted to destroy their meeting. Chapter 63 Im Here To Sabotage Chapter 63 I''m Here To Sabotage The day Mandy came back from France, she immediately called out for Essie. When Mandy found out that Zac''s ex-lover wasing back to town, she was overwhelmed by a state of panic, so she immediately instructed her close friend to act as a third wheel during the jewelry exhibition. She had asked Essie to secretly engage in destruction, so that she could be together with Zac. Essie almost fainted when Mandy came up to ask her. She was just a hostess to Zac. Why did she have to turn herself into a bitch? She knew that she should have declined, but Mandy had threatened their rtionship and forced her to promise. With her persistence, Essie just couldn''t find it in herself to refuse. Essie had chosen a bright yellow ancient style dress to wear for the jewelry exhibition. Her ck curly hair was simply tossed to her back, with light make-up applied to her face. Her appearance was fresh and refined with a green tea vor, which was appropriate as that was her role. Essie spun around as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Satisfied with her look, she smiled at herself and nodded. She mustered up her courage to be the antagonist for the event and was ready to cause destruction! When they arrived at the hotel to pick up Le, she was already in the lobby waiting for them. She wore an ink chiffon skirt and her curly long hair worked perfectly well with her bright make-up. Her hair flowed with the wind, and she looked pretty as a picture. However, what struck Essie¡¯s attention the most was the bold ne that was wrapped around her neck. It seemed to be made of blue, green and white turquoise. It had an interesting and unique design that looked like a blooming jasmine from a distance. She found it vaguely familiar, but couldn''t point her finger to where she had seen it before. Le was bothered to find Essie sitting on the passenger seat, as that seat had always belonged to her. Zac got off the car to open the door for her. Essie thought to herself, ''I expected that they''d be estranged for at least a few days. I didn''t expect them to resolve their quarrels so quickly.'' Their love seemed to have a very solid foundation. Besides, it was verymon for lovers to quarrel from time to time. Le had no ns of sitting in the back seat. She smiled at Zac charmingly and greeted him before she tapped on the window of the passenger seat and said, "I''m sorry, but can we switch seats? I''d much prefer sitting here." Since Essie was just his roommate, there was no reason for her to be too polite. "Sure." Essie easily budged. Just before she was able to open the door to step out, she suddenly remembered the mission she had shouldered and quickly let go. "I apologize, but I have a severe case of carsickness. If I sat on the back seat, I would instantly feel sick. If I end up vomiting, Zac would not be too happy about that." She smiled in embarrassment. When she heard this, Le''s bright face had quickly turned pale, but after short moment she recovered as usual. She had to keep up a good image to Zac and couldn''t undermine herself to Essie''s level. "Just sit in the back seat, Le." Zac said this in a tender tone which was implied as an order. Le bit her lip while she lowered her head in disappointment before she went and sat on the back seat. Essie had to spend the rest of the car ride dramatically acting like she was feeling sick. At one point, she even put her hand on her forehead and pretended that she had fainted. Zac couldn''t resist himself and found himselfughing. He watched her y her part with no mercy. He thought of her as a little devil who was sometimes confused, self-willed, unreasonable and sometimes even a little shameful. However, with her by his side, he was never bored and always entertained. As they walked along the hall, the jewelry were disyedvishly and the space was filled with gold and jade. Essie looked around with astonishment and stopped in front of a pink diamond ne. "Wow!" she eximed. Her eyes were bright as diamonds as she marveled on the beautiful piece. Le grunted and looked down on Essie with disdain all over her face. She watched her from afar as if she was a little pest meddling with her business. Diamonds were as typical and ordinary as a carrot or turnip in the lives of the wealthy, upper ss societies. However, for humblemoners like Essie, it was a rare treasure that she perceived as a precious work of art. She noticed the way Le looked at her and quickly turned over to Zac, thinking that he had the same disdainful expression. Essie found Zac watching her endearingly with a subtle smile on his face. He touched the back of her head and teased her. "I never knew you were fond of these things." "Of course. I''m not the kind of person who doesn''t value money. Besides that, as a fashion designer, I appreciate art and beauty in all forms." Zac smiled when he heard this and respected her frank and honest demeanor. Her words were never hypocritical nor did she ever try to conceal her true self. "In that case, you should appreciate me as well," he said with delicate giggle. She raised the corner of her lips into a smirk and said, "Well, I admire your impudence." "Alright, more reason for me to act shamelessly without having to feel ashamed," Zac quickly remarked with a mischievous smile on his face. Essie squinted her eyes at him and wondered when he needed a reason to act that shamelessly. The exchange between the two was starting to get in Le''s nerves. It felt like it had been quite some time that neither of them noticed her presence and she feltpletely ignored. "Zac, I have a secret to tell you," Le suddenly intercepted in the middle of their conversation. She wanted to evoke her presence and draw his attention on her. "What secret?" Zac asked casually. "Back then, I decided to get into jewelry design because you had given me this ne that you personally designed," she said. Le ced her hand lightly on the turquoise ne on her chest while she tried to charm him by fluttering her eyshes lightly. When Zac finally noticed the ne she wore, there was a sh of iprehensible darkness and This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. deepness in his eyes. This ne... Chapter 64 The War Among Three Women Chapter 64 The War Among Three Women His gaze pierced through her body andnded on her neck. Slowly, he was taken back to the past. This dark past consisted of him and the evil girl. The wound began to ache once again. Hearing what Le said, Essie''s heart twisted. All of a sudden, the ne that had attracted her became too dazzling to bear. Essie didn''t expect that Zac and Le had such a strong history. His love and concern for her must have been quite sincere! This sweet and passionate love brought Essie''s admiration. But at the same time, she was also a little sad. Aplex and indescribable feeling crept into her heart like a poisonous snake that was spitting out the core from her back. Her heart was entangled by it, suffocating her. Somehow, she tried to convince herself she wasn''t jealous. She told herself it was due to the weight of the task assigned by Mandy. But they seemed to have sworn to love each other forever. Was it This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. inappropriate to ce obstacles in their way? When she sighed in her heart, Mandy entered the scene. "Zac," she greeted him first. There was a glimmer of light in Essie''s sad eyes. "Mandy, you''re here!" Thank God! She could get rid of the burden and now it would be Mandy''s turn to bear the weight of this confession. Mandy''s appearance brought him back to reality. He frowned and cast a gloomy nce at the culprit who had leaked his whereabouts to Mandy. The expression in Le''s eyes was as ferocious as that of a hedgehog, pricking up its prickles. ''Who was the woman? Who gave her the right to talk to him so freely?'' Le wondered. Mandy looked back at Le with somewhat simr emotions. From head to toe, she nced at the beauty who was standing before her. Even though Mandy herself was quite a beauty, Le''s looks made he feel inferior. The room was simr to a battlefield and these two women shot each other with their piercing eyes. This grave silence was interrupted by Zac''s phone which started ringing. Excusing himself, he was out to answer the phone. Essie proposed to have coffee in the lounge. Le and Mandy sat on opposite sides. Essie was about to sit with Mandy but Mandy coughed, reminding her that the seat beside her should be upied by Zac. Instantly understanding the meaning behind her action, Essie walked towards Le. When she was about to sit down, Le''s soft and powerful voice said, "I''m sorry. I prefer sitting alone." ''No way!'' Essie was a bit offended. But she knew she had no choice. She picked up a stool and brought it near the table, seating herself near them. Le stirred the coffee in her cup and kept her white neck high, maintaining her elegance and dignity. She seemed like a woman who was alwaysposed and would never let her guard down. "Women are always admiring Zac. After all, he is so handsome. I am quite used to it," said Le, ncing at Mandy with a look of superiority. "As long as you are not married, he doesn''t belong to you. We all stand a chance." Mandy snorted, irked by Le''s confidence. Deep in her heart, Essie didn''t agree with Le. She was married to Zac, but that didn''t mean he belonged to her. If his heart was with Le, now could bring them together. He would always belong to the one who had his heart. If Le was disturbed by Mandy''s words, she didn''t show it. She passed her a contemptuous gaze and said, "I grew up with Zac. He was my first love and I was his first love too. Our love is mutual and also irreceable." Her words made Essie understand why Zac''s and Le''s love was so intense. People always valued their first love. And nothing could rece it. A feeling of defeat engulfed her. Mandy, or no one else for that matter, could attain Zac. This was over and he would soon disappear with his childhood sweetheart. Just as she expected, there was disdainful look on Mandy''s face. "If you really love each other, you wouldn''t have broken up. Isn''t that true?" The light in Le''s eyes dimmed. It seemed Mandy''s words had hit the right spot. Her earlier look of confidence notched down and now she seemed exposed. Chapter 65 Busted Chapter 65 Busted "Our families have a history of conflict and opposed the rtionship between the two of us. Otherwise, we would have been married." Le truly believed that her rtionship with Zac wasn''t able to develop further because of the dispute between the two families. Mandy sneered, "If you truly loved each other, you could ovee any obstacle. I''m afraid to say but I think he simply didn''t love you enough." "Do you know who else has the freedom..." Le stopped before she could finish her words when she realized a secret almost slipped her mouth. Zac had made her promise never to expose his true identity. Besides, if they found out that he was actually from a rich and famous family, all the girls would do anything they could to take him away from her. Essie watched them with a sympathetic look in her eyes. From Le''s statements, she concluded that Zac was disliked by her family because of his poor background. Therefore, they couldn''t have a solid foundation for their rtionship. However, Zac was no longer poor nor unemployed. He deserved some recognition at least for having been able to buy himself a house and having a rich aunt. She sat there watching the two girls as these thoughts passed through her mind, when she saw Zac walking towards them. "Have a seat here, Zac!" Le and Mandy both said, almost inplete synchrony. Zac nced at the two girls for a long while before he finally decided to sit beside Le. He had done so purposely to irritate Essie. Le sat there and couldn''t help but have a triumphant smile stered on her face. Disappointed in Zac''s decision, Mandy slowly lowered her eyes to the ground. The dark shadow was cast underneath her thick eyshes, causing a somber atmosphere. The expression on Mandy''s face evoked Essie''s sympathy as Zac was clearly in favor of Le. She was surprised to feel the weight of her best friend''s pain. If Essie was in Mandy''s position, she would have already left without hesitation. She was not the kind of person who had the courage to walk straight into a wall and pursue a rtionship that didn''t belong to her. For this reason, when she was unable to express her love for Hanson, she quickly decided to give up, move past the situation and simply forget about him. All that time, she had never expected that he would love her back. He even deliberately got into an ident and broke his leg to escape from his marriage. Perhaps love also likes to y the game of hide and seek. The more you desire for this love, the more likely it will hide so you can''t get it. The moment you have lost all hope, it suddenly appears out of nowhere, leaving you with no time to digest it. However, Mandy was truly and surely in love, and even if it seemed as though she was being dragged down, she was still able to find the courage in her heart. She quickly recovered from the disappointment and called the waiter. "Zac, this ce is popr for their amazing cappino. Would you like to try it?" she asked. "Zac only drinks ck coffee," Le quickly interrupted with a gloating smirk. She knew instantly how Zac liked to drink his coffee because she had known him the longest amongst everyone else in the table. Zac simply nodded with in face. Once again, the same smug expression beamed from Le and she said to the waiter, "A cup of ck coffee with a 92¡æ temperature when served. Not any higher or lower." Defeated once again, Mandy felt like she was close to going off to the deep end. She dubiously kicked Essie''s leg under the table. She hinted for some help from Essie, who had been silent and motionless for quite some time. It was now Essie''s turn to release her guts and fire. She took the cup of coffee in front of her and held it in front of Zac. "Mandy is right, you know. This cappino is the best I''ve ever tried. It is definitely better than any typicalmercial kind. How about giving it a try?" Le gasped and thought to herself, ''Is this woman insane? How could she give Zac a cup of coffee that she had already drunk from? Doesn''t she know that he is squeamish?'' "Miss Essie, I don''t think that''s very polite." She gently reminded her. However, in Essie''s perspective, that reminder was particrly demeaning. Le always made it a point to show her nobility and superiority as she came from a rich and powerful family. She would look down on the two girls with so much arrogance, as if they were just bugs to be stepped on. However, she seemed to have forgotten that Zac was just as ordinary as they were. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Miss Le, I am not doing anything offensive nor rude." She kept her voice calm and steady. "You''ve drunk from that cup of coffee already. It still has your saliva and lip stain on the rim. How could you ask someone else to drink from it?" Le had said this in a very passive tone, but the criticism and me were not something she even tried to hide. Essie sneered again. Since Zac had already eaten from her mouth in the past, drinking from her cup of coffee wasn''t unusual whatsoever. "Miss Le, don''t you know there''s cat shit in your cup? But you seem to enjoy it very much." Chapter 66 Wife Or Mistress Chapter 66 Wife Or Mistress "That rich and nutty cup of coffee is called civet coffee. It''s one of the best in the world, and is also very rare to find." Le rolled her eyes while her lips curled with a sardonic sneer. Just now when she proceeded to order herself a cup of civet coffee, she caught a glimpse of Essie sticking her tongue out, seemingly amazed at how much her cup of coffee had cost. Of course there was no way she could afford that. Essie turned to Mandy with a mischievous expression on her face and ced her index finger under her chin. She said with a voice full of malice, "Mandy, aren''t those the coffee beans that are fed and digested by civet cats?" "Yes." Mandy nodded. "They''re picked from cat feces, aren''t they?" she asked while pouting her lips deviously. "Idiot," murmured Le on the sideline. Even if she wanted to call her out for her ignorance, she knew such a vulgar woman such as Essie would never understand. Essie didn''t want to bicker about petty things with her anymore. She had to focus on her goal, which was to deal with Zac. Therefore, she faced towards Zac and asked him, "Would you like to have a taste?" Her narrowed eyes concealed the deep rooted vengeance hidden inside. Understanding her intentions, Zac''s lips curled into a charming, subtle smile. He seemed being saying, "Dare I try?" She raised one of her eyebrows and carried the cup forward just touching his lips lightly. Essie hadn''t said a word but visibly implied that he had no choice but to drink it. Byw, there he didn''t have any other choice, as he had to listen to his wife. His subtle smile widened into a grin. He took the ss from her hand and slowly sipped the coffee. "Not bad," he said. "Really?" she asked as she tried to mask her enthusiasm. However she couldn''t resist and cracked a smile with two dimples appearing on her cheeks. Le waspletely bewildered at what she had just seen. Her eyes widened from disbelief while her face was stuck in an incredulous expression. ''Isn''t he a germaphobe? Why wouldn''t he mind drinking from her cup of coffee? They were just roommates!'' she thought,pletely distressed. It seemed like Zac could see right through her and read her mind. "Le, unlike other people, Essie is..." He suddenly paused with his sly eyes that nced towards Essie''s direction. Upon hearing that, Essie''s heart instantly skipped a beat and she almost choked. She was afraid that he would say something that he shouldn''t. Her nervousness was clearly noticed by Zac as he peeped at her from the corner of his eye. He began to talk even more slowly and said, "Well, Essie... She is my..." "Roommate!" Essie interrupted him immediately while faking augh. Zac watched her with a cunning smile and wanted to burst out intoughter because she was so easy to fool. "I was just about to say that," he teasingly said in a low voice. Essie figured out that he was messing with her and red at him with eyes squinting meanly. Her face turned almost as red as a tomato and she clenched her fists. She should have known that Zac would never reveal their marriage in public, most especially since they were right in front of his former lover. "I''m going to the dressing room," she said with a grumpy pout on her face. She left the group feeling defeated. Le watched over Essie as she walked away. She had a malicious expression in her eyes that seemed to infer a need for vengeance. A stupid and sweet girl like Essie was not normally the type of girl that Zac was fond of, however, she couldn''t help but feel uneasy about what she had just seen. It seemed that Essie was the only woman that Zac was willing to break his rules for, and this made her somewhat suspicious. While Essie was finishing up in the dressing room, a woman suddenly walked inside. Thest thing she expected was to run into her rival, just right before she was on her way out. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. However, this time Sunny was even more unenthusiastic about seeing her. First of all, the gamble was nearing its due date and had to be fulfilled soon. Secondly, she was still distressed from the punishment from thest time. "Did your boyfriend bring you here?" she asked in a sarcastic tone. "In fact, he did. The due date ising this Friday, and we are doing great. Have you prepared for the square dance?" Essie sneered. However, Sunny wasn''t afraid anymore as she had already booked a flight to Europe leaving in two days. She didn''t want to make a fool of herself and face that embarrassment for the rest of her life. "Have you been visiting Hanson oftentely?" Sunny asked in a questionable tone. Apparently, she had been paying the nurse who was taking care of Hanson. ording to the reports being given to her by the nurse, there had been a woman who had been sending bone soup to Hanson every day of this week. It was apparent to her that this bitch wouldn''t give him up. "Is there a rule that I am not allowed to visit?" Essie asked in response with a smirk on her face. "I hope you don''t think that our wedding would be cancelled. I''m warning you to stay away for him, or there will be repercussions," Sunny said, grinding her teeth with an expression that was in absolute disdain. Her eyes narrowed, hoping that it was sharp enough to stab this bitch to death. Her expression was cold, but her face was nk as a piece of paper. When Essie heard what Sunny said, she couldn''t resist herself and said, "If he really loves you, nothing can take him away from you." Sunny snorted and said, "That''s true. Besides, you are now under some other man''s protection. If he finds out you''ve been taking care of Hanson and wanted to cheat on him, he''ll punish you himself. By that time, the repercussion would have happened to you before I even get to act upon it." "The only thing I would need to worry about is you flying off to another country and shamelessly chickening out from what''s at stake!" Essie answered back with a cold formality. If that was the case, it would not be the first time that Sunny lost her nerve from a battle. Sunny''s face instantly turned blue when she realized that Essie could see right through her. She shifted the topic instantly and said, "My point being, if you harass Hanson another time, you will not have a good time here in Yang City." She proceeded to flee in disgrace. Essie mockingly rolled her eyes while she watched her walk away. She turned her back to return to the rest area, when a dark figure appeared from the corner of the room. Chapter 67 Jealous Chapter 67 Jealous Essie was slightly taken aback upon seeing Le. She nodded politely to her and was about to go on her way when the other woman shot out a hand to detain her. Le said, "I heard what you said just now." Essie faced her. "Le, don''t you think it''s beneath your dignity to eavesdrop on others'' conversation?" "I just want to know if your boyfriend whom she was referring to was Zac." Le was not the sort of person to beat around the bush, so she directly confronted Essie. Le''s words made Essie''s insides quiver like a plucked string. As expected, people in love were so sensitive that they did not need any names mentioned to easily guess the rtionship between them. If she said yes, would that ice guy be angry and me her for causing a misunderstanding and sabotaging his rtionship with Le? They had been apart for too long, and it was not easy for them to reunite. He definitely wanted to maintain their rtionship. Essie, as the unnecessary burden, shouldn''t make trouble between them. Unbidden, jealousy burned its way from her heart up her throat. She swallowed convulsively and silently tried to calm herself down, "Miss Le, you''re thinking too much. If my boyfriend were Zac, do you think you would be happy staying next to him?" After hearing this, Le pursed her lips and thought, ''Love is selfish, after all. No one would be able to tolerate their lover being with someone else.'' "That''s good. I don''t want anyone to interfere between Zac and me. Please tell your friend to stop dreaming. Zac is definitely not interested in her." With a faint smile on her face, Essie replied, "Everyone has the right to pursue love. Maybe you and she canpete fair and square. Let''s see who will win in the end." With eyebrows angrily arched, Le said with a malicious gleam in her eyes, "You are shameless, after all, flirting with two men and getting involved in other people''s rtionships. If Zac knew that you''re such a hypocritical bitch, he would definitely kick you out of the house." An ironic smile remained on Essie''s face. "Zac knows everything about me. Why don''t you go and ask him why he didn''t kick me out?" ''How is that possible?'' Le was extremely shocked. How could Zac bear living under the same roof with such a woman? However, this was a good thing. If Zac knew exactly what this bitch was like, then there would be no risk of him falling in love with her. In that case, she would be one less rival to worry about. However, did Zac really know? While she was thinking, an unusual expression shed in her eyes. Coming out of the exhibition hall, Essie suggested lunch, as her stomach was growling. "You greedy cat, what do you want to eat?" asked Zac, stroking her hair affectionately. Essie turned to her friend and asked, "Mandy, what do you feel like eating?" Mandy smiled and replied in a gentle voice, "I''m okay with whatever Zac wants to eat." Next to her, Le rolled her eyes at Mandy. ''This woman is definitely my number one love rival in Yang N?velDrama.Org content. City,'' she thought. The woman was a far greaterpetitor than Essie. Mandy had a peerlessly beautiful face, a devilishly seductive figure, and an illustrious career as a TV anchor. Inparison, Essie was a loser, pure and simple. It was very difficult for Essie to catch Zac''s eyes, unless she happened to save the whole universe in her past life. Pushing such thoughts aside for the moment, Le smiled up at Zac and said in a sweet voice, "Zac, shall we go to the Landmark Bistro?" Essie almost choked visibly. Was it really necessary for them to have lunch at such an expensive ce? The ice guy had just purchased a house and did not have that much spare money left. ''Why doesn''t she try to save him some money,'' Essie mused. "That ce is too far away. How about eating somewhere nearby?" she remarked hurriedly. "We have a car, anyway, so the distance doesn''t matter. Let''s go to Landmark Bistro." Zac had made up his mind. After watching TVst night, Essie kept saying that she wanted to try French cuisine. Today''s lunch would fit the bill. Of course, Essie had no idea of what was going on in Zac''s head. She thought that he agreed to Landmark Bistro in order to impress his girlfriend that he even disregarded the current state of his wallet. Landmark Bistro was headlined by a Michelin-starred chef. As Essie cut a piece of foie gras and ced it into her mouth, all of her earlier dismay was magically forgotten. Eyes closed, she reverently breathed out, "This is so good!" Le hid her mocking smile at Essie''s uncultured reaction. She took up her knife and deliberately let a small cry escape her mouth as she tried to slice into her steak. "Does your wrist still hurt?" asked Zac with worry. "Yes," she replied pitifully. She put on a miserable look and said, "Zac, can you cut the steak for me?" Seeing this, Mandy hastily interrupted, "Let me help you." "I appreciate your offer, Mandy, but we are not that familiar with each other yet. How dare I impose on your kindness?" Le smiled politely, her words euphemistic, but her refusal was direct. Chapter 68 Do You Want To Push Me Into A Corner Chapter 68 Do You Want To Push Me Into A Corner Mandy was about to explode. Zac picked up the te in front of Le and cut her steak into small pieces. Le nced at Mandy with a triumphant smile on her face. Mandy returned the look with a murderous re. She actually wished that her eyes were sharp enough to cut her rival into bits. Meanwhile, on the other side, Essie was totally indifferent. She was as calm as the still, unruffled waters of a fathomless well. After eating her portion of foie gras, she sighed with satisfaction. Then, she started to sample the steak. "This is so delicious. I don''t remember thest time I had a French meal." She didn''t raise her head. She didn''t even know whether she was talking to herself or to the te. Mandy took a sip of the beef consomm¨¦ and tried to dispel the ufortable pressure in her insides. Then, she turned her attention to Essie and said, "I don''t know when youst went to a French restaurant, but wasn''t your first time in one when you were a college freshman? Didn''t Hanson took you there?" Essie''s hands, which were holding a knife and a fork, quivered slightly. After some time, she nodded wordlessly. The meal was as sweet as first love for her, which made her mope for a full three months. From that day on, she became hopeful for the future. "At that time, Hanson was not the son of Be''s boss. That French dinner with you must have cost him a pretty penny back then." Mandy sighed. "It''s so strange. He''s willing to do that, yet he wasn''t in love with you?" Essie gave her a slight re. "Come on, I''m trying to have my meal in peace here," she said with mock annoyance. She didn''t want to talk about her rtionship with Hanson anymore, in case someone else might blow it out of proportion. Mandy smiled awkwardly, "I just remembered it." Across the table, Zac swirled the red wine in his ss and took a sip, a touch of mncholy in his eyes. A sly smile crossed Le''s face as she listened to their conversation. She cut in, "Miss Essie, the woman who had argued with you at the exhibition was actually Hanson''s fianc¨¦e, wasn''t she?" She took advantage of the situation to fish for information and find out how much Zac actually knew about Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. this bitch. Zac said almost in the same breath as Le, with his eyes glimmering with that faint trace of sadness, "Did Sunny give you a hard time when you met her?" Essie shrugged and shed him a look that only the two of them could understand. "She didn''t dare. I won this round." With a charming smile on his mouth, Zac said, "I''m the hero in this case. Shouldn''t you give me a toast?" Essie rolled her eyes. "We helped each other out." With a mischievous blink, she raised her ss and gently tapped it against the ss in his hand. The clink of sses echoed on the table. Mandy looked at them, confused. "Essie, did you ask Zac to help you pursue Hanson?" Essie almost choked. She wanted to exin but stopped herself. A sly smile appeared at the corners of her mouth, and she simply answered, "Yes." She deliberately nodded and nced at the person in front of her from beneath her eyshes. His deep and cold eyes carried a certain ruthlessness, and he looked so intimidating at that moment that Essie shivered. That was absolutely impossible. The n was that he would only help her erase her feelings for Hanson without leaving any trace. Le swirled her wine thoughtfully. Evidently, Zac knew about the other man in Essie''s life. What about the other boyfriend? "Miss Essie, I heard from the woman this morning that you had a boyfriend. Given how much you like Hanson so much, your current boyfriend must be feeling rather miserable." Le deliberately spoke in a careless tone, pretending that she was just asking out of curiosity. As soon as she had uttered those words, Zac''s face was suddenly suffused by a slight blush. Mandy was shocked. "Essie, you have a boyfriend? Why don''t I know about him?" Essie''s eyes turned stormy with anger. She was about to snap without any regard for anyone who might be caught in the crossfire. Chapter 69 Sneak Away Chapter 69 Sneak Away Essie didn''t really want to talk to Le, but with Mandy sitting next to her, she just had to exin. "The truth is, I don''t really have a boyfriend. I just had a friend pretend to be my boyfriend for their engagement ceremony." She said this casually while looking straight into Le''s eyes. "Are you satisfied now, Miss Le?" Le pouted and stared at her nkly for a moment. She wanted to say something to get under her skin, but her words had rendered her speechless. The situation had made Mandy feel sympathetic towards her friend, so she put her arms around her shoulder to hug her. As her best friend, she could easily sense what she was trying to do. "Your friend seems to have a particr curiosity about me," said Essie, as she took a sip from her ss of wine and turned her gaze towards Zac. "Curiosity kills the cat," he said. Despite saying this in a light, jokingly way, Le could tell that what he meant was much serious than it appeared. This made her feel a certain coldness that made her facial expressions harden. There was deviousness in Essie''s eyes as she flickered hershes and said, "Miss Le, I have a photo of my pretend-boyfriend on my phone. Would you like to have a look to set your mind at ease?" When she said this, her gaze shifted to Zac, who was sitting right across her. She wondered if the words that came out of her mouth would cause a reaction to this cold hearted man. Much to her surprise, Zac was unexpectedly calm. There was a faint smile that could be seen from his face, but it was so profound she couldn''t really read what it was trying to convey. Le looked at her scornfully with a face that quickly turned pale. "If it''s not real, I really have no interest in it." "You never know. They may be true," said Zac with a low and prating voice that slowly came through, as if trying pick on Essie''s words. When he said this, he stared at Essie with eyes as sharp as an eagle. It were as if he was stabbing into her heart, prying into the little secrets she had been trying so hard to hide. "Is it really possible?" Essie said while trying to repress her anger. She lowered her eyelids slowly while her thickshes hid her eyes, as two thick shadows were cast under. "Anything is possible," said Zac with a deep charming smile. He said these words forcefully and with rity. It were as if he wasn''t mindful about the consequences at all. It seemed like he couldn''t care less that the woman who he was trying to get back with was sitting just next to him. Essie raised her eyebrows as she looked at him. Even more perplexed than she was before. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The next morning came. Essie made some lotus root soup, one of the dishes Hanson enjoyed the most. After she cleaned up, she went straight to the hospital. Hanson lied in bed,pletely bored while he drafted another design for Be''s winter collection. The moment she walked into the room, his dark eyes instantly lit up. "What should I do? It feels like the end of the world each day that I don''t see you," he said humorously as he held her hand and kissed it deeply. Her hands started to tremble and she quickly pulled it back. Her gaze fell to the nurse sitting in the corner of the room, who had a strange expression on her face. Essie assumed it was because she worked for Sunny and thought of her as a mistress. "Hanson, I came across Sunny yesterday. She was deeply upset when she found out that I''ve been misunderstanding between us." She lowered her head and whispered these words with a sullen voice. He couldn''t help the fire raging inside him and tremble when he heard what Essie had told him. He had told all his staff not to report if Essie came to visit him, and didn''t expect that someone would turn their back on him. He unwittingly turned to the nurse and stared deep into her eyes. His gaze was so hard and the guilt sent shivers down her spine and she subconsciously cowered in fear. He instantly understood what her actions meant, and a sinister expression rose from his face. He growled, "Get out! Don''t ever let me see you again!" The nurse quietly ran out of the ward in a hurry. "Essie!" He put his arm up and caressed her face. The darkness in his eyes quickly faded away when he saw her, sumbing to the softness and tenderness in his heart. "You have nothing to worry about anymore. She''s going to France tomorrow and will not being back for the rest of the month." "What?" said Essie with widened eyes. ''The cunning fox is ying her same old tricks again! Is she nning to escape?'' thought she. Chapter 70 An Inconvenient Burden Chapter 70 An Inconvenient Burden Not only was Sunny a bad character, she was also amentably poor gambler. Noting her silence, Hanson concluded that Essie remained worried, so he quickly said to reassure her, "I will warn people around me not to breathe a word. Sunny will not know anything further." He was still in no position to sever his ties with Sunny, so he could only hide the truth from her in the meantime. However, the feeling of hiding something from her was not afortable one. He felt like a rat burrowing in the ground to hide. "Hanson," Essie said quietly. She lowered her head and unconsciously waved her fingers toward the bed. "Where there''s smoke, there''s fire. If we kept meeting so often, Sunny and her family would inevitably find out and be suspicious of you. Your father will definitely be unhappy once he hears about it. I think you should focus on Be. I can''t stay here for too long." He frowned sadly and said, "What''s the point of acquiring Be if I lost you?" She raised her eyes, which were shimmering faintly with unshed tears, to meet his gaze and a gentle smile lifted up the corners of her mouth. "I won''t run away." "Zac will take you away." His breathing becamebored, and his face took on an stressed, apprehensive look. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. She kept silent and looked out the window at the clouds in the sky. A dark specter seemed to hover, appearing to tell her a message. Her nce snapped back to Hanson, as if to escape. She blinked her eyes and turned her head. "I''m not dating him. He''s just my... Zac''s just my roommate." Her voice sounded gloomy and weak. She felt that she should exin to Hanson her marriage registration with Zac, but she bit the words back after some struggle with herself. Besides, it would take a lot of her energy to tell Hanson the whole story. Starlight seemed to fly into Hanson''s eyes, brightening his whole face. "Really?" "Yes." She nodded and forced a faint smile, but it appeared cold and sad. "He has a girlfriend and they grew up together. So that''s good." Zac was so kind that he would forgive anyone, even an unwanted troublemaker who got between him and his girlfriend. In a stark contrast to her glum expression, Hanson was practically glowing. shing a bright smile her way, he said warmly, "You should have told me earlier. You have no idea how worried I was. I couldn''t eat or sleep properly for days." She swallowed and pushed back all of the inexplicable, tender emotions threatening to surface. She stood up and poured him a bowl of bone soup. "Do you think you can eat well now?" "I''d be happy to have soup every day." His gentle voiceforted her. She pressed a hand on the bed and leaned over to offer the soup to him. He took a sip and sighed contentedly and happily. "The person who gets to marry you must be the happiest man in the world, and that man can be no one else but me," he said tenderly. His charming smile was as bright as the sun, gently sweeping away the haze in her heart. She didn''t lose anything. The man she had loved and worshiped for five years was beside her. His heart belonged only to her... if only she could say the same for herself. After Hanson finished his soup, Essie peeled an orange for him. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and smiled yfully. "Feed me!" She was slightly stunned by his behavior, and her cheeks med with a blush. "Your hand''s not even hurt!" she mumbled shyly. "My hands are weak after eating the soup." He was acting like a spoiled child. She pouted and nced at him. Then, she took a piece of orange and held it in front of his mouth. A low cough came from the door, interrupting the sweet atmosphere inside the room. Essie turned her head, and her eyes met the neer''s sharp-eyed stare. Immediately, she jumped up from the chair beside the bed like being stung by a needle. Chapter 71 Breaking Up A Couple Chapter 71 Breaking Up A Couple At the sight of the neer, the smile on Hanson''s face froze, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly. "Mom! What are you doing here?" "My son is injured. Can''t Ie to see him?" Florey rolled her eyes at him. "Auntie, please sit down." Essie stepped forward and brought her a chair. She knew Hanson''s mother very well. She had met her when she was still in school, and they had met several times when she was still in Be. Every time, Essie was under the impression that Hanson''s mother disliked her. At that moment, Florey sent an indifferent nce her way. Then, she walked to the sofa by the bed and sat down. "Hanson, where is your nurse? Why isn''t she here looking after you?" "I asked her to leave. Chris will find a new one in the afternoon to rece her," Hanson said with his teeth gritted. Florey evidently thought that the nurse was doing a poor job of taking care of Hanson, but she didn''t say anything. Her eyes drifted toward the thermos on the bedside table. Seeing her nce, Hanson quickly said, "Mom, do you want to have some soup made by Essie? It''s really good." "No, thanks," Florey replied coldly, shaking her head. Suddenly, she grabbed her son''s hand and said, "Hanson, you have a fianc¨¦e now. You''re going to get married soon, so you should focus on your wedding. Don''t meet other women who have nothing to do with you, and make them give up the idea of ying kinship. They don''t belong to your world, after all. Your wife can only be from a wealthy family, like Sunny." Florey''s words grew harsher the more she spoke. She was not only talking to her son; she was obviously saying those words for Essie''s benefit. Essie stood up, all color drained from her face. "I have something else to do. I''ll go ahead," she said in a hurry. She exited the room as fast as she could, not even waiting for Hanson''s response. A furious glint shed in Hanson''s eyes. He grabbed an orange from the table and threw it against the wall. With a crack, the fruit shattered, and orange juice sshed everywhere. Florey shuddered, disconcerted. Hanson had been nothing but obedient for thest 24 years. She had never seen her son so angry at her until today. "You''re mad at your mother because of inconsequential person like that woman?" she asked with patent disbelief. Hanson angrily replied, "''That woman,'' mother, is not inconsequential. She is the one I love the most!" Hanson had fallen in love with Essie since they first met on campus. She was sweet, innocent, naughty, kind, tenacious, and stubborn. She flitted around the campus like a little fairy who suddenly appeared in the library or ssroom to surprise him. If not for his mother intervening between them, he would have eloped with Essie to Italy and by now would be living a happy life with her. "Someone like her, who came from a poor and ordinary family, can''t help you at all. Do you still want to be the sessor of Be?" Florey was fast losing patience at Hanson''s naivet¨¦. When she first met Essie, she knew that the girl would be a scourge. Therefore, she tried both hard and soft tactics to persuade her son to break off all connections with her. Finally, she extracted a promise from her son to never date the woman and then immediately sent him abroad as soon as he had graduated. However, she had no idea that as soon as Hanson returned, the woman followed him to Yang City and started pestering her son once again. Even now that he was getting married, Essie still hadn''t given up on ensnaring her son. "The past 24 years, I have been living only for you. I have always obeyed your orders. I have returned to fight for Be and marry Sunny. I only have this small request. Can I not I live for myself just once?" His eyes were ame with pain. He uttered every entreating word with an air of futility. Florey burst into tears, crying so bitterly that Hanson was powerless against the onught. She She knew that this is the most effective approach to make her son do whatever she wanted. However, her crocodile tears did not work this time. Hanson had gotten used to it. Without another word, he pulled up the quilt over his head. At Legendary... Essie did not know for how long she had been lying on the sofa. Twilight had settled as seen through the open window, and the chill crept into every corner of the house. In her white dress, shenguished listlessly without thought or expression on the sofa, looking like a soft wisp of smoke. She did not even notice Zace in. Ever since Le returned, he went out early and came backte almost every day. Perhaps their romance was more passionate now that they had rekindled their rtionship when he fell in love with Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. her again? At the sight of Essie''s pale, bloodless face, Zac felt his heart tighten and rushed over to her side. "What''s wrong? Are you sick?" She raised her head and looked up at him with hollow, dull eyes. "I''m fine. It''s still early. Why are you back so soon?" she murmured as if talking to herself. "You don''t want me toe back?" He smiled bitterly, inwardly disappointed. In the past few days, he had been busy with the A Ind opening n, so he did not have much time to y with her. He had been a little worried that she would be bored at home alone. "I''m fine by myself." She sank deeper into the sofa, as if trying to hide herself. However, he stretched out a hand and grabbed hers to pull her up. "Get up. Let''s go have dinner." Her eyes flew up to meet his in surprise. "Haven''t you eaten yet?" ''He came home hungry. Did they have a quarrel again?'' thought she to herself. Chapter 72 The Genie In The Bottle Chapter 72 The Genie In The Bottle "I want to eat with you." Zac lifted the corners of his mouth elegantly and smiled at her like a moonlight breaking through the darkness. And just like that, Essie''s obscure and cold heart felt a touch of innocence and warmth. "I want spicy lobster," Essie said as her eyes twinkled with excitement. "Okay!" Zac nodded without hesitation. "You don''t even eat spicy food. Why did you reply so decisively?" She pouted and nced at him. "I want to eat with you," Zac said with a smile before touching her white nose. There was nothing but infinite love in his eyes. In the lobster shop... Aside from the lobster, Essie also ordered some light food for the man who didn''t like eating spicy food. The moment the dishes arrived on their table, Essie immediately picked up a lobster and began to enjoy it, spreading oil all around her mouth and not caring about her image as ady. In spite of this, she looked absolutely adorable in Zac''s eyes. After she finished eating, Essie smacked her lips and looked at the man sitting opposite her. "Ice guy, you have been taken back to earth from the moon," she said with a smile. "What do you mean?" Zac said, raising an eyebrow at her. "You see, when we first met, you didn''t eat roadside stalls, didn''t eat any food in the market, didn''t go to crowded ces, and didn''t strike off any price. You were such an otherworldly beauty. But now, you can go to restaurants to eat lobster, go to the vegetable market and the night market with me, and even cut the money with me. Have you been changed by me?" Essie exined and asked. Zacughed while shaking his head. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The only reason he agreed to go to the market with her was because he was worried that she might be unable to carry all the groceries. Aside from that, he also didn''t want her toe home all alone. He did other things just to amuse her. Her smile, whether it was day or night, was one of the most charming things he had ever seen with his two eyes. He didn''t want her to know the truth, so he just smiled and said, "You have influenced me a lot. I''ve been influenced by you." Essie giggled and picked up a steamed lobster for Zac. "Eat it quickly. As long as it''s something I have eaten before, you can rest assured that it wasn''t cooked with ditch oil," she said. Zac''s handsome face was full of mockery. "You really are the best partner to have when eating. Not only are you good at eating, but you are also good at testing poison." His words were meant to tease her, but little did he know that they would inadvertently make the little scar deep in her heart ache. Essie''s bright eyes immediately turned dark, and she lowered her head to hide the sadness in her eyes. She was well aware that an ordinary person like her could only be regarded as a partner. For people like him, rich and beautiful girls were the only ones deserving of being called a girlfriend. Zac had Le, just like Hanson had Sunny. "What''s wrong?" Zac was keenly aware of her bizarre reaction. Normally, whenever he joked, she would look at him with her big eyes and bicker with him or respond sarcastically to him. But today, she was unusually silent. Essie simply shook her head. By the time she raised her head to look up at him again, all of the emotions in her eyes were nowhere to be found. "Sunny is ying rogue. She''s flying to France tomorrow," Essie said as a way to cover up her frustration. "Is that why you were lying down on the sofa all depressed?" Zac raised his thick eyebrows slightly. "You have no idea at all." She pursed her lips sadly. "When I was in Be, Sunny always gave me a hard time and didn''t let me live well. Now that I''ve finally won against her one time, I thought I could vent out my anger, but unexpectedly, I just let her go." A sh of inscrutable light appeared in Zac''s deep ck eyes. He waved and asked for a bottle of water from the waiter. When it arrived, he ced the bottle in front of Essie. "There is a genie inside this bottle. If you open it, you can make a wish." "You are so childish. I am not a child," Essie said while pouting. "Haven''t you always said that you should always dare to give things a try? If you don''t try, how will you find out whether it will work or not?" Zac folded his arms over his chest and looked at her with a smile. His beautiful eyes gleamed in the light, and Essie found that there was some sort of incredible magic on the surface of his eyes. In an instant, the magical power turned from a cold Artic star to a burning obsidian, and if one stared at it for too long, he would be bewitched by it and lose his soul. Perhaps she was just hypnotized by his eyes, but she almost unconsciously lifted up the bottle of water and opened it. "Make a wish. The genie is here." Zac''s voice was low, attractive, and maic. She crossed her hands and said, "I want Sunny to stay here instead of going to France. I want her to dance in the square." "Okay, your wish will be fulfilled by the genie tomorrow," Zac said as he drew a mysterious smile on his lips. Chapter 73 Square Dancing On The Square Chapter 73 Square Dancing On The Square At Yang City International Airport... Sunny stood at the gate, suitcase in hand. Acent smile shed across Sunny''s face. Essie would never think that she would escape this way. She wanted her to square dance to Little Apple? Dream on! Inferior creatures such as her, without influence, money, or background, was like a bug she could easily crush under her heel. Sunny smoothed down her high-fashion Chanel dress and stepped forward to register. Suddenly, a She turned around and saw a devilishly handsome man in ck standing behind her. His face was expressionless save for that hint of a ruthless smile on his lips. Her scream got stuck in her throat. She was so frightened that she could not speak a word. The whole day, Essie felt a little bored. She did not go to the hospital to visit Hanson. Instead, she spent the whole day bending over her desk, and her discarded design drawings were scattered underfoot. As for the magic bottle, she had already forgotten everything. There was no magic or miracle in this world, only the survival of the fittest where the strong preyed on the weak. When she heard the door open, she looked up at the clock overhead. It was six o''clock. ''Looks like someone failed to reconcile with his girlfriend again today.'' The little imp inside her secretly came out and danced a jig. She did not like Le, even if she did understand her hostility toward other women and possessiveness where that ice guy was concerned. Moreover, she was hypocritical and arrogant by nature. Le always thought herself to be above others, and Essie had always felt disgusted with her superiority However, she knew that her personal preferences would never influence Zac''s feelings. People in love were blind; they only saw the good in each other and turned a blind eye to the other''s shorings. When Zac opened the door, he first saw wads of crumpled paper scattered all over the floor. With a faint sigh, he walked in and took Essie''s hand. "Let''s go. I''ll get you some inspiration." Essie frowned worriedly. She already had some inspiration. If mncholy were popr this season, she could certainly design several lines based on that. In Century Square... The sky gradually darkened. After dinner, the middle-aged women began to regroup in twos and threes, preparing to square dance and do some exercise. Essie looked up at Zac with some confusion. Why did the ice guy bring her here? He didn''t go to a confrontation with his girlfriend and got irritated, so he took her square dancing so he could blow off some steam? Goodness, what was going to happen then? Surely the sight of that ice guy square dancing would be even more spectacr than watching a bunch of Marsnding on Earth? Most importantly, Zac exuded a handsome, seductive, and powerful aura that could effortlessly y any mortal female of eight to eighty years of age. He would definitely cause amotion in the square. As Essie was lost in thought, all of the incandescent lights around the square lit up, illuminating the whole ce. Then, the intro to Little Apple started ying on the square''s sound system. A woman wearing thick makeup and a bathing suit slowly walked toward and up the central stone tform. The crowd gathered around her in arge circle. Other people did not recognize the neer, but Essie instantly recognized the woman standing in the middle of the crowd in her direct line of sight. It was her bitterest rival, Sunny. Didn''t she leave for France? Why did shee back suddenly? Was she going to abide by the bet''s terms and dance the Little Apple, after all? She couldn''t believe her eyes. How could she fulfill the gambling agreement? She was absolutely shameless. Did she, perhaps, get struck by lightning, and then her brain suddenly short-circuited? Or was she being controlled by aliens? After hesitating for half a minute, Sunny began to dance. Her dancing was so bad that the crowd started to boo her. She was on the verge of running away for several times, but she gave up her attempts whenever she met the cold, sharp eyes of the ck-suited man standing in the crowd. She had to continue dancing. Essie cast a quick nce at her and guessed that she was being possessed by a ghost. As she stood there watching Sunny''s antics in extreme confusion, Zac said in a low voice, "Is the elf in that bottle very powerful?" She froze at the realization, remembering the wish she made the day before. She turned around and stared at Zac without saying a word. His glittering dark eyes were unreadable, and a mysterious smile yed at the corners of his mouth. ''Did he have anything to do with it? Nah, that''s extremely unlikely.'' Sunny''s family was extremely powerful in Yang City; who else had the power topel Sunny to do Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. such a thing? Zac was just an ordinary person like Essie. He had neither the money nor the background to make Sunny obey. He just wasn''t capable of doing so. Unless Sunny actually was honorable enough to fulfill the terms of the bet? Essie instantly dismissed the thought, which was as likely as the sun rising in the west. What could have possibly caused Sunny''s about-face? Chapter 74 Who Is The First Chapter 74 Who Is The First Haha, maybe Sunny was being controlled by aliens, after all. Didn''t NASA just take a picture of some beautiful creature from Mars? That indicated the existence of life on Mars. Maybe yesterday when Essie was making a wish, Martians just happened to pass by in their space ships and helped fulfill her wish en route. Haha, maybe she did save the whole gxy in her past life that even aliens hade to help her out. These hrious thoughts swirled in her mind, but she finally decided to just let it go. She didn''t care too much about the process or the reason¡ªas long she obtained her desired result, then nothing else mattered. Seeing Sunny dancing to Little Apple was such a joy for her. Essie''s bright smile was reflected in Zac''s dark eyes, which were alight with mirth. He liked seeing Essie smile. Her beautiful eyes were slightly narrowed and shaped like crescent moons. Two dimples peeked charmingly in her peach-like cheeks. The overall effect was extremely adorable. Thus, he swore to do anything within his power to keep her smiling. As the music stopped, Sunny jumped down the stairs quickly like a panic-stricken rabbit fleeing for fear All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. of being recognized. Seeing that, Essie quickly moved to catch up to her. "Sunny!" she shouted from behind the retreating woman. The figure in front of her suddenly stopped, as if a pause button in a remote control dictating her actions was pressed. "Shut up! Don''t call my name!" She was all but screaming for fear of being heard. Essie approached the immobile woman. "I thought you had gone to France." A mocking smile crossed her face. "It''s too early to becent. You may have won this round, but that''s never going to happen again!" Sunny gritted her teeth and swore to herself that the day Essie would lose would be her dying day. By then, all grudges, old and new ones, would be gone. Essie scoffed at her. She knew that war continued between them. There were plenty of chances for them to fight in the future, but the oue would rely on nothing but abilities. On their way back, Essie seemed to be in a good mood. The urge to dance suddenly hit her. "Ice guy, can you dance?" "Why? You want me to dance with you?" Zac retorted with a smile as bright as fireworks blooming in the night sky, outshining the light from the moon, the stars and themp posts. "I want to dance. I need a partner. Do you want to dance with me?" Her thick eyshes fluttered yfully at him. "I''ll consider it," he replied, jokingly not agreeing to what she wanted. He sardonically raised one eyebrow. In the rooftop garden... The moon shone brightly. The night breeze blew softly, and the rich scent of gardenia blossoms permeated the air. Essie started a tango, a dance she had previously learned for Hanson. He was known as the dance king in Donghua University for four years. Thus, Essie did her best to be the university''s dance queen who was worthy of dancing with him at the Yuletide Ball. Tango was said to be a secret dance between lovers. In other types of dance, the dancers remained smiling all throughout. In tango, the dancers'' faces were serious and intense, like the partners were attempting not to have their feelingsid bare for the others to see. At that moment, the expression on either dancer''s face was hard to read. Perhaps they themselves were not aware of what they were hiding. One dance sequence ended with Essie''s slim figure wrapped around Zac''s tall, strong body, their eyes locked into each other. After a short stare, Essie quickly turned her head and avoided eye contact, as if she was afraid that the other person would read a secret revealed in her eyes. However, one thing was undeniable: the two of them were the perfect partners. Without a single nce or word, they knew what their partner was thinking and moved ordingly, as if the other was an extension of their soul. Even as the first song came to an end, Essie still did not want to stop. She skipped several songs and switched to different genres, from waltz to hip-hop and anything in between. Zac proved himself to be up to the challenge. "Ice guy, I had no idea you could dance so well!" There was a hint of surprise in her sweet smile. "You are not bad, yourself," he replied in neutral tone. However, his perfect lips were curved in a teasing smile, and Essie suddenly found the stars and the moon fading inparison. "You''re only the second partner that I''ve ever been satisfied with,'' Essie remarked, gracefully twirling with a lightness reminiscent of butterflies flitting among flowers. There was a slight frown between Zac''s elegant eyebrows, indicating his annoyance at not being named the first. "Who''s the first, then? Hanson?" Chapter 75 Essies Thoughts Chapter 75 Essie''s Thoughts Essie nodded aimlessly as if she was in deep thought. His eyebrows furrowed and asked, "Can hepete with me?" "Well, he¡¯s only the champion of our university¡¯s street dancepetition, so you know, he¡¯s the dance king," Essie affirmed in a mocking tone. Still dancing and swaying, she turned her back on Zac. ¡®Where¡¯s he getting this much confidence? How narcissistic!¡¯ she sniffed at him. A hint of disgust was written on his face. ¡®Champion at your university? I was the top dancer back in Harvard¡ªa champion in the US!¡¯ "From now on, I¡¯ll be your only partner." He asserted in an intimidating tone as if trying to express his ownership over Essie. "Why? I¡¯m not your only partner anyway¡­" Her bright eyes suddenly turned gloomy when she realized what she had said. She knew his realpanion was Le¡ªthe one person he would dance and watch movies with, along with all kinds of things a couple would do together. ¡®Le is the only one in your heart. I¡¯m just a nobody. I¡¯ll pass by in your life and would soon be erased from your memories,¡¯ Essie thought to herself. "You know, I¡¯ll think about it if you ask," Zac teased, his voice sounded clear despite the sudden, cool and flowery breeze. Essie was stunned and had to sit down on the chair. She took a gardenia and smelled it. Her mind started to wander. ¡®It must be a joke, right? He had never taken my words seriously. He¡¯s probably just kidding around. Besides, he takes pleasure in teasing me.¡¯ Essie looked up and made up her mind. She blurted out, "I don¡¯t care. You can dance with anyone for all I care, and it won¡¯t have anything to do with me!" She pouted and didn¡¯t give him a single chance to make fun of her. "Really?" Zac snorted. A gloomy light shed across his face and he fixed his eyes on Essie. "You¡¯re lying." She trembled in fear. His focused gaze was sharp and deep as if he were looking through her soul. It made her uneasy and felt like he could see the deepest secret she was hiding in her heart. Essie shifted her eyes to the gardenia she was holding and started tearing the petals into pieces. She let out a sigh and muttered, "I don¡¯t like you." Even though she spoke under her breath, Zac heard her as clear as day. He had an unpleasant expression written all over his face and let out a bitter smile. "Don¡¯t you really have any feelings for me?" Hearing this question, Essie froze. She blinked and looked down. Her thick eyshes cast a deep shadow on her eyes. "Well, you don¡¯t have any feelings for me either," she murmured. Her voice was calm, natural, and stable, but the words she said were filled with unspeakable loneliness and hopelessness. Zac was at a loss for words. His dark eyes looked like an abyss of conflicting andplicated feelings. The deafening silence seemed to slow down the hands of time. Essie felt like the whole city fell quiet, and she hated this silence. She felt confused, upset, and hopeless. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡®Hopeless? Why would I feel hopeless? I knew from the start that nothing¡¯s ever going to happen, so why would I feel hopeless?¡¯ Essie scoffed at her own thoughts. She always knew that whatever was happening between them was all part of the deal. She never hoped for anything to happen. It was all for show¡ªnothing was real. Essie denied the thought without hesitation, despite hearing the little voice from her heart that kept going against her. The night ended with a cloud of heavy feelings. In the next two days, Zac went out early and came backte. Essie thought he should finally make up with Le. ¡®If they finally got together again, shouldn¡¯t they get along well?¡¯ she reckoned. Meanwhile, Essie hadn¡¯t visited Hanson for several days. She stayed and refused to go out as much as she could. He called her several times, but she always made excuses about why she couldn¡¯t go. Thinking back when she found out that Hanson dyed his wedding with the injury, she felt a glimmer of hope. However, realizing that there were plenty of obstacles between them¡ªhis mother and family, Sunny, his career¡ªthat hope was put to silence. Afternoon came, and the two clients Eva introduced to Essie dropped by. Looking at Essie¡¯s design portfolio, they seemed satisfied that they immediately chose several styles. After their agreement, they left looking very pleased. Essie organized her things so she could start working on their preferred designs. As she sat down, her phone started ringing. She grabbed her phone and found out it was Hanson calling her. When she answered, Hanson told her something that stunned her. "Are you home? I sneaked out of the hospital. Can you go out? I¡¯m outside." Chapter 76 Understand Her Heart Chapter 76 Understand Her Heart Essie was startled and rushed out to meet Hanson. His leg was still covered in a ster cast. ¡®How could he be so stubborn? What if he got hurt again?¡¯ she thought, feeling annoyed and worried. When she got in the car and saw him, a thinyer of mist rose from her eyes. He looked gaunt and gloomy, with dark shadows under his eyes. It seemed that like Essie, he had not been feeling quite well the past days. "You should go back to the hospital as soon as possible. The doctor said that you can¡¯t move freely yet while you¡¯re wearing the cast. They¡¯d remove it soon, but you should rest before then," Essie advised with concern. Hanson didn¡¯t wait for a second to reply, "But if I didn¡¯te, how would I see you?" The corners of his mouth formed a deste and bitter smile. "Hanson, we¡¯re still¡ª" Essie¡¯s voice sounded detached. Hearing her speak that way, he seemed to know what she was going to say next. Hanson quickly and anxiously interrupted her, "Essie, don¡¯t let anyone else stand in our way, okay?" He held her hand tightly in fear that she would disappear if he loosened his grip. "But she¡¯s your mother¡­" she whispered as she lowered her head. Essie knew just what he was talking about and felt disheartened. "Essie, listen to me. My mother is actually very easy to get along with. Right now, she¡¯s just really eager to host Be, that¡¯s why she seems hard to please. As long as she knows that we truly love each other, she will understand." Hanson tried tofort her. He wasn¡¯t sure if Essie would believe him, but he had to take a chance. Essie remained quiet beside him while her mind started to wander into a familiar memory. She remembered the first time that she met his mom¡ªher eyes had been filled with disgust as if Essie was a thief who would take her son away from her. ¡®Could she really ept me? Would she understand?¡¯ Essie mulled over. No matter what she thought, she couldn¡¯t convince herself. She had no confidence. Seeing that she lowered her head and didn¡¯t say a word, he reached out his hand and held her in his arms. "Essie, even if everyone objects, even if I don¡¯t get Be, even if I lose everything, I will stay with you. No one can take you away from me." His voice sounded so solemn, so firm, and so sincere. She felt touched by what she just heard, as though her heart melted from his sincerity. "Hanson¡ª" She embraced him back and buried her head into his chest. His embrace felt warm and soothing. She had longed for and dreamed about this feeling ever since she met Hanson. She felt as though she was finally home. Essie closed her eyes for a bit and a faint smile formed on her lips. ¡®God must have heard my incessant prayers. He finally sent Hanson to me.¡¯ She felt that as long as he was with her, her life wasplete¡ªeveryone else was insignificant. Slowly, the Rolls-Royce headed for the Landmark Bistro, instead of the hospital. She turned and scanned the area. It didn¡¯t look like they were bound for the hospital. "Aren¡¯t we going back to the hospital?" Essie asked. "I¡¯m bored to death staying in my room every day. I¡¯m going out to have a big meal, and you¡¯re going to eat with me." Hanson smiled yfully. He felt thrilled to be spending more time with Essie. "You do look thinner." Essie gently stroked his thin face. Realizing how natural this all felt, she felt cheery and content. "You haven¡¯t brought me any soup for the past few days. I only eat what you cook. If you don¡¯t cook for me, I won¡¯t be able to eat anything," he sighed heavily on purpose. "All right, all right. I¡¯ll cook for you every day from now on," she smiled sweetly, two dimples filled her cheeks as they blushed. Essie couldn¡¯t help but feel pleased. When they got off the car, the new nurse and the driver secured the wheelchair and helped Hanson get on it. The nurse then pushed him in. As soon as they sat down, someone came up to them. "What a coincidence meeting you here." With a faint smile on her face, Le examined the man sitting opposite to Essie and sized him up. He looked so handsome as if he was a prince who had juste out of a fairy tale. Seeing that she was alone, Essie was a little shocked. She wondered why Zac didn¡¯te to eat with her and thought that they might have fought again. She didn¡¯t ask why and just brushed off the thought. After all, she didn¡¯t have anything to do with them no matter what they wanted to do. "I thought you went back to Dragon City," Essie said nonchntly. Le¡¯s presence annoyed her yet she still talked to her casually as if they were talking about the weather. "I¡¯ll go wherever Zac goes!" Le jabbered. She always tended to gloat about her rtionship with Zac without a hint of subtlety. Essie shrugged and kept silent. Upon noticing this, Le turned to Hanson and asked, "Aren¡¯t you Hanson of Be?" "Hello," Hanson greeted her in an indifferent tone. Essie then introduced her to him. "This is Miss Le. She¡¯s my roommate¡¯s girlfriend." Essie¡¯s introduction seemed to have satisfied both Hanson and Le. She not only rified her rtionship with Zac but also stated the identity that Le wanted to hear. "It¡¯s so nice to meet you, Hanson. Now, if you would excuse me." Le sounded so smug and tossed her hair as she left. She walked away gleaming, but the smile on her face cast a shadow on Essie¡¯s heart. Looking at her back, Hanson took a sip of wine. He turned to Essie and said, "I¡¯ve been worried about you for a while. I really thought you liked Zac. Now, I¡¯mpletely relieved." She sighed slightly, with a tinge of bitterness in her eyes. "Well¡­ I guess if it weren¡¯t for him, you might already have married Sunny by now, don¡¯t you think?" Essie looked back to their rtionship for the past five years. He was always warm towards her, but she didn¡¯t think there was anything more to that. So whenever he gave her a tiny bit of hope, she felt d even though she knew that she would feel let down again soon. She never knew that Hanson loved her. ¡®I guess there¡¯s some truth when they say that you¡¯ll never realize the importance of something till it¡¯s gone,¡¯ Essie thought to herself. Seeing her expression, a deep feeling of guilt swept gently across his face. He couldn¡¯t deny how true what she had just said. At that time, his original n was to get Be first and then divorce Sunny. After that, he would pursue the happiness he only found in Essie. Back in his engagement ceremony with Sunny, when he saw the man who came with Essie, he realized that Essie was the most important person in his life, and thought that he was about to lose her. He knew in his heart that Be, power, and money were all nothingpared to being with her. Hanson focused his gaze on Essie and said, "I¡¯ll admit¡­ I¡¯ve been foolish. I¡¯ve tried to cheat my own emotions and shoved them down to the deepest pit of my heart. But I guess it wasn¡¯t deep enough because right now, it¡¯s gushing out and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to contain it anymore. Essie, I¡¯ve had N?velDrama.Org content. enough of the lies. I knew all along that you were the most important person in my life. I¡¯m ready to give up everything just to cherish you." For the first time, he didn¡¯t hold back anymore. He just wanted her to hear what was truly in his heart all this time. She breathed a sigh of relief. In her heart and mind, those words were what she had always wanted to hear. The past was no longer important as long as Hanson¡¯s heart dered that it wanted to belong with her. However, before she could truly be happy with the man of her dreams, she still needed to do one more thing. She needed to regain her freedom. In her mind, this shouldn¡¯t be an issue because she thought that Zac must have felt the same thing. He must have been enduring their arrangement because he was worried that Essie might not agree. But this time, it was different. She was pretty determined and already prepared to tell him what she actually felt and get what she really wanted. Chapter 77 Divorce Chapter 77 Divorce It waste at night. The big trees outside the window faded into dim shadows in the moonlight. Zac hade home earlier than usual. Instead of turning on the lights, he simply stood in front of the window without saying a word. The windows were wide open. It was not only moonlight that burst into the living room, but also a chilly gust of wind. "Zac, you''re home," Essie said in a low voice. Zac didn''t respond to her words, nor did he move. It seemed as if he didn''t hear her words at all. The curtains fluttered in the wind, making Zac''s tall body look like a dark silhouette. Essie slowly approached Zac. It was not until she smelled a light whisky scenting from him that she noticed the ss of whisky in his hand. ''He''s drinking alcohol?'' Essie thought to herself. Thinking of how she saw Le having dinner all alone in the restaurant in the afternoon, Essie guessed that they might have quarreled with each other. And they must have had a big fight this time. "Have you eaten? Do you want some noodles?" Essie said in a soothing tone. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Zac turned around to face her. In the dead of night, the expression on his face was hard to read, and his eyes looked gloomy and cold as they shone in the darkness. Essie shivered, suddenly feeling chilly. "Zac, women alwaysck a sense of security. I think you''d better get married as soon as possible, so that you won''t always fight with each other." Essie tried to give him a reassuring smile as she tried to steer the conversation towards what she wanted to say next. "What do you mean?" Zac frowned. Her stupid mind was never in the same page as his. Essie then took out a bottle of cold water from the refrigerator and handed it to Zac, hoping that it would help him calm down. However, instead of drinking it, he threw it onto the table. "Make it clear to me," he ordered. She let out a small sigh and decided to be straightforward. "I wanted to tell you that this is the best time for us to set our rtionship straight and for you to marry the person you really love." Hearing her words, a muscle on Zac''s face twitched violently. He understood exactly what she meant. "How?" he asked, pretending not to understand. He still had a fantasy in his heart. Essie pursed her lips. She had no idea why she felt like there was some sort of unspeakable struggle in her heart, and why she felt like her heart was contradicting her, but since she didn''t want to think about it anymore, she simply chose to ignore what she was feeling. "Let''s go to the Civil Affairs Bureau sometime to go through the formality." Her low voice was like a thunderbolt in the living room, shattering Zac''s every nerve and his fantasy. "What about your parents?" Zac gritted his teeth, and the muscles around his lips tightened, but his voice remained as calm as the ocean right before a tsunami--quiet, but about to lose control at any moment and bring about storms. "I will just exin to them that we are not of the same character." She said it in such a casual and natural way. It was as if she had already nned and thought it through. The moonlight created a shadow in Zac''s face and made him look obscure. Only his eyes seemed to be burning with anger. "Is it because Hanson didn''t get married, and you feel a little hopeful again?" He clenched his teeth, and the veins on his forehead bulged. His breathing was heavy and short. In the afternoon, as soon as Le got out of the restaurant, she called him and told him what she saw. She wanted to get rid of the hidden enemy in the cradle. "Sooner orter, we will get divorced. It''s better for us to end our rtionship as soon as possible. Then we can freely pursue our own happiness." Essie lowered her voice. His expression was too no excitement, joy, orfort on his face. She finally recognized the look on his face. It was pain! Pain? How could that be possible? Why would he be in pain? He should be happy. Without her, he could be with Le without any restrictions. It was too dark outside, and she could not believe her eyes! While Essie was still confused, Zac rushed to the bar counter, poured himself arge ss of whisky, and drank it all in one gulp. The strong alcohol in the drink burned his throat. "Do you really love him so much?" After his throat was burned by the alcohol, Zac''s voice became extremely hoarse. "Yes, I have been in love with him for five years. He is my dream, a huge part of my life! You also have..." "Bang!" With a loud crisp sound, the ss in Zac''s hand shattered to pieces, and the shards of ss scattered all over the ce. Essie''s voice was caught in her throat by the sudden explosion of sound. Blood dripped down from Zac''s palm, and onto the floor, just like bright red roses blooming one after the other. His handsome face twisted in pain, and his eyebrows knitted together fiercely. There were several lines between his eyebrows. His eyes were as ferocious as those of an injured cheetah as he stared at Essie fiercely. It was as if he wanted to take her apartyer byyer until he could take out the soul inside her and see it clearly. All of a sudden, Essie''s face turned as pale as snow. It was the first time in her life that she had ever seen such a horrible expression. Fear and confusion bubbled up in her heart at the same time. She opened her mouth to say something, but she couldn''t make a sound. Suddenly, he rushed towards her like a strong wind, grabbed her arm and lifted her up from the floor. Then he threw her on the sofa with much force. Chapter 78 Her Husband Ran Away From Home Chapter 78 Her Husband Ran Away From Home She was so frightened that it didn''t evene across her mind to run away. She cowered and curled up, deep inside the cushions of the sofa. He was like an animalistic predator in the midst of tormenting rage. His hands were strong as he held her and pulled apart her clothes as buttons scattered all over the floor. She put her hands on her chest to cover herself as her whole body trembled in fear. With her eyes closed, she could feel the sofa shaking vigorously. She could tell that his hand was still bleeding as she could smell the scent of metallic blood mixed with the smell of alcohol. Essie wanted to scream as loud as she could but her voice was stuck in her throat from the horror. Her breath came in short gasps and couldn''t make a single sound. In that moment, all she could do was shake her head pleading and desperately hoping that it would all be over. He seemed to be under the influence of alcohol, and drunkenness and pain could be seen vividly in his eyes. His big hand held her chin tightly to prevent her from looking away, and he roughly put his lips on hers. He was using her body with no signs of mercy. She had never seen him act like this before, and couldn''t help but feel hurt and justpletely confused. Her mind rummaged, lost at thought searching for reasons as to why this happened to him. She wondered where all this anger wasing from. ''Is he angry because I asked for a divorce or is he just using her to release his anger towards his situation with Le?'' She quickly assumed it was thetter. In her mind, there were no other reasons for him to be so angry since he wanted the divorce so badly. Unfortunately for her, she had spoken those words at a wrong time and ended up bing his emotional punching bag. While these thoughts came across her mind, her fear quickly turned into a kind of sadness she couldn''t handle. She closed her eyes, knowing that there was no way she could escape from his strong hands and submitted to the assault. Tears streamed down her face, overflowing and wetting his face. Her tears had alwayse from the deepest emotions in her heart. He suddenly jerked away violently, not knowing if he was burned by her tears. He suddenly came into his senses and moved back. When he saw the distress and pain in her face, tangled with blood and tears, he couldn''t help but simply let her go. The moment she had her chance, she jolted off and ran to escape through the door, but she tripped on her own foot and stumbled forward. Zac reached his hands out instinctively to carry her up, but Essie was so afraid of him that she jumped a few meters away. She shouted resentfully, "Don''t you dare touch me. I''m moving out tomorrow." She cried helplessly on the floor with her hands covering her face. A strange smile appeared on his face. It was difficult to decipher whether it wasing from sadness, confusion or disappointment. "There''s no need for that. I''ll leave instead." As he spoke, he was already headed slowly towards the door. His movements were stiff andpletely mechanical, and Essie was just sad on the floor as she watched him leave. It seemed as though all her strength had been sucked out from her and she was helplessly on the ground and couldn''t get up. A rush of emotions battered through her body, ranging from depression, grief and anger. It was difficult for her to pinpoint what it was exactly, but the wave of emotions gathered together and surged painfully into her heart. It were as if her kindness was trampled and she feltpletely insulted. Just because he quarreled with his girlfriend that did not mean it was okay to release all the anger on her and kick her around like a ball. As the anger in her chest became full and swollen, she was on the verge of bursting it all out. In that moment, she made the decision of moving out as soon as he came back, not a second more. They had to get the divorce settled. When the night came, she tossed and turned in bed. Every time she fell asleep, she''d wake up shortly after from all her worries. Her ears absorbed every single sound from outside her room, listening to everything crisp and clear. However, not a sound was heard. She awaited the sound of footsteps or the doorknob, but there was nothing throughout the night. She wondered if he was nevering home that night. He had never spent a night away since they had met. Essie worried where he was going to sleep that night. Her mind was on overdrive. She wondered if he found a hotel to stay, or did hee William''s home. Since he and Le weren''t in good terms, it was unlikely that he spent the night in her house. She pondered if his hand still hurt, if it was still bleeding or if he had even applied any medicine on it yet. All the worries and anxieties in her mind overwhelmed her, as she spent the night unable to sleep. There was a nagging feeling of wanting to give him a call, but when she remembered what he had done in the evening, she changed her mind. This night felt like forever, as it slowly passed with her perpetual thoughts. When the morning came, Essie went straight to the supermarket and bought some ck fish. She heard the soup made from this fish was beneficial for healing wounds. She figured she could cook some for Zac when he came back home. By this time, she had already made the mature decision to look past his mistake and forgive him. Especially since they were soon to part ways, she wanted to leave a beautiful memory between the two. However, the day passed and the night came, and the fish was left frozen in the freezer and Zac had note home. N?velDrama.Org content. The house waspletely still and silent that even the echoes of every single one of her movements could be heard. It seemed as though the man had simply disappeared from the world. Chapter 79 Wont You Come Back Chapter 79 Won''t You Come Back On the first day that he was gone, Essie decided that as long as he came back, she would cook his favorite dish, carrot stewed with yellow beef, for him. The day after that, she told herself that she wouldn''t get angry if heughed at her or teased her. On the third day, she could only sigh deeply in depression. She swore to herself that if he was ever unhappy in the future, she would be willing to be his punching bag and trash bin so he could vent out his grievances. However, three whole days had already passed, but Zac still hadn''t shown up. The days without him were boring. She ate, watched TV, and went shopping alone. It was as if she was the only one left in the world. Time ticked by unbearably slowly. Every day seemed like an entire century. Essie leaned against the sofa in a trance. She couldn''t even get excited at new orders. ''Where did he go? Has his hand recovered? Is he still angry? Why hasn''t hee back?'' Essie''s mind was full of questions. The house belonged to him, so she was the person who was supposed to leave the house. She suddenly felt like she had no right to be living in Zac''s house. But he didn''t bring the house key with him. If she left, he wouldn''t be able toe in. She sighed deeply and took out her phone to call him, but when she thought that he was probably alright and was just reluctant toe back because he was flirting with Le instead of her, she put her phone back down. On the fourth day, Hanson was discharged from the hospital. It seemed that he was obsessed with her. Instead of going straight to thepany, he stayed with her all day long, filling up her lonely day. Over the next few days, they spent their time enjoying the sunrise and sunset, curling up together, discussing thetest fashion trends, and having a romantic candlelit dinner. Essie''s mncholy heart felt better. As for Zac, she no longer thought about him for the time being. He belonged to another woman now, and Hanson belonged to her. Today, Hanson took her to see the sunset on the sea. He walked into the yacht and took out a gift box. "This is for you. Open it and see if you like it." Essie was slightly stunned. She opened it and saw a very beautiful dress inside. "Hanson, did you design it by yourself?" Essie''s eyes widened in surprise, a small me burning in her eyes. He nodded with a smile, and she looked like a peony in the peak of its bloom. Her beautiful little face was tinted with a faint rosy glow, and the corners of her mouth were curled up in joy. Her entire body looked like a small sparkling star¡ªbright, dazzling, and brilliant. Essie had been praying for this to happen for many years, and now she had finally fulfilled her dream of wearing a dress designed by such a talented designer and the youngest winner of MANGO International Fashion Award. She excitedly rushed into the room and put on the long dress. The cloak highlighted her beautiful shoulders, and she looked like a dream. Hanson had embroidered bamboo leaf flowers and some poetry onto the dress with his own hands, and the dress flowed as smoothly as ripples of water on ake and half-hid her long legs which could be seen in walk. Her face could be deemed alluring in every aspect. Once she was done putting the dress on, she went back up to the deck, looking like a little mermaid princess. N?velDrama.Org content. After staring at her for a while, Hanson said in a low and hoarse voice, "The opening ceremony of the Oriental Fashion Week will be held the day after tomorrow. Wear this dress ande with me!" Essie couldn''t help but feel slightly shocked. "Can I do that?" After all, he and Sunny were engaged. If he showed up with another woman, people would surely gossip about them. "She''s in France. Don''t worry. However, you can onlye as my junior schoolmate. I''ll have to make you feel wronged for a night." Hanson cracked aforting smile at Essie. After what happened at the Century Square, Sunny escaped to France for fear that William would harass her again. Essie felt herself rx. She understood what he was worried about. Besides, she really didn''t care what her status was. He gently kissed her forehead and gracefully reached out his hand. "My beautiful princess, may I invite you to dance?" She smiled back at him and put her hand on his. With that, they started slow dancing on the deck. The sunlight made the sea glitter like countless golden butterflies spreading their wings, ready to fly. Her ck hair and long dress swayed in the sea breeze. Suddenly, a familiar music started ying, and Essie couldn''t help but think of the time when she was dancing with Zac on their rooftop. Back then, his strong sense of control and arrogance could be seen even in the way he danced. His dance moves were as fast as the wind at night, blowing through the wilderness without a sound, but leaving leaves scattered and stones flying in its wake. Hanson''s dance steps, on the other hand, were gentle, elegant, and full of romance. Essie could not tell which one she liked more. By the time they headed back, it was already evening. Hanson drove her back to her apartment. When they got out of the car, Hanson stared after Essie as she walked towards the building, feeling a little reluctant to say goodbye. All of a sudden, he rushed over to her, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into his arms. "Hanson!" Essie''s voice was as soft as the night breeze that was blowing through her hair. Hanson''s eyes were beating fast, and his eyes were burning with desire. He lowered his head and kissed her. At the same time, a tall figure was hiding under the ancient banyan tree in the distance. He did not know how long he had been standing there. He just remained motionless, as if he was one with the darkness of the night. The dense leaves of the banyan tree cast a terrifying shadow on his handsome face. His eyes were even darker than the night. It was as if he was submerged in the Arctic River, feeling nothing but coldness and despair. She lived a very good life¡ªone that wasfortable and sweet. She really had no ce for him in her heart at all. He should calm himself down. In the past two months, he had only one purpose: to make her willing to go with him to stop his wedding. However, the situation seemed to spiral out of his control. It reached a point where he could no longer tell if he was acting or being sincere. His emotions became uncontroble, always affected and influenced by her and her mood swings. He hated having that kind of passive feeling, but he couldn''t control it. But he had to face this issue head on, and he knew he couldn''t deal with things negatively all the time. Now that this muddled woman was willing to do it, he no longer cared about using violence. If she wanted to set herself free, she had to stop the wedding for him and help him get rid of Valery. Meanwhile, outside the apartment building, Hanson let go of the girl in his arms reluctantly. "I will pick you up for the opening ceremony of fashion week the day after tomorrow," he said. Essie smiled at him and walked into the apartment. Hanson got in the car, and just as he was about to start the engine, he received a call from the hospital. Apparently, Florey had a heart attack and had to undergo an emergency operation. Naturally, Hanson felt so anxious that he rushed to the hospital at once. Florey simplyy on the bed, waiting for his son. He had been spending a lot of time with Essie recently. And Florey had been very clear about the fact that she would not let his son go on like this. She knew that she had to use an effective means to cut off his rtionship with Essie. Chapter 80 Original Wife Was Ignored Chapter 80 Original Wife Was Ignored On the day of the opening ceremony of the Oriental Fashion Week, Essie wore the dress that Hanson had given her as a gift. That, and her full face of makeup, made her look like an angel that hade down from heaven. Instead of picking her up in person, Hanson sent his assistant, Chris. As the ruler of the Asian fashion empire, Be had the most important role to y in this fashion week, and as the vice president and chief designer of Be, Hanson had a lot of things to deal with. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. At the Yang City Exhibition Center... The lights were dazzling. Famous models and various entertainment circle stars all attended the event. Eva, Essie''s best friend, was also there. Her new TV show was on the air recently, so Eva''s agent asked her to attend the ceremony. Because Eva refused to follow the unspoken rules, her career in the entertainment industry had not been very smooth. She could only y a bit role. Upon seeing Essie, she immediately walked up to her and looked her up and down. "Wow! Essie! You really beat every single person here right away!" "It''s the dress, not me." Essie smiled and twirled lightly like a butterfly fluttering its wings. "Is this from the new collection? Why haven''t I seen it before?" Eva pouted. She was an exclusive model for Essie. If there was a new dress, she would have been the first to try it on. "This was designed by Hanson, not me," Essie said with a bright smile, blushing slightly. ''Something new has happened!'' Eva thought. "Are you dating Hanson?" Essie nodded at her. With a smirk on her face, Eva said, "I thought things would go well with that extremely handsome man you were living with." "He has a girlfriend. They are on fire now." Essie curled her lips again. It had been a week since she he returned to Dragon City? Thinking of this, Essie felt a little depressed. They were a couple. It was fate that brought them together in such a vast world. She had even washed his clothes, cleaned his room, and cooked for him. She was extremely kind to him, but he treated her with nothing but coldness and indifference. He had no affection for her at all. Essie suddenly felt very depressed. But after giving it a second thought, she felt that she was just overthinking it. They were not a real couple. But they had gotten drunk and did something ridiculous: registered and slept together. There was no love, no ties, nothing that went on between them. While Essie was preupied with thinking, Eva suddenly whispered in her ear, "Your roommate is here too. Is the girl next to him his girlfriend?" Shocked at what Eva said, Essie raised her head all of a sudden. When she looked in the direction Eva was pointing at, she immediately saw Zac and Le walking side by side. Le was holding his arm in an intimate manner. It seemed that he and Le had been living together for several days. They probably loved each other so much that they didn''t want to separate. She as his legitimate wife was thrown to the winds by him. But she had been very worried about him! Essie felt a mixture of anger and depression, and her heart sunk. She subconsciously clenched her fists and walked towards them. "Zac, long time no see. You look even more energetic and glowing!" Her tone was sour, as if she had stirred lemon juice into it. Zac looked at her coldly as if she was a stranger. As a matter of fact, he only came here because of her. The day before, Le had called and asked him to attend the opening ceremony of the fashion week with her. Zac was reluctant to take part in such a public activity, but it was not because he was afraid of being recognized. The future heir of the Rong family was always mysterious and low-key. They would not appear in public, and would also not allow the media to post photos of them. In fact, even when they did interviews for Business Week, only their names would appear, never their photos. So, except for well-known friends in the celebrity circle, all everyone knew was Zac''s name. They had no idea what he looked like. In spite of that, his name alone was enough to intimidate both the cops and gangsta. He was worried that the camera might identally record him and show him on TV where he could identally be seen by someone. However, at the thought of Hanson''s n to take Essie to the ceremony, he agreed without hesitation. Besides, there was not going to be a live broadcast for the show this time, and paparazzi only paid attention to stars and models. Zac also knew that only a few journalists would take notice of him. In case that happened, he just needed to be careful to avoid being recorded by the media. His coldness stung Essie again. It was as if she had been pricked by a needle. ''Even if we are getting a divorce, you don''t have to be so cold to me, do you?'' Essie thought to herself. Even if there was no romantic feelings between them, shouldn''t they at least have some sort of friendship? Le looked at her and smiled, "Long time no see, Miss Essie. Are you here alone or with Mr. Hanson?" "Alone," Essie said without hesitation. She didn''t want Le to say anything that could make other people misunderstand Hanson. After all, their rtionship couldn''t be revealed yet. A deep, dark look shed in Zac''s eyes. She wasn''t used to his indifference. After taking a sip of the champagne, she pouted and said, "Ice guy, you forgot your key to our house. When you have time, you can go back and get it. If you don''t get it, you won''t be able to get it once I move away." The corners of Zac''s mouth twitched slightly. Then he said, "I told you that you don''t need to leave." His voice was as cold as the night breeze. "You''re noting back, and I don''t feelfortable living in such a big house when it''s empty. I like to live in small ces where I can see every corner of the house in one nce." As she spoke, a feeling of resentment came over her heart, and her tongue got out of control. "To be honest, you and Mandy would have been a perfect match. You both value your rtionship over your friends, and look down upon me." When Zac saw the anger and discontent on her face, a touch of warmth suddenly appeared in his deep eyes. He realized that he seemed to be a little important in her heart. He was not dispensable to her! "Is there any difference if I''m there or not?" he said, keeping his voice cold. Chapter 81 Love Triangle Chapter 81 Love Triangle "Of course. There''s even a saying that says ''It takes a decade to stay in a ship together, and a century to..." She stopped her babbling just right before she said the words "to share a bed together" when she saw the look of gloom and disdain in Le''s eyes. Thest second, she twisted her tongue and said, "To share a house," instead. She wanted to talk about the fate of their friendship, but the topic was clogged in her throat. It would have been dangerous to talk of such things, and would probably start a fierce cat fight between her and Le. Zac had a nk expression throughout the event, but when he heard this, a subtle smile appeared on his face. The thought of him still being the only man who had been in the same bed as her, relieved a All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. lot of the sadness he had been feeling the whole week. When he realized he was slipping and acting strange, he quickly restrained his mouth and acted somewhat annoyed. There was a certain perplexity in that situation that aroused his emotions. He couldn''t control himself any longer. "Are you trying to look for attention?" he said, deliberately mocking her to cover up how he was feeling. He didn''t want Essie to notice his soft spot for her. ''Seriously? Who cares? I have hundreds of thousands of followers in my social media ounts. I don''t need your attention. Your attention is thest thing on my mind,'' Essie thought silently and frowned. "Confidence is a good quality. But you know it''s dangerous when it reaches a point of narcissism. Maybe you should get that checked," she bluntly said. The words just flowed through her mind with utter abhorrence. Watching the exchange as she stood next to them, Le inhaled deeply and released a sigh. She had to admit that Essie really had guts and waspletely fearless. Essie was probably the only woman who would ever dare confront Zac, especially mock him in front of everyone. Le could never challenge Zac, she wasn''t dauntless enough to face a man with that much power. A cold nce from him would leave her shuddering in fear. However, when she took a look at Zac, there were no signs of disdain or anger. Rather there was a warmth seeping through his body. In reality, he missed bickering and ying with her. Whenever they would get into a fight, she would pout and re at him with her beautiful eyes, and if not she would start acting cute or y dead. Being away from her the past few days began to get into his skin. Whenever he couldn''t hear her noise, or her voice, it left the air feeling empty and lonely. "Mr. Hanson has arrived," a man from the middle of the room suddenly announced. Everyone turned to face towards the entrance of the ceremony. When Essie heard this, she quickly turned her head with eyes that glimmered with excitement. Zac found the light to be particrly dazzling. After having a blissful moment with Essie, his eyes were quickly overcast with a mncholic annoyance. When Essie saw Hanson''s tall and handsome figure, she instantly walked towards him casually. Hanson''s nce was fixed towards her as well. Her vibrant nature was like a clean lotus, both pure and beautiful. In a ce that was filled with beautiful models and stars, her presence was one that could not be ignored. In his mind, Hanson wanted to run after her desperately, but his feet felt like they were tied and he couldn''t move an inch towards her. ''If you don''t want me to die, you better promise me to publicly break up with her!'' Florey''s words repeated in his mind, over and over, haunting him. His face started to twitch violently as an unbearable pain nagged through his skin. He was put in a situation that tore him into pieces. While he was tormented by his conflicting situation, Essie walked towards him. "Hanson." She had a gentle sweet smile on her face. He forged a smile, but it quickly disappeared before it even took ce. A smile that was quickly blown away by a cold wind. She failed to notice his indifference, as she thought that it was because of all the reporters around him. When she saw a reportere up to interview him, she thought it would be wise to step aside for a moment. Just when Hanson was about to turn his back and leave, he suddenly felt someone touch his arm from behind. He assumed it was Essie, but the moment he turned his head, he saw thest person on earth that he wanted to see. "Sunny, aren''t you supposed to be in France?" he said with widened eyes and a face that was "Your mother called and asked me toe back immediately. I couldn''t find it in myself to refuse," she said with a smile that shone brightly. Florey had told her in the call that the marriage date had already been set, and would be announced to all on this day. Sunny excitedly rushed toe back for his husband. When Essie saw Sunny enter the room, she instantly cowered and hid in a corner. She was simply overwhelmed had no idea why she was even hiding, as she knew herself that she wasn''t a mistress. Le watched this whole situation from afar and sneered, "Miss Essie seems to be quite submissive in this love triangle of theirs." Not a single word escaped Zac''s mouth. His eyes were like a bottomless pit,pletely cold and hollow. Florey suddenly entered the hall on a wheelchair being pushed around by nurses. The reality was that, she was not sick at all, in fact she was still very strong. She just had to pretend to be ill to save his son from the treacherous woman. She had always known that his son had a filial piety and would never let his mother down. It was the one thing she used on him to get what she wanted. When she saw Essie''s name in the list of guests for the opening ceremony, she instantly came up with a n to make this woman finally give up her rtionship with Hanson. This time, she had to put an end to all of it. Chapter 82 She Is My Girl Chapter 82 She Is My Girl Soon after, reporters started gathering around and inquired about the wedding details. Florey announced that the date of the wedding was now set on October 22nd. Florey knew that Essie was not far away, and must have heard every word clearly. She wanted to see the look on her face as this scene was happening. Essie huddled up in the corner. She was motionless as a doll and was left feelingpletely defeated. Her eyes were fixated on Hanson, who was surrounded by tons of journalists across the room. A giant wave of despair rolled towards her, wrapping itself around her body, and she couldn''t break free nor run away. With her heart broken into pieces, she made the decision to straighten up and leave. She realized that she never should havee as she did not belong to a ce like this. The whole event she only saw other people in love, she waspletely redundant. In fact, both couples seemed to be sessful in love. Zac and Le''s rtionship were blossoming, and Hanson finally decided to be with Sunny. When she finally mustered up her strength to get out of the corner, she was instantly stopped by a woman on a wheelchair. There was no way in hell that Florey would let her go so easily. "Miss Essie, my son, Hanson is here to tell you something." Hanson stared at his mother with absolute disdain in his eyes, mixed with feelings of anguish and helplessness. From the look in his eyes, Essie could predict what he was going to say. "I heard! Congrattions, Hanson!" she said with a forced excitement, before he could even say anything. Hanson''s shoulders turned cold and shook violently, as if a dagger were brutally stabbing him from behind. His internal organs felt like they were being torn apart, bleeding and overwhelmed with pain. His eyes were frozen like the surface of a winter puddle, robbing them of their usual warmth. "I''m sorry, Essie... I''m sorry..." he said repeatedly, biting his lip to help him from crying out. The doctor had told him that Florey had a very serious heart disease and needed an operation as soon as possible. She gave Hanson an ultimatum, saying that she would refuse to have an operation, unless he cut off ties with Essiepletely in front of her. This was his mother, who raised him for thest twenty- four years of his life. There was no way he would leave her alone to die. The paparazzi had a keen sense of intuition and noticed the tension between them. They were clever enough not to get too close as to disturb them, but discreetly turned the cameras towards Essie. However, Florey was not satisfied with his son''s performance. She deliberately ced her hand on her chest and pretended to be in pain. The medical staff were cooperative with her and quickly carried an oxygen mask towards her. "Hanson, is that all you want to say?" Florey turned to her son. Even if Florey had a lot to say, he wanted Hanson to tell Essie everything himself. She knew that if it didn''t Fear was seen in Hanson''s eyes and he did not dare offend her again. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. He finally said, "Essie... I can''t see you again. I''m going to get married to Sunny, and I love her. She is the love of my life." When he said this, his lips and voice were trembling. He winced in pain as these were the most difficult words he had ever said. His heart constricted in its wake as if not sure if it should go on beating. It had already fallen into the abyss and been broken into tiny pieces, and there was no way it would ever be fixed again. Sunny watched this situation, extremely ted. This time, there was no need for her to start a fight to give Essie a fatal blow. She felt like she had finally avenged herself for the embarrassing dance she had to endure at the Central Square. When those words escaped his mouth, Essie stayed calm and expressionless, as if she was wearing a mask. The pain and sadness were all seeped through her bones and hidden deep into her dark, gloomy eyes. Unfortunately, Florey was not satisfied with her cidness. She figured that she needed to speak the harsh words herself and grind her. "Miss Essie, I''m here to tell you the truth. I don''t like you, neither does my family nor Hanson. A woman needs to have a clear understanding of who she is and where she stands. A sparrow would always just be a sparrow. There is no way it would turn into a phoenix even if you stick all the feathers one by one. You don''t have a qualified job, and don''t even let me start with your family background. You don''t even meet the standards to be a servant in my family." Before she could finish her words, Sunny interrupted and took over. "You''re right, aunt Florey. Some people are simply like small toads on the ground. They spend all their life staring at the stars, waiting to be lifted up. It''s shameless to spend your life daydreaming when you''re just a poor helpless girl." Florey took her hand and told her, "You can''tpare yourself with this woman. You are as high as the heavens and she will forever be a tiny creature in the ground. From this moment forward, Hanson has ced his heart on you, and you will never have to worry or care about those shameless girls." "I will also make sure to keep an eye on Hanson, and rest assured that there will be no chance for the Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. little toad to take advantage of him." Sunny and Florey both stood strong in perfect unison, their power dominating the room. Hanson watched the two women with clenched fists, drenched in cold sweat. He helplessly agonized about the situation. If he was not afraid of angering Florey, he would have run away with Essie before all this happened. However, he waspletely vulnerable and could not do anything. When Florey saw the calmness on Essie''s face, she figured that she could continue frightening the girl even further. "Miss Essie, I believe there is always one more suitable for your ss. Someone who works a minimum wage, maybe?" she said. Before she could finish, a cold and strong voice interrupted from the other end of the room. The man said in a deep tone, "Excuse me, madam. You seem to be a little old and dizzy but you are mistaken. Essie is my girl!" Chapter 83 Showdown Chapter 83 Showdown When Essie heard this, she was left wide eyes and stunned. Before she could turn her head to see who spoke, Zac had already held her in his arms. He cast a cold nce at the three people in front of him. With eyes as sharp as a sword, it seemed like a single look from this man could break them to pieces. His powerful aura was like an erupting volcano, frightening everyone within a mile from him. Vulnerable from all the insults, Essie instinctively buried her head into his arms, as she had just found her savior. Her mind waspletely nk, and there was nothing else she wanted to do but hide in his arms quietly. The moment Sunny saw Zac''s face, she immediately hid behind Hanson, like a shivering mouse. After rounds of violent convulsion, Hanson could not take another second of it. All he longed for was to run to Essie and take her back. If only they knew how much he hated himself for losing her. Florey was left stunned for a moment, and could not speak a single word. It took a while for her to regain her consciousness and stammered, "Who is this woman to you?" "I have said it loud and clear to you just now. She is my girl. It seems like you are not only dizzy, but you seem to have developed a hearing problem, olddy," said Zac, with a bloodthirsty sneer on the corners of his mouth. He turned his head to stroke Essie''s pale face and said, "There''s nothing to worry about anymore. If anyone dares to insult you again, I will cut off their tongue and feed it to the dogs." His statement instantly caused Sunny to shudder, paralyzed from terror. She knew in that moment that Zac was capable of doing such things. Florey saw the fear in Sunny''s eyes and realized that an ordinary man would not cause her to be so afraid. So she responded in a tender voice, "Well, I just hope that she will note close to my son again." "You should tell your son instead that he will never deserve a woman like Essie," Zac taunted her, as he held Essie carefully and walked her outside. As Hanson watched their figures recede and disappear, his anxiety caused him to fall to the ground in a matter of seconds. The room broke into chaos andmotion. Le came out of the dressing room,pletely shocked to find that so much had happened since she left. However, what infuriated her the most was when she heard that Zac had brought Essie along with him, leaving her alone to herself. On the drive home, Essie stared cidly outside the window. Her deep dark eyes were lost in thought, and her face waspletely nk. The view of Yang City during the night was beautiful. Neon lights shed all night long. The city was always moving and busy, evente at night. When she decided to move to this city, she had done so for the sake of Hanson. She sworn that she would do anything to be a woman worthy of him. However, the cruel reality was that it was all wishful thinking and a stupid dream that she simply couldn''t let go. Instead of bing closer to him in thest, the distance seemed to be getting further and further away. It had gone too far that it felt impossible for her to catch up no matter how hard she tried. She had no resentment towards Hanson about what had just happened. She was smart enough to know that he had no choice, and what he said was all his mother''s cruel intentions. Nevertheless, she knew that it was impossible for them to be together. Their families came from different sses. His family would never tolerate an ordinary woman like her who had no identity or sessful family background. Neither would she tolerate that kind of treatment for the rest of her life. She also knew that Hanson would never do anything to betray his family. A feeling of warmth gushed into her eyes, and she realized that she was starting to cry. She tried her best not to let it out, so she raised her head, trying to force her tears back into her eyes. "It''s just you and me here. You can cry if you wanted to," sighed Zac. Although he wanted tofort her, he didn''t like the idea of her crying about another man. "Am I stupid?" she asked with a voice that gently trembled from pain. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Not only are you stupid, but blind as well," he answered ruthlessly and assuredly. He had a beautiful face, but she always seemed to turn a blind eye towards him. He couldn''t understand why he wasn''t enough for her. She thought to herself, ''Is it necessary to be so direct?'' Essie had just broken up with her boyfriend, and it happened in such a cruel manner too. She couldn''t understand why he simply couldn''t console her. She figured that it seemed like he could only show his tenderness towards Le. However, it was her and Zac who were legally married anyway. It bothered her that he couldn''t show the same kind of concern towards her. One day together as a couple means endless devotion towards each other. It seemed like this man couldn''tprehend that. She pouted her little mouth with her body just filling up with resentment that couldn''t be released. The moment she pinpointed the cause for all this, she rushed to release all the angry energy she felt inside. "Zac, I''ve changed my mind about thest time." "What is it?" he asked casually. "The divorce," she said sternly with anger rushing through her veins. She waited for him being full of depression, regret and madness. Essie figured that if he could use her as an emotional punching bag, so could she. A somber expression was instantly seen from his face. The topic had been something of a taboo for him as oftely. He stepped hard on the gas pedal to release his anger, and the car moved forward fast like a strong wind from a typhoon. He had been waiting for the opportunity to tell her the truth. Now that she had brought it up again, he didn''t have to think about her feelings for once, and wanted to clear it up once and for all. Chapter 84 Hit You At Your Weak Point Chapter 84 Hit You At Your Weak Point Startled by the sudden eleration of the car, Essie grabbed on her seat and said, "Hey, slow down!" She wondered why he was trying to bring her home in a hurry. She figured it was because Le would All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. get so impatient waiting for him. Men always got tired of old, and were fond of the new. After ying around for so long, he seemed to have grown tired. Essie already had enough of having her heart broken into pieces. Now, she didn''t want to end up losing her life. "Zac, I''m telling you, thest time you had a rare chance of getting your way out. However, you failed to seize it and you missed your chance. I have now decided to watch your performance and I get to decide when we get divorced." She folded her arms across her chest and said these words loud and clear. The cast of gloom disappeared on his face. He slowed down the car and said with a smile, "What do you mean?" He raised his left eyebrow and his eyes began to spark a tinge of light within the darkness. "If you treat me well and make me happy, I will move the divorce a day earlier. However, if you displease me, I will postpone it for another day," she said sweetly with eyshes that fluttered like wings. Now, she hadplete control of him and had seized the initiative. If he wanted his freedom to be with Le, all he had to do was listen to her and make her happy. She was too caught up in her triumph to notice that he had smiled with a mischievous look in his eyes. The situation seemed to have reversed dramatically. Now, he didn''t need toy his cards on the table, but to put all his efforts into tormenting this confused little girl. She had been mistreated countless of times, while she spent the whole time treating him like her first love. He never realized that the confused little girl intended to abuse herself. "You seem to have gotten it all wrong. Shouldn''t my good performance make you more reluctant to leave me?" He couldn''t help but giggle a little. Essie threateningly put her face close to his and looked at him with narrowed eyes. "There''s no need to y dumb. I''ve already noticed how badly you want a divorce, but unfortunately for you, I''ve been in a bad mood and don''t want to give in to your desires." Before she couldplete her words, she was flicked hard on her forehead. This was Zac''s punishment. ''I wanted to divorce? Does she even use her eyes? She isn''t only stupid, but blind as well!'' he thought to himself. "Ouch!" she uttered as she covered her forehead in pain. "Do something stupid and I''ll be putting it off for another day!" He flicked her on the forehead again before she could finish her words. "Push it even further. Again!" She was so upset her cheeks began to puff into a rosy color, so she tried to hit him at his weak spot. She believed that if she kept at it, he would fix himself sooner orter. They arrived at their apartment, exhausted from a long day. Essie sat back on the couch as she waved at him and said, "Okay, you can go now." "And where am I supposed to go?" he asked. He had done so jokingly despite knowing the answer. She rolled her eyes at him and said, "I thought you weren''ting back to live with me." He smiled slowly and sat down next to her. His dark eyes sparked with profound light. "I''ve changed my mind. From this moment forward, I will be where you are." It hadn''t been long and he was already trying to win her over. He seemed to be in such a hurry to get a divorce. This made Essie feel a little disappointment and her heart sank deep into her body. With a sullen expression, she stood up and said, "I''m tired. I''m going to take a bath and go to sleep. Help yourself." Despite all the paparazzi who had witnessed the onught during the opening ceremony of the fashion week, both Hanson and Zac''s family had ordered to cover up the story at the same time. No one of them dared to report it or even post a single photo of that night. The front pages of the newspapers were all about the news of Hanson and Sunny''s wedding. In the next following days, motivated by her fury, Essie had shut herself isted in the studio, making designs nonstop. She couldn''t care less about their wealth or power, as it was not something out of the ordinary for her. All she had to do was work hard and turn into the sessful woman that she deserved to be. She needed to seed so that anyone who looked down on her or pulled her back could just eat shit. By the time she had walked out of her studio, it was already ten o''clock in the evening. She yawned, all ready to go to bed, when she was pulled to sit down on the sofa with Zac. He wanted her to watch TV with him, which she found particrly strange. She was too tired to notice or even think about it, so she sat with him and lowered her head. She spent that time trying to fight off her sleepiness and resisted the urge to close her eyelids. "Have you seen the TV series today?" he asked as he flicked her forehead, trying to snap her out of dozing off. "It only releases four episodes within a week. I don''t have the patience for it, so I''ll watch the series once it has all been released," she said with a subtle pout. Zac proceeded to the kitchen and came back with a tub of ice cream. He knew that this was something that helped people stay awake. She waved her hand at him and yawned, having no regard of her image as ady. "I don''t want to eat, I just want to get some sleep." "Okay, I''ll sleep with you." When these words escaped his mouth carelessly, Essie was suddenly wide awake. "Check the TV." She smiled awkwardly, using all her strength to keep her eyes open. She was worried that Zac would instantly take advantage of her the moment she blinked an eye. Zac murmured silently by himself. He had the time, patience and wisdom. Clever cats would y with the mouse before they swallowed it. When the clock finally hit 12 o''clock midnight, Zac suddenly mysteriously went up the stairs. After a long while, he came back and said, "It''s gettingte. It''s time to go to bed." She rolled her eyes and felt as though something was wrong with him. By this point, however, she was too tired to think about it and just went straight up wanting to sleep. She pushed the door open and the light of a candle glimmered in front of her eyes. She was stunned. Chapter 85 Ring Brand Chapter 85 Ring Brand There was a giant threeyer cake on the table. The bright candle light swayed in the wind, like the stars shining in the night sky. "Happy birthday," a gentle voice said from behind. Today was her birthday? Shocked, Essie looked at the calendar hanging on the wall. It was June 12th. ''Oh my God! It really was my birthday,'' thought she. She even forgot it herself, and she didn''t expect N?velDrama.Org content. that he would remember it! "Ice guy, how did you know that today is my birthday?" She turned around and looked at him. His cold face was tinted with the same color as the candle light, making it look very warm. The smile on his face was as charming as sunshine. It made ripples in her heart. "It is written on our marriage certificate," he said. Then he held her by the shoulder and took her to the table. "Make a wish!" She nodded, put her hands together, and closed her eyes. What was her wish? Over the past five years, she had made the same wish on every one of her birthdays: she wished for Hanson to like her and hoped that they could be together forever. Now, she was finally awake. She was going to have a fresh start at the age of 22. This time, she wished that Zac wouldn''t disappear from her world, and that even after they were apart, he wouldn''t consider her as just a passer-by. She hoped that there could be a small ce in his heart that belonged to her, and that... She stopped. Why were all her wishes rted to him? Damn it! What was she thinking? ''I must have been too moved by him,'' she thought. This was a sugar coated bullet. He just wanted to lure her in so he could get divorced earlier. She must stay vignt. With this in mind, she opened her eyes, took a deep breath, and blew out the candles. "What did you wish for?" he jeered. "It''s none of your business." She looked down and pretended to look at the cake, feeling a little guilty. Zac shrugged and smiled, pretending to be unconcerned to conceal the slightest hint of disappointment between his eyebrows. Her wish probably had something to do with Hanson. After all, she only cared about him all the time. "Cut the cake." He looked at the flickering candle, but there was no light in his eyes. Essie, who was unaware of the subtle change on his facial expression, cut a piece of cake and handed it to him. Then she said, "Zac, thank you for helping me on my birthday. I''m so happy to have met you and gotten to know you. Don''t forget me even when you return to Dragon City, okay?" Her gentle words were like a breeze that calmed down the emotions in his heart. Her smile, words, and actions, were enough to easily affect his mood. She could make him happy, angry, and make him lose control of himself. "You are my wife. How can I forget you?" He forced a small smile, half joking. "I will be your ex-wife soon," Essie muttered in a very low voice, as if she was talking to herself. However, Zac heard her words clearly. "I''m not so sure about that. Didn''t you say that it takes ten years to be in a same ship and one hundred years to sleep together? We''re married and must have been working on it for 100 years. Maybe I am the only one who can tie you down." It was because the god of marriage got drunk that time and made a mistake. Now, he had realized the mistake and reced her with Le. She let out a small sigh and ate the cake without saying anything. Zac didn''t say anything more as well. He simply looked at her in silence with a strange look in his eyes. When she was done eating the slice of cake, he suddenly took out a small box from his pocket and said, "This is for you," His tone was light. Essie took it from him and opened it. When she saw that there was a ring inside, she was a little shocked. As far as she was concerned, men only gave rings to women they loved, and Zac did not love her. The ring was very beautiful. It was ridden with several small white stones. In the middle of the ring was a huge heart-shaped purple stone that was crystal clear and did not have any impurities. The stone was pure as fairy water, and the rich purple color looked like an ancient scroll painting covered with an ancient scroll. It looked incredibly mysterious. It almost drew every bit of Essie''s attention. ''These are probably crystals,'' she thought to herself. "Let me help you wear it." He took her hand and put the ring on her slim ring finger. The ring was of medium size and fitted her perfectly. It seemed as if it was customized ording to her size. No, this wasn''t right. She was not actually married. "Um... you put it on the wrong finger. The ring should be on the middle finger," Essie reminded him in a very low voice. "Why?" He raised his eyebrows. "I will only wear a ring on my ring finger once I get married." She pouted. "Haven''t you gotten married yet?" he asked before taking a seat on the sofa. He helped the back of his head with his hands, and smiled at her mischievously. Essie felt petrified again. Was the ring another conspiracy? She red at him and tried to take off the ring. Unfortunately, it was stuck in her finger. No. She wanted to cry. Zac smiled coldly. "It won''t be easy to remove my ring. As long as our marriage certificate is still in effect, you have to wear it all the time. Do you understand?" Chapter 86 Purple Love Chapter 86 Purple Love Since the opening ceremony of the fashion week, Le had not been able to sleep or eat well. All of the theories she had in her mind almost drove her crazy. She knew that the rtionship between Zac and Essie was very special. Zac had always been a very cold person. In fact, when he was in America, a girl showed her love for him by cutting her wrist in front of him. Blood spattered everywhere right away, but Zac simply walked away without even batting an eysh because he thought blood as dirty. But this time, he actually announced to everyone in the ce that she was his woman, and even carried her away in his arms. It was unusual, too unusual. She wanted to figure it out at once. So she asked Essie to go out with her. Essie spected that Le must have misunderstood the rtionship between her and Zac since he carried her away in his arms in the opening ceremony of the fashion week. Essie had no idea how Zac exined it to her, but she felt like he had been in such a good mood over the past two days, so she guessed that they must not have quarreled with each other. Sitting opposite to Le, Essie quietly stirred the coffee in her cup and waited for Le to say something first. Once she knew what was in Le''s mind, she would deal with it. She wanted to avoid creating any misunderstandings and making things worse at all costs. "Miss Essie, I hope you can tell me the truth. Please don''t y hide and seek. What on earth is your rtionship with Zac?" Le asked straightforwardly. "Miss Le, you two lived together for almost a week. You spent all day and night together, yet you still suspect him. I feel bad for his feelings for you." Essie shook her head and sighed. Le was speechless. Essie actually thought that she was living with Zac? ''Oh my God! Not even in my wildest dreams!'' she thought. Still, it was a nice misunderstanding. And Le was willing to let her misunderstand everything. "Yes, we were together for that long. I know he loves me very much, but I''m just worried that you will fall in love with him." "Miss Le, I think you know that I love someone else. Why would you even make that assumption?" Essie had a faint smile on her face that made her look natural and calm. Indeed, while Hanson was not as exceptional as Zac, he was definitely outstanding, handsome, tall, and noble. Even though he was about to get married, she could still be his mistress. With her identity, she only deserved to be his mistress anyway. Le felt slightly relieved. Then, Essie lifted her left hand which had been under the table, and felt the weight of the ring on her finger. She was very aware of its existence, as if it was a reminder that she was married. The trick of the ice guy really was terrible! Even though he had a girlfriend, he still didn''t want to let her go, so he put a ring on her so other men All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. would leave her alone. Le''s eyes fell on her ring. All of a sudden, Le felt like she had been struck by thunder. Not caring about her image at all anymore, she reached out to grab Essie''s hand and pulled it towards herself. "This is..." Startled by Le''s sudden gesture, Essie withdrew her hand at once and said, "It''s a crystal ring. I bought it from Taobao." Essie made sure to answer in an indifferent tone. Le already seemed dangerously excited, and she hadn''t even told her that it was ice guy who gave her the ring. If she told her it was Zac who gave her the ring, she would probably cut her into pieces right then and there. She couldn''t say it for her life! Le''s eyes widened. "Crystal? TaoBao? Are you kidding me?" Essie might be able to fool others easily, but not her. She was a professional jewelry designer and examiner. She could tell at a nce whether something was crystal or diamond. "If they are not crystals, then do you think that they are diamonds? Miss Le, I won''t be able to afford such a thing even if I sold myself. I was surfing on the inte and saw it by chance, so I bought it," Essie said. "Which store? Tell me. I''ll go and buy one, too." Le raised her voice unconsciously. She was definitely lying! "I don''t remember. I''ll have to check the transaction records." Feeling a little embarrassed, Essie touched her neck. Even though she was Zac''s girlfriend, Le had no right to act aggressive towards her. She was still his wife in the eyes of thew, and Le was nothing more than a mistress in that respect! Now, Le''s pretty face was distorted with disbelief. The purple diamond was the rarest, most expensive, and most precious diamond in the entire world. Only destiny could decide whether one would be able to see it in their lifetime or not. In fact, a lot of senior jewelry appraisal masters had never even seen a purple diamond in their entire lives. It was said that Zac''s family had a family heirloom. It was a perfect heart-shaped purple diamond that weighed 8 carats, and there was nothing like it in the entire world. It was as mysterious, aesthetic, and romantic as its name: Purple love. She had never seen the heart-shaped purple diamond before, but she was one hundred percent sure that it was on Essie''s finger now, because there was only one heart-shaped purple diamond in the whole world. He actually gave this priceless treasure to a woman who was nothing more than a roommate? Was he crazy? Or crazy? Or crazy? Le''s expression became more and more ferocious. She was immensely shocked. It seemed to her like what happened at the fashion week actually meant something. Terrified for her life, Essie paid the bill and ran away before Le could kill her! When she got home, she would have to tell ice guy that his girlfriend got so angry that she lost her mind, and he needed to take care of her. Le stayed alone in the coffee shop for a long time. Roommate! She gritted her teeth. Essie, the green tea bitch, was so cunning and good at acting. She probably spent every second of every day trying to seduce Zac whenever she was around him. There was no way she was going to let that girl get what she wanted. Now all she had to do was find someone else to deal with her. She couldn''t get her hands dirty. By the time Essie arrived back at their apartment, Zac had alreadye back from his business meeting with William. "Where did you go?" he asked casually. She usually shut herself in the studio every day and he rarely saw her go out. Essie couldn''t wait to tell Zac about Le''s abnormality, so she immediately said, "I just drank coffee with your beauty Le." "Are you acquaintances?" Zac asked lightly. How was that possible? She was hostile towards Essie. Hearing that, Essie just curled her mouth and didn''t answer his question. This was not what she wanted to talk about. She sat down on the sofa and stretched out her hand with the ring on it towards him. Then she said, "I''m afraid that Miss Le might have mental problems. She looked so scary when she saw my ring today." Zac frowned. "What did she say to you?" Essie didn''t answer his question. Thinking that what he really cared about was whether she had said anything that his girlfriend could misunderstand, she patted him on the shoulder and said, "Don''t worry. I didn''t say that it was from you. I told her that I bought it myself from Taobao." Zac was shocked. What a good excuse! "I''m smart. Don''t belittle me. I know what I''m doing," Essie said proudly. "I don''t know." There was a hint of mockery on Zac''s face. ''Hum, what a snob,'' Essie thought. She stood up, attempting to go upstairs. Then he pulled her back to the sofa, took out a phone out from his pocket, and threw it to her. "Here you go," he said. Essie was surprised. He had thrown her a birthday surprise and given her a ring. Now, he was giving her a phone. The sugared stuff were thrown all over her body. Did he want to get a divorce tomorrow so that he could be free? Essie couldn''t help but feel a little ufortable. "No, I have a phone," she refused in a fit of pique. "This is for me. My number is the only one you can have on this. It must be avable 24 hours a day. Don''t turn it off." He seemed like an emperor who was giving orders. And those orders were assertive, overbearing, and utterly unreasonable. "Who do you think you are?" Essie eximed at once. "Your husband." With just two short, but strong words, he was able to confine her to the private sector and monopolize her. How could he be so hard on her? Essie picked up the phone and looked at it. It was a silver and ck phone without a logo on it. There was one character carved on it that was like the one engraved on his credit card, phone,puter and tablet. It showed that all of those things were his, and it seemed like this, too, was customized especially for Zac. ''What a conceited and narcissistic man!'' Essie thought to herself. "I''m going to bed." She put the phone into her pocket and went upstairs as her mouth twitched. At the same time, there was a weird smile ying at the corners of Zac''s mouth. The phone he had given her was not an ordinary cellphone. It had the most advanced GPS tracker in the world. As long as she was in a ce reachable by satellites, he would be able to find her. Even if the phone was turned off, the data could still be transmitted. He would never allow the whole bar thing to happen again. Meanwhile, Essiey on the bed. Just as she was about to go to sleep, she suddenly received a WeChat video call from Mandy. "Let''s go to the coastline tomorrow. I''ve entered your name for the tour," Mandy suggested. "Aren''t you on the new show these days? You must be very busy. Howe you have time to go out?" Essie said. Mandy was one of the guests for the new TV show called "Running Show". Essie and Eva were even nning on visiting her on set. Among the three of them, Mandy had be the most popr one. Her career had gone smoothly, and now, she had been promoted to official host from intern anchorwoman. In addition to that, she had also been put in charge of the most popr show in Yang City, The Fake Singer. "I haven''t exercised in a long time. I''m free tomorrow, and I wanted to take this opportunity to lose some weight," Mandy said in a calm tone. The dim light masked the strange look on her face. "All right," Essie agreed. She chatted with Mandy for a while then hung up. On the other end of the line, Mandy had a furious look on her face. Le had visited her today, and shared a lot of stories with her. Essie, that green tea bitch, dared to attack her in secret even though she was her best friend. She had to punish her tomorrow. Chapter 87 Wounded Chapter 87 Wounded Early in the morning, Essie got up and packed her backpack. Zac leaned against the door frame and looked at her with a confused look on his face. "Where are you going?" "Mandy and I are going to go to the coastline. We will camp out on the ind tonight. I won''t being home, so remember to lock the door." "Do you have everything with you?" Zac said, raising his eyebrows. "Well, water jug, tent,pass... All done," Essie said, telling him the list of stuff in her backpack. "You must bring the cellphone with you. If I call you, you must answer it within five seconds," he ordered in a very dictator-like manner. "What if I don''t hear the phone ringing?" Essie rolled her eyes at him. "Vibration." He flicked her forehead. She was obviously a new hiker without any experience, so he was a little worried and he had to watch the whole process of the surveince. "Remember, safety is the most important thing. If you can''t hold on, don''t stick yourself. Call me to pick you up." Hearing his words, Essie frowned at him in discontent and said, "Don''t look down upon me. I''ll stick it out until the end." With that, she left the apartment valiantly. The activities of the day were going fairly smoothly. Although there were blisters on her feet already, Essie just gritted her teeth and powered through. In the evening, they took a boat to an uninhabited ind that was over ten kilometers away from the coast. After Essie finished setting up the tent, she sat on the beach. Then, she took off her shoes and applied some iodine and band aid on her wounds. "I haven''t exercised for a long time, and my feet are so delicate." Mandy took a seat next to her and stared at the ring on her finger. She looked directly at the ring. Le had told her about the ring that had been given to her by Zac. Of course, Le did not say that it was a diamond ring. She didn''t want to reveal his true identity. "Essie, that ring is so beautiful. Tell me where you bought it. I want to buy it too." N?velDrama.Org content. Mandy paid all of her attention on the ring and kept asking Essie where she could buy it. How could she act just like Le? From Essie''s point of view, the ring was just an ordinary crystal ring, not a diamond ring at all. Was it really necessary to pay so much attention to it? If she had known it was something special earlier, she never would have put it on. Last time, Mandy got so angry that she pped Essie on the face when Zac saved her. What was more, she wanted to cut Essie out of her life. If Essie told her the truth that the ring was a birthday gift from Zac, she would probably misunderstand and get angry at her. But Mandy was very stubborn, and she was determined not to stop asking Essie until she told her the truth. Essie continued to wander around,y on the sand, and started humming the theme song of her favorite TV series. "It''s not impossible to say, but I dare not say it... I can tell you everything but I can''t..." A look of anger shed through Mandy''s eyes. ''This green tea bitch!'' she cursed inwardly. ''She''s keeping me in suspense again!'' "You are not married yet. Why are you wearing the ring on your ring finger? Did Hanson propose to you?" Mandy decided to beat around the bush to get some information from her. Essie, who had been drinking water, suddenly choked on the water and coughed. "Mandy, that is the biggest joke you have ever made in the past ten years." Essie pretended to be angry and stared at her. "I''m still in a state moving on. You''d better not trigger me, or I''ll start crying in front of you." Mandy pouted and said, "You don''t look sad to me either." "I suffered internal injuries. Do you understand?" Essie crossed her legs and shook her head. "This ring is too small for me to wear on my middle finger, so I decided to wear it on my fourth finger. After all, even though I''m not in a rtionship with anybody right now, I don''t intend to start a rtionship with anyone anyway, so I don''t really care what others think of me." Essie raised her hand, and the purple heart-shaped diamond glowed in the moonlight. Mandy couldn''t help but feel hurt. "Take it off and put it on my finger," she demanded. "I can''t take it off. I have tried to soak my finger in cold water to make my finger smaller, and I''ve tried putting some soap and sesame oil on my finger to get it off, but I can''t." Essie had always thought that the most dramatic and ridiculous scene in TV was when someone would try to steal someone else''s wedding ring, and be unable to take it off. She didn''t expect that it could really happen in real life. ''Liar. She just doesn''t want to put it on me!'' Mandy thought. A cold expression appeared in her eyes. After they lit the bonfire, the group held a barbecue party, and they changed into their bikinis. Zac had forbidden Essie to wear a swimming suit in public, and he had only put the mummy-like swimsuit in her bag. But she wasn''t going to put it on. Although the uninhabited ind had not been developed, it had be well-known as a paradise that hikers could visit. So, there was a bathroom on the hillside. After they finished dancing, Essie went to the bathroom by herself. Without her knowing, a shadow followed her quietly. Miles away from the city, it was pitch ck in the ind at night. In the shadow of the moonlight, one could hardly see his own fingers. The night wind whistled back and forth in the woods like a whining ghost. Once again, Essie turned on her cellphone for some light. The leaves and twigs under her feet made cracking sounds with every step,pletely covering up the sound of the footsteps of the stalker behind her. After she finished using the bathroom, Essie began to walk back. Hearing the faint cheers from the beach as the breeze blew past her, she couldn''t help but stop and look in the direction of the beach out of curiosity. Not far behind her, a pair of eyes glimmered in the darkness. At the same time, the moonlight broke through the thick trees and cast a ferocious shadow on the figure''s pale face. A creepy smile appeared on the figure''s bloodthirsty red lips. Then, the figure raised his slender hands that looked like those of a ghost''s, and slowly stretched them out towards Essie. Chapter 88 A Night In The Cave Chapter 88 A Night In The Cave In the camp area, the leader suddenly received a phone call from her boyfriend, who was working for the Weather Bureau. Apparently, the No. 5 wind ball had suddenly turned and condensed into a super typhoon, and it wasing towards them. She told others that they had to go back to the coast immediately, inevitably scaring the girls. They packed up their stuff and jumped on the boat. They were in such a hurry that the leader actually forgot to do a headcount. Only Mandy knew that there was one person who hadn''te back to the campsite. She didn''t expect that God would help her teach this insidious green tea bitch a lesson. Well, she deserved to be stuck here and feel the violent storm all alone. Mandy sneered and followed everyone to the boat. Meanwhile, on a dark hillside, Essie woke up. At once, she felt pain on her forehead and knees. She had no idea what had happened to her. All she knew was that she had been standing on top of the hill when someone pushed her from behind. She rolled down the hill and immediately lost consciousness. Essie struggled to stand up and limped back to the beach. When she got to the campsite, however, there was no one and nothing in sight except for her bag, which someone had thrown behind a rock. Where did everyone go? Hadn''t they agreed to camp on the ind? She took her phone out from her pocket, and found that it was broken. She couldn''t even turn it on. Fortunately, she still had the phone that Zac had given her. Even though it was a cheap-looking phone, it had great quality and was still in good condition. She hurriedly called Mandy, but her phone was turned off! They had been friends for ten years, but she didn''t even notice that she wasn''t with them? Did she still have any sort of conscience? This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. At that moment, she really wanted to cry. Heavy dark clouds covered the entire sky, and the howling gales created dark winds on the surface of the sea. Essie felt like she was going to be blown away by the strong gusts of wind. In her mind, Essie thought that an oing typhoon must have forced them to evacuate the ce at once. Essie began to feel absolutely terrified. She shuddered and dialed Zac''s number. She couldn''t think of anyone to contact but him. When she called, Zac was lying on the bed and was just about to sleep. It was an uneventful night for him. Zac heard his phone ring, so he looked at it and saw that Essie was calling. His lips subconsciously curled up to form a smile. It was rare for her to call him. "You little fool, do you miss me?" "Zac, there''s about to be a typhoon. Everyone went back and left me alone on the ind..." On the other end of the line, Essie''s voice was trembling. She sounded close to crying. What the hell! Zac jumped up from the bed, quickly gathered up some necessities and rushed out like a gust of wind. While driving, he made a call to William. "Buy me a yacht, do whatever you can do." As the most capable assistant of Zac, William had the ability to do everything. By the time Zac arrived at the dock, William and some other men in ck with full equipment were already waiting for him. With a roaring sound, a fierce gust of wind rolled up the sea surface. Waves surged up to the shore like wild horses, and with an ear-shattering howl, they fell into pieces as they met the sand. William looked at the sea and said worriedly, "A storm ising. Be careful." He knew very well that no one could stop Zac from doing whatever he wanted. All he could do was stay where he was and be ready to rescue him at any time. Zac nodded and jumped into the yacht. Soon, the yacht disappeared from William''s sight. Zac''s nerves were on edge, and he didn''t care about how much danger he was in. How could he care about himself when the only thing he wanted to do was to run to Essie and protect her? Meanwhile, on the uninhabited ind... Essie''s was trembling in intense fear. Zac had told her that he woulde, but it was already midnight and the typhoon was fast- approaching. He had no ship of his own. How could hee? Moreover, they were neither rtives nor friends, so it''s not likely he would risk his life for her. If she called the police, they woulde tomorrow morning to rescue her. The only thing she could do now was find a safe ce to hide so that she wouldn''t be carried into the sea by the strong winds. She suddenly remembered seeing a cave earlier, so she fumbled to go there. At that moment, a gust of wind swept over her, making such a strong impact that she could hardly stand on her feet. Panicked, she quickly hugged the big tree next to her. Following the wind came an anxious voice calling out to her, "Essie, Essie!" It seemed to be the voice of Zac. ''I''m hallucinating! I must be hallucinating! He couldn''t havee!'' Essie thought. She shook her head hard and continued to walk forward. "Essie!" Essie was shocked to hear her name again. She turned around at once. She saw a blinding light being projected on the beach. Essie suddenly burst out into tears. "I am here, Zac!" she screamed excitedly. His tall figure rushed over to her like a strong wind and he took her into his arms. "It''s all right. It''s all right. It''s all right, Essie." He held her so tightly, as if he was afraid that she would be blown away by the wind. His voice was trembling with anxiety and worry. The wind howled again, and the sea level rose three meters higher. Now, they had no choice but to go to the cave ahead of them. He held her in his arms and ran towards the cave. And as soon as they entered the cave, heavy rain started pouring. Zac turned on his shlight and looked around the cave. It was not a big cave, and there was a smooth rock beside the wall. The rock was wide enough to allow two people to lie down on it, and there was even some dry grass on the ground which must have been left behind by some of their peers who had After cing Essie on the dry grass, he examined the wounds on her knees and forehead, and he was relieved to see that they were just shallow scratches. He disinfected the wounds with the disinfecting water he had brought and put band aids on her forehead and knees. As she looked at him, Essie''s heart was filled with a strange feeling that wasn''t just gratitude. She couldn''t really describe the feeling. All she knew was that it left a sweet taste in her mouth. "Zac, the winds are so strong. How were you able to find a boat?" "I borrowed from a friend," he replied lightly as he caressed her head. "Weren''t you with Mandy? Why didn''t she take care of you? Why did she run away without you?" And those jerks! He would kill them if he found out that they deliberately left an injured girl behind and ran away by themselves. "I don''t know what happened. I lost my bnce on the hill and fell down identally. When I came back to the campsite, they were gone." Essie couldn''t help shivering as she watched the violent storm outside. She clearly remembered someone pushing her from behind, but there was no one on the ind aside from her and her friends, and there was no quarrel going on between them. Who would do such a thing to her? ''Maybe it was just my imagination. Maybe it was the wind, or the branches.'' Thinking of this, Essie decided to let it go. "If you want to y in the future, just go with me." Zac sighed slightly. Fortunately, she was not seriously hurt. Now, she was definitely no longer allowed to do dangerous activities when he was not around. "You are busy. You don''t have time." She pursed her lips and thought to herself, ''He stays with Le all day long, and doesn''t have the time to hang out with me.'' "I will go with you next week." He touched her nose. The design drawings of the A Ind he had been working on were basically done. The follow-up work could be handed over to his subordinates. Of course, Essie didn''t know that. She thought that Zac was going to have free time because Le was going back to Dragon City. Nheless, she was secretly pleased, as if she had just gotten rid of a strong enemy. "What a pity. I don''t have time next week," she said with the same distant expression. "Why?" Zac asked, raising his thick eyebrows. "The satellite TV station is nning a talent show called ''Beauty on Runway''. The designers will be chosen from the country, and I signed up to participate." She raised the corners of her lips and smiled. For a moment, her eyes lit up, but they became dim again in no time. "I don''t know if I will be picked." "If you don''t get chosen, the show will be cancelled," he said with a meaningful smile. It seemed that Essie had been stimted by the opening ceremony of the fashion week and she now wanted to be famous. Zac knew that the fashion and entertainment circles were full of dirty deals and dirty rules. Usually, rankings in some so-calledpetitions had already been decided before they could even start. It was almost impossible for someone who had no background and was unwilling to ept the unspoken rules to be famous in those circles. But Essie had him, so she didn''t need to worry about anything. As for the road ahead, he would pave the way for her and get rid of the mountains in her path. Essie also knew that there was a dark side to the industry. After all, two of her friends were also in that circle. Mandy had a smooth journey because her father had a good rtionship with the head of the TV station. Eva, on the other hand, had no powerful background and was unwilling to be a key yer in the dark, so she never had a good chance of seeding. Essie gave him an unsure smile and said, "I will give it a try, even if it''s only on TV." Although she was a designer, she had a good business sense, and she knew how to market and sell her stuff. Showing up on TV was still a great free advertising opportunity. Why shouldn''t she give it a try and fight for it? Zac suddenly lowered his head and pecked her lightly on the lips. With an evil smile on his face, he said, "It''s not easy to have a talented designer as my wife. Wouldn''t it be a pity to let go?" Essie blushed and pushed him away shyly. "Don''t be too greedy. You already have a bowl of rice, so you shouldn''t expect more!" He had Le. He couldn''t possibly think of anything besides her. He reached out and took her into his arms. He refused to let her go no matter how much she struggled. "It''s really wrong. Once I''ve decided to like someone, I couldn''t like anyone else." No way! He was so attractive that a lot of women were dying to be his girlfriend. She pouted and said, "I will keep my words fromst time. If you take advantage of me again, the divorce agreement will be postponed for two more days." Before she could say anything more, Zac pushed her against the hay. "So, how many dayster is it now?" The evil smile on his face made Essie swallow in panic. He liked the punishment she was talking about. He wondered if she would never divorce him for the rest of her life if he made love to her right then and there. Outside the cave, the wind raged on and the rain continued pouring down. Inside the cave, the two enjoyed the warm and lingering moment, with their necks crossing. Essie felt like she had been besieged by waves. Her mind waspletely nk, and she felt like she had almost lost her mind. He was the zing sun that could light her, burn her, and melt her. A chilly gust of wind blew into the cave, and her head started functioning again. The thought of him having Le in his arms and doing the same thing to her made her heart freeze. ''I thought you were a pure little rabbit, but now, you are also a dissolute wolf.'' A sense of inexplicable resentment rose in her heart. Then she lifted her leg subconsciously and did something that scared herself. Chapter 89 Dont Touch It (Part One) Chapter 89 Don''t Touch It (Part One) The storm grew increasingly fierce and showed no signs of abating. Most of the coconut trees on the beach were uprooted. It looked like the end of the world was approaching. The terrible weather affected the air inside the cave. Zac groaned, a tinge of pain shing across his eyes. Essie anxiously watched his movements. Although she kicked with no great strength, Zac himself was at the most vulnerable state that a man could be in, even someone who was extremely heroic and strong as he was. Taking a deep breath and letting go of her, Zac sat up and said, "Honey, let it go, or you won''t be happy in the future." Her face contorted in a slight grimace. "If it fails, you''re going to use your brain, for sure, and you will never be fickle in love." His face took on a bitter, aggrieved smile. "Evidently, it recognizes only you. How could I be fickle?" Zac sounded like an affronted virgin. But in Essie''s mind, he was a yboy who went through thousands of battles and won many girls'' hearts. And Le was one of them. Again, the thought inexplicably made her feel bitter. She turned her back on him to tidy up the hay,y down, and closed her eyes. "I''m sleepy. I want to sleep for a while." He lowered his head and sighed slightly, looking extremely pitiful in his dejection. By the next morning, the storm had blown over, and the sea became quiet again. The hiker leader and Mandy arrived with several patrolmen. Last night, after the leader went ashore, she counted down the number of people on her team. As soon as she realized that Essie was missing, she immediately called the police. However, they had no choice but to wait until morning because the storm was too strong. In order to cover up her crimes, Mandy pretended to be worried and sad over Essie''s disappearance. However, her feigned agitation became real when she realized that Zac was also on the ind. Her beautiful face reddened with her extreme jealousy. If not for the fact the she was in public and had an image to uphold, she would have stepped forward and pped that bitch. "I''m d you''re all right." The leader heaved a sigh of relief and apologized for her negligence. Mandy cast a cold sidelong nce at Essie. Then, she turned toward Zac and said in a sweet voice, "Zac, what are you doing here?" "You did leave her behind. Of course, I had to go and find her," said Zac coldly. Seeing the displeasure on Mandy''s face, Essie thought helplessly, ''People in love are always so sensitive. Making mountains out of molehills.'' She said, "I tried calling you yesterday, but your phone was turned off. I didn''t know the leader''s number." She knew she was rambling, but she had to exin. "Zac really cares about you. The stormst night was so strong that even the police couldn''t take N?velDrama.Org content. action, yet he went out to rescue you." Mandy''s tone was as sour as lemons. Zac leveled Mandy with an icy re. "What I do is none of your business." His eyes were cold, and his voice was even colder. Mandy felt like her blood turned to ice, yet her hatred for Essie had burned hotter. Essie could do nothing butin inwardly. After returning to the shore... Essie asked Zac to head back first. She wanted to have a talk with Mandy alone. "Mandy, do you think that ice guy shouldn''t havee to look for me?" she asked the other woman point-nk. They had been friends for ten years, but she never imagined that Mandy would be someone who would treat a close friend so despicably. She would rather let her friend be stuck on the ind rather than have the prince charming she liked save her. "Don''t put on an act, Essie. I''ve been wondering whether you''ve been getting along with him secretly. He even gave you a ring," Mandy snorted derisively. Essie was stunned. How did she know that the ring was given by Zac? She told no one about it. "Who told you that Zac gave me the ring?" she quickly asked. "Le told me." Mandy thought it was pointless to keep her meeting with Le a secret from Essie. With her lips curled in an unpleasant sneer, she continued, "She also told me that you were dumped by Hanson during the opening ceremony of fashion week, and that Zac made an appearance and announced that you were his woman. He even carried you out in his arms." ''Le, you bitch!'' Essie thought vehemently. ''How dare you stir up trouble between my friend and me?'' Her eyes flickered with anger. Maybe Le saw the ring when Zac bought it and thought that it was for her... but then Zac went and ced it on Essie''s finger. That must be why she threw a fit in that cafe. Essie shook her head in disbelief. All along, she thought that these messy scenes were only seen in dramas. It was a wonder how they had happened in real life. "At the opening ceremony, he only said that to help me out. As for the ring, you''re correct; it was a birthday gift from him. I was afraid that you would misunderstand, so I didn''t tell you," exined Essie to her friend. "He really cares about you. A man doesn''t give a ring to a woman casually, does he?" Mandy leaned on the railing, her hair as ruffled by the sea wind as her heart. Essie rolled her eyes and thenughed. "I got the ring on purpose. Didn''t you want me to y the devil''s advocate to destroy his rtionship with Le? They were fine, though. They stayed together all day long, and Zac even moved to her ce and stayed with her for a week beforeing back. I was just thinking of how to get her to misunderstand me. It just so happens that my birthday ising, and when that ice guy asked me what gift I wanted, I seized the opportunity for him to get me a crystal ring. I was thinking that if Le saw the ring he gave me, she would be angry enough to break up with him," she spoke in so much detail, even she herself almost believed what she was saying. Why in the world did she have toe up with these lies, anyway? Lying was bad, but she could note up with a sufficiently usible exnation that could dispel Mandy''s doubts. Lies made in good faith were still lies in fact, but at least they could clear up misunderstandings and prevent unnecessary trouble. Anyway, she had a clear conscience¡ªshe and ice guy were innocent. The only person that would be happy over Essie''s and Mandy''s broken friendship would be Le. Mandy was not a fool, and she was not the sort of person who believed easily. However, Essie was good at deciphering people''s thoughts and taking them under consideration before speaking. She deliberately emphasized to Mandy that Le and Zac lived together, and the other woman immediately lost her reasoning. Chapter 90 Dont Touch It (Part Two) Chapter 90 Don''t Touch It (Part Two) "Damn Le!" Mandy said through gritted teeth. The change in her facial expression told Essie that Mandy believed her. Grabbing the opportunity, she said further, "That day, Le asked me out for a cup of coffee. She saw the ring on my finger, and I told her that Zac gave it to me. She was livid. I was d that she was falling into my trap, but I didn''t expect her to be so devious. She ran to you to tell tales, set me up, and tried to ruin our friendship." She sighed heavily. "Our ten-year friendship, ruined just like that by that woman. Our friendship was too fragile for this test. I will never meddle in your rtionship with ice guy from now on, or you may kill me where I stand." These words were the killing blow. Mandy no longer had any sliver of doubt toward Essie. At the thought that she had almost killed her friend yesterday, she felt regret welling up in her heart. How could she be so stupid as to believe her biggest rival? "Essie, I was wrong. Please forgive me. I won''t be tricked again." She fervently hugged Essie. "You''re more important to me than any of my other friends." Essie patted her head. "To be honest, that ice guy was only nice to me so that he could win me over on his side. I wash his clothes, clean his room, and cooked food for him. I am like his 24/7 unpaid nanny." "Do you really do such belittling things to yourself?" Mandy raised an eyebrow. "Well, I don''t have to pay rent," Essie retorted with a shrug and a snicker. Hearing this, Mandy smiled back. Le was her greatest enemy, and she had to join hands with her friend in order to take that woman down. In the apartment... As she entered the house, Essie heard Zac talking on the phone. As it turned out, it was precisely the woman who drove a wedge between her and Mandy, Le, who was on the other end. It seemed like she was trying to ask Zac out for dinner. ''Humph! Since you were the one who picked a fight today, don''t me me for my reaction. I will make you pay for what you''re done today.'' She limped to the sofa and suddenly stumbled forward. Fortunately, Zac was able to catch her within the circle of his arms before shended on the floor. Discreetly, she hit Zac''s phone with her elbow, and the device fell to the ground. Instead of picking it up, Zac gently ushered her to the sofa first. "The wound on your leg hasn''t healed yet. Don''t walk too much today." "I''m feeling dizzy, too. I may have gotten a concussion when I took that tumble and hit my head." She rubbed her forehead. "Really? I''ll take you to the hospital so you could be examined by a doctor." Zac sounded a little worried. "It''s not that serious. I''ll be fine after resting for a couple of days." She waved her hands and lowered her eyes, trying to look pitiful. "But I''ll be home alone with no one to take care of me. I''m pretty sure I will starve to death." He shook his head, not knowing whether tough or cry. "You idiot, I''m here. How can you possibly starve to death?" "You are never at home anyway," she muttered seemingly to herself, but each word was very clear. "We have an patient in the house. Do you think I would dare to go out?" He tapped her nose affectionately. Suddenly, he remembered that the call was still ongoing, so he hung up the phone after declining Le''s invitation politely. On the other end, Le heard everything they said. She was so angry that she threw her mobile phone spitefully to the ground. ''That vixen! She may look cute and capable, but she''s a two-faced, conniving little bitch! N?velDrama.Org content. She was as crazy as Valery. Valery tried to ensnare Zac by getting pregnant, while Essie tricked Zac into getting a ring. Le could not take any action against Valery because of her influential family. However, Essie was free game, having neither money nor background, so Le would crush her like an ant. She clenched her teeth, an cold, calcting gleam entered her eyes. Essie was quite pleased and proud of herself for making Zac promise to stay at home. To her, winning small battles was the key. In case that Le should cause mischief between her and her friend again, Essie sent Mandy a text message, telling her that she ruined Le''s and Zac''s date. ted, Mandy replied with five funny emojis. That night After Essie fell asleep... Zac booted up hisputer and started a video call with William. "Boss, the program called Beauty on Runway was nned and produced by Star Media. I have looked further into it, and apparently the top managers of thepany are currently seeking investors and nning to be publicly listed." "Construct a n to invest in the program and acquire Star Media." Zac forwarded the drafted n to William. William was stunned. Zac''s family was already involved in more than 30 industries, with subsidiaries throughout the world and its unmatched influence in the media field. Why did they need to acquire such a smallpany? However, as soon as he saw the name Emperor, he understood. Zac did not want to live off of the glory of his family. Thus, at the age of eighteen, Zac founded the Emperor Group, tackling the main responsibilities of infrastructure and construction. Now, the industries that thepany covered had extended to IT, Inte, and tourism. Was he now trying to gain Emperor an entry into the media business? Anyway, he was known for having the Midas touch, and his investments turned out to be highly profitable. The businessmunity started calling him an investmentpass. Thus, William only executed his orders. A weekter, Essie received the news of her selection. The news couldn''t have been more wee. She was so excited that she ran downstairs crazily and wrapped her arms around Zac''s neck. "Zac, I got selected! I got into the show!" Zac eximed, "I knew you could do it! The champagne is ready, just waiting for you." A bright, charming smile was stered on his face. With Essie''s talent in design and keen insight into fashion, it was not difficult for her to win the championship. But reality shows were just shows, not the Olympic Games. Talent really was not really the basis for winning such shows, whereas background, backstage, and money were. He did not want these underhanded dealings and unspoken rules to taint her; he wanted her to be able to show her strength freely. In the afternoon, Essie signed a contract with the TV station and then went to visit Mandy. Mandy was the bearer of both good news and bad news. Chapter 91 Screen Goddess (Part One) Chapter 91 Screen Goddess (Part One) On the way back, Essie¡¯s excitement faded. She felt like she was breaking out in a cold sweat. Mandy told her that she had both good and bad news, but in Essie¡¯s mind, she didn¡¯t hear any good news at all. ¡®Oh my gosh. No, no, no. I¡¯m so doomed!¡¯ Essie realized she was holding her breath and found herself holding her face in frustration. She continued to have a monologue in her thoughts. ¡®Why did Hanson have to be one of the judges in this show? Why would I have to see him this way? And why does Sunny even have to be in the samepetition as me? Her family is already so wealthy. She doesn¡¯t need this, so why did she have to join? Ugh, it¡¯s not going to be apetition anymore. It¡¯s decided, right? I guess this will be like a walk in the park for her. Hanson will obviously favor Sunny and give her the best scores while I¡¯ll try so hard and it might not even matter!¡¯ Essie let out a heavy sigh. She felt exasperated at the thought that she couldn¡¯t stop patting her face. Leaning back in her seat, she groaned and looked frustrated. The car stopped at the intersection and waited for the green light. Zac turned to her and asked, "What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen at the contract signing?" "Zac!" Essie pouted, trying to suppress her distress. "I¡¯ll be knocked out in the first round!" She had an urge to burst into tears in his arms, but he was driving. He was stunned and raised his eyebrows. "Why? What happened in there?" His voice sounded concerned. Essie started telling him about the news Mandy had told her earlier. He nodded as she spoke, with a faint smile at the corners of his mouth. Despite her anxiety, he looked quite rxed. He had known about it long before. Since Be was the official sponsor of the show, it was definite that Hanson would judge and Sunny would be participating. Zac didn¡¯t really mind. However, he knew this was a big deal for Essie. It would be a heavy blow for her if she found out that Hanson would actually be partial to her fianc¨¦e. Zac knew that that way she would give up all hope. And that would be a good news to him. But if Hanson would be fair and objective or partial to Essie, she would feel encouraged. For the moment, Zac didn¡¯t want to think about Hanson and Essie being together after that. He was never a petty person that he¡¯d think about something so insignificant at the moment when Essie was in distress. Instead, he focused on how he could help Essie achieve the sess she wanted. "Don¡¯t you feel reassured to have Hanson around?" Zac asked deliberately. He wasn¡¯t sure he really wanted to know the answer, but he tried to fish for some of Essie¡¯s thoughts. "I have nothing to do with him. After all, Sunny is his fianc¨¦e, and they¡¯d be great together. If she wins thepetition, Be would be so proud to have her," Essie sighed. "He would probably be overjoyed." When she finished talking, she lowered her head which cast a gloomy shadow on her eyes. Looking back to when she was still a senior college student, she applied for Istituto Marangoni in order to find Hanson in Italy. Not only was she admitted, but also granted a full schrship. However, he unexpectedly returned home. He had studied in Italy for three years and she was worried that other girls might get closer to him and she would totally miss her chance with him. Right then, she gave Italy up and made up her mind¡ªshe would follow Hanson to Yang City and join Be. It was true that her reasons were quite silly, but it wasn¡¯t going to keep her from trying to reach him. Despite struggling to survive in the city, the mere thought of getting closer to Hanson was enough reason for her to stay. However, the closer she got to him, the more she ached¡ªlike a moth to a me. Zac foundfort in her words. He thought that she might have suffered too much from what happened at the opening ceremony of the fashion week that her love for Hanson subsided, even just a little. He gently touched her head and said, "Do what you should do. Don¡¯t let them affect you. You need to be recognized by the audience and let them see your best design." He looked at her intently, and his voice was full of encouragement. Essie nodded in agreement, her eyes slightly glimmered as he spoke. ording to the rules of Beauty on Runway, a designer and a star would pair up¡ªthe star would draw lots to decide which designer they would be working with, and the designer would then sketch and craft a dress based on the choices and materials provided by the program. Participants wouldpete for both the judges¡¯ and audience¡¯s approval, and the bottom two would contend in a live PK, where they would revise their original work. Their final creation would be the basis for who would stay or leave the Earlier on, PK wasn¡¯t in the show¡¯s original n. The idea was proposed by the senior executive of Emperor''s board, who was the major shareholder¡ªthat was none other than Zac himself. This idea would be a challenge for the participants since it required inspiration and exceptional improvisation abilities. This twist would also add to the fun and thrill that could also help increase its TV ratings. Not only that, but it would also measure the flexibility and adaptability of the designers, and that was important. Zac had considered everything, that even if Essie had any trouble, she could still fight for a chance to stay using the final PK. The shooting for the first round wouldst for two days. Eight contestants would be gathered in arge studio, where they would create their designs that had never been shown on any domestic fashion show before. As the sun came up early in the morning, Zac went with Essie to drop her off at the TV station. While waiting, they overheard that four of the contestants were from a foreign design school that was quite famous throughout the country. They looked so stylish and morous and were followed along by their teams. However, thispetition required the designer to work alone without the help of their respective teams, since they were not allowed to enter the studio. Only the stars they would be paired with were allowed to help them during the challenge. This was¡ªyet again¡ªone of the Emperor¡¯s suggestions. Zac knew this was going to put them to the test. The more famous the designer was, the more unfamiliar their hands were. Once they were through with the sketches, they would let their team do the needlework. Meanwhile, Essie was everyone she needed topete in the show. She could both sketch and do the needlework all by herself. She felt so nervous that her palms were sweating. Zac noticed this and teased her to ease her tension. "Win quickly and go home, okay? The house would be so quiet without you there. I¡¯d be so bored these couple of days," he sighed deliberately. Essie wrinkled her nose. ¡®Liar. Why would you be bored when you can spend time with Le?¡¯ she snorted. Essie thought Le would go back to Dragon City this week, but she didn¡¯t expect Le would actually extend her stay in Yang City. Ever since that mischievous trick Le yed on Essie, she couldn¡¯t brush off Le¡¯s evil face from her N?velDrama.Org content. mind. Essie finally saw her true colors and believed in her heart that she was not worthy to have Zac by her side. She feared that if Zac and Le got married in the future, he might only be taken advantage of and live a miserable life. Essie shuddered at the thought that she felt willing to sacrifice herself¡ªshe would remain his wife until he found out Le¡¯s true self behind her sweet fa?ade. Chapter 92 Screen Goddess (Part Two) Chapter 92 Screen Goddess (Part Two) Zac scanned the area and saw that the set was already preparing for the shoot. "I¡¯m leaving. Don¡¯t forget to check the phone I gave you." Essie felt relieved to know that Zac, Eva, and Mandy were on her team. "You¡¯re great. Don¡¯t worry." Zac¡¯s voice was low and sweet. The corners of his mouth lifted. His smile looked so bright. All of a sudden, he leaned towards her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. Essie was stunned, but she didn¡¯t protest. She took it asfort and encouragement. At the same moment, a Lamborghini was driving over a few meters away. The man inside the luxurious car happened to witness every detail of the scene. There was an indescribable pain written on his face. It seemed like his heart was being shackled in chains and gradually crushed to pieces. He had been depressed ever since the fashion week ended. He had no enthusiasm or whatever and just dejectedly waited for every single day to be over. Florey went to the USA with the excuse of undergoing an operation. She needed to go through it in fear that Hanson might find out the lies that she schemed. In Hanson¡¯s mind, he thought that when her mother had already recovered, he would be able to exin to Essie in full detail what had really happened, so that he could beg for her forgiveness. But now, his n seemed to be crumbling down in front of him. He knew deep inside him that Zac actually had genuine feelings for Essie. And he couldn¡¯t help but me himself for letting Zac have a chance to get involved in Essie¡¯s life again. As soon as he got out of the car, Essie saw him and greeted him out of politeness, "Hello, Hanson." A t and seemingly emotionless voice came out that further made Hanson¡¯s heart sink. He wanted the earth to swallow him up from where he was standing. Then, she hurriedly walked into the room with an indifferent look on her face. She didn¡¯t want to be with him right now even for a second longer. Hanson wanted to follow her, but it felt like his feet were chained to the ground, and his heart was being pierced again and again just at the thought of Essie¡¯s distant attitude towards him. He always thought that she must have hated him so much after the incident. He humiliated the girl whom he referred to as the "love of his life" in front of everyone. ¡®There¡¯s no way she could forgive me, is there?¡¯ All he could do was silently look at her back as she disappeared in his sight. When Essie went inside the designer¡¯s lounge, the staff was star-struck and quickly thought that she must have entered the wrong area. "Ma¡¯am the star¡¯s lounge is on the other side. This is the designer¡¯s area," one of the staff finally said after they all gazed at her for a while. "Uhm no, I¡¯m one of the designers for the contest," Essie smiled politely. She actually didn¡¯t put on any makeup, but only ayer of transparent lipstick. Despite her natural look, they perceived her as extraordinarily beautiful and bright, like a fairy who was lost in the human realm. The crew¡¯s mouths opened wide in astonishment. They couldn¡¯t believe where the director was able to scout such a young, pretty, and fairy-like designer. A few moments after she went in, Sunny also arrived. "I hate how small the world is for us to always bump into each other. Don¡¯t you think so too?" she said in such a sarcastic voice as she nced at Essie. But Essie didn¡¯t give in to her goading. Before she even came to thepetition, she had already made the resolve to ignore her because she knew that nothing good would evere out if she stooped down to her level. The designer sitting beside her curiously asked, "Do you know each other?" Essie didn¡¯t want to admit but she had no choice so she just nodded slightly. "Well, by the looks of it, it won¡¯t be wrong to assume that you¡¯re not on good terms. Am I right?" he continued. Everyone wasn¡¯t dense not to feel the rather unfriendly atmosphere screaming out between the two. Essie just shrugged it off, hopeful that they would take the hint that she didn¡¯t want to talk about it. In Essie¡¯s mind, Sunny was the epitome of being the scum of the design world. She didn¡¯t deserve to be called an "opponent" or even a "rival" at all. She had no talent whatsoever to be categorized as a designer. Back then, she would just giarize her way up or hire others to do her projects just to achieve her goal. Essie was beginning to worry because she didn¡¯t know what kind of tricks she would dare to employ this time. Soon after, the stars also arrived one after another and were apanied into their lounge for the draw lots. Eventually, it turned out that the one who picked Essie was Nicole Zhao, a very popr actress these days. She was called the "screen goddess" because of the recent fame she was enjoying. She was also actually Eva¡¯s senior. On the other hand, the one who would be paired with Sunny was Zoe, the industry¡¯s superstar. When Nicole saw Essie for the first time, she was obviously disappointed and frustrated. She didn¡¯t even know about her existence before thispetition. In her mind, she was already having several doubts if they would even stand a chance to win the first round. Of course, for a star like her, she joined thispetition with the intention of winning it all. "Hey, are they shooting now?" Nicole asked her assistant. "No. Not yet," the assistant replied while carefully looking around. She was making sure that there was no camera at sight. As her assistant signaled Nicole that the area was clear, she began to light a cigarette and held it in her hands in a very graceful manner. "So, who have you designed for before?" "Uhm, actually, I¡¯m not that kind of designer yet. I have an online store," Essie answered in a soft voice. "What?" Nicole was so shocked that she almost dropped the cigarette that she was holding. ¡®What was that crazy agent thinking? How could she put me in this kind of situation?!¡¯ The truth of the matter was, drawing lots to choose the designer-star pair was just a formality to create an illusion of fairpetition. That way, the viewers would also be more thrilled if they knew that the pairing was done through random selection. It meant that the agents of the stars had alreadymunicated with the crew of the show and put in a word of which designer they wanted to pair with their respective celebrity. With that, Nicole¡¯s agent Riley scouted and got the news that there was an intriguing contestant in the The said designer wasn¡¯t initially on the list and was only added a bitter. ording to the original n, the number of pairings was only seven, but because of the unforeseen addition of the designer, they now had to make eight pairs. At first, the crew of the program had objections with the sudden change. However, after they looked and ran through her design portfolio, they agreed to include her in a heartbeat. They also perceived that this kind of drama would be helpful in increasing audience rating, This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. and would make thepetition more interesting. However, it still remained a mystery as to who was behind the scenes and was pulling the strings of this controversial event. The crew of the show didn¡¯t really mind whoever it was, as long as it could increase the sess rate of their program. As Essie noticed the hesitation and doubts on Nicole¡¯s face, she slowly took out her phone and showed hertest designs. "I know I¡¯m not famous enough, but since you have chosen me, you have to trust me. I will do everything in my abilities to amaze everyone, including you," she said in a confident yet gentle tone. Seeing the burning passion in her eyes, Nicole took a puff and eventually calmed down. "Okay, I heard you. Now, you only have to do one thing for me. We must take down Zoe and whoever designer she was paired with, no matter what!" Nicole and Zoe had always been engaged in heated controversies, whether openly or in secret. To make matters worse, they were nowpeting for the position of No. 1 actress of theirpany. It was not an understatement to say that they were as ipatible as fire and water. Essie gave her word. She didn¡¯t have the slightest intention of losing to Zoe¡¯s partner designer who turned out to be her own rival¡ªSunny. In the next room, Zoe was sittingfortably, thinking about what she was going to do as soon as she won thepetition. ording to her sources, Sunny should be the unanimous winner of the contest¡ªher fianc¨¦. Acent smile was also very visible on Sunny¡¯s face. She already knew who she would be facing off at the first round. She vowed that for Essie, this would be her first andst time being a contestant of thepetition. Chapter 93 Be Friends Only (Part One) Chapter 93 Be Friends Only (Part One) It was the most famous cocktail bar in Yang City. For the first challenge, each team had to select a cocktail and make a dress that could represent it for the party. Sunny had already asked the crew of the program to make Zoe be the first one to select the cocktail she had decided on beforehand. Zoe picked sunset glow as Sunny had told her. Essie, on the other hand, asked Nicole to select a green refreshing cocktail that also had white and blue colors in it. This particr cocktail had a rich vor. The crew of the program was supposed to give them 200 dors, which meant that they had to use the cheapest cloth and essories to maximize the effect. Essie decided to go with a skirt that looked like the ocean. It was fresh and elegant, and it showcased Nicole''s white skin very well. In addition to that, it also highlighted the vor of the cocktail she had chosen. She drew up the sketch as fast as she could, and asked Nicole for feedback. After Nicole didn''t object and told her it was good, Essie started to cut the fabric. They only had 15 hours to prepare, and tomorrow at 12 o''clock the clothes would be on stage for disy. Essie didn''t really need much help from Nicole, but all Nicole could do was stay beside her and pretend to look at the design drawing while the camera was rolling. Besides, Nicole was no longer as worried as she was before. After all, her agent was one of the best agents, and she wouldn''t make the wrong choice in selecting Essie. At ten o''clock in the evening, when all the other designers were still busy with their work, Essie finished making her dress for the party. It looked very elegant, and now, all that was left for her to do was to decide on the essories and make some minor adjustments. Several senior designers couldn''t help but feel shocked and immediately stopped what they were doing. They came over to Essie to "admire" her work. They were rivals, after all. As the saying went, "Know the enemy and know yourself, and you will be invincible." Joe, one of the senior designers, graduated from the University of the Arts London. He was the one who designed the red carpet dress for a movie queen that was used for the Cannes Film Festival. He was amazed by the beautiful long skirt on the mannequin. It was well tailored, with a blue prismatic flower embroidery ced perfectly on the chest area. From a distance, it looked like an extravagant blue gem. The flowing fringes decorated the dress train perfectly. "You are a genius!" He made no attempt to hide what he was thinking. The others nodded their heads in approval. They had originally thought that this young girl only joined to get some publicity, but now, they knew that she was actually a very strongpetitor. Sunny, who was busy sewing her dress on the sewing machine, was so angry that her eyes almost popped out. Even though she had prepared her design beforehand and all she needed to do was to follow the original design, it would still take her a day to finish everything. At first, Zoe had felt happy about Nicole choosing the inexperienced Essie, but now she felt very upset about it. Her expression was quite offensive to Sunny. The hatred Sunny felt towards Essie was like an endless stream. In the evening, all of the designers and stars stayed in the hotel. After a series of performances from the girls, the camera on the wall finally stopped shooting. As soon as Essie remembered that her husband had asked her to call him once she was finished shooting, she picked up her cellphone to call him and report everything to him. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. To her surprise, a woman''s soft and familiar voice spoke on the phone. She thought that she might have dialed the wrong number. Just as she was about to hang up, she heard the woman''s voice again. "You''re Essie, aren''t you? Zac is bathing right now. I''m going to stay here for the night if you don''t mind." Hearing that, Essie tightened her grip on her phone. It was Le. Even though she knew that Zac would definitely go to Le if she was not there, she didn''t expect that he would bring Le over to their apartment. That man could really only think with the lower part of his body. It had only been a few days since they were parted. How could he be so impatient? "Have a good time!" Essie decided not to say any more and hung up. ''I won''t call him from now on. I wouldn''t want to interrupt him,'' she thought. Essie''s good mood suddenly disappeared as shey down on the bed. Zac had a really good eyesight. However, he couldn''t even recognize how insidious and guileful Le''s face was. It was no wonder people always said that people in love are blind. This absolutely proved that. Essie didn''t know why she was so angry, depressed, and unhappy. She thought about it for a while, then decided that it was all because of the resentment she felt towards Le for creating a discord between her and her friend. ''Yes, I''m sure. That''s it,'' Essie thought to herself. If Le had been a very kind and good girl, Essie would be very happy for ice guy and bless them from the bottom of her heart. Meanwhile, in Zac and Essie''s apartment... Le deleted the call log and looked at Zac''s phone secretly with a sinister smile on her face. She was surprised to find that there was only Essie''s number in the call log, as if this phone was meant to make calls to no one else but her. It was indeed for Essie. It was avable 24/7 for her. She looked at Zac''s contact list, and when she found that Essie''s name was the only one in the list, her jealousy for her grew even deeper. Zac was still in the bathroom. He was already taking a shower when she arrived. When she heard himing out of the bathroom, Le quickly put his phone back on the table. "Did my phone ring?" Just now, Zac thought he heard that someone was calling his phone. "Of course not." Le shook her head immediately. The disappointment was in on Zac''s face. That silly woman really did not have a habit of calling him. He took a can of juice from the refrigerator and gave it to Le. "It''ste. What''s up?" With a pout, Le said, "Can''t Ie here for you for no reason?" Zac smiled but said nothing. At that moment, Le''s heart was pounding very quickly. She took a sip of her juice to calm it down as a wave of disappointment swept over her. As a matter of fact, she had a lot of doubts in her heart. She wanted to ask him why he gave the ring to Essie. She also wanted to ask him why he was so good to Essie, and why that girl was so special to him. The words were already on the tip of her tongue, but she held them in. Chapter 94 Be Friends Only (Part Two) Chapter 94 Be Friends Only (Part Two) Zac had always refused to talk about private matters. What was more, he also hated it when others made trouble out of nothing. She didn''t want him to be annoyed, and she always knew exactly how she should act in front of him. But how could Essie do whatever she wanted in front of him without hesitation? Knowing him, he should have hated this kind of woman the most, but howe there was no disgust in his face whenever he looked at her? How could he indulge her, even? "Zac, have youe up with a way to deal with Valery?" Le asked as if she had thought of something. He had Essie here and Valery in Dragon City. One was as cunning as a fox and the other was as vicious as a tiger. Le couldn''t feel at ease wherever he was. "Not until her men have finished traveling the world," Zac said with a sneer. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "I''ll go back to Dragon City with you. Tell them that we''re going to get married. After all, we used to be..." Zac instantly interrupted her by saying, "Don''t worry. I have found a solution, but it''s just not the time for it yet. Just wait." Le was shocked to hear this. ''He has a solution?'' she thought. What method was he talking about? Le was confused, but she refrained from asking because she could tell from his well-thought-out expression that he was not going to say anything. For now, the most important thing for her to do was to get rid of Essie, her other rival in love. Essie had participated in Beauty on Runway, and she had been invited to be the guest for the second phase. At that time, she would teach Essie an unforgettable lesson. In the hotel, Essie was just about to go to bed when her phone rang all of a sudden. She looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Hanson. They were over. There was nothing between them anymore, so why was he calling her? Essie was just about to turn down the call when she suddenly heard Nicole''s voice in her ear. "Answer the phone now! Hanson is one of the judges. He might have some good news to tell you." Essie was stunned. She was not sure if Nicole had heard the gossip or if she thought there might be a back door. She had heard that the entertainment circle was veryplicated, so those who had worked in this circle would probably get more sensitive. Under Nicole''s eager gaze, Essie braced herself and went to the bathroom to answer the call so that Nicole wouldn''t be able to eavesdrop. "Essie, would you like to have a cup of coffee with me?" Hanson said in a low and deep voice. "It''ste, and I have apetition tomorrow. I''m going to bed," she said lightly. There was no need for them to meet again. "Just for a while. It won''t take long." Hanson sounded like he was almost begging her. He would go crazy if he failed to see her today. "Hanson, you are a judge, and I am apetitor. It would be better for us not to meet each other. Besides, we wouldn''t want to be seen by the paparazzi," Essie said in a roundabout way. Hanson fell into silence. Ever since he saw her and Zac looking in love with each other in the morning, his heart had felt like it was being bitten by thousands of ants. He was in so much pain that he actually felt ufortable. The fire of jealousy had destroyed him. It had made him lose his mind. The only thing he could think of was that he wanted to see her, exin everything to her, and beg her to forgive him. "Essie, do you hate me?" "No, I''m not ming you for anything. I know you had no choice." Essie paused for a while, then she bit her lips and said, "It was also a good thing. Let us face reality. We''re better off as friends, and there''s no need for us to meet each other ever again." She waspletely awake now that her dream was shattered. There was never going to be any future between them. He told her that he loved her very much, but she knew that she was hisst priority in his heart. Be, his family, and his own self were much more important to him than her. So the only way he was going to choose her was if he gave up everything. "Essie..." Hanson''s eyes were already red, and thest sentence Essie said broke his heart into pieces. Never meet again! Was she just angry? Or did she really not want to see him anymore? Despair devoured Hanson like a ck tide rolling towards him. Without her, there was no more pride, joy, and hope in his world, and his life was slowly drying up like a river that had been cut off from its water source. "I''m going to bed. Bye," Essie said lightly after hearing no response from him. She hung up the phone at once. When Essie came out, she immediately saw Nicole staring at her in confusion. "Is it okay to be unsatisfied with the judge now?" There was a touch of reproach in her tone. Although the door was closed, she still managed to eavesdrop on their conversation. Essie had no idea what to do. She realized that Nicole was much more eager to win than she was. "We were nothing more than schoolmates." She tried to exin. Nicole smiled at her and put on a facial mask as she said, "I don''t care what happened between you two. All I know is that you should seize every opportunity you can to get ahead." "I want to win with my own strength," Essie said seriously. Nicole shot a sidelong nce at her and sneered. ''Is she really stupid? Or is she just pretending to be stupid? In this circle, strength cannot be relied on. She shouldn''t even be thinking that!'' she thought. It waste at night. Only a few staff on the night shift were left on the TV station. The design studio was dark, and the unfinished clothing were scattered all over therge desk in a disorderly manner. The door made a creaking sound, and a strange figure sneaked in. Its malicious and insidious eyes sparkled in the darkness, and it had a malicious smile on its face. Chapter 95 You Pissed Me Off Chapter 95 You Pissed Me Off At eight o''clock sharp in the morning, the designers and stars arrived at the studio on time. The moment they entered the room, they were all dumbfounded. Essie and Nicole immediately rushed towards the mannequin wearing the dress Essie had made. Mortified, they saw that there were several holes at the hem of her dress. "Who did this?" Beck, Nicole''s assistant, shouted. The photographer immediately called everyone in the crew of the program over. "Was it bitten by a mouse?" one of them muttered. "It''s more than one foot away from the ground. How could a mouse do it? Jump on it and bite? What''s more, none of the others are ruined, just ours. I think someone must have felt threatened by how well we were doing, so he deliberately destroyed our dress! Don''t you all agree?" Beck said unkindly. The director pointed angrily at several cameras on the wall. "When did you turn them off?" "After everyone has left and the room has been closed," the photographer answered. "It should be on twenty-four hours a day!" The director''s eyes were burning with anger as he shouted at the air. The show hadn''t even started yet, but it was already in chaos. "Should we dy the shooting?" the assistant standing behind him asked. "Since the special guest is already here and audiences will be here on time, we can''t afford to dy the shoot," the supervisor said. "So are you telling me that I will have to wear this dress and tell everyone that a mouse ruined it?" Nicole snorted and cast a sharp nce at Zoe. She thought to herself, ''This bitch must have messed it up. She wants to humiliate me and kick me out.'' Zoe then stared back at her with a gloating look on her face. Meanwhile, Sunny, who was standing next to Zoe, wasughing in a sinister andcent manner. ''You little bitch, you''re dead!'' Sunny thought. However, Essie was not in the mood to think about who the culprit was. The only thing she could think of was how to save the dress. "The program can be recorded as usual. I can find a way to fix it." While saying that, she picked up a pair of scissors and walked towards her dress. The director asked the photographer to record the whole scene. In this way, the audience''s interest might be increased. Then, Essie cut off the damaged part and altered the hem of the dress to be asymmetrical. "The dress used to be nimble, elegant and graceful, but now it is edgy and nifty," Joel said, giving Essie a thumbs up. The other designers also gave their praises to her. They had thought before that she already had a design for her dress before thepetition had even begun, but now, theypletely believed in her extraordinary talent and ability as a designer. Nicole smiled, making everyone in the crew feel relieved. The director and the supervisor had a favorable impression of Essie. They thought that a beautiful and capable woman like Essie would guarantee the recognition of their show! After sewing the well-tailored dress, Essie walked towards the cosmetics and essories sponsored by a famous brand to select shoes, make-up, and a hairstyle for Nicole. Following Essie''s suggestion, the make-up artist dolled Nicole up as a beautiful and cool summer goddess. Nicole looked at herself in the mirror and was quite satisfied with her look. It was the first time that Essie had ever been in a studio. When she waited in the lounge at the backstage, her heart thumped nervously. She was dressed in a low-key style. Just a white T-shirt, a casual skirt, and some light natural makeup. First of all, Nicole was the main focus for this show. She didn''t want anyone to focus the camera on her. However, since her T-shirt had the name of her shop and her website printed on it, she secretly asked the photographer to get a close shot of her clothes. She had no idea how far she could go, and she didn''t want to miss the chance to get some publicity for her shop. Nicole managed not to look into her eyes to avoidughing. Essie didn''t know that Zac hade. He was sitting in the middle of the audience. He wore a baseball cap, and the brim of his hat was so low that it covered half of his handsome face. Furthermore, he wore a pair of ck rimmed sunsses. This way, even if the photographer identally captured him on camera, no one would recognize him. There were six judges. And three of them had been reced temporarily by Emperor. Sunny''s family had already hand-picked three of the judges, so she only had to win over the other half of the judges. Zac, on the other hand, didn''t ask any of his subordinates to mention Essie in front of the judges. He just stressed that thepetition should be fair. The special guest for this part was the prince charming, Andrew. Nicole was thest one to appear on the stage. The moment she came out, screams and apuse immediately boomed from the audience. Her beautiful skirt looked like ocean waves in the summer breeze. When Essie showed up in the audience, Zac coughed from her appearance. She had apparently changed herself into a moving advertising board! Hanson had thousands of words that he wanted to say, but all of his words only ended up being an undetectable sigh. Without hesitation, he gave a full score. The other three judges and Andrew also gave the highest score they had given in the match, while the two who had been bought off by Sunny gave her the lowest score possible. To everyone''s surprise, the scores they gave Essie were unusually low, while they gave Sunny a perfect score. The crowd hissed in discontent and everyone gave the two judges a thumbs down. Due to those judges, Essie ended up being in second ce. But Essie was already very satisfied to get the second ce. In fact, she could hardly wrap her head around it. Her goal was just to get second to Meanwhile, Sunny didn''t get the first ce, but only the third. The score her fianc¨¦ had given her was a lot lower than what he had given Essie. It was a big surprise for Essie, but not for her partner, Nicole. She seemed to have hopes of winning the championship. In the audience, Zac''s expression was deep and unreadable. It seemed that he had underestimated Hanson. Apparently, he wanted to get both Be and Essie. Back at the apartment, Zac wanted to celebrate with Essie, but she immediately wore the apron the moment she entered and began cleaning. The house was very clean and spotless. What did she even want to clean? "You have been busy for two days. Aren''t you tired?" He raised his eyebrows. Essie always thought the opposite of everything. Her thoughts were always different from normal people. Essie rolled her eyes and wanted to ask if he wasn''t tired after being with that womanst night, but she stayed silent. Zac touched his chin. Her face was cloudy and rainy, and he had prepared champagne in vain. "Are you disappointed that you were only in second ce?" he asked tentatively. "No, I''m not. I didn''t even expect to get second ce," she said while mopping the floor. "Then why are you upset?" "How did you see that I was unhappy?" She pouted. "With my own two eyes." He grabbed the mop in her hand, picked her up and threw her on the sofa. Essie jumped up and wanted to run away, but Zac grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back hard. Then, he pressed his two arms on the back of the sofa, putting Essie in a brutal position. "Who pissed you off?" ''It''s you, a sponge animal who can only think with the lower part of your body!'' she said angrily in her mind. Essie shot him a ferocious look, and Zac had a sudden realization. "Me?" He opened his thin lips and slowly spat out the word. His eyebrows furrowed a little bit with a sense of confusion. He could not remember what he did to piss off this muddled fool. ''It''s you, you dissolute guy!'' Essie thought. Essie''s small mouth trembled. Just as she was about to speak, she choked on her words. Why was she so angry at him anyway? He was free to date and like whoever he wanted. No matter how insidious and cunning Le was, he was free to choose to date her, and she had no right to interfere. Essie swallowed hard to take in all the strange and negative feelings she had. "I''m tired. I want to sleep for a while." She yawned deliberately, feigning sleepiness. He slowly leaned in to her until his face was so close to hers that they were almost kissing. "How about sleeping with me?" "No way!" She cowered back, afraid that he would start attacking her. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder. We didn''t see each other for one night. Didn''t you miss me?" Zac said as he lifted the corners of his mouth. "If you dare to mess around, I might kick you like I did in the cave again." Essie licked her dry lips and leaned back, trying to bury herself deep in the sofa. N?velDrama.Org content. The color of Zac''s eyes darkened, and he tightened his grip on her long legs to prevent any injuries. He snickered. She was frozen in ce, and all the words she wanted to say were muffled when his thin lips covered her mouth. They were only apart for one day, but it seemed like three entire years. Zac missed her so muchst night, so he had to make up for it today. And he didn''t let her go until she was almost out of breath. Satisfied with her reaction, he lifted her up softly and carried her upstairs. Now she could go to bed, but he still had to apany her. Essie turned her back to him and sulked on the bed. She was like a helplessmb in front of this wolf. He had a girlfriend, but he was still ying with her. She now realized that he wanted to have a lot of concubines. When it came to men, the more women, the better. They would never mind having more. Well, he shouldn''t expect that she would be as crazy for him as Le was. She would never like him, ever! Beauty on Runway met the audience on Saturday evening. The barrage was outrageous. The audience was very fired up. In one night, Essie had be a hot topic on Weibo and gained a lot of fans. The titles "fairy sister" and "design goddess" overwhelmed her. And the sudden influx of orders on her online shop worried her a little. It was no wonder that a few seconds of advertising on TV could cost as much as ten million dors. The effect was really amazing. But because she was going to take part in the second phase of thepetition on Monday, she had no time to work on the orders. Seeing Essie sighing with her chin on her hand, Zac walked up to her and touched her head. "Now you''re only responsible for making the design. I''ll find someone to sew it for you." Essie''s eyes lit up. This was a good idea. Although the cost would be increased, it was still much better than cancelling the orders and losing customers. On the other side of Yang City, Sunny was very pissed off. The show was meant to tter her, but to her surprise, Essie became so popr. That girl was so lucky. She had bribed the security guard of the TV station and asked him to sneak into the design room and damage the dress, but she didn''t expect that Essie would be able to turn the tide! What was more, Hanson gave Essie a higher score than her, so he must still have feelings for her. She grabbed a ss of red wine from the tea table and took a big gulp. Her lips were bloodthirsty as she picked up her phone and dialed a number. "George, can you do something for me?" Chapter 96 The Trick Chapter 96 The Trick Leaving the vi, Sunny went straight to Be, hoping to find Hanson. She had a lot of questions to ask him. Hanson had already anticipated her arrival. Sitting on the main chair, he looked indifferent and there was a slight sneer on the corners of his mouth. "How dare you give me the score eight whereas Essie gets to have ten? After all, I am your fianc¨¦e! I deserve more than her!" Sunny was writhing with both hatred and jealousy. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Her words left Hanson unmoved. Slowly, he took a sip of his tea and said, "I was considerate enough to have given you eight. If you hadn''t been my fianc¨¦e, you would have received the score zero from me." "What... What do you mean?" Sunny stammered, unable to believe her ears. ''Did he actually say those words?'' she wondered with fear. "Don''t think you can fool me. I know all about the dirty tricks you have used to win. And the worst part is, you didn''t follow the original design. An average tailor would have done a better task than you. It is beyond me why you wish to belong in the design circle. This is not for you," Hanson said with a sneer. Sunny''s face flushed scarlet. "My father is rich. I can do whatever I want. With the wealth we have, I can get way ahead of those poor girls!" Sunny said. Indirectly, she was referring to Essie. "But as a judge, the only thing I look for is your capability. As for how much money you have, that''s none of my business." Today, the little respect he had for Sunny disappeared. Her words made it evident she was a proud woman. His eyes shed an extremely malicious and cold light. The way her family had brought her up was disgusting. Their son was a ck sheep and their daughter was a stupid pig. If ever they lost the money they had, they would be beggars. They had no skill nor patience to learn anything. On Sunday, Eva arrived Starbucks, where she was supposed to meet up with Essie. When Eva arrived, Essie was already there. shing a smile, she gave her friend a tight hug. Theyst met at the fashion week. Since then, she had been working in a studio in another city. The filming hadn''te to an end till yesterday. "Are you done with Hanson?" Eva asked, unable to hide her curiosity. The other day, her agent dragged her to the other end of the party, asking her to take a video. When she came back, she learned that there was a serious matter happening to her best friend. When she was about to go to the apartment tofort her, she received a temporary notice that she was going to shoot in another city. The solefort she could give was through phone. But now, she was d to be sitting face to face with her friend. Stirring the coffee in her cup, Essie said, "I''ve chased him for five years. I''m tired now." "On that eventful day, after you were taken away by Zac, Hanson fainted. That goes to show he cares for you." Eva sighed. Hearing that, Essie was a little startled. She didn''t know about this. Perhaps he had feelings for her. But he had gotten himself into a mess. Her existence would only increase the burden on his shoulder. Considering all of this, it was best for them to break up. "I don''t think we are meant for each other." "Where is that cold and handsome guy? I heard that he dered on fashion week that you are his woman," Eva said, trying to change the topic. She let out a snicker. "It''s not like you haven''t seen his girlfriend before. She is not easy to deal with. On top of everything, Mandy suspects I am having an affair with him. Several time, she started a fight with me. I don''t want to be a part of this chaotic mess," said Essie, shaking her head violently. "Well, you can be the final winner," Eva said sympathetically patting her on the shoulder. "Haven''t heard of the saying that two dogs strive for a bone and a third runs away with it. Let''s hope that happens here!" Eva was trying to lift Essie''s spirit. With a wry smile, Essie shook her head. "Even though my rtionship with Hanson is over now, it doesn''t mean that I can forget him. At present, I should focus on my career." At the mention of career, Eva remembered that she hade here to congratte her friend. Since they had no champagne, she raised a cup of coffee and said, "Essie, let''s have a drink to celebrate your sess and fame!" shing a smile, Essie raised her ss and gently clinked it with Eva''s. "I''m just a winner of the first battle. I''m far away from being famous." "Do you want to be a star? My agent admires you after watching yourpetition. You are talented and she will be more than happy to take you in," Eva suggested with a grin. Essie poked at her forehead and said, "Eva, I remember that you have made a lot of troubles in the entertainment circle. You once sshed red wine on sponsor''s shirt, hit Mr. Xu''s penis and the head of Mr. Zhang. If your agent knows that I''m with you, she will decide to destroy the contract immediately." Eva smirked, feeling a little awkward. The entertainment circle was indeed messy. Fortunately, she was a gangster. She could protect herself. As for her best friend, she was weak and not strong enough. Therefore, she''d better stay away from the circle. While they were talking andughing, they didn''t notice that there were two pairs of eyes secretly staring at them. The bald man winked at the man beside him. Then he stood up, took the coffee and started walking. When he passed by Eva, he pretended to stumble and spilled the coffee on her. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry..." He kept apologizing, looking extremely sorry. "It''s alright," Eva replied seeing he didn''t mean to do it. After wiping her clothes with a tissue, Eva stood up and went to the bathroom. The bald man took the opportunity and sat on the chair which was upied by Eva earlier. He squinted at Essie and said, "Are you the beautiful designer of Beauty on Runway? I''m your fan. I like you and your work very much." Upon hearing this, Essie was a little surprised and thought, ''Oh my God! How could I be recognized so soon?'' She nodded but wasn''t quite pleased with hispliment. His gaze kept examining her body. The world was a crooked ce and she had to be careful. "I''m sorry. But this is my friend''s seat. She will be back soon." The bald man realized he had to hurry up. Things would be difficult once Eva came back. He took out an envelope from his pocket. The words Beauty on Runway was printed on it. "Honey, as you ordered, I gave the crew of the program a sum of money yesterday to help you with the specific rules are in the envelope. You will definitely win if you follow them." Essie was shocked and stood up at once. "Are you insane? I don''t even know you. If you don''t leave right now, I will call the police!" She took out her mobile phone and wanted to call 911. Another man, sitting not far away from her, stood up immediately and put his arm around the bald man''s shoulder. "Sorry. My brother is insane. And today, he forgot to take medicine." With an apologetic face, he went away with the bald man. As soon as they were out of her sight, they looked at each other with a victorious smile on their faces. They had gotten what they wanted! The photos were ready. What they didn''t know was that there was another pair of eyes in the cafe who had witnessed everything. When Eva came out of the bathroom, she saw that Essie looked a little disturbed. Feeling concerned, she asked her what was the issue. But Essie decided not to dwell on it. Shaking her head, she said, "Nothing. Just came across a neurotic." "You are now famous. As the saying goes, big trees are easily damaged by wind. You have to be careful in the future," Eva reminded her. Essie nodded again. Today, she realized fame wasn''t easy. Life wouldn''t be all that great if she got fame and sess. The next day, at television station, people were bustling. Essie rememberedst time when she came here, the paparazzi treated her as a passer-by, paying her no attention. But today, things were quite different. Paparazzi paid her all the attention,ing in front of her car and knocking on the car window. She couldn''t even get off the car. ''Fame is so overwhelming,'' she thought, unable to handle this spotlight. Zac was fully armed this time, wrapped in baseball cap, toad sses, and arge mask. Nobody could see his handsome face. He had to avoid the paparazzi at any cost. If he ended up on the news, chances were Valery would find him. He couldn''t take any risk. He also changed his car to a low-key Cadic. The paparazzi had a tendency to pry. If Essie came in a limited edition Bentley, then he would definitely make it to the headlines. Once again, Valery would be notified of his whereabouts. Every now and then, Essie nced at Zac. The way he was dressed up made her feel quite ufortable. ''Is he afraid of being seen with me?'' she couldn''t help but wonder. "Don''t worry. If the paparazzi will inquire about our rtionship, I''ll be more than happy to tell them you are my brother!" she said, wanting to make him see she wasn''t too fond to have her name attached with his. She tugged at the rim of his big hat. Behind the big mask, Zac was at loss of words. He didn''t know how to tell her she wasn''t the problem. Then, Essie got out of the car and headed toward the TV station under the protection of Zac and the staff. He didn''t answer any questions that came from the paparazzi. There was a rule that the journalists were not allowed to interview without permission. Hence Zac seeded in remaining silent. When the crew of the program was announcing the theme, Essie was eagerly waiting to hear it. And when they announced it, she was stunned. ''Is that a chance... Is there a chance that man wasn''t insane?'' she wondered with some anxiety. She had a faint sense of uneasiness in her heart. As soon as she entered the studio, she immediately put aside her negative emotions. She chose a sapphire ne, which was called the Asian Star. Inspiration flooded her mind at the sight of it. She wanted to make an appealing evening dress that had a mix of archaic Chinese charm and modern vor. Her mission was to make something with unparalleled beauty. Not far away, Sunny was looking at her with a ferocious look. When Essie was cutting the cloth, Sunny poured a cup of hot coffee. Instead of stopping, she continued and poured some onto the tailored cloth Essie had worked on. The newly cut cloth was dyed with coffee and Essie''s hand had been scalded. "What''s wrong with you?" Nicole screamed when she saw what had happened. "I''m sorry. It was an ident. No need to make a scene," Sunny replied feigning innocence. "You were seated near the tea room yet you walked around us. How can this be an ident? I know what you are trying to do!" Nicole spat out, writhing with rage. She hastily called the staff and applied ointment on Essie''s hand. Deep in her heart, she cursed Sunny''s parents and her ancestors. Essie, on the other hand, remained calm. After all, she had been ustomed to her dirty tricks. When she was in Be, this used to be a regr business. She suffered a lot under Sunny''s brutality. "Can you continue to do now?" When Nicole saw that Essie''s hand was blistered, she was very worried. "It doesn''t matter. I feel much better after applying the ointment. However, this cloth is useless now and I have to cut a new one." Essie tried her best to look rxed. If she panicked then Nicole would too. Nicole put a piece of gauze on her hand and realized that she liked this partner a lot. She was strong andpetitive but at the same time calm. Because of the wound on her hand, Essie slowed down her pace, but she still managed to finish her evening dress smoothly. On the day when the judge would announce the winner, Essie was full of confidence. She was quite satisfied with the evening dress. Even if she couldn''t bag the first ce, she wouldn''t be eliminated. Nicole, on the other hand, seemed positive that her work would receive first prize. It was the most beautiful evening dress she had ever tried. "How about designing a dress for me at next month''s Golden Eagle Festival?" she requested. "That would be my pleasure," Essie consented with a bright smile. The new judge was a professor and designer Jacob from Istituto Marangoni hired by the Emperor. He was quite famous and almost everyone in the fashion industry knew him and his work. His presence was what made this show to be a top-notch designpetition in the fashion circle. However, when the special guest arrived at the venue, Essie''s heart skipped a beat. Chapter 97 Kick Me When Im Down Chapter 97 Kick Me When I''m Down Enemies are bound to meet in a narrow alley. Sunny alone was a hurdle to deal with. And now, with Le''s arrival, things were bound to be harder. Essie was consumed by fear. If Le became an unfair judge, it could spoil Essie''s life. As expected, the points that Le gave were very low, and she also pointed out a lot shorings. Relentlessly, she used Essie of not following the theme. She also said her workcked creativity and essence. ''What the hell!'' Essie shouted in her mind. ording to her, Le was a petty person who had used personal issues in the professional sphere. It was quite a low blow. On top of that, Zac could be watching the show right now. ''Aren''t you afraid that he will see the ugliness inside you?'' she wondered. The two judges who had been bought off by Sunny''s family also took the chance to add insult to injury. As ordered by Sunny, one gave her score five and the other gave her six. Even the host was shocked by the result. Even though Essie and Nicole received full points from Hanson, the other three judges'' scores brought them down to thest ce. In the spectator''s stand, a man, unable to take this crap, stood up and shouted, "The judges are being unfair to them!" Upon hearing this, Nicole''s fans, who were already angry, got the courage to speak up. They liked Essie because she was with Nicole. Hence, Nicole''s fans had slowly begun to be Essie''s fans too. When they saw that their idol was being treated unfairly, they couldn''t help but stand up for her. Together, they spoke against Le and the two judges. They chanted they didn''t deserve to be here at the Beauty on Runway. A moment ago, everything was fine. But things became chaotic now. The men''s team, which was supposed to perform thest show, had toe out to sing a song, hoping to cool down the audience. Siting in the middle of the audience, Zac stayed calm. Everything had gone as per his ns. ''Let the contemptible scoundrels who wanted to ruin Essie''s career watch their ns get backfired,'' he thought with some satisfaction. Instead of looking at this as an issue, Zac wanted to take advantage of it. This uproar would bring Essie a lot of supporters. It would also raise her poprity. Essie, Nicole and the other group were now in the PK. Nicole was bereft of any worries. She knew she wouldn''t be knocked out as she could tell that Hanson cared a great deal about Essie. If she failed in the PK, he would use the resurrection right to save her. However, she was still angry. They deserved to be the champion, but instead they had reached the PK! Her frustration was getting out of control. After that, Essie changed the dress. This one was hollow and had a cut in the front, giving it the shape of waves. When Nicole put on her new dress and walked out of the fitting room, all the guests burst into apuse. The host gave the microphone to Nicole, whose eyes were brimming with hot tears. "I don''t think it''s easy for my designer. The first dress which we worked on was damaged by an anonymous creature. With the limited time, we started making a second one. It wasn''t easy but we managed. As if to throw salt to our wounds, another contestant poured hot coffee on our well-tailored cloth. My designer''s hand was scalded too. Yet she endured the pain and continued to work. I have never admired anyone the way I admire her now. She is really talented, capable of turning wealth out of waste. Even if we can''t make it to the end because of some very jealous people, I don''t care. This experience was wonderful since I have formed a beautiful friendship." In the audience, her fans shouted, "Nicole, I love you. Essie, I love you!" Standing next to her, Essie was touched by her words. Whether Nicole meant it or said it for the sake of formality, Essie didn''t care. Her words were quite touching. When she took over the microphone, she praised Nicole repeatedly. Indeed, it was fun working with her. Before the final knocks, Jacob stood up and announced, "The former dress was perfect. I think they are the champion today." He spoke in English but it was quickly tranted. "Now that it has been changed, I feel a bit weird. If someone thinks it wasn''t beautiful, I think something must bepletely wrong with their aesthetic sense. I would go as far as saying that such a person isn''t suitable for the fashion industry." That was a positive response, lifting Essie''s spirit. It also went like a sharp stab to Sunny whose efforts to destroy Essie weren''t working. As the top-ranking designer in the design world, Jacob was the god and hisments were like imperial edict. The audience burst into a warm apuse. A lot of fans howled with excitement. "Miss Essie," he continued, "you have applied for Istituto Marangoni, haven''t you?" Essie was shocked and replied in English, "How do you know?" "Because I was your interviewer and your work left a very deep impression on me. I recognized you as soon as you set your foot in the studio." His words began to bring some memory back to Essie''s head. When she was in Mn for the interview, she was extremely nervous and didn''t dare to pay much attention to the interviewers. Thest thing she wanted was to seem like an impolite girl. As a result, she forgot she kept her gaze on the table for the most part. "Professor Jacob, I''m d to meet you again!" she said with a confidence she hadn''t shown earlier. "I''m d to see you again, Miss Essie. Among the students I have interviewed, only two of them were extremely talented. You both left me stunned. The first one was you and the second was Hanson, who is sitting beside me right now. You got the first ce among all the students who had been enrolled that year. Without any second thoughts, the school approved of your application for full schrship. But to our utter surprise and disappointment, you rejected our invitation. May I please know the reason behind your unwillingness toe?" Hearing that, the corners of Essie''s mouth twitched a little. At this moment, she could not help but nce at Hanson. As soon as her eyes met his, their hearts surged, like a hurricane had happened. This was a secret he hadn''t known. What he heard hit him hard. The year she graduated, he had just returned from Mn. ''Did she give it all up for me?'' he wondered. She had given up her best career for him. But what had he given her in return? He made her life miserable! Of course, Zac followed her eyes and her thoughts. His ck eyes were as deep and dark as an ice pool, terribly gloomy and dreadful. It turned out that in her heart, Hanson was much more important than her future. And he had no space in her heart. ''Is that dude really worth her affection?'' Zac couldn''t help but wonder. "Professor Jacob," she said, "Istituto Marangoni is on top of the design circles, the holy hall that every designer dreams of. I have wished to go to this noble school to study. But some personal issue came in between, and I couldn''t join. But I will not give up since I wish to apply again. I hope you will permit me N?velDrama.Org content. to do that." Jacob nodded with a smile. "I''ll be waiting for you in Istituto Marangoni." This conversation made Essie rise from a nobody to a dark horse in the design circle. As the main judge, Hanson said, "Thank you, Professor Jacob. He is my mentor, the man I respect and admire the most. I''m so d to see him here today." Soon, he moved forward and hugged Jacob. "I hope the rating will be fair this time. Don''t be affected by personal feelings and external factors," Hanson added, as an afterthought, looking at the other judges. Le and two others who had to give her an awful score on Sunny''s request were extremely embarrassed. In order to save face and reputation, they werepelled to give 9. ''Wow!'' Essie thought. Finally, the two girls managed to enter the third round. After leaving the TV station, Nicole proposed to have an afternoon tea together. When Essie walked into the box in the tea hall, she saw Hanson. "I think you should talk to him." Nicole smiled and went out of the room. It turned out that drinking tea was an excuse as she wanted to arrange a meeting between Essie and Hanson. As soon as the door was closed, Hanson rushed to her and hugged her. His grasp over her body was strong. Emotions flowed from his body to hers. "I... I''m sorry. I let you down. I''m sorry... " he uttered as tears welled up in his eyes. "Hanson." Essie broke free from his grip and stepped backwards to keep a distance between them. "Let bygones be bygones. You never asked me for anything, I did it on my own ord," she said lightly, as if she hadn''t done something big. A pain surged through his heart. He couldn''t let her shrug it all off like it was nothing. "My mother had a heart attack and was in dire need of a surgery. She didn''t want me to be with you. I had no other choice but to oblige. I was hoping to wait until she recovered so that I could exin things to you." Essie trembled again. She knew he was forced by his mother, and she couldn''t forget how the old woman had insulted her. In the past, her mother''s mother-inw had been extremely hard on her mother. She picked on her, humiliated her, and finally kicked her out. Thinking about her mother''s experience, Essie was quite worried the tragedy would be repeated if she married Hanson. "If she can''t ept me, why do you have to force her?" Essie demanded. A girlfriend or wife could be easily reced, but nobody could take a mother''s ce. Between his mother and her, he would always choose his mother, just like her father had done back then. "She will. She is just worried that my position will suffer. If I prove to her that I can be the president of Be without Sunny''s family''s support, she will be fine. And then, there will be no objection against our rtionship from my mother." Hanson walked forward and wanted to hold her hand, but she shrank back. His words hadn''t convinced her. "What if she still won''t ept me?" "I will marry you then. I have set my mind to it. Her rejection won''t change my mind." It seemed that he was making a vow, but she didn''t feel anyfort in her heart. If anything, his determination worried her. In the past, her father had married her mother in spite of his mother''s objection, thinking that sooner orter she would ept. However, that olddy was stubborn and wouldn''t change her mind. She did everything possible to create troubles for the pair. From what she knew, Florey couldn''t be less cruel than her grandmother. And she didn''t have the energy to live a life that was full of obstacles. "Hanson, I am very happy and satisfied with the time I had spent with you. There is no need to go forward, especially when we know how hard it is going to be. Let''s call it an end. We have some beautiful memories to live by." "No, I don''t want our rtionship to end like this," he said, shaking his head. He couldn''t let her give up on them. He rushed to her and held her tightly again. No matter how hard he tried, she wouldn''t stay still. Holding her was akin to holding onto a handful of sand, it slipped away from his fingers. "Give me one more chance. Essie, I promise no matter what happens, I will not break up with you. I am here to give you happiness, not to hurt you." His voice was trembling. He was on the verge of begging. In her heart, there were only ashes left since her heart had been burnt out. "Hanson, I''ve loved you for five years. I''m really tired. I don''t want to be your prisoner anymore." "I am not here to make you a prisoner. I want you here so I can shower you with my love." He buried his head in her hair and breathed in her fragrance. She turned her head away, trying to maintain a distance. "Do you really love me?" "Yes. I fell in love with you the first time I saw you at school," he confessed for the first time. His confession filled her with astonishment and amazement. Even though she wanted to believe, she couldn''t believe him. "Then why haven''t you confessed in the past five years?" she demanded, unable to hide her shock. Chapter 98 You Are Lying Chapter 98 You Are Lying "I..." Hanson wanted to say something but stopped after giving it a second thought. At first, he was forced by his mom to give up, and he was afraid that he was too young to give her a future. After that, he went into Be. He couldn''t do anything due to the strife between him and his family. And now, the only thing he could do was put aside his love for her. All of these turned into a kind of silent sorrow that choked his throat. "I''ll love you more and make up for everything that happened for the past five years," he continued. Essie put on a smile that was full of sorrow, bitterness, and despair. He did love her, but he did not care about her at all. She had waited him for five years, and had actively confessed her love to him. However, he didn''t wee her in his arms, making her look like a big fool. After getting drunk, she married someone else and lost the most precious innocence that she had been saving for him. "Did you ever think of me when you were about to marry Sunny? I confessed my love for you, but you didn''t say anything. Did you ever think about my feelings when you left with your fianc¨¦e? I won''t be stupid anymore. I''ve already made it clear to you, Hanson. Every time you had to choose among your family, Be, and me, I''m the one you decided to give up. I am not giving you another chance to abandon me. It''s too hard to love you!" Essie''s tone was no longer gentle. Instead, it was sharp, filled with grief, resentment, and usation. A sharp pain shed across Hanson''s face, but he didn''t know how to refute her words. She was right. Because he wanted to get Be first, he made her wait. And because he wanted to get his mother to be cured first, he decided to separate from her temporarily. He loved her. He wanted to be with her, but he always made up his mind to give her up. For his sake, she gave up the opportunity to study in Instituto Marangoni. Even though she was bullied by Sunny and couldn''t find a job, she still chose to stay in Yang City, because of him. She loved him fiercely, but he was too much of a coward in love. He copsed on the chair as if all of his strength had been drained away. He held his head in his hands and ruffled his short hair restlessly. Dead silence filled the room. Then, Essie looked at him coldly, without even a sliver of hope or anger. "I''m leaving, Hanson." Without waiting for his answer, she turned around and walked out at once. A teardrop fell down from Hanson''s eyes. He felt nothing but despair and sadness. Today, Zac just stayed silent. Ever since Essie entered the room, he had not said a word. He just stood alone on the balcony for a long time. He stared at the sunset in the sky. The setting sun shone brightly, but his eyes were like a deep well that was dark, cold, and a ce where the sun could not shine. Essie, on the other hand, was just lying on the sofa, too distracted to talk to him. It was not until dusk that she sat up and took two bottles of wine from the refrigerator. "Zac,e and drink with me." He quivered slightly, as if he was chilled by the night breeze. After a moment of silence, he turned around and came over. She handed the wine to him and said, "Let''s get drunk today." He sat on the sofa and took a sip of wine. "We got married thest time when we got drunk. What do you think will happen if we get drunk this time?" "Maybe we''ll get divorced!" Essie smiled faintly. "Do you want a divorce?" Zac''s dark eyes gleamed and became even deeper. "ording to the rule, you have been punished to have a divorce five yearster." She wrinkled her nose and stuck out her tongue. "I''ll try and make more mistakes. I''ll try my best to have a divorce 50 yearster." The corners of his mouth curled up, and he suddenly leaned forward, his thin lips skimming over Essie''s small mouth like a dragonfly skimming the surface of the water. She pushed him away and maintained a safe distance from him. "Are you always so flirtatious with women?" "Only when I am with my woman," he said with an evil smile. "I''m not your woman." She pursed her lips and thought, ''Go and find your small-minded Le.'' Le only gave her a score of five and told her that she did not see the soul of the jewelry and did not know its essence. She even said that her evening dress was only good for stalls and had low quality. Shit! Wasn''t she afraid of lightning and thunder because of the lie? The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She raised her head and took a swig of wine to vent her anger! With his arms on the back of the sofa, Zac looked somewhat domineering. "If you don''t want to be my woman, you can''t be with anyone else in your life." His tone was slow but full of threats. "What? I''ve got a lot of suitors. No need for you to worry about me." Essie crossed her arms in front of her chest and puffed up her two pink cheeks. What he said just now made her even angrier. So she decided to charge him for what his girlfriend did to her. Taking a slight bow, Zac said, "Let''s see who will dare to be with you without my permission." ''What a provocation! Who cares?'' thought she. Essie jumped up abruptly, put her hands on her hips, and red at him fiercely. "If I don''t go to the Civil N?velDrama.Org content. Affairs Bureau to sign on the divorce paper, then you won''t have any other woman in your life. And the women you are with will have to be kicked out!" Zac grinned. The depression that had umted in the shooting site suddenly disappeared. Essie really had the ability to make him happy, worried, annoyed, and out of control. He reached out his hand, grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. Then she fell into his arms, screaming. "Let''s see who''s more powerful and can beat the damn peach blossoms around us?" he challenged her. She struggled and tried to get up. But he was as strong as a tiger. How could this littlemb resist him? All she could do was let him control her. "Fine, don''t cry then!" Essie said. A cold look shed in her eyes. She would start with his childhood sweetheart and kick her overseas. His slender fingers touched her face, and with an evil and cold expression on his face, he said, "Do you think I should start with Hanson first?" Her bright eyes turned dark at once. "He doesn''t count," Essie said in a low voice. Zac''s ck pupils shrank. "Why?" "He''s already in the past." Her eyebrows knitted together in a frown. She knew that Hanson was only forced to give up her, but she was totally exhausted, and she didn''t have the courage and perseverance to wait for an uncertain result. Her words made Zac''s heart light up for an instant, but when he saw the painful expression on her face, he quickly felt gloomy again. "If I made you choose again, will you choose Hanson or Instituto Marangoni?" She bit her lower lip, as if making a very difficult choice. After a long time, she said weakly, "I''ll never regret my choice." She never regretted loving him. Perhaps he never loved her, and it was all just wishful thinking on her part. But it would be still better than now. Never before had she felt like this. Her heart was empty. The moment she got what she wanted, she lost it at once. She could notpletely forget him. As long as he was in her heart, she could not ept another person. Zac unconsciously tightened his arms around her waist. His brows were knitted together, his handsome face was tight, and almost every muscle of his was tinged with gloom. "Stupid!" he said in a deep voice. His low and hoarse voice contained uncontroble anger. Instead of trying tofort her, he hit her instead! Then, Essie held her fist in the air and hit him on the shoulder hard. "On second thought, I feel a little regret now. If I had gone to Instituto Marangoni and I''m still in Mn now, I would not have met you, the big bad wolf!" "It''s toote. You have already been eaten by me." Zac smirked and lowered his head to kiss her, not letting go of her fist no matter how much she struggled. He wouldn''t give up until he felt satisfied with her sweetness. He kissed her for such a long time that Essie felt like she was going to faint from suffocation. When they were done kissing, she leaned on his chest while panting slightly. She felt quite dizzy, and her mind was entirely nk. It was as if she had been forced to drink arge ss of whisky and gotten drunk. Looking at her red and swollen lips, Zac smiled and raised his hand to stroke her face. "You are mine," he said. His voice was low and deep, like a gentle night breeze that had an intoxicating tenderness to it. He was not going to allow anyone to steal her away from him, especially not Hanson. Essie''s heart skipped a beat. ''What does he mean?'' He doesn''t love her at all, so how could she be his? She was not a toy, nor was she his mistress. Did he think that she didn''t have her own feelings and dignity? "You are not mine. Why should I be yours?" She red at him. "You idiot, do you really want me?" His lips curled into a teasing smile. This was the biggest joke she had heard in her whole life! Even if he had an unparalleled beauty, the most she could do was to appreciate it. He was domineering, indifferent, narcissistic, and had a sharp tongue. She wouldn''t dare to take him. "Don''t tter yourself. I''m not interested in you at all." Essie curled her lips with disdain. Zac rubbed his chin and said, "Idiot, do you know what your biggest feature is?" "What is it?" She blinked. "You''re a liar," Zac said, lifting his charming thin lips. Essie was speechless. It would be better for her to stay away from this venomous man. After the careful editing of the second round of Beauty on Runway, the show would air on Saturday. It showed the scene where Essie''s dress was ruined in the first episode, and the scene where Sunny poured coffee on her deliberately. As a result, the show was a hit again, and it left the other satellite TV stations far behind in ratings. Overnight, there was a huge surge of public opinions on various social media tforms like youtube and google. "Unfair judges on Beauty on Runway!" "Sunny go to hell!" "Le, where is your dignity?" The top ten most searched things on google were Beauty on Runway, Essie, and Nicole. Someone had to hire paid rumormongers to prove their innocence. In the vi, Sunny stamped her feet and screamed with anger. Essie had fought back. Fortunately, she was well prepared for the situation. If she couldn''t eliminate her from the match, she could at least discredit her. She hurriedly made a phone call to George. "Spread the video and hire a group of people to make a scene," she told him. Chapter 99 Numerous Gossips (Part One) Chapter 99 Numerous Gossips (Part One) The video was edited by cutting off the part where Essie stood up to call the police. All that could be seen was the bald guy handing her the envelope. With the help of the rumor and the incitement of the paid posters, the public opinion took a big twist. All of a sudden, the victim became the target of public scrutiny. Now, Essie was deceiving, over-hyped, and was a green tea bitch. All of the abuse hurled at Essie almost drowned her, and as her partner, Nicole was also hurt. The crew of the program was also shocked. They called Essie immediately and asked her and Nicole to go to the TV station. They wanted to find out the truth and discuss countermeasures. Sitting in the car, Essie was aggrieved and furious. She had been worried about this happening before, and it actually turned out to be a conspiracy against her. "That bald man was not crazy at all. He must have been hired to y tricks on me. If I find him, I will cut him into pieces and feed him to the dogs!" she said. Zac, on the other hand, was extremely calm. He stroked her head and said, "Don''t worry. Good fortune always follows a disaster and disaster lurks within good fortune." Outside the TV station, there were many reporters and fake fans. All of them were hired by Sunny. In their hands was a photo of Essie that had been painted with a big X. They shouted, "Essie, Essie, get out of the show, and get out of the fashion circle!" A stinky egg came flying towards Essie as soon as she got out of the car. Zac quickly protected her and put in a good word for her. Then, several tall and strong men in ck approached the crowd and threw the man who had thrown the egg three meters away. The man was rendered unable to move. Seeing this, the others in the crowd became too scared to move, and even their voices seemed to be caught in their throats. Essie mistakenly thought that the men in ck were the security guards of the TV station, when in fact, they were Zac''s people. He had already foreseen that someone would try to make trouble. The men in ck led the way, until Essie had entered the TV station. Eva was very worried when she saw the video. When she called Essie, she told her that she was going to the television station. She immediately came, wanting to help her in some way. A whileter, Nicole and Hanson also arrived there. Essie immediately told the staff her version of what happened at Starbucksst week. "I was in Starbucks the other day when the bald man sshed coffee on me. After that, I went to the washroom to clean myself up," exined Eva. "I guess they sent me away on purpose so that they can frame up Essie," she added. "I knew you were set up," Nicole said with a frown. She had been in the entertainment circle for many years, and she had seen a lot of simr things. "I won''t spare him if I find out who did this," Hanson said, gnashing his teeth. He would do everything to figure it out. ''It better have nothing to do with Sunny, or I will kill her for sure,'' he thought. He turned to look at the director. "Director, it seems like there is a mole in your crew. Please look into it carefully." "I will figure it out," the director said at once. In the ckmercial vehicle not far from the television station. Zac and a man in ck quietly watched the farce outside. The man in ck was named Josh. Zac had sent him to protect Essie in secret. He had been secretly following Essie recently whenever she was out. He saw the scenes in Starbucks clearly and took a video of it too. But it was not the right time for Zac to make a move. He wanted to wait for the right moment that he could bring Essie to justice. "The person who sent the video has been caught. He told me that it was Sunny''s idea. Seems like she hasn''t been taught a good enough lesson," Josh snorted. "Let her have more freedom." A cold look shed in Zac''s eyes. Sunny was the best restraint on Hanson. With her in the picture, Hanson would not dare to go after Essie openly. "Upload the video online in the name of a photo blogger tonight." Zac opened the car door and went out of the car. He had a feeling that Essie wasing back. As soon as Essie came out of the TV station, Hanson quickly caught up with her and said, "Don''t worry. I will prove your innocence." "Thank you, Hanson." "There are a lot of reporters outside. I have to go," she added. Hanson stared after her as she left in a hurry. He felt depressed, but he had no idea what to do. Eva patted him on the shoulder tofort him. "Take it easy. The key is to deal with your mother and Sunny first," she said. Hanson gritted his teeth. What Eva said made sense. He could no longer be so passive. The only way he could win her back was if she saw that there was a future between them. The night was dark and rich, like a cup of ck tea that had been sitting for a long time. However, a new round of fierce battle on the Inte had just begun. A blogger named No.5 uploaded the video he had taken at Starbucks by chance. It was another dramatic reversal. Some of the people who didn''t have a firm stand had gone from fans to haters then from haters to fans. Essie and Nicole''s fans emerged like bamboo shoots, and they even looked for the bald man and his partner. While all of this was happening, Essie was just lying on the bed with her heart beating very fast. She was finding it very difficult to calm down. She was in heaven while also in hell at the same time. How dramatic! But in hindsight, this was also great publicity for her. Now, not only did the Inte store be popr, but a few other online shops had even reached out to her to promote her brand, Summer 100¡æ which was the name of her online shop and the trademark of her clothes. Zac was wise enough to register the trademark for her before she Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. participated in the program. Zac was casually ying on his iPad beside her. Essie kicked him lightly and said, "It''s already 12 o''clock. Why don''t you go back to your room to sleep?" "Can''t I just sleep here?" The corners of his mouth curled up, forming a small smile. "Whatever. I''m going to sleep." Essie turned her back to him. Since he had blocked the rotten egg for her today, he deserved to sleep on the same bed as her. Zac''s eyes suddenly sparkled. He put down the iPad at once, then hey down beside Essie and hugged her from behind. "Don''t push your luck." Essie wriggled her body, pretending to be mad at him, but she didn''t try to free herself from his grip. ''Anyway, he has never crossed the line. I don''t care about his small tricks. He has already taken advantage of me before after all, so I don''t need to be pretentious,'' Essie thought. Getting a whiff of the jasmine scent on her neck, Zac couldn''t help but put his chin on her shoulder. The new stubble on his face rubbed against Essie''s skin, making her feel ticklish and itchy. She giggled and twisted her body. Unable to stop his stubble from rubbing her neck, she had to turn around and push him. "Hey, stop it. I''m sleepy." Heughed in a low voice, and looked into Essie''s eyes as they shone in the night light like stars casting their reflection on a clearke. Zac''s features were perfect, but he normally looked too cold. Whenever heughed, his profile became soft. It made him look full of sunshine and extraordinarily charming. "Ice guy, you should smile more. You look pretty when you smile." "I will only smile for you." He touched her nose indulgently. Chapter 100 Numerous Gossips (Part Two) Chapter 100 Numerous Gossips (Part Two) Essie smiled and touched his handsome face. "Although you seldom smile, I know what things make you smile." "Really?" He raised his thick eyebrows. "Tell me." "When you tease someone, you smile. When you y a trick on someone, you smile. When you make a fool of someone, you smile an evil smile. When you are unhappy, you sneer coldly with your mouth closed, and..." Essie trailed off and her eyelids flickered. When he looked at her like this, he smiled. His smile was real and very gentle. She liked to see his smile because she had never seen him smile to others that way, not even to Le. It seemed like this smile was really exclusive to her. As a matter of fact, there was another reason why she didn''t regret giving up Instituto Marangoni¡ªif she hadn''t given it up, she never would have met him. "You''re so into me, aren''t you?" Zac said in a low and joking voice. Essie blushed, but it was masked by the dim light. "Don''t tter yourself." She turned over and buried her face into the pillow. He smiled mischievously and tickled her neck with the growing stubble on his chin. "You know, I''m willing to give myself to you." "I don''t like you," Essie said mercilessly. "Why?" His eyes darkened as he tightened his arms around her waist. "You are such a womanizer," she said with a pout. "Are you sure about that?" Heughed bitterly. He felt so wronged about her opinion of him. "Yes, I''m sure." She stressed each word. On one hand, he was having fun with Le, and on the other hand, he was ying with her. It was clear that he wanted to be with both of them, and she wasn''t Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. going to be fooled. Essie was full of resentment as she thought of this. She just closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep, deciding to ignore him. In the silence of the room, Zac let out a bitter, helpless, and heavy sigh. The next day, Essie bought a pair of golden dolls that meant "happy together forever" from the gold shop. Then, she went to Finney''s house with Zac to congratte her on getting her marriage certificate with Antony. Finney was very happy to see the pair of golden dolls. Her cousin was now so popr that she could spend a lot of money on gifts. As soon as she sat down, Finney saw the wedding ring on Essie''s finger. "God, it''s so beautiful. Is that the wedding ring given by my cousin-inw?" Wedding ring? Hearing that, Essie was dazed for a moment. She realized that since they had gotten married, they had to have a wedding ring. Therefore, she smiled awkwardly and answered, "Yes. Yes, it''s crystal." "What? Crystal?" The smile on Finney''s face froze, and the envious look on her face disappeared instantly. Although she knew that it couldn''t be a diamond, she thought that it should at least be a gem. How cheap crystal was. How could her cousin-inw look so rich from the outside and be so poor in reality? "Anyway, it''s just a stone. What matters is it''s beautiful." Essie smiled. She really liked this ring. Although it was hard to take off, she would always try her best to take it off every time she took a shower or cooked, for fear of damaging it in any way. Raising her hand, Finney showed them her one carat diamond ring. "Wow, it''s so bright! My cousin-in-low has so much money that he can buy anything he wants!" With a big and exaggerated smile on her face, Essie pretended to be very jealous of her. However, she suddenly changed her tone and said, "That diamond ring is worthy of the high-end, noble, elegant, and beautiful women like you. Meanwhile, I am meant to wear this crystal ring bought by my Zac." As Essie looked at the ring on her finger, she suddenly felt a sense of happiness for some reason. Besides, her cousin''s one carat diamond did not even shine as brightly as her crystal. Her crystal was brilliant, and she had never seen such a bright crystal before! Zac stroked her head dotingly with an unfathomable smile ying at the corners of his mouth. ''If this idiot knew that she is wearing a priceless, one-of-a-kind diamond every day, will she be scared to be dumb?'' he thought to himself. Sitting next to Finney, Antony stayed silent and looked at Essie with aplex and indescribable expression in his eyes. Was this girl really that pure and innocent? If only Finney were as good as her, he wouldn''t have to... He sighed deeply. Finney prepared some coffee for her guests, and Essie helped her set up the table. "This is blue mountain coffee. I bought it when I was on a business trip in Japan. It''s very valuable," Finney said. "It smells extremely delicious. I''ve never tasted it before. Let me try it today. Does it taste different from instant coffee?" Essie said with a smile. Fortunately, it was not Civet coffee. She felt sick at the thought of the coffee that was made from cat feces. She found it disgusting how Le could drink it with relish. "Finney, how are you doing at Hengyuan?" she asked while she was helping Finney with the coffee beans. "Last week, I went to the headquarters in Dragon City for training and met the vice president," Finney said. Then she smiled and continued, "She''s only in her twenties. She is young and beautiful. Daughters of rich families really are on another level." "Is she the daughter of yourpany''s CEO?" Essie asked, and her heart trembled at the thought of this. "Of course. Hengyuan is one of the top 500panies in the entire world. If she weren''t the daughter of the CEO, how could she be the vice president in her twenties?" Finney pouted, believing that it didn''t matter who you were, what counted was who your father were. "Which daughter?" Essie could not help but tighten her grip on the coffee pot. "She is the eldest daughter, and her mother is the ex-wife of the CEO," Finney replied carelessly. "That''s great! That''s great!" Essie''s voice trembled uncontrobly, and her eyes shone with excitement. At the same time, her whole face seemed to light up all of a sudden. Finney tapped her head and said, "Why are you so excited? It is not like I became the deputy CEO." "I''m just excited to hear some gossip about the rich," Essie said, sticking out her tongue. "No wonder you are big personality on the show. You are able to cultivate your potential through gossip." Finney giggled and lowered her voice. "To tell you the truth, there is a big rumor about the CEO. He has another daughter, the half-sister of the vice president. She got pregnant and was anxious to get married, but the groom disappeared from the face of the Earth. They haven''t found him until now." "Really?" Essie sneered again. Like mother, like daughter. They really were alike! It seemed like she used dirty tricks to get into the man''s bed. As a result, he got angry and refused to marry her! "Well, sometimes, rich families are messy." "Yes, it''s the same in the entertainment circle. Manypanies have a lot of scandals too." Finney curled her lips. Once the coffee was ready, she took out porcin cups from the cupboard. Of course, the best coffee should be put in the best cup. Finney was a pretty woman who knew how to enjoy life. "It''s very hot. Be careful¡ª" Before Essie could finish her sentence, Finney eximed, "Ah!" The pot of coffee was scalding hot, so she immediately had to pull her hand back and identally knocked over a cup on the counter. The cup fell onto the tile and broke into pieces. Zac and Antony rushed in as soon as they heard the noise. "Are you all right? Did you get hurt?" Zac asked Essie the moment he saw the broken cup on the floor. Meanwhile, all of Antony''s attention was on the cup. "What happened? How could you be so careless? That was an Italian porcin cup. It was very expensive! I told you not to use it, but you insisted on using it, and now it''s broken!" he shouted. He looked really angry. Though Finney felt bad, she didn''t want to see him make a fuss over it, so she said, "It''s just a cup. How about we buy another one on our honeymoon in Rome next time?" "But It''s not..." Antony stopped speaking at once. Chapter 101 You Are A Liar (Part One) Chapter 101 You Are A Liar (Part One) "What?" Finney asked. "Nothing." Antony swallowed the rest of his sentence, leaving behind a gloomy expression on his face. To ease the intense atmosphere, Essie said, "Antony, my cousin''s hand is hurt. We have to apply some medicine to it." Antony snorted from his nose and dragged Finney out to put some medicine on her wound. "Don''t move. Let me clean it up. Be careful or you might get cut." Zac stopped Essie. He picked up the broken pieces on the floor and swept the remaining debris away. Then, Essie carefully put the other cups into the cupboard, and took out the ordinary ones to pour the coffee into. Then, she said, "My cousin-inw must like those cups so much that he couldn''t control his anger." "No matter how much he likes it, it''s still not important as his wife," Zac replied in a low voice. Essie reached for the coffee pot, but Zac grasped the handle first. "Just wait outside. I''ll do it." The little fool was always in a daze whenever she was doing something, and he didn''t want her to get hurt. "Oh, alright." Uttering these words, Essie walked out of the kitchen. She had gotten used to staying at home and not touching anything dangerous, such as knives and other sharp things, hot water, etc. He had even offered to help her cut vegetables. He looked like a man who had never done any housework in his life and was very bad at chopping. He even ended up getting a cut in his hand. Essie walked slowly, deep in thought. For some reason, she felt warm in her heart. In the living room, Finney was in a huff. It had only been half a month since they got their marriage registered, but Antony''s attitude towards her had changed greatly. He had even been limiting her expenses. Now, he had gotten mad at her for breaking an expensive coffee cup. What a joke! He didn''t seem like a CEO at all. Zac served the coffee to Essie. Upon seeing that Finney and Antony were still mad at each other, Essie tried toe up with a topic to ease the tension in the room. "Finney, this coffee is so good. Can you buy some for me the next time you go to a business trip to Japan?" "Okay," Finney said with a nod. "Are you going to spend your honeymoon in Rome? That''s so romantic!" "Yes, and not only Rome. We''re going to travel all over Europe." Finally, Finney''s expression became warmer. She had always wanted to go to Europe. Thevender field in Provence, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the London Bridge... She wanted to see them all. "I don''t have that much free time. It would be great if we just went to Sanya," Antony said. "Sanya? Are you kidding?" Finney said, raising her eyebrows. "All of my married colleagues went abroad for their honeymoon. As a president, are you ashamed of yourself for going Sanya?" "Fine, it would be convenient to go abroad. Let''s go to Thand," Antony said coldly. Finney grabbed a pillow on the sofa and threw it at him, "Antony, I''m starting to think that you''re not a rich man, but a rat!" "You are such avish spender, and I can''t afford to have such a materialistic girl like you as my wife. You were very restrained before we got married, but look at how you''ve been spending money now that we''re married! You bought a mink coat for 8000 dors. It doesn''t even snow in Yang City! Why would you need a mink coat?" "I''m wearing it when I go back to my hometown. A woman dresses up for her man''s sake. I''m just doing this to help you!" Finney was already exasperated. Antony had been nagging at her for days because of the mink coat. "That''s right. If the wife of the CEO wears shabby clothes, she will beughed at. Antony, she''s being really considerate of you," Essie echoed. She had to do something to help her cousin out this time. For a moment, Antony had no idea what to say. He threw the pillow aside and went to the balcony without even ncing at Finney. He didn''t want to deal with her anymore, and the cold wind could help him ease his anger. Essie sighed. She realized that Finney and Antony hadpletely different attitudes towards life. Finney was someone who always wanted to enjoy, and aunt Wendy had taught her to be materialistic from a young age. She had always hoped that she would be able to live a good life and do whatever she wished. However, it seemed like Antony was a very practical person who knew the importance of money, so it was inevitable for them to quarrel over money. Zac just sat on the sofa as a bystander. In his opinion, it was a man''s job to make money for a woman. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. While Anthony was so worried about having to spend too much money on Finney, Zac was worried about his foolish wife who wouldn''t spend his money at all. Essie had never even used the credit card he had given her, and she felt too bad about using his money. It was obviously a great thing to have a woman that liked to spend money. It was a headache to have a wife who was always saving money! Seeing that Finney was about to cry through red rims of eyes, Essie put her hand around her shoulders at once and said, "My dear sister, you don''t have to quarrel with Antony. Please just give way so you won''t hurt your feelings." When Zac heard this, he put his mouth to her ear and whispered in a low voice, "Honey, we always quarrel in bed, but we have never had sex to end our fight before." Here he was again making more trouble! Essie red at him and kicked him on the leg. Finney sniffed. "I feel like the difference in our rtionship before and after we got marriage is huge. Before we got married, he would buy me everything I wanted, and now, he stops me from buying anything I want." "In the past, the things you wanted were all small things that only cost several hundred dors, and now they are all luxury goods that cost several thousand dors each," Antony said with a frown. Then he continued, "Your cousin is now a celebrity in the design field. If you want clothes, just ask her to make them for you. Customized clothes are much better than Chanel clothes." "Okay, I''ll do that for you." Essie smiled. However, this did notfort Finney at all. Instead, she became even angrier. "Antony, you earn at least seven figures a year. If you don''t want to spend money on me, then are you nning to have a mistress outside of our marriage?" "I''m already fed up with raising one," Antony muttered impatiently. "Finney, my brother-inw is not like other wealthy men. He has got his current status through hard work, so he just wants to save his money a little. Please forgive him," Essie said as she patted Finney''s hand. "He''s saving too much," Finney said in a low voice. Just then, the doorbell suddenly rang. Finney stood up and opened the door. Outside was an unfamiliar middle-aged man. "May I ask who you are looking for?" Finney asked. "I am thendlord of this house. Is Mr. Antony there?" "Landlord?" Finney was astounded. "Are you mistaken? This is our own house." Antony suddenly rushed over like a wild wind from the balcony and closed the door. "He must be mentally ill. The stock market has taken a deep plunge recently, and a lot of people have gone insane over it. You must be careful in the future. Don''t just open the door to anyone." "What?" Finney trembled. She did hear a lot of her colleagues talking about the plummeting of the stock market. And there were even people whomitted suicide because they felt trapped. But the man outside the door didn''t give up. He rang the doorbell again and again while yelling, "Mr. Antony, you only rented this house for three months. If you don''t want to renew your contract, then you have to move out as soon as possible." With a nervous expression on his face, Antony started sweating. He said, "I''ll go out to calm him down, but you must note out." Zac stood up. "I''ll go with you." Antony immediately waved his hand and said, "No, I''m afraid that he will just get provoked." After saying that, he opened the door and walked out in a hurry, fearing that Zac would follow him. Chapter 102 You Are A Liar (Part Two) Chapter 102 You Are A Liar (Part Two) Finney was feeling absolutely frightened. She picked up her phone, getting ready to call the police. Meanwhile, Essie ran into the kitchen and took out a kitchen knife. She thought that if her cousin-inw failed to deal with him, then she''d be able to scare him away using the knife. Zac gasped and grabbed the knife from her hand at once, afraid that she would hurt herself by Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ident. "I''m here. What are you worried about?" Indeed, he was a very tall man. The strange man was no match for him. Once he caught sight of Zac, he would probably be scared to death. "Be smartter. If brother-inw fails to deal with him, you should go out to rescue him." Essie patted him on the shoulder. "I think he will be fine." After he finished talking, Zac got lost in thought. He had very sharp and keen eyes. It was almost as if he could see all of the secrets hidden in the dark that others couldn''t see. He usually never cared about other people''s affairs, but Finney was his wife''s cousin, so she was also his rtive. He tried his best to be kind-hearted when he said, "Finney, have you seen your husband''s property certificate for this house?" "No, he said it was with his mother." Finney shook her head. "Have you been to hispany?" asked Zac. "No. He forbade me to see him in hispany for fear of the bad influence around him." Finney looked at him in confusion and asked, "What are you trying to say?" Essie finally understood what was going on. She might be easily confused about a lot of things, but she understood some things faster than anyone else. "Let''s go out and have a look." Essie opened the door just a crack and looked outside, only to find that Antony and the middle-aged man were gone. When she walked up to the elevator, she found them sitting in the garden outside. Then, she made a "shh" gesture to Finney, and they hid themselves behind a pir. "This house is nice. We still want to live here, but the rent is too high. Can you lower it a little?" Antony said. "I still want to raise it. How could I possibly lower it?" Hearing his words, Essie was shocked again. ''It''s just as Zac had predicted. I thought this house had been bought by Antony?'' she thought. Was her cousin-inw a liar? Finney started trembling with anger, then like a bolting out of the blue, she cursed, "Antony, you bastard!" She rushed towards Antony angrily and pped him across the face. Perhaps it was because he was too shocked from everything that was happening, or perhaps he was just too stunned from being pped, but Antony did not say a word for a long time. Essie asked thendlord if he could juste backter, then she made Finney sit down on the chair to calm herself down. However, Finny could not control herself anymore. She was extremely restless, and she wanted to kill the man in front of her. "You don''t own the house and the car, do you? You''re poor. You''re not a CEO, am I right?" She then started punching and kicking Antony as she shouted, "You''re a liar! Rascal! Bastard! I''ll divorce you!" "Fine, I''ll divorce you too. You are a gold digger. Whoever dares to marry you will be doomed," Antony retaliated. He was so annoyed by Finney''s beating that he raised his fist and was about to hit her back. However, Zac grabbed his fist mid-air and said, "You are a man, so you shouldn''t beat women." Antony knew that he was not as tall and powerful as Zac and he wouldn''t win a fight between them. So he put down his fist awkwardly, sped his head, andined, "I have been on more than 20 blind dates. All the girls who looked good would ask me if I had a house and a car. I''m a salesperson. If I do well, I can get over ten thousand a month. But my family is in the countryside and I have a lot of siblings. It''s impossible for me to borrow money from my family to pay for the down payment. That''s why I came up with this idea. Once we''ve gotten married and had children, it would be toote for you to go back on your word." "You''re so shameless. You''re nothing more than a toad. How could you dream of being with a swan? I must have been blind to be cheated by you." Finney burst into tears. "I''ve spent a lot of money on you. I bought everything for you, including food and clothing. If you want a divorce, you have to pay me back for everything," he threatened. "You are just a rascal," Finney was screaming now. Essie held Finney in her arms and shot Antony a cold look. "Antony, you deceived us. My sister can sue you, and if that happens, now only will you lose all your properties, but you will also have topensate for wasting her youth on you." Essie said everything she could to frighten him. Antony knew that he was in the wrong, so he didn''t say anything more. Finney didn''t even give her marriage a second thought. She went to the Civil Affairs Bureau to divorce him in the afternoon, and then she packed her things to live in Essie''s for the time being. That evening, Essie chatted with Finney until midnight. Once Finney was asleep, Essie went back to her own room. When she opened the door, she found the handsome man lying on her bed, waiting for her to give him some love. The outline of his perfect and fascinating face was marked with tenderness and charm as if he was trying to seduce her. She swallowed hard to control her erotic feelings. "Are you going to sleep here again?" "It''s for your own good. If Finney sees us sleeping in separate rooms, she will ask your parents about it. She might even tell your parents about it if she gets worried about you, and they will have toe here to keep an eye on you." To be fair, Zac sounded quite reasonable. That man would never pass up on any chance to bully her. She leaned against the bedside and picked up a pillow. "Damn it! Antony fooled us. He did not deserve her. Finney was kind enough to him. If I were her, I would''ve kicked him until he became a eunuch." "Yes, she has learned her lesson. She need to be careful next time," Zac said while holding the back of his head with his hands. She turned her head and shot him a meaningful look. "Ice guy, have you ever lied to me?" Under the light, there was something iprehensible in Zac''s dark eyes. "If I have, what would happen?" "If it''s very serious I will break off all contact with you!" Essie pouted, but her tone was straightforward. ''It''s not so bad!'' Zac consoled himself in his heart. It''s not like he lied to her about marriage or sleeping together. Neither did he lie about love. It was just a white lie to make her happy. The air was filled with a moment of silence. Essie then sat up and stared at him with a very serious look in her eyes. She asked, "Did you really lie to me about something?" He gently touched her forehead and said, "You are so silly. If I lie to you, I''m the one who will suffer great losses." ''Humph! I''m not that stupid,'' Essie thought. Essie wrinkled her nose andy back on the bed. She was not worried that he was swindling her for money or sex at all. She was just worried about... "I heard that the stock has plummeted. Have you lost all of your money?" She was afraid that Zac had lost all his money and refused to tell her. "Don''t worry. I''ve already withdrawn my money." A smile tugged at the corners of Zac''s mouth. He was actually the one behind the turmoil and bustle in the stock market, and he was only making use of others'' shares. Seeing how calm he was, Essie felt relieved. The recording of the third round of the Beauty on Runway went very smoothly. Sunny had been warned, and she did not dare to act rashly. This particr session was not held in the studio. Instead, it was held in a stadium that could contain 10000 people. ''What is this?'' Essie wondered. ''Will something serious happen?'' She and Nicole got out of the car and walked into the stadium. All of a sudden, she was shocked. Chapter 103 Whats Your Cousin-in-laws Surname (Part One) Chapter 103 What''s Your Cousin-inw''s Surname (Part One) The whole stadium was filled with people. There was even a very noisy crowd outside the stadium. To maintain order and for added security, several armed police were stationed at various ces within the area. "Why are there so many people? Do they have a concert today?" Essie actually felt bothered so she couldn¡¯t help asking. "I thought you already knew the reason," Nicole answered with a straight face. But upon seeing the nk expression on Essie¡¯s face, she shook her head as she smiled faintly. "I really don¡¯t have an idea. No one cared to fill me in. Come on, Nicole. Just tell me." Essie wore a helpless smirk as she scratched her head. Nicole let out a deep sigh as she continued to adjust her makeup. It didn¡¯t seem like Essie would stop bothering her until she told her so she finally said, "Today¡¯s special guest is Jim, the superstar of the entertainment circle." At first, even Nicole couldn¡¯t believe it when she was informed of the news. She wondered how powerful the person-in-charge of the program could be that they could even afford to invite Jim into it. "Do you mean that so-called legendary prince of the entertainment circle, who¡¯s full of arrogance from head to toe?" Essie had heard of him a lot but wasn¡¯t really a huge fan. However, it didn¡¯t lessen the fact that Jim was an extremely big shot in the entertainment industry. ording to variousments and sources on the inte, his influence and countless followers extended all over the world. Any movie that he had starred in broke the box office record, and every TV program that he had participated in was widely broadcasted, making the ratings shoot up at an unimaginable level. Once, when he released an album where he covered various famous songs, the record earned so much recognition that people almost forgot what the original versions sounded like. Even if he was just having a meal outside, several writers would publish an article out of it and would surely make the front page. His fame was just truly iparable even to his fellow colleagues in the industry. "I wonder, how much will the management of the show spend for inviting him?" Essie was actually bewildered at the thought of it. She wondered if it was really necessary for the show to have someone as famous as him to be a guest star. However, ording to Entertainment Weekly, Jim had a rather N?velDrama.Org content. strange personality. He wouldn¡¯t ept anybody¡¯s invitation if he didn¡¯t like the show, even if they offered him tons of money. If he found the show interesting, however, he would ept the invitation and wouldn¡¯t even charge a fee. Anyway, it just meant that money didn¡¯t actually matter to him as he was from an exceptionally rich family. "Don¡¯t worry. They said that this time, he decided to attend the show for free. I guess that meant that he fancies one of the female stars in the show." Nicole was still in front of the mirror and checking her appearance. She was analyzing if her hairstyle and makeup were already in ce. Jim was also famous for being a yer. On average, he would have a new girlfriend every three days. When they already went backstage, Essie began fixing her outfit and sewed a row of crystal buttons on her trousers. She designed a suit for today¡¯s segment. There, she bumped into Eva. It was no coincidence that she was allowed in since Essie was her dear friend, and she was Nicole¡¯s junior. At the same time, screams of excitement came from the aisle outside. It turned out that a tall and handsome man had arrived. Under the sunlight, the man¡¯s chestnut-colored hair revealed a circle of charming light, like a halo possessed by heavenly beings. His figure was almost the same as that of Zac, but his nature and temperament werepletely different. Looking at both of them side by side would be like seeing the opposite sides of the sun. Zac¡¯s skin was wheat-colored, while Jim¡¯s was fair. His face was perfectly shaped, and all his features were delicately carved. His eyes were so attractive that they glistened every time he smiled. His lips seemed so soft and thin. Everybody was being spellbound as soon as he graced them with his charming smile. All of his fans were saying the same thing, "You would find Jim to be very handsome at first nce, and it won¡¯t go away. The more you look at him, the more you would definitely be bewitched." For Essie, Jim was also captivating, but she wouldn¡¯t go crazy for him¡ªeven subconsciously¡ª because he was just as good-looking as Zac, the man she could always see whenever she got home. Jim continued to stir up trouble as he entered the backstage. Even the female stars who were hanging around suddenly left their partners and circled around him. They were basically begging him to give them even a little bit of attention. However, he didn¡¯t have time to spare for them. He went straight to Essie as soon as he saw her. He squinted his charming eyes and gazed at her from head to toe. "Not bad, huh," he uttered the words in a casual tone. Essie was seriously taken aback. She didn¡¯t know if he was talking about her clothes, or her as a woman. She was confused as to why he even noticed her. Then, all of a sudden, Eva squeezed herself between the two and firmly stood in front of Essie. For other women, Jim was someone to be adored, but not for Eva. In her eyes, he was just a basic yboy who did nothing but enjoyed toying with women¡¯s hearts. "Hey, mister, she already has a lover. Don¡¯t even think about making a pass at her." She confidently raised her head and stared at him. Although she was a lot shorter than him, that didn¡¯t stop her from firmly conveying her intentions of hindering him from making a move at her friend. A smirk crossed his face. ¡®This girl is something! I haven¡¯t seen a girl who dared to raise her voice in front of my face,¡¯ he thought to himself. He wanted to teach the girl a lesson so he shoved the petite Eva aside. She kind of lost her bnce and slowly fell on the ground. ¡®Damn it! Did he just reallyy a hand on a cute girl like me?! I¡¯m not afraid to kick your ass, you basic pretty boy!¡¯ Eva got back on her foot, now fuming more than ever. Clenching her fists, Eva quickly stepped forward and lifted her foot in an attempt to kick him. But unexpectedly, Jim easily caught her ankle and threw her leg away. In an instant, Eva was back on the ground, lying tly on her back. "Eva!" Essie was shocked at the scene. She rushed to her and helped her sit. "Are you okay?" Essie asked with utmost concern. Eva didn¡¯t manage to answer the question. She was so angry that she ignored the pain and was ready to attack Jim again. Fortunately, Essie was able to stop her this time. "Eva, calm down. Let it go. We can¡¯t cause too much trouble for him. Remember that he has a lot of fans inside and outside the stadium. Do you want to be assaulted by all those crazy people if they heard that you hurt this guy?" Finally, Essie got through her head. Eva let out a loud sigh and groaned. "You¡¯re lucky that Essie talked me out of it. I will forgive you this time, but don¡¯t bother Essie again!" she yelled as she rolled her eyes. Everyone was shocked and stunned. In their heads, this short woman probably had a death wish. Who on their right minds would dare to provoke and offend Jim? In fact, they were even envious of Essie because of all the girls that flocked at him, she was the one who caught his eyes. At the back of the room, Nicole was so stressed out, thinking about how her junior managed to be so impulsive and had the guts to make a scene like that. She feared that Jim might find out that Eva was rted to her. Just the thought made her feel so annoyed. Chapter 104 Whats Your Cousin-in-laws Surname (Part Two) Chapter 104 What''s Your Cousin-inw''s Surname (Part Two) Then, Jim looked at Eva with a yful yet threatening expression in his eyes and thought, ¡®I will be sure to remember this girl!¡¯ At the same moment, the director entered the room. "Essie, are you here? You¡¯re going to sing ¡®Reversed Attack¡¯ with Jim for the opening." Essie couldn¡¯t believe what she heard. ¡®What?!¡¯ She couldn¡¯t utter a word but she was already screaming in her mind. The color on her face quickly faded. ¡®Why the hell didn¡¯t they inform me in advance?!¡¯ Luckily, she was good at singing. Otherwise, she was already thinking about what a disaster it would be. To her constion, Jim was informed about it but he never rehearsed. After all, he was also good at singing and doing it in front so many people was a trivial thing for him. "Don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯ve got your back," Jim said as he winked at her. He tried to assure her that everything would be fine because it was evident in her facial expression that she was about to have a panic attack. "You just have to trust me. All right?" His eyes shed with gentleness. As everyone heard this, they nced meaningful looks at each other. Their minds were running with All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. every spection that they could think of. ¡®Why on earth is he being head over heels with this girl?¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t tell me that he really has a crush on Essie?¡¯ As everyone was guessing in their heads, Nicole also couldn¡¯t help bute up with one. She remembered that her agent told her before that Essie had a pretty powerful backer. Now, she was wondering if her agent was actually talking about Jim. Hidden at one of the corners of the room, Sunny also witnessed everything. She was fuming with jealousy and resentment. ¡®What on earth was so good about that good-for-nothing cockroach?! Hanson always misses her and couldn¡¯t forget her. The handsome ice man is treating her like a precious treasure. Now, even Jim, the greatest superstar, has his eyes on her?¡¯ Her face was so red, extremely furious at everything good that was happening on Essie¡¯s end. Everyone was already getting prepared as the program would start in a few minutes. Inside the Yang City stadium, all seats were fully upied. Even the aisles in between the seats were full of people. Most of them came here just to witness and see Jim in person. Essie was very nervous as she waited for their turn to perform at the opening. Committing a mistake in front of this crowd and on national television was thest thing she wanted to happen. Fortunately, Jim was such a professional when it came to performing on-stage. His charisma and showmanship were not for naught. As soon as they got on the stage, Jim pulled her towards him and mesmerized everybody with their stunning performance. To think that they didn¡¯t even rehearse in the first ce, but managed to get the crowd on the edges of their seats with Jim¡¯s leadership, the title of him being the "Prince of Entertainment" couldn¡¯t even give him justice. On the judges¡¯ table, Hanson couldn¡¯t help but clench his fists and grit his teeth. He was on the front seat of the live show that would cruelly torment his heart. The gossips spread like wildfire. In just a few minutes, the performance and seemingly untold rtionship between Jim and Essie went viral and were trending in social media. Even Hanson found it very strange that he directly sought for Essie as soon as he arrived at the stadium. There was no reason not to be suspicious. In everyone¡¯s eyes, they cooperated so well as if there was magnificent chemistry between the two. As he pondered upon this, his jealousy just surged up another notch. One rival in love was already too much for him to deal with, and now, there came another one. On top of that, Hanson thought that he was so far behind with hispetitions. In his mind, he realized that he had to do something right away, or he would really lose her forever. This round, Essie and Nicole unanimously won the first prize. It wasn¡¯t much of a shock when the audience saw Jim give a full score to the tandem. On the other hand, Sunny was getting furious and frustrated as nothing was going right on her side. She was continuously losing face as thepetition dragged on. At the same time, Le was drinking alone in a bar on the other side of Yang City. She wasn¡¯t interested in the on-going show, and besides, she was one of the few people who really knew why Jim decided to participate in that program. ¡®Really? He used Jim for this purpose? A roommate was worth all this effort? A roommate deserved to receive and have the right to wear a ring with Purple Love?¡¯ As she continued to drink several sses in a row, she grew somewhat drunk and began to n things without really thinking about their consequences. Right at this moment, when the alcohol was running in her veins, she had to find out what Essie really meant to Zac. She knew that it was a good time to visit Zac. Generally, Zac didn¡¯t prefer to be a part of lively scenes so she was sure that he wasn¡¯t at the stadium. So if her guess was right, he would just be at home, alone. After finishing her drinks at the bar, she went straight to his ce. At this time, Finney had just finished watching the live show and was about to take a shower before going to bed. Then, the doorbell suddenly rang. She thought that it was Essie and that she had forgotten to take her key with her. It made sense to her because Essie was prone to losing things since childhood. However, as soon as she opened the door, the face of a stranger surprised her. "Uhm, who are you looking for?" she politely asked. She actually had a feeling that she had seen her from somewhere, but she wasn¡¯t so sure. "I came for Zac. Where is he? And who are you? Why are you at his home?" Le bombarded her with questions as she looked at her up and down. Finney¡¯s polite behavior faded away as she realized that this disrespectful woman was actually drunk. ¡®Damn, what was my cousin-inw¡¯s first name again?¡¯ She actually forgot to ask Zac¡¯s name. "This is my cousin¡¯s and cousin-inw¡¯s house. Are you sure you have the right address?" She became suspicious by the stranger who came by. The house was entrusted to her so she had to do her best to keep it safe especially from paparazzi or other people with ulterior motives. ¡®Did she just say cousin? Cousin-inw?! What the hell is this girl talking about?¡¯ As Le was intrigued by the woman¡¯s response, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Is your cousin¡¯s name Essie?" When Finney heard her say Essie¡¯s name, it finally dawned on her where she saw the face in front of her. "Wait. Are you the guest that they invitedst time at that show where Essie was participating?" She had to ask just to be sure. ¡®Tch. I¡¯m exposed.¡¯ "Yeah. It¡¯s me¡­" Le said in a low voice as her aggressiveness kind of dissipated. She was a little embarrassed because of what happened to her reputation after finishing the recording for the program. For a while, she had been a target of public criticism, so she had toy low. She didn¡¯t dare to go out for several days in fear that someone would throw eggs or other disgusting stuff at her when they found out her identity. When Finney heard this, her face darkened. She clearly remembered all the negative things she said to Essie and how unfair she had treated her in the show. "So, are you here to apologize?" she tantly asked. "Why would I apologize? For your information, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. I¡¯m here for Zac, okay? Do you mind letting me in already?" Once again, Le set aside all the nobleness and elegance as the alcohol clouded her mind. She pushed Finney aside and forced her way in. In her mind, this woman was just also a guest so she had no right to prevent the owner¡¯s guest from entering his house. "Hey! You¡¯re trespassing. If you don¡¯t leave right now, I¡¯ll call the police." Finney had no choice but to threaten Le. She stared at the drunken girl angrily and held her phone in one hand, preparing to make the call anytime. However, Le just ignored her and sat down on the sofa without asking for permission. "Oh, I just remembered you saying you have a cousin-inw. Are you talking about Hanson?" "Who are you talking about? My cousin-inw¡¯s surname is Rong," Finney replied reluctantly as she didn¡¯t know why this girl would be asking her cousin-inw¡¯s name if he was the one she was looking for. Le¡¯s eyes quickly widened and her dizziness somehow subsided. "Did you just say that his surname is ¡®Rong¡¯? Ha-ha! You¡¯re a weird woman!" Le wasughing but trembling at the same time. Her mind couldn¡¯t think straight after hearing the revtion of Essie¡¯s cousin. "You¡¯re the weird one! Don¡¯t you think I¡¯ll know my own cousin-inw better than you?" Finney had to get a bottle of ice-cold fruit juice from the fridge and drank it in one go to calm her nerves. She was itching to kick this crazy girl out of the balcony. Chapter 105 A Big Secret (Part One) Chapter 105 A Big Secret (Part One) "Shut up! My Zac is not your cousin-inw. He will never like your cousin, that low-ss bug." Le had almost gone crazy. The alcohol had made her mad and jealous. She was no longer a noble and elegantdy. At that moment, she was just a crazy woman who was going mad because of love. Finney realized something from her words. The Zac she had mentioned was her cousin-inw, and Le was a girl who hade to stir up some trouble. "You have a crush on my cousin-inw and you want to be his mistress to break them up, right? I''m telling you, there''s no way you cane between them. My cousin-inw treats my cousin very well. You can''t break them up." "Mistress?" Le sneered and said, "Zac and I grew up together. He is my first love, and I was his, too. How could Essie steal my first love? Why would she do that?" "So what? Why does that matter? He''s now married to my cousin. She is his legal wife. If you get involved, you will be nothing more than his mistress," Finney said as she red at Le with a contemptuous look. She had seen wild mistresses before, but Le was the first one she had seen who had the audacity to be this fierce and bold! "Get married? Did you say that they are married?" Le''s eyes almost popped out of her head. She thought she was hallucinating because she was very drunk. Finney stepped forward and decided to raise her voice at her. "Yes. They''re married. They''re married now. Do you understand?" she shouted in a loud and powerful voice. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. "No! It''s impossible! You are lying! You are lying!" Le was now overwhelmed by hysteria. She covered her ears, shook her head, and screamed hysterically before she rushed out of the apartment. "You mad woman!" Finney cursed and mmed the door. Meanwhile, it was alreadyte when Essie and Zac arrived home. The moment they entered the house, Finney told them that Le hade. Essie put her hand on her forehead, feeling a little bit dizzy. ''No way! If Le found out that we are married, she will definitely make trouble.'' She turned around and sneaked a nce at Zac. She thought that he would get nervous and immediately rush out to exin it all to Le. But contrary to her expectations, he didn''t even make a sound. He just frowned and had an obscure expression on his face, making it impossible for Essie to guess what he was thinking. Not in the mood to try to figure out what was going on, Essie pulled him into her room and said, "Why don''t you try calling her first?" If he didn''t say anything, Le would break up with him for sure. "There''s no need. She would have found out sooner orter," Zac said in an indifferent tone, as if he was going to deal with it in a negative way. A hint of bewilderment shed across Essie''s face. ''Did they have a fight with each other?'' she thought. After all, Le was the daughter of a rich family. Since their families were from different social statuses, their families probably did not approve of their rtionship. Because of his ego, Zac definitely did not want to be looked down on, so it was inevitable for them to have conflicts often. Essie sighed, not wanting to interfere with their rtionship anymore. They might be a couple, but they were not a perfect match. One was vicious and insidious, while the other was kind and innocent. Zac wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pointed at the shadow peeking through the crack of the door. "The important thing to do now is to exin everything to Finney. I bet she''s thinking that I am having an affair with another woman." Essie stuck her tongue out at him and opened the door. At that moment, Finney who had been eavesdropping on their conversation, stumbled into the room and reached out to Essie to regain her bnce. With an embarrassed smile, Finney scratched her head and said, "I was afraid that you''ll quarrel with each other." "We are all right. I already knew about Le. She''s Zac''s ex-girlfriend. They broke up a long time ago." Essie wasn''t even done talking, but Zac was already feeling his rage bubbling up his chest. Was she really exining or was she bringing him shame? She thought that the word "break up" might irritate him, so she lowered her voice when she talked again, knowing that thetter part of her words would be even more maddening to him. "Le came back from America after finishing her studies and wanted to get back together with Zac, but Zac had refused her at once. She probably didn''t take it very well, so she came here to cause some trouble." "No wonder she gave you such a low score in thepetition and uttered nonsense about your design. It turns out that she is just narrow-minded and wants to take revenge on you," Finney spat on the ground. After that, Essie was afraid that Zac was feeling ufortable, so she sent Finney to bed at once. After all, Le was still his girlfriend. It didn''t matter how much of a bad person she was, she was still a kind person in Zac''s heart, and there was nothing Essie could do about it. Given the situation, Zac was much calmer than Essie had expected. In hindsight though, he had always been calm and seldom showed his emotions on his face. Even if Zac was experiencing great storms in his heart, his expression would always remain cold, just like an Arctic iceberg that had never melted. It waste at night. Everyone had gone to sleep, but Le was still drinking in front of the bar counter. Married? Zac and Essie were married? She didn''t believe, absolutely not. They were nothing more but roommates two days ago. How could they suddenly be a couple today? But she did have the ring on. If they were not married, why would Zac give it to her? The secret was so well-kept that she would not have found out about it if it weren''t for Finney. Le poured herself a ss of whisky and gulped it down. Her eyes were filled with nothing but tears and deep hatred. She couldn''t let them go on like this. She couldn''t let Essie take her ce. She must find a way to drive her away from Zac. Mandy''s fighting capacity was too weak, so it didn''t take long for her to get intimidated by Essie. Le couldn''t use Mandy to her advantage this time, so she had to find a stronger fighter. Her malicious and bloodthirsty eyes sparkled in the darkness as a ghost-like smile appeared at the corners of her mouth. There was one person that could definitely make Essie die a horrible death. Le picked up her phone and sent an anonymous e-mail to that person. It was Valery. She wrote, "Valery, do you want to know where Zac is? I can tell you." Chapter 106 A Big Secret (Part Two) Chapter 106 A Big Secret (Part Two) The day after that was another exciting day. Essie made it to the front page of the entertainment news, making people specte that she was one of Jim''s new favorites. Lying leisurely on the balcony of the vi by the bay, Zac put the newspaper he had just finished reading on the marble round table. With a ss of champagne in his hand, Jim leaned against the handrail and said, "I thought you were ying a game of cat and mouse around the world, but I didn''t expect that you would be hiding out here." "The most dangerous ce is also the safest ce." A smile spread over Zac''s mouth. He had never been one to y by rules. "The way you''re dealing with things this time isn''t your style." Jim squinted his eyes and looked at him. He knew exactly what kind of person Zac was. They grew up together, so he believed that he knew him best. Zac said nothing. The reflection of the sun on the ocean was distorted by the spinning waves, turning it into shimmering golden spots. Zac stared at the sea in silence, the golden waves reflecting in his deep ck eyes. Jim smoothed out his chestnut hair which had been tousled by the sea breeze and said, "I want to make a bet with someone. I bet that the little thing in Valery''s belly is not yours." He made his tone sound deliberately casual, as if he was just making a joke. Zac picked up the ss of champagne on the table and took a sip. "Aren''t you afraid of losing?" A wicked smile appeared on Jim''s face, as he slowly approached Zac from behind. He put his slender fingers on Zac''s shoulder, pressed his chest to his back and said, "You''d feel very ufortable if a woman touched you like this. How could you go on to do other things?" Zac said nothing. Of course, Jim knew him very well. An unusual silence filled the air. Jim sat on the chair opposite Zac, his handsome face beaming under the sunlight. Unlike Zac who liked to keep a low profile and avoided the spotlight at all costs, Jim liked standing on a sunlit pedestal and enjoying the admiration and worship of everyone else! "Well, let''s not talk about that disappointing woman. Can we talk about Essie? I can''t havee here for nothing this time." "You are here to see my woman. Now you''ve got what you want." A smile appeared on Zac''s thin lips as a few ripples appeared in his deep and calm eyes. As soon as he thought of that idiot woman, a happy thought immediately came to his mind, and the sun seemed to kiss a corner of his heart. Jim was keenly aware of the subtle change in his facial expression. He smiled and said, "Your woman? That''s a new and hard-to-get concept." A mysterious and secretive look shed in Zac''s face as he said, "There is something even newer and harder to grasp than that." "Really?" Jim raised his thick eyebrows. His curiosity was piqued all of a sudden. "What is it?" Zac intentionally paused, and slowly sipped his champagne before gently opening his mouth to say, "She is not just my woman." Confused, Jim looked at him. Zac didn''t exin immediately. Instead, he started rotating the ss of champagne, and the transparent liquid inside rotated as well. It rippled and fluctuated inside the ss, making Jim''s curiosity even stronger. "Okay, I will go to the finals to support her." In order to get the most shocking news, Jim had to offer Zac the best he could. Curiosity had always been his biggest weakness. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Zac''s smile grew even wider. He stopped what he was doing and said in a low and slow voice, "I got married." Jim choked on the champagne he had sipped just now. He covered his mouth with tissue and had to cough several times before he coulde back to normal. Married? What a weird word! He never nned on doing that in his entire life. "Are you kidding me?" This was definitely the most frightening gossip he had ever heard. Zac was a firm celibatarian, just like he was. How could he have gotten married without Jim knowing? "Do I look like I''m kidding?" Zac simply pursed his lips, looking incredibly serious. "It seems like the century''s biggest show is going to take ce in Dragon City soon." Jim pped his hands as an evil smile appeared on his face. He had a feeling that this was going to be more dramatic than any of the TV series he had watched. He liked to watch soap operas, but... "Are you going to keep a tonic rtionship?" Jim''s eyes were sharp, and they looked very attractive under the sun. "I''m not interested in that," Zac said as he raised his eyebrows and a mysterious and mischievous expression appeared on his face. "But your hidden disease..." Jim trailed off in the middle of his sentence, and the rest of his words remained on the stone table. "You seem very interested in my gossip. Do you have something better to give me in exchange?" A sinister smile spread on the corners of Zac''s mouth. As a result, his feverish curiosity became even more fervent, just like a fire balloon. He had never passed up on any gossip, especially not this. "Okay, I''ll rify the scandal involving your wife with the public." Jim knew that was what Zac wanted from the way he looked at the newspaper. While the program was being recorded, Jim had nned to dance with Essie. But before Jim could finish his proposal, Zac''s murderous gaze frightened him, and he immediately changed it to "sing a song." It was a safe choice! Zac''s smile deepened. "You will know when we meet next time." Meanwhile, Essie was busy cooking in the apartment. All of a sudden, the entrance guard suddenly rang her and told her to get the parcel that had been delivered for her downstairs. Essie thought that the buttons she had ordered online had arrived, so she told Finney, who was lying on the sofa and putting on a face mask, that she was going out for a while, and left the room. Outside the apartment stood a man in a courier uniform. The night was dark, and he wore his hat low, so his face could not be seen clearly. He handed over the package to her. As Essie was signing the package, someone suddenly stretched his hand out from behind her and covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief. Before she could even struggle to get away from him, she lost her consciousness. Chapter 107 I Am Pregnant With His Child Chapter 107 I Am Pregnant With His Child It was a silent and dark room. A beautiful woman walked in with four bodyguards wearing ck behind her. She was wearing a gorgeous dress that was designed by Chanel, which perfectly covered her slightly swollen belly. She looked at the unconscious girl on the ground, her eyes sinister and cold. It was as if she wanted to swallow her alive at once. As soon as she received the anonymous e-mail, she immediately rushed to Yang City. She had been looking for him all over the world, but as it turned out, he never even left the country. What was more surprising to her was that there was a woman beside him now. He had never looked at another woman aside from Le. Now, he was even living with one! ''She is such a seductress. I won''t let her get out of here alive," Valery thought to herself. A man in ck walked up to them and immediately recognized Essie after taking a look at her. "Lady Valery, this is the beautiful designer on the show Beauty on Runway. She is very popr nowadays, and is in the headlines every day," he said. "That bitch! Tie her up!" Valery ordered in a stern voice. The two other men in ck next to them immediately took out the rope and tied Essie onto the chair. The woman took a seat on the sofa and raised her hand to touch her swollen belly. "Take some ice water and pour it over her to wake her up," she said. One of the men took out a bucket of ice water from the freezer, then he poured it over Essie''s head like a waterfall. Essie''s body shivered violently in reflex as her eyes bolted open. Seeing the cruel and gloomy faces in front of her, Essie couldn''t help but feel extremely frightened. She struggled to stand up, but she immediately found that she had been tied up. "Who are you?" Did they kidnap her to ckmail her? She didn''t have any money! Valery slowly got up from the sofa and walked up to Essie. Then, she raised her hand and pped Essie across the face four times. If she hadn''t been afraid that she would hurt the baby in her tummy, she would have surely beaten and kicked her to death. Essie''s face swelled up at once, and blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth to her jaw, and onto the apron she was wearing. She spat on the ground and said, "You wicked woman! You should do good things for the sake of the baby in your belly!" The corners of Valery''s mouth twitched, and a cold look shed across her eyes. "James, give her a lesson," she ordered. Following her order, the dark-skinned man beside her walked forward, kicked the chair over, and kicked Essie''s stomach hard. The sharp pain almost made Essie faint. Just as James was about to kick her for the second time, the tall and skinny man standing next to them suddenly stopped him. "Mydy, she is Mr. Zac''s woman. Just let her off with a warning, or else it will be difficult to exin this to Mr. Zac," he said to Valery. The mere thought of Zac made the man shiver. In Dragon City, the moment people from the government and underworld heard the name "Zac", they would start trembling with fear. He was cold, cruel, and ruthless! And if you did something to offend him, you would regret ever having been born into this world. Valery simply gave him a stern look and said, "Don''t be afraid. I''m here with you." The tall and skinny guy just pursed his lips. In his mind, he thought, ''Of course you are not afraid. You have a powerful background and you have a trump card in your belly. We, on the other hand, have nothing. When he finds out about this, we will surely be the scapegoats who will end up being punished, or worse, killed.'' When James arrived at Dragon City, he didn''t realize that he had made a fatal mistake. All he wanted was to please Valery and further his career. "You are so timid. How dare youe out? Go back home and suck on your mom''s breast." James sneered at the thin man, lifted his leg, and kicked Essie as hard as he could for the second time. The man just snorted in his heart. ''Go on. Kick her andugh. When Mr. Zac finds out, you won''t even be able to cry.'' Essie was in so much pain that she could not even breathe. But she still heard the name they said clearly. ''Mr. Zac?'' she thought. She didn''t know who that man was at all. How could she be his woman? Did they get the wrong person to take revenge on? She was just about to say something when she had a sudden realization in her mind. ''Were they talking about Zac? Maybe.'' "Are you talking about Zac Rong?" Essie coughed out two mouthfuls of blood and asked with difficulty. Valery grabbed Essie''s hair and smashed her head against the floor. "You deserve to die for seducing him!" she shouted. It was a piece of cake for her to trample on such a weak ant. "What''s your rtionship with him?" Essie was totally confused. Valery raised her noble head in an arrogant and domineering manner, and said, "He is my fianc¨¦, and the father of my baby!" What? Essie was furious now. She was Zac''s fianc¨¦e? And she was pregnant with his child? How could that be possible? Essie couldn''t believe her ears! Zac had never mentioned anything about this girl to her. Besides, Le grew up with him. How could she not know that he had a woman like this? While Essie was busy wondering about everything, Valery suddenly spoke again, "James, call seven or eight beggars here and make them fuck this woman to death. Once they''re done, use sulfuric acid to disfigure her and throw her into the dustbin!" "Yes, mydy," James said with an evil smile in his eyes. ''She is a beauty and a celebrity. I need to have my fun with her before I kill her,'' he thought. Upon hearing this, Essie couldn''t help but shiver. This time, she had really made a mistake! Was she going to die a tragic death just like that? ''What a vicious woman she is! She is ten times more malicious than Medusa! No wonder ice guy wouldn''t marry her!'' thought Essie. The tall man next to them looked very pale now. If the woman of Mr. Zac died in such a tragic way, Zac would definitely kill them. If that happened, it wouldn''t matter if he did nothing to her, he would still be involved. He wasn''t going to let that happen. He had to find a way to inform Zac, so that he could make amends and spare himself from his punishment. While he was thinking, the door suddenly broke open with a loud sound and fell down. Zac rushed in like a hurricane. Behind him were eight tall men in ck. The aura around him was murderous and terrifying. He looked like a furious dragon who was ready to tear down all the obstacles in his path one at a time. His cold eyes had a murderous look. He looked the people in front of him straight in the eyes as if he could easily kill them. Valery''s guards trembled with fear and didn''t dare to move an inch. They felt a chill go up from their toes all the way to their heads. Although she was backed by her family and had an unborn baby in her tummy, Valery couldn''t help but feel a little scared. When he saw that Essie was close to death and lying on the ground with her face covered in blood, Zac wanted to kill every single person there, and rip out their hearts and mutte their corpses. As he untied the rope around his wife, Essie just closed her eyes and turned her head away from him, Zac''s internal organs were now twisting in every direction. Finney was just rxing at Zac and Essie''s home when she realized that it had been a long time since Essie went down to get her package, so she went downstairs to look for her. However, she was nowhere in sight. She tried to call Essie, but her phone was turned off. Worried about her, Finney immediately called Zac. It just so happened that Zac had just received the news from William that Valery hade to Yang City. He immediately thought that Essie''s disappearance must have had something to do with her, so he followed the GPS on Essie''s phone and hurriedly went to her location. Seeing the anguished look on Zac''s face, Valery got so angry that she rushed to Essie and yelled, "You bitch! What''s so good about her, huh, Zac?" Before she could say anything else, a dull thud resounded in the air, making everyone fall silent. Valery covered her face with her hands and screamed in pain. She was the first woman Zac had ever hit! "How... How dare you hit me! I''m pregnant with your child!" It hurt so much that tears started flowing from her eyes. Zac''s eyes were filled with nothing but hate. If she weren''t pregnant, he would have ruined her face. "If you deserve it, I don''t care if I kill both you and your child!" Zac said every word through gritted teeth. "My family is not easy to mess with." As much as she tried to stay calm, Valery couldn''t help but shiver in fear. Zac sneered at her. "I will even let Baron collect your body in person!" His voice was the coldest thing they had ever heard. Valery copsed onto the sofa like a punctured ball. He couldn''t do this to her. She was carrying his baby. She subconsciously put her hands on her lower abdomen, protecting her magic weapon. They had gotten engaged. And now that she was pregnant, the wedding was imperative. Mrs. Mary, Zac''s mother, already regarded her as the daughter-inw of his family. He couldn''t just abandon her like that. Zac hugged Essie tightly. At the same time, Essie held on to his clothes and stared at Valery. ''Baron!'' She heard that name clearly just now. Enemies always found a way to meet again. Atst, fate had led her to meet her enemy again. Like mother, like daughter. This woman was just as vicious and brazen as her mother. She was obviously willing to do just about anything to get into a man''s bed. "Let''s go, Zac!" Although she was very weak, she made sure to say his name loudly and very This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. affectionately, as if to dere war on the woman in front of them with thest bit of her strength! "Okay." Zac held Essie in his arms like she was a treasure he had lost and recovered. Valery was so furious that her eyes almost popped out. "Zac, you are not allowed to leave!" "Who do you think you are? How dare you tell me what to do?" Zac cast a cold nce at her. Valery trembled with fear and instinctively stepped behind the men in ck. Then, he shot a cold look at the four hit men in front of Valery. "Don''t let me see their bodies ever again," Zac said to his men. "Yes, boss." The men in ck behind Zac looked murderous. Valery''s four guards were so scared that they could barely stand on their legs. The tall and thin man quickly knelt down in front of Zac and begged, "Mr. Zac, I didn''t do anything. I didn''t even touch thisdy." He pointed at the two men on his left as he continued, "I wasn''t involved in the kidnapping. They two were the ones who kidnapped her, and James was the one who kicked her. I tried to stop them, but they didn''t listen to me. I was just about to inform you about this when you arrived. If you don''t believe me, you can ask..." Before he could finish his words, Zac kicked James, and he was thrown three meters back. James hit the wall hard and fell on the ground with a heavy thud. He spat out a mouthful of blood and passed out. Valery hastily covered her belly with her hands as if she was frightened of being kicked as well. Essie''s eyes fell on her belly. Was that unborn child really his? Chapter 108 Is The Baby Yours (Part One) Chapter 108 Is The Baby Yours (Part One) When the other two men saw this, they were so scared that they nearly peed their pants. "Let him go. He already stopped," Essie said, consoling the thin, tall man as she nced towards him. The tall man looked at Essie with gratitude. "Fuck off," Zac growled before he let him go. The man rushed out and disappeared in a sh. Zac turned to face towards Valery and with a face contorted with venomous rage, he growled, "Look straight into my eyes and don''t you dare blink! If you do anything harm my woman again, I swear to you, by the time Barones to collect your dead remains, they would need DNA testing to figure out that the body belongs to you!" Valery was clearly frightened and angry, but resorted to stamping her feet on the floor with her hands on her belly. Essie was silent, but her deep ck eyes red at Valery coldly. Despite not uttering a single word, her eyes manifested a certain kind of void that was filled with gloom and emptiness. They spent two days in the hospital, making sure that there were no other issues with Essie''s body. Zac finally took her back to his vi by the bay to avoid any trouble from Finney. During that whole period, Zac was dedicated to staying closely by her side. However, Essie did not say a single word throughout. In the morning, he ordered his servants to prepare bird''s nest congee to bring to her room. He stayed by Essie''s bed to make sure he could take care of everything for her. When she tried to get up, he wanted to help, but when he reached his hand out, Essie quickly pushed his hands away. "I wouldn''t dare bother you, Mr. Zac!" she said, finally opening her mouth after two days of ominous silence. However, this time, her voice was alienated and cold. There were four families of great power in Dragon City, these consisted of the families of Zac, Jim, Valery and Le. Amongst them, Zac''s family was the richest in the East, and naturally this came with also having the most power amongst the four families. Essie had spent months with this man thinking he was simply a poor hobo, and never expected that he was actually a rich, young master. The most shocking part, was that he was the fianc¨¦ of her half-sister, Valery. In her youth, before she turned seven years old, she was born into a noble, upper ss family. Her original family had a good rtionship with Zac''s. They might have even met when they were young. But this didn''t seem to leave any kind of impression on Essie. When she was seven years old, she suffered a catastrophe caused by Valery and her little brother. The experience left herpletely traumatized. She suffered lygophobia and even lost some of her memories. Zac ced the bowl of congee on the bedside table and said, "Essie..." He had been waiting for days to speak to her, but stopped as soon as he noticed the look on her face. He released a heavy sigh, "You spent all this time lying to me, pretending you were poor. What was the point? Were you worried that I would crave you or your money?" she sneered at him, with a heart full of sadness and suppressed rage. She was still in shock from Antony''s lie, when he faked his wealth throughout. Despite Zac lying about the opposite thing, it didn''t change the nature of a lie. Essie always thought that Zac was a simple person, and it was his warmth that made her trust him. Thest thing she expected was that Zac was simply scheming the whole time. The truth was, he was just a cold, empty man who was guarded all the time. Essie felt like he could have won an Oscar for how well he acted. However, she felt the most foolish for believing his words all throughout. A wry smile appeared on Zac''s face. "If you were greedy, and wanted me, then you are giving me exactly what I want." "Sorry to let you down, but I don''t care about your money or you," she said with irritation. Her words were sharp, cruel and direct. A glum expression was cast on Zac''s face and he eventually said, "I know." His voice became hoarse when he said this and his face conveyed repressed frustration and confused despair. He was a man of power, but he was not ruthless. Only Essie could see that kind of reaction from such a cold hearted man. She chose to ignore it because she found it hard to believe a man who spent months lying to her. From now on, she wouldn''t believe his words and expressions so easily. She sat up and leaned against the head of the bed. Picked up the bowl of porridge and began to sip it slowly. "Tell me what happened between you and Valery." She said this in such a passive tone, as if she was just here to talk about the weather. In reality though, if it had nothing to do with Valery, then she wouldn''t have such an interest in his private affairs. "What would you like to know?" he said as he straightened his back and leaned against the back of his chair. "Is the child yours?" she asked in a stern tone. Somehow, he already expected that she would''ve wanted to ask about this. "That''s something I can''t answer right now. When the baby is born, it will all unfold naturally," he spoke in a clear, respectable manner. It wasn''t because he didn''t trust Essie, but he just couldn''t take any risks with this one. The child was important to him, and he had to make sure that it would be born into the world safely. Essie, on the other hand, could not interpret what he meant by this. ''Huh? Did that mean a yes or a no? It''s not like a difficult question to answer, why do I have to wait until the baby is born? This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Is this some kind of trick? What is the mystery behind this? Could it be...'' "Is it because you don''t know whether the child is yours or not? Are you waiting for its birth so you could take a paternity test?" This was the most reasonable exnation she could think of in that moment. Whenever she was in front of this mysterious and unpredictable man, it were as if Essie''s brain cells weren''t capable of working functionally. It would be useless to exhaust her energy trying to figure this out. Zac choked, covered his mouth and coughed as if trying to hide hisughter. He thought about how her big brain had such erratic imaginations. However, his reasons were much moreplex than that. "You can ask anything else. I can answer all your questions, except about the child," he said, immediately changing the topic. She was well aware that he was capable of hiding anything that he didn''t want her to know, just like how he had concealed his true identity all this time. The problem was that he didn''t trust her enough. The idea that he didn''t trust her made her feel a bit heavy in her heart. She finished her porridge and with herst sip, she drank some water silently. After a lingering silence, she asked, "Do you like Valery?" "Can''t you tell?" he asked in response. He couldn''t understand why she would ask such things as it was obvious how much he despised her. She shrugged her shoulders. It was clear what he had meant, and she was satisfied with his answer, but she couldn''t help but ask more. "If you didn''t like her, then why did you sleep with her?" ''Is it true that men only think with the lower half of their bodies? It seemed that they weren''t capable of using their brain to solve such problems,'' Essie pondered in the middle of their conversation. Zac coughed several times to put some ease towards the ufortable atmosphere. He really wanted to let this dense woman know that she was the only woman he had been in bed with. He had dedicated and given himself only to her that night. However, it wasn''t the time to tell her, as it would only indirectly reveal the child''s secrets. Chapter 109 Is The Baby Yours (Part Two) Chapter 109 Is The Baby Yours (Part Two) "What''s wrong with you?" A scenario yed in Essie''s head for a while. ''One day, Zac had an argument with Le and got himself drunk. Valery then climbed into his bed and a drunken Zac thought it was Le andter impregnated Valery.'' Such plots were frequently seen on TV shows. Not to mention, Valery''s mother, Elizabeth, was a very skilled woman. She must have inherited that from her. "Did Valery''s family force you to marry her?" This was something she knew, and didn''t even have to guess. Some people were just like super glue. Once you stick to their skin, there was no way out of it. "There''s no way I would marry her, but I want to be responsible and raise the baby myself," he said with sheer determination, assuring that the child was indeed important to him and he wanted to be responsible for it. This answer made Essie feel a bit uneasy. ''Why would you want to take care of a baby if it weren''t yours?'' It seemed to Essie that he just admitted that the child was his. The thought that he had sex and had a child with the woman she hated the most was getting to her nerves and was driving her crazy. She looked at him with hard staring as while burning rage hissed through her body. To her, he was a cold liar who was tainted and could never wash himself clean anymore. "I''m sure that Valery and her family will never agree to it. They forced you to get married to Valery and because you didn''t want to, you decided to run off and hide in Yang City. Am I right?" she bragged mockingly. Not a single word escaped Zac''s lips and he satpletely silent. He had exhausted all his efforts to make sure that the child would be born into the world safely. Essie acknowledged his silence as a confession, and an unpredictable smirk slowly appeared on her face. "Let me guess... You need my help. Since I am your wife, protected by thew, as long as I don''t give up my position, there will be no way to force you into marriage with Valery." Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. A glimmer shed through Zac''s deep ck eyes from surprise. It was as if she could see right through him. In some cases, she seemed as muddled and confused as a mouse. However, there were times that she was also so quick and clever that it always seemed to amaze him. He sometimes wondered if she was actually really silly or simply pretended to be. "Are you willing to go back to Dragon City with me?" he asked her respectfully in a low voice. "Only in the condition that we will finalize the divorce the moment she gives birth to the child," she said word by word with cold formality. Zac instantly trembled when he heard this, as if he was just hit by an unexpected blow. He pursed his lips tightly and said nothing. His eyes lookedplicated and deep, as if he was experiencing a painful struggle in his heart. After quite some time, a sullen smile appeared on his face and he reluctantly agreed. "Okay," he said in a low, feeble tone. He was caught in the middle of a very conflicting situation and it seemed that it made him feel very weak. When Essie saw this, she lowered her eyes to hide the secrets under the shadow of her thick eyshes. She was willing toe back to Dragon City, but the truth was, she was doing it for herself. If it weren''t for Valery''s involvement in this situation, she would have gotten a divorce from Zac without hesitation. She would never involve herself in such aplicated love triangle. However, the situation had changed, and she wanted to avenge herself and she was not going to give up so easily. This story sounded surprisingly familiar, but this time, she would never let it end the same way it did before. ''I''m going to make her pay for what she has done to me,'' Essie thought silently withplete animosity. Back in Dragon City. Valery fled back to her home, nearly scared to death. She instantly ran to her mother, Elizabeth, with tears that burst like water from a dam, spilling all over her face. After finding out that her daughter was severely mistreated, Elizabeth rushed out to find Mrs. Mary. Back in the day, both Mary and Elizabeth had studied in the same noble school in the United States. They were always good friends, in fact, Elizabeth met Baron through Mary. Mary had been part of Valery''s life since she was a child. Valery spent her youth looking up to her and regarded her as her future mother-inw. She had always cherished Mary and pleased her in every possible way. This was something she learned from her own mother. The mother-inw would have a huge, important role in her son''s marriage. Elizabeth, with the support of her mother-inw Vicki, seeded with disowning Lucepletely from their family. When Mary learned that her son was currently residing in Yang City, she nned to set out and find him the next day. However, Zac called her that same night and assured her that he would be back by tomorrow to calm her down. Back at Finney''s apartment, Essie packed up all her belongings into her luggage silently. She asked Finney to promise not to open the door to anyone, most especially strangers. Essie had a strange paranoia that something terrible was about to happen again. Essie was in the midst of a lot ofplex emotions including bits of anxiety and confusion. After this day, she would be entering the upper ss world of Zac and his family. She pondered what kind of world it would be like. For now, she had no idea. The road ahead of her was covered with mist. However, she was hyperaware that there wouldn''t be a range of surprises, but countless unknown traps and dangers ahead of her. She couldn''t see the path too clearly, but she had nowhere else to go but move forward and fight for her way. With his arms folded over his chest, Zac leaned against the door and watched her endearingly in silence. There was a subtle, but deep look in his eyes. "There''s no need for you to bring too many things. If there''s anything that you''ll needter on, I can just ask some people to buy them for you." "How long do we have to stay?" she asked in a low voice. She knew that this question was redundant as there was no reason for him toe back to Yang City as Dragon City was his home. She wondered if he would evere back to this city aftering back home. "If things don''t go as nned and if you are unhappy there, we will be back here by two weeks," he said in a somewhat humorous and witty tone. He could see the uneasiness in her heart very clearly, and this was something he took into ount. Essie cast a mischievous nce at him. She wondered how he would react if he found out that Valery was his half-sister. Shock. Madness. Spit blood. Fury. Her mind was so muddled by this point, she simply couldn''t imagine. However, she was treating this as revenge for all his deception. She zipped up her suitcase and carried it downstairs. She took out a box of ice cream from the freezer and went back to her room to watch some TV while enjoying some sweets. Zac sat beside her. "Is Leing with us?" she suddenly asked out of the blue. Chapter 110 The War Has Just Begun Chapter 110 The War Has Just Begun "She went back yesterday." There was a hint of coldness in Zac''s tone. He frowned slightly, as if he didn''t want to talk about Le. Essie wondered if he had exined the whole marriage thing to her. Did he tell Le the truth that they were just acting to put her mind at ease? ''Forget it. It''s none of my business,'' Essieforted herself in mind. Then, she stretched out her hand to look at the brilliant ring on it. "Is this a crystal or a diamond?" she asked Zac. Le must have recognized it at a nce. She was a jewelry designer and a professional jewelry assessor. No wonder she acted so weirdly when she saw it. ''I really don''t know what''s going on in this guy''s mind. He gave me a diamond ring and made me showcase it in front of his girlfriend. Is he trying to y a game?'' she wondered. What was worse, it was a very valuable diamond. How could he let her wear it? Wasn''t he afraid that she would lose it? Fortunately, she took it off the day she was kidnapped for fear that the oil and smoke would damage the ring while she was cooking. Otherwise, Valery would have been even more furious than Le, and she would have definitely cut off her hand. "It''s just a stone. As long as you like it, it''s okay." Zac smiled, it was just as she had said to Finney the other day. Essie''s lips curled up. She had said that on purpose that day in order to save his face. But the value between the two stones were vastly different. Even if she worked hard her entire life, she would never be able to afford this stone. It wasn''t a big deal to him because he was rich! "Well... Should I prepare some gifts for your family?" she spoke in a small voice, mostly because of how little money she had. She didn''t even have enough money to buy a nice gift for her rich parents-in- Zac stroked her head in aforting manner. "Don''t worry. I have everything we need." Essie breathed a sigh of relief. That was good. After all, he knew his parents'' likes best. The next noon, she and Zac arrived at Dragon City. While sitting in the car, Essie looked out of the window and into the busy street. Fifteen years had passed since she left this city. As the most powerful international financial center in the eastern region, it not only had a rich cultural background, but it also developed very quickly. Zac''s family''s house was situated near the mountain and right beside the river. It was a hundred-year- old house. In Essie''s memory, she knew that her original family had arge house, but the vi of Zac''s family was evenrger. It was just like a grand wondend. After they entered the gate, it took a while before they finally saw the antique mansion. The butler, Uncle Li, was waiting for them at the door. "Mr. Zac, you are back. Mrs. Elizabeth and Miss Valery heard that you wereing back and both of them are waiting for you in the hall." Uncle Li took a closer look at Essie and gave Zac a meaningful look. His look seemed to be a reminder for his young master to be cautious. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Zac nodded at him with a smile and took Essie''s hand. "Uncle Li, this is mydy." ''Mydy?'' Uncle Li was utterly shocked. His eyes darted around the house. Mr. Zac was married? ''Oh my God! Things are going to go out of control now!'' he thought. "Hello, Uncle Li," Essie greeted him politely. "Hello, mydy," Uncle Li replied with a smile. The main house of Zac''s family was a one hundred year old house and was still in the Republic style. They walked across a small courtyard to get to the main hall. Zac''s grandfather had six sons and two daughters. The eldest one died at an early age, and the second, who was Zac''s father, took over the family business and became the new head of the family. The other sons and the eldest daughter were not there at the moment. Some of them were abroad, while some were in other cities. As for Zac''s grandmother, she spent most of her time in Switzend with Zac''s grandfather because of her asthma. At present, Zac''s parents, the third son of Zac''s grandparents, and Marci''s family were all living in their family''s house. In the hall, Zac''s parents were sitting on one side, and on the other side were Elizabeth and her daughter. The set up looked like a court trial. Zac was the apple of his grandparents'' eyes. At the age of five, he had already been appointed as the fourth head of the family. His wife, who was the family''s crown prince''s queen, would be the empress of the family in the future. There were thousands of candidates, and the woman he would end up marrying must not only be epted by his parents, but also by all the members of the family. It was not until then that Essie realized that Zac''s family was much moreplex than her original family. They were almost like a concentrated fogyish dynasty. Valery, who was born into a noble family, had been regarded as the wife of the crown prince ever since she was young. And now that she was carrying a baby, they had to get married as soon as possible. However, the crown prince had unexpectedly found a mistress outside their circle, and his family didn''t have a clue. Their family usually turned a blind eye to mistresses. In fact, no one would even care if a man in their family openly brought a mistress home. After all, they thought it wasmon for men to have several wives. And to add to that, their family was also like a miniature feudal kingdom. However, there was a world of difference between the status of a wife and a concubine. Concubines could live at home and enjoy their lives, but as long as the wife didn''t make mistakes, there was no possibility of them marrying the crown prince, and their children couldn''t be the heir. This was because they had a rule in their family that the heir could only be the one borne by the original wife. If the first wife could not give birth to a baby, then it was the concubine''s turn to conceive. To put it simply, mistresses were just toys for the men in Zac''s family to help them release their desires, and they changed their mistresses more frequently than they changed their clothes. Valery would never have expected that Zac would bring Essie back to their home, and when she saw them together, she was so angry that she almost jumped out of her chair. Elizabeth squeezed her daughter''s trembling hand. They had no reason to worry. As the old saying went, "Aged ginger is more pungent." It was not wise for her to teach Essie a lesson in public. It would humiliate Zac and certainly infuriate him. To deal with this kind of woman, they could either take a knife and get rid of her using someone else''s hands, or use a soft knife that wouldn''t draw blood to make it seem like she died for no reason. They had to be careful not to get their hands dirty. As the master of the family, Albert Rong maintained a very calm demeanor. "It''s good that you''vee back. Have a seat," he said with a gentle smile. His tone was as soothing as the spring breeze. It was not the first time that Essie had met Albert. He had a good rtionship with Baron, and often came to visit him. From what she remembered, he seemed to be calm and gentle all the time. How could such a kind and amiable father have such a cold-blooded son? Of course, Essie didn''t know that he was a typical smiling tiger. A famous writer once mentioned that there were four kinds of people in the world. The first kind was a tiger with fierce appearance, but whose insides were just as fierce. The second kind was a tiger who was pig inside¡ªthese people were regarded as paper tigers. The third kind was a pig with a deceiving appearance, and thest kind was a gentle and harmless rabbit who was actually a tiger with sharp eyes inside. Zac was the first kind, and his father was thest. "Daddy, Mommy, Aunt Elizabeth." Zac greeted them briefly before introducing the person beside him. "This is Essie Yi and she is..." Before he could even finish his sentence, Mary coughed and interrupted him. "Oh, Zac, you forgot the rules again." Then, she called out to their servant and said, "Anna, take the guest to the side hall so she can have a rest. She should have some tea first." She emphasized the word "guest" on purpose. In her eyes, the word "guest" meant an outsider. Mary was born into an eminent American-born Chinese family. She always behaved in an elegant and noble manner. All of her words and deeds seemed to be covered by cotton. But as a matter of fact, she was actually a stranger to Essie. As far as she could remember, Albert never took Mary to visit Essie''s original family, or maybe she had seen Mary before and she just didn''t remember. Essie was just about to leave with Anna when Zac hugged her all of a sudden. There was no doubt that his intimate behavior was meant to announce the rtionship between the two of them. Feeling a little uneasy, Essie just let him embrace her and didn''t move. Valery was so furious that her face turned livid and her whole body started trembling. Elizabeth squeezed her hand, telling her to be calm. "Mommy, even though it''s Essie''s first time toe here, she is not an outsider," Zac said. As he spoke, he sneered at Valery as if to say, "That girl is the outsider!" Irritated by what his look implied, Valery couldn''t bear it anymore. "If she''s not an outsider, who is?" she shouted. Zac held up Essie''s hands and gave them a gentle kiss. Just then, a ray of sunshine shone on Essie''s hands through the big ss window, and the huge heart- shaped diamond on her hand glimmered brightly in the light. Everyone in the room gasped in disbelief. "Is that the family ring?" Mary eximed as the corner of her mouth twitched slightly. That ring was given to Zac by his grandmother on her 60th birthday. Mary, herself, never even had the chance to wear it, but now, her son had evidently given it to someone else. With the sameposed and gentle expression on his face, Albert''s eyes darkened. Valery suddenly jumped up as if she had just been stabbed by a needle. If she had a knife with her, she would have rushed over and cut off the tramp''s finger. Why was she wearing the ring? How could she be wearing the ring? That one of a kind treasure belonged to the future hostess of the family, and that was none other than her. A crack appeared on Elizabeth''s calm face, and a muscle on her face started twitching violently. Was Zac actually telling the truth or was it just revenge for her daughter''s impulsive actionsst time? Elizabeth took a sip of her tea and said slowly, "Zac, your grandfather personally made an engagement for you and Valery when you were eleven years old. Over the years, we''ve been very strict with Valery, and we never even allowed her to have a boyfriend. We''ve done our best to keep this promise. Even though you haven''t had an official wedding ceremony, you are a real couple already. In fact, you are going to have a baby soon. Shouldn''t you restrain your yful behavior?" Zac took a seat on the sofa with Essie, then he picked up a porcin cup from the table and took a sip of tea. "Aunt Elizabeth, if I''m not mistaken, grandpa wanted me to marry your family''s third daughter Cathy Xu. She is the one who got engaged to me. But after she left with her motherter on, you and Mommy made the decision to have your daughter take her ce. So, if I really wanted to follow through with grandpa''s promise, then I would have to find the third daughter of your family and marry her." Before he even finished his words, Essie, who was sitting next to him, choked heavily. She felt like she had been burnt to ashes by a thunder that had struck her from above her head. What? Was it her? The third daughter? Did she hear it wrong? Chapter 111 The First Wife (Part One) Chapter 111 The First Wife (Part One) That name. No one was more familiar with it than she was. No one knew her better than she did. No one understood her better than she did. Because she bore that name for seven whole years. Essie was Cathy Xu. After divorcing Baron, her mother changed her name to Lucy in the hopes of forgetting her past life and starting a new one. After she married Bob, Essie offered to change her name in order to ease her mother''s conflict with her new grandparents. Since her mother''s second marriage, they had severed ties with their original family and be members of the new family wholeheartedly. However, did she actually be engaged to that ice guy? Wasn''t this the biggest joke of the century? Howe she never knew about it? He was eleven years old then, while she was only six years of age. At that time, Elizabeth took her son and daughter and became part of the family. Essie and her elder sister Alice were too busy fighting with Valery and her little brother, so she knew nothing about this. It was a political marriage arranged by the adults. The children would know about it when they reached puberty. Hearing him mention her childhood nemesis, Valery became a little furious. Cathy had always been more beautiful, smarter, and more brilliant than her. She was better than her in every aspect and stole her thunder at every turn that Valery was doomed to live in her shadow forever. Ever since she found out that Zac''s grandfather chose Cathy as his future granddaughter-inw, she had been looking for the every chance to kill her, but the woman luckily managed to escape every time. Fortunately, her mother had finally be the legal wife and kicked Cathy and her mother out of the family. She was no longer a threat to her. "She has not been a part of our family for a long time. Who knows, maybe she has been living like a sparrow in the slums. Do you really want to marry her?" she demanded angrily. Zac smiled coldly, scorn evident in his eyes. "She may be a sparrow... and you''re her half-sister. That makes you a turtledove." Zac''s words held a double meaning. There was an old saying that a turtledove takes over the nest of a sparrow. He was implying that Valery was upying the position of her sister Cathy. Upon hearing these words, Essie felt relieved, as if she had drunk a jar of iced tea in the middle of summer. For the first time, she was impressed by Zac''s sharp tongue. Valery was rendered speechless by the barb, so angry that she began to stomp her feet. Elizabeth quickly restrained her and said, "Be careful, you are pregnant." The child was definitely a trump card, especially if it turned out to be a son. Valery would get whatever she wanted once she gave birth to a son. Yesterday, Valery had the baby examined by B-ultrasound and was relieved to have the gender of the baby confirmed. Elizabeth took out the ultrasound image from her bag and said, "Zac,e and see your son. He is beautiful and healthy." Taking it over, Zac carefully looked at it. The four-month baby was basically formed. His little face and little fist could be seen in the photo. A faint smile yed at the corners of Zac''s mouth. This must be the joy of being a father for the first time. Essie noticed his expression and felt a slight twinge piercing her heart. To Elizabeth and her daughter, however, the softening of Zac''s expression was a sign of hope. He cared about the baby. As long as the baby could be born well, Valery could still ensnare him. "Zac, a child needs aplete family to grow up healthily. Don''t you think he should have both his father and mother after he is born?" Elizabeth seized the opportunity and said earnestly. Essie snorted ironically to herself. What a beautiful scenario Elizabeth was painting. It was like she had forgotten that she was the homewrecker mistress who broke up Essie''s parents. Did it never ur to her that Essie and her sister needed aplete family themselves? At that time, her sister was twelve years old, while she was only seven. Her sister chose her father, and she went with her mother. They hadn''t seen each other since their parents separated. Zac ced an arm around Elizabeth'' shoulders and said, "Aunt Elizabeth, don''t worry. He will have a At these words, Valery got so angry that she almost fainted. "Who the hell is that woman? If she dares to touch my child, I will kill her!" "She is my wife!" Zac said strongly, and each word was like a thunderp exploding within the mansion. Then, he slowly took out the bright red marriage certificate from his pocket. Elizabeth''s calm maskpletely crumbled. She never foresaw such an oue, even with her machinations. Once the marriage certificate was obtained, her daughter automatically became the mistress. She lost her advantage and was left in a passive position. If news of this leaked out, Valery would be a big joke in the upper-ss circle. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Albert was also quite shocked, but his expression remained unruffled. After all, he wasn''t known as a powerful king in business circles who had weathered countless storms for nothing. He could tell that Zac didn''t really want to marry Valery. As stubborn as he was, he would not change his mind no matter how hard anybody tried to convince him otherwise. Ever since Valery got pregnant and Elizabeth came to pressure them to get married, he washed his hands off the matter and let his son solve the problem by himself. However, this strategy went beyond his expectations. Zac used to y hide and seek in the past, but now he went for the direct attack and took a wife home. This was not his usual style. Stunned by what she heard, Mary felt the onset of a headache. Since the couple had already obtained a marriage certificate, it would be extremely difficult to drive Essie out of the house. She had known Valery since she was a child and treated her as her own daughter. Now that she was pregnant, she couldn''t just stand by. Zac had always been cold to women, with the sole exception of Le. The woman whom he had married must be such an exemry character to have captivated someone like Zac. He was so obsessed that he gave her the family ring and even obtained the marriage certificate. Chapter 112 The First Wife (Part Two) Chapter 112 The First Wife (Part Two) Valery was nopetition for Essie, so she definitely had to help her out! At that moment, Valery rushed toward Zac to look at the document. She was unbelieving until she saw the clear photo and name on the marriage certificate. Hysterical, she mped her hands over her ears, screamed like a banshee and promptly lost consciousness. Zac alertly caught Valery in his arms before she crumpled to the floor. "Call the doctor," he instructed the hovering house help and then carried her into a guest room. Of course, his sole concern was the baby, not the mother. Elizabeth and Mary also followed him to take care of the patient. Essie stayed in the living room alone. It was unnecessary for her to enter the room, anyway. Albert did not move an inch; he only took a sip of tea and examined his daughter-inw. The girl spoke not a single word from beginning to end. She was quiet like a breeze, seemingly trying to shrink until she was out of sight, but the fact was she had always been the center of attention. What surprised him more was her unppable calm throughout the discussion. Even with all of the barbs and provocation that Elizabeth and her daughter spouted, her expression did not change at all. How could his son be blind? The woman he liked must be very special. In addition, he liked the girl. She was pure like the first strand of faint blue in the horizon at dawn, just like someone he knew. Essie was uneasy at first, but Albert''s gentle, doting look helped her calm down. In this family, the one who was difficult to get along with was not this powerful leader, but his wife. The rtionship between mother-inw and daughter-inw had always been a headache. Essie realized that Mary wanted to insult her by soft words. She was perfectly satisfied with Valery, not with her. The doctor arrived to check up on Valery. To their relief, the doctor said that her fainting spell was only due to extreme mental stress and assured them that the baby was safe. Elizabeth''s face darkened. She turned to look at her daughter with a sad look and asked, "Mary, isn''t your son being too thoughtless right now? Why else would he marry another woman when Valery is pregnant with his son. Had he always intended to shirk all responsibility toward my daughter and her son like this? You know that Valery cannot give birth to this child without a respectable name. He must This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. give her an exnation for this foolishness!" Mary heaved a helpless sigh. Her son had always been rebellious since he was a kid. By the time he was five years old, she was no longer allowed to interfere with his affairs. Zac had always made decisions for himself. His father believed that Zac''s independence was a good thing and allowed him to have his way, which resulted in his arrogant and unruly personality. "Elizabeth, don''t worry. I''ll talk to him about this matterter," she repliedfortingly to the other woman''s diatribe. Elizabeth snorted, "From the first time I saw her, I knew that the woman he brought back was no good. She is the absolute opposite of Valery, who is gentle, kind, and innocent without any guile. I''m afraid that that woman harbors a grudge against the baby in Valery''s belly. Mark my words, she will do anything to get between Valery and your son and harm her and the baby." Mary answered in a steely voice, "I''m here. She wouldn''t dare." Mary patted Elizabeth''s hand, determination sparkling in her eyes. "I won''t allow anyone to hurt Valery and my grandson." Unseen by the other woman, Elizabeth''s mouth took on an imperceptible, insidious curve. She had sworn that her daughter would marry into this family and be the heir''s wife. She would kill anyone who would get in the way of reaching that goal. Valery woke up crying hysterically. She never thought that Zac really did not want to marry her even though she was carrying his child. Elizabeth hurried to her sideforting her, "What is it, my love? Don''t worry, we can still have her kicked out. I was able to drive away Lucy even if she had two daughters. As long as you have the trump card, the baby son, you will surely get Zac. Now, stop crying. You could hurt the baby, and you don''t want to give that bitch that satisfaction, do you?" Upon hearing these words, Valery stopped crying at once. Her mother was right. She was the one carrying Zac''s son in her womb, while that woman was nothing but a shirt that could always be reced. Her son would never be dispensable because he was Zac''s own flesh and blood. She had to endure and fight so that she could drive that woman away, but... "What if... She herself is pregnant at this point?" "If she is pregnant, then I will find a way to ensure that she would never give birth to any baby. Permanently." It wouldn''t have been the first time for her to do such a thing. After all, that was her "masterpiece"¡ªthe reason why Lucy never gave birth again. Considering Valery''s poor health, Mary asked the mother and daughter to stay in the house for a day and instructed the kitchen staff to prepare chicken soup for the expectant mother. Zac took Essie to his room and asked her to rest. Since he came back from United States, he had been living at a different house outside of the vi, returning only to visit during festivals. As soon as the door was shut, Essie''s face darkened. She hadn''t forgiven his cheating yet. The intimacy that they showed just then was pure acting. Restless, she walked over to the window and looked out at the sparklingke in the distance. The plot changed so fast; she didn''t even have time to digest anything before she had to head to battle with her gun. Now, it was time to calm down. Zac came to stand beside her. A frown on his handsome face, he said in a frustrated voice, "If, from the beginning, I told you who I really was and the matter between me and Valery, do you think you would have been able to face me so freely?" Chapter 113 Its Hard To Be With The Mother-in-law Chapter 113 It''s Hard To Be With The Mother-inw Never! Thanks to his so-called mediocrity, she didn''t feel any pressure whenever she was with him. She was able to get along with him, joke with him, and even argue with him. It was also because of his "mediocrity" that she felt like they were from the same world, and that she was able to put her trust in him. There had been a lot of ups and downs in her life. She had gone from a girl with a well-known and rich family to a girl with a small house in the middle of nowhere. And to be honest, she preferred thetter one. It was said that jade was the apple of the eyes of people from wealthy families, but the truth was, people from wealthy families all had two faces: one was ugly, while the other was gorgeous and fake. What was the difference between Zac and those people? "I''ll only do what I need to, and I''ll act how I should. Nothing more." Essie''s voice was cold and distant, and there was a trace of bitterness in it. She fixed her eyes outside the window, refusing to even look at Zac. Zac didn''t like seeing such an expression on her face, and he didn''t want her to treat him as a mere passer-by. He grabbed her shoulders, turned her over, and forced her to face him. "I never lied about anything but my identity to you. To be honest, I didn''t feel like I had to hide my personality from you or y any games with you. I tried to be myself and let you see who I was. Nothing has to change between us. Without the Rong family, I am still the same homeless guy with nothing to offer who has been raised by you, and you are still my queen," he said. "Does that make it okay?" Essie sneered. "From now on, you''re in charge of our finances. I''ll just leave some pocket money for myself for drinking, and other than that I''ll just be like a pauper." Zac gently touched the tip of her nose, his eyes full of love. Essie sighed lightly. Although she was still a little ufortable and resentful, she decided to let it go. If she quarreled with him, and gave him the silent treatment, Valery would feel very happy, and she didn''t want that. She needed to show off how happy and sweet they were and make Valery even angrier. Just then, someone knocked on the door. It was Mary. "I have something to tell you." She looked extremely serious. N?velDrama.Org content. Zac frowned slightly. "Have a seat, Mommy." After Mary sat down on the sofa, Zac took a seat opposite her with his arm around Essie. "What do you want to say?" he asked in a low voice. "We have been friends with Valery''s family for generations, and almost everyone in the upper ss circle knows that Valery is pregnant. If you suddenly announce your marriage to another woman, how will Valery be able to show her face to everyone?" Mary paused. "So, what I''m saying is, the registration of your marriage cannot be announced to the public." An angry look shed across Zac''s eyes. The moment Valery found that she was pregnant, she immediately started to spread the news all over the city, even telling random passers-by about it to share her "good news". She deserved to be disgraced. "I can keep it a secret until the baby is born, but I will only do it under two conditions, and you have to promise me that you will follow them." Zac was absolutely expressionless. It was as if the person sitting opposite to him was not his own mother, but a business partner. This came as a total surprise to Essie. "What are your conditions?" asked Mary. "First of all, Essie and I have registered our marriage, and she is my legitimate wife, so everyone in our family and Valery''s family has to respect her. Second, I will not be marrying Valery, so please get rid of that idea in her and her family''s heads," Zac said in a firm tone, leaving no room for negotiation. "Zac!" Mary said with an exasperated expression. She thought, ''This boy won''t listen to his mother now that he''s all grown up.'' "You have to know that there are rules of our family. Even if you have registered your marriage, she cannot be an official daughter-inw of our family unless she has gotten the approval of all the members of the family." "As long as my wife wants to be with me, all she needs is my approval. I don''t care about what anyone else has to say," Zac said firmly. Zac knew that his mother had been drawn in by Valery''s sugar-coated words. More than that, he also knew that Elizabeth was his mother''s best friend, and if Mary thought that there was a chance that Valery would be her daughter-inw, then she would definitely take Valery''s side. He had to be ruthless so that there would be no room for fantasies in their head, or else he and Essie would face endless trouble. With her head down, Essie stole a nce at him from beneath her thick eyshes. One of the clearest memories Essie had of her father was how submissive he was to her grandmother. Whenever her grandmother ordered him to do something, he would follow her without saying a word. And even when her grandmother was insulting her mother, he never dared to stand up to his mother and just watched his wife get bullied. Essie''s stepfather was much smarter than her biological father. He simply took both Essie and her mother away from their hometown and lived with them from ce to ce for three years, wiping away everyst bit of grievance his parents had, and only leaving them to hope that their son woulde back one day. It seemed to Essie that a man who wouldn''t stand up for his wife in front of his mother was doomed to fail in marriage. That was the reason why she didn''t want to ept Hanson''s love anymore. He was just like her biological father. Ice guy, on the other hand, didn''t even change his cold attitude in front of his mother. Essie didn''t know whether she should feel happy or worried. The expression on Mary''s face shifted. ''Others?'' she thought. Did he consider his own mother as ''others''? In a feudal society, daughters-inw had to ept whatever her inws wanted. It had been many years since Mary married into her husband''s family, but she still didn''t dare to disobey the orders of Zac''s grandmother. She tried her absolute best to please her mother-inw. Her son''s words humiliated her as a mother-inw. But Mary was smart enough to know that putting more pressure on her son would only make things worse. It was just like hitting a ball¡ªthe more strength she used, the harder it would bounce back. She knew that the most effective way to deal with her son was to treat him as gently as she could. "All right. We''ll talk about this after Valery gives birth to the baby. I''ll ask the servants to clean the guest room for Essie so she can sleep thereter." "Mommy, do you want us to sleep in separate rooms?" Lying idly on the bed, Zac raised his eyebrows in dissatisfaction. This was such a good chance for him to sleep with Essie, and now his mother was making a move to separate them? "Valery is carrying my grandson, after all. You should at least be considerate of how she and Elizabeth feel, right? Besides, your Aunt Elizabeth has always regarded you as her own son. She has loved you very much since you were a child. And you have to keep a low profile anyway, so you can''t go too far." "I''ve already told them about my marriage. I have every reason to be in the same bed as my wife," Zac snorted. Essie, on the other hand, actually agreed with the idea of sleeping in separate rooms. Sleeping with the big bad wolf made her feel insecure every time. "I think your mother''s words make a lot of sense. We have to keep a low profile, so I will stay in the guest room for now." With that, Essie stood up, about to run away. But then, Zac wrapped his iron arm around her slim waist, pulled her to him, and she fell onto hisp in surprise. "Mommy, I can''t sleep if she''s not with me. If you don''t think it''s appropriate, then we''ll go back to my apartment tonight," he threatened. Mary''s face darkened. Her son had no sense of filial duty at all. It was like he hadpletely forgotten his mother now that he had a wife! "You are a grown-up. Do whatever you want!" She poked Zac''s forehead and walked out of the room gloomily. "Icy guy, are you always so aggressive towards your mother?" With a smile ying at the corners of his mouth, Zac pulled Essie into his arms and said, "We have to show our affection in front of my parents so my mother knows that it is impossible to separate us. Otherwise, my mother would make a big fuss about it and do everything to get me to marry who she has in mind." Was he right? Or would what he did just make Mary hate Essie''s guts more? There were a lot of conflicts that usually arose between mother-inw and daughter-inw. One of them was due to the strong sense of loss that the mother-inw would get from feeling like her son, who she raised for many years, had been taken away by another woman. Because of this, she would naturally be dissatisfied with her daughter-inw and try to find something wrong with her. Anyway, she wasn''t his real wife. She was just acting. Ice guy was the director and scriptwriter, and Essie just had to do as he said. Lunch was another intense battle. Zac''s third uncle Allen and aunt Marci hade back. Uncle Allen was in charge of the travel group of the family business now. He had two sons and one daughter. His eldest son was studying in Britain, and his daughter, Ivy, was still in high school. His other son, who was the child of his lover, was only eight years old and was currently busy ying games on the sofa as if nobody else was around. Meanwhile, after she got divorced, Aunt Marci took her daughter, Daisy, back to their house. "Aunt Marci." Essie greeted Marci at once as she had seen her before. "How dare you call her aunt?" Daisy said, ring at Essie. Marci smiled and said, "She''s a friend of Zac. Why shouldn''t she call me aunt?" The moment Ivy saw Essie, her eyes lit up and she screamed excitedly, "You are the beautiful designer on the show Beauty on Runway! I am such a big fan! I like your designs very much. They are all so beautiful. My birthday ising up. Can you design an evening dress for me?" "Sure! It would be my honor," Essie said with a smile. Daisy pouted and said, "Zac, you are already going to have one wife and one concubine. Where does that leave Le? She came back from America before she could even finish her studies because of you." Daisy was a young photographer who had just returned from France after finishing her studies there. She had a good rtionship with Le, so she had to speak up for her. "Daisy, don''t talk nonsense," Marci said, shooting her a warning nce. "Our family isn''tpatible with Le''s family, so how can Zac be with her? It doesn''t matter how great they were together. It''s all in the past," Ivy sighed. ''I''m afraid it is not in the past!'' Essie muttered in her heart. They were childhood friends. The rtionship between the two of them was much stronger and deeper than the ocean. How could they be torn apart so easily? They were simply caught in a dilemma now, and once the situation was fixed, Essie would have to step aside. But none of that mattered to Essie. Everything was clear in her mind, and she was well-prepared for what would happen. The moment he said the word, Essie would leave and disappear from his world forever. Allen and his wife were determined to just watch everything y out. It was none of their business anyway. They were not supportive of the fact that his nephew had brought an outsider woman into their home, but all they wanted was to be onlookers and wait and see what would happen. However, they knew that it was going to be a good show. The main dining room was astonishingly big, and the dining table was pretty huge. Albert sat at the head of the table, Mary was seated on his left side, and Zac on his right. Essie was just about to take a seat next to Zac when she heard Mary''s gentle voice calling out to her. "Essie, sit next to me. Let''s have a chat." The smile on her face looked very gentle and kind, but Essie knew very well that what she actually wanted was for Essie to make room for Valery next to Zac. Chapter 114 The Secret Of The Family Chapter 114 The Secret Of The Family ¡®I guess rich mothers-inw really are cunning and brilliant,¡¯ Essie thought. Her first grandmother might have been bossy and arrogant, but to Essie, Mrs. Mary seemed like a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. It would be easier to please the likes of her grandmother than to deal with someone like Zac¡¯s mom. ¡®I should probably keep my eyes on her so I can figure out her next move. Otherwise, I might find myself in danger.¡¯ Essie held her breath. This time, Zac didn¡¯t oppose her. He always did things in a proper way to avoid humiliating his mother in front of others. Zac looked at Essie and nodded slightly, and then she walked up to Mary and sat beside her. Valery walked towards Zac and smugly took the seat beside him. She always tookfort in the fact that his family had regarded her as someone who had the only right to be by his side. That even though Essie was his legal wife, she still wouldn¡¯t be acknowledged and would only be considered as his mistress. Mistresses who had been in this house hade out feeling miserable. None of them ever managed to please this family enough, and Essie would soon join them in their misery. It was obvious to Essie that they all favored Valery more as if she was the real wife. There were mainly two reasons why Mary wouldn¡¯t allow Zac and Essie to reveal the truth of their marriage in the general public. First, she wanted to protect Valery. This wasmon sense since she was the daughter of her best friend, and she was carrying Zac¡¯s child. Secondly, she didn¡¯t want Essie to gain the support of others. She wanted to edge her out to the point that Essie would be the one to finally quit. In Essie¡¯s mind, she wondered if Zac realized that her mother was a treacherous person. On the other hand, Albert, her father-inw, was nice and kind. He was decent enough to give her a genuine smile and speak to her in a gentle andfortable tone. When all of them were seated, one of their house servants began to serve the dishes. Sage, the servant brought in a cup of chicken soup andid it in front of Valery. "Miss Valery, please have a taste of this soup. This was specially made by Mrs. Mary for you. It¡¯s good for your health." Knowing very well how to suck up to Mary, Valery gave her a sweet smile and sad, "Thank you, Auntie Mary." "Oh dear, we¡¯ll be a family soon. You¡¯re pregnant with her soon-to-be grandchild. I think you should start calling her ¡®mom,¡¯" Elizabeth chimed in and urged her daughter. These three knew exactly how to make a scene in front of so many people. "Yeah, it¡¯s all right. You can call me that," Mary responded quickly. As if they had rehearsed it from a script, they spewed out lines so naturally, that these three could star effectively as viins in a TV drama. "Okay then, mom." There was an evil smile on Valery¡¯s face as she gave an arrogant nce at Essie. ¡®Know your ce, you cockroach! How dare youpete against me?!¡¯ Valery made sure that Essie was having a miserable time as they ate together. ¡®What the hell! I can¡¯t stand this anymore!¡¯ Essie was controlling herself but actually wanted to curse them. ¡®Aren¡¯t they in their right minds? I¡¯m the legal wife. Why should I be treated this way? I swear, one more word and I will p this Valery with our marriage certificate!¡¯ She was almost trembling as she held her fork. Zac noticed Essie¡¯s expression as he sipped his wine. He then turned to Valery and said in a sarcastic tone, "Oh hey, that¡¯s a good idea. Mom always treated you like her daughter, so maybe I should start treating you as my sister. Well then, you can call me ¡®brother¡¯!" Everyone knew that he was trying to ridicule Valery with his remarks. Ivy, who was sitting next to Essie, snorted and patted her on the shoulder. "While you¡¯re on it, call Essie ¡®sister-inw¡¯ too!" As an avid fan of Essie, she was determined to support her idol and cousin to be together. With the opening that Zac created, she wouldn¡¯t let that opportunity to be wasted. "Hey kid, stop it," An said in a low voice as he nced at Ivy. "What? I¡¯m just saying." Ivy continued to smile as she winked at Essie. Meanwhile, Valery was so angry that she almost wanted to pound the table. Elizabeth grew a little worried. She knew that the biggest pain in her daughter¡¯s heart was the fact that she couldn¡¯t win Zac¡¯s heart. She couldn¡¯t help but feel like she was looking in the mirror when she saw her daughter. In her mind, she didn¡¯t want Valery to suffer and go through what she had with Baron. As much as she didn¡¯t want to ept it, she knew that Baron had been seeing other women behind her back. There was even a time when a woman threatened their position by stating that she and Baron had a son. It was a serious matter for her, so she needed her daughter to find a way to win Zac¡¯s love after she gave birth to their baby. "All right, all right. It¡¯s just a joke. Let¡¯s continue eating," Mary intervened and tried to lighten the atmosphere. After that, everyone at the table kept quiet and ate in silence. Essie wasn¡¯t able to eat much. The depressing atmosphere in the dining room had seriously affected her appetite. After lunch, Ivy suggested taking Essie for a walk around the mansion. At the same time, Albert called his son to his study. Sitting on the sofa, Albert casually lit a cigar while Zac prepared some tea. "How long has it been since we just sat here and drank tea like this?" Albert said with a faint smile. Since Zac was already living in Yang City, he had fewer opportunities to visit his family at home. "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll bring Essie back here often so we can have tea with you," Zac replied as he handed his father a cup of tea. Albert leaned against the sofa and took a few sips before he managed to ask his son, "So, tell me the truth. Are you really the father of Valery¡¯s baby?" Zac smiled as he knew that his father wouldn¡¯t wait so long to ask that question. After all, his father knew him very much. The way Zac treated Valery all this time was too strange no matter the angle. With this, it wasn¡¯t unexpected that Albert would suspect that there was some secret behind this. "We¡¯ll all know when the baby¡¯s out," Zac answered in a calm and soft voice. However, it was pretty obvious that there was a lingering intriguing tone in his words. Albert puffed out a smoke ring. His eyes narrowed as he heard his son¡¯s response. He knew that he would get nothing even if he forced him to tell him. He took some hints but he still wasn¡¯t sure. It could only be that Zac also didn¡¯t know the answer, or he just didn¡¯t want to say it right now. Either way, since Zac basically told him to just wait, then he decided to do so. "All right. We can put aside that topic for the time being. But what about Essie, do you really like her? Or are you just using her so you can get rid of Valery?" Albert asked with a straight face. With a pair of eyes that could see through everything, he was sharper and more sensitive than anyone else. "Come on, dad. Marriage is a serious thing. I can¡¯t just marry a random woman." The words came out surprisingly sincere. Zac even looked at his father directly in his eyes. "You need to find a way to appease your mother. Don¡¯t let Elizabeth and her daughter have their way." If truth be told, Albert didn¡¯t really like his wife¡¯s best friend at all. Moreover, there was no way that he wanted Valery to be his daughter-inw. So he waspletely relieved when he heard how his son really felt about Essie. "You don¡¯t care what mom would think?" Zac raised his eyebrows as he felt a little intrigued by his father¡¯s answer. With a helpless look, Albert shrugged his shoulders and said, "Your mom is a lost cause. She has been poisoned too much by Elizabeth and her daughter. But maybe, you can still do something about it." Zac touched his chin with a sudden glint in his eyes. "How about this? Why don¡¯t you go out and find a woman that you can have a good time with? Then maybe mom will have no time to worry about my situation." "You idiot. That¡¯s the best solution you can think of?" Albert pretended to be angry as he slightly hit Zac¡¯s head. He actually had a hint of guilt as he said those words. Back then, Albert tried to really This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. punish her wife by bringing a woman in their own house. "Why don¡¯t you just give us a grandchild from the woman you really like? That sounds like a better idea than me finding a woman," Albert jested. "Oh! Good idea!" Zac gave him a thumbs up. With a teasing smile, he added, "Besides, I think you¡¯re too old for that now. Ha-ha!" In the garden, Ivy was showing Essie around. The family had its own orchard, vegetable garden, fish pool, and a training ground. It was as if everything that they might need was already there. It was known that their family enjoyed maintaining their anonymity in various sectors. They even supported many forces abroad, but they didn¡¯t know that it was the Rong family who was behind it. No one knew how much wealth they exactly had, and only a small part of it had been disclosed to the general public. Nheless, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that they were a superpower in the world of finance. "Hey, Essie. Don¡¯t forget that evening dress that I told you to design for me," Ivy reminded smilingly. She was genuinely happier to wear the clothes designed by Essie rather than the customized high-end ones from the biggest and famous brands. "I will finish the sketches this afternoon. The only problem is, all my machines are in Yang City. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to make them until I go back to Yang City." Essie gave her an apologetic shrug. "Oh! Don¡¯t worry about that. Zac will set up a studio for you here. You see, there are a lot of rooms here that you can choose from to convert into your studio. You can choose the biggest one if you like!" Ivy replied in an energetic tone. However, this didn¡¯t make Essie smile. She was shocked to hear that they would even n to move her studio here. ¡®How long am I supposed to stay here?¡¯ She just wanted to go back to Yang City as soon as possible. They walked some more and talked andughed until they arrived at a deserted courtyard. It was pretty obvious that the ce was totally different from the other areas. The courtyard wall was tall, covered in dark-colored mosses. A creepy vibe could be felt just by looking at it. Arge iron door stood in the middle with a visiblerge lock chained to it. Strange runes were suspended on it, which seemed like the kind that was used to suppress evil. Out of curiosity, Essie took a peek inside. The vast space inside looked bleak and deste. There were thick grasses, locust trees, and ancient vines which looked like ws of skeletons scattered in all directions. Ordinary people would shudder in fear when they look at it. "Oh no! I didn¡¯t notice that we started heading this way. Come on. Let¡¯s leave quickly!" Ivy held Essie by her arm as she pulled her away and rushed to the other path. "What was that ce?" Essie asked in confusion as she saw the nervous expression on Ivy¡¯s face. Ivy didn¡¯t manage to answer right away because she was still catching her breath. "I¡¯m warning you. You can go anywhere in the mansion except there. Just stay away from that ce," she cautioned her as she tried to recover from her goosebumps. "Is there a ghost inside?" Essie asked in a yful tone. She actually felt kind of interested because she happened to have read a book on how to steal a tomb recently. "Yeah, that¡¯s right," Ivy answered with all seriousness. "I was still a child back then. I heard from the servants that someone had died in that ce. After that, she became a ferocious ghost, haunting around and asionally appearing as ady in a red dress. The family asked a Taoist priest to ce a seal on that area. No one was allowed to get close to that ce except Uncle Li." As she was still speaking, a cold wind blew from afar. The wind whistled through the bamboo grove, as though speaking in a high-pitched voice. She immediately felt a shiver down her spine and urged Essie to quickly run away, fearing that the ghost in the red dress would appear and chase them. They didn¡¯t stop running until they reached an area where a servant was standing, watering the nts. Ivy patted her chest and gasped, "Ooh! I¡®m so scared! That was too scary!" "Is that story even true? I think stories about ghosts are just made up." Essie wasn¡¯t really scared. She was the type to purely believe in science, therefore she didn¡¯t believe in the existence of supernatural beings. "What? Of course they¡¯re true. She¡¯s roaming around in the middle of the night, you could even hear someone crying. It¡¯s so scary. I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯ve heard it myself!" she continued to convince Essie. "This ce has a history of more than a hundred years. It experienced wars. It would not be umon if there was something mysterious lingering here," she added. Atst, Essie nodded and agreed with her. ¡®I guess the older the ces are, the more extraordinary stuff they experience. Consequently, more rumors and stories were passed down,¡¯ Essie thought. "Why would Uncle Li be the only one allowed to get close to that ce? Is he not afraid of the ghost that dwells in there?" Essie asked curiously. "Uncle Li used to be a Taoist priest. He knows the spell to calm the vicious ghost." The more Ivy spoke about it, the more Essie found the ce mysterious. Chapter 115 Call Me Honey (Part One) Chapter 115 Call Me Honey (Part One) Essie didn''t know if there was actually a ghost, but there was one thing she knew for certain: there was a hidden secret in the yard. As they walked towards the pavilion, they saw Daisying from the bamboo forest path. Ivy waved her over, and they all sat around the stone table in the pavilion. Once they were settled down, they asked the servants to bring them some afternoon tea. "The moment Zac came back, the whole house became bustling with noise." An ironic smile appeared on Daisy''s face. "I really can''t stand Valery anymore. Is it such a big deal to be pregnant? Isabe already has three sons, but Richard hasn''t married her yet," Ivy said. "I agree. I don''t even know how she got pregnant. The woman Zac loves is none other than Le." In Daisy''s eyes, Zac and Le were perfect for each other. "No. Zac is in love with Essie now. He has already moved on from Le." Ivy made a face and stuck out her tongue at Daisy. It seemed like they didn''t agree with each other. "I don''t believe that he will let go of his rtionship with Le. They started dating in middle school, and he loves Le with all his heart. There are a lot of girls who have a crush on him, but he has never had a rtionship with any other girl. If it weren''t for the conflict between the two families and Valery''s intervention, they would have gotten married already," said Daisy, not caring about how Essie would feel. After hearing what she said, Essie was calm. She knew that ice guy loved Le, but she didn''t intend to fight with her. Her opponent was Valery. As long as Valery was beaten, she would be sessful and leave, letting Le marry her lover and live together. Ivy coughed to cover the awkwardness in the air and said, "Cousin, please take a look at the situation clearly. Zac''s only choices for his wife are Essie and Valery. Le has no right to be his wife. If Zac insists on being with Le, not only would he have to give up his status as the crown prince of the family, but he would also be betraying everyone in the family. He cannot afford to pay such a cruel price. So don''t cause any trouble. Just support Essie with me. It''s far more realistic than supporting Le." Although Ivy was still young, she knew more about the family than any of her other siblings. This was because her favorite past time was to hide herself in closets and eavesdrop on the adults'' conversations. Hearing this, Daisy fell into silence. She had to admit that every word that Ivy said made sense and there was no way to deny any of it. Le and Zac could never be together. Meanwhile, Essie was shocked by this new piece of information. Was it really that serious? Why would he be deprived of inheritance if he decided to marry Le? What kind of feud was there between Le''s family and Zac''s family? Was it so bad that even their descendants had to pay for it? No wonder icy guy quarreled with Le so often. They couldn''t see a future for their love. They were just like the beautiful flowers in the mirror¡ªno matter how perfect they were, they couldn''t hold each other. It was just like that song from that famous TV drama that said, "I loved you from the wrong side, and I lost my soul when I lost you." They were in such a dilemma. ''Well, it seems like people be greedier the richer they be. It''s a good thing that I am just an ordinary person. This way, I have the freedom to love whoever I want and do whatever I want,'' Essie thought. They girls chatted for a while, then they got up and went to the mansion. Meanwhile, Zac had juste out of his father''s room and was just about to look for Essie when he saw Valery walking towards him with her big belly. Zac turned around and tried to walk away from her. But Valery unexpectedly trotted over to him and hugged him from behind. "Do you have any idea how much time I spent looking for you? Do you know how much I love you? I am willing to die for you. Why did you have to bring that woman back here to anger me? If it were not for the child, I would not have been able to continue living!" Zac pulled her hands away from him coldly. If she hadn''t been pregnant, he would have pushed her far away. "I only see you as my sister. That''s all." "I don''t want to be your sister. I want to be your wife," she cried out. "No way. Essie is the only one I want as my wife," Zac said firmly. "What makes you think that she is better than me?" Valery was almost roaring, and her eyes looked very fierce. Her delicate face had been distorted by her deep resentment. "She is better than you, and only she has the right to touch me like that," Zac said every word clearly and forcefully. His face was as cold as an iceberg. He had no expression at all. Valery felt like she was on the verge of breaking down. It was all her fault. If she had just killed that bitch back then, she wouldn''t be in this situation now. "I''m telling you, Zac, I''m not going to let you be with her for as long as I and my child are alive!" She was so angry that her eyes were burning. As long as she was alive, she would never let him go. "Zac!" They suddenly heard a sweet voiceing from the corridor, and Zac turned his eyes to look at the beautiful woman. "You are back," he said. His charming smile melted away all the coldness on his face, leaving nothing but endless tenderness. The apparent change in Zac''s facial expression caused a sharp pain in Valery''s heart. "You are a shameless bitch. Give my husband back to me!" she said to Essie. "I think you should know this," Essie said as she walked up to Zac and looped her arm around his, dering her ownership. "Let him go!" Completely out of her mind, Valery rushed forward and pushed Essie hard. But she herself staggered back and almost fell down from the impact. Fortunately, Zac was quick to react and he was able to grab her before she could fall. "Valery, you''d better behave yourself. Don''t forget what I told youst time," Zac warned her sharply. Valery shivered. She didn''t even dare to think about the terrible consequences those hit men had to face. Essie flicked her clothes as if she wanted to get rid of the dirt from Valery and said calmly, "Miss Valery, calm down. You are pregnant right now. If you have a miscarriage, you will never be able to step foot in this world for the rest of your life." "You..." Valery was so furious that she couldn''t get a single word out. She just raised her hand to cover her belly. When Elizabeth heard themotion from downstairs, she came up at once and held her daughter. "Zac, how could you let her bully Valery like this?" "Aunt Elizabeth, you should know better than anyone what your daughter has done to Essie. I gave her another chance to change for your sake and the baby''s. Otherwise, do you think she''d still be standing here and provoking us?" Zac said rather rudely. Elizabeth had intentionally not said a word about that matter because she wanted to just let it go, but he couldn''t turn a deaf ear to anything that was hurtful to his woman. Elizabeth''s eyes twitched. "Valery just cares too much about you. If only you were willing toe back to her and marry her, and stop hooking up with other women, then she wouldn''t be so angry with you." Zac pulled Essie into his arms, lowered his head, and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Aunt Elizabeth, this woman is my wife. It won''t be right for me to take care of a woman other than her. Don''t This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. you know that?" It was obvious that Valery was the other woman he was talking about. Chapter 116 Call Me Honey (Part Two) Chapter 116 Call Me Honey (Part Two) Elizabeth was so angry that she nearly burst into a frenzy. She didn''t expect Zac to be so ruthless towards her. "You are engaged to Valery and she is pregnant with your child. Don''t you think it''s your responsibility to take care of her?" "I''ll take care of the baby. As for her..." A hint of sarcasm flitted over Zac''s face. "Since you have so much free time, why don''t you take some time to teach her a lesson? If she wants to be a daughter-in- like her wouldn''t even be wanted by beggars on the side of the road, so how can you expect her to get into our family?" Elizabeth''s face was now as red as a ripe apple with a tinge of purple and brown. She took a deep breath and swallowed hard, trying very hard to calm herself down. Elizabeth knew that if she provoked him further, she would get nothing from him. If she really wanted to drive Essie away, she had to turn to Mary. With that, she dejectedly left with Valery. "Honey, you are so bossy!" Essie said as she gave Zac a thumbs up. Zac''s ck eyes suddenly sparkled with joy, making it look like a starry night sky. "Say that again!" He drew a charming smile at the corners of his mouth. Essie thought it was a good time to act silly. She put her index finger on the corner of her mouth and asked cutely, "Say what?" "The word you just said." He knew that she was ying dumb. He raised his hand and flicked her on the forehead. "Oh, I can''t remember." She stuck her tongue out at him mischievously, turned around, and tried to escape, but Zac wasn''t going to let her go just like that. He picked her up from behind and strode into the room, looking like he was going to extort information from her through torture. Essie''s face turned pale with fear, and she hurriedly raised her hand in surrender. ''A wise man knows when to bow his head. As I''m living in his house, I have to do it when necessary,'' thought she. Essie put her mouth close to his ear and whispered, "Honey!" However, her husband was insatiable. "That''s not enough. You have to say it ten times in a row." A fierce look shed in Essie''s eyes, but she reluctantly submitted anyway. "Honey, honey..." she said casually. However, in her heart, she was actually saying, "Son of a bitch, asshole..." When they returned to the room, Essie sat down on the sofa. Then, she took a litchi from the fruit te, peeled it, put it in her mouth, and spat out the core. "Your house is like a wondend. I feel like I would get lost if I went out by myself." Zac stroked her head in a pampering manner and asked, "Where did Ivy take you today?" "The garden, orchard, greenke and..." She paused and said softly, "The ghost house." Zac frowned. "Stay away from that ce." "Is there a ghost inside it? For real?" Essie''s big ck eyes blinked twice, full of curiosity. "Ghosts only exist in people''s hearts," Zac said with a faint smile. "Have you ever been to that ce?" Essiey down on the sofa and put her head on hisp. The firm muscles of his thighs made her feel veryfortable. Zac touched her hair and yed with it casually. "It''s a forbidden area. No one can enter is except for Uncle Li." "Aren''t you curious about what''s inside?" She pouted. "Curiosity kills the cat." Zac pinched her chin. He didn''t really care about people or things that had nothing to do with him. "Ivy said that she once heard someone crying in there. It was so weird." Essie crossed her arms over her chest, as if she was thinking about something. "It could have just been the wind. There''s arge bamboo forest outside the yard. Whenever wind passes through the bamboo forest, it sounds like a whimper." Zac grinned. Then he peeled a litchi and put it in her mouth. His wife''s intense curiosity made him wonder if she had been influenced by Jim, the gossip king. While eating the litchi, she caught a glimpse of a photo of Zac''s family on the nightstand. The moment she saw it, she said, "Zac, you have a twin brother. Why isn''t he here?" "He is in the US for business. He will be back in a few days," Zac said understatedly. Essie got up from the sofa and walked up to the photo. "Which one is your brother?" Zac pointed at the man standing beside him. Startled, Essie said, "You guys lookpletely different. Aren''t twins supposed to look alike?" "Who says twins have to look exactly the same? I think there are a lot of twins that don''t look alike." Zac scratched her nose. ''That makes sense. If one looked like their mom and the other looked like their dad, then they would not look alike,'' she thought. Essie turned around and looked at Zac. He had good genes. His father was a handsome man, and his mother was breathtakingly beautiful, and he evidently inherited all of their best features. No wonder he was so handsome. Even though his brother was a little inferior to him in looks, he was absolutely still a handsome man. Upon closer inspection, Essie realized that the man looked familiar. She must have seen him somewhere before. But she quickly dismissed it as an illusion. He was the son of a rich family. It was impossible for her to know him. Thinking of this, Essie smiled and gave a thumbs up to Zac. "You are so lucky to have so many handsome and beautiful people in your family." At this moment, there was a knock on the door. A servant hade to tell them that the stuff Zac had bought had been ced in the room facing the garden upstairs as he had ordered. "Let''s go have a look." Zac took her hand and walked out of the room. Essie never thought that he would actually arrange a studio for her here,plete with a sewing machine, a tailoring table, and an embroidery machine. Everything she needed was here. Was he nning on having her live here for a long time? Was she supposed to wait for the birth of the baby? "How long exactly will we be staying here?" Essie didn''t feel happy. Instead, she felt quite worried. There was too much pressure here, and she liked the freedom she had in Yang City. Zac shook his head and smiled. "This is just a spare studio for you. If we end up having toe back here often in the future, you wouldn''t have to dy your orders since you have this studio." In the future? Hearing that, Essie''s heart trembled again. Once Valery''s child was born, they would split All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. up. They didn''t have a future at all! "Thank you, Zac," she said in a low voice. In spite of her doubts, she still felt warm in her heart. Meanwhile, in another room in the vi, Valery was crying in her mother''s arms. Elizabethforted Valery and put her hand on her daughter''s head. "You were too reckless when you beat that bitchst time, and now you have left a bad impression on Zac. You have to take the time to turn the situation around." "What should I do?" Valery sniffed. "You have to look weak and act as the victim to gain the sympathy of your mother-inw and everyone else. That way, you can make the little bitch look like an evil person. This is what you''ll do at dinner..." Elizabeth half covered her mouth and whispered in her daughter''s ear. Hearing her mother''s idea, a sly smile tugged at the corners of Valery''s mouth. Chapter 117 Dont Flatter Yourself (Part One) Chapter 117 Don''t tter Yourself (Part One) In the afternoon, Essie drew a few design sketches and gave them to Ivy to let her choose which one she wanted. She had designed each one ording to Ivy''s figure, skin tone, and temperament. Ivy liked every one of them, and couldn''t decide with one to choose, so she asked Daisy for some help. Daisy looked at the design sketches and liked the vintage European chiffon skirt and the embroidered long skirt with Easternce very much. "Both of these are very beautiful, but since you have long legs, why don''t you go with the short skirt?" "Ha ha, I think this short skirt would suit me, too." With a smile, Ivy made her decision. Hearing this, Essie nodded. Then, she turned to Daisy and said, "Thatce embroidered long dress would look very good on you. I can make that dress for you with the same pattern as Ivy''s dress to make your dresses look like sister outfits." "Really? That would be great! Daisy, we shall wear our sister outfits for my birthday party," Ivy said happily. Daisy was a little shocked to hear this. She didn''t expect that Essie would do this for her. After all, she had not been kind to Essie at all. "I... I have a lot of clothes," she muttered in a very low voice. Even though she liked the long dress very much, she felt bad about letting Essie make if for her after what she had done to her before. "But we don''t have sister outfits!" said Ivy. Ivy was so looking forward to wearing sister outfits with Daisy. Knowing exactly what Daisy was thinking, Essie said no more. She took Daisy''s hand with a smile and said, "Let''s go. You and Ivy shoulde with me to the studio. I''ll get your measurements." Upon seeing how friendly Essie was towards her and realizing that she didn''t me her for anything at all, Daisy stopped pretending to not like the dress and immediately went upstairs with a smile. Dinner time came. As soon as the three of them walked out of the studio, they immediately ran into Valery. The moment Valery saw Essie, a malicious and cold look shed through her eyes. But then, she remembered her mother''s words, so she twisted her mouth and gave Essie a big smile. Her smile made Essie get the creeps. ''That''s so weird. What trick is she ying at now?'' she thought. "Sister Essie!" Valery called Essie''s name affectionately, but Essie could feel the coldness from behind her. Upon hearing this, Daisy and Ivy exchanged nces. They felt very much confused. ''Has someone changed all of a sudden?'' they thought. But Essie didn''t think so. After all, a leopard cannot change its spots. What was more, jackals were vicious creatures through and through. Valery must havee up with a new n, so Essie had to be more cautious. Zac approached them from the other side. As soon as he saw Essie, he took her hand and said, "Let''s go. We''ll be having ck chicken soup today. I ordered the kitchen staff to make it for you." "I''m not pregnant. Why would I drink ck chicken soup?" Essie made a face at him. "You have to take care of herself. You can get pregnant any time you want." A cunning smile lingered on his lips. The idea making a grandson for his father seemed good, so Zac decided to put it on the agenda and get to it as soon as possible. Hearing that, Essie coughed violently, and her face turned a bit pale. They were only acting. Zac wasn''t really expecting her to do that, right? Hearing Zac''s words, Valery got very furious. She had thought that she was the only one who was qualified to give birth to a baby for Zac, and Essie was just a little bitch. However, she did expect her mother to be perfectly capable of dealing with Essie, and to be able to get rid of her even if she was pregnant with Zac''s baby. The only thing she could do now was to tolerate that woman. After all,ck of forbearance in small matters could end up upsetting greater ns. In front of the dining table, everyone took their respective seats. Before Mary could say anything about their seating arrangement, Valery waved at Essie and said to her surprise, "Come on. Sit next to me." ''Well, let''s see what you''ve got up your sleeve,'' Essie thought. Then, she nodded, smiled, and sat beside Valery. Zac didn''t react. His deep eyes were like a bottomless icy pool. He knew that Valery''s sly mother, Elizabeth, had given her a terrible idea. Before they started eating dinner, Valery gave a speech. She looked at Mary as if she was specifically talking to her. "I thought this over for a long time today. It''s verymon for men to have several wives. A man as excellent as Zac couldn''t be owned by just one woman. So from now on, I will be nice to Essie and treat her as my own sister. I hope she can truly ept me and the child, and not regard us as obstacles." Hearing her words, Essie wanted to vomit. How could that girl eat after saying such hypocritical and disgusting words? When Elizabeth realized that using a sharp knife wasn''t going to work, she changed her weapon to a soft knife. This was what she was best at. In the past, she just cried all day in front of her mother-inw and practiced ying the victim to perfection. Mary was amused by Valery''s speech. She smiled happily and said, "Good girl. Mommy knows that you are the most sensible person. It''s all Zac''s fault that you''re suffering a lot." This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Albert winked at his son and gave him a look that said, ''Your mother has beenpletely fooled by them. She can''t even tell that they''re ying a trick.'' Zac raised his eyebrows at him as if to say, ''Have you been neglecting her recently? It seems like she''s been so lonely that she had to resort to ying with those two clowns.'' Getting exactly what he meant, Albert had to stifle his chuckle with a cough. He shot Zac another look. ''You nasty boy, your mother has gone crazy after searching for you for so long.'' Essie secretly watched father and son as they exchanged eye contact, and she couldn''t help butugh in her heart. Usually, mothers were kinder than fathers. However, this family was totally different. Zac''s father was much kinder than his mother, and Albert seemed to know his son better. The rtionship between father and son was obviously more harmonious than that between mother and son. After all those years of being acquainted with Mary, Elizabeth hade to know her personality very well, and as long as her daughter could get along well with her mother-inw, she was already halfway towards bing a part of their family. With a small smile, she said, "Mary, I think you should let Valery stay with you for a few days. It will not only strengthen her rtionship with Zac, but also help her build her friendship with Essie." "Okay, we are a family after all." Mary gave her consent without hesitation and immediately asked a servant to clean up the bedroom beside Zac''s so that she could stay in the room next to him. Chapter 118 Dont Flatter Yourself (Part Two) Chapter 118 Don''t tter Yourself (Part Two) ''Is Valery that well-prepared to get into the family?'' Essie sneered in her mind. It seemed like Valery could do anything without scruple as long as she had her mother-inw''s support. Should Essie try her best to please the rich mother-inw as well? But given the present situation, even if she did whatever she could to please Mary, Essie would not be able to change her mind. Elizabeth was her best friend, and she saw Valery as her own daughter. More than that, Valery also had Mary''s grandson in her belly. How could an outsider like Essie stand a chance? It was much more realistic for her to suck up to her father-inw because he didn''t seem to like Elizabeth and her daughter very much. Zac didn''t say a word. If his mother insisted on doing things that would push him away, he would leave with Essie. In the afternoon, before Elizabeth left, she sent Sage, one of her family''s servants, to take care of Valery and help her deal with Essie. Sage had been serving Valery''s family for 15 years, so Essie had a deep impression of her. Lucy, Essie''s mother, was always very good to her. In fact, when Sage''s husband was in a lot of debt, Lucy paid for all of it for her. However, she betrayed Lucy and helped Elizabeth set her up. As soon as Sage entered the house, she immediately cast a stern nce at Essie and said, "Miss Valery, don''t worry. I will protect you. I''ll fight anyone who dares to bully you." Essie sneered in her mind, ''What a loyal servant!'' Essie didn''t even bother to look at her. She didn''t want to contaminate her eyes. She put her hand around Zac''s arm and said, "Let''s take a walk by theke." "Okay." Zac nodded with a smile and walked out with her. Staring at their backs, Valery clenched her teeth and said, "Sage, let''s go together." Theke was as green as its name suggested, and the green lotuses scattered in the middle of it, looked like small boats swaying along with the water. When Zac realized that Valery was following them, he intentionally grabbed Essie''s hand and broke into a run. After a while, Valery could no longer find a single trace of the two. Essiey down on the grass and sighed heavily. "I''m so lucky I don''t love you. It would be tiring to love you. Loving you would just be looking for trouble." If it weren''t for Valery, she wouldn''t have gotten involved in this mess! Zac stared at theke and saw Essie''s reflection created by the afterglow of the setting sun. Just then, All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. the wind sent ripples to theke, and Essie''s reflection rippled along with it as if to signify her uncertain heart. "Is it really so difficult to fall in love with me?" he asked. He couldn''t help but feel kind of depressed. Essie didn''t answer his question. Instead, she picked up a leaf and started ying with it with her hands. "I''ve already made up my mind. After I help you sort out this whole situation with Valery, I''ll apply for Instituto Marangoni and finish my professional studies," she said. Zac picked up a stone and threw it into theke as if to vent his anger. "Fine," he said in a low voice, just like the twilight breeze. A bitter smile was stered on Essie''s face. As the night wind blew through the woods, the leaf in her hand got carried away by the breeze and fell into theke. Zac stared at the reflection of the sunset in the water. It shimmered like an enormous made of thousands of golden threads which was still not enough to capture the entireke, or Essie''s uncertain heart. A gloomy atmosphere engulfed the two of them like a fog. After a long period of silence, something seemed toe to Essie''s mind and her eyes lit up. "This morning, you said that the one who was engaged to you was the third daughter of Valery''s family. Is that true?" "Yes, you are right." Zac shrugged his shoulders and continued, "But that evil girl was even more annoying than Valery. Fortunately, she is not here now. Otherwise, she would have been more difficult to deal with." ''The evil Cathy! She has to pay for what she had done to me,'' thought Zac. He was absent-minded for a moment, and he didn''t notice the thunderous look on Essie''s face. How absurd! How dare hepare her with a viper like Valery? Had she ever offended him before? She jumped up from the grass with a "whoosh" and red at him with her arms across her chest. "Have you ever even seen her? Did you two know each other before? Isn''t it wrong to judge a person whom you have never met or gotten to know?" The fierce look on Essie''s face frightened him. "Why are you so angry? I wasn''t insulting you!" "I... I was raised to always defend others. I heard that the third daughter is a beautiful and talented girl who can already draw and y the piano at the age of three, and that she''s really good at a lot of things. You couldn''t evenpare Valery to any one of her fingers. All Valery can do is y tricks and plot evil schemes." Essie was very angry. It was an insult, a serious insult, topare her to Valery! Looking at her serious expression, Zac shook his head andughed. It seemed that Daisy and Ivy had spent all afternoon gossiping with her. Now she was feeling bad for someone who had nothing to do with her, and was even defending her to him. He reached out and pulled her into his arms. "She is your rival in love. If she were still in Valery''s family, I would have to marry her. What would happen to you then?" Essie used all her strength to push him away. She was now in a fit of anger. "Don''t tter yourself. You are too cocky. I don''t like you, and I don''t want to be married to you." Hearing her words, Zac felt frustrated and sad. How could she rebuke him like that? Was he worse than an outsider in her heart? He was in urgent need of finding a ce to draw circles, so that he could calm down. "Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom," Zac said. He also needed some cold water. Essie was sitting alone by theke and watching the sunset. In the distance, Valery slowly started walking towards Essie with the help of Sage. Seeing that there was no one else around, Valery suddenly got an idea and whispered something in Sage''s ear. Sage nodded and said, "Good idea, Miss Valery!" Chapter 119 Remain Unmarried All Her Life (Part One) Chapter 119 Remain Unmarried All Her Life (Part One) Sage pretended to leave theke, walked into the woods, and found a ce to hide. Meanwhile, Valery walked slowly towards Essie on her own. "Sister Essie!" She called Essie''s name as intimately as she could, and stered an insidious false smile on her face. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. "Humph!" Essie muttered in a low voice. Thest thing she wanted was to talk to Valery, but she still managed to squeeze out a smile for her. While she was walking up to Essie, she suddenly stopped and fell down on the ground. Thinking that she might have a stomachache, Essie quickly jumped up and helped her up. "Are you okay?" Essie asked. Then, at that very moment, a fat figure suddenly ran out of the woods and shouted, "Help! Help! Help! Miss Valery was pushed by Essie!" "No, I didn''t..." Essie wanted to exin what happened, but when she saw the malicious smile on Valery''s face, she immediately understood what was happening. This was a frame-up. Zac was the first to arrive, and after him came Mary and the others. Valerie just sat on the ground while crying, and Sage took her into her arms and said, "You''re so wicked, Essie! You know Miss Valery is pregnant! You''re so jealous of her that you even tried to give her a miscarriage. Thank God I was nearby. Otherwise our young master anddy would have been killed by you, you vicious demon." "Valery, are you okay?" Mary rushed to Valery''s side to help her get up. After confirming that there was nothing wrong with her, she turned to look at Essie. "Did you push her?" she said coldly. "No, I didn''t. She suddenly fell on the ground while she was walking. I thought she had a stomachache, so I went to help her. I didn''t expect her to frame me," Essie exined calmly. No wonder people said that you shouldn''t help people when they fell down because it could definitely get you in trouble! Nowadays, there were too many people who would set a trap for their own good and try to ckmail others. "It was you who pushed her. Why else would she be on the ground like that? I saw it clearly. You are a fox! You are an evil demon! You are so cruel that you even tried to hurt an unborn baby. You will never have a child of your own!" Sage pointed at Essie angrily. "Essie, why do you want to hurt me and my child? I have already made a concession. I want to get along with you, but you want to kill my child! But he is Zac''s child. You can hate and hurt me all you want, but please don''t hurt him, okay?" Valery cried, looking pathetic. It broke Mary''s heart to see her like this. She took Valery in her arms andforted her with a soft voice. Then, Mary turned around to look at Essie, and her face suddenly hardened. "Since you have already gotten your marriage certificate with Zac, you have to abide by our family''s rules. In our family, anyone who makes a mistake must be punished," she said coldly. Then she turned to Uncle Li and said, "Punish her ording to the family bws." "Mommy," Zac said in a low and deep voice. "We haven''t figured out what really happened yet. You shouldn''t punish her so hastily. Let''s check the surveince first." Hearing his words, Valery''s heart skipped a beat and her face turned pale. Was there any surveince cameras here? She checked every corner, but there was not a single one in sight! Zac saw the expression on her face, and a cold smile passed over his face. Although Zac''s house was a century old, it had the most advanced security system in the world. All the cameras were installed in the most hidden ces, and they had a 360 degree surveince. More than that, their locations were changed once a month, making it impossible for anyone to pinpoint them. In the monitoring room, Valery and Sage''s actions were clearly recorded. The two women looked at each other, and their faces became as white as paper. "It was so dark that I couldn''t see clearly. I thought she pushed Miss Valery..." Before Sage could finish her words, Zac kicked her hard, and she fell heavily on the ground. She spat out a mouthful of blood. If she wasn''t an old woman who was probably about to die, he would have cut off her tongue and crippled her. How dare she curse his woman not to have any children of her own? ''I will make you die without descendants first!'' Zac thought. "You''re not even our servant. How dare youe and make trouble in this family? I''ll punish you for what you did, you old dog!" "Zac!" Essie said. "On second thought, dogs are the most loyal friends of human beings, so it would be a shame to say that she is a dog. She should be considered a rat who will do everything for the sake of money," she added. "Good name for her." Zac kissed Essie gently on her forehead. "Mom, it''s not my fault. It was Sage who gave me bad advice. I was out of my mind. I shouldn''t have followed her advice," Valery said as she hid behind Mary''s back. She used the servant as a scapegoat and shifted the me onto her. Essieughed in her heart. Who else could think of such a sinister trick except for Valery, the viper? If there hadn''t been any cameras around the area, she would not have had the chance to defend herself. Mary patted Valery on the back andforted her again. "I know. This matter is over. No one should look into it anymore." How could a woman not be jealous? It was normal for women to asionally do something absurd, and Valery couldn''t be med because she was pregnant with her grandson! This came as no shock to Essie. She had already anticipated that Mary would side with Mary. And as she had expected, Mary gave them an out and helped them at once. Now, Essie was willing to act in the same way as Valery did. "Sister Valery, I know you were just blinded at that moment. I hope we can get on well with each other. I don''t want anyone to drive a wedge between us," said Essie. Looking at Essie''s rxed expression and how she didn''t seem to be affected at all, Mary''s heart trembled slightly. Suddenly, she felt like Essie was a deep pool, and she couldn''t see the bottom of it. Later that night, Zac took Essie to a party of celebrities. He wanted all the celebrities in Dragon City to see his beautiful wife. She wore a long dress adorned with petals that she had designed herself. She had no makeup on except for ayer of lip gloss, making her look delicate and pure like a green lotus blooming in the darkness of the night. Chapter 120 Remain Unmarried All Her Life (Part Two) Chapter 120 Remain Unmarried All Her Life (Part Two) Their appearance could bepared to a meteorite falling into the Pacific Ocean and causing enormous waves. Since Valery was pregnant with Zac''s baby, everyone thought that she would marry Zac. But now, Zac had actually brought another woman with him to a high-end party. Besides, the woman standing next to him had always been Le. They did not expect him to have a new girlfriend! Everyone in the party had their eyes on the couple. Zac was always the focus of celebrities and the center of the topic in this kind of gathering. So naturally, the new woman standing next to him would be targeted by the crowd. Before Essie and Zac could settle down, the socialite divas rushed over to greet them. They looked at the woman next to Zac with the same expressions: envy and hate. With furrowed eyebrows, Essie pretended to be yful and annoyed. "If you ever take me out again, you must buy an unexpected insurance for me in advance because if looks could kill, I would already be dead." With a charming smile ying at the corners of his mouth, Zac said, "I will keep you safe." "You are obviously a high-level elixir that constantly releases a seductive aroma anytime and anywhere, so you are always attracting rotten peach flowers." While Essie was mumbling to herself, a gentle and maic voice suddenly came from their side. "We meet again, little beauty!" Essie turned around and saw Jim walking towards her. She was a little shocked to see him there, but then she realized that the reason Jim came to the show was because Zac had asked him to. There were two beautiful women standing beside Jim. They made no attempt to disguise their graceful gestures. It was easy for Essie to see that Zac liked to keep a low profile. At the very least, he never spent time with anyone he had nothing to do with. "Nice to see you, Jim." She smiled. "Do you want toe over to me, my gossip girl?" Jim said with a teasing smile on the corners of his mouth, reminding Zac in secret that he still owed him a big piece of gossip. Zac rolled his eyes and lifted Essie''s chin up to kiss her. His action surprised Jim so much that he was not able to react for a long time. The exaggerated expression on Jim''s face frightened Essie. It was just a kiss. It wasn''t like they did anything inappropriate for children right then and there. Was it necessary to be so shocked? Of course, Essie did not know that Jim was shocked because of Zac''s hidden disease. Zac didn''t even let Jim, whom he had been friends with his entire life, touch him, not to mention others. And now... ''Oh my God! What shocking gossip!'' thought Jim. "Have you cured it?" Jim asked. Zac didn''t reply. Instead he just shed him a sly and profound smile. "But how?" He was extremely curious. Zac didn''t say anything. He just put his arm around the girl beside him. "I will tell you when you have a better chip to offer me in exchange." "Wait for me." Jim''s beautiful eyes were full of helplessness. He thought to himself, ''Such a deep- rooted gossip of the universe must be dug out, or else I will be tainting my reputation as the gossip king.'' Essie felt like they were talking in a riddle. She couldn''t understand what they were saying at all. Zac was perfectly healthy. Why should he be cured? "What''s wrong with you?" she asked nkly. "Nothing." He kissed her on her lips again. He was addicted to showing off his love for her. Didn''t he know that the more he showed off, the more curious she became? Jim cleared his throat, sent away the women beside him, and asked Zac to sit down and have a drink with him. The waiter brought them three sses of champagne. Jim took a sip and asked, "Is Valery going to be making trouble today?" "It looks like someone''s head is directly proportional to his face," Zac answered slowly. To be honest though, he actually admired her in some aspects. He had never seen a woman as shameless as her, nor had he ever seen a person with such a strong mind. No wonder people were invincible when they were willing to use cheap tactics. "Daughters of her family are really hard to marry!" Jim sneered. Hearing this, Essie felt a little ufortable. ''Why did he have to insult all of the daughters in the family because of Valery?'' she thought to herself. Although she had cut off her rtionship with Valery''s family a long time ago, her elder sister was still there, so wasn''t she still a part of it? How could Valery bepared with her elder sister? "Valery inherited her mother''s character. I bet there are a lot of men chasing after her elder sister!" Essie curled her lips. Back then in order to get a chance to marry Baron, Elizabeth did all kinds of jobs for his family. She became their maid, their cook, and even their nurse. Jim squinted his charming eyes and said, "It seems like you know Valery''s family well." "Know your enemy and know yourself, and a hundred battles will be no threat to you." Essie smiled, effectively covering the guilty look on her face. Zac stroked her head, making no attempt to hide the tenderness and love in his eyes. Jim looked at them and smiled with an indescribable expression on his face. Taking a sip of her champagne, Essie''s long curly eyshes fluttered. "I heard that you are also known as the gossip king. Do you have any gossip about the first daughter of Valery''s family? Such as her rtionship with Valery, or who she is going out with now?" Zac shook his head and flicked her on the forehead with augh. "Are you affected by Jim?" "No, I''m not. I''m just trying to get closer to my enemy first, then I will annihte her and all her possible allies," she said. "How smart of you! There are open and covert fights going on between Alice and Valery. They''re as Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ipatible as fire and water, so you''d better have her on your side. As for who she is dating, she has sworn in front of everyone that she will not marry anyone for the rest of her life." Jim paused and sighed. "She is so pretty, but she would rather give herself to herpany than to a man. What a waste of resources!" "Why?" Essie was shocked to hear this. "Because..." All of a sudden, Jim stopped talking. Then, he looked towards the door and said, "Speaking of the devil, here hees." Chapter 121 Innocent Involvement Chapter 121 Innocent Involvement Essie followed Jim''s gaze, and there she caught the sight of a stunning woman walking inside the hall. The woman had a unique kind of beauty, which reminded Essie of a fairy from the snow mountain. She This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. had skin as fair as snow, and with angelic eyes that were both striking and elegant. When Essie left Dragon City, Alice was already eleven years old. Despite her face maturing throughout the years, Essie quickly recognized her from the first sight because of her distinctive features. Alice was different from Essie in both appearance and character. Essie inherited her looks from her mother, while Alice definitely looked more like her father. Alice had beenbeled as the most beautiful woman in Dragon City. People were amazed by her charisma and her air of mysteriousness. In fact, most men werepletely captivated by her bewitching smile. Her beauty relied on her estranged nature, which came with a frosty coldness. She looked like she could havee from a beautiful painting; delicate as a rose and beautiful as the rosy clouds. Essie, on the other hand had a beauty that was incredibly immacte. She had a pure spirit like fresh morning dew and would remind you of an extraordinary flower that would catch your eye in a field. She waspletely unpretentious, natural and innocent. There was an eight year old boy who was following her from behind. He was also an attractive little boy and looked like a little elf following her. "Who is that boy?" Essie asked curiously. "That is Alice''s youngest brother," replied Jim. Essie was a little bit surprised to hear this. By the time she left, she remembered that Elizabeth had a daughter, Valery, and a boy named Vinton. She curiously wondered if she had born another child after that. "Does he share the same mother as Valery?" she asked discreetly. "No, hees from a different mother. Theye from aplicated family. There is so much drama, it is totally possible to shoot them for a soap opera on TV," Jim said mockingly with a soft sigh. "Don''t youe from aplicated family as well?" she asked. "Our family is far more ordinary in guys seem to be constantly surrounded by scandals," Essie said in a joking manner. A strange smile appeared on Jim''s face before he asked, "Then why did you marry Zac, of all people?" "Because..." Essie quickly stopped her tongue and realized that she had almost spilled the truth about them two getting married because of a drunken night. She rolled her eyes and looked away, quickly trying to figure out another reason before she eventually said, "When I met him, I thought he was a simple, poor man." Jimughed as he choked and said, "What a strange reason to get married to someone!" Before he could finish speaking, a chilly and cold aura suddenly emanated from Zac. Jim just pretended to act silly while he lowered his head to have a sip from his drink. Not far away. Alice walked around gracefully with beautiful eyes sweeping across the hall when she paused to look at Zac''s side. To be exact, it was Essie who had caught her attention. When Elizabeth arrived back home, she hadn''t mentioned anything about Zac''s marriage to another woman. Alice received the news about Zac''s marriage from her youngest brother, Holy Xu. Apparently, Holy was ssmates with Zac''s cousin, Goel Rong and they were very close friends. When Goel heard of the exciting news, he immediately called Holy to tell him that Zac had dumped Valery triumphantly. "Sister Alice, let''s go and greet them," Holy said as he looked at his sister lovingly. Alice nodded. She had eyes that were cold as ice and were only filled with warmth the moment she looked at her little brother. When Essie noticed them walking towards them, her heart began to tremble and nervousness and anxiety appeared all over her face. She cowered unconsciously and hid in Zac''s shadow,pletely unprepared to meet them. "Jim, Zac. It''s been a while," Alice said while she curled her lips conservatively, and her seemingly innocent smile only diffused a cold chill amongst everyone. "Long time no see, Alice and Holy." Zac and Jim greeted them simply while handing her a ss of champagne. They asked her to sit down and drink a bit together. Alice sat down gracefully and helped her brother sit next to her on the sofa, but her eyes were fixated on Essie the whole time. A mysterious glimmer of light suddenly flickered from her cold eyes. "Zac, aren''t you going to introduce us to your woman?" she asked with eyes glued to Essie, wearing a questionable expression. It seemed as though there was something in her mind. "Her name is Essie Yi," answered Zac lightly. "Oh! I know her," interrupted Holy and continued. "She is a designer on the reality TV show called Beauty on Runway. She partners with Nicole!" Essie was relieved when she heard this and took a deep breath to calm herself down. She smiled and said, "It''s a pleasure to meet the both of you, Miss Alice and Mr. Holy." "Sister Essie, you can just call me Holy. That''s what everyone calls me," Holy said respectfully with an innocent and adorable grin. "Got it, Holy," said Essie with a friendly smile before she handed him a fruit. He picked the ck grape from Essie and put it inside his mouth. After he swallowed it, he continued to speak, "Sister Essie, I''ve seen every one of the episodes in your program. Your performance with brother Jim was sensational! When I first saw that, I thought you were his girlfriend, and I was surprised to find out that you were brother Zac''s girlfriend." "Holy, do you think that I''m a better match for Essie?" Jim asked with a smile while patting the top of his head. Jim was clearly sneering, oblivious to the sight of Zac ring at him harshly. When Holy came across Zac''s expression, he looked at him and soon enough a sympathetic expression appeared on his face. Immediately he said, "It would better Zac to have a kind sister like Essie. If he doesn''t stay with Essie, he''ll end up with a bad, terrible witch. He will end up living his future life in a limbo of suffering; miserable and pitiful. So don''t try to take Essie away from him." Jimughed loudly and hysterically. Zac ced his hand on his forehead and feltpletely awkward. ''Are you helping me or mocking me, you little devil child!'' Zac thought with a pout. Essie covered her mouth and let out a gentle chuckle. She thought the little boy was adorable and very mature for his age. Beyond that, he was in fact her younger half-brother. Alice''s eyes were focused on Essie while she took a sip from her champagne. She suddenly asked in a low voice, "Miss Essie, how old are you?" Essie trembled when she heard this,pletely rmed why she would ask about her age all of a sudden. It wasn''tmon courtesy to ask for the age of strangers, especially when they weredies. She wondered if Alice could recognize her. However after thinking for a while, she figured there was no way she would remember after fifteen years apart from each other. They both changed a lot, especially Essie. She was just a naive seven year old girl when theyst saw each other and she had since grown into a graceful woman. It was impossible that Alice would recognize her so easily. She swallowed nervously and tried to keep a calm voice. "My 22nd birthday had just passed." "Really?" Alice asked while slightly lifting her red, luscious lips, as if wanting to say something. Instead, she simply swallowed her words, leaving aplex and confusing expression on her face. Alice sipped from her ss and asked, "Do you have any siblings?" "No, I''m an only child," Essie responded briskly. She shook her head with a polite smile on her face to conceal her surging emotions. Zac held her hand throughout and began to feel that her palms were sweating. He started to get worried that she was embarrassed by the questions so he jokingly interjected, "Alice, are you trying to give her a background check?" By this time, Alice started to notice that she was acting a bit inappropriately. So she let out a gentle on her, I thought that she looked exactly like my... Friend." When Essie heard this, the corners of her mouth started twitching violently. Fortunately, she was able to think quick and hide her face in the shadow, so no one was able to see the strange fluctuations in her facial expressions. Alice probably just had a strange inking that Essie was familiar, after all, they were born and bred together. Living together for seven years would certainly leave a vague impression. However, Essie proceeded and said, "There are countless people who look like someone in this world. Besides that, I have the so-called mon'' face," she smiled faintly with a tone of self-mockery. "Sister Essie, if your face was so ordinary, then there would be so many beautiful women in the world!" Holy suddenly interrupted, with his eyes glimmering with clear and bright light. Everyoneughed. Essie giggled naughtily and quickly changed the topic by pointing towards two attractive men. "Well I do hope that amon face is like this one or that one, that way the whole world will be filled with handsome men. That would be a big welfare for the general public!" Zac ced his hand on her chin and turned her face towards him. He said, "Fortunately, that''s not the case. Otherwise, you will need a blindfold every time you go out." "Why it that?" She pouted. "Because I am the only handsome man you can look at," he scoffed. Zac was a domineering man who had given her conditions for their rtionship. He forbade her to see, talk or touch another man. Unfortunately, Essie had not been keeping her promises. Essie held his shoulder and said in a flirtatious manner, "I apologize, but why should I waste my valuable eyes? Besides, simply looking at someone cannot get you pregnant." Zac snorted, "The problem is that they are not nearly as good-looking as I am, so they will just lower your standards with men." A myriad of thoughts flooded through her mind. His narcissism had reached a point where it had be a mental condition. He needed to get that checked up with a therapist. "Never mind then. I can just look at Jim instead," said Essie with her arms crossed over her chest. She turned her head towards Jim in a flirtatious posture. Jim waspletely entertained watching the two of them. It was an enjoyable show, unfortunately, it did not end with romance. However, she better not act too well as there was a child just beside them. Zac took a sip from his champagne before he opened his mouth and said, "He has been dominating the screen for months. He is all over the TV, it''s almost insane. Haven''t you gotten sick of him yet?" Essie had a cold stone expression on her face. ''Ice guy, does your father know that you could be so mean?'' she thought. Jim waspletely dumbfounded that he was being attacked despite not being involved with their squabble. Sitting next to him, Holy couldn''t resist butting in and added, "Jim is just doing business for the family. His fans often lick their TV and phone screens that they end up having to buy a new one from them." Essie smiled and gave a thumbs up. "You''re a clever little boy, Holy," she said. Zac reached towards Jim to pat his shoulder to show sympathy. Jim was leftpletely speechless so he decided to protect himself by building a wall around him and just be the quiet and mysterious handsome man. With an optimistic smile on her face, Alice inserted, "Well it seems like you two have a good rtionship with each other. I hope it works out well for the two of you, as I don''t want some toxic people try to tear you apart." Holy nodded quickly in agreement and he said, "Yes, brother Zac and sister Essie, you must make sure to defeat the daughter of the evil witch." When the issue was brought up in her mind, Essie silently sighed. There was an unborn baby that backed up Valery and her mother-inw''s support. It would be difficult to simply defeat her. Zac always seemed to see right through her. He held her in his arms and said, "There''s nothing to worry about. I''ll always be here by your side." His voice wasforting, but Essie''s heart continued to feel restless and worried. If the child weren''t his, then things could just go on so smoothly. However, things would be so different if the child was really his, and he would forever be intertwined with Valery and her mother. It seemed to reflect the simr situation of how Baron had been stuck with Elizabeth. However, Essie figured that she could just hand thisplicated problem to Le. She was a tough woman, and she could spend the rest of her life fighting over Zac with Valery. Essie excused herself to go to the dressing room. She just wanted some time alone to calm her thoughts down, but was surprised to find Le when she walked inside. It turned out that she had been there in the same party all along. However, she wondered why she never bothered to greet Zac. Chapter 122 He Loved You Chapter 122 He Loved You Hatred burned in Le''s eyes as she red at Essie. She had been here for quite some time, hiding in a corner and observing Zac and the others. She wanted toe over, but she didn''t have the courage. She couldn''t bear the fact that he was married. Moreover, she was afraid that Zac might find out that it was her who leaked the information to Valery. If he knew, he would definitely cut her off from his life altogether. Zac was a person who was absolutely intolerant of cheating and betrayal. Essie had a calm expression, and she knew exactly how to read the situation. Valery was a capable woman, and Le herself was quite powerful. Should they decide to join forces against her, her chances of winning would be greatly diminished. She couldn''t allow that to happen. She must win over Le. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "You''re probably wondering why he married me, right?" Essie whispered when she saw that there was no one else in the dressing room. "What do you want to say?" Le frowned. "This is not a good ce to talk. Let''s talk outside." Essie exited the room, with Le following close behind. Her curiosity regarding the circumstances of their marriage was killing her. They sat at a dark corner concealed by curtains. Essie took another two sses of cocktail and handed one to Le. "Zac and I got married for one thing, and one thing only: to get rid of Valery." Essie''s words rang out slowly and clearly. "Now, I''m his legal spouse as long as we don''t divorce, it would be impossible for him to marry her. You may think that he treats me well and takes good care of me, but that''s only because he needs me and I''m the only one who can y this role." Le was ovee with violent shivers. She remembered Zac saying that he had already figured out a way to deal with Valery. Was he talking about marriage to Essie? "Why are you the only one who can act as his wife?" "What sort of woman wouldn''t like a man from a rich family? If he asked just any woman to act as his wife, wouldn''t he get into more trouble if that woman ended up falling for him? How different would that bepared to his situation with Valery. I, on the other hand, will never fall for him, because I''m in love with someone else." Essie''s tone was firm, brooking no disagreement or doubt. In any case, she was speaking the truth. "What''s in it for you, then? What do you get out of your arrangement?" Le quirked one eyebrow, her tone no longer as malicious as before. "I want him to help me be famous. Remember, I''m the grand winner of the show Beauty on Runway? Once I be famous, then Hanson''s family will ept me." After her exnation, Essie took a sip of the cocktail. "Why are you telling me these things?" Le stared at her for a moment, suspicious that Essie was lying to her. However, Essie was the picture of calm, and not a blush crossed her face. She saw nothing amiss, and the worry in her chest eased up. After all, she was hoping from the bottom of her heart that everything Essie said was true. "He loves you. He did all these things for you. He was supposed to marry you. However, even with your influential background, Valery would have made you the viin if you had married Zac." After a slight pause, she took another sip of her drink and continued, "He couldn''t tell you the n because the fewer people who knew, the better. Otherwise, all of his efforts would go down the drain. You don''t know how his mind works. He alwaysins to me. Right now, I''m taking the bullet for you and paving your way. I am innocent, and you should know that." By then, Le''s heart felt unburdened, and she was over the moon in her tion. He loved her? He did all of these things for her? She was the happiest woman in the world! Her happiness and excitement nearly overflowed her body, and her lips curved up in an ecstatic smile. For some reason, the happier Le became, the more depressed Essie felt. She told Le no lies. Le was the one who Zac truly loved and the one he wanted to marry. Essie was no one but cannon fodder who would lose her usefulness once she beat Valery. He did treat her well, care about her, and show her affection, but such actions were all for show. Le was the happy main character, whereas she was destined to be a poor supporting role. She only needed to act temporarily as the lead in a love triangle story arc. After a long time, Le finally came back to her senses. She suddenly felt sorry for Essie; after all, it was she who released the secret letter and almost ruined Essie''s n. "You must have met Valery, right?" "Yes. We fight the all day long. Zac''s mother supports her, and her witch mother does the nning for her. It''s very difficult to deal with her." Essie sighed heavily again. "Had I known that the woman was so terrible, I wouldn''t have said yes. I don''t intend to die for fame; it isn''t worth it." "Don''t give up." Le grasped her hands and said earnestly, "That woman is arrogant because she''s pregnant with Zac''s baby. You must find a way to get rid of her baby." "No way," Essie said emphatically. She shook her head. "There are people around her 24/7. Even I find it difficult to approach her. What''s more, your boyfriend has made it clear to me that he wants the baby that we must let her give birth to the baby in peace." "Why? Zac doesn''t even like Valery. Why does he want to keep her baby?" A sh of pain showed up in Le''s eyes. "The baby is his flesh and blood. Even if he hates the woman carrying his child, the baby is innocent." "Women are receable, but a child isn''t. A child is a permanent encumbrance. You have to be mentally prepared for the situation. Even if Valery got driven out, her rtionship with the child and Zac would remain, and they might end up falling in love because of the child." Her words clearly told Le that while Essie herself would never be a threat to her, Valery would be her lifelong rival. Le''s pretty face was distorted in jealousy, and her eyes shed with hatred. Essie''s confession was a wake-up call to her. In the past, she didn''t think much about it; all along, she thought that Valery was no threat to her because Zac did not love her. Now, she realized that she was too naive in thinking that; the child would forever bind Zac and Valery. Maybe he would end up epting Valery as the child''s mother and his wife. She turned toward Essie. "If you need help, just let me know. Don''t give up. I''ll help you." "Okay." Essie nodded. An unnoticeable smile lifted one corner of her mouth. "You can''t let Zac know that I''ve told you my n. You know how cruel he can be. He''ll definitely kill me." "Got it." Le nodded seriously. The curtains parted slightly in the darkness, but neither of them noticed it. When Essie returned to Zac''s side, Alice was looking at her with an unreadable expression in her eyes. She couldn''t read that look, so she took a sip from her wine ss, trying to quash the uneasiness in her heart. "What took you so long?" Zac asked casually. "My makeup was ruined, so I had to fix it." She wrinkled her nose and pouted her lips. Mindful of the child beside her, Zac pointed at her lips and said, "Except for that, your face is purely natural. Did you apply more?" "Applying lip makeup is also an art. If you don''t know how to do it well, you may end up with clown lips. Aren''t you scared of having nightmares at the thought?" She stuck out her tongue at him childishly. "I''ll be devouring it, anyway, so you didn''t really have to do that." He smiled evilly. "Behave yourself. There''s a child here." She gave him a peevish look. This big bad wolf, in addition to teasing her, he did something to her. In the past, he had been immoderate in her territory. Now he became unscrupulous in his territory. The worst thing about it was that she had no way to resist him. Since they did not get divorced, did that mean she would be unable to fight back in the future? She felt so distressed! While she was sadly contemting her dire future involving relentless bullying from Zac, Holy''s innocent voice said, "Sister Essie, it doesn''t matter. I often watch Brother Jim act with others on TV, so I''m used to it." Again, Jim got identally involved! "Little devil, that was just a performance! No one really kissed!" There were two rules in Jim''s filming: no kissing, and no bed scenes. In either case, they typically used a stand-in for him. "Oh. Isn''t that boring?" Holy was extremely disappointed. "Brother Jim, maybe you''re just bad at it, that''s why you never do it?" Jim pretended to faint from shock. This attack was the cruelest and most powerful! This kid should be called the most savage little devil. Holding back the urge tough, Essie touched Holy''s head and said, "You''re really a genius!" It definitely looked like he would grow up to be meaner than Zac. Zac looked at Jim in sympathy. "Bro, how about acting by yourself in your next film?" That suggestion was purely a joke. He was well aware of the other man''s secret. Jim had a hidden illness: he was a cleanliness freak. He hated kissing women he didn''t know. He would only kiss someone after making sure that she was healthy and as fastidious about cleanliness like he was. Jim pinched Holy''s face and said, "Ok, imp. Someday, once I find the right leadingdy, I''ll show you what I can do!" After the party was over, Essie sat quietly in the car, lost in thought. "Alice, you''re noting with mom and me?" "Cathy, I can''t go. I want to stay with dad." "Why? Dad no longer wants us. He already has Valery and Vinton. He is not our father anymore." "That''s why I can''t leave. If Ie with you, then they would havepletely taken dad away." "I don''t understand. Didn''t you say that we would never be apart? Please,e with us and don''t stay with dad." "Cathy, don''t cry. When I''m old enough, I''ll go find you and mom, okay?" "No! Forget it! You''re as bad as dad. Both of you have abandoned mom and me. You''re not my sister anymore. Just go and be a sister to Valery and Vinton. I don''t want to see you anymore! " "What''s wrong?" Zac''s low voice interrupted her recollection of the past. He was used to Essie''s lively chatter beside him. She was being too quiet, which worried him a little. "Where is Holy''s mother?" She couldn''t help but wonder about what sort of woman the romantic Baron would date. "She passed away a few years ago," Zac said casually. "Huh? How did she die?" Essie murmured, shocked. Chapter 123 Im Not Interested In A Stud Chapter 123 I''m Not Interested In A Stud Zac stopped the car at the intersection and waited for the traffic light to turn green. He touched Essie''s head and said, "Don''t worry about what happened to Valery''s family." She shrugged and replied, "I''m just curious. How on earth did she die?" "I heard that she was murdered by an addict, but I was still in America when it happened, so I don''t know all the details about it," Zac said, understating what really happened. He started driving again. ''An addict?'' Thinking of this, Essie snorted in her mind. In her opinion, somebody must have hired a This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. murderer to kill the woman. The mistress had an in with Baron, and she had a son of his. So naturally, she was a threat to the status of Elizabeth and her son, and Elizabeth had to take a risk and get rid of her as soon as she could. Some people were perfectly capable of doing such a thing. The car turned at a corner, and Essie immediately recognized that it wasn''t the way to the mansion. "Where are we going?" she asked, a little surprised. "My house." The corners of his mouth went up. "Let''s enjoy our lovers'' world." Essie''s thick eyshes fluttered, showing a hint of mischief on her face. "So you still have a small nest of your own, huh? Tell me the truth, how many women have you brought home?" "You are the second one," Zac said with a cunning smile. "Who was the first? Le?" She raised her eyebrows slightly. Zac didn''t answer and just shrugged his shoulders. Essie curled her mouth. The woman was probably Le. After all, Le upied the first ce in Zac''s heart, and Essie was only in second ce. No, maybe she wasn''t even in second ce. After all, men from rich and powerful families like him had a lot of women, so there might still be someone who ranked higher than her. How unfair! He was the first man he had ever been with, but she was not his first woman. Whenever men had some sort of sexual desire, didn''t they think about whether they were being selfish before asking women to relieve them of their desire? Zac''s vi was quiet, elegant, and spotless. He had a butler named Ann, and a servant named Zeya. For a young master like him who never had to do any housework in his life, it was impossible for him to do all the housework by himself. "This is my wife, and she will be the hostess here from now on," Zac said to Mrs. Ann and Zeya. "Good evening, madam," they answered respectfully. Essie greeted them as well, then she went upstairs with Zac. As a poormb, she couldn''t get any sense of security in the tiger''s territory. "Where is my room? I need to go to bed now. I still have a shooting for the show tomorrow." Fortunately, the shooting for Beauty on Runway was set in Dragon City for its next two sessions, so she didn''t need to fly back and forth from Dragon City a lot. Essie yawned deliberately, pretending to be very sleepy in case someone wanted toe and harass her. A cunning look shed in Zac''s eyes. How could he not know exactly what she was thinking? Without saying a word, he picked her up and opened the door to the first room to his left. "Why did you have to ask? Of course my room is your room." He smiled wantonly and put her on the bed. Essie got up in a hurry and curled herself up at the head of the bed, "Icy guy, would it really be appropriate for us to sleep together? Can you stand how we see each other unkempt and dirty every morning when we open our eyes?" But then again, he was so handsome and narcissistic that he probably didn''t think he could look bad at all. "Do I look bad in the morning?" He rubbed his chin and seemed to be trying to recall how he looked after waking up in the morning. No, a beauty was indeed a beauty. It didn''t matter if he was lying down, sitting down, walking, or sleeping¡ªhe was always pleasing to the eye. However, Essie didn''t want to tell him the truth. She was determined to give his ego a hard blow. "Of course. Didn''t you see how bad you looked when you got up and looked in the mirror this morning?" Her husband shrugged his shoulders and said in an indifferent tone, "Honey, you will get used to it. As a couple, we should ept each other, right?" Essie was petrified to hear this, and she suddenly realized that Zac had an indestructible mind, and neither stick nor carrot worked on him. However, she wouldn''t have the chance to get used to it because she would have to leave his side in the near future. "I''m not interested in studs like you. We should respect each other all the time and never do anything that crosses the line." The man asked, "When did I be a stud?" The girl jumped up, put her hands on her hips, red at him, and questioned him fiercely, "Isn''t the baby in Valery''s belly yours? You are such a beast who only thinks with your lower body. It was only a matter of time before something bad happened. If it hadn''t been Valery, it would''ve been someone else. So you will never be my husband. My husband must be physically and mentally clean. He should have a strong self-control and a brain that he uses for thinking!" Zac felt wronged! He was innocent! However, there was nothing he could say to her. He met all of her requirements. He should have had a full score, but now, he had be scum in her eyes. It was all Valery''s fault that his pure image was now ruined! Seeing him fall silent with a gloomy look on his face, Essie knew that she had touched a sore spot in his heart, but she didn''t think she had done anything wrong. It was okay for people to make mistakes, but once they had made it, they would have to carry it with them forever. Even after they had made amends, the mistake would still be a part of their lives. "Zac, you like light food, but you like freak women. It''s so weird!" Essie added quickly, adding salt to his injury. There was coldness in Zac''s eyes when he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms. "Are you a freak?" She blushed and tried to get out of his arms, but no matter how hard she struggled under his grip, it was all in vain. "Let me go. It''s none of my business." "Aren''t you my woman?" Zac narrowed his eyes and the coldness in it made it gleam, just like the way moonlight would sprinkle over a snowy mountain. She lowered her eyes to avoid looking at him. "Don''t put abel on me. What we have is a business rtionship. You helped me defeat Sunny before, so now I am helping you drive away Valery. That''s only fair so we won''t owe each other anything in the future." Her tone was absolutely ruthless. Zac knitted his eyebrows together, feeling a little hurt. He let out a small sigh and forced out a bitter smile. "Can''t we have something more than this?" ''The one you love is not me. What else do you expect?'' Essie asked in her mind. She wanted to say something, but the words were choked back by the bitterness in her mouth. If she asked that question, the only answer he would be able to give her was silence, and it would only make her feel desperate. Saying it would just make her sad and annoyed. Men didn''t think with their brain, so they had a lot of space in his mind. They could date several women, have a rtionship with all of them, make promises to the ones they liked, and still have sex with the ones they didn''t like. But women were different. All they wanted was to give themselves to the man they loved deeply. Essie knew Zac''s heart very well, and she knew exactly where she stood. That was enough for her. "It''s good enough." Her voice sounded even quieter than a whisper. It was good. It was good to have this rtionship with him. At least he still needed her. Essie didn''t know when she started to think that way. Maybe he had been in her world for so long that she had be ustomed to having him around. However, in Zac''s eyes, she simply hated him, wanted to get rid of him, and was against taking a step towards him. A feeling of loss spread over his spine and his entire heart was like a cold fog. The hand on Essie''s waist suddenly tightened. "I don''t think it is." The boiling anger Zac had inside made his handsome face tense up, and a hint of cruelty shed in his dark eyes. He suddenly lowered his head without warning, and Essie turned her head away in an attempt to avoid him. However, he immediately sped her chin, preventing her from moving. Essie was on the verge of surrendering. She threw her fist on his shoulder, but still failed to stop his aggression. He snorted and didn''t let her go. But then, he felt some blood ooze out of his lips and into her mouth. The slightly coppery smell of blood made Essie shudder. All of a sudden, her despair seemed to consume her, and she stopped trying to resist Zac, allowing him to do what he wanted with her. However, he quickly let her go as if he hated her act of resignation. He licked the remaining blood on the corner of his mouth, his eyes gloomy and dark. He silently swept his eyes over her red, swollen lips, then he got up and left the room. And just like that, she was left all alone in the bedroom. Inside, the air was cold and deste. Essie tossed and turned before she gradually fell asleep. When she woke up, Zac was sitting beside her, but she had no idea when he came into her room. He wasn''t asleep. Instead, he was leaning against the headboard of the bed with a faint smell of alcoholing from his body. He stared at her face with a deep and indescribable look on his eyes. She pulled the quilt to cover her exposed body and said, "It''s almost dawn. Aren''t you going to sleep?" "Do you mind Valery?" he said all of a sudden. "Of course I do. If I were about to have a child with another man, would you mind?" she muttered angrily. He had been up all night. Was he still thinking about what happened before she went to sleep? She didn''t even quarrel with him. He was the one who got angry and bullied her. Why was he acting like the victim? Being around a moody guy was terrifying! While Essie was busy feeling sad for herself, Zac suddenly spoke in a low voice, "So you do care about me a little bit." She didn''t know what to say. What was the logic behind this? Did that have anything to do with it? "Are you daydreaming?" She rolled her eyes at him. "If you don''t care about me, then why do you mind her?" he said slowly. She couldn''t bear that he slept with Valery because Valery was her sworn enemy. And he even got her pregnant! Many years ago, Elizabeth took Valery and Vinton to her house, ruined her family, and made her parents separate from each other. Now, the tables had turned. The position Valery was dying to have had been upied by her by ident, and it was the perfect chance for her to have her revenge. No matter what happened, she would stand in this pit and never let Valery have her way. It didn''t matter who would rece her in the future as long as it wasn''t Valery. But Essie couldn''t tell Zac about all of this. She couldn''t let him doubt her. So she turned her back to him and said, "Think whatever you want!" A smile appeared on his lips, and just like that, his mncholic heart became bright and warm. Essie would say one thing and mean another. The moment she began to act shamelessly, she would start feeling guilty. So... Zacy down and wrapped his arms around Essie. "Go back to sleep." She lowered her head, peeped at his hand around her waist, and felt the change in his mood. She sighed softly. s! He was so temperamental. Should she prepare portable weather equipment to protect herself from danger? It was sunny over the next two days. With the exception of Hanson''s absence, Essie''s shooting for Beauty on Runway went smoothly. As soon as Essie came out of the studio, she was immediately stopped by Florey. Chapter 124 Ill Take You Away Chapter 124 I''ll Take You Away Florey''s face was as dark as the overcast sky before a storm. Essie had a bad feeling about this. "Are you still thinking of seducing Hanson?" She paid no attention to the reporter next to her and asked Essie directly. Dragon City was an international hub, and its paparazzi constituted one of the most powerful and craziest international organizations in the country. They had an unerring nose for finding gossip. People in Dragon City immensely enjoyed gossip, and entertainment magazines were the most popr and best-selling sources of such. These focused more on the entertainment circle, the rich families, and the social elites. As soon as Florey delivered her question, all of the reporters flocked around and boxed Essie in. "What''s the rtionship between you and Hanson?" "Are you two dating right now?" Essie slid an arm around Florey''s waist and remarked, "Auntie, you''re so naughty for sneaking out of the hospital. Did you forget to take the medication?" "What did you say?" Florey was suddenly befuddled. Essie smiled at the reporters and said, "I''m sorry. My aunt is mentally ill, and she may get triggered to have an attack. The Hanson she''s referring to is not the Be''s young master, but her son, my cousin. I have to take her back to the hospital now." The bodyguards pushed the reporters away to make way for them. Essie led Florey into the car. Somewhere in an unnoticeable corner, a figure stood obscured by the shadows. He wore sunsses and cap, which hid most of his pale face. He had a perfect view of what had just transpired. His firsts were clenched, and the veins on his forehead popped. Behind the sunsses, his eyes burned with All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. fury and resentment. He was about to storm out but managed to restrain himself at thest minute. In another ce a few meters away from him, another person was furtively observing Essie. The man was a private detective employed by Elizabeth to get everything he could dig up on Essie, as well as her whereabouts and actions. In the Cadic... As the car started moving, Florey looked behind her through the rear window for some time. "What are you going to do to me?" she asked with a tremor in her voice, afraid that the younger woman would hurt her. "No wonder you failed to get into the family back then. You''re so much worse than the oh-so-decent Mrs. Xia." She chuckled, and the irony in her voice was apparent. "You..." Florey was speechless and trembling with anger. She was pregnant at that time, but Jobson Xia chose to marry the other woman instead of her. If not for the fact that Mrs. Xia did not bear a son, Hanson would not have returned to the family. Essie looked at her coldly. Some people just took advantage of the weak; show them your weaknesses, all the more they would bully you. She did not want to y nice with the other woman anymore. "There are so many reporters outside, yet you still dared toe here and make trouble. Your son will definitely be on the tabloid front pages tomorrow. I can almost see the headlines: ''The young master of Be covers up his lover, has an illicit rtionship with a designer, and does dirty work.'' All kinds of negative news wille out. Not only will Be''s board of directors me him, Sunny''s family will stir up so much trouble. Are you really forcing him to resign?" Realizing the truth in those words, Florey shivered. That oue did not ur to her at all; all she wanted was to take her revenge on Essie and get her son back. "I understand what you''re trying to say. I was just confused and agitated back then. Just tell me where Hanson is." Florey stammered out an excuse. "I saw him for a bit thest time I had a recording for the show. After that, I haven''t seen him again. What happened to him?" "He..." Florey was going to say something, but she suddenly stopped. With a change in tone, she demanded, "Are you lying to me?" Essie shrugged. "I am staying with my boyfriend and spend most of the time with him. I don''t have the time to care about your son," she replied indifferently. After some hesitation, Florey suddenly recalled the domineering man at the opening ceremony of the fashion week. Apparently, Essie was still a hotmodity, and everyone liked her. "Since Hanson is not with you, I''ll leave now. Ask the driver to stop right there." Essie gave the older woman a side nce. She hade all the way from Yang City to look for her son. Something serious must have happened. Besides, didn''t she have a heart surgery just a short while ago? Did she get discharged from the hospital so soon? "You have recently left the hospital, so you shouldn''t be running around the city like this. Where are you staying right now? I will ask the driver to drop you off there directly." "No, thanks. I''ll take a cab," Florey refused coldly. Essie had nothing to say to her after that. She told the driver to pull over at the next bus stop and waited for Florey to get off. As soon as the older woman got out of the car, the anxiety that she was trying so hard to hide appeared on her face. Essie looked back at her worriedly. What happened to Hanson? Why didn''t he participate in the show? Despite their rtionship being in the past, she could not ignore him just like that. After all, in her heart, he would always be more important than just a friend to her. She picked up the phone and tried to call him, but his phone was turned off. Eva called her while she was trying to reach Hanson''s assistant, Chris. "Essie, did you have a good day today?" "I''m fine," Essie replied a bit tonelessly, a little preupied. "That''s good. By the way, Hanson called me up the other day. He wanted to see you, but I didn''t tell him your phone number in Dragon City. He said he missed you too much, but I said you came back to Dragon City to see your parents-inw with that ice guy and that you were getting married. I''m sure he would be mad at you." Evaughed on the phone, unaware of how Essie''s heart started beating faster. Sometimes, Eva had the power to predict something by ident. Essie only told her that she was Eva had unwittingly guessed her little secret. As soon as she had arrived at Dragon City, she changed her local number and shared them with her friends, with the exception of Hanson. Did he disappear because of this? She was jolted out of her thoughts when her driver Tim braked all of a sudden and the car sharply careened to a stop. Fortunately, she had her seat belt fastened so she didn''t end up mming against the back of the front seat. "What the hell?" Tim cursed and turned around to ask if Essie was hurt. She shook her head. "What happened? Was it a rear-end collision?" "No, a man suddenly ran in front of us. I''ll go down to check if I hit him and if he''s okay." Tim got out of the car, and so did Essie. This was the bustlingmercial zone. People wereing and going, and vehicles were running at a slow pace. Tim only hoped that he was able to stop in time and did not hit anyone. In front of the car, a tall man was lying on the ground. His hair was messy, and his pale face was partly hidden by several days'' worth of beard growth on his chin. Even so, Essie froze in shock, immediately recognizing the prone man in front of their car. It was Hanson, who had been missing for several days now. "Hanson!" she screamed, rushing toward him and cradling the unconscious man in her arms. "Hanson, are you okay? Did we hit you?" Tim was astonished at the sight. "Miss Essie, do you know him?" "Tim, call the ambnce," she urged. "Of course," Tim alertly replied. Tim took out his phone and was about to make the emergency call when a weak voice said, "No, don''t bother. I''m fine." Essie looked down at Hanson. "Really? Open your eyes and look at me!" Shaken to the core, she stared down at him as hey there with his eyes closed, his face as pale as a piece of paper. After coughing weakly several times, Hanson opened his eyes slowly. Finally, it registered to Essie that the man reeked of alcohol, and his eyes were bloodshot with drunkenness. "Essie, I finally find you," he slurred, his unfocused eyes peering up at her. "I looked for you everywhere in this city, but I couldn''t find you. I was about to go crazy! Are you really going to marry him? What about me? What should I do? I can''t live without you..." "Shush, don''t talk anymore, Hanson," Essie interrupted the man''s drunken ramblings. "Which hotel are you staying in? We''ll take you there." She then asked Tim to help him get into the car. On the way to the hotel, he kept mumbling andughing to himself, and Essie felt her heart break at the sight of him. He was so drunk that she had to get him a room at the Hilton Hotel. After she helped him to bed, she brewed some strong tea and fed him spoon by spoon to sober him up. She never would have thought that Hanson had been looking for her for days. Even more so, she didn''t think he would end up like this. Why? Be and Florey took priority in his heart over her! It was already evening when Hansonpletely sobered up. Zac called her several times. She perfunctorily told him that her friends invited her to a gathering. As soon as Hanson opened his eyes, the first thing he did was to look for her in every corner of the room. "Essie! Essie!" There was no answer. He searched everywhere, but he still didn''t find her. Even in his inebriated state, he remembered seeing her. She took him to the hotel. Was it just a drunken illusion? Was she never there? He copsed on to the carpet and held his head in his hands. She was getting married. Was she really marrying another man? It was all his fault. He had failed their love, and he hurt her over and over. Now, she no longer loved him. He started hitting his head against the wall in self-punishment. At that moment, the door of the room was gently pushed open. Greeted by such a pitiful sight, the woman who entered rushed forward and eximed, "Hanson, what are you doing? Do you have a headache? Was it because of the ident this afternoon?" Worried for him, she gently took his head between her hands to hold it still. He opened his eyes wide and looked at her without blinking, afraid that she would vanish into thin air. "Is it really you? Essie, am I dreaming?" "No, it''s me. You vomited all over yourself, so I took your clothes to theundry room to wash them," she said in a low voice. "That''s great... Oh, God..." Ovee with emotion, Hanson stopped talking. He hugged Essie tightly, like he would never let her go. "I''m so sorry, Essie. I was wrong. I''ll take you away from all this, okay? We can go abroad together. I don''t need anything and anyone but you! Don''t leave me. Don''t marry anyone else!" Essie felt her clothes be damp, and every tear that fell from his eyes scalded her heart. She suddenly realized that she had never understood him. He had already chosen to leave her, but why couldn''t he let her go? She pulled away from him and looked into his eyes. "Hanson, what are you doing? You can''t have your cake and eat it, too. We are not meant to be! Why do you still persist like this?" She sighed heavily. Hanson gazed at her with an earnest expression. "I know I was too greedy in the past. If I could only choose one thing, then that would be you. I can''t live without you, Essie." His face was covered with tears. He buried his face against the crook of her neck and clung to her tightly, like a desperate man clutching at thest straw for salvation. She was at a loss, and her heart was conflicted. "Your mother came to see you, and she looked really worried. Don''t you need to call her? She had just been discharged from the hospital, after all." "Don''t mind her. Whether she agrees to it or not, I will be with you. I won''t be deceived or threatened by her ever again," he dered with gritted teeth, and his eyes shone with a resoluteness that she had never seen before. Chapter 125 Why Is The Bed Smaller (Part One) Chapter 125 Why Is The Bed Smaller (Part One) Hanson had apparently left for America to visit his mother out of concern. However, he was surprised to find that she wasn''t hospitalized at all and found her hiding at his uncle''s home. He found out that the so-called heart disease was just a cover-up so that he would finally leave Essie. Hepletely freaked out when he found out the truth. Hanson had never yelled at his mother before, and it was also the first time he disobeyed her. He rushed back to Yang City,pletely mad and desperate to retrieve the love that he had forbidden. After searching all over Yang City, he couldn''t find Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Essie. "Let''s get married, Essie," he said, while he knelt in front of her and brought out a pink heart-shaped diamond ring from his pocket. This ring was bought the moment he arrived back from America. He rushed to propose to her and take her back before she had the chance to get married with another man. Essie was taken aback and a bleak expression appeared on her face. After a short pause, her eyes started to fill up with tears and her face trembled while she looked straight into Hanson''s eyes. There was no way she could wear the ring he had just given her, as she already worn one on her ring finger. "Hanson, there''s something I haven''t told you..." she said biting her lip while the light cast a marbled shadow on her face. Her face turned as pale as ivory and her mind was clouded with grey. Her heart was shattered in a disarray of pieces. She opened her mouth to say something but felt powerless over her emotions. The words she was about to say seemed to drain every bit of strength from her whole being. It took Essie a while to speak, but with a guilt-stricken face, she managed to muster up all her courage to finally admit. With a low voice, she said, "On April 1st, I finally confessed my love to you, but in return, I found out that you were getting married to Sunny. I was leftpletely devastated and vulnerable, so I went out to get some drink to get my mind off things. I went to a bar and that was where I met Zac. We ended up drinking too much that we ran off to the Bureau of Civil Affairs and registered for marriage." "What did you say?" Hanson''s eyes widened and suddenly there was a clinking sound from the ring that had fallen to the ground. He jumped to his feet, grabbed her by her shoulders and growled, "What did you say?" His voice changed, it sounded strange and hoarse and shock was written all over his face. His heart rate and breathing quickened, with his chest heaving violently. His muscles were Essie''s eyes glimmered with silvery tears and they started flooding like the waters rushing down from a water fall. "I''m married. On the day I confessed and was leftpletely rejected. Zac was never my roommate nor my boyfriend... He is my legal husband!" He was in disbelief and started shaking his head fiercely. His heart exploded in his chest and it felt like he was just hit by a bullet and copsed to the ground, trembling severely. Hanson stiffened, while guilt started eating at his insides. He held his face with his hands with an unspeakable pain and sadness painted his face. "It''s all my fault, it''s all my fault!" he wailed,pletely mortified. He grasped on his messy hair while tears streamed down his face. Then suddenly a deranged grin appeared on his face and he startedughing manically. He heart was filled with resent and desperation. The sound of his voice was painful to bear, and it prated through Essie''s heart. She felt like her body and soul were close to shattering into pieces. "Perhaps this was our destiny, and we are simply not meant to be with each other. Please, return to your family, Hanson. You''re a wonderful man and I''m sure you''ll meet the right girl for you," she said softly before she turned around and walked away. Just when she was about to open the door, he rushed towards her like a lightning bolt and held her tightly. "Is he really that man you want to be with? Do you love him?" Essie felt like she was being tied down by an invisible rope. She shook her head and trembled but did not speak. After a while, she said, "There are no feelings involved and we just treat each other as friends. We were nning to get a divorce that same day, but a lot has happened since. We never expected that things would turn out the way they did. However, we have important matters that need to be settled, and we can''t get divorced until then." "What is it?" His tone suddenly shifted to calmness. When he heard this, he felt a littleforted. "It''s not something I can tell you. However, the matter of the fact is, you are engaged. It''s better for the both of us to keep our distance until we get some freedom. Please, just focus your attention on Be and your family. For now, you have to let me go," she said with submissiveness. She was aware that her enemies were powerful, and they would find any way they could to attack her. "I will never let you go, not unless I die," he said gritting his teeth with determination. Essie slowly took a deep breath and released a heavy sigh. "Hanson, we need to give each other some distance so we can resolve our own problems. Get rid of the chains that are holding you back. Manage your emotions, and maybe then, we could cultivate a civil rtionship instead of pestering each other like this." He kept silent and walked slowly towards the window. He opened it and let some cold breeze inside so he could cool down from the heat of the situation. After a while, it seemed as though he was starting to grasp reality and recovered from his intense emotions. He turned his head and said, "Just promise me that you will not fall in love with him." "There is another woman that he truly loves. I''m going to give him back to her eventually." Her voice was as cold as the chilly night, gently lingering in the air. When she left the hotel, a figure of a man was seen from the end of the corridor. A peculiar smile appeared on the corners of his mouth. It was nearly midnight when she arrived back at the vi. Zac was wide awake. He sat on the sofa while he watched the yback of Beauty on Runway, trying to kill time while waiting for Essie to arrive. From the moment she entered the door, she went straight upstairs, but was soon stopped by Zac. "Were you with Eva?" he asked politely. She shrugged her shoulders and didn''t give an answer. She simply acted like she was tired and yawned. "I''m exhausted. I wanted to go upstairs to take a quick shower and go to bed." He gave off a gentle nod and allowed her without saying another word. She was in the bathroom for quite some time. She sat on the bathtub while a rush of different emotions overwhelmed her whole being. All she wanted was to love and live a simple life, but the cruel reality of fate had made a fool of her again and again. She was entangled in aplex situation of love and hatred, leaving herpletely defeated. "Essie, are you okay?" A voiceing from Zac was suddenly heard from the door. He was worried that Essie might have fallen asleep in the tub since she had been in the bathroom ages. "I''ll be out in a minute." She got off the bathtub, dried herself up and put on her pajamas. Chapter 126 Why Is The Bed Smaller (Part Two) Chapter 126 Why Is The Bed Smaller (Part Two) In the bedroom, Zac was already back in bed. He looked over the door and said, "If you don''te out, I''m breaking in." "It''s not my fault that your bathtub is sofortable." She cracked a joke to conceal her frail heart. When she walked towards her bedside, she suddenly stopped and was left bewildered. She looked at the bed and wondered why it seemed so much smaller than it did yesterday. She wondered if she was just dazzled or her vision was getting impaired. "I thought you were sleepy. Why don''t you get on bed so we can sleep?" Zac leaned against the head of the bed and his eyes shed with delight. She proceeded to lie on the bed and pulled up the nket. Zac followed and turned towards her with his head resting on his hand. He smiled with wonder and asked, "You muddle headed fool, what do you think of Dragon City? Have you encountered any problems?" "It''s been fine, however, there is a bit too much pressure," she said with an adorable pout. "I can take you out tomorrow so you can wind down and finally rx." He ced his fingers on her hair and started to y with it. "Where will we go?" she asked, raising her almond shaped eyes. "Where would you want to go?" he asked her instead. Drawing under his breath was his perfectly curled lips. "We could go trekking and climb the mountains. We could ask more people toe with us. Maybe Jim, Alice and Holy? Besides, tomorrow is a weekend and they should be free, right?" she said with a giggle, while an innuendo of cunningness was seen hiding behind the dimples on her cheeks. "Is mypany not enough?" Zac asked with furrowed eyebrows. Since his true identity had been revealed, she tried her best to refuse to stay with him alone. "We should hang out with others too and let them enjoy themselves from their busy lives," she said casually. From this moment forward, she had to make sure she kept her distance from him. She didn''t want to depend on him too much to take care of things for her. "I don''t like it when there are too much people. Let''s go climbing, just the two of us," he said authoritatively like a king trying to make orders. It felt like Essie had no right to resist but submit to his control. "He''s like a tyrant," she muttered softly with discontent. She turned and faced her back towards him and tried to sleep. He leaned closer to her, with his solid chest hovered over her back. She wanted to move over, but found that there was no space. "Ice guy, please move away a little. Don''t push me!" she protested. "There''s no ce to move! If I move further, I''m going to fall," he answered defensively. Essie waspletely clueless as to how this was possible. She clearly remembered that the bed here was the same size as the one in her apartment back in Yang City. There was supposedly a lot of space for them to lie and move around. She rolled over and raised her head to peek towards his side. ''How strange, there really is no room left!'' she thought. She was perplexed as she remembered the bed being wider the night before. ''The bed couldn''t have just shrunk, just like that?'' she wondered if she was losing her mind. "Ice guy, how wide is this bed?" she asked curiously. "It''s a meter and a half wide," he answered peacefully, with dark eyes that glimmered under the dim night light. "Only 1.5 meters wide? Why do I remember this bed being the same size as my bed in Yang City?" she asked with a confused voice, scratching her head apprehensively. "You must have been really sleepyst night. How could the 1.5 meter bed be as big as your 2 meter bed?" He flicked her forehead gently with a mischievous smile. She crossed her arms across her chest and said disgruntledly, "You are the future heir of a wealthy family. Don''t you think it''s inappropriate for you to be sleeping on such a small bed?" Whenever they slept together in the past, she always secretly moved close to the edge of the bed to keep a safe distance and avoid physical contact between the two of them. However, now she could barely even move. With a tiny bed like this, it meant that she had to risk being so close to him whenever they went to sleep. She found this deeply disturbing. There was a shrewd expression on Zac''s face when he ced both his hands on the back of his head and said with a lifeless voice, "In fact, I find myself sleepingfortably here. I don''t need a bigger bed." Essie puckered her lips in annoyance. "Well, I can''t sleep well in such a crowded bed. What if I fall off? I want to sleep alone!" He stretched his arms and hugged her tightly. "Now, you don''t have to worry about that." She gently kicked him away and said, "You know I have a habit of kicking people in my sleep. Aren''t you worried that I''ll end up kicking you out of bed at night?" He shrugged and a soft smile appeared on his face. "It doesn''t matter. If I fall down, all I have to do is get back up and go to sleep again." Essie was left stupefied. By this point, she had nothing else to say to retaliate. She had always been exploited and taken advantage of by this cold man, and she was starting to look more and more miserable each day that went by. She just sumbed and fell down on her back, actingpletely lifeless and disregarding the sly gaze in Zac''s charming eyes. Zac was such a calctive man that he was able to foresee a situation like this. Around his house, he All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. had customized beds that looked exactly the same but came in different sizes. One day, when she was finally ready to engage in sexual acts with him, he could simply change the bed to a bigger one. He smirked silently at his cleverness. On the other side of Dragon City. A private detective handed Elizabeth photos that he had taken secretly earlier on. Elizabeth opened the envelope and took a quick look. "Perfect." Elizabethughed hysterically and couldn''t wait to savagely tear apart Essie. She had always been good at creating trouble between people. As long as she had the goods on the little bitch, she could easily throw her out on her ear. With these photos that she had just collected, there was no way for Essie to defend herself. She demanded, "Print them out and get them released." When the private detective left the room, Valery walked towards her to praise her and said, "Mom, you are so clever, you found her weak point already. I never thought that she was the type to fool around behind Zac''s back. If Zaces across these photos, he would be so furious that he would get a divorce without any hesitation." Elizabeth smiled wickedly and said, "It''s not only Zac, but Mary and the whole family would not let something like this go. You, my dear one, are the only one qualified to be Zac''s wife. If anyone dares try to take your ce, they are simply ying with fire." Chapter 127 Whos The Other Man Chapter 127 Who''s The Other Man Essie liked to sleep in, so she didn''t get up until noon. They were just about to go hiking on the mountain after having an early lunch when William called all of a sudden. "Essie has hit the headlines again." The headline read, "Essie met a strange man in a hotel and stayed there until midnight." In the photo, Essie and the man seemed locked in an intimate embrace. Upon seeing the photo, Essie guessed that it was taken when she was about to open the door and go out. Fortunately, they didn''t recognize Hanson. Otherwise, it would have been more troublesome. Zac was no longer in the mood to go hiking. His face turned gloomy, as if it was covered by the horrible clouds before a heavy storm. When she told him that her friend hade, he thought she was talking about Eva, but it turned out to be a man. There was only one man in the world who was able to get that close to her. The man''s hair was a mess and his face was covered with stubble, but Zac still recognized him after looking at the photo for a long time. However, he didn''t show any expression on his face. Instead, he just asked in a low voice, "Who is he?" He wanted her to say it herself. Essie tried to make herself look calm. Then, she opened her mouth and said, "Hanson." The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, but he didn''t say anything. He took out a bottle of cold water from the refrigerator and took a swig, as if trying to cool down his anger. "I thought you two were over," All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. he said. His voice sounded like the calm before a storm, slow and solemn, but terrifying. Essie walked to the window and opened it so that the wind and sunshine could get in. "He came to find me. He didn''t know where I was so he wandered all around Dragon City, looking for me. He ended up exhausting and weakening himself," she said frankly. Her heart ached at the thought of Hanson being a drunk mess. "So, you feel touched by his actions. Do you want toe back to him now?" He red at her angrily, and a hint of indescribable pain and disappointment quickly rose to his eyes. His eyebrows were knitted together and he was so angry that his chest was heaving due to his heavy breaths. Essie lowered her eyes, making her longshes cast a shadow on her eyes. "I have told him about our marriage, and he is engaged now. I don''t want to have too much contact with him before we''ve gotten our freedom back. Even though I will ept him again one day, I will wait for everything to be settled first. After that, I just want a simple and calm love," she told him slowly and gently. This made his heart stir like waves, and mixed feelings surged inside it. He didn''t know whether he should feel relieved or worried. Perhaps, he was feeling more of the former. He knew that Hanson was much more important than him in her heart, and to top that off, he had given her such a troublesome task. The fact that she didn''t leave him behind and run away with Hanson in spite of that was a relief for him. "I''ll deal with it. Don''t answer the reporters." Essie nodded, feeling secretly relieved when she saw that he was neither angry at her nor ming her. It seemed to her that he was ready to turn over a new leaf. But then again, he needed her now, so of course he was trying to win her over and let her take some sugar-coated bullets. He wouldn''t want to have a falling-out with her. Soon, Mary called them and asked them to go home. Apparently, they had seen the scandal on the Inte. Valery arrived at the house long before they did. She was the most excited to see what would happen. She wanted to wait and see how Essie would get divorced by Zac and be exiled from the house. But when she saw Zac and Essie walking in hand in hand as if they were not affected by the gossip at all, the excitement in her heart suddenly decreased by half. Hadn''t he read the news yet? "Zac, have you seen today''s entertainment news? Oh, it seems like Essie is seeing another man!" She couldn''t wait to tell on Essie as soon as possible. Mary patted Valery''s hand to calm her down. She sat up straight and acted as the hostess of the house. "Essie, what happened? You have only been in Dragon City for two days, but you have already caused such a big issue." Essie didn''t say anything. After all, it was Zac who had told her not to say anything. He was in charge of handling everything now. "Mommy," Zac said calmly. "Didn''t you see that the man in the photo is your son?" What? Essie was shocked. She did not expect Zac to pull this trick. It was perfect! Because it was a sneak photo, the image of the man was not very clear. With his head down, it was difficult to recognize him. But someone could always find an excuse to attack a person who was not causing anyone any trouble in the first ce. After all, Essie and the man in the photo were holding each other, and it was difficult to find a convincing reason for them to be doing that. In this case, it was even worse. Essie was safe with Zac. She didn''t need to exin herself to them or do anything to save her face. Mary was worried that if this went on, she wouldn''t be able to stop Essie and Zac from announcing their marriage, and she would certainly have to deal with the aftermath for them. "You''re lying. He''s a different guy, not you." Valery nearly fainted. Shepletely lost control of herself and started crying. This was not going as she had expected. Not only did he not divorce her, but he also covered up for her. Was he crazy? Wasn''t he going to get angry even if his wife had cheated on him? Zac sneered. "You know what happened better than I do. Am I right?" "I..." Valery didn''t know what to say. It wasn''t like she could tell him that the photos were taken by her mother. She had to keep it a secret. Mary patted her shoulder, trying to calm her down since she was pregnant. She looked at her son. "Zac, this is not a joke. Take it seriously." Zac smiled. "Mommy, if she really was with another man, I would be even angrier than you are." Zac''s words made sense. No man would be okay with his wife cheating on him, and his son was an arrogant man, so he never would have let her get away with it. "How did you end up like this?" she asked. Zac sat down with Essie, taking a cherry from the fruit te and feeding it to her. "As husband and wife, we should always look for something to spice things up. And Essie and I have always liked to role y. So I acted as a broken up and drunkard man, and she acted as a star and my ex-girlfriend. The story was, I embarrassed her and she wanted to abandon me, but I didn''t want that, so I made an appointment with her in the hotel to force her to stay with me. She opened door to escape, so I tried to stop her." After taking a pause on purpose, he said with an embarrassed smile, "What happened after that is not suitable for children. I guess I don''t have to tell you more." Essie was stunned by his words, and she didn''t expect Zac to be so good at making love stories. It was a pity that he didn''t go to Japan to be a scriptwriter. Mary choked and said, "You young people are getting crazier and crazier." When Valery saw that Mary had believed their story, she was about to have a nervous breakdown. She said, "Mommy, don''t listen to him. He is just protecting Essie, and that''s not..." "It''s alright, Valery. It''s the end of this discussion." As the hostess of the family, she couldn''t let such scandals spread out. After all, it was disgraceful for her family to be involved in things like that. She came over, took her son''s hand, and said, "Zac, you have to stay at home today. What happened A smile yed at the corners of Zac''s mouth. With an indifferent expression, he said, "Mom, I still have work to do with Essie. We are going back for now." "Zac!" Valery lowered her eyes and called out to him pitifully. "You know what? The baby moved today. It''s the first time he ever did that. Don''t you want to touch him?" "That''s right. He''s just like you," Mary said with a smile. She helped Valery get up, grabbed her son''s hand, and ced it on her bulging belly. Zac was just about to pull his hand away when he stopped all of a sudden and a hint of warmth shed in his eyes. "Really?" "He must have heard daddy''s voice," said Valery excitedly and happily. At least he cared about the baby, her one and only hope. "He can hear the sounds from outside even though he is in mommy''s belly. Your daddy held my belly and talked to you every day when I was carrying you and your brother. So now, you should spend more time with your son,municate more with him, and cultivate your rtionship." Zac was silent. As he stared at her belly, he couldn''t help but think of something deep in his mind, and none of them could figure out what he was thinking. After staying silent for a long time, he said in a low voice, "Baby, be good. Grow up quickly. Daddy is waiting for you." The baby was very important to him. He had to make sure that Valery would be able to give birth to it safely. Valery then cast a challenging and arrogant nce at Essie. The look Valery gave her made Essie feel like she had been stabbed with a knife countless times. When Zac looked at Valery, his eyes were cold, but when he looked at her belly, his eyes filled up with warmth. That must be from the joy of being a father for the first time, right? Looking at the harmonious family of three generations, Essie suddenly felt like she was really an outsider, someone who had no ce there. Although Valery and Elizabeth were hateful, the child in Valery''s belly was innocent. He deserved to have aplete family. If Zac gave in and decided that he was willing to be with Valery for the sake of the child, shouldn''t she let go of her hatred and let them be? She wasn''t Elizabeth after all, and she didn''t want to be a shameless woman like her! After a while, Zac seemed to remember that she was there, so he quickly put down his hand that was still attached to Valery''s belly and said, "Have a good rest. We''re leaving now." After saying that, he attempted to take Essie''s hand, but she suddenly shrank away from him. "It''s sote. I can''t climb the mountain in the evening. Why don''t we stay here? I''m going to continue making the evening dresses for Ivy and Daisy." "They are fishing in the fish pond. You can go and find them." Mary let her leave with her excuse so that her son could have some alone time with Valery. "Okay." Essie nodded, stood up, and quickly took her leave. The atmosphere in the living room was so depressing, and she needed to go out to breathe some fresh air. "Essie!" Zac frowned and wanted to chase after her. But he was stopped by Valery. Chapter 128 The Fearless Mistress (Part One) Chapter 128 The Fearless Mistress (Part One) "Zac, don''t go, stay and take care of our baby, okay?" Valery said, looking pitiful. "I''lle backter," Zac said coldly. He jerked her hands off himself and quickly walked out of the living room. Looking in the direction he had gone, she felt both angry and sad. This amalgamation of overwhelming feelings made her tear up. Mary walked closer to her and patted her on the shoulder,forting her, "Don''t worry. Take it easy. He is bound toe back sooner orter as long as the child is here." The bamboo forest was quiet, dark and mysterious. Millions of leaves rustled together, creating a meditative atmosphere. A path paved in stone wound into its depths. The tall bamboos had even dyed the sun green. The gentle breeze kissed the tips of bamboo leaves lightly. The rustling sounded like someone This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. But Essie''s senses were clouded by her rage. She walked with heavy steps, brooding so much in her head that she became deaf and blind to the beauty of the forest. Zac walked behind her. He caught up with her quickly and grabbed her arms from behind. "Honey, don''t be angry. I''m sorry...give me a punishment." He knew that this period of time was bound to cause trouble for her, but it could not be neglected for the safe birth of the child. With a vicious frown on her face, she turned around and shouted at him, "Ice guy, I can''t understand you! If you care so much about the child, why don''t you just marry Valery? Anyway, your child needs a Zac pursed his lips. He grabbed her shoulders tighter and pulled her closer. "We can give him an intact family..." he spoke with a serious look on his face. Essie felt speechless. Was he suggesting she should be her stepmother? No way! "Oh, enough with your wishful thinking! I don''t want to be a stepmother!" "Then we can have our own baby..." said Zac in a hushed tone. Both of them fell quiet. The forest continued to rustle in the background. He looked deep into her eyes, wondering what she would say next. He would never force her to ept it. She was a woman with a sharp tongue and high self- esteem. At the same time, she also had a soft heart and was very considerate. He believed when she found out the truth, she would ept it. However, it sounded absolutely ridiculous to Essie. Undoubtedly, it added fuel to the mes. She wrenched herself free from his grasp and hit him on his shoulder. "Don''t you try to y with me. I don''t like studs like you. If you want a child, go to Le." Zac was sweating. She was so angry she was talking nonsensically. It was better to end this topic before it got worse. He raised his hands in surrender, looking down. "Okay...I''ve decided to make up for the grievances and losses you have suffered in the past few months." She tried to hold back her anger and looked around. She knew when to stop. He gave an out and she would jump down. She didn''t really n to live with him. They were just using each other for what they needed and fighting off their powerful enemies. She decided to be more generous and tolerant and digest the resentment. "It depends on your performance." After taking a nce at him, she turned around and walked forward. The two walked quietly through the rest of the forest and reached the fish pool. Ivy and Daisy were already at the pond, fishing casually. They asked Essie and Zac to join them. Essie sat down on a folding chair. Zac took the fishing rod and fixed the bait on it. Ivy smiled at them and spoke, "I was worried you two were having a fight. I''m relieved to see you''re alright!" "People have a habit of making groundless usations. It would have pleased some people if we had fought," Zac said with a deep and intriguing smile. Hazy evening light reflected in Essie''s eyes after she heard this. Zac had already taken Essie to a public party with a lot of celebrities. No wonder the paparazzi were on a lookout for a scandal. How could they miss thisplicated triangle? But things were different now. Essie''s scandal was known to all but there was no mention of Zac. Apparently, there was another mastermind behind the scenes. And she knew who this woman was without need to guess. After flinging the fishing rod into the pond, Essie looked at the girls with a smile. "Daisy, Ivy, I''ve brought some fresh material for your sister''s outfits. You can take a lookter. If you like them, I can sew them on the evening dress." "Awesome!" Ivy and Daisy said at the same time, and burst into giggles. Under Zac''s guidance, Essie caught a big fish soon. "Whoa! Looks like I''m going to have some soup today!" The fish in this pond were fat, tender and beautiful, natural and pollution-free, much better than the ones avable in supermarkets. Zac stroked Essie''s head lovingly. "You can ask the cook to make fish soup for you every day..." ncing at him, Ivy spoke in a smitten tone, "Wow, you''re so considerate and gentle! I''m surprised. I thought you were the most cold-blooded man in Dragon City!" "Looks like women can change men!" Daisy said with a smile. Ivy turned to look at Daisy and spoke with her eyebrows raised, "If that is the case, you should try to change William''s behavior with you!" "What are you talking about?" Daisy nced at her coquettishly, her cheeks turning red. Zac knew her secret clearly. But it was hard for William to love again...after all, his heart had been hurt badly. As their brother, he had to put in more effort for them. Right when Zac was going to ask them about their ns for the next day, Essie spoke with enthusiasm, "Daisy, Ivy! Zac and I are nning to go mountain-climbing tomorrow. You two shoulde with us! We''ll bring William as well..." "Sounds like a n!" As soon as Daisy heard William''s name, her eyes shone with excitement. Ivy jumped with excitement! She was a party girl, and would not miss a chance like this. Zac was both happy and frustrated. While he was happy for Daisy, he had been looking forward to spending time alone with Essie. In the afternoon. When Albert came back, he asked his son to join him in the study and y chess with him. After working in the studio for a while, Essie went to the garden and have her afternoon tea and some cake. Chapter 129 The Fearless Mistress (Part Two) Chapter 129 The Fearless Mistress (Part Two) The pastry chef they had hired was from Britain. He was simply amazing at making cakes. With the help of a maid, Valery was walking toward the garden. Essie spotted her from the corner of her eye but chose to ignore it. But Valery didn''t want to let her go easily. She walked into the pavilion and sat down without asking her anything. In Valery''s mind, she was the future hostess of the family. She thought it was better to already start acting like it and suppress Essie as much as possible. Essie suddenly fell into a bad mood. The cake did not taste the same today, because the woman in front of her had affected her appetite. "Don''t you feel like this house is a wondend, since you''re such a poor girl? I''m afraid you won''t get to enjoy such a good day in a big garden for a long time after this..." Essie ignored her deliberately. Infuriated but unwilling to argue with her, she took out her phone and started ying a game on it. The maid poured a cup of fruit tea for Valery. "You know, I can give you enough money to enjoy the upper ss life for your remaining days...only if you divorce Zac." "Miss Valery, my husband has given me a VIP card. I can afford a ne if I want to buy one. What makes you think I am poor?" Essie sneered, finally meeting her eyes. Valery fell silent. She hadn''t expected Zac would have given her a VIP card! Was he really nning to live with her for a long time? In that case, she and her child would lose their status... "Humph...how naive. Don''t you realize he is only interested in you temporarily? When he gets tired of you, you will be dumped back to your pathetic life," Valery remarked with a cunning smile. "It doesn''t matter. At least, I still hold the position of his wife, which is better than a nameless rtionship..." Essie maintained a poker face as she yed her ace, shutting Valery''s mouth. Essie''s blunt words enraged Valery. "You are forgetting that my son will remain the eldest grandson of this family!" She stared into Essie''s eyes fiercely. Her gaze was sharp like a sword. "Really? What I have heard is that this family is different than yours. They only care about the children of their own wives, and the concubines'' are left to rot." Valery''s face flushed. If she wasn''t pregnant, she would jump and strangle the little bitch who had dared to threaten her. "And are you fortunate enough to give birth to Zac''s child?" Valery could spend all her life trying to make Essie infertile. "Save your own child first. Protect him from your own bad behavior, otherwise he might get retribution for your evil deeds," Essiemented with herposure unstirred. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Valery was shaken by Essie''s threat. She couldn''t believe what she had said. "How dare you curse my baby, you lowly woman!" Essie smiled with the corner of her mouth curled up. "I just want to remind you that everyone reaps what they sow." Valery could take it no more. She held her belly with a pale face, her eyes wide with rage. But she quickly calmed down. She remembered her mother had once told her there was no such thing as retribution in this world. Thew of the jungle was that the weak became prey for the strong. God was by the side of the strong and stood by them. How else did bad people go on to live forever and good ones perish? Whoever dared to block her way, would be killed. "Count your good days, Essie. It is I who is going to be happy in the end when you will be sniveling in tears," she said firmly, squinting at Essie with narrow eyes. Essie snorted and spoke with her eyes rolling, "We''ll see who wins!" At night. The young people sat on the sofa together, watching thetest episode of Beauty on Runway. As usual, Zac considerately gave his arm to Essie to rest her head on. At the very sight of this, Valery''s eyes almost popped out. She had no interest in the show. In fact, she detested it. It was because she wanted to be around Zac that she was putting up with it. Ivy, on the other hand, was a little disappointed, because her dream lover, Hanson, hadn''te yet. "Sister Essie, what''s wrong with Hanson? Why was he absent from the review? You know what! He is the new God for the girls in our ss. He is so handsome, funny and witty! The appraisal will be boring if he doesn''te." Essie quivered internally, but said nothing. The thought of Hanson looking all over Dragon City for her made Essie''s heart ache. She lowered her head and took a sip of water, trying to distract herself. "I am not sure about that," she replied lightly. Zac had decided to turn over a new leaf. She didn''t want to piss him off again. Hearing all this talk about Hanson made Zac insecure. He cleared his throat and red at his cousin. "Is he as handsome as I am?" he asked. Essie couldn''t believe that he would ask something like that. "Oh, different type. You are the president, while he is the sunshine type." Ivy puckered up her lips. Zac rubbed her little head and said, "Work hard, sister. Don''t keep dreaming of lovers." "When I graduate from the university, I will find Hanson and marry him!" replied Ivy excitedly. Ivy''s innocence made Daisy chuckle. "Ivy, he is engaged to Sunny. By the time you graduate, his children would have grown up!" "Sunny isn''t his type, and all the girls in my ss think he doesn''t like Sunny at all, because he always gives her lower scores. And he always gives sister Essie highest scores!" Ivy spoke without a filter, unaware of a man''s cold gaze on her. Chapter 130 How Dare You Not Marry Me! Chapter 130 How Dare You Not Marry Me! Essie coughed delicately and changed the topic. "Ivy, what do you think of the suit I made this time?" "It looks amazing! I think yours is more beautiful than Sunny''s, but I know the judges from Be would side with Sunny without my Hanson there. I know they can only rmend even though people are their rtives, but it''s obvious that your suit should win. My Hanson would have been the most fair judge there." Ivypletely disregarded her brother''s cold re as she talked about Hanson. Without a word, Essie self-consciously lowered her head to drink tea. She didn''t want to be caught in the crossfire. Ice guy is extremely possessive. Even though Essie was his wife in name only, she was a subject of his own kingdom, and no one could steal what was his. Of course, Ivy was clueless about what was going on among them. She moved closer to Essie and said with a ttering smile, "Essie, aren''t you Hanson''s junior in school? Do you have his personal QQ ount and phone number?" As Essie choked on a mouthful of tea, mind scrabbling to phrase a proper response, Zac said coldly, "My wife and Hanson are mere acquaintances, and they haven''t seen each other for a long time. Why would she have his contact information?" "Really?" Ivy sighed, disappointed. "Then, do you know any of his friends or anyone who may have his phone number? I want to call him so I could hear his voice." She sighed again, this time with a dreamy expression on her face. "His voice is just so alluring. I feel like I''m already in love with him." Essie, who had just taken another sip, suddenly spat her mouthful of tea out. Luckily, she was able to prevent the liquid from spraying out and dousing anyone by mping a hand over her mouth. Swatting Ivy at the back of her head, Zac said in a warning voice, "Hey, you kids fall in love with just about everyone. You see someone halfway good-looking on TV and then you fall for them. Be careful; the world is full of scumbags who take advantage of gullible kids like you." "Why are you so angry?" Ivy gingerly rubbed her smarting head and red at her brother. "So I fell in love with him at the first sight. What''s wrong with that? I know you and Essie got married after meeting for such a short time. Didn''t you fall in love at first sight yourself?" The words were like adding fuel to the fire. A wave of envy surged in Zac''s heart. He knew very well that it was Hanson whom Essie fell in love with at first sight, not him. Essie had always been in love with Hanson and still was, no matter how hard Zac tried to make her look his way. If she had met him five years ago instead of Hanson, would she have fallen in love with him at first sight? As for himself, he had never been in love and did not know what it was like to love someone. When he first met Essie, he couldn''t exin what he felt for her. For sure, that feeling was unlike anything he had felt toward other women he had met before. That feeling drove him to apany her to drink and have fun. He didn''t know whether he loved her or not, but he knew that she held a very important ce in his heart, more than anyone, including himself. He longed for her and to be in her heart, feeling like he would own the whole world as long as he was with her. Unless he could figure out what emotion it was, he could not make a promise to her. Thus, he could only stay silent, like now. Essie''s heart sank slightly. Every single time that this topic was mentioned, she felt morose without knowing why. If he didn''t love her, why did he always tease her? Did he really think of her as a toy? Ah, right. She was nothing but a weapon used to help him deal with Valery. He was no longer the simple, innocent, and poor person that she met. He was a big shot in the business circle, and he knew what he wanted. People like him were not trustworthy or reliable, that is, not friendship material. "We married when conditions were ripe," she replied, her words loaded with meaning. Giving Essie a side nce, Valery pursed her lips and said, "I fell in love with Zac the moment I saw him, when I first came to this house and met him. I secretly vowed that I would marry him. If he didn''t want to marry me, then I would rather be alone for the rest of my life." It sounded like a vow or a threat. "Really? Valery, a daughter in your family has already sworn off marriage. If you follow in her footsteps, Uncle Baron will get furious." Obviously, Daisy was implying something else. Her cousin had a crush on Essie, but obviously wouldn''t marry Valery. Wasn''t she going to be single forever? "Do you think any man would dare marry someone as horrible as Alice? She only said that she will not get married because she cannot get married. I''m not like her." Valery seethed, ''All of these years, Alice had stirred up trouble for my mother, and she even dared introduce other women to my father. If it hadn''t been for her, I wouldn''t have another brother, Holy.'' Hearing the barb directed at her sister, Essie heatedly replied, "Alice is charming and more beautiful than the ancient beauties. She is a rare gem that any man would be lucky to have. If she decides to marry a man, men from all over the world will be lining up for the chance." Zac coughed and whispered in her ear, "Babe, not me." "Who said I was talking about you? You''re not even human," she retorted sourly. Zac quirked up an eyebrow sardonically and asked, "Then what am I?" Essie''s thick eyshes fluttered flirtatiously, but a cunning expression was on her face. "Have you seen yourself? You look just like a fairy, so you''re probably one. Hence, you''re not a mortal. I don''t know... maybe you''re an alien from Mars?" A smile crept on his face. "Honey, fans call you Fairy Sister. That means you''re not a mortal, either. Maybe we came from the same." Essie momentarily froze, her eyes shooting daggers at Zac. ''Damn it, ice guy, do you really have to be mean to me at every turn? You can''t even let me win this argument?'' Looking at them, Ivy giggled and said, "Cousin, Essie, you guys are such a cute couple. You must be very happy together." "I don''t see it," Valery retorted churlishly. Daisy sighed slightly at the woman''s response and said, "Valery, two women sharing one husband is a want this to happen, do you?" "I''m very generous. I just want to be thedy of the family. I can''t let my child be born illegitimate without the rights to inherit properties. As for the women around Zac, I can tolerate them. Unlike some people, I don''t intend to dominate Zac or monopolize all of his time." Valery meant to put up a long- suffering, pitiful victim''s expression, but she spoke in a strong tone. Elizabeth advised her to show weakness and pretend to be frail in order to get sympathy. However, she had forgotten that Valery came from a different family background and was made of an entirely different material than she was. Elizabeth was born in an ordinary family; in order for her to be able to study in a prestigious school, her parents had to take out all of their savings. For her to get along well with these high-born children and gain their approval, she learned to be clever in dealing with them, be shameless, and suck it up to them. There was nothing that she wouldn''t have done, even the unimaginable. As long as she could achieve her goal, she could do anything. But Valery was different. She had always been arrogant and domineering, even as a child. She couldn''t help but trample everything and everyone in her way. ying the veritable damsel in distress would nevere naturally to her, and so she must learn. Zac''s smile had a sarcastic tinge to it. "The one who will be thedy of the family will be decided by me, and me alone." He then threw his arms around Essie, as if he were bestowing her royal position. Valery was so angry that her face flushed a bright red. Daisy patted her shoulder tofort her. There were times when Daisy really admired Valery. For so many years, the woman had been deeply in love with her cousin, but he just wouldn''t love her back. Whether he ignored her or teased her, she still kept on pestering him. At this point, no one knew whether it was love or obsession. She and Le had beenpeting from middle school to high school, from Dragon City to America, even for Zac''s affections, and now she was pregnant. She thought that she had finally won the lifelong rivalry between them, and she also expected that Zac would finally be marrying her. However, Essie suddenly entered the picture. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. If she were Valery, such extreme stress would have given her a mental breakdown; however, the other woman made hereback and fought again. Her iron core was so strong that she must have reached a 999+ cultivation level. "Valery, since you''re pregnant and all, I think it would be best for you to live a peaceful life and stop interfering with Zac''s affairs. You see it on TV all the time: since the imperial concubine is pregnant, the king would naturally start spoiling other concubines. After all, you can hardly expect him to be a monk during the nine months of pregnancy!" Was that supposed tofort her? All those who were present froze, and one could have heard crickets chirping. Zac cleared his throat and said, "Well, it''s almost eleven o''clock. Daisy, time for bed. If William sees you with dark eye bags tomorrow, he will surely get scared and never show his face here again." "Oh, my God!" As if stabbed by a needle, Daisy jumped up screaming and covered her face. "I will apply a face mask and then sleep." Her hurrying footsteps resounded up the stairs. Ivy leaned back on the sofa, picked up a cherry, and ced it into her mouth. "I''m only 18 years old and still young. I don''t need to worry about eye bags. And I want to see my Hanson." A cold light shed in Zac''s eyes. He took Essie''s hands into his and pulled. "Darling, let''s go to sleep." He did not want to see Hanson at all. Essie cast a naughty nce at him and grinned. She deliberately leaned back on the sofa and said, "I''m not sleepy yet. I think I''ll watch the show with Ivy." A me sparked in Zac''s eyes, and he swept Essie up into his arms. "Eyes only on me!" Then, he marched up the stairs with Essie in his arms. Following them with her eyes, Valery shot them dagger-like res behind their retreating backs. Sliding aforting arm around the pregnant woman''s shoulders, Ivy said, "Valery, Daisy is right. You are too weak to fight her at this point. Even without Essie, my cousin would still have found other women to take care of him. You should focus on taking care of yourself and your baby." Valery bit her lower lip and decided to leave the bitch in peace for the next few days. Once her baby was born, she was dead meat. The next day was a good day for outdoor activities. Early that morning, Daisy got up and began choosing what to wear. She wanted to blow William away when he saw her. Both Essie and Zac were couple-dressing in chrysanthemum blue sportswear. The sight of everyone enthusiastically heading out in high spirits left Valery ring after them with a malicious glint in her eyes. ''The forest was extremely dangerous. Poisonous snakes, scorpions, and insects abounded everywhere. I''ve prepared a gift for you, Essie. Enjoy it and nevere back,'' she murmurred to herself in her mind. Chapter 131 The First Love Chapter 131 The First Love Getting off the vehicle, they nced at the beautiful mountain ahead of them. It was indeed a marvelous ce to be spending their weekend. Everywhere, they could get a fresh breath of air. Beautiful environment and pleasant scenery could put any mind at ease. Now that they were out of the car, Essie took Daisy''s hand and walked up to William. "William, Zac and I will take care of Ivy, but Daisy is your sole responsibility. Take care of her," she warned, but there was a hidden smile. William quickly nodded and his expression was that of a calm man. But deep down, he was a bit startled. Since he had obliged without any questions, Essie was a bit stunned. He seemed cold like an ice and it was beyond difficult to decipher what was going on in his heart. Ivy was the first to rush into the mountain, followed by others. Two servants were responsible for the backpacks and tents. They would camp on the mountain tonight. Climbing the mountain was quite an adventure. There were twists and turns they had to go through before they reached their destination. However, there were no steep steps or obstacles on their way. Essie caught up with Ivy. Together, they hummed their favorite song, the autumn without love. Zac was a few steps behind them. He had wished to spend a lot of time with Essie. But it looked like Essie had abandoned him. He couldn''t help but notice a change in Essie''s behavior towards him. She didn''t need him anymore and barely nced at him. In her heart, the little bit of existence he managed to upy was disappearing at a terrifying speed. This thought ate him alive. ''Was it because Hanson had taken that position?'' he couldn''t help but wonder. And he had lost his advantage in the current situation since Valery was pestering him without stop. Daisy and William walked together, a couple of steps behind Zac. William was not a talkative man. To lighten up the atmosphere, Daisy began to rummage through topics in her mind. "William, has work been busytely?" she asked, shing him a smile. "Work is fine," William replied, without returning the smile. He made no attempts to keep the conversation going! Daisy wouldn''t give up. Instead, she continued, "I heard from Zac that you are good at ying golf. To be honest, I am also a fan of golf. How about we y it next weekend?" Her voice was low. She wasn''t used to inviting boys for a date so this made her quite awkward. There was a part that worried he would refuse. "I have a meeting next Sunday," said William, giving her a meaningful look. Upon hearing this, Daisy''s heart sank. She looked down and her fine eyshes cast two sad shadows on her white eyelids. She was rejected! Was it too stupid of her to invite him? She instantly regretted asking him out. On the other side, Zac, who was not far from them, heard the whole conversation. He nced at William and said, "You don''t need to attend next Sunday''s video meeting. I think you should take a break and have fun." ''Is he trying to help me?'' William couldn''t help but wonder. It looked like everyone here was hell-bent on fixing him up with Daisy. His refusal was a heavy blow to Daisy''s fragile heart. She walked forward silently with her head cast down. Looking at her receding figure, William felt guilty. He had been hard on her. The truth was, he liked her. But he was not ready to ept a new rtionship. Rtionships were a mess and thest thing he wanted to do was hurt someone. Seeing the hesitancy on William''s face, Zac walked and decided to give him another nudge. Patting on his shoulder, he said, "Your task for next weekend is to y golf with my sister." "Boss, being in a rtionship will affect my work," William said, cutting down to the chase. There was no point in being subtle. With a smile at the corners of his mouth, Zac said, "It doesn''t matter, William. Consider falling in love with my sister as your new work." William now caught up with Daisy and said, "I''m free next Sunday." This time, his voice was low. Daisy raised her eyes, and her eyes lit up again. Her smile was like a little ink in a tank, slowly blooming all over her beautiful face. This glow didn''t go unnoticed by William. Zac gazed at his sister from afar, a trace of smile appearing on his lips. If William didn''t have any feeling for Daisy, he wouldn''t have done it. Now it was obvious that both of them had feelings for each other. As her brother, how could he let his sister miss the opportunity of having such a good man in her life? They came to a halt when they reached a tree shade. Everyone agreed to take some rest before they continued with the journey. Zac handed the water to Essie and Ivy. Essie took a sip of water. With a sly smile on her face, she said, "Let me ask some interesting riddles!" "Okay!" Ivy and Daisy pped their hands. "What is so delicate that even mentioning it breaks it?" Essie asked. "Well, let me think...." Ivy said, continuing to brood over the question. "Secret! Secret has to be the answer!" Daisy replied, getting quite excited. "What do you think?" said Essie as she turned to Zac and William. "I can''t guess it," Zac said, shrugging his shoulder. Although he knew the answer, he decided to remain silent. Women liked it better when men acted dumb. William shook his head and said, "I''m not good with riddles." Essie giggled and said, "Okay, I''ll tell you. The answer is silence." "Oh yes! That makes sense." Ivy was a little disappointed since the answer seemed so obvious yet she couldn''t have guessed it. Daisy''s spirits also sank. She had been certain her answer was right. "Isn''t it a smart one? I thought so too. When you speak, you break the silence," Essie said and to guess any of them. Once they were tired of the game, Daisy stood up to take pictures. "Zac, Essie, you both look lovely sitting under the shade of tree. Shall I click some photos?" she suggested with a smile. Before Essie could refuse, Zac wrapped his hands around her waist. She couldn''t even struggle against his grasp. Before she asked him to stop, he ced a possessive kiss on her lips. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ''I don''t think she can go on ignoring me now!'' he thought with some satisfaction. With her face flushing red, she wasn''t in a position to speak. Everyone was staring at them. Daisy managed to capture some beautiful candid shots. She reyed the pictures and whispered, "Zac seems so absorbed in the task of kissing. I have never seen him kiss Le." Ivy, watching their shots, smiled and said, "It seems that he is addicted to kissing Essie." William was utterly confused by his boss''s action. ''Is my boss just putting on an act? If so, doing something like this will get him in trouble!'' He wished he could tell his boss to act more carefully. But on a second thought, he gave up on the idea. To start with, Zac hated it when someone went to him with an advice. Moreover, it was not easy for Zac to ept a woman. In the present days, if a man didn''t keep a woman around him for a long time, people would talk rubbish about them. Perhaps Zac knew what he was doing! After all, he was a smart man. Essie drank half a bottle of cold water to calm herself down and then came over to Daisy. With her camera in her hand, she suggested it was her turn to take the photos now. "William,e here. You should stand next to Daisy. Pose as you please but try to make it look natural!" Hearing this, Daisy smiled shyly, looking at William with a pair of eyes brimming with expectations. Zac patted him on the shoulder. "Be quick. My wife is a pretty good photographer." Having no other choice, William had to brace himself and walked up to Daisy. They greeted each other like two strangers. Seeing the awkwardness, Essie was a little dissatisfied. "Let''s get a little creative guys. Don''t be overcautious. You both aren''t posing for wedding photos!" Essie''s remark turned Daisy''s cheeks into scarlet red. William was shocked too! Daisy moved aside, but identally stepped on a stone. She stumbled and nearly fell down. Luckily, William held her before she hit the ground. Her small hands clenched his cor in horror. When their eyes met, a strong current pierced through them, making them tremble slightly. Essie grasped this moment and clicked several photos of them. Sitting on a big stone alone, Ivy looked up at the sky and sighed, "You are all in pairs. I am alone. Hanson, where are you? Come and save my lonely heart!" Hearing her words, Zac''s eyes turned venomous. He hit her lightly and said, "Hanson? What''s wrong with you? You should adore me rather than him!" "You''re my brother. How can I adore you?" asked Ivy. "I wasn''t talking about that kind of love. Anyway, what does that dude even have? Why is everyone blindly in love with him?" Zac asked, unable to hide his indignation. The world was full of handsome men, but every girl went ahead and fell in love with that cowardly Hanson. Jealousy was gnawing through his heart. William and Daisy had returned to their seats. Daisy''s face turned red, akin to Begonia flowers during spring. There was no expression on William''s face, but there was slight ripple in his dark eyes. Essie heard that Zac and his cousin were discussing about Hanson. Having no interest in joining the conversation, she stayed behind. Even though she could tell Zac was envious of Hanson, she didn''t think it was because he loved her. He was merely a possessive man who didn''t like it when his ything fell in love with someone else. Hanson was more true to her. Even though he had abandoned her due to many reasons, he still had her in his heart. However, Zac had been brutal enough to deceive her. He felt no emotions for her and picked her with an intention to use her. All the nice things he had done for her were nothing but a pretense. He sugar coated the bullets with fake love. All he wanted was to use her as a cannon fodder. He felt no love for her. It was all reserved for Le. After resting, they continued climbing. At dusk, they finally reached the top of the mountain. The servants set up tents and began to make dinner. They had a quick meal at noon. Beef and soup noodles were the food they would take for dinner. Zac sat down beside Essie and whispered, "I am starting to miss stewed sirloin with white radish that you used to make." "The food we are being served now is delicious and you say you miss my food? I am only capable of making ordinary dishes. How is it possible that you miss it?" Zac shook his head and said, "Don''t call them ordinary. Nothing beats the food that is cooked by these beautiful hands." After speaking, he held her soft hands. "Essie, you need to know there are many reasons due to which I hid my true identity from you. It wasn''t just Valery. Besides, I thought it was best to make sure if we could get along before I told you who I am. Also, a part of me worried you would try to stay away from me if you came to know about it. And now look, you are going away from me!" Zac poured his heart out. His strong words made Essie tremble slightly. Her eyes turned to look at Zac. The sunset was shining on his face, but his dark eyes were wrought with disappointment and worry. It was hard to decipher theplicated expression in his eyes. ''No! I don''t believe him. He is lying!'' she thought. Perhaps he was speaking this way because he wanted something more from her. To him, she was a dispensable item. After driving Valery away, she would be of no value to him. He might probably treat her as a vulgar woman, urging her to divorce! With these thoughts in her mind, she felt a kind of unspeakable sadness. She lowered her head and covered her injured eyes with her thick eyshes. Thest thing she wanted was for him to see how fragile she was. It may give him the license to hurt her more! He took the wrong meaning out of her refusal to look at him. He frowned slightly. His heart sank, the disappointment in his heart bing deeper than the twilight. "You are still thinking about him, aren''t you?" Chapter 132 She Cannot Escape Chapter 132 She Cannot Escape "Yes." She spat out the word as if she was mad at him, but it sounded weak even to her ears. Didn''t he have another woman in his heart? A sh of jealousy flickered in his eyes, but bitterness was the emotion that ruled in his heart. Her heart seemed to be closed off to him; no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t get in. "I can wait!" he said in a clear, forceful voice, and he meant every word. Once she became his woman, she would be his only woman for the rest of their lives. She looked at him nkly, stunned and not understanding his meaning. "Wait? Wait for what exactly?" "Wait for you to forget him." To Essie, his eyes remained in shadow. What she didn''t know was that Zac was staring at her like she was his whole world. "Why should I forget him?" she asked sarcastically, her face twisted in a sneer. What she really wanted to ask was: "Can you forget Le?" In the past, Hanson gave her up to get Be. Zac gave up Le for the sake of his family. To a certain extent, the two men were simr. "Because I will make you forget him," Zac said with a serious expression on his face and a return of his usual autocratic tone. She couldn''t understand his expression and his heart. Maybe it was his fierce possessiveness that''s bothering him again. For as long as she was his wife, he would always think of her as his private property. He could never allow anyone to touch or steal what was his. "Let me see you try," she mocked, but the knife in her heart dug deeper. On the other side of the mountain, Daisy was standing on a big rock outcrop to take photos of the mountain in the sunset. William stood next to her and reminded her every once in a whole to be careful. After she got her shots, she vaulted down from the stone and excitedly looked at the pictures she had taken in high spirits. "Every sunset is different, and so is every sunset in this mountain. I want to try my best to preserve this beautiful scene." Her beautiful little face was shining in the setting sun: clean, innocent, and bright. William looked at her quietly. In a trance, her shadow ovepped with another, both of them gentle and beautiful. However, she had betrayed him one day and slept with another man. It struck him like a bolt of lightning. If it weren''t for Zac''s advice, he didn''t know how long he would have wallowed in depression. "William!" Daisy''s voice broke William''s reverie. "That''s a very beautiful and professional-looking shot," he praised. Daisy smiled up at him, her smile particrly brilliant at dusk. Beside the bonfire, Ivy was eagerly eyeing a bowl of beef stew. She was so hungry. The maid ced the noodles in the boiling stew. After a short while, the stew was ready to be served. Zac knew that Essie really liked to eat meat, so he kept picking up big chunks of beef and cing them into her bowl. With a wave of her hand, Essie said dismissively, "No, thanks; you can have them." "You are too thin. You should eat more meat." His tender, affectionate gaze made her heart ripple like a breeze. Admittedly, due to his thoughtfulness, Essie sometimes found herself fantasizing about something that she shouldn''t think about and unconsciously wanting to depend on him. The sugar- coated bullets were like opium: you knew that they were eroding your spirit and soul, but you could not refuse once you became addicted. "Zac, you don''t have to be so nice to me." She wouldn''t leave as long as he needed her to deal with Valery. Zac''s eyes darkened to a shade of twilight. "Is it so wrong to treat you well?" His words were slow and frigid like a cold wind. "I didn''t mean that." She looked down. She didn''t want him to try so hard. "Then what did you mean?" he asked. It seemed like he was not going to let her go so easily. "I..." The fire was reflected in Essie''s eyes. "You''re being too kind to me. We will go our separate ways in the future, so I don''t want to get used to it." Once everything was over, he would definitely want her to disappear and never show up again to disturb his new life without her. "Okay, I will change, then," he said lightly, but the words were like painful bullets to her heart. He changed his tune so fast. She did guess it right; he was afraid that she would get stuck on him. She wanted to tell him not to worry. After all, she was a reasonable woman; she would disappear like smoke from his sight. She stuffed a piece of beef into her mouth and chewed vehemently, as if venting her feelings on the hapless piece of meat. Then, he picked up thest piece of beef in his bowl and ced it in hers. "I have decided to be extremely good to you so that you could get used to it and never leave me." His deep, dark eyes suddenly shed with a sly glint, like a meteor streaking across the sky. She choked and suddenly realized that she was being made fun of. She felt her face burn from embarrassment. "You! Change and disappear, fast!" She red at him, but her mncholy dissipated like clouds covering the moon. She didn''t want him to notice the change in her mood, so she ate the noodles without raising her head. On the other side of the campfire, the exact opposite of their scene was ying out. Daisy gave all the meat in his bowl to William and said, "William, I''m on a diet these days. I don''t want to eat meat. Can you help me eat it?" "Your figure is just right. You really shouldn''t try to lose more weight." William looked at her with concern. "Which one do you prefer? Skinny or plump?" she asked cautiously. "Neither fat nor skinny...just like you," William said honestly. "Really?" Daisy smiled upon hearing his answer, two dimples shing on her cheeks. Nighttime at the top of the mountain was quiet and harmonious. Insects chirped a beautiful symphony of nature in the grass. Eventually, everyone finally retired into the tents to sleep. Zac didn''t feel sleepy at all. He forced Essie to sit on a big, smooth rock and watch the stars with him. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Far from the city, the night sky was dark, and the stars were bright and clearly visible. "It''s been a long time since Ist saw so many stars," remarked Essie with a sigh. "I''ll take you to see them more often." A devious look shed in his dark eyes. He ced a hand on her shoulder and deliberately murmured into her ears, "Just two of us." She smiled and did not respond. To him, she was only suitable for the role of food buddy or a ymate. Essiey back on the rock with her hands behind her head. "Zac, let''s count the stars, shall we?" "You are always so confused. Are you sure you can count them?" he teasingly replied with a chuckle. "You''re right, I can''t count them. The stars in the sky are as many as your women, countless!" she retorted with a disdainful sniff. "Who else do I have except you?" He shook his head, a bitter smile crossing his face. The history of his love life was as pure as a piece of paper. "At this point, I only know of two women: a concubine and your Juliet. For sure, there must be an innumerable number of women I know nothing about." She pouted and thought to herself, ''The prince of the Rong family: extremely handsome, rich, brilliant, and unparalleled... He is a god among men, so it''s no wonder that women go crazy enough to fight over him.'' Zac raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Who is Juliet?" Was this little fool that befuddled, or did she pull that out of thin air? ''Cut out the bullshit!'' She curled her lips again. ''Aren''t you and Le the modern version of Romeo and Juliet?'' Two families were ipatible as fire and water, so they were forced to fight against each other. You guys even had the same plot line, but the ending was different. In their case, they died for love, whereas you ended up separating in your story. Looking at her silent form beside him, Zac raised his hand and gently sped the point of her chin. "Who is it?" "Your beautiful childhood sweetheart. Who else?" She turned her head away, feeling inexplicably jealous. An indecipherable look settled in his eyes. "Are you jealous?" "Not at all!" she said crossly. She didn''t even like him, so why would she be jealous? An inexplicable mncholy settled in her heart, and her thoughts were churning. Zac''s handsome face hovered above her, obscuring the starry sky up high. His eyes shed mischievously in the dark, even more dazzling than the brightest of stars. At the same time, his gaze was unreadable. She stopped breathing for a second. His strong aura was overwhelming her, making her heart beat fast and irregr. She swallowed hard to moisten her suddenly parched throat. She pulled out a hand from under her head and gently pushed for him to keep a safe distance. Hepletely ignored her feeble attempt at resistance and raised his hand to touch her face. His long fingers softly glided from her forehead to her lips, the touch as light as a feather. "You idiot, don''t you have any feelings for me at all?" Feelings? What feelings? Confused, she asked, "Are you hateful?" He shuddered like he had just been teased. "You hate me?" "You lied to me, teased me and took advantage of me all the time. Shouldn''t I hate you?" A trace of anger colored her voice. He didn''t like her; he only wanted to use her and take control of her. Why was he so aggressive? She was not a toy. Did he think that she had no dignity or feelings? Pain shed across his eyes, and his forehead was marred by a frown. All of a sudden, a wry smile wiped any expression that might have been on his face. "So... was that how I behave?" In fact, when she was in danger, he was always the first toe to save her. When she was unhappy, he would try to make herugh. When she was identally injured, he was the only person who took care of her. He treated her with utmost care. Perhaps it was because of this kindness that she had unconsciously ustomed to him and begun to rely on him. However, she couldn''t tell him these words. Instead, all she had was a deep sigh. "Don''t think too much about it. You are not the one I want, and neither am I the one that you want. This was all a mistake." His eyes were as dark as the night at the top of the mountain. "If this was a mistake, let me make a final one. I don''t care if you''d hate me; so be it!" With those words, he swooped down his head to capture her lips. Even if there was no ce for him in her heart, then at least he could im her as his woman. Not far away, in the dense jungle, a pair of mysterious eyes stared at them in the darkness. He had been following them secretly for a while now... he was only waiting for the perfect timing. Chapter 133 This Woman Was Unlucky Chapter 133 This Woman Was Unlucky The next morning, Ivy wanted to go to the pool and swim. Listening to her plea, everyone joined. In the clean water, the blue sky was glistening. The fish swam around freely. Zac and William were as agile and nimble as a fish hawk. Essie, who didn''t know to swim, stayed away from water. Since she didn''t have much to do, she preupied herself with the task of roasting the fish which Zac and William had caught earlier. Not far away, there was a dark shadow hiding in the jungle. This tall man had his eyes glued on Essie. He had been hiding at the top of the mountain for the whole night. But since Zac was always around Essie, he couldn''tplete his task. Today, everyone else was swimming and he would cling onto this opportunity to kill Essie. ''The time has finallye!'' he thought with a sigh of relief. He put down the ck bag in his hand and carefully opened the tape. A hungry viper crawled out of it and slowly went towards the pool. Essie had already roasted three fishes. She waved to the four people in the water and said, "Beautiful She was oblivious to the danger that was approaching her. In an instant, Zac spotted something crawling behind her. On focusing, he realized it was a snake with a silver circle. It had the pattern of ck and white. He realized it was one of the most venomous snakes in the world. The impact of its bite would be deadly. Struck by fear, he shouted, "Essie, there is a snake. Don''t move! Stay right there." Without wasting any time, he swam to the shore. Hearing his shout, William, Ivy and Daisy followed him hastily. Essie, who was far away from them, didn''t catch his words. Wanting him to repeat the words, she moved two steps forward. However, the silver snake sprang to its feet and bit her ankle. As soon as she felt the sharp pain on her ankle, she fell on the ground. When she saw the two teeth marks on her ankle, she realized that she was bitten by a snake. Zac swam ashore and sprinted to her quickly. "Sit still. Don''t move." He tore his T-shirt, bound her calves and controlled the venom from spreading. William who was rattled by the scene, took out his cellphone. He dialed the medical team and asked them to bring the antidote of the silver viper with them. Quickly, he filled them in with the address and urged them toe fast. Zac couldn''t act rationally. Silver snakes were highly toxic. If the medical team wouldn''t arrive within half an hour, she would be paralyzed and may end up losing her life. He couldn''t let that happen at any cost. He lowered his head desperately and began to suck the poison blood from her wound. "No, Zac. It''s not good for your health. You''ll be poisoned, too," Daisy cried in fear. "Yeah, let''s wait for the medical team." Ivy was trembling with fear. William squatted down and said, "Boss, let me do it." Zac spat out a mouthful of ck poison blood. "She is my woman, I will do it!" His tone was that of an arrogant man who was determined to save his lover. He swore that he would protect his woman. If he had to give up his life for her, he would be more than willing to do so. Hearing this, Essie was so shocked. She nearly forgot about the pain on her ankle. She exerted all her strength to push him away and said, "Don''t suck anymore. If you are also poisoned, who will take care of me?" Zac spat out a mouthful of ck blood again. "Don''t be afraid. If I suck out all the venom, you will be fine." Tears welled up in Essie''s eyes. Why would he risk his life for her? She couldn''t find an answer to this question. Even without her, there would be millions of women who would help him stop the wedding. He was the noble prince, the king who had a position. She was just a drop in the ocean. Risking his life for her wasn''t worth it. She couldn''t figure it out. His worry looked genuine. After what felt like hours, the blood that was spat out of his mouth turned bright red. He sighed slightly Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. and said, "Her life shouldn''t be in danger." His mouth had started to swell up. In fact, at the sight of his face, Ivy''s and Daisy''s faces turned pale. He seemed more sick than Essie. Knowing that he couldn''t stop him, William rang the medical team again, asking them to hurry up. To make their task easier, William kept adding wood to the bonfire. It would tell them where exactly they were located. The helicopter finally arrived. Medical staff injected the antidote on both of them and carried them to the hospital immediately. Lying on Zac''s arms, Essie was bothughing and crying. "Mister handsome, your mouth is swollen. Presently, you look hideous." He held her hand and kept it close to his face. "I''m afraid it''s going to be disfigured. No woman will want to be with me. Since this is all your fault, you will have to love me." "Okay, I ept the challenge." She buried her head in his chest, where it was warm and safe. She did not want to think about anything else. All the doubts she had about him began to fade. The truth was, she was falling in love with him and no one could stop her. Though Zac had sucked out most of the venom from her, there was still some left which had to be drained out. She didn''t wake up and slept for a whole day. When she opened her eyes, nothing made sense. She looked around confusedly. When her eyes met Zac, she instantly felt relieved. All the worries she had were now dispelled. Her emotions were all over the ce. The most extreme kind of love surged in her chest, which made her at loss of words. All she could do was stare at him with her unblinking eyes. He walked over, touched her lovingly and asked, "Do you feel better now?" She nodded her head, slightly opened her pale lips and shed a weak smile. "Your mouth is perfectly fine and you look as handsome as before." He lifted the corners of his perfect lips and said, "Does that mean you won''t be with me? Should I go back to being ugly so that you will take my responsibility?" She nced at him coquettishly and said, "Oh yes, that''s exactly what I was thinking. With your lips fixed, you can get any girl." And then both of them burst intoughter. The tenderness in his eyes was like the spring water rippling, bringing ripples in her heart as well. He lowered his head and gave her a deep kiss on her forehead. On the other side of Dragon City, Valery was pacing back and forth. Her fury was evident, contorting her face. She had gone to Zac''s house early, ardently hoping for a good news. But the news she received shattered all her dreams! It turned out that little bitch was safe and sound. Luck was always on her side. In spite of being bitten by a snake, she survived. And the thing that bothered her the most was Zac''s love for her. He had sucked the venom off her body, not caring about his own life. ''Was he out of his mind? Did he forget that he was the crown prince of the family? How can he recklessly y with his life for someone so insignificant?'' she couldn''t help but wonder. "Mom, it''s all your fault. I told you to use the most poisonous snake. Why didn''t you use that? She survived because of you!" Elizabeth didn''t know what to do. She patted her daughter on the shoulder. "Silly girl, the legendary snake king is a foreign species. If we had let it out, you would have ended up being a suspect. Everyone will know it was a deliberate act. Zac''s family is quite powerful. All of us could end up in jail! Silver snakes, in spite of being powerful, are seen everywhere, especially on that mountain. It wouldn''t arouse people''s suspicion even if she died. People will m this story thinking it was an ident. There are many ways to kill people, but one must be careful with their methods. Thest thing you want is to get caught!" Valery brooded over her mother''s words and finally nodded her head. Fortunately, it was not king snake. Zac would have been seriously ill if it had been that snake. The thought of him dying sent shivers down her spine! Elizabeth grabbed her handbag from the sofa and said, "Don''t fret over it. Take some rest. I am going to meet your mother-inw and talk to her." Elizabeth was very good at creating troubles. In Zac''s house, Mary was still in shock. Her son had almost lost his life! And this was happening for the second time this year. His first time was when he was attacked in the Middle East. This time, he wasn''t attacked instead he asked for it. Essie was bitten by a snake and medical team would have helped her. Instead, he took matters in his hand and drew blood out of her body. Was this woman more important than his life? What upset her most was the fact he forgot all about her teachings. She had taught him to put his safety before everything else. In spite of this, he risked it. Now, she was admonishing him for his stupidity. Instead of apologizing, he smiled and said, "Mommy, as long as Essie is fine, I will be fine." What the hell! He was her precious son, the fourth generation heir of the family. He had a lot to see and a lot to do. Yet he was willing to give it all up! He shouldn''t have cared about that woman''s life in the first ce. Just when she was thinking about this matter, Elizabeth entered the house. As soon as she sat down, she began pry Mary, putting forth many questions. No matter how angry Mary was, she kept it in check as she spoke. "It''s nothing serious. That girl in fine now." "Valery mentioned it was Zac who had saved her life. I heard he sucked the poison out of her. How could Zac do such a dangerous thing? That was an extremely poisonous snake. What if he was poisoned too?" Elizabeth shook her head and sighed. "Zac has always been very cautious with his behavior. Maybe he was sure nothing would happen to him." These questions were annoying Mary, but somehow she managed to lookposed. "That''s good. I was afraid he would lose his mind over this woman. Some women are good at bewitching and trapping men. In their pursuit, theypel the men to ignore their parents, responsibilities, and even their reputation! And such women will never make a good wife. Sooner or Elizabeth said. And she looked at Mary, trying to decipher if her words had any impact. Seeing a frown etched on her face, Elizabeth was sure her trick had worked. But of course, this wasn''t enough. She took a sip of tea and continued, "Do you remember thest time we went to the temple together? There we met the Taoist priest who helped us unravel the signs." Mary nodded her head. Last time, when Zac was assassinated in Middle East, she went to the temple to burn incense. For hours, she sat there and prayed for her son''s safety. She also cast lots and the Taoist priest revealed to her that her son would be out of danger. The priest also told her that her son would get married with someone this year. Back then, Mary had no idea he wasn''t interested in marrying Valery. She figured Valery would be the wife the priest had mentioned. But things had taken a different turn. "I went back and asked the Taoist priest to check up on Essie. He said that she was the most dangerous woman in the world. Whoever marries Essie, will be dead very quickly. What''s more, his family will be affected too. Wherever she goes, there will be chaos." Elizabeth''s words were aimed at creating hatred for Essie in Mary''s heart. In truth, when she asked the Taoist priest to check on Essie, he had given a positive response. He said that the woman on the photo was the wife of a rich man. And after marrying her, the man''s life would be full of sess. His words had pissed her off. Knowing too well she couldn''t speak the truth, she had made up a fake story. After all, she had no other choice. "Is it so?" Mary asked lightly. She had always been dubious about fortune telling. Chapter 134 Sow Dissension Chapter 134 Sow Dissension "To be honest, I don''t believe it either. But after this thing happened, I think it''s better to be more careful. The Taoist priest said that as long as a woman was fated to be unlucky, the man by her side would be dazed and lose the ability to judge correctly. It could lead to the failure of his work or business, an undeserved catastrophe, or the damaging of his body. See, Essie was bitten by a snake. Zac sucked out the poison in her blood for her, and as a result, he was the one who probably got poisoned. What happened to him is all because of Essie!" Elizabeth took a sip of her tea and added, "There is no harm in following superstitions. I''d rather believe them than take a risk. You''d better be careful. After all, Zac is the heir of the family. He has a heavy responsibility on his shoulders. He can''t just get any woman he wants. As the hostess of the family, his wife must bring luck to the whole family." The more Mary listened to her, the more sense it made. The Taoist priest in the temple was really miraculous, and he was right about her son''s marriage. She couldn''t even say how disgusted she was at the sight of Essie''s face. She didn''t like her from the very first time she saw her. If this woman was harmful to her son, she must do everything to kick her out. Looking at Mary''s serious expression, Elizabeth knew for certain that she didn''t like Essie very much. All she needed to do now was use some tricks to get her to do what she wanted, and Mary would make up her mind about driving the little bitch away. As it turned out, Essie recovered very well. After staying in the hospital for two days to make sure that she was fine, she left the hospital. When Alice and Holy found out about her injury from WeChat, they immediately rushed to Zac''s house to visit her. The moment Essie saw her sister and brother, she felt very happy. When she called her mother the day before, she wanted to tell her that she had seen her sister, but she was afraid that it would affect her mother''s mood, so she had no choice but to hold back her words. In all of those years, Essie and her mother never mentioned anything about Alice and her family, but Essie knew that her mother always had her sister in her mind because she always looked at Alice''s photos in secret. She would be very happy if she knew that her daughter was now living a good life and had even be the deputy CEO of Hengyuan. Essie took out fruits, desserts, and drinks to entertain her siblings. "Holy, help yourself." Holy nodded and put a cherry into his mouth. After eating it, he asked, "Sister Essie, does your leg still hurt?" "It''s okay now," she replied with a smile. "That''s good." He blinked his beautiful big eyes and turned to Zac. "Brother Zac, you have to take good care of sister Essie and never let her get hurt again," he said like a small adult. Zac smiled and caressed his head lovingly. This little boy had the innocent soul of a child. He might end up being the one who would decide the future of his family. Vinton, the son of Elizabeth, was a typical yboy. All he knew was how to ride a car, show off his wealth, and y with women all day long. No matter howrge his family''s fortune was, he would use it all up and end up in poverty if he was put in charge of it. Alice took a sip of ck tea and said to Essie, "These days, Elizabeth and her daughter have been causing you a lot of trouble, haven''t they?" Essie shrugged and said, "I have taken the seat that she would do everything to have. Of course she sees me as a thorn in her flesh." Hearing that, Holy took her in his arms in a hurry with a nervous expression on his little face. "Sister Essie, you must be careful. The evil witch and her daughter are vicious. They must havee up with many bad ideas to hurt you. My mother was killed by them. They wanted to kill me too because they are afraid that I will try to get the family inheritance from them once I grow up. Fortunately, Sister Alice has protected me all this time. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have survived." Hearing that, Essie found herself shocked again. She knew for a fact that Elizabeth couldn''t stand Holy and his mother, and she had also guessed that Elizabeth had something to do with Holy''s mother''s death, but she didn''t expect that Holy, himself, knew about it. Oh, how much he hated them since he knew about it! At the same time, Alice cast a nce in Zac''s direction. She had asked Holy beforehand to deliberately say that. Mary and Elizabeth were best friends, so generally speaking, the only thing Zac saw was the hypocritical side of Elizabeth and her daughter. She had to remind him to be mindful of Elizabeth and her daughter''s true colors and let him pay special attention to it. She pulled Holy towards her and said, "Holy, this is our family''s matter. You might frighten Essie by telling all of this to her." "I just wanted to let Sister Essie know their true colors and be on guard against them all the time. They are really bad and evil," Holy said seriously. "Got it. I''ll be careful. Thank you, Holy," Essie said with a smile as she stroked his head. Zac didn''t say anything. He knew that Alice had a fierce fight with Elizabeth and her children. But he didn''t want to get involved in the internal affairs of their family. Nor did he want Essie to be used as a pawn in their fight. However, he didn''t expect that Essie was bound to join the war. The maid brought them some freshly made juice. "There''s peach juice, grape juice, orange juice, and blueberry juice here. Which one would you like?" Essie asked Holy. "I''d like some grape juice," said Holy. Essie handed the grape juice to him, and the blueberry juice to Alice. The moment she did that, Alice''s beautiful eyes suddenly brightened up. "How did you know that I like blueberry juice?" she asked. Essie''s body trembled a little again. She hadn''t realized what she was doing. As her sister, Essie knew her likes very well, and she had always liked blueberries in everything. So she had asked the maids to squeeze this blueberry juice for her on purpose. How could she slip up like that? "Oh, I just reached for it casually. Sorry, I didn''t ask you first," she replied in a low voice, trying to cover her sadness with a forced smile. It was such a tragedy that they could not know each other as sisters. Essie wanted so badly for Alice to recognize her, but she couldn''t tell her. She had severed her rtionship with her family. From the moment she left, she was no longer a member of that family, nor was she Baron''s daughter, nor was she Alice''s sister. Besides, when her mother left, she swore that she would never see them again. Now her mother and stepfather were living a good and happy life. She didn''t want anyone or anything to disturb them and ruin their happiness. "Don''t worry. I like blueberry juice a lot." The light in Alice''s eyes dimmed. She lowered her head and took a sip silently. Holy walked up to them and sat down. While drinking juice, he said, "I''m turning eight years old this Wednesday. Would you like toe to my home and attend my birthday party with Brother Zac?" "I..." She really wanted to celebrate Holy''s birthday, but she didn''t want to see Baron and her grandmother for the rest of her life. Holy''s long eyshes blinked. "I''m holding the party at my sister''s house, and only my friends are invited. My father is in the United States right now, so you don''t have to worry that he will ask you about Valery." "Okay, we''d like to go." Hearing Holy''s words, Essie felt relieved. Zac blinked his deep ck eyes and said in a careless tone, "Essie, you seem to be forgetting that you have a shooting for the show on Thursday, and you have to start preparing for it on Wednesday." To be honest, he didn''t want Essie to get too close with Alice and Holy, but as he was speaking, Essie started thinking about what birthday gift she should get for Holy, and she had no chance to recognize what he actually meant. And even if she had recognized it, she would have ignored it anyway. Holy was her biological brother, after all. She smiled and said, "It doesn''t matter that I have to participate in thepetition. Holy''s birthday is more important." Holy smiled and when he turned around, he winked at Alice cunningly. He had a feeling that his birthday party was going to be very lively.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. A whileter, Zac received a phone call and had to go upstairs to deal with some business. Then, Essie took Alice and Holy to the garden for a walk. They stopped in front of a jasmine field and looked at the pure white flowers among the leaves. After a long time, Alice said slowly, "I have a younger sister who should be as old as you now." "I''m the only child of my parents. I envy you for having some brothers and sisters in your family. You always have someone to hang out with and it''s always lively." Essie''s face was still calm, and her faint smile concealed all the emotions she was feeling. "My parents divorced when my sister was seven, and my mother took her with her. I haven''t seen them even once since then. In all the years since they left, I have tried very hard to find them, but I haven''t heard a word about them." She fixed her eyes on some spot in the distance. Her voice was vague and filled with sadness and confusion. Essie felt a stabbing pain in her heart, and she plucked out a jasmine flower and smelled it to ease the uproar of feelings in her heart. "Don''t be sad, Alice. You''ll meet them again one day," she said. "Perhaps she still hates me and doesn''t want to see me." "How could that be? You two were so close before that no matter how much hatred there is between you, you will be able to dissolve it. Besides, she was only seven years old at the time. She was just a child. Perhaps she didn''t even have a concept of hatred yet." She tried her best tofort Alice as casually as she could, trying to hide everything she knew from her. Essie''s heart was shouting at her to tell her sister that she had never hated her nor med her for anything that happened. The only reason she ever told Alice she hated her was that she didn''t want to be separated from her. While Essie was thinking, Alice looked at her with sharp and meaningful eyes. It was as if she was trying hard to figure out something about her. Essie raised her head, looked into her eyes, and smiled. "What''s wrong? Is there anything on my face?" she said, bringing a hand up to her face. "No, there isn''t." The moment she finished her words, Alice turned to look at the garden. At a nearby path, Zac walked towards them slowly. When Alice saw him, she looked at her watch and said, "It''ste. Holy and I should go now." She waved Holy over, and he ran towards her happily. "Bye, Sister Essie. Bye, Brother Zac. Don''t forget to attend my birthday party!" He waved his hand to say goodbye to Essie and Zac. Essie nodded with a smile. "OK, see you on Wednesday." After they left the vi, Holy got into his car and fastened his seat belt. Then he turned to look at Alice and asked, "Will sister Essie help us deal with those evil witches?" Aplicated expression shed across Alice''s eyes. "Yes, she will," she said as she started the engine. In the vi. Essie sat on the sofa again, picked up the iPad, and began to look for something on the inte. "Zac, what present do you think I should give Holy?" she asked. Zac stroked her head and said in a low voice, "Just send the gift. Don''t go to the party." After a short pause, she asked, "Why?" Chapter 135 Fight Between Mother-in-law And Daughter-in-law Chapter 135 Fight Between Mother-inw And Daughter-inw An uneasy expression appeared on Zac''s face. "Alicees from aplicated family. I don''t want you to get involved in theirplex lives. I''d be more at ease if you kept some distance from them," he exined. "Don''t all you rich folkse from aplicated family? Are you saying that your family is any better? It seems like you think they live simply and in harmony." Essie believed that Zac''s family only appeared to live in harmony and peace. She knew there was a darkness that hid deep in their family''s blood. A violent struggle and a thirst for power and wealth. Zac sighed, "I never implied that. What I mean is, Alice is not an ordinary woman. I''m just worried that you''ll get involved in unnecessary problems." Essie sneered at his words as she had already been involved in trouble for some time now, and the culprit was none other than Zac himself. "If Alice is so strange, do you mean to say that Elizabeth and Valery aren''t? For me the enemy of our enemy is a friend!" she said rather firmly. It was obvious to Zac that she wanted to work together with Alice and Holy to strategize against Elizabeth and her daughter. It also seemed to be the exact same thing Alice was expecting from Essie. "Do you know why Alice had sworn not to marry a man for the rest of her life?" he asked in a low voice. "Why?" Essie''s dark eyes twinkled with curiosity. When Jim had brought up this topic in the party the curious from that moment and wanted to know why. "It is because she wants to be the head of their family in the future." Zac said each word slowly and clearly. Although Essie was normally oblivious and confused, she had always been clever with important matters. He believed that she was capable of making her own judgments properly. However, what Zac didn''t know was that Essie was in fact one of the members of Alice''s family. She had no interest in other people''s affairs, but quite frankly, she wanted to stay by her sister''s side. "There''s nothing wrong with that. It''s natural for her to strive for that as the daughter of Baron. Of course she should have the right to fight for her ce in the family business," she said lightly, but in reality, her heart was beating fast from the turbulence of emotions she was feeling. When they had to part ways, Alice told her that she was going to take back what was rightfully theirs and drive Elizabeth away. After all these years, she had not broken her promise and continued to work hard for it. Essie figured that she must have been exhausted fighting for this by herself, and now was the time for her to give her a hand. The main reason why Elizabeth had spent all this time fighting for her daughter''s marriage to Zac, was because she hoped Zac would be able to help her son, Vinton, defeat Alice and hold the power in the family. With Essie''s arrival in the picture, this evil n was torn into shreds. Essie waited a long time to find a chance to seek revenge, and now that she had it, she needed to make good use of it. Zac resigned helplessly when he heard her words. He wondered if she was just pretending to be stupid. "The struggle for power is cruel and could be very vicious. Innocent people always end up being taken advantage of. I just don''t want you to end up as their pawn." Since Zac figured that he couldn''t change her mind, all he could do was tell her straight to the point. She smiled lightly and said, "You think way too much. If every rtionship had to be meticulously calcted, then what is the point of friendships? You''d end up having no friends, don''t you think so?" She continued to y dumb, despite knowing very well that he just didn''t want her to be involved. It was impossible to keep herself clean when being thrown in the muddy waters. Zac always worried for her whenever she was acting stupid and oblivious. As of that time, he couldn''t keep his mind away from the issues within Alice''s family, but there was no way he could just put his foot forward Essie this time. His face started showing signs of worry and apprehension when he heard such careless words from her. He thought this wasn''t a good time for Essie to be so silly and simple-minded. However, all he could say at that time was, "Honey, we don''t know what''s yet toe, but we have to be careful." An innocent smile appeared on her face and she said, "I know. I would like to be Alice''s friend, but I won''t get too close. As for Holy, he''s just a young child, there''s no reason to be too careful. Right?" Zac was stupefied. He proceeded to touch her nose and thought, ''You seem like you''re a bit slow today. Why are you acting so foolish and innocent?'' A strange look appeared in Essie''s eyes, and within it hid a secret. She took the unfinished juice on the table and leaned back on the sofa to take a sip. A self-satisfied expression was seen from her face. The next day. Mary called to say that the cook made chicken soup for her son, so she asked Zac to visit home for a while. Clearly, it was just another one of her excuses to get Essie toe and teach her a lesson. Since Valery wasn''t there that day, the house was much more peaceful. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The servant started to bring out the chicken soup for everyone. On the table, Zac served food for his wife like a gentleman. He separated the meat from the bone with his chopsticks one by one and ced it on her bowl. "Your chin is getting sharp. You''ve been losing weight so you should eat more," he said. "That''s a bit ironic..." Essie touched her chin and felt otherwise. These days, she had been well fed in their household, in fact, her face was getting rather round. She had no idea why he said the opposite. Zac touched her head gently with affection and said, "You lose weight so easily, but it takes you a long time to gain it back. Make sure to eat well." Essie gave him a frisky look and yfully said, "Stop worrying about me, I can eat by myself. I''m not a child, I can spit out chicken bones." She tried not to be too much, because it would be rude to show off too much affection in public. If Mary saw what happened, she would probably think badly of Essie and assume that she was taking advantage of Zac. They didn''t notice however, that Mary was watching the whole time and witnessed the whole exchange. She watched them and worried that his son was spiraling into madness. All their years together, he had never seen Zac so considerate towards women, not even his own mother. He didn''t pay much attention to the women around him, in fact, not even Le. He always had been like an arrogant cheetah who would conquer and plunder. Mary couldn''t understand how this woman seemingly tamed him. She seemed to havee into their lives and had be a cause for disruption, as if she was Helen of Troy. She frowned at the sight of them and left the room unnoticed. Essie had herself another serving of chicken soup, looking very satisfied. The family chefs were all first ss. The soup had a wonderful fragrance and the taste was exquisite for just a simple chicken soup. Zac watched her with delight and filled her up another bowl. "It''s not often that wee here without Valery pestering you all day. We seem so peaceful that my appetite has doubled," she bantered. Zac lovingly wrapped his arms around her and said, "Honey, just give me five months. I promise you, the moment the baby is born, she willpletely disappear from our lives." Essie wondered how it would even be possible. She seriously doubted it. She wondered if Zac was either bing naive or if he took his enemy lightly. Valery was still the mother of the baby. There was no way she would leave the child. It would be inevitable and just natural that she would feel attached to her child. Besides, when the child is born, they would even have a better, more honest excuse to be in their household. It would be impossible to stop someone from seeing their own son. "Zac, can you tell me how she set you up?" Essie asked. When she finished speaking, Zac chocked and spat the soup he had just put in his mouth. Fortunately, he was able to cover his mouth in time, so he didn''t make a mess. Zac faced towards her with a puzzled expression on his face. She talked about her husband''s affairs so lightly, and so passively too. He wondered if she was out of her mind. A ludic smile appeared on her face, she continued, "I just want to indulge my curiosities. How did you lose control of yourself? Did she get you drunk, or did she drug you?" Her mind went straight into a badly written TV drama scenario written by an unimaginative scriptwriter. It seemed like they couldn''t find a more creative way for a mistress to entrap a man, besides drugging or getting him drunk. Zac was enraged from embarrassment. No one knew about his phobia towards touching women. He had always been a sensible man who focused all his attention on his work. The only time he had ever gotten drunk was on April Fool''s day. It was at Yang City''s True Color Bar, and he ended up getting married to this muddleheaded fool! Not only was she the first woman he had been with, but also the only women he was willing to embrace into his life. "The soup is getting cold, darling. You should finish it first." He coughed, attempting to change the topic. Essie felt disheartened that he was reluctant to share his secrets with her. However, the longer she thought about it, the more she realized that an arrogant man such as him must have beenpletely humiliated to be fooled by someone like Valery. It''s natural for him to be hesitant to look back into such a traumatic experience. So, Essie chose to just let it go for his sake. She simply gave him a pat on his shoulder and showed her sympathy. She sighed and said, "Ice guy, you really should be careful. Don''t get fooled into having sex with someone, otherwise you might get coerced into having another child." It was obvious that it wasn''t a reminder that came from care, but rather a schadenfreude. Zac proceeded to raise his hand and flicked her on the forehead. "Don''t be dumb. Don''t forget, that I am your husband now. If I end up in an affair, you''re the one who will be unhappy about that." That really was the case. Essie didn''t bother to utter another word because what he said was in fact, true. It would definitely hurt her at least a little bit if Zac betrayed her. She sipped her soup quietly and cleared her throat before saying anything else. Then she opened her mouth to say, "Well, in order to prevent another situation like this, I won''t allow you to talk or touch another woman for the duration of our marriage when I''m not present. Otherwise, I will punish you by leaving you to the evil witch so you can suffer in impending doom." Though she said that with exaggeration, now, she could finally act like a real wife. Zac was seen showing an indulgent and proud smile while he looked at her. At dusk, Albert arrived back home. He asked his son to go to the study room to engage in some business. During this time, Mary took the opportunity to talk to Essie in the garden. "How are you feeling, Essie?" asked Mary, greeting her. "Everything is well." Essie nodded her head respectfully. "You need to be careful in the future," Mary suddenly said with a change in her tone. She took a sip of sea and continued, "I heard about the incident. Zac was poisoned because of you. Fortunately, it only stayed in the surface of his skin and didn''t get into contact with his blood. When a situation like this takes ce again, you need to make sure to stop him from doing something so dangerous." Essie lowered her head, without saying a word. She didn''t want that to happen and was also worried about him getting poisoned. She tried to stop him, but didn''t have the strength at the time. Observing her silence, Mary sighed and said, "Zac is not an ordinary man, so his wife cannot be ordinary either. You need to consider your position as the wife of such a powerful man. For now, the two of you seem to be so carried away with love. When you''re in love, you''ll feel like you''re capable of doing anything. However, when that excitement fades away, you''ll start noticing your differences and might notice that you aren''t suitable for each other. When that timees, both of you will start filling up with regret and will part ways from ack of harmony. You need to figure out if you are suitable for each other now." Essie gave off a gentle smile and said indifferently, "That''s true. However, you as his mother should know him more than anyone. You can''t stop this man from doing what he wants to do, or be able to force him to do something he doesn''t believe in. Now, he chose me as his wife because he thinks of me as the better woman. I will work hard on improving myself, and take all the responsibilities that are given to me. The moment he thinks I''m not suitable for him or finds someone better, I will part ways respectfully and will not take anything from him. I hope that eases your mind." She implies that the woman Zac would marry was not up to Mary, her or Valery. It was all up to her son. Chapter 136 A Fightback From The Son Chapter 136 A Fightback From The Son The corners of Mary''s mouth twitched slightly, and her ns had backfired! Although this daughter-inw, Essie, hadn''t been approved by the whole family, she still had a marriage certificate which reserved her a big position. And now, only a ceremony was left to make things official. Manydies and aristocrats dreamed of marrying into this family. All their life, they had done everything to catch Zac''s and his family members'' attention. But her son disappointed everyone and fell in love with a humble woman. Without having either money or royal blood, Essie would be her daughter- inw! The mere thought of it frustrated Mary. She must had saved the universe in her previous life. Otherwise how could she have been so lucky? Either way, Mary was convinced she had hypnotized her son. "Zac is stubborn, so he needs a good wife who is capable of taking care of him. See, in the ancient times, all the great kings had excellent queens. They guided their husband in achieving sess. That''s how their country prospered. But you have put him in trouble rather than saving him. How do you expect to safeguard him in the future?" With a polite smile, Essie replied, "Aunt Mary, I will remember your words. I also believe you have a point. However the most important reason for the king to ept the queen''s advice is because he loves her. If he is forced to marry someone he doesn''t love, I don''t think he will pay any attention to her advice. It''s truly a tragedy to marry someone you don''t love. Both the lives will be spoiled." The muscle on Mary''s face convulsed violently. She initially wanted to keep Valery at home and let her develop a close rtionship with Zac. But nothing went as per her ns. Instead, her son left home, just to be away from Valery. She took a sip of tea and tried to calm herself down. "Love can be developed. Many upper ss couples opt for arranged marriage. If they manage to get along with each other, love will eventually follow. It is silly to think passion and love are the important qualities of a happily married life." Mary wouldn''t give up so easily. Listening to this, Essie sighed and said, "Valery and Zac have been friends since childhood. If I am not wrong, they have known each other for more than 10 years. Isn''t it shocking that they still haven''t gotten along with each other? When will the so-called affectione? Do they have to wait for another twenty years for this affection to be felt?" Mary''s face darkened. Essie had a sharp mouth and wasn''t afraid to use it. "Valery is pregnant with Zac''s baby. This means she has more rights over Zac! And is obviously more important than you. It doesn''t matter if you are happy or sad about her existence, she will continue to live here. In Dragon City, anyone with power is free to have more than one woman by his side. If you wish to be thedy of my family, you will have to tolerate the intrusion of other women in Zac''s life." Mary''s words pierced Essie''s heart. ''If your husbandes home with another woman, are you going to tolerate it?'' Essie wanted to ask but bit down her words. "I am not here to mess around with her position. She can do as she pleases, as long as it doesn''t affect my life. For the sake of your family''s reputation, we have promised that we will not disclose about our marriage to the public. But that doesn''t mean I will forget my identity as Zac''s wife." Mary frowned and said, "Valery is also a wife! She has had an engagement with Zac. Both I and my family have already taken her as our daughter-inw. In our heart, she will always hold the number one position. What''s more, she is now pregnant with his baby. It will be the eldest grandson of our family. If you take yourself as his wife, you should take good care of her and make sure her delivery happens smoothly. As his wives, you both should get along with each other." After a pause, she continued, "I don''t know if you were under the misconception that you can live outside. It is best to stay at home. This way, Zac can spend more time with Valery and the baby. Pregnancy can be hard and Valery would feel a lot better if Zac was here. Since you are hell-bent on the idea of staying with Zac, prove it to me and the elders with your actions. If you think you can''t bear it, we are more than willing to let you leave. My family will not treat you shabbily and willpensate for it in the form of money." Her voice was soft, but her words hit Essie in the right ce. Essie didn''t think Mary could be so brutal! Mary was provoking her deliberately, hoping Essie would shrink back from her duties. She was on Valery''s side. In her heart, Valery came first and Essie was nothing but a mistress even if she had a marriage certificate. She could only give Valery the daughter-inw''s position. If Essie decided to stay here, she would constantly show her that her worth was nothing whenpared to Valery. Mary ardently hoped her words would cause Essie to lose her calm. She wished Essie would leave everything and run back home. But nothing of that sort happened. Essie was always one step ahead of Mary. She smiled lightly, as calm as a deep water, bereft of any hard emotions. "I will remember your words," she added. Mary trembled. She didn''t expect Essie could remain so calm in such a dire situation. Her efforts had gone in vain! She swallowed, picked up the teacup from the table and took a few sips to hide her emotions. Essie took her cup and sipped as well. She also pretended to not have noticed the subtle change in Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Mary''s facial expressions. There was a delicate figure hiding behind an old tree, not far away from Mary and Essie. She was a little bored today, hence nned to take a stroll in the garden. While she was at it, she happened to catch this conversation. Out of curiosity, she sneaked over. Overhearing other people''s conversation was something she had done a lot in the mansion. And today, she clearly heard every word that Mary had uttered. Her heart was brimming with rage. ''How dare she bully Essie like that? I must tell my cousin what she has been doing!'' Ivy thought. Quickly, she rushed into the study room and filled Zac in with this information. Suddenly, a light shed across Zac''s face. "Dad, is mom crazy? Why is she being so hard on Essie?" "Maybe she has been stimted by the snake bite," Albert said, shaking his head. "My wife is the one who was bitten by a snake, not her. Why is she being so irrational?" Zac couldn''t keep his rage under check. Sitting on the chair, Albert sighed. What she did today was an old habit of Mary. But to his relief, she hadn''t done anything like thistely. Now it seemed like she was going back to her old ways! When Zac entered the pavilion, he noticed it was quiet and solemn. Both mother-inw and daughter-inw remained silent. They were indulged in the act of drinking their tea. "Mommy, what are you talking about?" He didn''t n to tell her he knew what she was doing. Instead, he pretended like he knew nothing. "Nothing, just having a chit chat," Mary said, having no idea her son knew everything! Sitting next to Essie, Zac picked up a teacup and joined them, sipping his tea slowly. "Mommy, guess who I met yesterday?" "Who?" Mary raised her eyebrows. "Aunt Minny." A deep smile appeared on Zac''s lips. "She''s back?" Mary''s face darkened. She picked up the teacup and drank up her tea, trying to hide the surging waves of her heart. Seeing this, Essie was a little shocked. After several days'' observations, she had gathered Mrs. Mary was a very sophisticated woman. At all time, she was calm and spoke with dignity. Even while facing big challenges, she was able to keep a straight face. But now, when Zac mentioned this name, there was a change in her mannerism. Her face twisted with fear! Essie''s curiosity was piqued. There was something dark hidden in the corners of this olddy''s eyes. And now, she wanted to know the interesting story behind it! Pretending not to have noticed her reaction, Zac smiled and said, "Age hasn''t changed aunt Minny even a bit!. She''s still beautiful, charming and fascinating. I was shocked when I met her! Even now, I vividly remember how my uncle was obsessed with her when my dad brought her back. My brother and I also were fond of her. She was good at everything, singing dancing and even cooking. Even our grandparents couldn''t find any fault in her. A woman like her is rare to find. Every man can fall in love with her!" He paused and sighed deliberately. "I don''t understand why you didn''t like her at that time. You wanted to drive her away. What fault did you find in someone so perfect? When she left, daddy was so disappointed that he didn''t return home for several days. I wonder if daddy will get excited at the prospect of seeing her again." With the veins protruding on her forehead, Mary clenched her fists. Minny had always been a thorn she wished to pluck out of her life. And it turned out that thorn could not be removed forever. The pain she felt at the mention of her name was as strong as it was years ago. "It''ste. I''m going to the kitchen to check on the dinner," saying this, she fled from the pavilion. Looking at Mary''s receding figure, Essie couldn''t help but sneer in her heart. It turned out everyone had a weak spot. A while ago, Mary had attempted to hit on hers and now she was tasting her own medicine! She was surprised her mother-inw had paid for her mistake so soon. Even in his middle age, Albert was extremely handsome and elegant. There must be a lot of women admiring him. No matter how well Mary took care of her skin, one could tell she was a middle-aged woman. Youth had left her and no one could be deceived. Maybe one day, another woman would marry Albert and bring him another son! She snickered internally and put her arm on Zac''s shoulder. "Isn''t it too merciless to y with your mother''s heart?" "I was merely giving her the taste of her own medicine. I hope she will think twice before she ys with your emotions." Holding her in his arms, Zac caressed her dark hair lovingly. "My mother saw Valery''s growth. And Elizabeth has always been her best friend. It''s obvious that epting you won''t be easy for her. But please don''t take her words to your heart. I am sure sooner orter she will ept you." Essie smiled bitterly in her heart. Even though she wanted her mother-inw to ept her, she wouldn''t get her hopes high. Anyway, once this matter was settled, she would leave. She gently touched his beautiful nose and changed the topic. "I think your daddy will have a hard day today." He took a sip of his tea and shrugged his shoulder. It looked like he wasn''t guilty about it. "From what I know, my dad can handle it." "Anyway one thing is proven today. No matter how strong ady is, she wouldn''t be willing to share her man with someone else. And if she does, that means she doesn''t care for him much," she sighed. "Really?" Zac raised his eyebrows. There was a gleam in his eyes. "So you mind Valery''s existence because you deeply care about me?" Chapter 137 I Dont Want To See Them All My Life (Part One) Chapter 137 I Don''t Want To See Them All My Life (Part One) Essie wrinkled her nose and said, "I decided to help you because you helped me defeat Sunny before. It''s none of our business to care for each other, so you don''t need to worry about me. I won''t be someone who is like a strong glue that you won''t be able to take off once it has stuck to you. I am like a magic sticker that you can remove whenever you want and won''t pollute the environment." What she said came as more of a blow than afort to Zac. His bright eyes suddenly darkened. "Maybe I''m the one who''s a strong glue. Once I am stuck to you, you will never be able to get rid of me for the rest of your life." She smiled and her eyes took the shape of a beautiful crescent moon. In the setting sun, she said jokingly, "If you are willing to stick to me, then I''d be quite happy to ept it. You are so handsome. You can be appreciated as an ornament at home, and you carry a ton of money with you. I can get as much money as I want from you anytime and lead afortable life for the rest of my life. Don''t you think I''d be happy to stay with you?" Zac couldn''t help butugh. It seemed that he was still of value to her. "Honey, there''s another thing I''m good for. Don''t forget about it." "What is it?" She raised her eyebrows. "I can please you anytime you want." With a cheeky smile, he took her in his arms. "Bastard, you want to take advantage of me again!" Her cheeks became flushed and she thumped him on the shoulder. "I have no choice. I am now addicted to it." He smiled and lowered his head to kiss her. While Essie and Zac were busy teasing each other, Mary entered Albert''s study. She didn''te in until she had regained herposure and she had a gentle and deliberate smile stered on her face. Albert cast a sidelong nce at her and pretended to know nothing. He waved her over to him and said, "It''s good that you came. Zac went to his wife while we were in the middle of ying chess. Please help me analyze the situation. Let''s see who would''ve won between us this time." Mary walked to the table and sat down. She looked at the chessboard and shook her head absentmindedly. "It''s a half-finished game. It''s impossible to tell what the oue would have been." "Not necessarily. Sometimes the oue can be seen from the very beginning, and it would be useless to carry on." His tone seemed to carry a double-meaning. Mary rolled her eyes at him and snapped, "Are you reprimanding me for being nosy?" "Well, aren''t I right?" Taking a drag of his cigar, Albert said, "Let the kids solve their problems on their own. Love can''t be forced." "I don''t think Zac intends to settle it the right way. He ran away without telling any of us in the beginning, and now he has brought a woman back with him. He is obviously trying to evade his responsibility to Valery and his child. The baby in Valery''s belly is my eldest grandson. He will be born a bastard if they don''t get married, and I can''t let that happen. Besides, how could you expect Valery''s family to put up with this? If Zac can''t give Valery a valid exnation, it will definitely hurt the harmony This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. between our two families. I did what I did for the sake of our family!" Mary defended herself. Hearing that, the smile on Albert''s face froze for a moment, and a hint of coldness shed across his eyes. "The rtionship between our families has been damaged for fifteen years because of what you did. Did you really think that when you helped Elizabeth get what she wanted and forced Luce out of the family, Baron was okay with it? In the many years since then, has he been to our house even once?" he said. Mary''s mouth twitched. The only reason she even helped Elizabeth back then was that he had an affair with Luce. Luce was like another thorn in her flesh who had deeply stabbed her in the heart. She was far sharper than Minny. However, she did not dare to mention a word about it. Albert looked gentle on the surface, but once you really annoyed him, he would be furious. She had to think about another way to excuse what she did. "I just wanted to make up for what I did. If Zac marries Valery, then our families will be one, and for the sake of his daughter, Baron won''t be bothered about it anymore." "Zac is married now. He chose the most suitable girl to be his wife. As his parents, we should respect his choice and not interfere with his life. As for Valery, the best thing to do is to persuade her to leave right now. After she gives birth to the child, she and Zac can raise him together, or she can leave Zac to take care of him alone. Zac has promised to take responsibility for the child anyway." Mary curled her lips and said, "I don''t even know what kind of person Zac is anymore. Valery is a nice and noble girl, while Essie is a girl from an ordinary family. Every daughter-inw of our family is ady from a rich and powerful family. If she bes the hostess of our family, how will she be able to win the public over?" She also wanted to mention that Essie was an unlucky woman, but she didn''t after giving it a second thought. Albert hated superstitions the most, and if she said that, he would just end up scolding her. Albert put an arm around her shoulder and said, "Our family has everything now. There is no need for us to seek rtion with other rich and powerful families. It''s okay to marry a girl from an ordinary family. But only if she has a clear background." "Have you had her background investigated?" Mary asked casually. Albert nodded as a mischievous expression crossed his eyes. Seeing this, Mary didn''t say anything more. After all, Essie hadn''t made a big mistake or done anything improper, so she didn''t have a good enough reason to make Albert kick her out. It wouldn''t be reasonable for her to oppose him again. Besides, that wasn''t the reason she hade here. After a moment''s silence, she said cautiously, "I heard that Minny is back." "Really? When did shee back?" he raised his eyebrows and said in an indifferent tone. "I don''t know. Zac said he saw her yesterday." She peeped at her husband''s expression. Hearing this, Albert was in a daze and his eyes sharpened. Chapter 138 I Dont Want To See Them All My Life (Part Two) Chapter 138 I Don''t Want To See Them All My Life (Part Two) ''You brat, if you wanted to avenge your wife, you didn''t have to stab me in the back, did you?'' he thought. Albert patted her shoulder, saying, "You should just mind your own business. Don''t be so nosy." His words set Mary''s mind at rest. He and Minny had been treating each other as strangers and had not seen each other for a long time. Without saying anything more, Mary walked out of his study with a smile. Essie had been thinking about what gift she wanted to get for Holy for the past two days. Looking at her distressed face, Zac smiled. "You can ask Goel. He''s Holy''s best friend. He''ll know what Holy likes." Why didn''t she think of that? Essie hit herself lightly on the head for noting up with that idea earlier. Then, she hastily dialed Goel''s number. Now, her problem had finally been solved. When Wednesday came, Essie decided to go alone, but it was impossible for Zac to rest assured and he thought he had to be there to protect her, so he went with her anyway. Of course, Goel went to the party with them. Not only was he Holy''s good friend, but he was also his spy. Holy didn''t live in his family''s vi but in Alice''s ce. That way, Elizabeth wouldn''t have a chance to hurt him. It was not a big vi, but it was well decorated. The whole yard belonged to Holy for his birthday. There were swings, slides, and even a merry-go-round. It was like a mini children''s park. The vi was equipped with the most advanced security system and was patrolled by more than ten bodyguards around the clock. Although Holy was only eight years old, he was already a great fighter, and ordinary adults were no match for him. As for Alice, who joined the female special force at the age of 15, she was proficient in both shooting and fighting. She could knock down seven or eight men on her own without even breaking a sweat. If you wanted to survive danger, you had to make yourself stronger than your enemy. Almost all of Holy''s friends were there, and they were all ying in the yard. As soon as Goel got off the car, he ran towards the yard at once. He knew his way around the vi as he spent a lot of time there. Holy was very happy to see Essie and Zac. Essie handed him a gift that she had wrapped herself, and Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. said, "This is a gift from me and Zac. Have a look and see if you like it." When Holy opened the box and saw what was in it, he couldn''t help but exim, "Wow!" and his beautiful eyes twinkled with excitement. "It''s the whole set of garage kit for League of Legends. It''s so awesome! How did you two know that I wanted this?" he asked happily. "I asked Goel what you''d like and he said you were obsessed with League of Legends, so I thought you would love the newly released garage kit," she said with a smile. "Thank you," Holy said as he nodded like a chicken pecking rice. "I was just about to ask my sister to buy this for me, but now I don''t have to! Thank you, Sister Essie. Thank you, Brother Zac!" "You''re wee." Essie caressed Holy''s head lovingly. She really liked her younger brother. After that, Alice led them to the vi. They talked for a while, and then it was time to cut the cake. A servant walked out of the kitchen pushing arge tray with an enormous 8yer cake on top of it. She was just about to light the candles when all of a sudden, the door was pushed wide open. A tall, handsome middle-aged man walked in, arm in arm with an old "Daddy? Grandma?" Holy screamed. Essie was extremely shocked. She thought she would never see those two people again in her life. And she never wanted to see them again. But now, they were right in front of her, walking towards her slowly. The emotions she had in her heart felt like an intense tsunami with waves tremendous enough to drown and destroy the entire world. "Daddy, aren''t you supposed to be in America? Why did youe back all of a sudden?" "It''s my baby''s birthday. How can I note back?" Baron picked him up and kissed him on the cheek with a loving smile on his face. As she stared at them, Essie felt like her internal organs were twitching violently. In the past, this man also held her, kissed her, and loved her like that. But it didn''t take long before everything changed. Meanwhile, Alice waspletely calm because she had arranged all of it. To prevent her pregnant daughter from being humiliated further, Elizabeth decided not to say anything to the family. However, Alice chose to tell Baron and her grandmother about it. Besides, there was one other thing she wanted to prove... She turned to look at Essie secretly. Essie had no expression on her face. It was almost as if she had a mask on. Her eyes, on the other hand, looked deep and dark as they held in all of her emotions. Zac simply stood calmly beside her. He had already guessed that it would be a banquet with a treacherous purpose. And since no secret could be kept forever anyway, he thought it would be better to deal with everything calmly. Alice''s grandmother, Vicki, saw Zac at first nce as he was always the most eye-catching person in any crowd. "Zac, you came." She smiled kindly. Elizabeth had told her that they were not discussing the wedding with Zac''s family, and she was very happy to hear that Valery was about to be the crown prince''s wife. It was sure to be a great help to their family in the future. She was so lucky to have Valery as her granddaughter. "Nice to see you, Mrs. Vicki and Uncle Baron," Zac said politely. "Don''t be so polite. We''ll be family in the future." Vicki nodded at him with a smile. Essie stared coldly at her as sadness and disgust upied her heart. She hated her because she didn''t like Luce and didn''t like her children, especially because they were girls. She never hugged them or smiled at them. She always looked at them coldly without even a touch of tenderness, as if they were useless and should not havee into this world at all. In fact, at that moment, she didn''t even look at Alice. It was as if she was just an outsider. Alice had be ustomed to being treated like that by her. As a result, she was also cold towards Vicki. "Mr. Baron and Mrs. Vicki, nice to meet you." Essie''s brisk voice broke the silence. This sudden move came as a surprise to Zac. Chapter 139 Tell The Truth Completely Chapter 139 Tell The Truth Completely Baron''s eyes lit up as he fixed them on Essie. "You are..." "This is sister Essie, brother Zac''s girlfriend," Holy quickly introduced before Zac could, putting heavy emphasis on the word ''girlfriend''. Baron was taken aback by the revtion. His eyes darkened. The wrinkles on Vicki''s forehead deepened as she frowned at the scene before her. Wasn''t he supposed to marry Valery? Why did he involve himself in this matter? "Daddy, Grandma, I''m going to blow out the candles now," Holy cut in. Baron quickly hid his displeasure and put on a warm expression as they sang a birthday song with the children. Even with the merry atmosphere, Vicki''s mood did not improve. After chopping the cake, she asked Holy to take her friends to the yard to y. She had things to clear with Zac. As the kids filed out, Alice remained still. Vicki rolled her eyes at her. "Get out of here, Alice. You don''t need to be concerned about this." Without saying a word, Alice heeded Vicki''s request and left. It was better to humor the olddy rather than stay. She had things she would need from her, after all. Unlike Alice, Essie didn''t need to bow down to Vicki. She wasn''t a part of the family anymore. She didn''t need to endure the olddy''s attitude. And with the way Vicki treated Alice, Essie thought it was just right for her to stand up against her. It made her mad thinking how they all had to break their backs bowing down to the olddy''s whims without any care about them. There were only four people left in the room, all sitting on the sofa face to face. Essie made a move to touch Zac''s arm. As she did, the purple diamond was out for everyone to see. Light bounced off the precious stone, dazzling everyone in its luminance. If the diamond''s brilliance could kill, Essie would have been done with her revenge by now. "Zac, did you have a fight with Valery?" asked the olddy. She tried to keep her voice neutral and calm. She needed to uncover the truth first. Zac sped Essie''s hands in his own. "Since you already know, I won''t beat around the bush anymore. I won''t marry Valery." Mrs. Vicki started to tremble at this. Almost jumping up from the sofa, she said, "What are you talking about? Valery''s carrying your child now. Are you leaving her?" "I don''t love her. I''ll never be happy if I forced myself to stay with her," he replied in calm voice. He had to keep his cool despite the warring emotions inside him. She was, after all, his elder. Beside him, Baron remained quiet with a sullen face. Essie sneered at him. He always gave way to Mrs. Vicki''s whims. After so many years, he remained obedient and meek towards her. At Zac''s reply, Mrs. Vicki felt herself grow angrier and frustrated. However, she couldn''t show how displeased she was at the turn of events, not if she wanted her granddaughter to have any chance at winning Zac. "If you don''t love her, why did you sleep with her and leave her pregnant?" The usation bothered Zac more than it should. He wanted tosh out at her but he couldn''t do anything. It was his fault. He hated himself for it but he couldn''t tell her the truth. He was only sure of one thing: he was keeping the baby. For his sake, he had to break his tolerance over and over again. After the baby was born, Zac would finally have his closure. Silence engulfed the room, to which Essie thought it was time for her to attack. "Mrs. Vicki, I believe it takes two to tango. Why don''t you ask your granddaughter how she conceived her baby? Only a stupid man would marry a woman who had deceived and manipted him. Your granddaughter wants to trap him into marriage. But sad for her, she picked the wrong person!" Essie butted in. Beside them, Baron shook at Essie''s exmation. It was as if he was pped. Unhealed wounds were reopened. Mrs. Vicki''s face turned pale with anger. No one had dared to humiliate her in life like this before. She sputtered, "How dare you! Stop smearing Valery''s name with your lies. Please get out of here now!" Her voice reverberated through the room. Meanwhile, Zac held on Essie''s hand steadily. Raising it to his lips, heid a gentle kiss on the knuckle before addressing Mrs. Vicki, "You couldn''t be any more wrong, Mrs. Vicki. Essie is my wife. My business is her business. She has every right to speak up." "What did you say?" Mrs. Vicki froze. "She''s my wife. I''m already married to her, which is why I can''t marry Valery," Zac said slowly, making sure the old woman fully understood him. When she heard this, Mrs. Vicki''s eyes rolled, almost passing out. Dramatically, she put her hand on her chest and looked aggrieved. At her theatrics, Baron hastily took out the medicine for her and Then Essie looked at her, a cold smile in ce. "Mrs. Vicki, please take good care of yourself. It wouldn''t help your health worrying about your granddaughter''s business." She seemed to never stop hurting others. Baron turned to Essie sharply, his eyes wide in surprise. He was struck speechless. There was something in her confident gaze that pierced through his soul. After taking her medicine, Mrs. Vicki snapped, "Zac, did youe here to tell the truth?" "You misunderstood. We were just here to celebrate Holy''s birthday. We didn''t know you would be somewhere to be, so we''ll have to take our leave." When Holy saw them leave the vi, he ran up to them and said, "Sister Essie, Brother Zac, are you leaving?" "Yes." Essie nodded. "Did you fight with daddy and grandma?" He looked at them with worried eyes. "No, we have something else to do. So we need to leave now." Essie smiled at him gently. "All right. Bye, Sister Essie. Bye, Brother Zac." Holy waved his hand. Just then, Alice turned to them with a cold expression on her face. "I''m sorry for what happened today." "Don''t worry about it, Alice. We can do it openly now. There is no more need to hide." After saying a few words with Goel, they got on the car. The driver would go back to pick him up after the party was over. After the couple left, Holy turned to look at Alice and asked, "Are we really helping them this way?" "It''s not enough. We have to find much more trouble for our evil witch. Only after we subdue her can Essie live happily ever after," Alice answered as she gazed at him. After calming down, Mrs. Vicki called Alice in. Today''s confrontation had been an exercise in control. Now, she needed someone to receive all the pent up anger she had umted. "You knew about Zac and that woman. Why did you still invite them to Holy''s party? What are you trying to aplish here? Do you want to humiliate your sister?" "Their rtionship isn''t a secret at all. All celebrities knew about them. Aunt Elizabeth was the first one to know about them, as far as I know. Didn''t she tell you?" Just like her expression, Alice kept the calm in her tone. Holy came over. He knew that his grandma was going to make things difficult for his sister. "Grandma, it wasn''t my sister who invited them. I did. They are all my friends, and I like them very much, so I invited them to celebrate my birthday." Vicki stroked his head calmly despite still looking grave. ''How could Elizabeth know about it and still keep it a secret! She even lied to me about it! Now I''m caught unaware by someone younger. How humiliating!'' she thought. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. She red at Alice. "You''d better stay out of this or I''ll skin you alive." "Mom. It was Valery who did the wrong thing. Don''t take it out on Alice," Baron cut in. Mrs. Vicki spat, "She is not a good person either. Don''t think that I have no idea what she''s up to. Our family business could only be passed on to boys. She should give up on that idea." Alice remained expressionless. She had been ustomed to the look on the olddy''s face. "Mom, I have my own ns on who to name as our family''s heir. You don''t need to worry about this. After all, I have two sons." He pulled Holy to his side. What he wanted was obvious. He wanted Holy to be appointed as the heir of the family and Alice would help him. That was why he appointed her as the deputy CEO. The olddy''s face softened slightly. Vinton and Holy were her grandsons. She had agreed with Baron before that as long as Holy would take over the family business and not Alice, he could do whatever he''d like to do. A daughter''s role in their family was to advance their political connections through marriage. If they didn''t want to marry, then they were of no use to the family. By then, Essie and Zac were on their way back. "Honey, there''s something different about you today." A charming smile danced on Zac''s lips. "Different?" She trembled slightly. Did she take it too far in the vi to arouse his suspicion? He reached out and stroked her head, with infinite tenderness in his eyes. "You were very aggressive there, just like the you who shouted in the bar. It was very regal. Queenly, even. I really appreciate it." Essie secretly let out a sigh of relief. She lifted the short hair on her forehead and slightly raised her eyebrows, acting all casual. "Don''t worry about anything. I will protect you." "Thank you, your majesty," Zac teased. Back in the vi. Essiey on the sofa and put her head on Zac''sp. "I didn''t expect they would have no idea about us," she said thoughtfully while eating some cherries. "Uncle Baron has been busy in America these days and Mrs. Vicki has stayed in the manor all day long. How does she know about what happened outside?" Zac replied. "Everything she knew probably came from Elizabeth," she answered darkly. Vicki must have been brainwashed by Elizabeth every day and turned into her pawn. "They should be on their way to my family''s house soon," Zac said with a smile. "Are we going to fight about this again?" Essie cleaned the cherry juice off her hands as she mentally braced herself for theing storm. Chapter 140 Watch The Show Chapter 140 Watch The Show Clutching her hands tightly, Zac said with an evil smile, "The battle is between men." "If you weren''t the sessor of your family''s wealth, Elizabeth wouldn''t have been making these great efforts to make her daughter marry you. She is counting on you to help her son take the family over," Essie said casually, while feeding him a cherry. Her manner was so nonchnt that it looked like they were just talking about an insignificant game. Zac gently rubbed her nose. She was no more in a daze and was talking smartly. She could see right through Elizabeth''s intentions. "That''s why I asked you not to get too close to Alice. The fight between them has nothing to do with us. Let''s just be the audience and watch the show quietly." "Then as the governor of thepany in the future, which one is better for you and your family, Vinton or Alice?" Zac asked with a smile. Essie''s bright eyes were misty. Like all businessmen, he too sought profit. Although the two families had coborated on many projects, Essie believed that the ice guy would eventually favor the side which was more advantageous to the family. He knew that his wife cared about the profits, and she was very clear about the core problems. Hengyuan was divided into two factions secretly. One stood on Vinton''s side, and another supported Alice. Although Alice was a woman, she had Holy by her side. Baron''s intention was clear from the moment he had appointed Alice as the deputy CEO. He wanted to hand over the group to Alice and Holy. Vinton was now in a weak position, so he and Elizabeth had to seek an ally, hence he had turned to look for support from Zac by marrying his sister into his family. When she saw how silent Zac was, Essie pinched him gently on his arm. "I think in your heart you know it''s better if Vinton took the position." After all, Elizabeth was Mary''s best friend and Valery was pregnant with Zac''s baby. So they were rtives, in a way. As for Alice and Holy, they had nothing to do with them. Zac flicked her forehead. "Why do you care more about the affairs of Alice''s family than about my family?" "I''m doing it for you. I know them better and that makes it easy for us to win this game. Besides, as the crown prince of your family, you don''t have topete with anyone at all." Zacughed, shaking his head. He propped his hands against the back of his head and leaned against the sofa. They did have power struggle in his family. But his grandparents were still in charge, and his father, the foxy boss, was also good at using the power. Therefore, they were able to maintain the quiet atmosphere on the surface. "Honey, it''s not easy for you to get some rest. You should cherish it," he said implicitly. Essie sat up, finished thest cherry on the te and smacked her lips with satisfaction. "Why don''t you tell me some gossip about your family? Like that haunted yard! Is there a real ghost?" He pinched her chin gently. "I can tell you anything you want to know. All this talk about the ghost yard are just rumors. Don''t mention it to anyone..." "Oh, I won''t mention it again." She was well aware of what she should and shouldn''t do under the table. While the two continued to snuggle in each other''s arms, a storm was brewing on the other side of Dragon City. Rebuked by Baron and Mrs. Vicki, Elizabeth flew into a rage. She hadn''t expected Alice to stab her in the back again. Valery''s emotions had overwhelmed her. She burst into tears. "Zac wanted to marry me! He was just deceived by that bitch Essie! You have no idea how vicious she is! She is so shameless she has no limits. She pushed me down and almost caused my miscarriage. She has caused so much trouble between me and Zac. What''s more, she got Sage admitted in the hospital as well! You need to help me! How else can I live on?" Lying was her expertise. "They have registered their marriage. You can''t do anything about it. You are not going to make a fool of yourself in the future," Baron continued with a gloomy face. Elizabeth interrupted him. "What a shame! It''s Zac who abandoned Valery and then refused to take his responsibility. Valery has never been wronged like this! It is not just her who has been bullied today! Her family has been insulted equally. Are you really just going to stand by and watch?" Baron sneered and responded, "It''s none of my business. Isn''t Mary your best friend? Zac is her son. Go ask for her help." Elizabeth twisted her lips and said, "Mary has long regarded Valery as her daughter-inw. She doesn''t like Essie and has promised that she will persuade Zac to divorce that woman and marry Valery!" Vicki frowned. "How? How can she persuade him? If that woman is also pregnant, it would be even more difficult for them to get divorced. If he had to get rid of her, he should''ve done it before nting a baby in her belly. It''s their lookout now. We need a clear answer," Vicki said. "Marriage is not a deal. If he doesn''t want to marry you, how can you force him? Even if you end up marrying, you will have a miserable life together. The daughters of our family don''t have to worry about finding a suitable man. Why are you after Zac? You don''t need to do anything at all! After Valery gives birth to the baby, she can pick a much better man!" said Baron.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. "No, I won''t marry anyone other than Zac. We were engaged, and his grandfather betrothed us to each other. Only I can be his wife! If he dares to deny me, I will give my life in front of him!" A gust of fury rose from the bottom of Baron''s heart, spreading in his entire body. If she hadn''t been pregnant, he would have pped her right across her face. "Engagement? You say you are engaged to Zac? It is your sister Cathy who was betrothed to him! After your sister left, they didn''t a mention a word about it! It is your mother and Mary do it in private and it couldn''t be counted without the approval of Zac''s grandfather! From now on, you can do whatever you like, just keep away from my family. I can''t afford to lose the reputation I have worked to build my entire life!" He couldn''t contain the anger anymore. He grabbed the cup that was kept on the tea table and smashed it onto the ground. The delicate china smashed into tens of pieces. Elizabeth and Valery trembled with fear, stepping back. "Baron!" Mrs. Vicki eximed immediately, breaking the terrible silence. "She is pregnant, for god''s sake! Everyone in Dragon City knows she will marry Zac. If this wedding gets cancelled, our family will be aughingstock in the city!" "Do whatever you like! But from this day forth, I will forget that she was ever my daughter!" With those words, Baron furiously left the room, stomping his feet. After he left, Elizabeth had no choice but to ask Mrs. Vicki for help. It was also a good way to force their marriage. After all, a long dy would only lead to a disaster. In the meantime, if Essie got pregnant, it would take a lot of work to get rid of her. Unlike how Baron was in the past, Zac wasn''t softhearted, and barely listened to his mother. Once he lost his temper and started acting ruthlessly, even Mary didn''t know what to do. "Mom, you have to help Valery with this. Everyone is talking about it. Today, I even skipped going to y Mahjong because I was afraid people would ask me when she will get married! After all, the position of Zac''s wife is sought after by many influential families in Dragon City. Most of them don''t want Valery to marry Zac at all! They are only hoping to get their own daughters married to him! Zac''s wife will the hostess of the family, and her son will be the heir to their wealth. When he grows up, all of the family''s power will belong to him!" Mrs. Vicki nodded, understandingpletely the nuances of the situation. Zac''s family was the top of the four big families of the city. Not just that, it was also the most mysterious family in the world. As soon as the property was announced to the public, it could rank number one in the eastern region. Other than what was known, the hidden wealth was incalcble. Without a doubt, marrying Zac would bring immense power to their family. Vicki''s granddaughter was only one step away from being the crown princess. There was no way she would give up easily. "Let''s go to meet his family tomorrow," she said in a low voice. Elizabeth and Valery smiled through their tears, finally seeing a ray of hope. Vicki believed that though Zac''s grandparents were not home those days, the other people would show respect to her. In the evening, Elizabeth called Mary, and informed her that the olddy woulde to visit her the next day. Aftering back from the party, Goel told Mary that his cousin had had met Baron and Mrs. Vicki. ''She is supposed toe here to seek justice for her granddaughter,'' thought Mary. She wanted to discuss what to do with Albert. "Leave it to Zac and Essie, don''t bother yourself," Albert said matter-of-factly. She called Zac to speak to him about this. "It''s okay, mom. We can handle it tomorrow," he spoke casually. She touched her forehead, tensed about what would happen tomorrow. Both the father and son spoke in the same tone. After the call, Zac went downstairs to keep Essiepany... The two had nned to watch a movie together. Nicole was the leading actress. "Nicole acts so well! She is so skilled and isn''t like Zoe who ys dumb and sweet. I wonder why Zoe is that popr..." Essie pouted in confusion. "Acting skills are not the only key point in the entertainment industry. Anyone can be famous if people support them and create a hype around them." Zac shrugged. "I wonder how long will it take for Eva to start getting better roles. She is so beautiful, well-built, and she''s so good at singing and dancing. She can be the most famous!" Essie said with her eyes bright. Zac put his arm around her shoulder and looked at her with a smile. "If someone is willing to support her, she can definitely be famous..." The problem was that she didn''t have a strong film background. In fact, she had even offended some well-known producers. She sighed at the thought of this. She herself had already stepped into the entertainment industry, and she also knew a few tricks! She knew if it wasn''t for Zac, she wouldn''t have been able to pass the initial stage of Beauty on Runway, let alone be sessful. She took a bite of her strawberry ice cream and looked up at Zac. "Do you have any good roles in mind for Eva?" Zac had expected her to ask him that. Smiling with the corner of his mouth curled up, he said, "Sino Star is filming a mystical y. They are auditioning various actresses for the leading role. You can ask her to audition." Essie blinked. The so-called audition was just a farce. She knew most of the times the actress was already decided based on how popr she was. "But you can suggest them to choose her, right?" She smirked. A wicked smile spread across Zac''s thin lips. His tall body pounced upon hers. "Well, that depends on whether you can help me with something tonight..." he said, burying his face in her neck. Chapter 141 The Tempest Chapter 141 The Tempest The woman looked pale as she coughed a little, trying to push him away. But she was too weak for him to even budge. "Yes, I do. But I can just dance for you. How about dancing?" Zac waved his slender index finger and said, "I''m not interested. I only ept French kisses today." Taking a deep breath, Essie tried to escape. But the harder she fought, she was pressed down and unable to move. She was like a helplessmb, unable to resist the wolf. Even at her weakest, she wanted him to know that she was forced to do this. After a long while, theck of oxygen made her head start to spin. She nearly fainted from suffocation. When he let go of her, she copsed in his arms. He narrowed his eyes at her. He wouldn''t force her. He was willing to wait until she was willing to give herself to him. After watching the film, they went back to their room. As they were lounging on the bed, Zac casually mentioned that he would go back to his family''s house N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. tomorrow. Essie sneered at this. "Wow, Mrs. Vicki is full of energy these days! She is such a hardworking old hag to force you to marry her granddaughter." Zac took her into his arms tofort her. "Don''t worry too much. I''ll take care of it." "No." Essie waved him off. "I have to face it myself this time." The ice guy on the side was the one who did the wrong thing. If Valery and her family insisted on Zac abandoning her, he would be charged. But Essie was different. Valery''s family was forcing Zac to marry her by painting her as the victim. Essie had to protect her own interests. Even if her enemies were her elders, it didn''t change the fact that they were making her life difficult. Zac, meanwhile, continued to sift his fingers through her hair, petting herfortably. "Are you sure?" "Yes, so stop worrying about me!" she said. "I''m d to have you by my side, which is why I have to protect you." With a small sigh, Zac said softly, "I''m so lucky to marry a woman like you." The next day, Mrs. Vicki and Elizabeth arrived at the house. They didn''t take Valery with them because she was too emotionally unstable for anything. Albert, Mrs. Mary, Zac and Essie were waiting in the living room. Albert invited Mrs. Vicki to sit on the most respectful seat with him, showing great respect to her. Mary and Elizabeth sat on the left, while Zac and Essie on the right. After taking a sip of tea, Mrs. Vicki said, "Since everyone is here, I won''t beat around the bush. I''m here to talk about your ns with Valery." Albert waved his hand and sighed, "They have their own minds now. There''s no need for us parents to get involved in their affairs. We don''t like butting into their businesses." And just like that, Albert had shot down Mrs. Vicki''s attempts to twist their arms ording to her whims. She could ask his son about it, if she wanted. But to rope him into their affairs? Albert knew better than to be led into that trap. The corners of Mrs. Vicki''s mouth twitched. Of course, she understood what Albert meant. He was giving the responsibility to Zac. Zac noticed that his father did a great job at passing the ball on to him. He just needed to shoot his shot. "I have already told Aunt Elizabeth my ns about this matter. I will raise the child. And I believe that Valery can still find a better husband," he spoke. Mrs. Vicki frowned. "How can a woman who has given birth find a better man? The only man she needs is you." If her granddaughter had still been a virgin, she could have better marriage prospects from the heirs of other good families. But now that she had been refused and left with a child, only poor, useless boys would take her as a wife. "As you know, I''m already married. I can''t marry her," Zac replied, his tone left no room for any "You can get a divorce so you can get married again. Your wife is not pregnant anyways, you can divorce her with no worries. Now that you have a child with Valery, it''s the perfect time for both of you to begin your own family. Only aplete family could make your future child happy. Think about it," Mrs. Vicki said. "So what do you want us to do?" Mary asked. "We hope that your son divorces Essie as soon as possible and marries Valery. If they really love each other, she can continue to stay by the side of Zac. Valery is very generous and won''t interfere their affairs. She just wants her child to be epted and have aplete family," Vicki said slowly, but made no mistake about her aggressive tone. She had decades of experience sharpening her teeth to make sure each word sliced her enemies to shred. "Well, it might be a good idea. This way, not only Valery and her baby are epted, but also Zac and Essie can be together. That sounds like a win for everybody," Mary spoke loud, as she happened to hold the same view. "Yes, you''re right. We''re reasonable people. Yesterday, I had a talk with Valery and she agreed that she would get along well with Essie. She''ll treat her like family," Elizabeth cut in. She put on a fake smile. As long as her daughter took the highest position, she didn''t care for the welfare of the little bitch. Looking at their hideous faces, Essie sneered and said, "Marriage is not a game. It''s not a deal, either." Elizabeth rolled her eyes at her. "I''m sorry, but I don''t think your opinion matters here." An offended look shed across Zac'' eyes. When he was about to speak, he saw another nce from Essie. Essie continued, "You were talking about my husband and my marriage. Of course, I have a say on the matter. And now you are ming me? Why would you, an outsider, have the right to speak here?" "How dare you?!" Elizabeth was speechless from the embarrassment. Mary helped her out. "Essie, please don''t interrupt when the elders are talking," she scolded her. After taking a sip of tea, Albert said slowly, "The kids are the ones who can make decisions. Even if they don''t ask, it''s useless for us outsiders to overrun them with our decisions." He paused to share a look with Essie before he continued, "Since you are Zac''s wife and our daughter-inw, this matter will affect your happiness forever. If you have anything to say, just say it directly. You don''t need to be cautious with your words." It was the perfect time for Essie to say her piece. His husband was in a passive position, while she was in the dominant position. It was only natural for her to protect her marriage. He deliberately said the word "daughter-inw" loud and clearly, making his stand clear, surely enough to sting the right people. Essie nodded and said, "If you force two people who don''t love each other together, they will only make each other miserable. Their child will see that his parents fight and quarrel every day. It''s not a healthy environment for anyone to grow up in. Of course, if you don''t consider the marriage but covet the good position for certain benefits, then it would be a different case." Caught off guard, Elizabeth and Vicki exchanged nces with each other. Elizabeth quickly came back to her senses and shook her head. "You don''t have a child now. You won''t understand the heart of a mother. If Valery couldn''t be with Zac, she would have no time to see her child, who will be in Zac''s custody. How painful and sad she would be? The pain of separating a mother from her child is just unimaginable. It would kill her. The child would need both his parents. They don''t need to have feelings for each other. They just need to be there for their child. When Valery was a child, she and her brother didn''t see their father often. They would wait for him at the balcony every night. They always asked me when their father woulde back, but I couldn''t tell them. I could only cry when I saw the disappointment in their eyes." As she said her piece, Elizabeth had been looking at Zac. She needed to appeal to his emotions knowing he already cared about the baby. It was time for her to y her cards right. "Zac, do you want your child to suffer like this in the future? Do you want him to wonder why he couldn''t see his father or mother? You may not have a deep feeling for Valery now, but when you two start to take care of your baby together, you''ll develop it. Trust me!" Zac remained expressionless and cold. Meanwhile, the hatred and resentment that had been buried in the bottom of Essie''s heart for fifteen years had been stirred up, surging like hotve rapidly bubbling up the surface. "Mrs. Elizabeth, why couldn''t your kids see their father when they were children?" Elizabeth was stupefied by Essie''s question. She swallowed hard. In a low voice, she replied, "Their father is very busy. There were too many social engagements for him to attend to." "Really?" Raising her eyebrows again, Essie said ironically, "Was he really so busy at work? Or was it because he had another family then? His wife and children were also waiting for him toe back home." She took out her phone and continued, "The Inte is a wonderful thing, Mrs. Elizabeth. You can search everything on it. I did some research on you, Mrs. Elizabeth, yesterday, and I found a lot of interesting things about you." She then began to read an article on her phone, "A mistress broke Cindere''s marriage. Trying to make troubles. What a wonderful show!" Luce''s marriage with Baron was hailed as the modern Cindere story by everyone at Dragon City at the time. Everyone rejoiced and envied their love story. The news of their marriage''s demise shocked everyone. All kinds of gossip flew around, wondering what went wrong. As they listened to Essie read the article out loud, Elizabeth, Mrs. Vicki and Mary were shocked and turned pale at the same time. It was like tearing the masks off an entertainer on stage. Beside them, Albert took a sip of tea slowly, enjoying every bit of the show his daughter-inw had prepared. Zac winked at him. ''Do you think I have better taste in choosing a wifepared to you?'' ''Talk to me when you have a son,'' Albert thought in reply, lifting one thick eyebrow at his son. A smile yed at the corners of Zac''s mouth. ''Sooner orter, I''ll take it over with you.'' ''You better hurry up then, son,'' said Albert inwardly with an answering wink of his own. Zac turned his head around. He wasn''t the problem. His wife didn''t want them yet and he couldn''t force her to change her mind for him. "These are all things of the past. We''re talking about your business now," replied Elizabeth in embarrassment. "It was really a long time ago. You described that in a tearful voice just now. But look at what you did back then." Essie fired back, her face looking at Elizabeth expectantly. Chapter 142 How Dare You Steal My Husband Youre Digging Your Own Grave! Chapter 142 How Dare You Steal My Husband You''re Digging Your Own Grave! "Alice and her little sister used to have a happy family, but you had to ruin that. You tore apart their families, wrecked their lives, and separated them from each other! You''re so full of mercy and morality right now. Tell me, when you decided to insinuate yourself into someone else''s marriage and drive the former wife and her children away, did you ever think of how sad the children would be if they couldn''t see their father or mother? Did you think of how the pain of separating a mother from her child is worse than actually killing her? How many years have it been since thest time Alice saw her mother and sister? And how many years has it been since thest time Alice''s sister saw her and her father? Who made it all happen? It''s you! You are a disgusting homewrecker!" She stared hard at Elizabeth''s rapidly reddening face, paused for a while to catch her breath, and continued, "I don''t know if you''re addicted to being a mistress, but now you want to consign your daughter to the same fate. I''m sorry, but I''m not a doormat sort of a wife who would allow others to destroy her marriage and family." If possible, Zac would have given his wife 999 thumbs up. He really wanted to stand up and apud, so proud he was of his wife. Seeing how Essie''s words hit a sore spot and how her daughter-inw was sorely dewed, Mrs. Vicki had to save face by saying, "Zac and Valery have known each other since they were children. If you hadn''te between them, they would have been already married. You, my dear, are the homewrecker in this scenario." With a slight smile on her lips, Essie said, "Mrs. Vicki, my husband has always treated Valery like a sister. He was never in love with her. Also, you seem to have forgotten... your beloved granddaughter sought to entrap my husband into marriage by getting pregnant with his baby. I don''t think I need to exin that to you in detail. Moreover, everyone is free until they marry. There''s no ''firste, first- served'' basis, and everyone is free to choose whom they want to spend the rest of their life with, and everyone is free to pursue love. Marriage is different, as it is protected byw and morals. Husband and wife belong to each other, and no one is allowed to steal!" Her eyes fell on the Buddhist prayer beads hanging from Mrs. Vicki''s neck. "Madame, you seem to believe in Buddhism. There are a lot of news about you on the Inte. Do you know that it considered a grave sin in Buddhism to force two people into marriage? You have done it once before, and now you n to do it again. Once the Buddha find out what you did and what you intend to do, he will be angry and bar you from entering Nirvana." Mrs. Vicki''s face turned deathly pale, and her hands started shaking with fury. Seeing this, Mary hastily said, "Essie, Mrs. Vicki is your elder. Don''t be rude." "Yes." Essie took a step back and turned to Vicki. "I''m sorry, Mrs. Vicki. I was too excited just now and might have caused offense. I apologize." Still trembling, Mrs. Vicki took a sip of tea to calm herself down, and then spoke in a heavy voice, "That woman was unable to bear a son, so I had to make her leave. If we did not have a boy in the next generation, then how could I face the ancestors of the family when I die?" Essie narrowed her eyes in concentration. Finally, they had started to get to the crux of the matter. She said, "Mrs. Vicki, you''re right. Having a daughter is indeed useless. A daughter only drains money, and then she has to marry sooner orter." Then, her tone suddenly changed. "What if Valery is also carrying a daughter?" "That''s impossible. We have the results of the B-ultrasound examination. It''s a son," Elizabeth replied quickly. Essie interjected, "At present, B-ultrasound imaging offers only 70% uracy, which means that there''s a 30% chance that Valery is carrying a baby girl. We can only be sure once the baby is born. Don''t you think it''s too early to talk about taking responsibility at this point? After all, you want to expedite Zac''s and Valery''s marriage, but what if Valery gives birth to a girl? Who will be responsible for return andpensation?" Essie took another deep breath. "Oh, and another problem... I believe that the Xu family are generally honorable, but that isn''t always the case. What if the child that she''s carrying is not my husband''s?" Essie stopped on purpose to savor the aftermath of her explosive delivery in the sudden silence of the living room. "How dare you! Don''t impugn Valery''s honor!" Finally, Elizabeth couldn''t sit still any longer. She jumped up from the chair and eximed, "Our Valery has never had any boyfriend! She was pure and innocent, and Zac was the only man she had ever slept with. Of course, the child is Zac''s." "An online research study showed that among all of children who underwent paternity tests as requested by their parents, 30% were not rted to their fathers. Don''t you think it would be best to have a medical certificate and a DNA test result to prove it?" A slight smile graced Essie''s lips. It was time for the head of the family to dere his decision. "What Essie said is reasonable. We can discuss it after Valery gives birth to the baby. Please rest assured that when that timees, our family will give an appropriate answer and will not treat Valery and her baby shabbily." Elizabeth and Mrs. Vicki were furious, but they couldn''t find a satisfying outlet for the pent-up anger. Thest thing they expected was for their careful preparations to be rendered pointless by a mere slip of a girl. They stalked out, still stewing, and the house settled down to its former peace. Albert was very satisfied with his daughter-inw''s performance. Her arguments were reasonable and refined. What''s more, she adopted a tactic which gave Elizabeth no more reason to force Valery and Zac to marry. After all, Zac was his son, so there was no way that he could have a poor eye for women. ''Albert has evidently epted Essie. It will be even more difficult for Valery to be a member of the family, unless she is willing to be a mistress,'' Mary thought to herself. Back in her room, Essie picked up a bottle of iced ck tea and gulped it down. Awesome! After repressing 15 years'' worth of anger, she was finally able to vent it out today. Thinking back to the scenario earlier, she was hard-pressed not tough at that embarrassing scene caused by Elizabeth and the Xu matriarch. She would keep a video of their shooting as a souvenir. One day, she might show it to her mother and sister. Zac gave her two thumbs up and said, "Darling, you were awesome and oh, so masterful!" She turned her head and sighed softly. "A woman can only be brave with a strong backbone and a strong man supporting her." If Baron weren''t so indecisive and filial, then her mother wouldn''t have been so miserable. Zac hugged her from behind and nestled his chin on her shoulder. "No matter what happens, I will always be on your side." His voice was firm and sincere. Her thick eyshes fluttered yfully. "Of course you have to side with me. Otherwise, you can just marry Valery." "We still have a long way to go before this matter gets resolved. Apart from that, we still have a lot of storms to weather in the future... If you want to cut peach blossoms from the tree, I will take the axe for you. You want to touch the sky? I''ll build you a rocket. Just say the word." He gazed at her quietly, indulgence and affection shining in his eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. They still had a long way to go? Did that mean that they still had a long time to be together? Valery would be giving birth in five months, and then they would be going their separate ways. However, the next five months would not be easy, because surely Elizabeth and Valery wouldn''t give up just like that. Shey back on the bed with her arms outstretched and said in azy tone, "I rarely have time to rx. Hurry up!" The man''s devilish eyes fell on her beautiful legs. "Honey, are you up for some exercise?" He was thinking of sex again! She lifted one long leg and said, "Okay, let''s do a kick!" The man gave a quiet cough and moved out of the way to avoid injuries. He sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, looked at her, and said, "Darling, what do you think about putting ''making a baby'' on our agenda?" She choked hard in shock. Making a baby? Did she hear the words wrong? Wasn''t that what Le was nning to do? What did ''making a baby'' have to do with her? This wasn''t the n. Did he think that marrying Le was now out of the question? If she had a baby, then he couldn''t just take Le and rece Essie with her. Besides, there would always be someone waiting in the wings to be the nextdy of the family. If N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. that person would be as kind and easygoing as she was, then there was nothing to worry about. Maybe he thought he would never find another person like her... So he would keep her as his wife who would fulfill all of the wife''s duties to their family and raise up his heir while he continued his rtionship with Le outside of the house. Wasn''t that convenient? Bravo. That ice guy was as devious as a nine-tailed fox and should never be underestimated. Anger smoldered in her chest. "Don''t forget that we will be getting a divorce after this debacle is over." A slight color settled between his brows and started to spread throughout his entire face. Like a gust of wind, his long fingers swept over her face dangerously. "Are you that eager to be rid of me?" His eyes looked as opaque as ck ink. A me wildly flickered in them but failed to consume the darkness. Essie sensed that he was barely holding on to his anger and flinched. She murmured in a low voice, "After the divorce, I intend to enroll at Istituto Marangoni for further studies." Zac was taken aback. That was her reason? Was it not because of Hanson? His face softened a little, and he leaned forward to ce a light kiss on her forehead. "It doesn''t matter, do whatever you want. I''ming with you." What? She was stunned. What did he mean? Herprehension failed her. He was the heir of a ridiculously rich family. Why would he enroll at a university with her? Was he humbling himself? Why? ''Are you kidding me?'' Essie gave Zac a gentle nudge and changed the topic. "I have a recording schedule in the afternoon. I have to prepare." He nodded. "Okay, but first..." The corners of his mouth lifted in an impish grin, and before she knew it, he swooped down and covered her lips with his. ''It was impossible for you to leave me!'' he thought. She was the only woman for him in this life! At lunch time, everyone was ready. Before lunch, Albert had something to announce. "Zac and Essie have already obtained the marriage certificate. From this point forward, we will consider Essie as our daughter-inw. When our two elders return, we will put the wedding on the agenda." "That''s great!" Ivy pped her hands andughed. "Congrattions, Zac, Essie!" said Daisy with a smile. Mary was stunned. It did not ur to her that her husband would announce their son''s marriage at such a critical time. Did they really not intend to leave some room for Valery? What was he thinking? Suddenly, she couldn''t understand anything. Chapter 143 We Cant Be Lovers Chapter 143 We Can''t Be Lovers As long as Essie was recognized by the head of the family, she would officially be Mrs. Essie. It was obvious that the two elders favored Zac very much. As long as he talked to them, they wouldn''t get in Zac''s way. At this rate, it seemed impossible for Valery to win back her position the clean way. Essie was also very surprised at the turn of events, not knowing whether she should be happy or worried. It was good to get recognition. But right after the wedding, it would be not easy to get away, right? If icy guy really wanted to keep her his wife, then she would be trapped with him for the rest of her life. She could imagine it now. Her husband would go out and have fun while she wasted away at the bar. She would be a living clich¨¦ of a poor rich wife. ''Oh, my God! How did my life get to this point?!'' She turned her head to look at Zac. He was smiling happily, as if he was a hunter who caught his prey. Something cold slithered on her back. Fear? Trepidation? It seemed her gut feel was right. Right then, a pair of big hands covered her shoulders. In a gentle voice, he said, "Honey, call Daddy and Mommy." She came back to her senses and looked at Albert and Mary. "Daddy, Mommy," she called out. "Good girl," Albert said with a kind smile. Reluctantly, Mary slid a happy expression on her face. With a fake smile, she continued, "We are a family now. Let''s eat." The servant began to serve the dishes. Marci smiled and said, "The wedding will be held very soon. Father and mother will be very happy if they learned about it." "Yes, I''m sure they''ll be thrilled to know that they''ll also get a great grandson in a few months. Double celebration!" Zac''s aunt Sally replied. Albert coughed to cover his awkwardness. Upon hearing that, Zac''s aunt realized that she had said the wrong thing. She tried to recover the situation by saying, "I mean, we shouldn''t let them take too much time, so that the grandparents can have a great grandson as soon as possible." Taking a sip of soup, Daisy smiled and said, "When will our eldest cousine back? Zac is now married. He has to hurry up and look for a wife." Mary smiled, "Walt called us yesterday. There was a sound proposal on the works. He''ll be back after signing the contract." Inparison with her rebellious and unyielding son, her eldest son was more obedient and considerate. He was the son who gave her the mostfort and least headache. But unfortunately... As she was thinking about it, she heard Ivy, who was sitting at the end of the table, sigh softly. "Walt is still looking for his little sun. If he seeds in finding the girl and knowing that she was already married by then, won''t he get sad?" "What little sun?" Daisy asked curiously. "Oh, my God!" Ivy pped her hands over her mouth. "It''s his secret. I can''t tell others," she said behind her hands. "How did you know about it?" Daisy replied with a knowing smile.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "By ident." Ivy stuck her tongue out. A trace of hesitation shed in Zac''s eyes. He wasn''t expecting his brother to have someone special in his life. It seemed like something he should have been sharing to his brother. "What kind of girl is she?" he asked casually. "I don''t know. They seemed to meet each other while travelling around the world," Ivy said proudly. "Travel around the world? My first n after retirement is to travel around the world," Essie spoke. Zac wrapped his arm around her shoulder with a smile. "We don''t have to do it until we retire. We can travel on our honeymoon." Honeymoon? She paused. Did he even n a honeymoon? He really wasn''t nning to let her go. After she solved the big problem that was Valery, she had to solve the problem that was Zac! He was so powerful. If they filed for a divorce, would she be hunted down? No matter what happened, no judge would go against Zac''s family. Zac just gave her a life-long sentence so that she could live and die a miserable life as a member of his family. Subtly, she touched her forehead in a panic. After lunch, she went to the studio to record her program. Ivy wanted to be an enthusiastic spectator, so she went to visit with Essie. This time, another round was added. Hanson arranged for the poprity assessment of their clothing line. He would give the yers reasonablements and suggestions. Essie hadn''t seen Hanson since that photo taking incident. Mary''s subordinates had stopped the gossip from spreading. The media stopped reporting about it and naturally, people stopped talking about it. Hanson was back to his usual handsome self, but his gloomy mood was obvious between his eyebrows. He arrived next to Essie like a thirsty man in search of an oasis in a desert. However, there was a camera by his side. He could do nothing except for fulfilling his official duties. He held back his desire and his love for her until the shooting was over. Essie was thest one to leave the makeup room. She saw Hanson waiting for her when she opened the door. "Essie, let''s have a cup of coffee and talk about our ss reunion at the end of this month. Sounds good?" he asked in a deceivingly calm tone. She was surprised at first, but as soon she understood what he meant, she saw his cunning eyes. He said that on purpose. They were schoolmates. He was the assistant director of her ss. It would be normal for them to have a cup of coffee and catch up with each other. They didn''t need to hide from each other. "Okay," she smiled and went out with him. Just then, Ivy came bounding up to them. She was so excited to see Hanson in person that she almost forgot what she wanted to say to Essie. "Hanson... I finally got to see you! I''m so happy. You''re more handsome and charming in person. I''m such a big fan." she fawned over him, making him a little embarrassed. He was handsome. Ever since he started appearing on screen, many girls had been attracted and became his honorary fans and dered him the most handsome man in the world. In order to make the audience happy, the program arranged for a new round to please the fans who were obsessed with the judges. Hanson kept quiet and let Ivy fawn over him. He just nodded to her slightly and was about to leave with Essie. Seeing this, Ivy quickly took Essie''s arm and asked, "Sister-inw, where are you going with Hanson? Is the program not finished yet?" Hearing her call Essie sister-inw, Hanson frowned and asked, "Do you two know each other?" Before Essie could answer, Ivy introduced herself, "My name is Ivy Rong. I''m a student. I have a good rtionship with my sister-inw. And I''m also Zac''s cousin." "Really?" Hanson couldn''t help but grit his teeth. He hated the word ''sister-inw''. Oh, he hated it with a passion! How he wished he could undo time and do something about it. But it was all his fault. He wanted his cake and eat it, too. As a result, he pushed the woman he loved most to another man. "Ivy, I have something to talk with him about the reunion. You can go ahead," Essie said, patting her on the shoulder. "Okay." Ivy nodded. She ran to Hanson, took out a pen, and grabbed her T-shirt. "Hanson, before I leave, can I ask for your signature?" He took the pen and signed his name on her shirt. "Thank you." "Onest small request. Can I have your WeChat ount? I promise I won''t harass you. And I''ll keep your details to myself." His ck eyes twinkled in amusement. He took out a business card from his pocket and said, "Don''t share it to others." He figured he might be able to use her in the future since she was Zac''s cousin. Ivy almost jumped out in excitement as she received the card. "Don''t worry. Even my cousin won''t know I have it." Essie said nothing. Zac was going to explode with rage when he heard about this. After Ivy left, they went to a nearby cafe and found a small, private booth. "Essie, I miss you so much since thest time we saw each other. Every day, I thought I would go crazy." He hung his head in between his hands. The calm expression he had slid away to show how miserable he was truly feeling. "I''m married. Don''t you really mind?" He reached out and held her hand. "It''s my fault. It''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have proposed to Sunny and made you sad. This must be my punishment for pushing you away from me." She shook her head and said, "Maybe we''re just not meant to be lovers." It seemed that they missed out a lot. Learning that he was going to travel to Maldives, she joined a travel team to find him. But he suddenly changed his schedule and went to Europe. She worked for a half semester and went to Mn to visit him. By then, he moved to America to visit his uncle. After graduation, she was epted at the Instituto Marangoni. She thought she would finally meet him, but he gave up his studies to go back to his country. Although she kept trying to create chances for them, she missed him anyway. It seemed like destiny was not working out for them. They just couldn''t find each other at the right ce or at the right time. "If we don''t have the chance to be together, why do we still keep meeting and falling in love with one another? It is all my fault. I didn''t try my best to keep you. I''ll do everything I can for you and for our future since now. Promise me, don''t give up on me. Don''t give up our rtionship. I will die without you." He held her hands and kissed them possessively. "Hanson..." Essie was restless and confused about her future and was even worried about her freedom. She had already fallen into a ck void. Deeper and deeper, it didn''t seem like there was any way out for her. Zac was so different from the man he used to be. He had be a scheming and unfathomable man. Every word he said seemed to have a purpose. And every word he said would make her fall into a trap he set carefully. "There are many women out there who are better than me. You don''t have to waste your time on me. After all... I''m already married." "Are you in love with him?" he asked, looking at her with an expectant expression on his face. Chapter 144 Are You Done With The Hidden Rules Chapter 144 Are You Done With The Hidden Rules This question had been bothering him all the time, making him nervous and unable to sleep or eat. That man was too excellent. He was afraid that she would fall in love with him. "It has nothing to do with love. He doesn''t love me and I don''t love him either, but..." She lowered her eyes which showed a sad shadow on her white eyelids. Some marriage didn''t require feelings but benefits and use. That was their marriage. He needed a wife and an heir. Yet none of these whom he loved could be given to him, so he could only find someone to rece his lover. And she was the best substitute in his eyes. "Forget it, Hanson. Let''s talk about the end of our ss reunion." This topic was too heavy and dark, so she couldn''t tell him the truth. It was better to change the subject. She tried to smile at him, but before she could even start, the smile was blown away by a sweeping cold wind. So she withdrew her hand from his palm and took a sip of the coffee to calm herself down. He scratched his head, and his eyes and brows were covered with mncholy. After a long while, he opened his mouth slowly. "Will you attend the ssmate reunion?" "Of course, I haven''t seen my roommates for a long time." She finally managed to squeeze out a smile. "All three of them stay in K city to develop their business. While I went to Yang City, I heard that they got together almost every week. I''m so envious." "You must be regretful now, right?" He sounded bitter and sad. She came to Yang City for him, but he was unable to keep her. Raising her head again, she took a nce at him and said, "I''ve never regretted it." She said firmly as if she wasforting him. At that time, her heart was lonely, no matter how prosperous and beautiful the city was without him. There was a sparkle in his dark eyes. She still cared about him. He was still important to her. That was enough. When Essie came back to the mansion, the hall was still full of people. As soon as Daisy saw her, she ran over and pulled her to the side of Ivy. "Sister-inw, I hope that she will be a warm-hearted spectator today. Did anything happen to her?" "What''s wrong?" Hearing that, Essie was dazed for a second. Then she turned her eyes to look at Ivy. She was taking the business card that Hanson gave to her and chuckling. "She has been acting like this since she came back. She only looked at the business card and T-shirt and was smirking all the time. I want to know whose business card it is. She is as precious as a nurse. I don''t even bother to look at her. Is she suffering from temporary insanity?" Daisy was worried. Taking a deep breath, she thought, ''people who have a body of pursuing stars are really crazy. They can''t stop taking medicine!''! She half covered her mouth and whispered in Daisy''s ear, "she saw Hanson today, got his signature and business card." "No wonder." "I heard that a fan has shaken hands with Jim before. And she hasn''t washed her hands for three months. I still feel unbelievable. I didn''t expect that Ivy is such an anthomaniac," she continued. "Cherish your life and stay away from the star chasing fan." Essie said and patted on her shoulder. She gave a thumbs up sign of approval. When she went back to the room after the shower, she saw Zac lying on the bed in the living room, reading a fashion weekly. Essie heard from Daisy that he is proficient in the eightnguage. If she traveled around the world with him, she didn''t need a device. ''. Seeing her sitting next to him, he raised his eyes and nced at her with deep set eyes. "Where did you go?" he asked. His tone was casual, as if he was just asking. Hearing that, a faint smile yed on Essie''s face again. She guessed that he was asking the question on purpose, because Ivy must have told him that she went out with Hanson. "We had a ssmate reunion in the end of this month. I had a talk with Hanson about it." She said lightly, and her expression was calm. Aplicated light shed through his ck eyes. "Can you take your family with you?" "So do you want to go there?" she asked. "Is that okay?" With an unfathomable smile at the corners of his mouth, he couldn''t tell if he was joking or serious. She held his handsome face in her hands and said, "no, you can''t go with me! Because you''re too handsome, people will think that I''m there to show you off. My roommates are all single, and I''m afraid that they will be jealous of me and it''s not good for me to be squeezed out from the crowd." "It doesn''t matter. I can disguise myself." He shrugged. "That''s even worse." Shaking her head vigorously, she continued, "I''m the president of the school''s appearance Association. My husband is ugly. Do you want me to be theughingstock?" A touch of gloom shed across his face. He lowered the corners of his mouth and turned his head to the magazine in his hand without saying anything. Noticing his displeasure, Essie put his arm on his shoulder and smiled yfully. She tried to ease the atmosphere. "If you have time, you can go to K City with me. When Ie back from the ssmate meeting, we can go there and have a look. It''s very fun." A smile appeared at the corners of Zac''s mouth. He had decided it that way. As for who she was with and what they had done today, he didn''t want to ask any questions. He had the whole life to win her heart back sooner orter. Noticing the subtle change of his facial expression, she was relieved. She didn''t want to displease him, or she would be "punished" again. Leaning against the head of the bed in afortable manner, she took up the IPad and pen and started drawing a new series of design sketches. She said, "frozen guy. I heard that you graduated from Harvard University and you majored in architecture and business. You are very excellent!" "Are you going to adore me?" said Zac in a low voice slowly. Hearing that, Essie''s dark eyes rolled. "If we didn''t get drunk together in the bar on fool''s day, we must be passersby now." After a pause, she shook her head again. "No, you''re in a luxury car, and I walk on foot. So I think I''m not even a passer-by." A charming and gentle smile crept up on his face. "It''s fate for us to meet the right person at the right time and ce." "No, you are wrong." She sniffed. "It''s obviously in the wrong time and in the wrong ce. I met a wrong person and did a wrong thing." Putting down the magazine, Zac folded his hands over his chest and looked at her in a serious manner. "People who are destined to meet here can meet again even across the Pacific Ocean. Getting drunk is the most absurd thing to do. But we are destined to get married. You Essie has been written on my marriage list since your were born. You are meant to marry me! " She was shocked again. Fate? was there any connection between Essie and Zac? When she was a child, she was engaged by her grandfather to him. After going through many circles, she finally married him. Was this the destiny? Was the other end of her red line Zac? No! She stroked her forehead in agony. But on second thought, no, if they were meant to be together, why didn''t they fall in love? He had Le, and she had Hanson. They both had their respective lovers. Maybe they were destined to get married, but they didn''t love each other? Good boy, were the substitute sure to be taken? She sniffed and suddenly wanted to cry. He frowned and said, "is it hard for you to be my wife?" She lowered her head and sighed heavily, "I''m sure that I am not the only girl who is lucky enough to marry you. I don''t want to be a grumbling richdy." He lifted the tip of her chin, dark ice eyes gleaming in the light. "Do you want to monopolize me?" His voice was lightly and flirtatious. She blushed, put down her IPad and shrank in the thin nket like a snail. "I''m not interested in you. After this is over, you hurry to return me freedom. Don''t dy it for the whole day." "Honey, you can''t escape from the destiny." His voice was as light as a feather, but it was full of threat. She hurriedly moved to the bedside and grabbed his hand. "Well... Eva just signed up for the initial exam of the costume drama you mentionedst time, " She tried to distract him by changing the topic. Zac''s handsome face got close to her. He rubbed her lips softly, like the wings of a butterfly passing over her lips. "Are you going to do this for your bestie tonight and ept my hidden rules?" She swallowed hard. He was so close to her that she felt great pressure, making it difficult for her to breathe. "No... No way. " Her cheeks were as red as ripe Washington apples. She looked away in panic. "Did... Didn''t you say that you would make it up to me? " This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "Okay, I will serve you now." He almost swallowed her. She tried hard to push him away and turned her head away, so that he would not block her mouth. She was unable to speak. "I''m hungry. I want to eat some biscuits. Can you take them for me?" "Okay, eat me first, and then have some cookies." He kissed her on the lips, preventing her from speaking. The night wind blew in from the slightly opened ss window, and the faint fragrance of flowers quietly sent in, making the night more beautiful He was the zing sun, melting her. She was a strong alcoholic, which made him intoxicated. He sucked her sweet scent, but she didn''t know that she would unwittingly submit to him, and let their souls erode into each other''s bone marrow. He put it near her red and swollen lips after he had done it. She punched him on the shoulder, then opened her mouth and ate it up. "Your hidden rule is over, right? Can Eva be the heroine now?" Zac smiled with a slight pull on his perfect lips. It was just a beginning. How could it be over so easily? "I can only make half the decision about it. You have to deal with another person." Chapter 145 Work Hard To Be The Heroine Chapter 145 Work Hard To Be The Heroine "Who?" Essie was caught in a daze after hearing that. "Jim," Zac said slowly. "Is he another investor?" She took another pause again. "The producer and the leading man," Zac replied nonchntly. "Oh my god!" Essie screamed. Thest time they were all together, Eva had a bad fight with Jim because of Essie. She was sure that Jim must still be holding a grudge against Eva from that incident. Now, even if Zac had been able to persuade Jim to make Eva the heroine, Jim would probably give her a hard time. Eva was so quick tempered that they would have found something else to fight over with. She cast a nce at the person beside her before she cleared her throat and said, "Do you think I would follow his unspoken rules?" Before she could finish her words, a cold light was shot through her. Zac had an intention to kill someone and it might be her at the wrong end of the gun. She shrank into herself, a survival instinct. Well, this joke was getting a bit out of hand. "Last time at the scene, Eva misunderstood that Jim was interested in me. So she jumped out to protect me and fought with Jim. Should I try to help them resolve their conflict?" Zac turned to face her, his head in one hand and grabbed her chin in the other. "Whatever." So that weekend, Essie held a barbecue party in Zac''s mansion and invited Jim toe. Eva didn''t want to attend the party. She knew Jim would be there. Although he had a legendary status in the entertainment circle, she didn''t care about him at all. Essie held her shoulders and said, "Eva, in the entertainment circle, you are beautiful, talented and professional. What you need is a chance. Talent could only get you so far in this industry. Connections will bring you to ces. Money, unspoken rules, hype. These are the things that will advance your career in the entertainment circle. You have a chance now. You don''t need to take on affairs and be a mistress to someone famous and powerful. You don''t need to volunteer yourself to be molested by some dirty, old man. You can be the heroine of your story as long as you show some friendliness to him. What do you have to lose, anyway?" Eva pouted and said, "I just can''t stand yboys like him. He''s totally a womanizer who treats women like they''re his ythings." "He is a superstar who came from a rich family. He was born at the top of the pyramid. Of course, he''s extremely arrogant. As for romantic affairs, even if he didn''t want to y, a lot of women would try their best to offer themselves to him. They were willing to ept anything from him. Besides, you love ying the field, right? Don''t even deny it. You broke a lot of hearts yourself. You two are equals in this regard." Essie giggled. Eva thought over this before she reluctantly had to agree with Essie''s arguments. Just then, their ride came to pick them up. It was her first time to ride in a Rolls-Royce. She looked around and eximed, "Wow! Essie, you are a real celebrity. The TV station has arranged such a nice car for you." "This isn''t from the TV station. Zac sent this one." Essie didn''t want to hide the thing between her and Zac from her best friend. It was better for Eva to know about this. She had a lot of things to deal with right now, so she also wanted to talk to someone. Eva''s eyes widened. "Did your roommate make a good profit from stock market spection again?" How much money did one need to buy luxury cars? "No, that''s not it at all." Essie shook her head and continued, "He''s not a hobo. He came from a rich and powerful family like Jim." Eva almost fell down from the chair in shock. "Then why did he pretend to be a poor man and rent a house with you?" "It''s a long story. I''ll tell youter. Now let''s get you the heroine role." Essie patted her on the shoulder. It was aplicated and private matter. But for now, it was better off for Eva to know less. She had her own battle to fight and win anyways. With her arms crossed in front of her chest, Eva stared at her for a long time and giggled. "Is he chasing you?" Essie bit her lips again and spoke in a low voice, "We''re married!" Eva fell down from her chair violently. The car was seriously too big for both of them. She remained slumped over at the car''s flooring for a long time, her mouth agape. Essie quickly reached out and pulled her up. Then, she took out two bottles of frozen juice from one of the sidepartments and offered one to Eva. "You... You... You got married?" Eva stammered, her tongue felt as if it was in knots. What was wrong with her? Why did she feel so dizzy all of a sudden? Essie opened her bottle of juice and took a sip. "Sometimes, I think about it for a while and still find it unbelievable. I''m married to someone else who is not Hanson." "Did you break up with Hanson and get married out of spite?" Eva frowned. It was unusual for Essie and another man to be not in love before getting married. Essie shrugged and said with a bitter smile, "Maybe we''re just not meant to be. No matter how hard you work at your rtionship and how persistent you are, fate has its own n for you." Eva heaved a sigh and said, "You''re still not over Hanson." Hearing that, Essie lowered her eyes again. She knew that it was a habit to love someone. At least, she was happy while she was in love with him. After she stopped loving him, she felt empty. Actually, Hanson loved her. He begged her to wait for him. He begged her to not give up. And she wanted to. She wanted to work on their rtionship again and take another chance. But things got out of control, which made her less confident about their future. When they arrived at the vi, there were already many guests. Aside from Jim, Essie also invited Ivy, Daisy, William, Alice and Holy. This was going to be a loud and lively party. Unfortunately, Alice was too busy with business and couldn''te, so she sent bodyguards to escort Holy instead. Holding on to Eva''s arm, Essie walked up to Jim and began to introduce Eva again. "Mr. Jim, this is my best friend Eva. Do you remember her fromst time?" Jim narrowed his usually charming eyes at Eva. Of course, he remembered her. Eva was the only woman who dared to provoke him. "I don''t have a good memory with people''s faces. But it''s an interesting name for an ordinary person. Eva," he said as he shrugged his shoulders, a tinge of mockery colored his words. Eva''s eyes filled with fire. How dare he say that to her face? Although she was not a national beauty, she was beautiful in her own right. Her oval face, big eyes, high nose, and her features were all refined. The only weakness was that she was a little skinny and her breasts were a little small. Her agent asked her if she wanted to do breast augmentation and have bigger breasts. She didn''t want to because she wanted to stay natural as much as possible. Essie subtly pinched her arm to keep her best friend calm. It was obvious that he remembered Eva from his words. She smiled, "It was a mistake. Zac asked her to be my bodyguard. Of course, she will do her best to protect me." A mocking smile emerged on the corners of his mouth. "I didn''t expect you to be so weak. Zac is wrong." Not too far away, Zac shot a cold ce at him. He was insulted without reason after all. Eva fumed. She couldn''t stand that he regarded her as a weak person! "I only used 30 percent of my strength that day. I will use all of my strength to kick you in the face so you will never dare to go out again!" "Would you?" Jim raised his thick eyebrows slightly and continued, "I''d like to see you try." "Well, let me show you." Eva was ready to fight with him. The party was specially held for them to reconcile but nothing was going ording to n. Holy came over and patted Eva''s shoulder. "Pretty sister, Brother Jim is always nice to girls. He never fights with girls." "Nice?" Eva sneered, "I haven''t seen any evidence of that yet." "It depends on whether the woman is ady or not," said Jim with a charming smile on his lips. Pushing his luck, he made sure she saw him take a peek at her chest. What she hated the most was othersughing at her small breasts. And his words were obviously meant to push her patience to the limit. With a quick swing of her leg, she took a swipe at Jim which he easily dodged away. "Was that the best that you could do?" "No, I didn''t even try to hit you with my full strength." Eva was a little embarrassed. She didn''t expect Jim to be quick and powerful. She had underestimated him. "Remember to do your best." Jim continued to tease her. "You don''t need to keep on reminding me," Eva said through gritted teeth. Zac pulled his wife aside right away. There weren''t any avable security detail that could protect her from the fight itself. Frustrated at the way things were unfolding, Essie pressed her forehead against his chest. If they continued fighting, the heroine thing would be screwed. Zacforted her caressing the back of her head. "Eva is unlike any other heroines he met. She''s a challenge he hadn''t seen before. This is bound to get interesting. We''d better quietly watch their battle unfold." With a sad look on her face, Essie looked up to him and asked, "Can she still get the heroine role after their fight?" Zac drew a perfect smile and said, "Miracles could happen." Right then, Eva had used all her unique skills. Seeing that she was obviously in the weak position, Holy helped her, "Sis, Bother Jim has an opening on the left. Go!" Soon enough, Ivy and others noticed the fight and gathered around them. After being knocked down on the grass a few times, Eva stood up and continued to fight. She was tenacious and invincible. Seeing that she was thrown again, Essie could not bear to look at her friend getting pummeled by a man. She rushed over and said, "Well, if you want to fight with each other, choose a better venue. But Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. for now, it''s time for barbecue and drinking." Jim released Eva from his grip, turned around. He was about to leave when Eva kicked him. Unexpectedly, he turned around, bent over and caught her kick. "You are too weak. Go back and practice more!" Unable to move, Eva could only re at him. "Let''s wait and see. I''ll get my chance and beat you." "You are wee to challenge me anytime," he answered with a deep, arrogant voice before he let go of her. Jim dusted off his clothes and began to walk towards the backyard. Eva pulled herself up from the ground, unwilling to give up. She just gave in because she hadn''t practiced for a long time. She would begin practicing today when she got back home. She must defeat this scum. Reluctantly, Essie must admit defeat. Her n A failed horribly. But there was still n B. She could still give her best friend the heroine role. Chapter 146 Bribe Me Chapter 146 Bribe Me Essie made honey-baked chicken especially for Holy. She ced a chicken leg on his te and said, "Enjoy! Be careful, it''s hot." "Thank you." Holly nodded with a smile. He blew on the drumstick and took a bite. "It''s so delicious!" "I''ll roast beef ribs for you next." Essie stroked his head affectionately. With a yful smile, Eva came up to Zac and murmured, "How soon are you getting married?" Zac cleared his throat and said slowly, "It''s just happening." Eva grinned. "You must have developed love while living together. You two make a perfect match. Ever since I saw you together, I knew that you would make a great couple, but I did not expect your rtionship to progress this fast." A corner of his mouth quirked up. "You know my style has always involved quick fights and quick decisions." Eva gave a thumbs up and said, "That''s exactly why Hanson lost to you." At the other end of the party, Ivy ran to Essie, who was then barbecuing for Holy, and asked, "Sister-in- Essie choked. Zac cast a cold nce at Ivy. "I really want to see Hanson here. When you hold a party next time, you must invite him, okay?" Ivy said with a hopeful expression on her face. Essie couldn''t say anything but, "Okay... Okay." She nodded perfunctorily. Eva''s eyes brightened as if she had stumbled upon a new discovery. She hurried toward them and asked, "Young miss, are you talking about Hanson Xia?" "Yes. Eva, are you a fan of Hanson, too?" Ivy asked, her eyes blinking rapidly with excitement. "No, I just know him very well." Eva smiled. "Are you a fan of his?" "Hanson is the most handsome guy and the best guy in the world!" Ivy nodded eagerly. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Eva purposely raised her voice and said, "Hanson is such a gentle, elegant man. He''s super sweet and warm, too. Definitely better than the yboy types or those selfish, harsh guys. People who idolize those sorts of people must be out of their minds." Jimnguidly sat on his lounge chair and took a sip of champagne. "That''s something that some utility men would never understand," he saidzily. ''So what? Utility man was supposed to have their dignity,'' thought Eva. Before Eva could reply, Essie quickly fed her a piece of beef ribs. "Here, try it! It''s very delicious," she said. Eva chewed on the piece of meat in her mouth vigorously, as if imagining herself biting Jim''s flesh. Essie sighed inwardly. ''My poor friend, Eva. She finally had the chance to y heroine, but she had to go against an enemy like Jim.'' It looked like she had to resort to n B. After the barbecue, Essie smiled and suggested, "Shall we have a fishingpetition? One-on-one. We will draw lots to decide on our opponents. The loser will be punished by the winner." The party guests enthusiastically responded, "Okay!" Everyone followed her to theke not far from the vi. She took out a box and let Jim draw a lot first. A frown settled between his brows when he saw the name on that slip of paper. "Hmmm... looks like Jim''s destined to be with Eva." Essie grinned with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. She had tampered with the contents of the box so that there was only one name in it. No matter which lot Jim would draw, the result would have been the same. Eva went to stand before Jim and scowled. "You jerk, you''re going down. You want to make a bet?" "Sweetheart," Jim replied insultingly with a cold sneer, "there is no bet in this world that I don''t win." "All right, then." Eva put on her game face. "The loser does one thing as punishment as dictated by the winner. Anything goes, as long as it''s legal." "Deal. You''re the one whoid down the terms, so don''t chicken out." Jim shed Ivy a self-satisfied smirk, his dark eyes twinkling under the sunlight. He was fully confident about the bet''s oue, that is, him emerging as the victor. "Yes, I promise," Eva replied in a firm tone. These lines were all fabricated by Essie. Essie knew that Jim would ept the bet. If he ended up losing, then the leading role would be Eva''s. She gave simr-looking baits to Jim and Eva, but with one significant difference. Essie found out from the vi''s steward that crucian carp was the most abundant and herring, the least. Then she gave Eva the carp''s favorite bait and to Jim, the herring''s bait. As long as Eva could get more fish than Jim, she would win. Eva sat on a small chair, looking rxed. Fishing was her expertise. She used to sneak out to go fishing in a river in front of the old house in her hometown. Jim sat not far from her seat. The sun shone on his handsome face, making him look like a god who had descended on earth. Eva turned her head to re at him. ''Why the heck does he have to be so hot? That face should be illegal.'' "You will lose today," she said in a matter-of-fact tone, looking quitecent. "Don''t talk so soon," Jim quipped, an eyebrow arching up disdainfully. Eva had already lost from the moment she was matched up with Jim. "Haven''t you heard that proverb saying that fish sinks to the bottom of the river at the sight of a beauty? That means being too handsome is a bad thing. How can the fish take the bait when they hide as soon as they see you?" She smirked. Jim choked. ''Okay, was that apliment?'' "Hm. While you would scare fish into fainting. Which is worse, fish who hide or those who faint?" Eva shrugged, "Then you''re the one with a problem with your eyes." Then, a snort escaped her. "Besides, you may say that I''m not good looking, but at least I never went under the knife to appear like cookie-cutter women. How many women in the industry do you think could say the same?" Jim didn''t reply. What she said was true; natural beauties in the entertainment industry had be a rare breed. Admittedly, some women imed not to have undergone major cosmetic surgeries, but they usually had one thing or another touched up. There was silence between the opponents by theke. After a long while, he gently rubbed his lips in a contemtive manner and asked, "Did you participate in the preliminary auditions for ''The War Emperor''?" He had checked out the list and saw her name among those who passed the first screening. Eva shook her head slightly. She did not think that the ruse would be up so soon. "I met all of the conditions that you listed. Why can''t I participate?" She pursed her lips mutinously. "You''ve yed bit parts numerous times, and your longest appearance was less than 20 minutes. If I y this role with you as my leadingdy, you will pull me down." Every word was a profound insult. The blood drained from Eva''s beautiful face. "Yes, I am insignificant and an unknown. But even when acting as a passer-by, I give the role my all. I just want to give myself a chance. If you think I''m not good at acting, you can kick me out. But if you block my opportunities because of personal reasons, then you are highly unprofessional person who doesn''t deserve the title ''King of Entertainment''." A veil seemed to have dropped over Jim''s eyes. "Okay, I hope you can make it to the finals. Let me see what you''re capable of." At this time, Essie was in no condition to worry about Eva. She was in a worse situation, because she managed to get Zac. "Honey, what punishment do you think I''ll give youter?" Zac touched his chin and smiled wickedly, as if he was already the winner. Well, this was his territory, and he owned all of the fish. He was the host. As an outsider, could she even win? ''That''s it. I should set a trap, myself,'' Essie thought. "We still don''t know who''s going to win," she retorted. She pouted her mouth and her face twitched. She knew that the odds weren''t in her favor, but she couldn''t lose her morale. His charming eyes twinkled irrepressibly. With an affectionate grin, he said, "Honey, I know exactly what I''m going to ask as your punishment." Essie''s eyes widened in panic. With that, he unhurriedly turned the fishing line''s gears and assembled a carp fishing hook. Her mind in shreds, Essie stood there at a loss. Why didn''t she think ahead and give him a herring lure? "No, it doesn''t count this time. The fish here won''t eat my bait because they know that you''re their owner. Even if you win, it wouldn''t count." She clicked her tongue scornfully. "Fine, I''ll exchange baits with you." With a sly smile on his face, Zac reached out his big hands and grabbed Essie''s tool box. The woman rolled her eyes wildly and replied, "It''s no use. They still know you''re the boss." The man slowly took out a pair of sunsses from his pocket and put it on, so half of his handsome face was obscured. "Now they won''t recognize me, right?" The woman froze where she stood. Zac got all of the fish and put them into the bucket one by one. Byparison, her bucket was empty save for an inch of water. She was anxious, and her mind desperately churned to find a solution out of her predicament. A sudden inspiration struck her. "Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom." She stood up and pretended to leave. After taking two steps, she suddenly stumbled and fell to the ground. By ''ident'', Zac''s bucket rolled into theke. The fishes escaped happily and soon disappeared. She got up and looked at the empty bucket bouncing in theke. Her thick eyshes fluttered as daintily as wings of a butterfly. "Oops, sorry! I didn''t mean it. How can you fish when you don''t have a bucket?" ''Might as well surrender, babe. You can''t beat me,'' she thought wickedly. Zac grinned, a look of pure affection shining in his eyes. Her naughty trickster personality was so amusing and adorable. In his eyes, she was both cute and sexy. He stretched out his arm, grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms. "It doesn''t matter, I already caught a big fish. I win every time." She smiled yfully, grabbed his cor, and said, "What do you know, so did I. It''s a tie." He gently scratched her nose and remarked, "Then we get to punish each other." Satisfaction was evident in his voice. What did he mean by that? She was the one who would suffer! "I''m going to see how things are going between Eva and Jim," she said hurriedly, grabbing the chance to make her escape. "You have reced the baits. You don''t need to check." Zac gently nibbled at her earlobe, making her shiver. This naughty nine-tailed fox... no wonder nothing could get past him. "You can''t tell Jim about it." She ced her pointer finger on his lips, effectively shutting it. Surprised by the action, she hastily pulled back her finger with a small cry, but Zac grabbed ahold of it and put it back to where it was. She could not help giggling. "You''re even trying to eat my hand! Stop it, you''re not a dog!" His perfect lips curved in a slight smile. "I can keep your secret... but you have to bribe me first." Chapter 147 Her First Kiss Chapter 147 Her First Kiss Essie wiped the sweat off her forehead. Her carelessness just gave Zac the opening he needed. "Well... How about I make you some braised tenderloin with radish? Would you like that?" she asked, trying to sound normal. He shook his head, his expression still mischievous. "I''ll cook whatever you want to eat. But I''m afraid I can''t do anything else for you," she continued. He lowered his head to kiss her pout. "Do you really think a few dishes could keep me away?" "Don''t get too greedy." She pushed away his arms and stood up. "If you''re thinking you can bed me with your attempts, just stop. I''m not the one for you. There are many women there who could warm your bed better than I could." But before she could finish her unnecessary exnation, she found that she had fallen into his trap. Frowning slightly at her, he asked, "Is that what you want? For me to find another woman?" "I don''t want to, but I''m sure you will," Essie replied. Great and powerful men like Zac always attracted gorgeous women begging for their attention. Essie didn''t believe that men like Zac would settle for one woman, let alone someone like her. These men craved for the thrill only exciting women could offer. "You can take me as your private belongings," Zac said in deceitfully soft voice. She was sure it was meant to weaken her. He rested his chin on her shoulder, the back of his fingers gently stroking her face. She turned her head to the glitteringke. The wind was blowing hard enough to create little waves on the water. With a bitter smile on her lips, she said, "I can''t do that." She knew that in his heart, she was just a paltry substitute. She shouldn''t let herself fall deeper into their pretense. She couldn''t expect too much from him. "I disagree. You''re the only one in the world who could." His tone left no room forints. It sounded like a direct order from an emperor to his empress. Unfortunately, she wasn''t the kind of person who would fight with a mistress. Don''t get her wrong, she would never let herself be treated as a substitute to someone else. She would never let herself be a tool to please others. "I won''t. I can''t." She pushed past his embrace. She picked up a stone and threw it into theke. "Let''s go check on Eva and Jim." He heaved a deep sigh, feeling helpless and disappointed. She was sending him mixed signals and it was frustrating him. As soon as they stood up, they heard a scream from the other side of theke. Meanwhile, Eva realized she had caught a bucket full of crabs. There were only a few fish in Jim''s bucket. Obviously, she won. She didn''t know that Essie had changed the bait. In her excitement over her victory, her foot slipped and she fell into theke. Eva knew she had to swim. That much, her brain tried to tell her body to move, to swim, to do anything to survive. But a memory of her drowning before shed before her eyes and her body immediately froze. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. All her fear was aroused. She tried to fight the fear away. Her limbs awkwardly iled against the water. But she was beginning to drink someke water already. Ivy and Daisy saw when Eva fell and tried to call for help. But before anyone else could, Jim had already jumped into the water. William followed him, too. By the time Essie and Zac arrived at the scene, the men had already sessfully saved and pulled Eva out of the water. Eva had already passed out, which terrified Essie. Jim quickly administered CPR on Eva, losing no time before she was coughing up water and gasping for air. Her eyes widened as her lungs filled with air. The crowd around them breathed a collective sigh of relief. When she had finally calmed down enough to stop coughing, Essie and Daisy tried to help her stand up and change into dry clothes. "Eva, are you all right?" Essie asked as she rubbed her best friend''s hair dry. "I''m good, I just choked up a bit back there." Eva took three deep breaths. She had been terrified while she was underwater. But then she remembered what happened before she slipped. Trying her best to ovee the residual fear on her system, she forced out augh. "Essie, did you know I just won over Jim? Ha-ha!" "Miss Eva, Jim saved you from drowning. He even gave you a CPR after you passed out," Daisy said. CPR? Eva froze. CPR? Did that mean... he ced his mouth on her own? Like kissing? Oh my God! Did that bastard steal her first kiss? She then burst into tears, which scared Essie and Daisy. "Eva, what''s wrong? Are you in pain?" Essie worriedly asked. "No, nothing," Eva tried to wave her concern off as she continued to sniffle. "You can leave now. I''d like to be alone for a while." Essie gave her onest look before she nodded her head and took Daisy with her. They left Eva alone and joined the rest of the party downstairs. "Is everything okay with Eva?" Zac asked. "Nothing serious. Just a little scared. Let''s give her some rest," Essie answered. Daisy scratched her head and said, "It''s so weird. I told her that Jim gave her a CPR and she suddenly burst into tears!" Holy made a face at Jim and said, "Brother Jim, maybe she thought you kissed her indirectly?" Jim coughed and pretended he did not hear what Holy said. Was this woman insane? She had fallen into ake and could have drowned to death. Why was she blubbering over an almost-kiss? Did she think he would like to kiss her while she had passed out? What a joke! It was a good thing she wasn''t the type he disliked. He never kissed women he didn''t like. If he didn''t have to save her life, he wouldn''t have broken his rule for her. She should be thanking him, instead of crying. It took a long time before Eva came downstairs with bloodshot eyes. It seemed like she cried hard and long for her stolen first kiss. She walked straight to Jim and said as haughtily as she could, "You lost. You now owe me." "Go ahead," With an indifferent expression on his face, Jim crossed his arms over his chest. He had already guessed what she was thinking about. She wanted to get the leading role in the War Emperor. At one corner of the room, Essie''s eyes sparkled as she watched Jim and Eva. Her n was wless, except when Eva fell into theke but that was an ident. "You did CPR on me today. But don''t tell it to others," Eva said. What? It seemed like her pronouncement shocked two people in the living room: Jim and Essie. Jim looked at her with wide, baffled eyes. Eva could have forced him to give the role to her. Was this woman stupid? His eyes skimmed over her pale little face, as if he wanted to record every tiny detail of her face into his mind. "I promise you," he finally spoke. Essie held Zac''s arm in surprise. Her knees weakened. She asked, "Ice guy, did I hear it wrong?" Zac held her shoulders andforted her in a low voice. "It''s all right, honey. It could be a blessing in disguise." Could it be? With a sad face, Essie buried her head into Zac''s arms again. How did things turn out to be like this? After the scene in the living room, the servants announced that dinner was ready. Everyone was talking andughing as they feasted on good food, but Eva was strangely quiet. Essie did not know if it was because of the kiss or the role that just slipped through her fingers. The only thing Essie could do was to refill her te with food. After dinner, they all went to their respective homes. "You can visit us anytime, okay?" Essie said to Holy. Holy nodded with a smile, his big eyes twinkling. He seemed to have thought of something, and said, "Just a word of precaution, Sister Essie. Zac''s mother visited the manor yesterday and brought the evil witch some news. You must be careful." Although Alice and Holy weren''t staying the family manor anymore, they still had servants in their pockets ready to tell them information as they needed them. Especially information about Elizabeth and her children. Essie shrugged. She had always known there was nothing that could stop Elizabeth and her daughter. It would not be easy to get rid of them. "Thanks for telling me, Holy. Don''t worry, I can handle it," she smiled and patted his head. "We are friends. We will beat the evil witch together." Holy clenched his fist. "Yes, we''re allies." Essie nodded. She closed the door as he left. The butler had prepared the guest room for Eva. As soon as Essie came in, she poked Eva''s forehead with her finger. "Come on, you got the heroine role in the bag and you dumped it again. Why are you acting so carelessly?" At Essie''s words, regret crept into Eva. She took one pillow and screamed her frustrations into it. "I fell into theke and lost my mind. That was my first kiss! And a bastard like Jim ruined it!" "That was your first kiss? Really? You change boyfriends every week. How could that have been your first kiss?" Essie said. "I''m not a loose woman. I still have principles and standards, you know," Eva answered. Essiey on the bed and rolled for a while. Then she burst intoughter and said, "No wonder you changed boyfriends every week. Men always think with their smaller head. If you y their game seriously, they will surely run away in panic." Eva stuck out her tongue at her andughed. "Does that include your husband? Or do you get sweet torture from your husband every night?" Essie threw a pillow at her. She thought she had changed the topic away. Evay beside her, her head propped on one hand. "I still can''t believe that you''re married. And to a young, rich man at that." Essie sighed. Getting married was easy. They could easily go to the Bureau of Civil Affairs to get a marriage license. What was difficult to get was divorce. It was like entering a war zone. It was easy enough to lose yourself into it, but finding ways to get out was difficult. A few wrong turns and you''d find yourself lost and stuck. "Sometimes, I still feel like it''s all a dream." The corners of her mouth tipped up. A fleeting smile that carried all her fragile hope and confused longing. Eva hugged her. She knew that Essie still couldn''t forget Hanson. Essie invested a lot of time and attention on that rtionship. It was very easy to fall in love with someone, but it was difficult to forget someone. "Take it easy. Time will heal everything." Maybe. Essie lowered her eyes and didn''t say anything. After a long time, her eyes blinked fast as if she had thought of something. "Don''t tell any of this to Mandy or else she will kill me." "You can hide the truth from her for a while, but you can''t hide it forever. She will know about it sooner orter," Eva answered. Essie sighed. She didn''t need a lifetime. Five months would be enough. If she got divorced, she would have nothing to do with ice guy. "We can talk about this again when it''s toote to hide it from Mandy," she said in a low voice before she sat up from the bed. When she was about to step off the bed, she noticed the bed railing. Why did this bed look exactly like the one in ice guy''s room? She circled the perimeter of the bed, her big eyes confused. And then a light bulb flickered on in her mind. She hurriedly went out of the room. Chapter 148 You Can Only Be Mine Chapter 148 You Can Only Be Mine Although Essie had already stayed in the vi for several days now, she had never been to other bedrooms except the one she was in. To quench her curiosity, she decided to go around and explore a little bit. One by one, she opened all the doors she saw and cautiously peered inside. The moment she finished doing that, she felt her blood boiling inside of her. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. ''All the beds here are exactly the same!'' she thought, fuming. ''They only have different sizes!'' Zac had her fooled! She walked into their room in a huff. Zac had just taken a bath then and was lying on the bed, ying a game on his iPad. With arms akimbo, Essie red at him. "I want to change my bed!" she hollered. "I want the biggest one! The one in the next room! If you don''t change it, I will sleep in the next room starting tonight! I am not joking!" Zac''s deep-set eyes widened in surprised. ''How did she find out my little secret that fast!'' he thought. He took a deep breath as he put his iPad down. "Honey," he said, smiling innocently. "I think we''re okay with this bed. This is nice, isn''t it?" "Nice?" Essie said incredulously. "Zac, it''s summer! It is too hot for us to sleep in one small bed!" Her lips were now pouted and her eyebrows tightly knitted together. He changing the bed without her knowledge was not something she would tolerate! "Well, we can always turn the air conditioner up, right? I think that should be enough tobat the heat," Zac responded with a shrug. "But don''t you find it weird?" Essie quipped, as if she didn''t hear what Zac just said. "Why are all the beds the same? Aren''t you afraid of entering a different room and not realize it because everything''s practically the same? Is this one of your quirks?" She stared at him in a way that made him feel like he was an alien. Zac didn''t respond and just rolled his eyes. He then reached out his arm and pulled Essie into his arms. "Essie," he said sweetly. "The problem is I don''t have anyone who would decorate the rooms. If you want, I''ll give you authority to change things. Just design every room to your heart''s desire." After a few moments, Essie pushed Zac away slightly and looked him in the eyes. "Well then, if you''re giving me that authority, I want this bed changed immediately." Zac chuckled. Slowly, he put his handsome face close to Essie''s. Their faces were so close that Essie felt Zac''s warm, fresh breath. "Change it if you want, I don''t care," he whispered somewhat seductively. "Because as soon as you fall asleep, I know that you will roll to my side of the bed. So whether our bed is big or small¡ªit really doesn''t matter." Essie felt her face turn red from embarrassment. "Wow! You really think that?" she said, her tone scandalized. "Well, for your information, that is not true! I actually want a bigger bed because I want to stay away from you!" Of course, she would never admit to what Zac said. ''I don''t even know what happens after I fall asleep!'' she thought. Zac sighed and once again rolled his eyes. "Why do you care about beds so much? We''ve already spent a night as a couple!" This statement made Essie''s heart tremble. She had forgotten about it somehow, but she just remembered that she was not a virgin anymore. Every woman''s first time was their most special one, and anything after that meant less or nothing at all. But it was especially hard for her because deep in her heart, sex and love were two inseparable things. She would never sleep with a man who didn''t love her, unless she was drunk or unconscious. Every day, Zac would change the ways he would interact with her in order to take advantage of her more. Despite that, he still looked extremely dissatisfied. ''It seems like he hasn''t gone to Le''s for some time now,'' Essie thought. Was he worried that she would give up in the middle of their mission and use this fact to lure her in? He didn''t need to do all that. "You can have sex with other women," Essie suddenly murmured, her gaze pointed downwards to avoid Zac''s eyes. Immediately, an expression of sadness washed over Zac''s handsome face. "Do you think I''m just some kind of a prop that you can just force onto other people?" he asked, his eyes full of hurt. "Who am I in your life?" Essie asked back with a wry smile on her face. Zac fell silent. Until that moment, he hadn''t really thought of Essie''s ce in his life, his heart. Perhaps he just got excessively attached to her as a person. Or perhaps he just enjoyed the thrill of the game. Or... "You are my wife!" he suddenly blurted out. That was the only answer he could give her. ''Wife?'' Essie thought, surprised. It didn''t take her long to realize what he just said, but when she did, she couldn''t help but chuckle bitterly. His hesitation proved a lot, and it felt like the cold air blowing in from Siberia. Slowly, she felt it freezing her heart. At that moment, she knew that there was nothing else she could do more to understand her rtionship with Zac. The glory of being thedy of his family had attracted thousands of beautifuldies. Unfortunately, it didn''t include her. She wanted a husband who truly loved her, not just someone who was rich and hot. While she was lost in thought, Zac silently got up and walked out of the room. He didn''te back that night. Essie tossed and turned all night long until dawn. When she got up the next day, she discovered that he had already left. Eva also had to go because she had an audition to go to. When she left, an eerie silence nketed the vi. Zac didn''te back until early in the morning. At that time, Essie was still up as she had not felt sleepy at all throughout the whole night. She was on the sofa, flipping through television channels to pass the time. Despite herck of sleep and general absent-mindedness, she made sure that she was paying Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. attention to every car that passed by the vi. In the past, Zac had to attend business activities that required him toe hometer than usual. But during those times, he called her to inform her that he would bete. Today, unfortunately, he didn''t even text her. ''Is he angry at me?'' Essie thought as she pressed a button on the remote control. ''I don''t think I did or said anything wrong. If someone made a mistake, it was him! Why would he be angry at me if he was the one to me?'' All the thinking she was doing was starting to make her head hurt. She continued flipping through the channels, and after a while, she finally heard the sound of a car entering their courtyard. She turned off the TV immediately, ran upstairs to their room, leapt on the bed, and pretended to be asleep. Unfortunately, Zac didn''te in. He merely pushed open the door a little bit, took a look inside, and left. Initially, Essie thought he had only gone to take a shower, but after waiting for a long time, she noticed that he still hadn''te in. Confused, she sneaked out of the bed and looked out through the door''s crack. The corridor was dark and empty. ''He must have slept in a different room,'' she thought. Somehow, she felt a little upset. She didn''t know why Zac was acting the way he was, but she guessed she couldn''t do anything about it. Because of that, she chose to ignore it. ''It would actually be better if he isn''t here,'' she thought, going back to bed. ''I could sleep soundly without anyone disturbing me!'' When she reached the bed, shey down, hugged a pillow, closed her eyes, and began counting sheep in order to sleep. In the next two days, Zac came home past midnight. He also slept in the room next to the room Essie was in and would go out silently every morning, saying nothing to Essie. On the third day, Essie felt her heart breaking. As shey on the bed, she looked at the digital rm clock on her bedside table. It was already one o''clock in the morning. She still hadn''t heard Zac''s car entering the courtyard. Before, she thought that the bed she was lying on was too small. Now, however, it felt very big. It made her feel so lonely inside. ''Has he already found another woman?'' she thought, feeling gloomy. ''It was Le, right?'' Zac and Le hadn''t seen each other for a long time. Essie thought that they probably had finally met up, and now, they were acting like the positive and negative poles of a ma¡ªincredibly attracted to each other and could not bear to be separated from one another. Somehow, Essie''s brain conjured up a picture of Zac and Le hugging, all lovely and romantic. It somehow made her feel worse than she was already feeling, so she tried to get rid of what was in her head. Unfortunately, she was unsessful. She did everything she could, however: put a pillow over her face, watched a video to distract herself from the said imagery, told herself that it was not real. Nothing worked. It seemed like the venomous snake of jealousy sneaked in from the open window of her room, crept into her bed and into her heart, and made a home in it, not willing to leave and making her suffer more and more. When she finally couldn''t take it anymore, she jumped up, rushed out of the room, and went directly to the bar counter downstairs. She quickly opened a bottle of wine and filled a huge wine ss with its contents. She then drank it all up in one go. The numbness brought about by the alcohol eased the inexplicable suffering she was feeling in her heart, and so she drank one after another. She was on her fifth ssful when suddenly, a big hand reached over her shoulder and took her ss. "It''ste. Why don''t you go to bed?" Zac said in a low voice. She turned around and squinted at him drunkenly. "What the hell do you think you''re doing, Zac?" she slurred. "Give me my fucking wine ss back! Leave me alone!" She reached out her hand to grab the ss in his hand but she stumbled over a chair and fell forward. Thanks to Zac''s good reflexes, he was able to catch her in time. "You are drunk, Essie," Zac said, his voice getting quieter and quieter. "I''ll take you upstairs." "I said go away!" Essie shouted, thrashing about, trying to get Zac''s arms off of her. "What I''m doing is none of your business. I will drink because I want to drink!" She pushed him away with mighty force, picked up the wine bottle on the bar counter and drank from it directly. "Stop drinking." Zac firmly grabbed the bottle from Essie''s hand and set it back on the bar counter. With his strong arms, he lifted Essie to her shoulders and went upstairs. Essie struggled against his hold, but she was unsessful despite hitting him repeatedly on his back. "Let go of me, Zac, you fucking bastard! I hate you! I hate you so much!" A hint of bitterness crept into Zac''s eyes. "I know. I''ll do my best so you won''t have to worry, or feel this way ever again." His voice was low and hoarse, like a wounded cheetah gasping for breath. His face, on the other hand, was awash with sadness, bitterness, and anger. ''I should really calm down,'' he thought. The thing he hated the most was the feeling of losing control. He hated the feeling of being influenced by anyone, especially by Essie. She was his wine. He wanted to drink her all up, but he knew that he had to stop at some point because if he didn''t, he would end up spiraling out of control. In this game of chasing, he must be on top. He carried her to their room and gently put her on the bed. When he turned around to leave, Essie suddenly grabbed his arm and said somberly, "Don''t go! Have you forgotten? You are mine, no one else''s! You are not allowed to look at other women! You belong to me, do you understand that, Zac?!" Zac felt insides tremble. Swiftly, he turned back around to face Essie, his previously gloomy eyes seemed to have been lit up by fire. "What did you say?" he said harshly. "You idiot! Say that again!" He was afraid that he misheard her, so he bent down and held her face in his hands. His hands trembled because of the sudden surge of happiness in his brain. "Don''t leave me, please. Zac... please don''t..." With her consciousness under the influence of excessive amounts of alcohol, Essie wrapped her arms around Zac''s neck tightly, as if that would be thest time she would be able to do that. "Okay," Zac responded sweetly. "I won''t go." He held her as tightly as she held him. For him, it felt like he was holding a treasure that he had lost and had just recovered. Essie had that effect on him. Even the simplest thing from her would automatically make him lose sight of reason and everything else. "Are you going to make me mad?" Zac said, as he felt Essie started touching him. He held her touching hand in his. He took deep breaths and focused on bing calm. "You bastard!" Essie responded through gritted teeth. "I know you don''t want me. You want to be with your childhood sweetheart, am I right?" It seemed like she was irritated once again, and judging by her eyes, it became clear that her heart was full of deep resentment. Since she could not move her hands anymore, basically due to fatigue caused by hitting Zac too many times, she lowered her head and bit down on his shoulder instead. Zac didn''t really feel pain as Essie was too drunk to power up her attack. "I don''t know what I am doing even when I am sober!" she admitted. Her level of drunkenness showed when she became honest and mumbled to herself, "I should hate you, Zac. I was upset when you weren''ting here and were ignoring me. Why did you do that to me?" She looked lost¡ªlike a child trapped in a maze, unable to find a way out. "Maybe you have begun to care about me, but you just haven''t admitted it to yourself," said Zac. He gazed at her affectionately, and his charming ck eyes were filled with tenderness. "I don''t care about you at all!" Essie said, her speech slurred by alcohol. "I love Hanson! I just want the Valery thing to be over as soon as possible so that I can divorce you and marry him instead!" She shook her head as she spoke, further distorting her speech. Zac frowned and a glint of anger shed across his eyes. Essie''s words were like a lightning out of the blue, destroying his good mood. He pinched the tip of her chin and raised her face so that her eyes met his. With his chest heaving heavily due to fury, he said, "You are mine, Essie. You are no one else''s. Stop fantasizing about marrying other people!" Chapter 149 Mother-in-law Welcomes A Home Wrecker Chapter 149 Mother-inw Wees A Home Wrecker The afternoon rays of sunshine shone into the room through the opened curtains and woke Essie from her sleep. She yelped. She felt dizzy and her bones felt as if they had been torn off her and re-installed and they were in danger of falling apart any time. She opened her eyes in a daze and saw a handsome face beside her. "You''re awake." The man rested his head on one of his hands and looked at her with a yful expression. There wasziness and satisfaction in his eyes. "When did youe back?" Essie was a little surprised. Wasn''t he nning on ignoring her? Why did hee to her again? "Honey, why do you always snap at a critical moment?" The coldness from his fingers gave Essie a chill. She took a look at her body under the quilt quickly. Oh my God! She was... "Zac, you... You..." She felt both annoyed and ashamed at the same time. Suddenly her face was covered with a burning sensation and she buried her head into the quilt like a snail. Then, she said, "Zac, you took advantage of me again!" "Honey, it was you who took the initiativest night," said the manzily in a low and deep voice. "Nonsense, impossible." It was obvious that he seduced her while she was drunk. With a vicious smile, Zac reached out his big hand to caress her head. "Honey, you were drunk. You might remember it after thinking about it hard." "I don''t want to remember it. It''s better to bury the memory for the rest of my life." She turned her head angrily only to hear her stomach growl, and she realized that she hadn''t eaten anything sincest night. A servant brought her lunch. It included ck chicken soup, braised beef in soy sauce, and white spareribs. All of them were her favorite foods. She was absolutely starving, so she ravished her food like a beast. "Honey, eat slowly. You might choke." The man beside her courteously served her some food. "Aren''t you going to eat something?" She pouted. Why did he always look so energetic and full of blood vitality? "I''ll eat after you finish eating." He smiled, and his eyes filled up with love. Essie didn''t care about anything but her food anymore. She didn''t even care about eating in a prim and proper way. She never had to keep a good image in front of him anyway. "Honey, did you miss me very much while I was away?" he said lightly when she finished herst bite. Essie choked at his words, so she quickly picked up the soup and took a sip. "Don''t think too much of yourself. You are always harassing me and squeezing me. Without you, I can do whatever I want in bed and get out whenever I want, so I always have a very good sleep." "Really?" He frowned and asked, "Then why did you get drunkst night?" "I... I didn''t mean for it to happen. I heard from you that the wine from France is the best, so I just wanted to try it. It tasted really good, so I ended up drinking a little too much. I got drunk because of my carelessness," Essie exined haltingly. She didn''t miss him at all. She didn''t even have a single trace of love for him at all. She had just be a little dependent on him. That was why whenever he wasn''t around, she felt a little ufortable. "Then why did you say that I am yours and that I can''t be with other women?" Zac touched his chin and looked at her with deep and sharp eyes, as if he could see right through her with a single nce. She quickly lowered her eyes, letting her long eyshes cover her flickering eyes. When she heard him mention being with someone else, she suddenly got very angry. "You demanded me to keep my chastity and self-discipline. Shouldn''t you do the same?" He leaned against the headboard of the bed and put his hands on the back of his head. Then, with a yful smile on his face, he said, "I was only following your words. You gave me the green light and told me to look for another woman." Essie felt upset. ''When I asked you to find another woman, you did it. So if I wanted you to break everything off with Le, would you do it, too?'' thought she inwardly. Upon seeing that Essie was quiet, Zac raised his finger and tilted her chin up to face him. "Don''t worry, honey. If you are always as enthusiastic as you werest night, I might consider keeping my integrity for you." "You''re such a bastard! You pervert!" She hit him on the shoulder. She would never give him another chance to get close to her. He took a lock of her hair behind her neck and yed with it with great interest as the smile at the corners of his mouth deepened. He was loving this game of cat and mouse more and more. But he had to control himself and be careful not to be the mouse. In the afternoon, Mary called them and asked them to go to the family home. Essie''s intuition told her that another storm was about toe. And as soon as they entered the living room, she immediately saw Elizabeth and Valery. In her mind, Essie sneered again. She had been mentally preparing herself for whatever maye since Holy told her that Mary had gone to see Elizabeth. She wanted to see what they had up their sleeves today. After Essie took a seat with Zac, Mary opened her mouth to speak at once. "Zac, Essie, there is something I wanted to tell you. I''ve asked Valery to live here." Essie rolled her dark eyes again. When Mrs. Vicki brought Elizabeth and her children to the manor, the house turned into a total mess. Fortunately, she and Zac didn''t live there. Valery was definitely ying a one-sided game, and she couldn''t affect Essie''s mood. However, Zac didn''t even take it seriously. "It doesn''t matter to me. You are the boss here. It''s up to you," he said with an indifferent tone. Mary nodded her head and winked at Elizabeth. Elizabeth sighed heavily and said, "Over the past few days, Valery has been figuring things out at home. She no longer holds any grudge against you from being gossiped about by outsiders. She just wants to live a good life with you. You''re the only one she loves, and she is pregnant with your child. She will be yours for the rest of her life. She won''t even marry another man. As long as Essie stops making things difficult for her, she and Essie will get along well." Now that Zac had announced the news of their marriage, it was impossible to get him and Essie to divorce and make him marry her daughter. This was all she could do now to make any progress. She wanted her daughter to improve her fighting skills and improve herself, so she could grind Essie down once the opportunity arose, just like she did to Luce fifty years ago. Zac shed a mocking smile at her. "Aunt, Valery is still the daughter of a rich family. Why do you have to disgrace yourselves for no reason?" Valery responded to him tearfully, "Because I love you! I can''t love anyone for the rest of my life except for you. Even if I can''t be your wife, I''d be satisfied to be the mommy of your child. All I want is to stay with you. I don''t care about anything else. I will no longer fight for you or steal you from Essie. If you can''t even agree to this small request, my child and I would rather die. What would be the point of living?" She whimpered over the lines that her mother had made up for her. In her heart, she hated saying all of that so much that she just had to grit her teeth. What she really wanted was to rip off Essie''s skin, pull out her tendons, and drain her blood. ''I won''t let Essie lead afortable life in the family. I must destroy her and take back my position,'' Valery said in her heart. Mary patted her hand and tried tofort her with a soft voice. "Don''t cry. Crying during pregnancy is This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. bad for the baby." She had always treated Valery as her own daughter, and now that she was pregnant with her grandson, she had gotten even fonder of Valery. On the other hand, she didn''t have a good impression of Essie. She was even disgusted with her. She had been disgusted with her from the first moment she saw her. She didn''t like the way she looked, and just as Elizabeth had said, she knew that girl was going to bring them bad luck. In Mary''s heart, Essie was the real other woman who was standing in the way of her son and Valery''s rtionship. She was sabotaging their rtionship and forcing her precious grandson to be an illegitimate child before he could even be born. Zac looked at Valery coldly and said, "If that''s the choice you want to make, then I have nothing to say. But please keep in mind that Essie is the only one who can be my wife, not anyone else." The corners of Valery''s mouth twitched, but she managed to hold back the anger in her heart. She gritted her teeth and managed to squeeze out a few words, "I know." She kept her mother''s advice that haste makes waste in mind. Her mother was able to defeat Luce and be Mrs. Elizabeth, and so would she. A small smile appeared on Mary''s face when she heard her son agree to Valery''s request. She didn''t care about what he said after that. Right now, Valery, as a pregnant woman, was still very weak, but after the baby was born, she could fight back. Moreover, when that happened, Zac would stop giving Essie all the attention and instead focus on the baby. Valery could use that to get Zac''s love. She turned to Essie and said, "Essie, I hope you can get along well with her. Although you''re Zac''s wife, Valery is still the mother of Zac''s child. You''re in the same position." Essie sneered in her heart at her mother-inw''s words. There was a world of difference among people. Some mothers-inw would do everything to help their son and daughter-inw fix their marriage if they quarreled with each other. Meanwhile, other moms would do everything to cause trouble in her son''s marriage for fear that he and his wife would live a peaceful life together for the rest of their lives. Mary was exactly like thetter. As Zac''s mother, she thought she knew her son better than others, but in hindsight, she didn''t actually know her son at all, and she was just doing whatever she wanted. Maybe it didn''t matter as Zac wasn''t her husband. If she had the chance, she would ask Minny toe back home and take care of her father-inw. But would Mary be able to stand having Minny in the same position as her? With an arm around Essie''s shoulders, Zac looked at Mary and said, "Mommy, you are the head of the family here, but in my home, Essie is the hostess. She knows what she has to do. You don''t need to worry about it." Mary''s face turned pale. Apparently, she was just an outsider in her own son''s eyes. It would have been better if he had married Valery, but now he had chosen to marry Essie. He had even abandoned the family and left it in shambles. If she didn''t get involved, things would get even more out of control. Seeing her helpless expression, Elizabeth couldn''t help but frown. If only Zac were a man who would listen to every word his mother said as Baron did, they wouldn''t have much trouble getting him to marry Valery. Now, she needed to think of a way to deal with Essie. Back then, she worked so hard and plotted very hard to get her daughter pregnant. If she could get her daughter pregnant, then she wasn''t going to let anyone take Zac away from her daughter. Chapter 150 A Flash In The Pan (Part One) Chapter 150 A sh In The Pan (Part One) Elizabeth sent Sage to serve Valery again. She believed that she was the most suitable person to serve her daughter. That woman had a lot of evil ideas and was bold. More than that, her entire family was dependent on Valery''s family, so she would not be easily bought off by others. When Zac kicked her, she had to stay in the hospital for a week. So at first, she was afraid to go to Zac''s house again, but when Elizabeth offered to give her a small house to live in in the future, she immediately agreed. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. People died for money, and rats died for food! She swore to help Valery kick the tramp out even if at the expense of her own life. At that moment, Essie was having a stroll with Zac in the garden. Mary had asked them to stay for dinner. Zac wanted to turn her down since he wanted to have dinner in his own vi, out of sight and out of mind. But to his surprise, Essie agreed without hesitation. "Honey, let''s have dinner at our own home, just the two of us," Zac suggested as he took a seat on the stone bench. Essie randomly picked another gardenia and put it under her nose. She said, "Ice guy, I''ve made up my mind. We''re going to move back here!" Zac was taken aback. "Why?" "This is your family''s house, and I''m the realdy, but right now I''m living outside while your mistress is living here. Does that mean that my position has been indirectly upied by another woman?" Zac shook his head andughed. What a strange little head his wife had! She always thought so clearly when it involved her own interest. He stroked her head lovingly and said, "Aren''t you afraid that Valery will keep bothering you all day long if we move back in?" Essie winked and put her arm on Zac''s shoulder, saying, "Ice guy, will you take my side no matter what I do?" "Of course." Zac nodded. His tone was firm, decisive and not at all hesitant. "What if I quarrel with your mommy?" Her finger slowly trailed down from his forehead and stopped at the edge of his lips. He parted his lips, kept her fingertip in his mouth, and said at once, "I will take your side." "Why? She is your biological mother." Essie raised her eyebrows slightly, thinking that he was just coaxing her. He released her fingertip and pecked her gently on the lips. "You are a weak person, so I have to back you up." Essie then burst intoughter, and it sounded like a string of silver bells colliding gently against each other in the wind. Her crispughter flowed with the breeze as she said, "Now, I''m not worried anymore. We can just deal with everything when it happens. Valery may have my mother-inw''s support, but I have my husband''s, so we are well matched." He smiled and touched the tip of her nose. "You are stronger than her, honey." "Why?" Essie''s long thick eyshes fluttered in confusion. "It''s all up to me, honey." His charming eyes glimmered under the sun with the tenderness of spring water. Not far away, Valery was hiding behind the rockery and peeking at them. She felt as if she was had been drenched in jealousy, and every single pore in her body was dripping with it. Zac had never smiled to her that way, and he had never treated her in such a gentle manner. How could this low-ss bug get his love? What was so good about her? That girl was born in an ordinary family that didn''t have a strong background. She didn''t have anything to offer except her good looks. But she, on the other hand, as the daughter of a rich family, had the power to do anything. Sage patted her on the shoulder tofort her and said, "Miss Valery, Mr. Zac just wants to have fun with that seductress for a while. He will get tired of her one day. You have a trump card in your belly, and you will be the final winner." Valery touched her bulging belly, and an extremely malicious and cold light shed through her eyes. She was right. Zac would only be interested in that woman while she was still young and beautiful. Meanwhile, the more time he would spend with his son, the more he would love him. At dinner time, Mary announced to the whole family that she had invited Valery to live in her house. It meant that she had acted first and reported afterwards. Albert''s gentle andposed face suddenly turned gloomy. Mary was a smart woman who had a sense of propriety in everything she did. That was why he trusted her to run the household. However, when it came to matters involving Valery, she was different and quite insensible. It seemed that she would be happy to cause a mess in the family. But Valery was the daughter of Baron, and she did try her best just to get into this family and be Zac''s concubine. If he refused again, it would be like pping her family. It would just be even more impossible for them toe to an agreement. He took a sip of tea, raised his head and looked at Mary. Then, he said slowly, "Since Valery has moved in our house, she must be taken good care of. You should pay a lot of attention to her. However, even though her formal wedding with Zac hasn''t been held yet, Essie is still the daughter-inw of our family. She can take care the family household with you and share your burdens." Hearing her husband''s words, Marry shuddered. What was the meaning of this? Mary didn''t expect her daughter-inw to share the power with her when she had just gotten married with her son. Did Albert want Essie to be on equal footing with her mother-inw? She felt awful. Although she had been married to Albert for more than twenty years, she still could not figure out what he was thinking sometimes. "But she hasn''t even met our parents. Nor has the wedding ceremony been held. They are not officially married yet. Let''s talk about it after the wedding." She tried her best to keep her voice calm. "I called them yesterday and told them that Zac has gotten married. Both of them were very happy to hear it. As for the wedding, it is nothing but a formality. Essie will take over the family affairs sooner or saying that, Albert asked uncle Li toe and ordered him to help Essie get familiar with everything in the mansion. Chapter 151 A Flash In The Pan (Part Two) Chapter 151 A sh In The Pan (Part Two) Essie found her father-inw very kind and amiable, and he always seemed to look out for her. Once it was time for her to get a divorce with Zac, she would feel very sorry for him. On the other hand, Zac was also full of admiration for his dad. No wonder Albert was the head of the family¡ªhe was so wise. While the servants were serving dinner, Zac said in a careless tone, "Essie likes having a lively atmosphere, and thinks living in a house with just me is too lonely, so we decided to move back." "It''s time you went home." Albert gave his son a subtle smile. At the dinner table, Valery was actually the most upset one. If Essie''s role and status had been consolidated, she was an even bigger threat to her. The more power Essie had, the more threatened Valery became. In the evening, Zac apanied his father to his study to y chess. Meanwhile, Essie watched some TV with Ivy. When she heard that there were a few new Epiphyllum flowers in the garden and that they bloomed at 9:00 every night, Essie jumped up in excitement and immediately ran to the garden to wait for them. She had never seen Epiphyllum flower bloom right before her eyes. She had recently begun designing a new series of clothes, so she was hoping to find some inspiration. When Essie came to the flower bed, she found that Valery was also there. Apparently, she had also could make a wish right before they bloomed, and she thought it would be good for her to make a wish for love, so she came to give it a shot. Valery wanted to drive away Essie, and make Zac fall in love with her. Upon seeing Essie, she cast a stern nce at her and asked, "Are you here to make a wish too?" A faint smile appeared on Essie''s face. She wasn''t interested in doing such a childish thing. In the past, every time she saw a meteor, she would make a wish in hopes of marrying Hanson and bing his wife. However, her wish never came true. Perhaps the meteor was just too far away to hear her, or maybe it heard her wrong so she ended up marrying Zac. "I''m just here to see the Epiphyllum bloom," she said casually as she squatted down beside the flower bed. "In my opinion, your marriage with Mr. Zac is only a sh in the pan, like the flower," said Sage with a voice dripping with sarcasm. Essie sneered, "Isn''t your chest aching?" Her tone sounded light, but the warning in her words seemed even deadlier than lead. Sage shivered and subconsciously covered her chest with her hand. Heaven was not being cooperative that night. Dark clouds quietly gathered up in the sky, and with a gale came the pouring ofrge droplets of rain. They all hurried into the pavilion to get shelter from the rain. Holding her trembling arms, Valery said, "Sage, I''m so cold. Do you think I''ll catch a cold?" "Miss Valery, you might catch a cold from the strong wind. Wait here. I''ll go to get an umbre and a nket." Sage was just about to rush out when Valery grabbed her arm. "No, I don''t want to be left with her alone. What if she tries to hurt me and my child?" Essie rolled her eyes at the two of them. Sage agreed with Valery. ''This woman must hate Miss Valery and the baby in her belly so much. If I leave, she will certainly take this opportunity to harm them. Miss Valery might even get a miscarriage because of her,'' Sage thought to herself. Sage came over and wrapped her arms around Valery to warm her up. Neither she nor Valery brought their cell phones with them, so they couldn''t ask someone to bring them umbres. All they could do was wait for the rain to stop. Then, with a sinister smile, Valery said, "Essie, get me a nket and an umbre." Her tone sounded like she was ordering a servant. "Yes, that''s a good idea. You''re not pregnant, so it''s okay for you to get wet in the rain," Sage said before Essie could say anything. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Essie sneered. Arrogant and bossy people were never willing to lower their noble heads even if they were asking for help. "You wait here," Essie said coldly before running out of the pavilion. "Hurry up! Don''t dy on purpose. Otherwise, I''ll catch a cold, and I''ll tell mommy about it," Valery shouted at Essie. ''Shit!'' Essie cursed in her mind. The rain was pouring so heavily that she immediately got wet all over. If it weren''t for the fact that ice guy cared about the baby, she wouldn''t have even considered helping that woman. There was more than one garden in the vi, and they were in the one that was farthest away from the main house. While she was running through the bamboo forest, she didn''t notice the stone in front of her and she stumbled over it by ident. She immediately felt a sharp pain on her knees. She clenched her teeth, stood up, and limped forward. In the living room, the moment Ivy saw her disheveled appearance, she quickly stood up and approached her. "Essie, were you watching the Epiphyllum when it rained? Oh, your knees are bleeding. Did you fall? Why didn''t you just take shelter in the pavilion for a while and ask a servant to bring you an umbre?" "I forgot to bring my cell phone with me. Valery is still there, so please arrange for someone to bring her a nket and an umbre. Don''t let her catch a cold," Essie said breathlessly. Ivy nodded and called a servant. Then, the servant ran out at once with a nket and an umbre. Essie returned to her room, and as soon as she took off the wet clothes, Zac suddenly came in. Seeing her curvy figure, an evil smile appeared on his face and he said, "Honey, you''re such a good wife. Did you take off your clothes while waiting for me?" Chapter 152 Too Difficult To Be Good (Part One) Chapter 152 Too Difficult To Be Good (Part One) In a panic, Essie covered herself with a towel and asked, "How did you get in?" She distinctly remembered locking the door. "I have the key." Zac smiled mischievously. Then he came over to her and took her into his arms. Feeling the cold temperature of her body, he paused and asked, "Are you cold?" After getting wet in the rain, how could she not feel cold? "Let go of me. I need to change my clothes." She tried to push him away as hard as she could but she ended up grunting in pain. She had identally pulled on her injured knee after putting in all her strength to push him. It was not until then that Zac noticed that her knees were still bleeding. He guided her towards the bed and helped her sit down. From the corner of his eyes, he caught a glimpse of the wet clothes on the floor. He frowned and asked, "What happened?" "I got wet in the rain when I went to see the Epiphyllum, and I fell on the ground on my way back," Essie said in a casual tone. Zac stroked her head tenderly then took out the first aid kit and disinfected her wound before applying some medicine. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Once he was done, he asked Jane to cook some ginger soup to help Essie get warm. Jane turned around and was just about to leave when Essie stopped her. "Please cook a little extra and send a bowl of soup to Miss Valery as well," she said. "Yes, mydy." Jane nodded and walked out. "Did Valery also get wet in the rain?" Zac asked casually after hearing what Essie said to Jane. She pouted as she said, "Don''t worry. She was in the pavilion, so she didn''t get wet in the rain. I want to send her some ginger soup out of my simple concern that she might catch a cold." With a smile, Zac pulled her into his arms and said, "Honey, are you jealous?" She rolled her eyes and replied, "I''m not the kind of person who overthinks that kind of thing." She didn''t love him. How could she be jealous? After a while, Jane entered their room with a bowl of ginger soup in hand. "Have you given some to Miss Valery as well?" Essie asked. "Yes, but Miss Valery said that she can''t stand the smell of ginger, so she asked me to throw it away," Jane answered. She felt that serving Miss Valery was much more difficult than serving her owndies. With a sigh, Essie asked Jane to bring the other bowl of ginger soup to her as well. She drank all the soup herself as she didn''t like wasting food. After that, Zac let her take a hot bath. When she returned to bed, all she wanted was to sleep Zac knew that she was still tired fromst night, so he quietly took her in his arms and let her have a good rest without disturbing her. She curled up in his arms like a meek kitten. Since he was not by her side these past few days, she wasn''t able to sleep well at all. The more time they spent together, the more she seemed to rely on him. She couldn''t let herself get used to that. After all, he wasn''t the one she would spend the rest of her life with. They would have to break up sooner orter, so she had to get rid of her dependence on him. It was a quiet night, but Sage''s shouting in the middle of the night woke them up. Valery suffered from the cold wind brought about by the rain earlier that day, and on top of that, she refused to drink the ginger soup Essie gave her to dispel the cold, so she caught a cold and fever in the middle of the night. Mary called the doctor immediately and asked him toe to the house. Since she was pregnant and wasn''t allowed to take any medicine, the doctor suggested some physical remedies to cool down her temperature. "How could she catch a cold all of a sudden?" Mary was worried about her grandson. "It''s all her fault." Sage took the opportunity to shift the me to Essie. She red at her and said, "We asked her to fetch an umbre and a nket, but she took so long and the cold wind kept blowing on our miss. She must have done it deliberately. She hoped that Miss Valery would catch a cold and the baby in her belly will be harmed." "Shut up!" Zac snapped, and a murderous look shed in his eyes. ''So my wife got totally soaked from the rain and ended up scratching her knees because these two made her fetch an umbre from the main house for them. And in spite of that, they weren''t showing her any gratitude and were even trying to make her look like the bad guy. It seemed like I didn''t teach this rat a good enough lessonst time. I should have cut off her tongue so that she wouldn''t have been able to speak for the rest of her life,'' he thought angrily. When Sage saw that he was furious, she quickly hid behind Mary. "Well, we can talk about this matter after Valery''s fever goes down," Mary said, giving Essie an insidious look. She was sure that Essie yed a trick on Valery on purpose. She had double standards for people she hated. To her, it didn''t matter what that person did¡ªthey were always wrong. Essie sneered. It turned out that there was nothing she could do for these people to see her as a good person. She tried her best to help out, but not only did her good deed go unappreciated, but she was even med for what happened afterwards. After taking a warm bath, Valery''s fever went away. Mary was relieved, and she asked Jane to make ginger soup for Valery. "Earlier this day, our Lady Essie asked me to cook a bowl of ginger soup and send it to Miss Valery, but Miss Valery refused to drink because she said she hated the smell of ginger," Jane muttered. She thought, ''All this drama wouldn''t have happened if she had just drunk the soup when I brought it to her.'' Mary waved her hand dismissively. "She still has to drink it. Add more sugar." After Jane left, Mary turned to Zac and said, "You have to go to thepany tomorrow. Go to bed early. You can just leave Essie, Jane, and Sage to take care of Valery here." She had made up her mind that Essie should stay and serve in the ''care group'' for Valery. In her mind, Essie was the culprit, and she was the reason Valery caught a cold. She would never let her get away with what she did. Essie knew exactly what Mary was thinking and what she was up to, but she didn''t say anything and decided to do as her mother-inw wished. She was fine with it anyway. Zac frowned and said, "Mommy, Sage and Jane have enough hands to take care of Valery. Essie got wet in the rain today and her knees got injured. Besides, she has to record the program tomorrow. She must have a good rest." Chapter 153 Too Difficult To Be Good (Part Two) Chapter 153 Too Difficult To Be Good (Part Two) Mary pursed her lips and said, "No matter what you say, she is still liable for Valery''s cold, so it is her duty to stay and take care of Valery." Zac''s eyes shed angrily again. "Mommy, I''m not expecting you to be fair to everyone, but please, at least don''t lose the ability to tell right from wrong." With that, he lifted Essie up and carried her out of the room. "Zac!" Mary was outraged. She thought of what Elizabeth said about how those women who wanted to outlive their husbands all possessed the charm to bewitch their husbands. Now, her son was in such a situation. It was horrible. Zac came back to their bedroom andid Essie on the bed. His eyes were full of love. "You idiot, don''t do such a silly thing again. What if you also catch a cold?" "I''m fine. I can take some medicine if I catch a cold." She smiled lightly, "Don''t you care about that child? I had to protect him for you." "I care about you more. You need to take care of yourself properly." His voice was like a gentle night breeze, and his gaze was so tender that the tenderness almost seemed to flow from his eyes. Hearing Zac''s words, Essie felt like a droplet of water had fallen on the peacefulke that was her heart N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. and caused numerous ripples. ''He cares about me? Why does he care about me?'' she asked herself in her heart. Then she realized something and smiled with self-mockery. Of course he cared about her. Without her, who would be his cannon fodder and Le''s substitute? Although there were a lot of women on the, it wouldn''t be easy to find another woman who could be dealt with without worries. A sad smile quietly appeared on Essie''s face, and she buried her head in the pillow so that Zac wouldn''t notice it. The next day, Valery spent the whole day in bed, pouring all her resentment about what happened to her on Essie. It was Essie, after all, who deliberately took a long time to fetch the nket and umbre so that she would catch a cold. She burst into tears in Mary''s arms, "Mommy, she must hate me and the baby very much. It is quite obvious that she''s always trying to find an opportunity to hurt me and the baby. You see? She also moved in here when she found out that I was moving in." "It would be strange if she didn''t hate you and the baby. From now on, you should be more careful and stay away from her. Don''t mention it in front of Zac, either. He will just be unhappy with you. It was a good thing for Zac toe back and live with us anyway. This way, you can spend more time with each other," Maryforted her while patting her back. "What''s so good about her? Zac is so bewitched by her. And that is not all. Even daddy is on her side. He even asked her to assist you in running the household. How would she even know how to manage a big family like this when she came from an ordinary small family?" Valery sniffed. "It all depends on her abilities. Let''s wait and see." A hint of slyness appeared in Mary''s eyes. The more Essie didn''t understand, the better it would be. This way, her husband would see that their daughter-inw was not qualified to be the hostess of the family. By the time Essie finished shooting the program, it was already evening, and Zac was waiting for her outside the studio. There was no way he was going to let Hanson take her away again. As soon as they went upstairs, Mary came up to them and said, "Zac,e and see Valery. She has a bad cold, and she can''t take any medicine. She has had to endure it all by herself all day, and she''s been really ufortable." Zac looked at Essie, as if to ask permission. With a small smile on her face, Essie said, "You can go now. I''ll go back to our room first." "I''ll be back soon." He touched her face, turned around, and started walking towards Valery''s room. At the sight of him, Valery''s tears trickled down her cheeks, making her look quite pitiful. "Zac, I feel very ufortable!" She wanted to act coquettishly, but Zac didn''t have even a hint of pity on his face. "Drink more water, and you''ll recover faster." "Zac, can youe and talk to the baby? His mommy is sick, so he must be afraid. He won''t be afraid anymore when he hears his daddy''s voice." She reached her hand out to him in anticipation. He hesitated for a while, then he walked over to her and put his hand on her belly. He had endured for such a long time just to protect this child and all he hoped for was that she could give birth to him without a hitch. "Baby, daddy is here. Don''t be afraid. I will protect you," he whispered. The child seemed to have heard his voice, and kicked Valery''s belly. "Zac, the baby is moving. He is responding to you," Valery said exuberantly. She was thinking to herself that her baby must have known that his mommy had been wronged and he wanted to help his mommy get his daddy back. A trace of a smile appeared on Zac''s mouth. "Mr. Zac, please talk some more to the baby," Sage suggested, taking the opportunity to get him to spend more time with Valery. She could tell how much Zac cared for the baby, and she knew that the baby was the only hope for her youngdy to win him back. Zac gazed at Valery''s belly with tenderness in his eyes. "Baby, how about daddy tells you a story so you can fall asleep?" Meanwhile, in the corridor... After her son went into Valery''s room, Mary started to look for Essie. She had to warn her, in case she was nning on doing something bad to the baby in Valery''s belly again. Essie didn''t sleep well the night before, and she had just spent the entire day recording the program. She was exhausted, and all she wanted was to take a shower and go to bed. When she saw Mary enter the room, she could only cheer herself up and greet her. "Essie, did you mind me asking Zac to spend more time with Valery?" Mary smiled, but her smile didn''t reach her eyes. "Of course not. You don''t have to ask me about this," Essie replied indifferently. "I know you can''t ept the fact that Valery has a son with Zac, but you have to understand that she is not a home-wrecker. She has known him for a long time, and she became pregnant with his child before he even knew you. She didn''t destroy your rtionship with Zac. Instead, you''re the one who got involved in their rtionship. If it weren''t for you, they would have gotten married already," Mary said slowly. Essie immediately understood that Mary was implying that she was the home-wrecker. She smiled slightly and said, "If you have something to say, just say it." Chapter 154 Collude In Doing Evil Chapter 154 Collude In Doing Evil "Okay, I''ll get to the point," Mary said in a serious tone. "I don''t want this ident to happen again, and it doesn''t matter to me whether you did it intentionally or not. Valery''s baby is the eldest grandson of our family. If anyone dares to hurt him, I will not spare that person." "Don''t worry. I won''t do anything for her anymore." With a soft voice, Essie said these words in a neither overbearing nor servile manner. There was a muscle on Mary''s face that twitched a little. Last night, she asked Essie to take care of Valery but she didn''t do it, and today she even said such words to block her. She wouldn''t have dared to challenge the authority of her mother-inw if she wasn''t under the protection of Zac. "Valery is pregnant. You are responsible for taking care of her. To be thedy of our family, you have to be tolerant and generous. If you are not mature yet and can''t do this, you''d better not interfere in the affairs of our family for the meantime." Mary''s voice was slow and low, but full of threats. Essie understood that Mary was quite unhappy about the fact that Albert had asked her to help his wife with running the household. But she actually had no intention of taking part in the affairs of the family. In fact, she had even been thinking about how to refuse Albert. What Mary said caught her interest because she hated doing anything that would please her opponents. Apparently, her rejection of that responsibility was exactly what her mother-inw and Valery wanted. "Mommy, you''re just overthinking things. That kid will be born from a concubine''s belly, so he can''t inherit the properties of the family. He won''t be a threat to me at all. I will only end up destroying the rtionship between me and Zac if I hurt him, and I am not that stupid. As for running this household, since daddy asked me to help you, I will do my best to live up to his expectations." Her tone was casual, as if she was just talking about some insignificant game. Mary''s face darkened. The word ''concubine'' pierced her eardrums. "If you can''t give birth to a son, then he wouldn''t be just a concubine''s son." "Mommy, with all the advanced technology now, it''s not difficult to have a son. And even if I don''t want to have a son, there is always a way. I''m sure you''ll be able to have a grandson." Essie smiled. "Okay, I''ll wait." Mary gritted her teeth and left. Essie closed the door and a mocking smile appeared on her face. Her mother-inw was just like Vicki. The only different was Mary was arrogant and domineering, while Vicki was insidious and cunning. Luckily, ice guy was born with indomitable spirit. He was a pretty unruly son and was not as blind and obedient as Baron. Otherwise, she would have left him at once. By the time Zac came to their room, Essie had just finished taking a shower and was lying on the bed, ready to go to sleep. He went over to her and said, "Honey, you smell good." She raised her tired eyes and looked at him. "Is she feeling better now?" "It''s nothing serious. She''ll be fine in a few days." Hey down beside her and added, "I really hope that her baby could be born as soon as possible." Just thinking of that happening, he heaved a sigh of relief. He would be free from all of this then. But Essie didn''t think so. She said, "It''s your fault that you slept with Valery." Zac replied with nothing but a helpless and bitter smile. At that moment, he truly had an impulse to tell her all his hidden secrets. But he couldn''t. He had to be patient! Essie looked at Zac while he was hurting deep inside and thought that he was wallowing in self-pity, so she changed her attitude and tried tofort him. "Don''t worry. You''ve learned your lesson this time. I''ll take good care of you in the future." With an evil and attractive smile ying at the corners of his mouth, Zac turned over and said, "My dear wife, you only have to be responsible for keeping me satisfied." The beautiful woman lost her countenance. She gave him the green light once, and Zac became totally unreasonable and started breaking all the traffic rules. "I''m sleepy. I''m going to sleep." She pulled the quilt towards her to cover her body and pretended to be asleep. "It doesn''t matter. I will still do what I want even if you are asleep." The woman felt stiff after hearing this. It didn''t seem like she could run away from him. The sluggish look on her face made Zac feel satisfied. "Be good and wait for me toe back," he said. With a sly smile, he gave her a kiss, got up, and walked towards the bathroom. The next day... Essie was very annoyed at her husband. She tried to cover the love marks that he left on her neck with threeyers of makeup, but they couldn''t be covered uppletely. To made matters worse, she had a live broadcast today. ''If the photographer takes a close-up shot of me by ident, it will certainly cause a scandal,'' she thought. Zac hugged her from behind. "Honey, you can put a mark on my neck too. I don''t mind letting everyone in thepany see it," he said with a wicked smile. Before he could say another word, Essie turned around and bit his neck out of anger. But since she didn''t exert too much strength, only two rows of teeth marks were left on his neck. "It''s time for me to go. You can have other women take care of you." She gave him a stern look and walked out of the bedroom. As soon as she arrived at the gate of the house, she crossed paths with Valery who was justing back from a walk. Valery saw the love marks on her neck at first sight, and the jealousy in her heart burned like crazy. If things went on like this, she would probably be pregnant in less than two or three months. Mary had decided to wait until the baby was born. If Essie had a baby too, she would lose her only trump card. How would she fight back then? There was no way she could let such a thing happen. She had to get rid of Essie as soon as possible. It suddenly urred to her that she would have to join an alliance to win the battle quicker. All she had to do was to find another person who could help her kick out that tramp. In the tea house, Valery and Le sat across each other. Le didn''t expect that Valery would reach out to her and ask her to have tea with her. After all, they had known each other for more than ten years and they never got along with each other well. "I thought you were pregnant and Zac would marry you. I didn''t expect him to marry someone else." Le smirked. "It seems like you have found out the truth." Valery took a sip of green tea and noticed how calm Le looked. She sneered in her heart and thought, ''You really are a good actress, but I know you cry a lot in private.'' Le nced at her and couldn''t figure out why she had asked her out. So she decided not to beat around the bush and asked, "What did you want to talk to me today?" "Nothing. You just crossed my mind all of a sudden, so I thought I should ask you out so we can talk. We fought against each other overtly and covertly for so many years, but neither of us were able to get Zac. Should we sympathize with each other?" Valery asked in a gentle voice as she thought about why she had asked Le toe here today. Le sneered and said, "I don''t think we share the same suffering. He loves me, but you will never get his heart." "You overestimate yourself, don''t you? Maybe he loved you in the past, but Essie is the only one in his mind now. He has totally forgotten about you," Valery said ironically. "You can''t ruin my rtionship with Zac. I will always be the most important person in his heart. The reason he got married to Essie is that¡ª" Realizing that she was about to blurt out the secret, Le stopped talking at once. If Valery found out the real reason behind Essie and Zac''s marriage, Zac''s n would be over. "What is it?" Valery asked quickly for fear that there were some secrets that she wasn''t aware of. "Because he was drunk," Le gave her a quizzical answer to reassure her. Not buying her alibi, Valery rolled her eyes at Le and said, "I don''t think so. Zac treats her like she''s his treasure. I''m guessing that he hasn''t been visiting you these days, has he?" Valery said with a mocking pout. The corners of Le''s mouth twitched. They hadn''t seen each other since they came back from Yang City. He hadn''t even sent her a message. "He''s just been too busy. He was absent from the group for months, so of course he has a lot of business to catch up with," Le said. "Not at all! He has quite a lot of free time. He just spends all of his time with Essie. I don''t think it will be long before she carries his baby in her belly," she said with a sneer. Le was shocked to hear this. "Have they made love?" she asked. "They''re married. How could they not be intimate?" Valery asked. She found Le''s question very weird. "That seductress seduced Zac with all her might. She just wants to have a baby so she can Upon hearing this, Le couldn''t help clenching her fists. Did their marriage really be true? Pretending to be a couple was a very dangerous thing in itself. It was inevitable for two people to fall for each other after spending every day and night together and disying their affection for each other in front of everyone. They might not want to get divorced at all once they had had sex with each other. Besides, Essie could get pregnant just like Valery! No, she couldn''t bear to see that happen. "Did you ask to see me because you want me to help you deal with Essie?" Le pretended to be calm and asked casually. "I also want to help you. I don''t care about the title. After all I already have a child as the protection. I will let you be thedy of the house as long as you let me stay in the house as well." Her eyes twinkled as she spoke. It was just a trick she was ying to coax Le into colluding with her. She didn''t care about fighting with Le over the title of Zac''s wife. It wasn''t like Le could marry Zac anyway because of the issue between their families. Le didn''t say anything. Instead, she just replied with a small smile. She had been fighting against her for more than ten years. How could she not see through her little tricks? She wasn''t stupid enough to let her hands get dirty. That victory wouldn''t do her any good. What she wanted was to watch them two fight and suffer great losses, then she could gain from the fight. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I won''t do anything that would make Zac unhappy," Le said. "It doesn''t matter. By the time you decide to take action, Zac''s heart wouldpletely belong to Essie. Just wait and see," Valery said. Le smiled and said, "Take it easy. I haven''t finished yet." She tantalized Valery on purpose. "Can you stop ying tricks?" Valery was getting a little impatient. "There isn''t much I can do, but there is someone who can do more than I can, and knows a lot about Essie. You might find her very useful," said Le. "Who is it?" Valery''s eyes lit up. What a pleasant surprise. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Le deliberately paused for a while. She took a sip of her tea and began to speak slowly. "Essie has a good friend called Mandy. She also likes Zac. If she finds out that her best friend has stolen the guy she likes..." Her voice was so low that barely anyone could hear it, but a scheming smile had already appeared on Valery''s face. Chapter 155 Then They Turned Against Each Other (Part One) Chapter 155 Then They Turned Against Each Other (Part One) Essie was surprised when she received a call from Mandy. Apparently, she had already arrived in Dragon City and since she wasn''t really familiar with the ce, she asked Essie if she could tour her around and take her to some good shopping spots. Right after her phone call with Mandy, Essie remembered that Eva had also arrived in the city yesterday to prepare for the initial audition of War Emperor. She quickly dialed her number and invited her out so that the three of the could have a happy get-together. Dragon City was a paradise for shoppers: you could buy everything from cheap goods to the most expensive luxury products. The city wasmitted to fulfilling the needs and wants of everyone in every consumption level. Essie went to the hotel to pick up Eva first, and together they went to the shopping street to look for Mandy. Mandy was in a Starbucks. She looked gloomy all alone but the moment she saw Essieing towards her, her face brightened up and a big smile appeared on her face. "Have you been waiting long, Mandy?" Essie asked with a smile. "No," Mandy responded, smiling back. "I just got here from the hotel!" As she said that, she caught a glimpse of Eva beside Essie. It surprised her because she didn''t expect her to be there. "You two have been staying together recently?" she asked. "No," Eva answered, chuckling a bit. "I arrived here yesterday to take part in a y''s initial audition process. I want to try my luck and see if I can snatch the main role!" Despite that, Eva was somewhat confident about her chances of getting the main role. "How about you, Mandy?" she asked. "Are you on a holiday here or something?" "Yes," Mandy answered. "I''ve taken a few days off of work because I want to go shopping. I originally invited Essie but you should reallye along! I hear it''s really nice here. Also, the three of us haven''t really been together for a long time," Mandy suggested, a warm smile on her face. "You know what, sure!" Eve eximed. "I am always busy, so busy looking for acting jobs and doing some extra work on the sidelines that it''s been really rare for me to be with any of my friends!" Eva enclosed Mandy and Essie in one big hug. After they had their coffee, they went to the market to see what if they could find something nice to buy. The moment Mandy saw the Hermes store, she immediately walked towards it and entered. Eva was not really interested in luxury items because she could not afford them. If she barely had the ability to buy food and clothing, how would she able to afford such unnecessary riches? Essie, on the other hand, never bought luxury items mainly because she was a designer. Instead of spending her money on overpriced goods, she just made her own clothes and bags. After Mandy went around the store, she took a fancy tinum-colored crocodile skin bag and put it in front of Essie. "This is the one, Essie," she said excitedly. "This will suit you and your style very well!" Essie jokingly rolled her eyes. "I''m never short of those things," she said, chuckling. "You know that." "True, true," Eva added, chuckling as well. "Well, look at mine." She showed off her bag to Mandy. "Latest limited edition of Summer 100¡æ, still not on the market!" Recently, she had been promoted from being Essie''s model to being a spokesperson for her brand. Because of that, she would receive bags and clothes for free. Mandy sighed, also rolling her eyes. "You two are not fun to shop with! I cannot believe you have better stuff what''s in here!" she said in a fake-angry tone. She couldn''t help but find her whole act absurd, so she ended upughing hard. Essieughed as well. "Even though we don''t have any ns on buying bags here, we can still give you some solid advice," she said. At that statement, Eva couldn''t help but pout. "I want to buy them, too, you know," she said gloomily. "But everything in here literally cost at least one hundred thousand dors! Even if I work for a day I wouldn''t be able to make enough money to afford them!" Essie held her shoulders and rubbed them tofort her. "Hey now," she said sweetly. "I''m sure you''ll be known as this country''s best actress soon. Once you get that role in War Emperor, everyone in this country will definitely love you and support you. And they''ll give you gifts like this!" Eva leaned her head against Essie''s chest and sighed deeply. "To be honest, I don''t expect much, though I am confident with my skills. I am almost sure that Jim will ruin my chances of being part of that project!" "Eva, you need to stop thinking that!" Essie firmly said. "Also, even if you don''t get the female leading role, you will definitelynd a supporting role. As long as you are good at acting, which I know you are, it really doesn''t matter what role you have in a drama. People will love and support you! Haven''t Nicole and Zoe told you this?" she continued. Zac was one of the investors in the broadcastingpany that would air War Emperor. Now, even if he wouldn''t be able to choose the female lead, he, however, would be able to decide who to cast in the Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. minor roles. After hearing what Essie said, Eva''s eyes widened. She straightened up immediately, her face all flushed. Eva wasn''t that greedy about getting the leading role, but if the opportunity presented itself, she would definitely take advantage of it. When Mandy heard what they were talking about, her face became awash with an expression that was somewhat peculiar. "How are you so confident?" she asked Essie. "Have you found some kind of a backer?" While her statement was usatory, the smirk on her lips made it clear that she was just teasing her. "Not a chance," Essie responded in a faux angry tone. "I''m justforting her as a friend. She has good looks and excellent acting skills. I know deep inside that she will definitely be chosen for a role." "You''re right," Mandy said. "But you know what''s the truth? Eva would have been incredibly popr by now if she just pulled the right strings and sided with the right people," she mysteriously said, her smile meaningful. "Tell me Essie, you became popr thanks to that variety show Beauty on Runway, right? Who did you have to call to make that happen?" Eva looked scandalized. "What? Our Essie is a talented designer who is loved by the professor at Istituto Marangoni! She has beauty, grace, and great personality¡ªof course thousands of people will be fascinated by her!" "You can stop that now," said Essie, patting Eva''s forehead. "You''re great, too." Mandy looked at them, pursed her lips, and rolled her eyes. "Stop trying to hype each other up. I know how the entertainment industry works. If you don''t have a way in, no matter how talented you are or how hard you work, you won''t be famous." "Girls," Essie said, annoyance now evident in her voice. "Let''s stop talking about this topic before it gets out of hand. Let''s just continue looking at beautiful yet incredibly expensive handbags." She wanted them to stop talking about it because if it continued, she felt that she would only bepelled to have Zac''s identity revealed. They shopped until high noon, and when it was time to have lunch, the three women went to a well- known steakhouse to have a meal. Being a foodie, Eva''s eyes immediately lit up when she saw the delicious food they ordered. She ended up ordering two sets of full menus in order to try everything in the menu. Surprisingly, she finished them all with great ease. It was as if she had been eating such an amount of food ever since she was born. Mandy was speechless. "Wow, Eva," she said, mouth agape. "Aren''t you afraid of getting fat? Look at how much you ate!" Eva only smiled and waved her hand to signal a no. "My blood type is B, so my body is better at digesting food than others. I''ve been eating like this ever since I could remember and not once did I gain too much weight!" With a mocking smile on her face, Essie said, "That''s right. When we were little, while all of us were watching out weights, she just ate what she wanted. Yet she is the thinnest person among us!I It''s unfair because people with a type B blood will never have a problem in life, unlike the rest of us!" "Shut up, Essie," Eva said, chuckling. "I am too thin. I don''t like it." She then heaved a deep sigh and began to feel down because she recalled the way Jim looked at her breasts. She crossed her arms in front of her chest to hide her main point of insecurity and then looked Essie up and down. "Why do you have a perfect figure?" she suddenly asked. "Your fats are all in the right ces!" Chapter 156 Then They Turned Against Each Other (Part Two) Chapter 156 Then They Turned Against Each Other (Part Two) Essie smiled and said, "Now you shut up, Eva. We all know that among us, Mandy has the best figure. She''s wearing a D-cup, for god''s sakes!" "I don''t think it''s all natural, though," said Eva whispered. Although she spoke in a very low voice, Mandy still heard it. Her face immediately became contorted with annoyance, and a frown appeared on her lips. "Oh Eva, quit being jealous and hateful," she said, sounding incredibly displeased. "Yes, you''re pretty, but that rear cannot be tter!" "I don''t care," retorted Eva. "I will never have stic surgery. I love myself and I am already contented with what I got!" Then, like a kid, she stuck out her tongue at Mandy. Eva and Mandy''s friendship was mostly built through their unrelenting quarreling. Whenever they got into a fight and they got too heated up because of each other, Essie woulde in between them like a big sister and help them make peace. Today, she just let them be. It had been a long time since she heard them fight like this, and honestly, she kind of missed it. Because of that, she just busied herself in consuming the vorful steak they ordered. Then, none of the three girls spoke up. All of them were preupied in savoring their food. At one point, however, Mandy suddenly asked, "How long have we been good friends?" The question opened a floodgate of memories in Essie''s mind. As far as she could remember, they met when they were eight years old. That meant they had been friends for fourteen years already! "Fourteen years!" she said with a huge smile on her face. "We have grown up together, Mandy." Indeed, they shared many, many memories together. "That''s true, I guess. We did grow up together," Mandy said, a glint of mystery on her eyes. "So we''re not keeping secrets from one another, right?" Her words were filled with concealed meanings. Upon hearing what she said, Essie felt a bit uneasy. She had kept her marriage to Zac a secret from her all this time. It made her feel guilty, but she felt that now was not the time to exin everything and make everything known to her. Because of that, she just quietly went back to cutting her steak and eating. Eva, however, was oblivious to the tension that was building up around their table. Straightforwardly, she asked, "What do you mean by that, Mandy? Are you saying someone here is keeping a secret?" Mandy just shrugged. Then, she stared at Essie and said, "You, Essie? What do you think?" Essie stopped what she was doing and sighed loudly. "Mandy, just say what you want to say," she said, looking at Mandy in the eyes. Mandy didn''t say anything for a moment. "Zac is here in Dragon City, right?" she then asked, sipping from her wine ss. "He''s from Dragon City, Mandy. Of course he is here," Essie replied, impatience starting to color her voice. She didn''t want to get annoyed or lose control, but it seemed like Mandy was making her do that. "Are you still roommates?" Mandy asked, her eyes so cold and piercing that Essie felt chills run up and down her spine. Essie looked away as she tried to think of a way to exin what happened to Mandy without causing a ruckus. Finally, Eva felt the change in the mood and so she tried her hardest to change the topic. With a smile, she said, "Talking about men when it''s the first time we''ve seen each other in a long time? Nah, that is not going to happen. I want to gossip about the entertainment circle, not boys! I have one, and I swear you two haven''t heard of it!" Mandy, however, was not going to let her derail the conversation. "Eva, I am not interested in the entertainment industry, so shut up. What I want to talk about are the scandals of the rich families, such as the crown prince of the richest family in the east marrying a no-name designer from Beauty on Runway." While Mandy said this in a way that was not usatory or offensive, Essie still felt a sting in her heart. "Mandy..." She felt her body starting to tremble. Eva''s mouth was agape at this point. "So you know that?!" she asked, her voice sounding scandalized. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Mandy turned to her with wide eyes and said, "What? You knew? How!" "Girl, what can I say? I just know it!" Eva answered. When she put two and two together as to why Mandy was acting this way, Eva sighed and said, "Look, girl. Essie didn''t mean to steal your dreamboy from you. She and Hanson fought one day, she got mad, she got drunk, and she got married to a man she didn''t even know. Apparently, it was that Zac you like so much. It really wasn''t her fault because she''s kind of out it when that happened. So don''t be mad at her!" Essie felt cold sweats break out of her forehead. It turned out Eva was an excellent scriptwriter. The story she was telling was good and actually believable! "But how did you know that happened?" Essie asked Mandy. Their marriage had been kept extremely private. It wasn''t even announced in the news! Only a few people knew about it! A touch of hesitation shed through Mandy''s eyes. A woman came to her yesterday and told her about Zac and Essie''s marriage. If that woman didn''t approach her, she would never have known about it. "I work on TV," she lied. "It''s inevitable for me to hear some rumors," she exined. Essie didn''t ask anything further. Her concern right now was how to not ruin her friendship with Mandy. Taking a nce at Essie, Mandy picked up the ss of wine on the table and drank all its contents. She knew that she was exuding an aura that was dark and angry, but to counter it, she pulled the corners of her mouth into an exaggerated smile. "Well, you know me!" she said enthusiastically. "I''m not a narrow-minded person. Although I like Zac, I can''t force him to fall in love with me. Since you two are married now, I guess I have to give up. Friends are more important than men. We have known each other for fourteen years. The bond that we have developed because of that cannot be broken by a man." Essie was shocked. The mood changed so fast that she couldn''t keep up with it. "Am I hearing you correctly, Mandy? Are you saying... you''re okay with me marrying Zac? Are you forgiving me?" she asked. "No," Mandy answered bluntly. "First of all, you told Eva but not me. Why? It''s like we''re not friends at all!" As she said this, her lips came together in a cute pout. "Okay, I was wrong. I am so sorry about that," Essie said, feeling relief. "Drinks on me tonight. Order whatever you like, I will pay it. Just... don''t be angry with me, okay?" Essie poured Mandy a ss of wine. This development somehow made her feel so joyous. As long as Mandy wasn''t get angry with her, she would buy all the drinks she wanted, no matter how expensive! Mandy smiled and asked everyone to raise a ss of wine. "Money is precious, but love is more valuable," she said firmly before they clinked their sses. "But none of thatpares to the love your friends have for you. To friendship!" The three of them clinked their sses andughed. Unbeknownst to Essie and Eva, Mandy wasn''t enjoying the moment. ''I hate you, Essie. I won''t forgive you. Never!'' she thought inwardly. Chapter 157 Divulge The Truth Chapter 157 Divulge The Truth In the evening, when Essie came back from the business center, she was very happy. She was finally relieved. Mandy didn''t me her anymore, and their friendship was as strong as ever. After having afortable shower, she leaned her back against the bedhead and began to watch the TV program. She couldn''t help but sing along when the theme song of the show yed. Noticing that she was in a good mood, Zac asked her with a smile, "How was your day with two besties today?" "Excellent." Essie nodded her head crazily. "Ice guy, I am so happy. When Mandy found out about our marriage, she didn''t get angry at all. Instead, she even wished me happiness. I don''t need to worry that our friendship will be destroyed by my rtionship with you anymore." Zac raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Was she really so generous?" Essie red at him and said, "Well, are you a little disappointed that she has forgotten all about you?" Holding the back of his head with both hands, Zac leaned against the bedhead and said in a joking tone, "When ites to women, the more, the better." He was probably telling the truth. No wonder he was so experienced with women. Essie gave him a dark look and turned to the TV. Zac shed her a gentle smile and said in a soft voice, "But very few women are my type." And? Was she supposed to feel honored? "What''s wrong with Mandy? She''s beautiful, and she''s the anchorwoman of a TV show. A lot of men are chasing after her." She pouted. Zac flicked her forehead and said, "A woman is cuter when she is always silly and confused." She nced at him. Was he talking about her? She really was a little brainless. She would often trip while walking, cut herself while peeling fruit, scald her legs after making coffee, and forget her wallet when she went out. However, there were a lot of good things about her. She could eat and sleep well, and she could feed Zac well. While she was thinking, a pair of big hands started crawling beneath her nightgown. Upon feeling this, she took out the anti-wolf weapon she had prepared in advance from the drawer of the bedside table. "Ice guy! You can only have me warm up the bed if you win." A cold light swept across the man''s eyes. He hated this weapon very much! With one swift motion, he snatched the cup and tossed it away, and the ugly thing went flying out of the window. "Honey, from now on, you are obligated to obey me and you have no right to refuse." The woman felt scared. Was he going to force her again? "No..." she started to say, but Zac stopped her from crying out. The next day, Jim came to the house to have some tea with Zac in the garden. Essie guessed that he was going to discussing the selection of the heroine for War Emperor with Zac, so she secretly hid behind the rockery to eavesdrop. "You''re expecting me to act badly the entire time when I y the part with that unknown actress, am I right?" Jim squinted his eyes which were glimmering in the sunlight. "You were so absorbed in the fight scene with her." A humored smile appeared on Zac''s face. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." Jim raised his eyebrows and changed the subject. "But there''s something I''m interested in." "What is it?" said Zac in an indifferent tone. "What are you doing with Essie? Are you acting or is it all real?" He leaned forward slightly with a look of great interest on his face. He saw the love marks on her neck when he came in, and it really piqued his curiosity. Zac wanted to escape his wedding, but then he took another woman as his wife. It made Jim doubt his motivation behind getting married. "Do you really want to know?" asked Zac. Jim nodded. "Where are the poker chips?" Zac said deliberately to tantalize him. Jim touched his chin and said, "I will let you cast Eva as the second heroine. As for the role of the heroine, I will still have to see her performance in the audition. What do you think?" Zac nodded his head in agreement. Taking a sip of his tea, Jim asked, "Then tell me now, have you fallen in love with that little beauty?" "That silly and muddled woman always gives me a headache. How could I fall in love with her?" Zac said with a smile. When he spoke about her, his eyes were full of tenderness. However, as she hid behind the rockery, Essie heard everything without seeing the look on Zac''s face. Her heart twitched as if a basin of cold water had fallen from the sky and drenched her from head to toe. She already knew that he loved someone else, but since she had never heard him say it, she still had a bit of a fantasy in her heart. She thought that he might have some feelings for her even if he didn''t love her. But now that she had heard the cruel truth, she felt desperate. It turned out that he had no feelings for her, but he also hated her. Apparently, spending time with her actually gave him a headache. Essie tightened her fingers, and the sharp edges of the rocks cut her palm. However, she didn''t feel the pain at all because the pain in her heart was much worse. But why was her heart hurting? She didn''t love him at all. The person she loved was Hanson! She shook her head and ran into the bamboo forest. The two men didn''t even notice her presence. Jim seemed to have gotten the answer he wanted. He smiled knowingly and stopped talking. In the afternoon, Essie and Zac were supposed to go to K City together, but Valery suddenly said that she had a stomachache. Afraid that she would get a miscarriage, Zac quickly sent her to the hospital. The doctor couldn''t find anything wrong, but he asked her to stay in hospital for further observation in case he missed something. "Zac, I''m so scared. Don''t leave. Stay here with me, okay?" pleaded Valery, her eyes full of tears. The truth was, she wasn''t in pain at all. She just pretended to be hurting because she didn''t want Zac and Essie to go to K City together. This way, Essie could meet her first love alone. Worried about the baby, Zac called Essie and asked her to go to the airport first. There was no expression on Essie''s face at all. Whether he was there or not made no difference to her. She had decided to get rid of her dependence on him. She was not going to let him hit her with sugar- coated bullets again. As soon as she arrived in K City, she received a call from Hanson, who had arrived there the day before yesterday. "Essie. Have you arrived?" "I''m in the taxi. I''ll be there soon." She took a deep breath and buried all the negative emotions she had because of Zac, leaving only her excitement to meet with her old ssmates. After all, this was the first reunion they''d had since they graduated. The venue of the gathering was the Sichuan restaurant outside the campus. They spent a lot of time there when they were still studying, and they all missed the ssic dishes there the most. As soon as Essie entered, the boys began to tease her. "Our school belle has finally arrived." "She is not yours. She belongs to our counselor." The monitor smiled and waved her over. "Come here, Miss University Belle. The seat beside the counselor has been reserved for you." "Don''t tease me and our counselor anymore, okay?" Essie smiled in embarrassment and sat beside Hanson. Hanson smiled as he looked at her. The affection and love in his eyes were as intense as the twilight outside the window. "You two should show off your love on TV every Saturday. We all watch your show." The one who spoke was Daly, Essie''s old roommate. The girl next to her, Queeny, smiled and said, "You''re so lucky for being able to be together now. After our counselor went abroad, she was always so sad. She told me every day from her dormitory that she wanted to fly to Mn like a dragonfly." "I did not!" Hearing her story made Essie feel very embarrassed. She was so anxious that she wanted to teleport to another ce. She wanted to attend a ss reunion, not a gossip party. "Miss University Belle, you were always so addicted to our counselor, and it was such a terrible blow to us boys. We were all eager to pursue you, but we all gave upter," one of the boys said. "Our counselor is handsome and graceful, and even the girls outside our school were fascinated by him. How could you expect to defeat him?" Daly said with augh. Queeny cleared her throat and said, "Do you know what Essie''s saying is?" "What is it?" they asked. Daly cupped her hands around her mouth and announced, "Our counselor is for everybody, and Hanson is mine." "Ooh!" everyone screamed at once. Essie wanted to go under the table and hide herself. Meanwhile, Hanson had mixed feelings now. It was mostly bitter and sour. Happiness was waiting for him not far from the right, but he decided to turn left. "Counselor, our miss belle has been obsessed with you for so many years. Shouldn''t you give it a shot now?" As soon as the guy finished speaking, everyone began to chant, "Kiss, kiss, kiss!" Embarrassed, Essie said, "It''s not a show, everybody..." Before she could even finish her words, Hanson''s soft lips fell on her cheek. Then, he took her hand and said, "I love her too. I will never leave her again," he said in a firm and affectionate tone. However, when she heard his words, a sharp pain pierced through Essie''s heart like a bolt of lightning. If only he had been that decisive from the beginning, she wouldn''t have married someone else and gotten involved in all of that mess. She put her hand up and said, "Well, the show is over. Shall we drink to our first ever reunion after graduation?" "Okay!" everyone responded. They stood up and raised their sses, and with a clear clink, they all took a sip from their drinks. After dinner, they went their separate ways. They had to get some rest for they still had some activities nned for tomorrow. Essie ended up drinking too much, not knowing whether she was happy or sad.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She didn''t want to go back to the hotel, so Hanson took her to the bridge to help her sober up. "Hanson, do you remember the first time you took me out? This was where you brought me." She narrowed her eyes slightly and looked at him drunkenly. "Of course I remember. It was our first date." Hanson''s handsome face was full of tenderness. "A date?" Slightly taken aback, Essie shook her head like a rattle drum. "No, how could it be a date? You never asked me out when you were in college!" Hanson sighed in a low voice. "Then why did we have dinner, watch a movie, and go to the amusement park together? Don''t you consider those as dates?" She was dazed. Didn''t they have dinner together because he thought it was boring to eat dinner alone? And didn''t he invite her to watch a movie because he simply had an extra ticket? As for the amusement park, she clearly remembered him asking her toe to the rescue after he got stood up by another girl. When did those suddenly be dates? Chapter 158 Divorce Agreement Chapter 158 Divorce Agreement Hanson looked at Essie''s puzzled face and smiled bitterly. "I still remember that day," he began, putting emphasis on every word he was saying. "It was the first day of the new school year. A young girl wearing a white bubble skirt ran up to me and stared at me for a full five minutes. With her big backpack on her back, she honestly looked ridiculous." At this point, he paused for a chuckle. "Apparently, she wanted to ask me a question. She said, ''How can I find the ce for the new students?'' She was stuttering¡ªit was so cute. At that moment, I immediately knew that she was the one. I fell in love with that interesting little girl." He sighed. "But then the Dean wanted me to be the second ss'' counselor. I usually would just say yes to whatever he asked of me, but that time, I somehow found the courage to request him to transfer me to the first because the girl that I liked was in the first ss." He paused and caressed Essie''s face. "Do you know why I was always there whenever you were in the ssroom, the library, or the yground? That was because I always waiting for you. Everyday. Back then, I considered every moment we were alone together as a date," he said smiling softly. But then his smile quickly faded away. "If it wasn''t for my family, I would never go to Mn. I have no interest in that ce. I would have preferred to just stay in K City, find a job, and marry you after you graduated." Again, a deep sigh escaped his lips. "Unfortunately, that isn''t happening." Tears starting gushing out of Essie''s eyes. For her, it felt like a floodgate had been opened inside of her. The feelings she had inside were just flowing out of her freely. "How... how did we end up like this?" she asked through her sobs. "It''s all my fault," Hanson said somberly. "Through the years, my family had broken my spirit down so much, making me into the mess that I am today." At that, he held Essie tighter in his arms. "I''ve already told my father that I will not be marrying Sunny no matter what happens," he saidfortingly. "He can do everything in his power to try and change my mind, but he won''t be able to. I am free now, and I am making all my decisions." Tears from Essie''s eyes continued to stream onto Hanson''s chest. "But I''m tainted now!" she cried out. "I have nothing left to offer you. I don''t deserve you. I don''t deserve you anymore!" "That is not true, Essie," Hanson whispered. "You know that that is not true. Besides, I really do not care about all of that." He could not get himself to loosen his arms around Essie because he felt that if he did, he would lose her again. "I''ll take you away, I promise. We''ll leave this cursed ce and live somewhere else, somewhere where no one knows who we are. A ce where we can start again and build a new life," he said. Essie raised her head and looked straight into Hanson''s eyes. "Will... you really be able to let go of Be?" she asked, her voice shaky. Hanson let out a little chuckle. "No one will everpare to you, Essie," he said softly. "I love you, Essie. You are my true love." He nted a gentle kiss on her forehead, and then her teary eyes. "Do you love me as much as I love you?" he then asked quietly. "I..." For a short while, Essie felt hesitation in her heart. She didn¡¯t understand why it was there, but she quickly chalked it up to her drunkenness. But worse than that, she was starting to see another face the longer she stared at Hanson. She violently shook her head, trying to get rid of the man she was starting to see. ¡®Stop it, Essie!¡¯ she thought. ¡®For him, you were only a burden that made his life more difficult! Aside from that, he never saw you as a person¡ªyou were only a device he used so that he could get Valery back! The moment Valery gave birth to her child, you became useless to him, and he began treating you like garbage!¡¯ Hatred was starting to swell and take over her chest, making her clench her teeth. "Essie? Are you okay? Why aren¡¯t you responding?" Hanson asked, his voice tinged with the slightest bit of concern and confusion. His voice quickly pulled Essie back to reality. She quickly opened her eyes wide and once again saw Hanson clearly. "I love you, too, Hanson!" she proimed, relieved. After that, she took a deep breath to steady herself. Not far away from them, a man concealing behind a big tree was recording everything that was happening with his camera. He believed that his employer would be more than interested to see the reunion of these two lovebirds. It was a beautiful day in Dragon City. The moment the doctor confirmed that there was nothing wrong with Valery, Zac immediately took her back to the house. After making sure that she was all settled in and okay, he took out his phone and dialed Essie''s number. However, before he was able to call it, he noticed that an unknown number messaged him. He immediately read it and watched the video that came with it. As the video went on, he felt his chest be tighter and tighter with fury. His hands began to shake, and he started to see red. With clenched fists and knitted brows, he stormed out and departed. Valery saw everything that transpired in thefort of her bedroom. The moment she saw Zac head out, an insidious smile appeared on her lips. ''I finally got you now, dear Essie,'' she thought, feeling ted. ''You''re finished!" Essie and her ssmates had already finished their activities for the day: they were done with mountain climbing, and they already had a sessful outdoor barbecue. Because of that, they decided to go to a KTV bar. Hanson was extremely good at singing. That wasn''t surprising because everyone knew how much he loved karaoke. But what surprised people was just how incredible he was: every song he performed, he sounded extremely manly and very attractive. In Essie''s eyes, he was a karaoke master. The two of them sang a few songs together and it felt like they had gone back to the days when they were still carefree. It was alreadyte at night when they left the karaoke bar. As she and Hanson were waving goodbye to their friends, a Lamborghini sports car suddenly drove roaring towards them. It caught the two of them by surprise, but fortunately, it halted even before it could hit them. The door opened and a tall, handsome man stepped out of the car. The moment Essieid her eyes on him, she felt her heart stop. She felt so petrified that she started trembling. The man came towards her without a care in the stunned expressions from people around them. Then, the moment he was in front of her, he pulled her into his arms, like a knight would a princess, and kissed her on the lips. Essie''s face turned ruby red in an instant due to embarrassment, panic, and anger. Immediately, she tried her hardest to push him away, but her strength was no match for the man''s iron arms. Despite that, she still tried to wriggle herself free from his grasp. Unfortunately, the man did not care one bit¡ªworse, he even tightened his grip on her and kissed her even harder. She felt like he was trying to swallow her whole. Everyone''s mouths were agape. They were confused at what was happening. "What the fuck are you doing? Let her go!" Hanson''s voice suddenly rang out. His face was contorted by an expression of extreme jealousy and anguish. The next moment, he was rushing towards the man, his fist aimed at his face. Zac was not to be outdone, however. At that same moment, he also sent a punch towards Hanson''s direction. Their fists collided violently midair, creating a muffled sound. Hanson was, of course, no match for Zac. Upon collision, he immediately felt piercing pain, stemming from his knuckles and gradually making their way down to his arm. It felt as if all of his bones broke! When Zac let go of Essie, he noticed how swollen her lips were. An unfathomable expression then washed over his face, and when he turned to his gaze to Hanson, it was sharp and cold. "I kissed my wife," he said silently, his voice silky yet deadly. "I believe it''s none of your business!" He said every word with so much power that no one¡ªnot even Hanson¡ªdared to interrupt him. After a few moments, he led Essie to his car. "Wife?" Zac''s sudden appearance and statement had already begun creating a buzz within the crowd. At that moment, Essie hated no one else as much as she hated Zac. ''He did this on purpose,'' she thought, breathing heavily. ''I knew he did!'' Before Zac was able to drive away, she put her head out of the window to have onest look at Hanson. "I''m sorry, Hanson, but I have to go now!" she said apologetically. "Thank you for a fun night!" Upon hearing those words Zac''s eyes pulsed with anger and jealousy. He quickly stepped on the elerator and sped away before Essie could say anything else. Daly rushed to Hanson and asked, "What''s going on? Is Essie married? Are you two not together?" Queeny still couldn''t believe her ears. Hanson did not answer Daly''s questions. Instead, he just stared into space, at the direction Zac''s car had gone, quietly, as if all his spirit had been siphoned from him. He hated the way Zac just came in and took Essie away from her. But what he hated more was how he just let it happen. Zac was driving way past the speed limit. They arrived at the hotel in record time, and as soon as they did, Zac almost dragged Essie out of the car and into the elevator. He did not care about the weird stares they were getting from everyone at the lobby. "Zac, you bastard!" Essie cursed loudly, struggling to free herself from his grip by punching and kicking him. Her emotions were at an all-time high that she, too, stopped caring about everyone else''s opinion of them. Zac stayed silent until they got their suite, but the moment they entered the room, he immediately threw her on the bed and pinned her to it, him on top. His face was ghostly pale and his breath wasbored due to anger. The atmosphere quickly became tense and dangerous. Essie''s previously fiery attitude became extinguished. In one swift movement, Zac put his hand behind her neck and lifted her head with it. He then pinched her chin roughly and forcefully raised her head so that her gaze met his. "Do you really love Hanson that much?" he asked, his eyes full of fury. "It''s none of you fucking business," Essie answered defiantly. In the past, even if he was just using her, she knew that deep in her heart, she was living in their fantasy. Because of that, even if he did not love her, he would treat her in a way a man would treat his wife. As for Essie, it was only after hearing the words from Zac''s mouth did shepletely realize that he really had no romantic feelings for her at all. She learned that acting invested in her every single day and winning her over had annoyed him and made him hate her even more. When that happened, everything became easier for her, since she didn''t have to work so hard for him to like her. Zac''s handsome face was distorted in anger. He hated to have seen Essie with Hanson. "Who am I to you?" Zac asked in anguish. His voice was extremely hoarse, as if his anger was literal fire and had burned his throat. "Business partner," Essie said matter-of-factly. It was a cold, firm, and ruthless answer. "We are just business partners. A fake couple. I never meddle in your business, and you have no right to meddle in mine." Hints of sadness suddenly became evident in the corners of Zac''s mouth. "If you don''t know how to be a good wife," he hissed, tightening his grip on Essie''s wrists. "I''ll teach you!" Without any warning, he yanked Essie''s dress off of her slender body. "What are you doing!" Essie shouted, rmed. "Don''t fucking touch me!" She aimed her foot at Zac''s crotch and kicked it with all her might. Zac''s reflexes allowed him to dodge the attack, but it became an opening for her¡ªshe was able to jumped off of the bed. When she saw a fruit knife on the bedside table, she rushed over to grab it and put it on her neck. "If you dare touch me again, I swear I will kill myself in front of you!" Her eyes were aze with fury, and her tone full of desperation and sadness. Zac stumbled back two steps back. His face became paler than before, and his body became stiff with tension. His heart felt like it had been pulverized¡ªhe was utterly crushed. He fully believed that even if she didn''t fall in love with him, she would, at least, still have feelings for him. Unfortunately, it turned out that he was wrong. She did not only had no feelings for him, but she also hated him! His ck eyes mellowed. The anger that was previously in them all turned into silent pain. The pain was so clear and strong that Essie could not believe what she was witnessing. ''What is happening? Why does he look like this?'' she thought. She couldn''t understand the change that happened within Zac. For her, he should feel happy because he wouldn''t have to work so hard to act like he liked her anymore! In her bewilderment, she put down her hand subconsciously. The moment that happened, Zac rushed over and grabbed the knife in her hand. Before she had time to resist, he had already pinned her on the ground. "Zac, I hate you! I fucking hate you!" she screamed out loud, tears welling in her eyes. "I don''t fucking care!" Zac shouted back. "Hate me all you want!" He looked into her soul with his cold, piercing eyes, as if he was trying to punish her for her rash actions. After a long while, Zac let go of Essie. He straightened up, tucked the knife away in his pocket, and gave her a cold gaze. "From now on, we are only business partners." He walked out of the room and mmed the door, making the whole wall tremble. She felt her heart shake as well. After leaving the hotel, Essie did not return to Dragon City, but went straight to Yang City. She didn''t want to see Zac anymore. On her way, she decided that she would ask herwyer to draft their divorce agreement the following day. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Finney had already moved out of the Legendary and was living in an apartment provided by her Essie had also decided that she didn''t want to live there anymore. After all, it wasn''t her house. Ever since what happened at the hotel, she had yearned for the time in her life when she didn''t know Zac. Hanson had been calling her every day since that fateful day. When he heard that she was back to Yang City, he immediately rushed over to meet her. "Did he hurt you?" he asked. He was so worried that he himself wasn''t able to fall asleep for several nights. "I''m fine. Don''t worry about me," Essie replied, smiling slightly so that Hanson would stop worrying. "If he doesn''t want to divorce you, I will go find him and make him. I don''t care what he does to me¡ªas long as you''re free, I can take anything!" His beautiful eyebrows were knitted tightly. After knowing that Essie had a fake marriage with Zac, it tortured him every minute of every single day. It made him nervous, uneasy, and even desperate. He was afraid of losing Essie again. "I told you, you should stop worrying about it," Essie replied. "I will send him the divorce agreement in a couple of days. He will sign it," she spoke in a very reassuring tone, though she didn''t know whether she wasforting Hanson or herself. Chapter 159 A Third-Party Profit (Part One) Chapter 159 A Third-Party Profit (Part One) "Really?" A glimmer of hope shone in Hanson''s eyes. Essie nodded. She desired nothing more than freedom. He took her face in his palms and ced an affectionate kiss on her forehead. Looking at her with his loving eyes, he said, "From now on, I will be with you all the time. Even for a second, I won''t leave you." "Okay." She tried her best to force a smile. But there was something unnatural about her expression. He noticed that both her lips and face were pale as a white sheet. It seemed like she hadn''t eaten anything for days. With sincere concern, he said, "Haven''t you eaten yet? How about I take you to eat steak?" She shook her head. In the past two days, she had lost her appetite. She was very upset and felt repulsed by the sight of food. Even the tastiest food seemed to have lost its vor. Her mind was always busy reying her memories with Zac. He was a drug that had her addicted! She hoped time would heal this pain. "If not steak, what do you want to eat?" he asked. "I''ll cook some noodlester," she replied, but there was no enthusiasm in her voice. With a smile on his face, he teased, "Do you want to try my special braised noodles?" He was the man every girl dreamed of! His talent extended to the kitchen as well. In the past, Florey had been busy and waspelled to work overtime. Ever since he was five, he had been cooking for himself. There was a glimmer of admiration in Essie''s eyes. She would love to eat his hand cooked food. "I don''t know if everything you need will be there in the kitchen. I have neglected grocery shopping," she said. "Let me check." He smiled and stood up, taking out noodles, tomato, eggs and ham from it. "Yes! Everything I need is here," he announced happily. When he went into the kitchen, she was waiting for him like a little greedy cat. Quickly, a bowl of steaming noodle with gravy sauce was served. Her taste bud, which had been listless became energetic. She began to taste the delicious food. "It is so delicious! It is so bloody delicious!" she couldn''t help but scream. Her appreciation came in the form of moans. He looked at her adorable reaction and broke into a smile. "I can cook for you every day if that will make you happy." With her thick eyshes fluttering, she put on a mischievous smile and said, "No way. I can''t let you do that. You are the honored CEO of Be. It won''t look nice if you cook noodles for me every day. Oh but this is killing me! So yummy!" She couldn''t stop gushing about it. He touched her head and said, "I''m willing to do anything that will make you happy. I could even pick the moon from the sky." "Really?" She raised her eyebrows naughtily and said, "Then I would like you to pick it for me." "Okay, I''ll be back soon. Just wait for me." Hanson stood up and took a small basin. He filled the basin with water and brought it to the balcony. The bright moon shone in the water and he said, "Look! I''ve brought it down." Her giggle was as crisp as the sound of a silver bell, flowing gently in the early autumn night. However, at this moment, the entire Rong Mansion was extremely silent. This ominous silence had never passed this mansion before. Seeing that Essie didn''te back, Valery was so ted that she wanted dance. ''She must have been driven away by Zac. They should get divorced soon,'' Valery thought, jumping to the conclusion. She thought she would finally get a chance to spend some alone-time with Zac. But her happiness didn''tst very long. She barely saw him as he didn''t stay there much after Essie''s departure. And to make things worse, Le had returned back to his life! Zac took Le to the party of celebrities on the weekend. Seeing them together, people were eagerly guessing what was going on. "Did he dump Essie?" someone asked, looking shocked. "They seemed to be truly in love! I wonder what happened!" another one said. "Is Le the person whom Zac genuinely loves?" There was a slight jealousy in the eyes of the female who spoke. Ever since middle school, Le had been the only woman beside Zac. Although their families seemed to have a bad rtionship, it didn''t stop them from seeing each other. They didn''t even mind being seen together! Reputation had meant nothing to this couple. Zac was indeed a mysterious man! One couldn''t guess what was going on in his mind. Did he love any of these women or they meant nothing to him? Everyone was eager to know the truth. When Holy saw them, he ran up to them and asked, "Brother Zac, where is sister Essie? Why didn''t shee with you?" "She has something to deal with, so she couldn''t make it," Zac said tly. "So you came with another woman. Aren''t you afraid that sister Essie will be jealous when shees to know about it?" He puffed up his cheeks, looking very angry. In Zac''s heart, he grinned bitterly. ''Would she even care?'' he wondered. ''No!'' his mind instantly answered. Although he was not by her side, he had sent people to protect her in secrecy. From their updates, it turned out she was with Hanson. And how could she be sad when she was with Hanson? She probably forgot him now that she had her true love with her! "Don''t talk nonsense." Alice pulled Holy away from them. Taking a look at them, Zac said lightly, "Excuse me." Then he left with Le. Holy pouted and said, "He must have quarreled with sister Essie." With aplex expression in her eyes, Alice stroked Holy''s head and said, "Don''t worry. They will make up soon." Not far away, Le heard their words and felt extremely ufortable. It was with great difficulty she had managed to regain her position. How could she let someone else snatch him away? No! She was determined to keep him with her forever. "Zac, do you remember Simba? You have not visited her for a long time. She has now grown into a beautiful horse. If you are not busy tomorrow, can youe to my vi and see her?" She smiled N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. faintly. Simba was a race horse with pure English blood. On Le''s 21st birthday, Zac had gifted Simba to her. When she took it to the equestrian club, Valery writhed with jealousy. Her wide eyes gaped at its beauty. "I have an important meeting tomorrow. I''ll visit when I''m free." Zac''s tone was t, and his handsome face seemed to have lost its luster. It was ice cold! Chapter 160 A Third-Party Profit (Part Two) Chapter 160 A Third-Party Profit (Part Two) Le felt a wave of disappointment course through her heart but she did her best to hide it. Wearing a beautiful smile, she said, "Can I ask you something?" "What is it?" Zac said, raising his eyebrows. "You are never serious about your rtionship with Essie, am I right?" Deep down, she worried about his answer. Taking a sip of the champagne, Zac fell silent for a while and said coldly, "I have no feelings for her nor did I ever have one." Zac had always been a good liar. From the way he spoke, one would have thought he was speaking about a valueless thing. Le sighed with relief. ''I knew it!'' she thought to herself. He couldn''t fall in love with a simpleton like Essie. Even if he had sex with her, it probably meant nothing. He did it to meet his physical needs. "Come on, Zac. Let''s dance. I haven''t danced with you for a long time." She started to move like a flying butterfly. Zac nodded slightly, took her hand and walked onto the dancing floor. A piece of wonderful music rang. It was a waltz. He gently embraced her. As soon as his hands touched her body, Le felt happy. She enjoyed his However Zac''s mind was elsewhere. His thoughts had drifted away into another space. In it, Le was reced by a little figure. This little figure, Essie, was capable of both making him sad and happy. In the middle of the party, Valery showed up. Like a meteorite, she made a great tumult in the crowd of the dancing floor. It was with great difficulty that Valery had driven Essie away. And now, she couldn''t let others take away her fruit of victory! The music hadn''t stopped yet, and Zac and Le were still dancing on the dancing floor. She didn''t stop them at once, but secretly took several shots of them. Her resentment needed to be shared with someone. When the music was over, she walked forward and held Zac''s arm. She was pregnant, so he didn''t push her away. "It''ste. Why are you here instead of taking rest at home?" he asked, a frown appearing on his face. "Zac, you haven''t been home for a long time. The baby misses you so much. I think that''s why he keeps kicking me. I am finding it hard to fall asleep," Valery said pitifully, touching her swollen belly. Le''s eyes were burning with fury. It was a golden opportunity to stay alone with Zac. But Valery decided toe running in order to snatch it away! Having a baby was not a big deal, she could also give birth to one if she wanted. It was beyond her how Valery was using this baby as an excuse to have Zac. "Valery, the baby is just over four months old, and his brain is not fully developed. How is he capable of missing someone? You''d better go back and sleep. It''s too noisy here and is definitely not the right ce for a pregnant woman," Le advised, hoping to drive her away. "How can you speak with this certainty when you have never been pregnant before?" Valery snapped back. "When Zac tells stories, my baby used to respond to it!" Valery added. Le rolled her eyes at this absurdity. "Well, I''ll drive you back," Zac said, unable to take this catfight. He put his arm around Valery''s shoulders. It was too noisy here and he didn''t want it to impact the child''s health. Valery deliberately leaned her head against his shoulder in a coquettish way, shing Le a smug look. Soon, they disappeared out of Le''s sight. Le was so angry that she wanted to stamp her feet. Seeing that Zac cared so much about the baby in Valery''s belly, she couldn''t help but think of Essie''s words. Essie had said women were like clothes to some men. Any minute, they would change it for something better. However, the baby was connected to the parent by blood and it was beyond possible to cut it off. It turned out her words were true! She regretted having helped Valery. Her initial n was to hurt both Valery and Essie. But Essie was a weak woman who had given up easily. After round one, she lost and left! The same couldn''t be said about Valery. She was cunning and determined to be the winner. "No! I can''t let this happen!" Le screamed. The bartender and a few people in the club noticed her. They thought something was wrong with her. After Zac dropped Le off in the Rong Mansion, he got back in the car again. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "Zac, won''t you stay here?" Valery was very disappointed. "I have something important to do," Zac replied coldly. "Are you going back to see Le?" It seemed that Valery was doomed to this uncertain life. No matter what she did, she couldn''t have Zac to herself. When Essie''s turn was over, Le got a chance. ''When will my turne?'' she wondered, looking forlorn. Zac ignored her probing question. He started the engine and roared away from her sight, leaving her stunned. He drove on the road aimlessly, having no idea where he was going. It was with Essie he felt a sense of home. Even this big vi felt like a strange ce now that she wasn''t with him. It was funny how in spite of being rich, he felt homeless and powerless. Essie had slowly be both his wealth and power! Deep inside his heart, waves were pounding heavily, eager to embrace her. When he woke up, his thoughts swam towards her. And when he was asleep, he dreamed of her. In short, no matter what he did, his soul would follow her. Nothing in this life seemed as sweet as his Essie. He wandered around in darkness for a long time. Not finding peace anywhere, he went back to the vi. A look of defeat was etched all over his gloomy face. The butler came over and gave him an envelope. It came from Yang City! His heart was trembling. With his shivering hands, he somehow managed to tear open the cover. As soon as he read the paper, an excruciating pain went through his body. She had sent him a divorce paper! A note was attached to the document. It read, "I won''t tell anyone else about the divorce before the baby is born. Valery will never know about it. You have nothing to worry, she won''t force you to marry her." He felt someone had set his body on fire. He cked out and was ovee by a strong headache. But physical pain was nothingpared to the pain his heart was going through. Letting out a sad chuckle, he dashed towards the door. He ran around theke like an injured cheetah until he was exhausted. His body gave up and fell on the grass. Cold wind was howling in his ears. He looked at the dark clouds in the sky for a long time. A chill of coldness swept through every inch of his body. Chapter 161 Having An Affair (Part One) Chapter 161 Having An Affair (Part One) It was veryte at night. However, sleep was elusive for Essie. Shey in bed and yed mobile games to kill time. Her phone alert suddenly went off, indicating an iing email. She clicked on the notification, and a group of photos greeted her. At a single nce, she recognized the man and woman who were intimately entwined in the photos. The email address of the source was unfamiliar, and she didn''t care enough to think deeply about the email''s purpose. It was any one of two reasons: showing off or dealing a blow. However, if the sender wanted a response from her, then they would be doomed to disappointment. After all, she knew that rtionship very well. They loved each other but could not be together, so Zac had no choice but to take her as a substitute. Zac''s n was obvious; he thought that with sweet promises and honeyed words, he would be able to manipte her into doing whatever he wanted. She may be stupid, but she was nobody''s puppet, nor would she sacrifice her own marriage and happiness. Now, she was together again with Hanson, and they couldn''t be happier. Hanson was her happy ending. He would never lie to her, use her, or treat her as a substitute for another woman. He was the only person in the world who truly loved her; thus, he was the only person worthy of her love. While she was lost in thought, her phone screen showed that Hanson was calling. They had separated only three hours ago, but he already missed her. "Are you sleeping, Essie?" "Not yet." "Do you, perhaps, miss me?" "No, I just can''t fall asleep." She giggled a little and felt herself blush. "Then let me sing a song to lull you to sleep, okay?" His voice, which was as tender as the night breeze, made her feel drunk and warm. "Okay." "What do you want to hear?" "''You are Young.''" "Okay." His maic voice floated through the earpiece "I often think of the mottled desks of that year..." She closed her eyes and emptied her mind. She didn''t want to think about people or things that upset her. Now, she had Hanson, and it felt like the whole world was hers. That headache-inducing person who never really cared about her should really disappear from her mind. In the next two weeks, Hanson came to visit her from workte at night, always looking exhausted. Essie prepared a ss of fresh fruit juice for him and asked carefully, "Is work really hectic these days?" He nodded and put his arm around her shoulder. "As long as I see you, I have nothing to worry about." She smiled, "I like this kind of carefree life, too." Her stay in the Rong Mansion was unpleasant, to say Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. the least. Every day, she had to deal with the malicious smiles and sinister machinations of Valery, the woman''s mother, and her own mother-inw. She never spent a rxed day in that house. He gently stroked her hair and asked with a thoughtful look on his face, "Essie, if I left Be one day, became a nobody, and lost everything, would you still be willing to stay with me?" Her heart sank suddenly. "Is your father forcing you again to marry Sunny?" He was silent for a while, and a frown crept onto his face. This time, he really needed to make the final decision between thepany and Essie... because Be was in an unprecedented mess. In the past two years, Be''s turnover numbers were dismal, and thepany had been operating at a loss. Last week, the investment n in A City was dered to be a failure because of a sudden blockage in the capital chain. There were also problems in the orders exported to America, which caused the stock to plummet continuously. Severalpanies took advantage of this situation to try and acquire Be. Jobson hoped that the Yang family could help him ovee this crisis, but the Yang family requested for Hanson to marry Sunny at once before taking any action. If he turned down the offer, Be would be acquired by another entity. However, Hanson did not want Essie to be aware of this situation. He only said in a low voice, "It has nothing to do with Sunny. I just want to know if you were willing to be with me even if I had nothing." She lifted her eyes to meet his and looked at him deeply. "I don''t care about money, power, or status. I only care about two things: someone who loves me wholeheartedly and a quiet, peaceful life with him." "Essie!" He embraced her and murmured fervently against her hair, "You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that." When he came out of the apartment, his father called him and requested for his presence at home. When he entered the luxurious mansion of the Xia family, he was surprised at the sight of his mother Florey. Mrs. Xia never allowed his mother into the house, but the matriarch was surprisingly generous in that regard today. It looked like she was really upset. "What''s the matter?" Hanson had figured out Jobson''s intentions, but he pretended not to know. "You still have the time to rx outside after what happened to Be?!" Mrs. Xia remarked bitterly, rolling her eyes at him. Although he was the deputy CEO, he was only a figurehead who held no real executive power. A year ago, he had proposed a reform n for Be in an attempt to save thepany, which was on the brink of copse. However, without the trust of his father, Jobson, and with the Xia matriarch determined to fight him, his n was summarily rejected by the board. "Be is yours. What does it have to do with me?" Hanson had always been the outsider in this family. Jobson had never raised him, and there was little love lost between father and son. Of course, there was Mrs. Xia and her daughters, who had always regarded him as a thorn in their side. Jobson said as his mouth twitched, "Don''t you understand the old saying, ''Once the lips are gone, the teeth will feel cold''? If Be goes down, you, too, will lose everything." "I''ve lived on nothing for twenty years. I don''t care anymore," Hanson said tly with a shrug. "Hanson," Florey said in a despairing tone, "Be will eventually be yours, and now it''s undergoing a crisis. How can you just ignore it?" "One year ago, I desperately wanted to save Be, but they outright rejected my proposal. Now, everything''s messed up, and I just don''t have the energy to help thepany get back on its feet," Hanson said coldly. Chapter 162 Having An Affair (Part Two) Chapter 162 Having An Affair (Part Two) "Mr. Yang is willing to help, provided that you and Sunny would marry as soon as possible. Then, he will invest in Be. In any case, sooner is better thanter, so it would be best for you go to the Civil Affairs Bureau tomorrow..." Mrs. Xia had not finished presenting her suggestion when Hanson interrupted her, "I have already told my father that I don''t intend to marry Sunny, so stop trying to force me." "Hanson..." Jobson took a deep drag on his cigar and said slowly, "Be has never encountered a crisis of this scale before. Now''s not the time for you to be so stubborn, not when it''s a matter of the know who''s behind this whole debacle?" "Who is it?" Hanson asked, eyebrows furrowed with apprehension. "The Emperor Group. Its CEO is the second son of the Rong family. He is a very shrewd businessman, and even US''s most famouspany, the Rock Group, entered into his pocket without the slightest effort. The only way for us to win against them is by joining hands with the Yang family." Jobson''s eyes were full of sadness. After some time, Hanson''s body jerked in realization. "The CEO''s name... is it Zac Rong?" Jobson nodded. Hanson''s handsome face clouded over. It looked like Zac was after his blood all this time. So he wanted to take Essie away from him? He''d have to kill him first! He could lose Be, but he could never lose Essie! "I''ll think about it," he said nomittally and made his exit. The next three days were thest recording for ''Beauty on Runway'' and the finals show. The live show was being broadcast in the Yang City Stadium. With the arrival of the Entertainment King Jim, the whole gym went wild with excitement. Of course, the first person he wanted to see as soon as he arrived at the stadium was Essie. Without preliminaries, he asked, "What happened between you and Zac?" He squinted his charming eyes and looked at her with an unreadable look. "You should ask him that question," Essie said in an indifferent tone. She didn''t want to have anything to do with Zac anymore. Jim coughed to clear his throat and said, "So you are having an affair with another man?" She had gone shopping and had lunch with Hanson in public without any qualms, and paparazzi had taken countless photos of them secretly. However, Zac put pressure on them so that no one dared to spread anything. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. However, as the son of a media boss, he was aware of everything. Essie choked at the point-nk question. Although she was with Hanson at the time, she would not do anything disloyal to Zac before the divorce was finalized. Unlike her, he had been intimate with his ex- lover even as a married man. What was the big deal about her hanging out with her ex, then? "That question, as well. I think you should ask him," she said lightly, even as her thoughts whirled. Jim pursed his lips. If he had managed to get an answer from Zac, then he wouldn''t have had to seek her out to ask. "I thought you two were great together." He sighed, a regretful look evident in his eyes. A slight flicker registered in Essie''s eyes at Jim''s statement. She and Zac were never a perfect match; she probably was only able to be with him because the divine matchmaker was drunk at the time. They were wrong for each other, and it was time to correct things. She had no idea that Zac was in the audience. Covered by his sunsses, his eyes had never left her since she stepped onstage. His face looked passive, but his heart was pounding. He was sorely tempted to take her away as soon as she went backstage and locked her up in the cage. Then, she would belong only to him until either one of them died. However, he resisted the impulse. He knew in his bones that she woulde back to him. Essie didn''t care about the final results of thepetition, but she ended up taking the top spot anyway, as expected. When she returned to the backstage with the trophy in her hands, Sunny walked up to her. "It doesn''t matter to me whether you''re the grand champion. I only want one thing: to get Hanson back." Essie stared at Sunny in surprise. "But Hanson won''t marry you." Half-covering her mouth, Sunny giggled and said, "He will definitely marry me this time around, or else Be will be acquired by anotherpany." Her words were like a thunderp in Essie''s head. "What did you say?" A shiver ran down her spine, and her voice trembled when she spoke. "How could you not know such an important thing?" Sunny was surprised by Essie''s ignorance. "The Emperor Group is buying out Be. Without my father''s assistance, Be would have no choice but to surrender to the Emperor Group." Essie felt a crushing pain in her chest, as if her internal organs were being twisted. No wonder Hanson had looked exhausted in the past two weeks. He must have been extremely busy. "Do you mean the Emperor Group of Dragon City?" "Yes. You bumpkin have been to Dragon City. You know something about them, don''t you?" Sunny Essie''s hands balled up into fists, a burning anger churning within her chest. It was Zac''s doing! He must be taking his revenge on Hanson and her! That devil was definitely a bloodthirsty predator, through and through! Outside of the stadium, Hanson pulled up on the driveway, and Essie quickly slipped into the vehicle. She was oblivious to eyes watching her underneath a pair of sunsses. As Hanson''s Maserati pulled away, Zac followed the disappearing vehicle with his dark, inscrutable eyes and a ruthless smile on his lips. Distraught, Essie sat in the car without a word. Hanson gently patted her head and asked, "Where do you want to go to celebrate?" The corners of his mouth turned up in a charming smile that erased the tiredness on his face. "I''m a little tired. I just want to go home," she muttered in a low voice. Hanson may be acting like nothing was wrong, but it was breaking her heart. Chapter 163 Lets Get Away From Here (Part One) Chapter 163 Let''s Get Away From Here (Part One) "Okay, I''ll take you home so you can rest. Then we''ll go to eat in a French restaurant, okay?" Hanson smiled gently as he made a turn at the next corner. Essie didn''t talk all the way to the apartment. As soon as she arrived, the first thing she did was lie on the sofa. "I''ll get you a ss of juice," Hanson said. Just as he was about to get up, she stretched out her hand to grab his and said, "Don''t go, Hanson. Stay here with me." She knew she was going to lose him again. And this time, she was going to lose himpletely. But she couldn''t me him for that. This time, the fate of Be was at stake. It was about the prospect of tens of thousands of employees, and as the sessor of the CEO, he had the responsibility to protect Be and its employees. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Moreover, this undeserved catastrophe was all because of her. He sat down beside her and let her rest her head on hisp. "You little fool, I''m just going to get some juice for you. I won''t leave you alone." As he spoke, he gently stroked her face. "I know," Essie mumbled as tears welled up unconsciously in her eyes. She immediately turned her head so that he wouldn''t see the tears rolling down from her eyes and onto his pants. The warmth of her tears made him tremble slightly. He looked down at her and said, "You should be happy since you won the championship. Why are you crying?" She sat up, her tears streaming down her face like someone had opened the floodgates in her eyes. "Hanson, I know everything about what''s going on with Be." Trembling violently, he raised his hand to try to wipe away her tears, but there was nothing he could do to get rid of them all. Her tears would not stop streaming down her face. In all her life, her heart had never been this full of despair. "I nned on telling you after I''ve sorted everything out." His voice was low and sorrowful, as if he knew that there was nothing he could do. "I''m sorry. It''s all my fault. I''ll talk to Zac¡ª" Before she could even finish her words, Hanson took her in his arms tightly. "You can''t go. I don''t want you to go. I''ve thought it through, and I''m going to go through the process of going abroad so I can get you out of here." Essie was shocked. She must have misheard him. He was going to marry Sunny to salvage the situation, wasn''t he? "Hanson, what are you talking about? Are you leaving now? Are you going to leave Be behind?" Hanson replied with a hint of coldness in his eyes, "All I can do is to sacrifice myself for a political marriage that I don''t want, and in the end, no one will even know who my sacrifice was for." "I don''t understand." Essie shook her head with a nk look in her eyes. Hanson caressed her head and sighed. "Although I''m the vice president, I have no real power in the group. My father and I have different opinions on managing thepany. He is a stubborn person, and my stepmother and her daughters are always picking on me. No matter what I say, my opinions will always be rejected. Even when they fired you at the beginning, I didn''t have the right to keep you there." He paused and continued, "I don''t have much feelings for my father, and he feels the same way towards me. Last month, hiswyer told me that he has made a will, leaving half of his shares to me and the other half equally divided among his three daughters. It may seem like I am the biggest shareholder, but the shares of his three daughters,bined with 8% of the shares my stepmother has, still equal to a bigger share than mine. They can veto me at any time, which means that even after my father hands the business down to me, I still won''t have any real power in thepany. I don''t want to sacrifice my marriage and love for thispany since it is in no way under my control. It would be better for me to leave and be a designer." Hearing Hanson''s words, Essie lowered her head, not knowing what to say. Even though she knew that Be was not in a good situation, she didn''t expect that it was that bad. No wonder he had decided to marry Sunny to change the situation in the beginning. "Essie." He put his arm around her shoulder and said, "Back then, you gave up studying in the Instituto Marangoni for me. Now, we''re going to Mn so you can realize your dream, okay? By that time, you would go to school and I will find a job. When you graduate, we''ll design our own brand and build our own Be." "Okay." She embraced him back and buried her head into the nook of his neck. Tears fell down from her eyes again, but this time, they were tears of joy. He held her face in his hands. His fingers trailed down from her forehead to her eyes and the tears on her cheeks. Then, he kissed her softly. What a gentle man! He was like a gentle stream of water. He was so unlike Zac who was crazy, overbearing, full of plunder, and always acting as if he wanted to devour her. At this time, she shouldn''t let this demon disturb her happiness. She quickly shook off the thought. There was no way she was going to let this demon disturb the happiness she was feeling at that moment. She forced herself to calm down and wrapped her arms around Hanson''s neck. Her initiative made him ecstatic, and he increased the pressure on her lips slightly. After a long while, he stopped kissing her. She nestled in his arms as she tried to catch her breath. He gently stroked her hair and said in a low and hoarse voice, "Are you hungry? Let''s go out for dinner." She shook her head and said, "I just want to eat the braised noodles that you cook." It was absolutely delicious, and she was addicted to it. A smile appeared on his face. He pinched the tip of her nose lovingly and said, "Okay, let''s just have braised noodles." After a while, Essie entered the kitchen and she saw two bowls of freshly-cooked noodles steaming with a lovely aroma waiting for her on the table. She ate with relish and even drank up everyst bit of the soup. Once she was done, she smacked her lips and sighed with satisfaction. He looked at her with a smile, and continued, "Now that I''ve fed you, I can do what I''ve been meaning to do." Slightly stunned, Essie said, "What is it?" He stood up and got down on one knee in front of her. Then he took out a velvet box from his pocket, and the moment he opened it, Essie saw an enormous pink diamond ring inside. She had refused him "Essie, marry me. I can be your masseuse when you''re tired, your pillow when you''re sleepy, your coat when it''s cold, and your umbre when it''s raining. I promise that I will only give you happiness and love instead of tears and pain for the rest of your life." Chapter 164 Lets Get Away From Here (Part Two) Chapter 164 Let''s Get Away From Here (Part Two) "Hanson..." Tears welled up in Essie''s eyes and her heart raced. "I''ve sent the divorce papers to him, but I haven''t received his signature. I''m so worried..." she said. She lowered her head. It was obvious that the reason why Zac wanted to buy Be out was that he did not want a divorce. He wanted her to be a substitute for the rest of her life. He caressed her head andforted her. "We''ll go to Mn first, then we will find awyer to talk to him. If it fails, we can file a unteralwsuit to finalize the divorce." Hanson knew very well that Zac tried to buy hispany to force him to give Essie up, but he was not going to let Zac get what he wanted. Since Be was now in the hands of Mrs. Xia and her daughters, and they had made a mess of it, Hanson would have to give it up anyway. If Zac really wanted it, he could just take it. For Hanson, it would be enough to just be with Essie. Essie nodded her head. Even though Zac was powerful, she would find a way to get the divorce done. She may be stupid, but she was not stupid enough to sacrifice her marriage and love at the mercy of others. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Hanson took her hand and put the ring on her ring finger before pulling her into a tight hug. By the time Hanson got back to his apartment, he had alreadypleted the requirements for going abroad. Meanwhile, Essie had already decided to move out of the leased apartment, and taken all of her stuff there in Hanson''s apartment. Once Hanson had booked the flight ticket, all that was left for him to do was to fly with her to Italy this Saturday. Once they got there, they would finally be able to have a fresh start. He carried out all of this under the table. He was careful not to let Jobson and Zac find out about his ns. But what he didn''t know was that Zac was already aware of everything. Zac was actually surprised. He didn''t expect Hanson to be so determined. It seemed that he underestimated Hanson''s feelings for Essie. But he couldn''t let them get what they wanted just like that. In this life, he was the only one who could have Essie. "Inform Jobson," he said coldly. "Right away." The man nodded. On Saturday... Hanson finished packing his luggage and was about to go to the apartment to pick up Essie. However, when he opened the door, he saw Jobson with four bodyguards in tow. "Where are you going?" His father''s face was livid with rage and his brows were knitted together. "I''m going out for a walk," Hanson said in a in tone, trying to keep calm. "Really? Then is it necessary to transfer all your assets overseas?" Jobson roared at him. "Be is in a life or death situation. How could you even think of running away with another woman? How could I have such an unfilial son like you?" Hanson let out a coldugh and said, "Yes, you are the reason I was born. But have you ever raised me and taken care of me? If you only had another son with that woman, you never would have acknowledged me as your own son! Do you think that I am just an ambitious person who only wants to get Be? Well, I am telling you now, I am not interested in yourpany. Don''t expect me to save it at the expense of marrying the woman I love!" "Stop speaking, you evil creature!" Annoyed, Jobson raised his hand and pped Hanson across the face. Five fingerprints were left behind on Hanson''s pale face. He gritted his teeth and slowly squeezed out a few words. "Get out of the way now that you''re done pping me." With a snort, Jobson said, "You are not allowed to leave the house today. As for that woman, if you don''t get married to Sunny, you will never see her in your life!" Now, Hanson was like an angry cheetah. He rushed to his father and grabbed him by the cor. "If you dare to touch a single hair on Essie''s head, I will destroy Be!" "If you dare to defy me, you should know who you are first." Jobson looked at Hanson with a cold and cruel expression on his face. He told the bodyguards to seize Hanson. At once, one of the bodyguards tried to grab him, but Hanson fought him with all his might. Another one of the men took advantage of his inattention to punch him on the back of his neck. He immediately fell to the ground in shock. "You two keep an eye on him." Jobson ordered two of the bodyguards to watch Hanson before leading the other two to find Essie. Essie had already finished packing her luggage and was just waiting for Hanson. She heard the doorbell ring and thought it was him, so she quickly went to open the door. When the sight of Jobson greeted her, she was shocked. "Mr. Jobson, what can I do for you?" Jobson looked at her from head to toe and said, "Since you know who I am, you should already know why I came here." Hearing that, Essie''s heart contracted even tighter. It seemed like he had found out that she was about to leave the country with Hanson. "Where is Hanson? I want to see him." She tried her best to keep calm. "You wouldn''t be able to see him before he gets married." Jobson snorted. The look in his eyes was teeming with coldness. He signaled to the bodyguards beside him, and the two of them quickly went forward and seized Essie. "What are you doing? Let me go!" Essie struggled hard, but the bodyguards were so strong that there was just no way for her to win in a fight against them. "I won''t let you ruin Hanson''s wedding. As long as his wedding goes smoothly, I will let you go," Jobson said. Then, he let the two men catch her and walked outside. "This is illegal detention. Aren''t you afraid that I will call the police?" This time, Essie managed to raise her voice, hoping that her neighbors would hear her and call the police to save her. Jobson said with a cold smile, "It would be better for you to save your energy. You don''t have to shout. It won''t work. I am thew in Yang City." Essie''s face turned pale. He was right. She couldn''t win against a man as rich and powerful as him. Hanson must be under his control now, and he wanted to ckmail him with her. Chapter 165 We Wont Be Able To See Each Other Again (Part One) Chapter 165 We Won''t Be Able To See Each Other Again (Part One) "Hanson is your son. How could you do this to him?" Essie couldn¡¯t suppress her anger. She red at him and clenched her fists. Jobson didn¡¯t wait for a second to answer her question. "You¡¯re right. He¡¯s my son. That¡¯s exactly why Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. he should do what I tell him to do." His voice sounded cold and ruthless. When they stepped out of the elevator, eight tall and brawny men in ck stopped them and stood in their way. "What are you doing?" Jobson sounded rmed. Seeing the men in front of them, he thought they looked dangerous. "You can leave now. We¡¯ll take Miss Essie with us," one of the men said tly. Their mere presence turned the whole atmosphere tense. Jobson nced at Essie and thought, ¡®Did this woman get into any other trouble? These guys seem to be from a powerful family. I only have two bodyguards with me. If anything happens, we won¡¯t stand a chance. I should go. Besides, whatever happens to this woman won¡¯t have anything to do with me. If she died, then it would all work out for me since she won¡¯t be able to bother Hanson anymore.¡¯ When he realized that he was sneering, he immediately tried to restrain himself. He spoke in a low voice and said, "Leave her. Let¡¯s go." He did not say another word and quickly left without looking back. Looking at the men in ck who had such an imposing presence, Essie could not help but shudder. She took a step back and asked, "Who are you? And what are you going to do?" She didn¡¯t know what they came for. Whenever she remembered the time when Valery had her kidnapped, she would get goosebumps. One of the men in ck came up to her and said, "Mrs. Essie, you don¡¯t have to be afraid. Boss asked us to protect you. Pleasee with us, he is waiting for you." Essie raised her left eyebrow. ¡®Boss?¡¯ She was slightly taken aback. "Wait. You¡¯re Zac¡¯s people?" The man who towered over her nodded. She let out a sigh and said, "All right, fine. Let¡¯s go." She smoothed her clothes and walked out. She was in luck since she also wanted to see Zac. Zac was waiting at the Legendary for a while and sat in front of the bay window. Essie had prepared to leave without hesitation that she took all her belongings with her. There was no trace of her, and the only things she left to Zac were their memories and despair. Zac leaned his head against the cold ss window. ¡®Does she really not have any feelings for me, even just a tiny bit?¡¯ It was raining outside and the raindrops were trickling down the window. A strong wind pushed the window open and lightly mmed on his face, as though trying to wake him up. It was cold¡ªas cold as his heart that he could feel no warmth. Suddenly, he heard footsteps from outside the door. He immediately collected his thoughts and wore a cold and frigid face. Essie came in through the door. Her face was full of anger and resentment. "I didn¡¯t expect you to be such a despicable person!" Zac was listening intently and retorted, "You should know that by now." His face was expressionless, and his voice was as cold and deste as the wind from outside. "Marrying you was the greatest mistake I have ever made in the past 22 years. I just want to make up for it and go live with the person I really like. Can¡¯t you just let me go?" Her voice was full of emotions as if she was pleading. Her furrowed brow tried to mask her eyes filled with pain. She knew she wasn¡¯t Mother Teresa¡ªit was difficult for her to sacrifice her own happiness for the sake of others. He slowly turned his head and stared coldly at the pink diamond ring on her finger. It dazzled as the light reflected on the diamond ring, stinging his eyes. Zac frowned at the sight of the ring sittingfortably on her finger. The anger in his heart twisted his handsome face and the veins on his forehead kept throbbing. Then, like a hurricane, he took a step closer to her and pinched her chin. "Why would I let you go? You¡¯re mine, and you¡¯re going to be my only woman all my life." He looked fierce and cold as he asserted his ownership of Essie like she could only belong to him. Strong sadness and indignation surged into her heart. Her eyes looked grim. "I am not your toy. I have my own freedom and the right to make a choice again." Her voice sounded firm and insistent, unyielding to his cold-heartedness. His hold on her tightened. She felt the pain but gritted her teeth stubbornly, unwilling to surrender to him. "You lost that right when you married me. Do you really think you can get rid of me by going to Mn to hide? I can find you even if you run to the ends of the earth. You can never escape from me. As for Hanson, I can easily kill him if I have to. It would be a piece of cake." Zac didn¡¯t blink once when he spoke. Every word he said was a threat. Essie felt a chill down her spine and shivered as it spread throughout her body. It was true that she now had no other choice. Hanson was being governed by Jobson. If Essie couldn¡¯t make apromise to take advantage of the situation to resolve the crisis that Be was facing, Hanson would be forced to marry Sunny. She couldn¡¯t let that happen. "Are you going to drop the acquisition of Be if Ie back to you?" she offered, making sure he understood that it was apromise. Her thick eyshes cast shadows on her eyelids that made her eyes look helpless and in pain. "I¡¯m not even interested in Be. I just want your sincerity." There was a spark of rage in his eyes. Before he finished his sentence, he took her in his arms and carried her upstairs. After a long while, Essie felt tired and exhausted as shey on the bed. Her hair was tangled up and her face drenched in sweat and tears. "Are you happy now? Satisfied?" she asked weakly. Zac looked at her earnestly as his slender fingers caressed her face. His eyes were like a deep and bottomless ocean. Without saying anything, he sat up and opened the drawer. He took out the divorce agreement she had sent him before. Essie fixed her eyes on the paper he was holding. Zac flicked the lighter and the paper was slowly swallowed by the fire. They watched it burn into ashes. "Don¡¯t show me that paper again!" His voice sounded like thunder. Hearing him rage that way, Essie shivered. The cold wind almost froze her out. She stared at him with dim and desperate eyes. "Come back to Dragon City with me in the afternoon," Zac spoke with a low voice. He picked up his clothes from the floor and put them on. A faint light shed in her misty eyes. "I need to do something first. After that, I¡¯ll go with you." His face turned grumpy but he didn¡¯t say a word. He stretched out his hand and gently stroked her head. "Are you going to see Hanson for thest time?" She shook her head and said, "I¡¯m going to Be. Could you lend me yourwyer?" When Essie went to Jobson¡¯s office, he was surprised to see her again. He thought that the men he met earlier had abducted and killed her, and yet she stood there in front of him, safe and sound. Chapter 166 We Wont Be Able To See Each Other Again (Part Two) Chapter 166 We Won''t Be Able To See Each Other Again (Part Two) "Essie!" With a cunning smile, he weed her as if surprised. "I didn¡¯t expect I¡¯d see you here. Although, if you came here to talk about Hanson, you can leave. His wedding will be held next week. Until then, you¡¯re not allowed to see him." He lit a cigar and red at her with a fiendish look. Unfazed, Essie let out a faint smile on her face. "You have misunderstood, Mr. Jobson. Believe it or not, I¡¯m here to help you save Be." Hearing what she said, heughed faintly and scoffed. "Ha! Just you?" Jobson shook his head, trying to erase the sneer on his face. Essie looked at him and suddenly smiled, as though she was mocking him in return. Her voice emanated with confidence and she said, "Do you really think you can fight against the Emperor Group by marrying Hanson to the daughter of the Yang family? As far as I know, Mr. Yang is quite crafty and cunning. Think about it¡ªif the stocks of the Yang Group suddenly plummeted, and he realized that it was because of the shady business he had done, what do you think he would do? What¡¯s worse, if he was caught on the hands of others, do you think he¡¯ll still be willing to cooperate in this to help you? I¡¯m afraid that he would even go against you just to save himself." Jobson twisted his lips, his eyes looked dim. "Don¡¯t talk nonsense here. You¡¯re just a girl. What do you even know about business?" Essie shrugged. She knew she probably was talking nonsense, but she couldn¡¯t allow him to see right through her bluff. However, in the business world, everyone would most likely be involved, everyone would have their own calctions, and no one could be innocent. She had to take a chance. Last year, something was wrong with the buildings developed by the Yang Group. The news had just gotten out when it was suppressed. There had been no follow-up reports after that. It was obvious that the Yang Group was behind the closed doors. Judging by the look on Jobson¡¯s face, she knew that she had hit the nail on the head. "Mr. Jobson, I may be insignificant, and I don¡¯t know much about business. However, my husband knows it very well. You probably know him as the president of the Emperor Group." "What did you say?" Jobson was shocked. He dropped his cigar on the ground and watched it fall in slow motion. The scorched tip touched the carpet and started to burn. Essie gracefully grabbed the cup of tea on his table and poured it into the fire to put it out. Like nothing happened, Essie continued, "To tell you the truth, my husband has no interest in Be at all. He bought out Be just because he wanted me toe home. Hanson found out about this, so he wanted to take me away in a rush." She spoke lightly, but Jobson was so furious that he almost passed out. For a long time, Be had been in crisis all because of the love triangle his son was in. "That bastard!" Essie nced at him and said, "It is not Hanson''s fault. It is your fault. He gave up on me when he wanted to help you to save Be. You are the one who disheartened him. You don¡¯t trust him, and your wife and daughters always try to subdue him that he finds himself unable to carry out his ns to make Be better. Yourpany has been staggering and losing money for two consecutive years. If it doesn¡¯t improve, even with the help of Emperor Group, Be would be swallowed up by other opponents sooner orter." Jobson fell into silence as his face turned pale. Seeing him stunned, Essie walked out of the office and called thewyer in. The moment he came in, he walked over to Jobson¡¯s table and handed him the document. "This is a share transfer agreement. As long as you transfer all your shares to Hanson, the Emperor Group will drop the acquisition of Be at once." After a long pause, Jobson looked at Essie and snapped, "Even if you¡¯re the wife of Emperor Group¡¯s CEO, you have no right to intervene in the affairs of the Xia family." With a slight smile on her face, Essie said, "Hanson is your biological son. If you sign the transfer agreement, he will take over as the chairman of thepany, and Be would still belong to the Xia family. However, if you don¡¯t sign it, the Xia family would lose ownership of Be and Be would then be owned by the Emperor Group. Do you understand that?" She spoke as though every word she uttered was a threat. Jobson looked deted at the sound of such an overwhelming threat that he sat frustrated in his chair. After a long pause, he slowly spoke, "Do you really have a say in this matter?" Essie turned to herwyer who stood beside her and said, "This is Mr. Li, the chief legal counselor of Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. the Emperor group. He can verify whether I do have a say in it." Mr. Li nodded at her and spoke to Jobson slowly, "I got the instruction from our president this morning. Mrs. Essie will be in charge of the acquisition." Jobson let out a heavy sigh and then burst intoughter full of helplessness and unwillingness. He had been in the business world for decades, and now he was being set up by a young woman in her twenties. Right then, Florey arrived at the office. Essie had called her in advance and asked her toe to Jobson¡¯s office. After Jobson signed the document, thewyer checked to make sure there were no issues with the paperwork. Essie then handed it to Florey and said, "Give it to Hanson. From now on, Be will be his." Florey held the document to her chest and remembered all the things she had done to Essie. She felt all the guilt that she took a step closer to Essie and spoke in a low voice, almost like a whisper, "Thank you." "This is thest thing I can do for Hanson." Essie forced a smile. Swallowing the bitterness in her throat, Essie took off the ring on her finger and said, "We will never meet again in the future. Please give this ring to him. I believe that there will be a girl who¡¯d be lucky enough to wear it." After a pause, she turned to Jobson. "You can cancel the wedding. The marriage with the Yang family won¡¯t do Be any good, and Sunny can never be a good wife to Hanson. As for what happened here today, please do not tell Hanson about it. I¡¯ve been used to a luxurious life, so I don¡¯t want to live a hard life with a man who doesn¡¯t have anything. I am willing toe back to my husband. Hanson can give up on me." Essie forced a smile once more, then she bit her lip and turned around to walk out the door. Chapter 167 Cause Havoc (Part One) Chapter 167 Cause Havoc (Part One) The moment Hanson was released, he rushed to the apartment to look for Essie. However, she wasn''t there, and all he found was an empty room. When he came out the door, he received a message from Essie. "Hanson, I apologize. I can''t run off to Italy with you. After thinking it over, I''ve changed my mind. I am now thedy of the honorable Rong family. I have gained so much power from my affiliation with this family, and the possibilities are limitless. It would not be worth it to give it all up to be a nobody. Perhaps, like other women, I also like the idea of materialism and vanity. I neither have the confidence nor courage to start off in a new ce with nothing. I know that love is valuable, but bread is more important to survive. If I were to choose one, I would rather choose bread. There was a time I resented you for choosing Be over our love, but I now understand that you were in fact making the righteous choice. We could only be happy if we had wealth and power. If we had love but were poor, we would end up living a life of regret, and would live the rest of our lives unhappy. Just forget about our rtionship, I don''t deserve your love. Find a girl who can love and take care of you." When Hanson saw the message, he was on the verge of breaking down. He had known Essie for so long and knew that she was not a materialistic girl who loved vanity. There must be something or someone that was forcing her to send such a message. He drove quickly, rushed into Jobson''s office and yelled, "Tell me where Essie is now! Did you lock her up?" He pounded on the table and roared. Jobson was calm and emotionless as he took a drag of his cigar. He replied, "When I asked someone to take her, she was seen leaving with the Rong family''s men. She has probably returned to her husband''s side by now." Hanson eyebrows furrowed with a torrent of rage, and slowly his face contorted into a venomous outburst. He swiftly turned around, rushing to find Essie, but he was soon stopped by Jobson''s men.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Are you going to run after her in Dragon City? Do you think you even have a chance when it''s Zac you''repeting with?" Jobson sneered and continued, "You are not powerful enough to defeat him. With your strength, you would be defeated before you even lift a finger." Hanson could feel his anger boiling up inside. He clenched his fists and a crunching sound was heard from his strength. "I will demolish that man. Even if it takes the rest of my life," he retaliated. "If you risk your life, you won''t have a chance to have a future with Essie anymore," Jobson said in a low deep voice as he leaned back against his chair. He continued, "I''ve thought long and hard about it. I will hand over Be to youpletely and you will be the man in charge of thepany. I think your best option is to take charge of thepany and bring it back to power so you can defeat Zac and win Essie back. This way, you can find the proper strategies to deal with him." His remark provoked Hanson and quickly evaded his unstable emotions, turning his fury into a will to fight back. Now that he hade back to his senses, he was motivated as ever to be stronger so he could protect Essie and give her the life that she deserved. While he was lost in thought, Jobson walked up to him and patted him on his shoulder. Entrusting him with thepany, he said, "From now on this office is yours. Focus on your job and do it well. Don''t let me or Be down." By this time, Essie had already returned to Dragon City. While they were in the car, she stared nkly out the window, watching the stars twinkle in the deep dark night. She didn''t say a single word throughout. She was exasperated in all the possible ways: physically, mentally and emotionally. Zac sat beside her with his chiseled face as still as the Arctic iceberg. With a stone hard cold expression on his face, he silently burned with rage and jealousy. He didn''t bother to take her back to the Rong Mansion but brought her to the vi instead. She entered the vi and went straight toy on the sofa, threw off her shoes and ced both her feet on the coffee table in a very rude manner. Essie thought to just cause havoc and disruption until he reached the point that he couldn''t be able to stand her anymore. When that time came, he wouldn''t be able to bear her nuisance and just drive her away. Linda came over with a te of fruit. She was surprised to see Essie''s rude actions. Essie moved her leg to make space for Linda to ce the te of fruit and without saying a word, she turned on the television. She watched quietly and ate some fruits,pletely ignoring Zac, who was just sitting right beside her. Zac seemed to have noticed what she was up to and went upstairs without saying a word. When he was gone, she quickly put her feet back down. There was no use to act out when he wasn''t there. She switched off the television and went upstairs to take a shower. When she went inside the room, Zac had already finished bathing. He leaned his head against the headboard of the bed and read the weeklymercial. His strong body was exposed, wearing only a pair of trousers while the light and shadow outlined his toned muscles. She walked towards him with a frisky nce and sat down next to him. She put on her headphones and yed some music on her iPad. Then she suddenly started to sing very loudly. "Reverse battle. It''s a war of wildness. The trump card is going to let out..." In her mind, Essie thought while she sang, ''Pfft! I hope this will make your eardrums numb and your nerves copse.'' She sang one song after another until her throat was sore. However, the man beside her remained expressionless. He sat in stony silence next to her,pletely ignoring her existence. His ignorance was getting to her nerves, so she quickly stood up and began to sing and dance on their bed. She was a little overexcited, however and fell back. She closed her eyes and screamed, thinking that she was fated for a severe fall. Mid-scream, a strong arm stretched over like lightning and held her midair. He gently pulled her back and with relief, she fell into his arms. "If you''ve had enough, let''s go to sleep," he said with a stern and serious voice. He let go of her andy back on the bed. Despite his considerate and sweet actions, he still maintained a cold expression. Essie thought that he was starting to reveal his true self and was not using sugar coated words to give her an illusion of love. In her opinion, she much preferred this, as she didn''t want to be fooled into thinking his intentions were true anymore. She turned off the music andy down quietly on her bed. After a long, lingering silence, she asked out of the blue, "Have you really given up on taking over Be?" This time, Essie had to make sure that he wasn''t just fooling her toe back. Since he had lied to her before, she didn''t want to rely on him and most especially not trusted a man like him. Chapter 168 Cause Havoc (Part Two) Chapter 168 Cause Havoc (Part Two) He ced the magazine on his bedside table and turned his eyes towards her, cing his head an inch away from her. His eyes seemed even darker than the dark night sky that Essie could see through the window. "You don''t believe me?" he asked. There was a bit of mockery when she rolled her eyes and answered, "Why should I believe a person who has lied to me?" He raised his eyebrows and said, "Why not? A man had once abandoned you but you came back into his arms again, didn''t you?" "He only did that because he had to," she pouted. "Well, the same goes for me," he whispered softly, as if he was only talking to himself. She sneered and said, "You deserve it." She suffered through so much hardship and misfortune ever since he met her. It was unfair that she was forced to help him while he controlled and fooled around with others. His face started to seem overcast and his eyes got even deeper. He asked with a soft, gloomy tone, "Why do you love him so much? Is he really better than me?" She softly pushed him away. His breath was so strong she felt like she couldn''t breathe properly. She turned to face away, took a long deep breath and released a sigh. Her peacefulness quickly turned to disdain and said, "He can outperform you with just a flick of a finger." He furrowed his eyebrows together and looked at her arrogantly. "Why so?" he asked demandingly. His teeth were clenched and his eyes were squinting meanly. "He can cook an amazing bowl of braised noodles. Can you?" A hint of mockery was seen from her eyes. She knew that a rich man like Zac would not know a single This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. thing about cooking, and wouldn''t even know how to cut vegetables. She was sure there was no way he could quip up a good bowl of braised noodles. Zac was stunned to hear her response. His dark eyes suddenly shed with overconfidence and said, "There is nothing that I can''t do. Just wait, and you''ll taste the best bowl of braised noodles in your life." "If you say so. I hope you aren''t just bragging." The idea made herugh in her mind because she knew that he simply couldn''t stand being provoked. Thinking of him cooking noodles tomorrow was a funny thought as he would certainly wreak havoc in the kitchen. "I''m sure it''s better than his." He moaned softly and reached into her nightdress. Understanding his intentions, she quickly grabbed his hand and said, "My period ising." "So soon?" he murmured helplessly. He didn''t bother to force it and just turned to his side. She breathed a deep sigh of relief, as if she was just saved from a deathly disaster. She closed her eyes and almost drifted to sleep, but suddenly heard the sound of his voice again. "You are so easily fooled that a bowl of noodles could persuade you to be with someone," he said with much frustration. "That''s not the case." She opened her eyes and red at him with hard staring eyes and said, "He has countless of advantages." The truth of the matter was, the only thing that was important to her was that Hanson loved her for real, while Zac simply used her and deceived her. "Hanson can sing beautifully. He sings me to sleep every night to help me fall asleep," she said with slight resentment, deliberately trying to provoke him. He trembled from her words, as though he was just stabbed by a rose''s thorn. He reached out to grab her chin and stared deeply into her eyes. His face was lurid and his eyes felt like a volcano that was about to erupt. He spat out with raging fury, "Are you sleeping with him?" Every word was uttered between his clenched teeth. She pushed off his hand that was holding her chin and said, "He sings to me on the phone. I''m not a provocative woman. Before we officially sign the divorce agreement, I will keep my nose clean. I am not like you, who spends every day fooling around with someone else." Her wordsforted him easily, calming the anger and jealousy he felt in his heart. "When did you ever see me fooling around?" he sighed. He didn''t know why she kept believing so when the truth was that his heart could not take another woman besides her. All the days they spent apart, he felt as though he had lost his soul and purpose. He felt as though he was suffering from mental confusion and his thoughts had be erratic. He knew for a fact that he wouldn''t risk anything to lose her. As long as she was by his side, he would do anything for her. Even if their future was filled with moments of Essie hating him or ming him, he would ept it. "You don''t even have the courage to admit your actions," she said mingly. Someone had already sent over photos of him and Le to her through email. The fact was undeniable. "Am I just a phnderer in your eyes?" Zac said with a bitter smile. "Even if you tried to wash yourself a thousand times with the strongestundry detergent, it would be impossible to wipe yourself clean anymore," she said with a sneer. These words sank into Zac''s heart. He knew that after what happened with Valery, Essie would have a negative image of him. However, if it were not for the baby, he would have killed Valery a long time ago. "Just sleep," he said glumly while he dimmed down the lights. "I can''t seem to sleep. Sing me a song to sleep," she pouted with an adorable face. She wanted to pester him so that he wouldn''t be able to sleep well that night. "Are you a child?" he asked raising his eyebrow with perplexity. "I don''t care what you think. You told me that as long as I''m here you''d take care of me. A gentleman''s word cannot be broken." In Zac''s mind, it seemed as though she was acting like a three-year-old troublesome child. Her foolishness was giving him a headache. He couldn''t understand why she acted as stupidly. But she decided to act that way and see what he could do to it. He sighed helplessly, but his eyes had shown hidden intentions of care. "What song would you like to hear?" "The same song you sang to me before. ''Waiting for You'', right?" she asked with a smile of triumph. His beautiful voice was suddenly floated around the quiet room. She closed her eyes when she heard this and she gradually calmed down. She was close to drifting to sleep but couldn''t let him go just yet. She had to make sure to make him sing to her at least ten times before she would let him go. "Ice guy, you have a beautiful, silky voice. It''s a shame that you never wanted to be a singer." "You''re the only one I will sing to," he answered in a low and breezy voice, pausing his singing. "I don''t believe you!" she murmured in utter annoyance. He must have sung this same song in front of Le while they grew up together. She was not a child, and this time, she wouldn''t be deceived so easily. He stopped singing abruptly, and his face turned dark. It seemed that they were in a crisis of mistrust. Chapter 169 To Tick You Off (Part One) Chapter 169 To Tick You Off (Part One) "You idiot, if you want me all to yourself, then you can just say so. You don''t need to be jealous." His teasing tone hid his disdain and dissatisfaction toward her. Essie shot up from the bed and red at him with hands on her hips. "I have no interest in you whatsoever," she ground out angrily. "I''m a neat freak. I hate it when youy your hands on me after touching another woman. Never touch me again, you filthy person!" "So I should guard my purity for you?" He turned around, resting his chin on one hand, and gazed at her yfully. Essie rolled her eyes. "It is called clean living. If you go out all day and mess around with someone else, God knows what sort of diseases you might catch." She snorted. He reached out his hand and stroked her head. With a worried look on his face, he said, "You idiot, I find that you are more and more stupid. It''s really troublesome." Troublesome? That word again? If Essie never heard that word again in her entire life, then that would still be too soon. That word should never have existed. She was so furious that she could almost feel her ears and her head pour out steam. "Zac, if you find me so troublesome, then why did you have to go to such lengths to take me back? Do you have masochistic tendencies? Do you enjoy suffering that much?" "Probably!" He shook his head mournfully and sighed. "I''ve be used to your abuse. When I don''t get mistreated by you for a few days, I start feeling extremely ufortable." "Well, far be it from me to make you suffer. From this point onward, I promise I''ll make you feel extremelyfortable every day," she said through gritted teeth. "That''s okay. Beating is equivalent to a kiss, torture is the same as making love. You can always use that conversion if you don''t want to beat or torture me." After delivering those lines, Zac shot Essie a self-satisfied smile. With a huff, shey back and threw the covers over her head in a glorious sulk. Far too many things happening these days had left her exhausted, so she ended up sleeping in until Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. noon. Zac was gone by the time she opened her eyes. He probably was already at work. After getting washed, she went downstairs and met Ann. "Mrs. Essie is awake," Ann greeted with a strange expression on her face. Noticing the odd look Ann gave her, Essie looked down and examined her clothes. Ann said, "You must be hungry. We have to wait a little longer for lunch. Mr. Zac got up before dawn. He said that he would make braised noodles for you, but it''s taking him a long time. He also ended up hurting himself in the process. He asked Linda to teach him how to make them, but it appears that he has yet to learn..." Before Ann could finish speaking, Essie gave a little shriek and ran toward the kitchen. She slept too Upon reaching the kitchen door, she came to screeching halt (not literally) and hid behind the door frame to spy inside. Zac was slicing beef with great difficulty. His three fingers were wrapped with band aids, and Linda was hovering worriedly by his side. "Mr. Zac, be careful. Please don''t cut your finger again." "Don''t worry, Linda. This isn''t my first time cooking," Zac said, raising his eyebrows. It urred to her that Zac had once offered to help her cut the vegetables that time in her small apartment. That was the first time he entered a kitchen, wasn''t it? Did that even count as cooking? Come to think of it, what in the world was he thinking? Even if she were here only because she was of use to him, he didn''t have to go out of his way to be so amodating to her. While she stewed in her confusion, Linda''s voice resounded again, "Mr. Zac, why don''t you let me do it? I''ll tell Mrs. Essie that you were the one who cooked it." "No, I must let her eat the braised noodles that I made." Zac shook his head. He already had a bad record. He still hadn''t had the chance to redeem his reputation, so he couldn''t add another lie on top of it. After slicing the beef, he asked Linda to bring the ham over. Essie was a voracious carnivore, and she should get her meat. He chopped up some tomatoes, and then prepared the sauce as Linda had instructed. He seared the meat first and then added the vegetables into the pan. "Mr. Zac, when filling the pan with oil, turn the heat down first. You don''t want hot oil to ssh on you again," Linda reminded Zac. That was when Essie noticed several painful-looking blisters on his arm. Suddenly, the drama didn''t seem so funny anymore. She blinked, trying to clear the film that had suddenly blurred her vision. She was moved by Zac''s efforts. Then, she quickly dashed her tears away. Why did she feel touched? He didn''t do it for her; he was just thatpetitive. He was the sort of man who would never allow anyone to one-up him. Zac finally finished making the sauce. This was his sixth attempt to make the dish since this morning. He tasted a little and smiled with satisfaction. "I hope the idiot would like it," he murmured to himself, turning toward another pot to prepare the noodles. Essie quietly walked away, her heart trembling. When Zac served the braised noodles to her, she looked up at him quickly and then let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, he managed not to get oil sshed into his face. His handsome, blemish-free face remained unscathed after the ordeal. "Try it, it''s delicious." He waited for her to take a bite, his eyes full of expectation. She picked up the chopsticks and ate a slice of beef. That little devil who took residence on the left side of her heart stirred and did a little jump, prompting her to exim, "These are the most unptable braised noodles I''ve ever tasted!" Meanwhile, that angel on the right side was awakened by the sight of Zac''s injuries. The angel fought with the devil, finally emerging as the victor. She sincerely spoke what was in her heart, "It tastes good." A charming smile bloomed on his face like a drop of ink to water, spreading slowly from the corners of his eyes to the tip of his eyebrows. "Is it better than the noodles that he made?" he asked smugly. Chapter 170 To Tick You Off (Part Two) Chapter 170 To Tick You Off (Part Two) She pouted secretly, deliberating whether she would give Zac his due. She was tempted to deliver a blow to his pride and say that the other noodles were far superior to his, but the angel inside wanted her to y nice. She only smiled and said, "Your noodles taste different, but this is delicious." After saying that, she busied herself in eating and ignored him. He was not disappointed at all. As long as his wife appreciated his cooking, the whole morning''s hard work was not in vain. After eating the noodles, she patted her tummy in satisfaction. Then, she decided to go shopping with Eva. In those days, Eva had been staying in Dragon City to participate in the initial screening for ''War Emperor.'' Now, she had seeded in reaching the semi-finals. Essie was determined to go shopping crazily using the credit card ice guy had given her. Essie and Eva arrived at Time Square. As the first order of the day, Essie made a beeline for the Patek Philippe store to buy a watch for fun. Eva was shocked when she saw the price tag. She could not afford even the cheapest item on disy. Essie also felt the urge to turn around and leave. She had always led a frugal life, so spending that much money on a personal whim felt highly inappropriate. However, her goal today was to strike someone where it hurts. Gritting her teeth and stretching her fingers, she stepped close to the counter and pointed to a tinum watch with a 96 thousand-dor Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. price tag. Come to think of it, that model was rtively cheap. She had been meaning to buy a more expensive item, something that cost at least half a million dors, but her fingers suddenly stiffened, as if blood had stopped flowing through them. So, she stopped there. With a big smile on her face, the shop assistant took the watch out of the disy case for Essie to try on. "What do you think, Eva? Does it look good?" She disyed her wrist in front of Eva. Eva nodded in agreement, but her sharp eyes scanned Essie''s face. Her gut feeling told her that her best friend was not herself today. Given her personality, even if she was promoted to a rich family, she wouldn''t spend five figures on a watch. Was she upset? Being threatened into doing it? While Eva stood there looking at the other woman in confusion, Essie had swiped her card and stepped out of the store without taking the watch off. Next stop: Herm¨¨s. Eva ced a hand on her elbow before they entered. Essie paused and looked at Eva while thetter said, "Forget about the bag. You can make one, don''t you?" Essie gently pried her fingers away. "No, No. I can''t make a crocodile skin Birkin." As soon as she entered the shop, she took a fancy to a limited edition bag in light pink, which was priced at 45 thousand dors. After modelling the bag in front of a mirror, she asked the saledy to wrap it up for her. Eva looked at her in rm. ''Nearly 150 grand, gone in 30 minutes.'' Whatever was bothering her must be huge. When Essie came out, she gave shed Eva a soft smile and said, "All right, now we''re buying you an outfit. My mind has been in such a messtely that I couldn''t design anything, so I just bought for you." Eva hurriedly said, "If you want to choose one for me, we can go to South Gate Street. I can''t afford anything here." She shook her head vigorously. "You don''t have to pay for anything. I will use my husband''s credit card." The slight smile on her face gave Eva the jitters. "No, I don''t want to. That''s too much of a burden." Eva frantically waved her hand in refusal. "Consider this as your endorsement fee, not a free gift. As the spokesperson of Summer 100 ¡ãC, you have an image to uphold," Essie exined slowly. "It is precisely because I am the spokesperson that I can''t wear any brand other than Summer 100 ¡ãC," Eva reasoned out. Eva ced her arm around Essie''s shoulders and asked half-jokingly, "Tell me the truth: did you quarrel with your husband?" "No, we''re fine. He''s rich enough to build another Great Wall; I''m just taking away two blocks from that wall. It''s no big deal." Essie smiled, trying to hide the sadness in her eyes. "Really?" Eva stared at her without blinking. Even with Essie''s assurance, she still felt a little worried. "Of course." With an exaggerated fake smile on her face, Essie ducked her head to stare admiringly at her watch. "The watch looks gorgeous!" she remarked, abruptly changing the topic. "I''ve been wanting to buy this for a long time. Rich people can buy whatever they desire; no wonder women want to marry rich men." "Yes, you get an ATM for yourself, and the diamond ring on your finger alone is enough for you to live on in luxury for the rest of your life." Eva smiled and said nothing anymore. The two women continued shopping. In the evening, Essie came back to the mansion with her arms loaded with gifts and shopping bags. At the sight of Zac sitting on the sofa, she deliberately dumped her loot on the coffee table to rile him. "Hey, ice guy, I bought a lot of stuff today." She showed the watch to him and continued, "Look! This watch is worth only 95 thousand dors. It''s so cheap!" She then lined up her Herm¨¨s bag, Gi shoes, and La Prairie cosmetics. She opened her calctor app and started punching in the price of every item. She smiled with satisfaction, "I''ve spent about a quarter-million dors for you today. Not bad, huh?" Taking her in his arms, Zac gave her a mildly amused smile and said, "That''s good! You''re finally willing to spend my money. A quarter million is nothing; you should spend more on your next shopping trip." Essie was dumbfounded. She was expecting him to be spitting mad at the grant expense. ''He''s showing a gentle front before me. Why is he being so weird? Is he going crazy?'' Essie thought with no mild confusion. Chapter 171 Out Of Sight Yet Not Out Of Mind (Part One) Chapter 171 Out Of Sight Yet Not Out Of Mind (Part One) "Okay. How about I spend five million for you tomorrow?" Essie tried if she could provoke him to change his mind. Sadly for her, Zac just continued smiling at her with love in his eyes. He replied in a soft voice, "The card belongs to you. Spend as you like. You don''t need to let me know what you did with it." "If I spent five million a day, would you go bankrupt?" she asked. "You idiot, I will always make far more money than you could ever spend. How would I go bankrupt?" He shook his head with a smile, her words amusing him. And that was when she began to feel that what she did today was very childish. Her fighting spirit died a quiet death. She had spent the whole day trying to piss him off. Unexpectedly, he didn''t even frown. She wanted to hide in the corner and draw circles to curse him. It was one a quarter million dors! If that amount of money was donated to the poor, it could help a few children who were forced to drop out of school out of poverty. How could she spend everything on a watch and a handbag? She was such a fool! What''s more, she owed Zac a favor. The irony was astounding. She was just eating braised noodles he cooked for her that morning and in the afternoon, she was burning through a quarter million of his money. Living the cushy life like she did today made her feel guilty. She should be dealing with the pregnant woman hounding him, not sit pretty and enjoy all the benefits. Deciding on what she should do, she waved her hand and said, "Let''s go back to the Rong Mansion." Zac patted her on the head and smiled at her. "No rush. Have some fun first." "You tried so hard to force me toe back. Didn''t you want me to solve your problem as soon as possible?" She sniffed. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her into his arms. He rested his chin on her shoulder and said, "I want my wife, not a machine gun." His tone sounded serious. Inside her, she sighed. She was afraid that he would be disappointed. She could only be a machine gun but not his wife. She couldn''t ept a marriage without love. And she couldn''t give her lifetime of happiness to someone who always had a headache when he saw her. "It takes a lot of courage to be your wife," she said in a low voice as her eyes lowered. He pulled away from their embrace to cup her face gently, making sure their eyes touch. "I know you are under a lot of pressure because of Valery. But I promise that after the baby is born, the problem will be easily solved." She wrinkled her nose at him. There was something amusing at the optimism in his words. How do they solve this problem? Unless the child wasn''t his, Valery would definitely be a problem they would have for the rest of their lives. She shuddered at the thought. How could a shrewd and cunning nine-tailed fox king like him be so naive? Unless... "Ice guy. Let''s make a bet," she said as she fluttered her eyes at him. "What are we going to bet on?" He frowned, sensing her mischievous sideing out to y. As long as she didn''t y the dice, everything would be okay for him. "If the DNA report showed that the baby is yours, you will sign the divorce agreement and let me go freely. We can walk away and forget about each other. If the child is not yours, I will give you the rest of my life. Till death do us part. In sickness and in health," she said slowly and clearly. She wanted him to know how serious she was. There was no turning back for her after this deal. "Well, that''s it. A word spoken is an arrow let fly. You can''t break it now." He smiled. He loved this bet. Essie looked at him wordlessly. She could not tell from his expression which scenario he preferred, that the baby was proven his or not. She also didn''t know what to expect. Maybe she should just let it be. Let the fates decide. She decided she had to go and visit the Rong Mansion again. She hadn''t been back in days. People might assume she had fallen out of Zac''s favor and she couldn''t have that. She couldn''t afford to let them think that they were winning. Indeed, Valery thought that there were only her and Le left in thepetition. She believed that Essie had dropped out and waved the white g. Valery was eighty percent sure that she could defeat Le. Le''s family name was her biggest liability. Carrying it meant that she would never get the support of both her and Zac''s family if ever they got together. Everyone was against them. When the divorce process between Zac and Essie waspleted, Valery would be the hostess of the Rong family. But when she saw Zac holding Essie''s hand as they walked into the mansion, Valery felt like she was hit by lightning. All her excitement and expectations turned into ashes. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. "You... What are you doing here?" Valery was enraged. "That''s weird. This is my home. Of course, I''ll be here." Essie shrugged Valery''s question off and walked into the hall. Ivy and Daisy were watching TV on the sofa. As soon as they spotted Essie, they rose to their feet happily and took her to sit with them. They hadn''t seen her for a long time and were really worried that she had a fight with Zac. "Sister-inw, I''m d you''re back! I was worried that you wouldn''t be able to attend my birthday party," Ivy said with a big smile on her face. Her birthday was in two days. She had nned to throw a party in the Fairy Wood Garden of Rong Mansion. "I just went back to Yang City toplete some personal errands. I immediately came back after I was done there," Essie smiled again. "That''s great! It means you didn''t fight with Zac." Daisy patted her on the shoulder. "It doesn''t matter. Even if you argue with each other, you always make up with a kiss." Ivy giggled. Essie stood up. She held his neck with one of her hands and pinched his nose with the other. "I nned to stay in Yang City for a few more days. But he came to pick me up when he couldn''t bear the loneliness anymore. That''s why I''m back so quickly." Zac pecked her lightly on the lips and said dotingly, "Honey, you know I can''t sleep without you." Chapter 172 Out Of Sight Yet Not Out Of Mind (Part Two) Chapter 172 Out Of Sight Yet Not Out Of Mind (Part Two) He was ying up their affection, knowing everyone was watching them. Ivy and Daisy looked at each other as they rubbed their arms. "Oh, my God! I''m getting goose bumps all over. I know that ''absence makes the heart grow fonder''. But please don''t rub it into our faces. I''m still single. Okay?" "When you get yourself a boyfriend, you might be more clingy than them." Daisy giggled. Ivy sniffed as she said, "I only have eyes for Hanson. As for other boys, I have no interest in them." She propped her chin with both hands. She didn''t notice the cold aura from Zac beside her. How dare Ivy brought this up! Valery was livid with rage as they taunted her with a scene she knew she would never be a part of. Her features twisted hideously. She said, "Ivy, I''m afraid you''ll be disappointed. Your Hanson is already in love with someone else," Her voice was dripping with malice and she fixed her eyes on Essie coldly. Essie was shocked. Was it possible that Valery had known about her and Hanson? But how did she know that? Ivy pursed her lips. "I know, it''s Sunny. But there was news yesterday that his wedding with her has been dyed until the end of the year. Maybe they would cancel it altogether." Valery turned her head and looked at Zac. When she met his cold and sharp eyes, she shivered and realized that she had spilled the beans too early. Trying to control the damage, she immediately said, "I have a friend in the Entertainment Weekly. She told me that some paparazzi had recently photographed Hanson with another woman. I think he might have a new girlfriend." "The paparazzi are always making groundless reports. The girl he dated must be his friend. As a designer, it''s normal for Hanson to meet with models frequently." Ivy stood up for her idol. ''No one dared to insult my idol. Not with me around! I will go all out to protect him!'' "He has deluded you. You''re crazy about him." Valery rolled her eyes at Ivy. "I am. But you''re not one to talk when you''re crazy about my cousin," Ivy made a face and stuck out her tongue at Valery. "Well, you can continue watching TV here. We''ll go and say hello to the elders," Essie smiled again and went upstairs with Zac. Mary was reluctant to see her daughter-inw, but Albert around, she tried to exchange a few words calmly. Essie was polite to her mother-inw. No matter what she said, Essie nodded and responded respectfully at her. She started to get familiar with the affairs inside the Rong Mansion with the help of the housekeeper and Uncle Li who were all under Albert''smand. The Rong Mansion was run simr to a property managementpany. Mary was the general manager and the finance director. Uncle Li was the vice manager. Sally was the executive director. The staff below were responsible for their own duties. They purchased household, managed various gardens, and arranged cars. If there was something that came to her mind about the Rong Mansion, it was the novel, ''The Dream of the Red House''. Mary must be of the same character as Mrs. Wang in the novel, the kind of woman who was gentle on the surface but merciless deep inside. And for Sally, Essie was not clear yet. Sally had always been low-key and quiet, and seemed to be friendly with Mary. But Essie''s intuition told her that this woman was not easy to deal with. The Rong family also had a jewelry department. Every quarter,dies paraded the most brilliant and dazzling cuts and styles of jewelry in public. Every time there were festivals like the Tomb Sweeping Day, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Mid-autumn Day, the New Year''s Day and the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, all the rtives woulde and stay for a couple of days. Sometimes, even up to a couple of weeks. It was the busiest time in the mansion. As the hostess of the family, in addition to the extraordinary management ability, one must also constantly make up for her EQ. She must be as flexible as a diplomat, with a smile on the upper hand and maneuvering through theplex rtionshipworks of the family. In the mansion, one must register first before they were allowed to use any property of the family. As Ivy prepared for her birthday party in the Fairy Wood Garden, she had to ask for permission from Mary. Hearing that some jewelry had just been bought into the jewelry department, she and Daisy hastily dragged Essie there to pick some jewelry that would match with their evening dresses. The Rong Group owned the famous Fortune Jewelry Group. The jewelry group would often send new products of the season to the family jewelry department before theyunched the products in public. Both Ivy and Daisy couldn''t choose which jewelry to try on since each style was so unique and mesmerizing. Essie eyed a pigeon blood red diamond ne, a pair of bauhinia flower petal-shaped emerald diamond earrings, and a tinum diamond bracelet as gifts for the birthday girl. She also selected a sapphire ne and a three-colored gold bracelet in the shape of pear for Daisy.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Ivy looked at Daisy with a mischievous smile. "Cousin, you need to keep a low profile at the party. You can''t steal my attention, because..." But she couldn''t conceal her excitement anymore. With a loud voice, she eximed, "Because Hanson ising to my party!" Essie coughed at this revtion. Noticing her surprised expression, Ivy chuckled and said, "Sister-inw, don''t be surprised. I know you didn''t expect me to invite him. It was a shot in the dark I sent him an invite on WeChat. But to my surprise, he epted." Daisy poked her forehead and said, "No wonder you dragged me out so early in the morning to pick up jewelries. Turns out, your idol woulde at your party." Inwardly, Essie sighed and thought that it would be better if she wouldn''t see him anymore. She could only cherish him and their memories together in her heart. It would be for the best if they didn''t see each other before Be returned back to normal. Chapter 173 The Girls Are Going Crazy Chapter 173 The Girls Are Going Crazy Zac and Essie were both absent during Ivy''s birthday party, but had all their gifts delivered to arrive on time. Ivy however, was not disappointed at all. She didn''t even seem to notice as she had beenpletely distracted by Hanson''s attendance to her party. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Hanson was not interested in Ivy''s party whatsoever. He attended simply thinking that Essie would be there. When he arrived there, he looked all over for her, but was told that Essie had other matters to attend. Hanson waspletely disappointed and was left with a sullen expression. He had initially intended to leave right when he found out, but when he realized that forming a bond with Ivy might have some good use for him in the future, he reluctantly decided to stay. This man was breathtaking, gentle and elegant. Subjectively, he looked even more stunning than he did on television. He seemed like a prince charming straight out of a fairytale. All the girls in the party were so excited that they nervously came up to greet him. From the other corner of the room, there was a pair of beautiful round eyes observing and watching over him. Hanson had caught the eyes of a woman with beauty beyondpare. She had a small oval face, delicate features and a honey toned skin that looked just like sunshine. Any person who was looking at her would think she was like a flower just about to bloom. Her name was Christina Qin, and she was Le''s little sister. She developed a close rtionship with the Rong family because of her sister and because she was Ivy''s senior ssmate. They had a healthy and close rtionship and were fond of each other. Hanson had apparently caught Christina''s attention from watching him on television, and because of his graceful demeanor, she fell in love with him immediately. Hanson was right in front of her eyes at that moment and she could not miss her opportunity to get to know him. However, she was clever enough not to join the other girls, as Hanson would surely not notice her amongst them. Ivy came out of the make-up room and was shocked to find that her charming man was being invaded by countless girls. So she quickly rushed over to help him out of a ridiculous situation. She came up to them and said, "Today is my birthday and I had personally invited Hanson to this party. You girls cannot These words were a deration of her possession of him, and all the girls proceeded to leave with sullen expressions. She handed him a ss of champagne and said, "My friends are fans of yours so they might be a little over-excited to see you. I hope you don''t mind." "It''s not a problem." Hanson shrugged. He didn''t really care for such things. He took a sip of his champagne and asked her, "Does your cousin treat my junior well?" "He treats her okay, but he has never treated any other woman as well as his wife," Ivy said with a little giggle,pletely oblivious to Hanson''s malicious expression. However, he didn''t believe a single word that Ivy had just said. He knew Essie the most amongst anyone and she never had been a woman of vanity. Hanson was sure that Zac had forced her into leaving him. "I thought she would be attending here today," he answered passively, pretending he didn''t really care. "She went out on a romantic date with my cousin. They think that going to a party is too crowded and noisy and wanted to spend time together alone." Ivy spoke with a big smile on her face, feeling happy about her cousin''s rtionship. She was unaware that Hanson was so angry that he clenched his teeth tightly. The hatred was spreading like a torrent wave from his heart. Around this time, Christina walked towards the two and looked straight at Hanson. She smiled with a graceful ambience and said, "You must be Hanson. I havee across you in the show Beauty on Runway. I''m d to see you here today." "This is Christina, my senior schoolmate," Ivy cheerfully introduced. "Hello," replied Hanson with apletely stoic expression. Christina didn''t think much about it. Since it was the first time they met, it would be natural for some people to feel a bit distant. She simply smiled gently and said, "Everyone is singing in the entertainment room upstairs. Would you like to join us?" "Sure." "Hanson, you should sing with us. You have a very pleasant and maic voice." Everyone had seen Essie and Hanson''s performance together in the show. They were all excited and full of ears when they sang and were able to hear Hanson''s pure voice. Hanson had some pent-up anger and thought that singing would be a good way to vent out his emotions. So he nodded in agreement and followed them upstairs. As soon as he started singing, the girls asked to join in as well. "Since today is my birthday, I''ll be the first one to sing with Hanson. You guys could y Rock! Paper! Scissors! and winner will have a chance to sing with Hanson." After making the suggestion, Ivy faced towards Hanson and asked, "Are you okay with that, Hanson?" "It doesn''t matter," Hanson said with a passive shrug. So the two of them sang a song together and Ivy''s eyes were glued to Hanson''s stunning face the whole time. She spent her life surrounded by good looking men like Zac, who was invincible, cold and bearing, and men like Jim who was also ravishing in his own way. Despite that, neither of them were the kind of man she appreciated. They were far too cold and cruel. However, Hanson''s facial features were as gentle as a precious jade with beautiful eyes and a bright face. His picturesque features outlined his stunning face. He was delicate, gentle and just in perfect. All of these qualities dissipated a soft light in the air that inspired the spirit of anyone who was around him. Across the room, Christina also observed Hanson in awe. She had a special kind of admiration towards him, just as much as Ivy did. When the two finished their song, the girls began to y Rock! Paper! Scissors!, waiting to see if they would win a chance to sing a song with Hanson. Christina joined the girls and turned out to win in victory. She faced towards Hanson with an adoring look on her face and asked him with respectfully, "May I call you Hanson?" Hanson nodded. This made her smile with charming eyes that curved into a crescent moon. "Hanson, let''s sing Sparrow''s Nest, shall we?" she asked with delight. "Sure," said Hanson, while he forced a subtle smile on the corners of his mouth. He couldn''t care less about anything that was happening in that moment. When they started to sing, their voices were melodious and sang in perfect unison. Christina was the Queen of Pop Music in their university, and she had an angelic voice. Hanson was clearly swayed from her voice and also immersed his soul into his singing. When Ivy caught glimpses of Christina looking at Hanson with a pair of affectionate eyes, she started to get riled up from jealousy. She wondered if Christina had also fallen in love with Hanson. Christina would be a strong and tough rival when it came to love, and it would be unfortunate for Ivy to have to fight against her for Hanson''s heart. When Ivy saw the two of them headed for their seats on the sofa after their duet, she quickly rushed towards them and squeezed herself in between the two of them. "You should drink some juice to hydrate and moisten your throat, Hanson," Ivy said as she picked up a ss of orange juice to Hanson to show some hospitality. "Thank you." Hanson smiled politely and took the ss. "Hanson, would you like to stay in Dragon City for another day? There are a lot of beautiful and interesting ces in this city and I would be delighted to show you around," she asked hopefully with bright shimmering eyes. Hanson simply shook his head apologetically and replied, "I have a lot of things to deal with in the that Zac was by her side, the more he felt like he was losing his hope. His priority now was to work harder and faster to turn Be into a strongerpany. This would be the only way he couldpete with Zac''s powerful family and take Essie back. A sulky expression appeared in Ivy''s previously bright eyes. "I''m going to have a dance party tonight. It will be a bore if you leave so soon." "That''s true, and besides that Yang City and Dragon City are not so far apart. It only takes two hours to go back and forth. Why don''t you stay here just for tonight and leave tomorrow morning?" Christina quickly suggested. "I''ll visit you guys another time when I have free time," said Hanson in a casual manner. Since Essie wouldn''t be attending, there was no reason for him to stay any longer. Ivy was clearly disappointed, but was aware that it would bepletely inappropriate to convince him to stay. After all, they were just newly acquainted. So she had to suffer from her sadness in silence. They had enough of singing in the entertainment room, and by this time, it was time to cut the cake. As soon as Ivy blew out the candles, a new guest suddenly arrived. When Valery walked into the room, Ivy was surprised at the reason for her visit. She asked with wide eyes, "Valery, what are you doing here?" "Am I not wee to this party?" Valery asked looking down on her. She clearly was in no good state to be attending a foolish party but only came to see Hanson. Valery was aware that he would be an excellent pawn to defeat Essie, so she had to find a way to make use of him. "Of course you''re wee! I was just afraid that you would be too tired from your pregnancy," Ivy said with a giggle while she sliced a piece of cake for her. When everyone finished their te of cake, everyone headed to the barbecue in the backyard. Finding her perfect chance, Valery went straight towards Hanson. "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hanson." "I apologize, but do we know each other?" Hanson asked while looking at her reflectively. "I know we''re just meeting for the first time, but I have heard a lot about you. Not from television, but from Essie." A strange, cruel intention shed through her eyes. "Are you acquainted with Essie?" Hanson asked in surprise. "My name is Valery and I am a good friend of Essie. She has often talked to me about you, so I think I know more about you than anyone else in here." Valery deliberately released a heavy sigh and continued, "I didn''t expect things to turn up like this." Hanson looked at her, seemingly dominated with sadness. Since he had been spending so much time worried about Essie, he didn''t take a second to doubt Valery''s words. He knew Essie had friends like Eva and Mandy from university, but it waspletely normal for her to make new friends from other ces. Besides, Essie had always been an outgoing and cheerful person who could develop a good rtionship with a lot of people. Hanson didn''t utter a single word. When Valery realized he wasn''t going to say anything, she continued, "Essie has put her heart on you ever since. She still loves you very much. As a good friend of hers, I wouldn''t allow myself to see her so sad. Rest assured, I will find a way to help you out, Hanson," she said, imitating apassionate demeanor. "Thank you, Miss Valery," whispered Hanson. "Let''s exchange contact details with each other so we can talk about this conveniently another time." She took out her phone. Hanson nodded in agreement and gave his phone number to her. A sinister smile appeared on Valery''s face, feeling like she had just found herself a puppet for her future ns. When she saw Ivy walking towards them, she quickly stood up and said, "I''ll go ahead. I''ll help arrange a meeting between you and Essie." She walked away soon after. She smiled sinisterly as she had just aplished the first step of her n. She only had to act like she was trying to help him out, so that they could realize that they were actually the perfect match and would run away to get married. That way, Valery could have Zac for herself. "I''m feeling a little tired, Ivy. I better go ahead. Happy birthday," she said with a gentle smile. "No problem. Be careful on your way back," said Ivy with a short nod. She held on her hands a grilled steak she supposedly brought for Hanson. "Hanson, let''s have this before you go. It''s been roasted especially for you." "Thank you." Hanson released a genuine smile. Maybe it was because he finally found someone to help him out with Essie, so he started to feel a little bit offort in his heart. Christina brought him some baked chicken wings and said, "Hanson, have a taste of mine. The vor profile Ivy brought for you was from cumin while mine is from honey." "Thank you, Miss Christina," Hanson said politely. "Since we''ve all been acquainted with each other, there''s no need to be so polite. Just call me Christina." Christina beamed a pretty smile while her misty eyes twinkled with hope. Ivy felt a little sad when she realized what Christina was trying to do. She was the one who invited Hanson to the party and openly told everyone that he was her guest. It disappointed Ivy that a close friend like Christina attempted topete with her. "Christina, you might have baked better than me, but I am still the master of barbecue." She pouted. Christina smiled,pletely indifferent about her words. "Today is your birthday. Your food is definitely the most delicious. I won''t darepete with you," she said poking fun at Ivy. Despite feeling a little hurt with Christina''s words, Ivy didn''t act out on her emotions. She had to act with discretion and show a positive image in front of Hanson. "Christina, how has your sister beentely? Has she been affected by my cousin''s sudden marriage?" she asked casually. Chapter 174 Fierce Competition (Part One) Chapter 174 Fierce Competition (Part One) "She is fine. They won''t be getting any results, anyway, so they might as well end early." Christina shrugged. She had never thought her elder sister and Zac would end up being together. Hearing their conversation, Hanson''s eyes twinkled. "Christina, is your sister named Le?" Theirst names were the same, and considering the rtionship that they were discussing, he felt that he was correct. Christina nodded and said, "Yes, my sister is a special guest for the second round of ''Beauty on Runway.'' Hanson, you probably know my sister, right?" "Yes, I know her." An unreadable expression shed across Hanson''s eyes. "What''s the rtionship between your sister and Ivy''s cousin?" "They used to be together. I guess you can call them each other''s first loves," Christina said in an understatement. Hanson frowned and shot a worried nce toward Ivy. "Last time at the opening ceremony of Yang City fashion week, I saw that your cousin and Christina''s sister attended together. Are they still dating secretly?" "I don''t think so..." Ivy trailed off, uncertainty evident in her voice. After all, her cousin took Le to a dancing party when Essie returned to Yang City. This matter had fired up all sorts of spections and rumors within the upper ss and celebrity circles. Of course, Christina knew that as well. "The rtionship between them has always been vague, and outsiders can''t really tell for sure. But then, they''ve been together for so many years, so it''s but natural for them to have retained some affection for each other," she said faintly. Hanson was seething inwardly. Zac had an ongoing situation with his ex-girlfriend while clinging to Essie. Zac Rong was a greedy, disgusting, despicable, and hateful SOB. Noticing the displeasure on Hanson''s face, Ivy thought that he wanted to defend his old schoolmate, Essie, so she tried to exin her cousin''s side. "My cousin is very cautious in handling matters. He knows that it is impossible for him to be with Le, so they probably had to give up their feelings for each other. As far as I know, they''re just friends now." Hanson furrowed his brows in confusion. "Why can''t they be together?" "Marriage between our two families is not allowed." Ivy sighed. "Why? Are you rtives?" asked Hanson. Christina and Ivy looked at each other. The grudge between the two families was no secret among celebrities, so they didn''t have to hide it from Hanson. "Our families used to be rted by marriage. My aunt was married to Ivy''s uncle. At first, their married life was great, and nobody thought they would get into conflict. Then, they had a fierce quarrel, which ended up in them dying in an ident. The two families became enemies then and vowed never to let anyone from each family marry into the other," Christina spoke slowly and carefully. A cold light settled in Hanson''s eyes. No wonder Zac wanted to take his Essie; as it turned out, it was impossible for him to marry his first love. That made him even more despicable. That meant that that bastard didn''t love Essie at all and would probably take her for granted in the future. It was all his fault. He allowed Essie to y into the hands of that devil. His heart was full of hatred for Zac; even so, he had to school his face into some semnce of calm. "Since your two families have be enemies, howe you''re still friends?" he asked half-jokingly. "Actually, only the old generation holds on to that grudge. We don''t care much about it, and since we study in the same school, we couldn''t help but be friends." Wearing a smile, Christina looked at him and asked carefully, "Hanson, can I call you every once in a while?" Hanson handed her a business card. Since her elder sister was so in love with Zac, she might be able to help him out in the future. He would do anything to save Essie from that man at any cost. Ivy pouted inwardly. She thought she was the only one who had received Hanson''s business card. Now, there was another one. Evidently, Hanson made a good impression on Christina, and now she, Ivy, was in a crisis. At that time, Zac was hanging out with Essie and Holy on the boat in theke. Holy called Essie in the morning. When he found out that she was back in Dragon City, he rushed over to spend the time with the two, even with him being a third wheel. "Sister Essie, you must take good care of Brother Zac from now on. He''s always up to no good. Once your back is turned, he will date other girls." Holy''s clear eyes red at Zac in annoyance. ''Touch¨¦!'' Zac clutched at his heart, which felt as if an arrow hit it and managed to draw blood and then someone made him jump overboard and swim tenps. Even if he jumped into the Yellow River, he wouldn''t be able to wash himself clean. "You bad kid, you are framing me!" He then reached out and pinched one of his round cheeks. "Didn''t you take that Qin sister to the party the other night?" He pouted because the thought had been bothering him for days. He had to punish Zac for betraying Sister Essie. Zac pped a hand over his forehead, not knowing whether tough or cry. This naughty boy was going to be the death of him. "The Qin sister and I are good friends. This ball is a normal get-together between two friends," he exined. "I don''t believe you. You are each other''s first loves." Holy stuck his tongue out and said, "Brother Zac, don''t you know that hanging out with your first love may cause a lot of misunderstandings? At the ball, everyone was saying that you''ve never forgotten your first rtionship with the Qin sister. When I grow up, I will never be as indecisive as you, keeping one eye on the bowl and the other on the pan." Zac nearly lost his head. He could not help but feel a bit miffed at the kid. With him saying such things against him, how could he convince Essie that he truly loved her? Essie threw him a side eye and a sneer.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 175 Fierce Competition (Part Two) Chapter 175 Fierce Competition (Part Two) The photos sent to her through email must have been taken during that ball. Even an eight year-old child could tell that he was an unfaithful lover. "I see. So, he didn''t behave well when I was away. How should I punish him tonight?" She stroked Holy''s head and looked at Zac with a faint smile, but her eyes were cold. "Punish him by having him kneel on the CPU all day and not allowing him to eat anything," Holy said with a gloating grin. Zac red at him. This bloodthirsty little kid kicked him while he was down and tried to sow discord between him and Essie! Zac reached out his big hand and frantically rubbed his little head. Holy made a funny face to him, bowed his head, and took a bite of the muffin. Unexpectedly, he said, "Sister Essie, Brother Zac has a first love. Do you have a first love?" After the smallest of pauses, Essie replied, "Yes, I do." Essie nodded her head deliberately and took a sideways nce at Zac. His handsome face suddenly became cloudy, and the little devil inside him stuck his horns into his heart. "Is he handsome?" Holy asked. "Yes!" "Is he awesome?" "Awesome!" "Is he nice to you?" "He is very nice to me. I''m the one he loves, no one else." They continued chatting with each other and took no notice of the man with them. The man picked up his juice box and sucked vehemently to vent his rage. After hearing Essie''s reply, Holy rolled his big ck eyes and blinked in confusion. "Then, why did you break up with him and marry Brother Zac? I know Brother Zac is handsome and powerful, but he''s too fickle. Besides, he is not faithful to you. Isn''t it bad for you to marry him?" Zac had a sudden mental image of him chucking this little hellion into theke and was sorely tempted to turn it into reality. To restrain himself, he picked up a ck grape and stuffed it into his mouth. "Eat up! If you don''t finish all the food on the boat, then we won''t go back to the shore!" He had to seal his troublesome small lips with food. Essie let out a deep sigh, and her voice trailed off like aet. "Holy, I love beauty. I love everyone and anything beautiful." She paused, reached out her thin index finger, and tilted up Zac''s chin. "I was taken by your brother Zac''s handsome face. That''s how he managed to make me board his boat." The corners of Zac''s drooping mouth slowly raised up, and a diabolical grin formed on his face. "I can''t let any passenger off of this boat until it reaches the destination. Besides, your sister Essie can''t swim, so she has no other choice but to stay on this boat obediently for the rest of her life." His words held a lot of meaning, but Holy was too young to understand. He heaved an adult-sounding sigh andmented, "Love is really aplicated thing." Zac gently pinched his little ear and growled, "Children should focus on their studies and not mind grownups'' business, you understand?" "I don''t care about grownups'' business. I only care about my sister Essie." Holy stuck out his tongue at him. After eating a few ck grapes, he said, "Brother Zac, my bad sister lives in your house. Does she annoy you every day?" The little kid knew exactly what his answer was, but he asked anyway. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. A touch of gloom shed across Zac''s face. "What do you think, you little devil?" he asked. "She''s a ck widow spider who spins a silk web. You won''t be able to get rid of her after you get caught in her." Holy patted Zac''s hand sympathetically and changed his tone. "But at this time, the attention of that evil witch would not be focused only on Sister Essie." "Why not?" Essie interrupted. "My bad brother came back from America. She is helping him win the bid event for developing the CBD Hearing that, Essie''s eyes shed coolly. No wonder she hadn''t seen Elizabethe to the Rong Mansion to visit Valery these days. As It turned out, she was busy with something more important. "Who is holding the bidding event?" she asked casually. "Brother Zac''s family." Holy pointed at Zac. "Well, why don''t you y nice with your Brother Zac and ask him to award the development project to your family?" Essie teased while caressing his head. "I don''t know if my dad will hand over this case to my sister Alice or my bad brother." Holy crossed his arms over his chest, pouted, and said, "If dad leaves the task to my bad brother, I won''t help him please Brother Zac." "If your dad leaves it to your sister Alice, then that would be toote for you to please me," Zac said teasingly. "It doesn''t matter. I have Sister Essie. You always listen to her." Holy smirked at him again. Zac knew he was right, anyway. He had promised his wife that he would do anything for her to make up for the days of being harassed by Valery. If he didn''t agree with this small request, he might end up having to sleep on the sofa every day. He pinched Holly''s cheek and said, "Well done, you''ve figured it out." Holyughed a little smugly. Men conquered the world, women conquered men. Everything was a food chain. Essie looked at them thoughtfully. There was no such thing as a permanent friend or enemy within a businessmunity, only permanent interests. As an investor, the Rong family should consider their prospective developers She took a sip of juice and asked, "Holy, are thepetitors this time powerful?" "Yes, they are awesome. Even Brother Jim also participated in it. We all want to be the CBD developer," Holy said. "Looks like there''s going to be a fiercepetition," Essie remarked in a t voice. ''If Alice can take charge of this case, I have to help her out; otherwise, my role as the youngdy of the Rong family would be pointless.'' Chapter 176 I Only Have One Wife (Part One) Chapter 176 I Only Have One Wife (Part One) After sending Holy back home, Zac felt like he needed to exin himself a little bit more about what happened at the ball that day. He was sure that Essie was convinced with Holy''s words and would punish him mercilessly, or maybe even get him sentenced to death. He would die even more severely and miserably than a convict in the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp. "That night at the ball, Le and I only attended as friends. There''s nothing more to that," Zac said defensively. Essie contemptuously sneered deep inside. ''Friend? I think you mean your girlfriend!'' she thought aggressively. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "There''s no need for you to exin. I don''t care about those things. I''m just here to aplish a goal," she responded with a cold expression that was filled with an ominous hollowness. "I know." On his face appeared a wry and wounded smile. Zac realized that Essie didn''t care for him at all. Her heart was set on Hanson. Essie was only by his side because he didn''t want to let her go, and forced her to back into his life. "Anyway, I just don''t want you to misunderstand me," he said with a voice seeping in through her skin like an autumn wind. ''Misunderstand?'' Essie sat silently when a cold, mocking smile appeared on her face. ''Aren''t you still in contact with Le? Is it possible for you to simply let her go and forget her? Even an eight-year-old child could tell that you are dating. What''s the purpose of hiding your rtionship from me? It would definitely make me feel at ease if you just decided to be honest and tell me that all I am is simply Le''s substitute. "Let''s get over it. There''s no reason for us to talk about it anymore," said Essie. "If there''s one thing I learned from what Holy mentioned was that a married person should avoid such suspicious behaviors. I will be more observant towards these actions of mine in the future, and I hope you can do the same," replied Zac seriously. In Essie''s mind, his words were more like a warning than it was out of devotion. He just wanted her to stay away from Hanson in the meantime. "I will do what I have to. As for the other aspects, there''s no need for you to force me to do anything else," she said bluntly with a cold staring expression as she looked out the window. Essie thought that his mere purpose was to bewitch her and make her loyal to his family, just like Valery was. Everything that Valery had done in her life, she did for him without any shame or regret. "All you have to remember is your own identity," he answered with a chilling voice that sent shivers down her spine. As of the moment, there was a thick fog blocking rity between the two of them. They were both unable to see each other''s true intentions. Despite how much time they spent together, their shadows remained a blur towards one another. When the morning came, the Rong Mansion was unusually quiet. Something had been caught up in Ivy''s mind, so she released a heavy sigh and leaned back on the sofa that early afternoon. Daisy came over to sit next to her and ced her hand empathetically on her shoulder. "Is anything wrong, Ivy? Didn''t you have a good time at your birthday party?" "I had fun... However..." Ivy pouted looking a little depressed. "Is it me that you''re angry with? Is it because I didn''t show up to the party and didn''t get to wear the sister-track clothes?" Daisy asked, clearly concerned. Yesterday, the magazine Daisy worked for had an outdoor shooting, but the photography assigned for the project had to ask for a temporary leave. She wasn''t able to attend Ivy''s birthday party because she had to go and help out. "No, it has nothing to do with you." She leaned over Daisy''s shoulder, and murmured with a soft, low voice, "What should I do, Daisy? Someone is trying topete against me and wants to take Hanson away from me." Around the same time, Essie happened to be walking down the stairs. She was shocked to hear what Ivy said and assumed that she found out about her rtionship with Hanson. She was flustered and broke a sweat from nervousness. She took a deep, long breath to calm herself down, and proceeded to walk on slowly. "Ivy, who is trying to steal Hanson away from you?" Essie asked endearingly, attempting to sound as casual as she could. Ivy raised her head from the couch to look at Essie. Ivy pouted so ferociously with her eyes glimmering from her wet eyes. "It''s Christina. She''s also trying to go after Hanson and I spent my whole birthday party watching her try to tter him all night. Hanson even seemed to have a really good impression of her and gave her his business card! Afterwards, they left together and I''m sure they got along well when they were alone." After her rant, she jumped from the couch to stomp on her feet and screamed at the top of her lungs. When Essie heard this, she released a deep sigh of relief. As long as she was not suspecting her, she was fine. Hanson was a charming man who spent his whole life admired by countless girls. It was normal for a girl like Christine to have a crush on him too. "Ivy, you need to understand that a wonderful man like Hanson will be chased after by girls all the time, so don''t take it to heart. Even if it isn''t Christina, there will be other girls out there who will try to "I know." Ivy lowered her head and a deeply sullen aura was felt from her face. She slowly picked up and said, "However, it''s mainly because Christina is an excellent girl. She would be very difficult to all." Essie ced her hand on Ivy''s shoulder tofort and supportively said, "She''s excellent, but you''re extraordinary. You''re ady of our very own Rong family. Youe from a wealthy and noble family, so no one could easilypare against you!" Daisy eagerly nodded in agreement to show her support for Ivy. "Essie, you''re totally right. The daughters of the Qin family would never be able topete with the daughters of the Rong family!" When she heard this, Essie was left in a daze for a few moments. "She is a member of the Qin family?" she asked to make sure. "Yes," Daisy exined slowly. "Christina Qin is Ivy''s senior schoolmate. She''s the younger sister of Le." "No wonder," Essie replied, while she raised her eyebrows in wonder. From that moment, her deep, dark eyes began to glimmer with an abstract, indescribable expression. She thought that Sunny seemed to have much stronger opponents now. Both Ivy and Christina''s family background was far more wealthy and powerful than Sunny''s. They were also both clever enough not to be taken advantage of and bullied by a menacing girl like Sunny. The three women sounded like they came from a television drama. However, if they fought with each other so openly, Essie was unsure if Hanson would be able to cope with such a situation. Ivy was actually a really nice girl. Besides the fact that she would sometimes be so fickle and erratic, her nature was simple, innocent and kind. A far better woman than Sunny would ever be. Essie thought that it might actually be good for Hanson to be with a woman like her. Chapter 177 I Only Have One Wife (Part Two) Chapter 177 I Only Have One Wife (Part Two) Since their chances of being together was close to impossible, her only hope was that he could find a woman who could truly love him and make him happy. While lost in thought, she suddenly heard Ivy''s voice ringing in the room. Ivy asked with a mopey face, "Daisy, which one of us is more beautiful in your eyes? Me and Christina?" "Both of you are beautiful in different ways," Daisy answered as she scratched her head. When Ivy heard this, she wrinkled her nose and thought, ''What kind of answer is that.'' She tried to look for several photos of Christina from her phone. After a few moments, she disyed them in front of Essie''s face and said, "Sister-inw, you''re Hanson''s junior ssmate, so you should know what kind of girls he''s into. Can you take a look at her photo and try to see which one of us Hanson would prefer?" Just right when Ivy finished her words, Valery''s voice could suddenly be heard as she walked down the stairs. "You''re definitely asking the right person. Of course out of everyone, she knows Hanson the best. However, if you want to attract a man like Hanson, you have to be a woman like Essie. If you did that, I''m sure Hanson would fall in love with you easily." She covered her mouth pretending that she slipped and let out a mysteriousugh. Now that she got leads on Essie, she wouldn''t stop until she was able to teach her a valuable lesson. Essie nced at her with a frigid expression and said, "As long as you keep your mouth shut, no one will know that you''re dumb." "You''re so fierce! I''m so scared!" Valery mocked while she held her arms and pretended to tremble. She continued, "Don''t you feel guilty? Are you trying to stop me from speaking?" "Oh, Valery. I''m talking to my sister-inw about important matters. Can you please try not to mess around?" Ivy interrupted with a peevish expression on her face. She knew very well that Valery and Essie did not get along well together. So, she didn''t bother to take Valery''s words seriously. "I am just speaking the truth. Your Hanson and Essie are..." In the middle of her sentence, a low, echoing voice came from upstairs and said, "Aren''t you going to the hospital for prenatal check-ups today? Cut the crap, Valery!" She looked behind her and looked straight into Zac''s eyes. There was an angry look in his eyes that Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. clearly implied that it was a warning. She knew if she said another word, she would be condemned appropriately. Valery couldn''t help but keep her mouth shut, but now she was trembling for real this time. From outside the hall, Mary walked in and sternly said, "Zac you should apany Valery. It is a husband''s duty to join his wife to the hospital for prenatal check-ups." She intentionally called Valery his wife to prove a point. In her eyes, it was her son and Valery who were the real couple, while Essie was just a temporary home wrecker who shouldn''t even be living in their mansion. When she heard this, Valery was quickly at ease andfort. She ced her hand on her belly, and rubbed it with a big smile on her face. Not a single expression was seen from Essie''s face, but she thought that her mother-inw was really one of a kind. It probably required a tremendous amount of luck for her to end up with such a mother- inw. After casting a nce with one another, both Ivy and Daisy quietly left the room. Zac frowned from what he had just heard and said, "Mom, you don''t need to worry about it. When my wife has a child, I will certainly go with her." Mary''s mouth started to twitch with frustration. She knew that Zac would me her for overstepping her boundaries once again. She was his biological mother, so she couldn''t understand why he never listened to her. If he had the right to choose his wife, she also deserved the right to choose her daughter-inw. She had a remarkable rtionship with Valery, spending their life treating each other like mother and daughter. They even got along very well. This girl, Essie, suddenly came along and wreaked havoc in their familial ns. The discord between them had already proved that they were ipatible, and merely the sight of Essie already made her feel ufortable. She couldn''t help but think that Essie was the kind of wife that would outlive her husband. Ever since they had been together, Zac had been so dizzy that he had lost his sanity and voice of reason. "Well it''s gettingte. You and Valery should go now," she said lightly as she waved her hand. She didn''t want to get into an argument with her son. If she did anything to strain her rtionship with her son, it would only be Essie who would be happy about that. "I''m heading to thepany in a while for an important business matter. You should go with her," Zac said sternly. There was disappointment written all over Valery''s face. She lowered her head and was about to cry. However, Mary walked towards her to rub her hands on her shoulders tofort her. She turned towards Zac and said, "You could put off the meeting for a little bit. You can quickly go back after doing the regr check-up with Valery in the hospital!" "Mom, this is an international meeting. All five regional CEOs will take part in this meeting. Do you think that I could just postpone it from mymand?" You could start to hear a trace of impatience in Zac''s voice. "The check-up is just as important for Valery. As her husband, how could you not be there for her?" Mary stressed on the word "husband" purposely to remind her son of his responsibilities. "How about moving the check-up appointment to tomorrow? I''m sure Zac will be free tomorrow," Valery interrupted in a low voice. Zac was visibly upset and the two were beginning to strike a nerve. He knew that he could have apanied Valery to the hospital. In fact, he was also really concerned about the baby''s health. However, Mary''s attitude was rubbing him up in all the wrong ways. Her words already made him extremely ufortable, and he believed that Essie probably felt it even worse. There was a huge gap between them already, and he didn''t want their rtionship to regress because of Mary''s deliberate attempts to keep them apart. He was worried that it would reach a point when his rtionship with Essie would fall apartpletely and couldn''t be fixed anymore. "Mommy, you better go with Valery to the doctor today. It would be safer for both Valery and the baby to go to the prenatal check-up right on schedule. There''s no reasonable excuse to dy it any further." He looked at Mary with hard staring eyes, visibly unhappy. He then added, "Although we are at home, please make sure to watch your words. I only have one wife." As he spoke, he pulled Essie into his arms. Essie acted cooperatively when he felt his arms and hugged him tightly. Chapter 178 What Do You Mean (Part One) Chapter 178 What Do You Mean (Part One) "Mommy," Valery said, while her eyes almost popped out of its lid in anger. She turned around and her gaze met with Mary''s. Mary nearly cried seeing Valery''s condition. Her life was on the precipice. ''How I wish I could make things better for the little child,'' Mary thought forlornly. "Zac, you aren''t officially married to Valery. You may refuse to agree she is your wife legally. But you had sex with her and now she is pregnant with your child. This makes it your responsibility to look after her! I won''t let you escape it!" Mary''s voice had an edge to it. She was extremely mad at her son''s behavior. "Mommy, let me be clear, you can''t expect me to live with two women at the same time. That is ludicrous! Valery is quite young. In the future, she can pursue the person that makes her happy. I don''t see why she should waste her youth under our clutches," Zac said in a cold and resolute tone. With tears streaming down her face, Valery said, "You''re my happiness. You''re the person I wish to spend the rest of my life with. There is no way I am marrying someone else!" "If you are willing to throw all your happiness for my sake then there is nothing I can do about it. But there''s one thing I need to make clear. I, Zac, will only be married once in this life. As you all know, that wife is Essie. Even if she leaves me one day, don''t expect me to marry someone else. I will be fine living the rest of my life alone," Zac announced with a seriousness that made everyone believe his words. His gaze left Valery and Mary, and looked at Essie. A hidden smile yed on his lips. All the three people, present in the hall, stood astonished. Raising her eyes, Essie looked, trying to decipher if he actually meant what he said. He could have said it just to get rid of Valery. ''Did he really mean it?'' Essie wondered, but admonished herself for getting her hopes so high. Valery, on the other hand, looked as if a heavy bolt had struck her. Her body was stiff and she almost staggered to the floor. Luckily, Mary''s firm hands caught her in time. ''No, this can''t be happening!'' Valery wanted to scream. If she lived with a man without actually being married to him, people would talk about her. She would be looked down by everyone! Her dream was to be his legal wife and conquer the position of Rong family''s hostess. But none of it woulde true now! And she caught her stomach, wondering the fate her unborn child would have to endure. He would be a bastard. Valery and her mother had spent a long time nning this mission. They wanted to make this child the Rong family''s grandson. He should inherit the business of the Rong family and be the fifth generation heir! ''Oh God!'' Valery thought, as her dreams crumbled before her eyes. The only reason that she tolerated being Zac''s illegal second wife was because she had hopes for a better future. Slowly, she wished to take over Essie''s position. And as time passed, she could gain an Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. important position in Zac''s heart. Mary, on the other hand, thought her son was speaking nonsense. Even if he didn''t want to marry another woman, as a mother she wouldn''t allow it to happen. His other rtives too would be against this. After all, he wasn''t an ordinary man. He belonged to a prestigious family like the Rong family. And it wasn''t possible for this family to run without a hostess. "All right, all right. You should go to thepany now. I''ll take Valery to the hospital for her antenatal care," Mary said, knowing fully well things would be worse if they continued to have this conversation. Already, Zac was starting to confess his love for Essie. Thest thing she wanted was for Essie to benefit more from this row. Zac held Essie''s hand and started to walk out. Seeing this, Mary frowned. "Aren''t you going to attend thepany meeting? What will she do?" "She will apany me to my workce. I don''t want her away from me, even for a minute," Zac said deliberately. He didn''t wait for their response and fled out of their sight. "Mommy!" As soon as they left, Valery leaned on Mary''s shoulder and sobbed. She was so grieved. Her baby was about to be born, and he was obsessed with another woman. And to make things worse, he swore he wouldn''t marry her even if Essie left him! Valery''s life couldn''t have gotten any worse! "All right. It''s not true. Zac spat those things out because he was furious. When the baby is born, he will prefer you over Essie. Be patient and wait for the miracle to happen," Mary said in aforting tone. A cold light shed through Valery''s eyes. She didn''t want to wait that long. She wanted to get rid of Essie right now. Sitting in the car, Essie raised her eyebrows and asked, "Are you really going to take me to your "Yes, wait for me in my office. We will y golf with Jim. Once I wrap up my meeting, we can go there together." After speaking, he shed her a charming smile. ''ying golf?'' Essie was a bit shocked by his suggestion. When she was three years old, she was taught to y gold and by the age of five, she was an expert at it. From what she remembered, Vicki was very dissatisfied with the fact that she was a girl. So her mother tried to make her an expert in this sport. It was her mother''s way of showing that a girl was by no means any less capable than a boy. "You''re now the chairman and CEO of the Emperor. And then you are also the deputy CEO of the Rong''s Group. With two important positions to take care of, are you sure you will be able to make time to y with me?" she questioned, unable to believe he actually meant it. "Honey, you missed something. I am presently holding three important titles, not two," Zac replied, shing an arrogant smile. "Did I? If so, enlighten me. What have I missed?" Essie asked, looking at him in confusion. After intentionally pausing for a while, he continued, "The other title is the title of your husband. I value this more than the other two positions. There is no way I will neglect my duties." His voice was light, like a breeze, bringing about peace in her heart. ''Is he once again firing me with his sugar-coated bullet?'' Essie couldn''t help but wonder. Anyway, she shrugged off these thoughts. After all, she was wearing bulletproof clothing. He couldn''t hurt her so easily! For a few minutes, they both remained silent. Something was bothering Essie so she decided to get it out of her system. "Back in the house, your words have deeply pained Valery. Of course she wouldn''t be willing to remain your illegal wife for the rest of her life. Somewhere deep down she thought she had a chance. Perhaps, after driving me away, she wished to be your only wife," Essie said, looking very serious. Zac smirked and said, "Her dreams will remain a dream. Also, I am sure her mother Elizabeth had hand in this. Otherwise Valery is too young to be plotting." "But suppose she is actually obsessed with you. What if she makes up her mind to pester you for the rest of your life?" Essie sneered seeing the frown on Zac''s face. Once upon a time, Elizabeth had pestered Baron. For nine years, she was after him. She wouldn''t stop until Baron finally married her. "Such people are nothing but an annoyance!" A light of coldness flitted across Zac''s eyes. Even though Valery was a member of the Xu family, he wouldn''t be lenient with her if she messed with his and Essie''s life. Chapter 179 What Do You Mean (Part Two) Chapter 179 What Do You Mean (Part Two) With a hint of slyness on her face, Essie added, "If I divorce you, will you really not marry again?" Even though her heart was thudding against her chest in anticipation of his answer, she tried to look "The word ''second marriage'' doesn''t exist in my dictionary. The best I can do is make sure you won''t leave me. Or else this man will be all alone." He suddenly pursed the corners of his mouth and his expression became extremely serious. Her heart skipped a beat. ''Isn''t he afraid I would be with him like a headache forever?'' she wondered. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Be careful with your words, Zac. You may regret it in the future. You will meet a lot of women and might fall for one of them." She passed him a challenging look. People like him would have a line of girls even in his seventies or eighties. It was impossible to expect his admiration forever. Besides, his rtionship with Le had been strong. He could think about her and get back with her. Perhaps one day, the elders of the two families would give in. They may decide to make peace and ept the marriage. "There is no point in thinking about the future. You will know what kind of person I am once you spend all your life with me." He reached out and stroked her head. He was a bit disappointed since his words didn''t hold any weight; Essie looked doubtful. "Then you would need to pray that the baby in Valery''s belly is not yours. There is no way I am staying if that is the case. I would rather die than be a stepmother. Being Valery''s baby''s stepmother would be a nightmare." She was actually going to be that little kid''s auntie. But aunt was a position she could handle. Stepmother was a scary business. With a self-assured smile on his face, Zac believed he had nothing to worry. She belonged to him and no one could snatch her away. The Emperor''s building was located in a prosperousmercial area. This building had ny-nine floors, looking grand and magnificent even to the outsider. Essie stood for a minute, admiring its beauty. Zac''s and Essie''s entrance held everyone''s attention. Prior to this, Zac hadn''t brought any woman to thepany. This was quite a shock to them. "Hello, Mr. President," the receptionist greeted him. "This is my wife," Zac said. Slowly, he introduced Essie to the people around him. Nobody knew about this and the announcement came as a shock. Bidding them farewell, he took her to the elevator. Even the elevator was extraordinary! Essie had never seen such an elevator before! She tried her best to not gape. Floor number ny eight and ny nine contained Zac''s office, private meeting room, reception room and activity room. All in all, these two floors were dedicated exclusively for him, the CEO. Except for William and the senior managers, whom Zac trusted, nobody had the rights to enter these two floors. If someone wanted to visit, they could only do so by notifying and receiving CEO''s permission. In short, these two floors were trodden on by a very few pair of legs. Zac took Essie to his office on the ny eighth floor. "This floor and the top floor are mine. You can do whatever you want. If you feel bored, you can watch TV or y games on the top floor. The collection is vast," he said with a smile. Looking around the office, Essie found that the decoration waspletely in sync with Zac''s character. It wasn''t resplendent and magnificent like rest of the office. But it had a lot of grace and a tinge of arrogance in its decor. Threeputers and six phones were sprawled neatly on a table. The first one was to connect with close friends and family, the second one was to connect with the regional CEOs abroad, the third and the fourth were dedicated to converse with management of the head office and the staff he trusted. The fifth one was kept to interact with the CEO Office and the sixth had the ability to connect with all the extensions in the Emperor''s building. An oil painting featuring a ck panther was hung on the wall at the entrance. The background was of the vast Eastern African grasnd. In the painting, the panther was strong and fierce. Its green eyes seemed to have a murderous look, ready to pounce at its prey. Those who saw it could not help but shudder. It was intimating just like its owner! On the other wall, there was a huge bookshelf, stacked with books of various genres. On the wall facing the desk was a huge LCD screen for the meeting. Essie walked to the sofa, taking in her surroundings. She turned around, walked toward his expensive chair, and sat down. Crossing her arms over her chest, she looked at him with her fierce eyes. Her thick and long eyshes were glinting yfully which made her look rather quirky. He lowered his head, unable to hold back hisughter. The sight was indeed adorable. She made a cute boss. "My queen, I''m going to have a meeting. I''ll leave this to you." "You have my permission to leave," she said, trying to sound authoritative. Her words made himugh further. He couldn''t leave just like that. Zac walked over, ced a gentle kiss on her forehead and then left the office. Once he was gone, she felt rxed, acting like a monkey that had just been released from a cage. From her reaction, one would think this ce contained some treasure. ''WOW! What a rich guy!'' she muttered under her breath as she saw the swimming pool. Adjacent to it was the golf training field. Opposite to it there were squash room and bowling room. Before this, she didn''t think offices could have such facilities. ''Is he here to work or to have fun?'' she wondered enviously. This seemed like a recreation center. When she came back, she took out a bottle of juice from the fridge and sat on the boss''s chair again. While she was rxing, her eyes caught sight of therge desk. On it, sat the digital photo frame. There must be many photos in it. Essie''s curiosity was piqued. She couldn''t wait to unravel the contents inside. Unfortunately, it was locked and required a password. ''Of course he keeps a password,'' she thought to herself, feeling silly about getting herself so excited. Knowing it wouldn''t harm, she decided to guess his password. She attempted Zac''s birthdate. Incorrect password! People were always reminded not to use their own birthdays as passwords. However, Zac was very smart and didn''t even intend to use it in the first ce. He had a better date in his mind. After thinking about it for a long time, she typed her own birthdate. "Incorrect Password!" the screen announced. ''Silly, why would he use my birthdate?'' she asked herself. Perhaps, it could be Le''s birthdate. But she had no idea when it was! Just when she was about to give up, another thought popped into her mind. With a trace of expectation, she typed 20150401. The device unlocked! No way! It couldn''t be true! She had typed their marriage registration date and it was indeed his password. Her face turned bright with excitement. A warm sensation passed through her body. She clicked onto the photo frame. To her surprise, the pictures were all hers. All taken at Yang City and Dragon City. The painting she had painted for him was also there. He had scanned it and saved it in the digital frame. Now she was ovee by both happiness and curiosity. She began to scan through every photo present there. ''What? He took photos of me while I was asleep! Also look! Here he is kissing me!'' she thought. But she wasn''t angry at all. It brought delight to her. Completely stunned, she didn''t know what to make of this. Was he genuinely in love with her? Chapter 180 Four Handsome Guys In Dragon City (Part One) Chapter 180 Four Handsome Guys In Dragon City (Part One) He was annoyed beyond all measures at seeing her. Why did he even put her pictures on the desk? Was he masochistic? She puckered her lips. Her beautiful face turned red. The calm of her face was disturbed as if a stone had fallen in a quietke, causing sshes and ripples. She turned the frame down and put it where it was. Heaving an exhausted sigh, she sat on the boss''s chair, swiveling around and recalling everything that had happened in Yang City. She had had such a good time there because of him. All the scars that past love had left on her had been healed. It might be him who had made Sunny dance to ''Little Apple'' in the square. Who else could make the daughter of the Yang family do that? She really didn''t know what he was thinking. He thought she was stupid and pudding-headed, yet he forced her to stay with him...all so he could keep feeding her sugar-coated bullets. His heart ached at the very sight of her and still he had put her photos where he could see them all day long. ''What could thisbination of contradictions mean?'' While she was racking her brains to figure the whole thing out, a st of discussions had broken out in the Emperor Employees'' Forum. Their CEO was married! And his wife hade to the office for the first time! The lucky girl was Essie Yi, the winning designer in the show ''Beauty on Runway''! The whole office was stirred at this explosive news. The hearts of the young female employees had broken...some of them even started sobbing. Their admirable, adorable and respectable CEO now had a wife! How would they daydream of being with him? After the meeting, William walked to Zac''s side and said, "Well, what is this sensational news I''m hearing in the office? Is your wife really here?" His tone was both excited and intrigued. With his hands in his pockets, Zac smiled faintly. "Well, there is going to be an anniversary ceremony soon. I think it''s a little toote for everyone to meet her then." By the time he went back to his office, Essie had already gathered all her thoughts. She was bowling in the bowling room attached to the office. Zac sometimes bowled as a way of rxing. He didn''t disturb her and silently sat on the couch, looking at her admiringly. She maintained an elegant posture while she skillfully threw the ball. One could tell she wasn''t new at this. The balls hit the skittles with a powerful impact, making all of them fall. It certainly was a beautiful and artful shot. Zac pped his hands together with a proud expression on his face. "Good job, honey," he said. Essie turned around with a smirk on her face. "Do you want topete with me?" she asked with her eyebrows raised. One could clearly make out the confidence she had behind that challenge. "Wouldn''t I love to. But I will ept your challenge some other day, miss. Let''s eat something first and then go to the golf course." Essie suddenly remembered he had an appointment with Jim. She put down the ball in her hand, which she was ready to throw, and walked toward him. "Icy guy, if you don''t mind, can I ask Eva to join us?" Her long eyshes fluttered innocently. The final was just around the corner. Eva and Jim would soon be fighting each other. They had been ipatible since the very beginning. Maybe this time they could take advantage of the situation and ease the tension between them. Zac held her hand and pulled her down to the couch. Touching her cheeks gently, he spoke with a smile, "It''s alright with me. Plus, it is fun to watch her and Jim fight!" Essie giggled. Zac stared at her perfect face as she took out her phone and dialed Eva''s number to invite her toe to the golf course with them. The entire time, Zac kept squeezing her hand into his, staring at her lovely lips as she talked. Jim was already at the golf court by the time Zac and Essie reached there. As expected, he couldn''t help but frown at the very sight of Eva. On the other hand, Eva decided to nip the personal enmity in the bud and greeted him gracefully. "Hi Jim, congrattions! I heard that you won the championship in the popr golden song award ceremony!" Essie said, smiling at Jim without the slightest hint of malice. "Thank you, little beauty!" Casting a sidelong nce at Eva, Jim remarked contemptuously, "Congrattions to you, Eva. It might be huge for you to enter the final round, given how trivial you are." "It certainly is, especially since I did not rely on any references or rtionships with people to get through. Hard work is the only thing I rely on, unlike some other people..." Eva spoke starkly, each word articted well like she was prepared to bear his personal attacks. "When I''m your partner, I''m free to have my own discretion...despite of the abilities you may or may not have." Jim''s ck eyes narrowed, as if he was trying to read Eva''s face. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Before it could get worse, Essie stifled the situation. She took everyone to the training ground. Eva had never yed golf before. On the other hand, Zac and Jim were pro yers and were ying against each other. The coach was trying to teach Eva how to hold and swing the club. Eva was careful and curious. She thought this skill mighte in handy if she was to be associated with rich families someday in a drama. As Eva and Essie focused on learning to use the club, a pair of frivolous eyes stared at them from a distance. "Vinton, did you see a beautiful girl again?" A low and deep voice reached the man''s ears from the side. Vinton didn''t turn his head, instead continued staring at the girls on the golf course. "Well Walt, these two aren''t ordinary beauties. The taller one, in fact, is exceptional. This fairy-like charm she exuded is so pure and unique! The shorter one is much more delicate and pretty, like a Tulip''s bud..." His words truly hit the nail on the head. Over the years, he had met countless women. He was extremely skilled when it came to hunting beautiful women. Following his eyes, Walt looked in the direction Vinton was staring at. His eyes brightened the moment theynded on Essie. "It''s her!" he eximed. Without wasting another second, he sprinted out toward the training field like a gust of wind. Vinton was more than shocked. "Are you kidding me? You are even more impatient than me!" Vinton said as he his eyes followed him. Essie was swinging her club and ready to serve. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the running Walt. She turned around and found him familiar. It seemed that she had met him somewhere before. "Little pineapple, do you still remember me?" Walt asked with his hands on his knees as he panted for air. Chapter 181 Four Handsome Guys In Dragon City (Part Two) Chapter 181 Four Handsome Guys In Dragon City (Part Two) ''Little pineapple?'' Essie thought to herself. Who was this guy? "You are...?" she spoke awkwardly atst. "Big coconut! The big coconut from Maldives!" Walt said. Essie''s eyes widened and her mouth fell open as she suddenly recalled who he was. When she was a freshman, Essie had gone to Maldives to look for Hanson, but he was in Europe. She never ended up meeting him but stayed there alone for a couple of days. One of those days, she had met a handsome man on the beach. On a whim, she had made a painting of him, looking at him from a distance. Unexpectedly, he had found out. This was how they''d first met. Essie hung out with him for that night and the entirety of the next day. Because she was alone and didn''t know him well, she never told him her name. She just asked him to call her ''little pineapple''. And he asked her to call him ''big coconut''. "Oh my god! I didn''t expect to meet you here, big coconut!" She smiled wholeheartedly. "Me neither! I haven''t seen you for so many years! You must be a graduate now!" Walt asked with a broad smile. She nodded. "And what about you? Have youe to Dragon City for travel or work?" "I''m from Dragon City..." Walt shrugged, speaking matter-of-factly. By that time, Eva and Vinton hade over near them. "Wow Walt! You know this beauty?" Vinton narrowed his eyes and smiled, staring at Essie''s glistening face. Vinton was a handsome man himself. His skin was fair and bright. His eyes were tiny and charming, his lips faint red like the first blooming cherries of spring. At a nce, he looked even more charming and vibrant than a woman. Walt was another type. He had healthy, wheat-colored skin, which made him look delicate. His eyes fit into his face like two shiny ck crystals one could see through and discover his deepest secrets. The temperament he exuded was elegant and unruly, ratherplicated. It looked like he was a Looking at two handsome men in front of her, Evaughed and said, "Is Dragon City a good ce to live in, Essie? Look at the handsome guys it bred!" "Not only handsome guys, beautiful girls as well!" Vinton answered, looking back at Eva with his frivolous eyes, which made Eva a little ufortable. Being a sociable person, she knew that he was somewhatscivious. "Are you also here to learn golf?" asked Eva. "We oftene here to y. You seem to be learning, maybe I could teach you..." Vinton said with a wicked smile, scanning Eva up and down. "Handsome guy, do you want to chase after me?" Eva winked at him flirtatiously. Vinton hadn''t expected her to be so direct. He raised one of his eyebrows and touched his own lips, looking at her curiously. "It''s the first time I''ve seen a girl as beautiful as you. I would love to be friends with you..." "I''d love that too..." Eva stepped closer to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn''t mind having a handsome guy like you around all the time..." "Really?" Vinton was pleased but a little shocked. Could it be that she was a... "Are you a model?" he asked. Eva knew what he meant. He was referring to ''independent models''. She shook her slender forefinger and said, "I''m not an independent model. I''m an actress." She was from the entertainment circle! No wonder she looked like a goddess! "Oh...aren''t you an actress as well?" asked Vinton as he turned to look at Essie. "No, I am a designer," Essie replied tly. Eva red at Vinton with a slight frown. "Hey, handsome guy, are you from Mars? Every person from a ce in this country which receives the Yang City satellite television knows my bestie..." Vinton and Walt looked at each other and shrugged. "We have both been in the United States for the T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. past few months. We just came back two days ago." "No wonder!" Eva said, rolling her eyes. She then continued, "Search ''Beauty on Runway'' online. It is one of the most watched shows this year. Then you will know who she is!" A charming smile crept across Walt''s lips. He looked at Essie with a tender expression. "I didn''t know that little pineapple has be a famous star..." Zac was standing at the end of the court, not far from the training ground, observing the scene keenly. Someone was talking to his wife? His eyes were narrow and cold. He dropped his club and headed toward the ground. Jim followed him closely behind. His first impulse was to beat the man up. But when he got there, he saw it was Walt and Vinton. He was rather shocked. "Brother, Vinton, I didn''t expect to see you here..." he said. "Zac! Jim! You are here too." Vinton greeted them both with a smile. Because his mother Elizabeth was close to Mary, he had grown up ying with Walt, hence he was closer to him than he was to Zac. Zac and he didn''t have much inmon. Essie was surprised. On one hand, she had found out big coconut was Zac''s brother. On the other hand, Vinton was her half-bother. Zac walked to Essie''s side and wrapped his arm around her waist, showing his sovereignty over her. A muscle twitched on Walt''s face. "You..." he started speaking. "This is my wife, her name is Essie Yi," Zac spoke each word carefully and slowly, hoping that would prove enough to send the message. A spasm of dizziness seemed to strike Walt''s heart. "Are you really married?" "I didn''t know you were back, Walt. How could youe here to y golf before going home? There''s so much you don''t know!" Zac said with a smile. Walt said nothing. Back in United States, he was keeping a close eye on Zac''s actions. He knew he had married someone in order to get rid of Valery, but he hadn''t expected that the woman he had married was the one he had been looking for since years... Chapter 182 The Hatred Of Snatching Love Chapter 182 The Hatred Of Snatching Love "So... the reason why you don''t want to marry my sister is because of her," Vinton said with a rather gloomy expression on his face. Since he came back, he had heard nothing but his mother, full of righteous indignation, ceaselesslyining about something Valery was involved in. Truth be told, his ears had started to hurt, so he had been escaping the house in thest couple of days to y golf and to give his ears a break. Of course, he himself was hoping that Valery could marry into a wealthy family, as that would benefit him in his fight against Alice for the family sessor role. But if Zac was unwilling to marry his sister, why did he knock her up? Was Valery''s position as a daughter of the Xu family too humble for him? "If you were in my shoes, who would you pick: her or your sister?" Zac asked slowly. As a typical man, Vinton was not sophisticated in his tastes, but he did adore women and he had no problems saying what he thought. Vinton was silent for a moment. If it were him, he would definitely choose the woman in front of him. Admittedly, his sister was also a beauty, but her face, figure, and temperament suffered inparison to this woman. However, Valery was his twin sister, after all, and he shouldn''t act like an outsider. "Even so... but my sister is pregnant," he murmured. "If we were in a normal rtionship, I would have definitely married her, but I hate people who scheme to entrap me the most." Zac''s tone was frigid. Vinton fell silent. In Dragon City, Zac had the reputation for being notoriously cold-blooded, swiftly decisive, and deathly terrifying when angry. The fact that he allowed his sister to carry the child full term and give birth to it was totally out of character. As a man, he also hated being entrapped by women. Fortunately, he had his mother to deal with them. Women who were willing to have an abortion in exchange for money were usually paid off by his mother, whereas those who were unwilling were usually forced to take abortifacients or undergo the operation. Once, a young model he had dated died of massive hemorrhage on the surgery table. His mother gave arge sum of money to the model''s family to help them get over her loss and to shut them up. "Since we met here by chance, why don''t we y together?" suggested Jim. "Okay." Vinton nodded, and they walked toward the court together. Meanwhile, Essie and Eva were sitting on the bench nearby to watch the match. Taking a sip of juice, Essie sat gazing at the beautiful men on thewn. As the well-known president of the Handsome Association, she appreciated everyone, including Vinton, even though she didn''t like him. "Essie, tell me about the pineapple and coconut story," Eva said with a smirk. "We met during my trip to Maldives. He is just a friend. I didn''t expect him to be icy guy''s brother," Essie said casually. "He iste." Eva knew how to read men. From the excitement on Walt''s face, it was evident that he had feelings for her best friend. Now that Essie had turned out to be his younger sister-inw, he may have to give up. Essie didn''t quite hear what she said clearly. She sighed slightly and said, "They say the world is big, but it''s actually very small." "The world is big for those who are destined not to be together, but it is small for those who are." Eva shrugged her shoulders and wondered where her Mr. Right was. On the court, Vinton nced at the rest area and looked at Jim. "Did that girl sitting beside Essiee here with you?" Squinting his eyes, Jim nced toward the direction Vinton was pointing at. Then, an indescribable expression fell over his face. "That''s Essie''s best friend, and I have nothing to do with her. She is not a woman, at all¡ªshe''s a man that''s been fermenting in a chili jar. If you know what''s good for you, you''d keep well away from that person, or you will suffer." Vinton gave him an evil smile and said, "I like my women spicy. The spicier, the better." A mocking smile tugged at the corners of Jim''s mouth. "She is far spicier than anyone could handle," hemented in a warning tone. Any man who fell for her probably had a penchant for self-abuse. Walt looked a bit gloomy. He had been living under the shadow of his brother since childhood. He had always striven for excellence, but his grandparents had never had a chance to see him. Even though he was the eldest grandson of the family, they had appointed Zac as the fourth generation heir. Even Purple Love, their only love, was passed on to him. Even worse, the girl whom he had searched for several years had be his wife. Since had Zac, why did his parents have to give birth to Walt? Why did God create a twin brother topete with him for status and the woman he loved? He swung his club with all his strength, and a little white ball flew to the far grass in arge parabolic trajectory. "You look like you''re not even here. Are you thinking about work or woman?"mented Zac in a joking tone. Walt stared out into the distance. "When I went to America, weren''t you still thinking about how to avoid being forced to marry Valery? Why did you get married suddenly?" He turned toward Zac, an eyebrow arched. "On the way to evade such a fate, I was lucky enough to meet her." With a beautiful smile on his face, Zac gently pushed the club in his hand, and then the small white ball slowly rolled forward and fell into the hole. Walt''s heart twitched. He had been looking for her for such a long time, but all his efforts were in vain. Zac was able to meet her only by ident. Why was God always there for Zac? Walt''s eyes glittered with a trace of malice. He didn''t believe that God would always be on his twin''s side. Sooner orter, God would forsake him. "What do you n to do with Valery?" He pretended to ask casually. "I''m hoping that she would be able to find a good husband," replied Zac dismissively. Without another word, Walt turned toward the rest area, where two beautiful women were approaching Essie. When she looked up at the neers, her eyes widened slightly in surprise. Today was really a lively day; anyone actually came. "Huh. You''re here, too?" Frowning, Le recalled that Valery warned her that Essie had returned. She thought that Essie had been defeated by Valery, but it looked like the other woman found her second wind. "Wow, Zac and others are here." Christina, who stood next to her, happily pointed to the court, and Essie recognized her as Ivy''s love rival. Le''s eyes lit up immediately like a star twinkling in the sky. She dismissed Essie from her mind and walked straight to the course, with Christina trotting behind her. Eva must have seen something on Essie''s face, so she grabbed her arm and said, "Let''s go. She''s your husband''s ex. Be careful." Suddenly, the day took on a gloomy cast for Essie. She was once again reminded that Zac did not love her, so it was useless for her to watch out for the two. "Hello, Zac, Walt, Jim, Vinton." Christina greeted the men one by one. "What a coincidence! You are all here." Le gazed at Zac, tenderness shining from her eyes. Essie saw that look and said quietly, "Since it''s a rare thing for the handsome boys and girls of the four families to gather together like this, why don''t we divide into two teams and have apetition?" "That''s a great idea," Christina said with a giggle. Le nced at Essie and asked, "Can you y?" There was a hint of mockery in her tone. ''Surely a bottom-feeder of society like her can''t y golf at all,'' she thought cattily. Essie smiled and said, "It doesn''t matter, as long as my husband can. I will just follow him." "That''s a good idea. I should warn the caddies to put on protective gear. I''m afraid they might get hit by flying clubs and things and get injured," Le joked. In her head, she was thinking, ''What gall she has! She''s not afraid of making a fool out of herself out here in the golf course. I will make her lose so miserably that Zac would finally realize that he should never stay married to a person whom he can''t even bring to society events.'' They were divided into two teams: the group, which wasposed of Zac, Jim, Essie, and Eva, and the second team with Vinton, Walt, Le, and Christina. Jim sighed theatrically, "We have two rookies. We''re screwed." Eva red at him and retorted, "As if you''re any good at this." Zac stood there with a careless smile on his face. The match was only for entertainment purposes, anyway. What''s important was for Essie to have fun ying. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. He ced his arm around her shoulders and said, "Honey, don''t worry, just swing your club and hit the ball. If the club does fly away, you can get another one without issue." Jim stared at the couple thoughtfully. He knew a lot of rich married men, but none of them had ever been so openly doting toward their wives as Zac. The two teams began to tee-off. Zac was an awe-inspiring picture of elegance and power. With his graceful swing, he sent the small white ball flying out of sight like a gust of wind. In Jim''s eyes, Eva was nothing but trouble. Not only did she hit the ball farther away from the hole, her grip slipped and her club went flying. Spectators quickly dispersed, and Zac pulled Essie into his arms to protect her. Le saw this, and her heart burned with bitter jealousy. Those two were just too into their roles! With a loud ng, the iron club fell heavily on the grass. Eva stuck out her tongue awkwardly. "Sorry, I didn''t mean it." Essie walked up to her and patted her on the shoulder. "It doesn''t matter," she said consolingly. "This is a golf party, not a real game." Le sneered. True enough, birds of a feather do flock together. Jim went to rescue the ball and, in a beautiful shot, sent the ball flying toward the correct direction. Now, it was time for thest member of the team, Essie. "Let''s stay away; a repeat performance of the flying golf club may happen again," Le reminded everyone loudly to mock Essie and ruin her concentration. Christina and Vinton retreated several meters away. Jim spoke through the corners of his mouth, "The iron club has no eyes. If it really flies out, remember that there''s a danger zone within a ten-meter radius." "Honey, don''t worry. Hit it however you like." Zac stood beside her, speaking words of encouragement. Essie smiled toward him. "Don''t worry, honey. I want to catch a birdie for our team." She then winked at him yfully. A birdie was a golf term. Each team was ying for a five-stroke hole. If the team managed to sink the hole on the fourth stroke, then they caught a birdie. Zac stroked her head. His wife was a pro; she even knew golf lingo. Le harrumphed. ''Catch a birdie? I hope you don''t fly the iron club out, and just hit the birds in the sky!'' thought Le. Essie turned around and shot her a wicked smile. Chapter 183 Quarrelsome Lovers (Part One) Chapter 183 Quarrelsome Lovers (Part One) The little white golf ball flew out andnded right beside the hole in a graceful and professional manner, and the stroke was neither too strong nor too weak. The golf ball rolled twice and then fell right into the hole. "Yeah, it is in!" Eva was so excited that she started dancing around. Everyone was surprised! Essie put the club on her shoulder and turned around. Then, she put her hand on her waist and cracked a smile, making the two dimples on her face appear. "What do you think? I caught a nice birdie, right?" she asked. "It was just sheer luck," Le snorted. She had been hoping to watch this stupid sparrow make a fool of herself. She didn''t expect that Essie sessfully pulled off something like that. What a despicable bitch she was. Christina looked at her sister and sighed. Her sister was obviously jealous. ''Why does she have to do this? They are already married. The best thing to do is to let go!'' she thought. With his arms crossed in front of his chest, Jim looked at Zac and smiled mischievously. "Zac, your wife never goes golfing with us. Did you teach her that?" Zac touched his chin as his eyes sharpened. Judging by the posture at which she swung the club, he could tell that she was a master golfer! It had absolutely nothing to do with luck! It seemed that his wife still had some secrets that hadn''t been discovered yet! Vinton walked back to Walt''s side, his eyes full of pity. Although he had seen a lot of women, it was the first time that he had ever seen such a charming and naughty woman like Essie. What a pity that she was married to someone else. "No wonder my sister has been defeated by her," he muttered to himself in a low voice. Meanwhile, something cold shed through Walt''s eyes. That woman should have been his. Now, it was their team''s turn to enter the course. Without any rookies like Eva, they sank the hole on the third stroke. This time, it was stroke y. After they had finished the eighteen holes, the team with the least number of strokes would win the game. And now, Walt''s team was edging out. After they reached the green, Essie volunteered to y the first stroke. She swung the club elegantly, and the golf ball made a perfect parab and fell right into the hole. "Good ball!" The crowd pped their hands. "I created this move myself. I named it the thunderbolt pineapple ball to specifically conquer the green. Hole in one. I have never missed the hole with this." She raised her eyebrows and smiled naughtily. "Gosh! We have ady version of Tiger Woods in our team!" Jim teased. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Zac''s deep eyes blinked once. ''What? Thunderbolt pineapple ball? Such a familiar name. I must have heard it somewhere before?'' he thought to himself. He tried hard to recall where he had heard it, but he failed. ''Maybe this little fool just created it from someic book by herself. She is always thinking about random things. It''s normal for her to make up some strange words,'' Zac thought again. Le then realized that she had totally underestimated Essie. It was so weird that a lower ss girl like her would be so good at ying golf! Owing to the outstanding performance of this woman, Zac''s team narrowly won the game with two strokes less than the other team. Jim patted on Zac''s shoulder and said, "I find that your wife is getting more and more interesting." "I agree with you," Zac said as a meaningful smile appeared on his lips. After they left the golf course, they all went to a French restaurant to have dinner. Christina sat in the seat opposite to Essie. Taking a small sip of her wine, she looked up at Essie and asked, "I heard that you''re Brother Hanson''s junior in school. Are you two familiar with each other?" "We''re just friends," she replied lightly with an unreadable expression on her face. Of course she knew him. She was his ex-girlfriend! Hearing that, a sneer yed at the corners of Le''s mouth. She turned to look at her younger sister and asked, "Christina, how do you know Hanson?" "Anyone who has seen the show ''Beauty on Runway'' would know him." Christina seemed to be trying to hide something. Le rolled her eyes at her and asked, "Does everybody call him Brother Hanson?" There must be something else going on for her to refer to him in such an intimate way! Christina really couldn''t hide anything from her sister. After giving it another thought, she stuck out her tongue and said, "Hanson attended Ivy''s birthday party a few days ago as well, and we met there." She had sent several WeChat messages to him and he had answered every one. It seemed that he hadn''t forgotten her. Le gazed at her with sharp eyes and noticed the shy peach blossom on her face and tender look in her eyes. It was obvious that her sister had a crush on Hanson. What hell their lives were! Howe the people she and her sister fell in love with both had something to do with Essie? Essie also noticed the unusual expression on Christina''s face. It seemed that what Ivy said was right. Christina was going to be Ivy''s rival in love. But this girl looked like a very simple girl. It didn''t look like she had her sister''s hypocrisy, and didn''t seem likely to y tricks behind the scenes. Meanwhile, Zac was annoyed to hear the name of his rival in love. His face remained expressionless, but his eyes, which were as cold as an iceberg and looked gloomy and deep, revealed what he really felt inside. He didn''t care who would get involved with Hanson¡ªwhether it was the mad little girl at home or Christina who was sitting opposite him. It was none of his business. All he wanted was for Hanson to give up on his wife as quickly as possible and stop thinking about her. Eva''s eyes swept over her bestie''s face. Knowing that Hanson was a sensitive topic for Essie, she immediately thought of a different topic. So she smiled faintly and said, "Girls, handsome guys, the final stage of the audition for ''War Emperor'' will take ce in a while. There will be a live broadcast. It is said that I am going to y opposite Jim. Would you guys like toe?" "That''s a great idea, Eva!" Vinton immediately agreed. "I''ll take a group of fans to cheer for you." Chapter 184 Quarrelsome Lovers (Part Two) Chapter 184 Quarrelsome Lovers (Part Two) "Thank you, Mr. Vinton!" Eva let out a soft smile that was as beautiful as a blossoming peony. Astonished, Vinton took out a business card from his pocket and said, "Give me your number, so that we can go out and have some fun once we have the time." "Okay." Eva took the card and gave him her telephone number. With a sneer on his lips, Jim thought about how Eva was cold to him, but gentle to Vinton. It looked like she wasn''t as naive as he thought she was, after all. ''Oh my God, why are you letting yourself get so close to Vinton?'' Essie worried about Eva in her mind. After Vinton saved her phone number, he looked at Jim with a smile and said, "You must show mercy. You can''t bully our Eva. And, of course, you can''t apply the hidden rules to her." He wanted to have sex with this beautiful woman. "I won''t do that even if she volunteers to sleep with me." Eva chuckled and covered her mouth. "Jim wouldn''t like me. He likes pretty girls with nice shapes, such as Bonnie, Hanna..." She listed a number of female stars that had been romantically linked with Jim and realized that all of them were found to have physical surgery by the paparazzi. "I''m not sure if Jim has a quirk for big boobs or silica gel." Eva''s words amused Vinton. He liked her spicy character. There weren''t a lot of women like that. It made her special. A sullen look appeared on Jim''s handsome face. "Artificial is better than nothing. If I cannot get a good hand feel, then how is that any different from touching a skeleton?" His words made Eva''s blood boil with rage. Her hair was almost smoking. She took a sip of wine to try to suppress her anger, then she turned to Vinton and said, "Mr. Vinton, do you think it is better to be natural like me? Or do you think I should get some stic surgery done to make my boobs look better?" "Of course it is better to be natural like you. No one canpete with natural beauty." Vinton''s thin pink lips looked as sweet as honey as he continued, "You don''t need to haverge boobs because your boobs have the perfect size for me to grip it with one hand." "I knew that Mr. Vinton has a good eye for women." With a wicked smile on her face, Eva said, "Mr. Vinton, you''re so handsome. If you were in the entertainment circle, you''d definitely crunch those arrogant super stars into pieces." "I always keep a low profile, and I much prefer to be the person behind the scenes in the entertainment circle. Don''t worry, Eva. I''ll invest in a movie and make you the lead woman when I go back," Vinton said with a smug smile. "You must keep your words. You can''t just say it to coax me." Eva nced at him yfully. With one hand on her forehead, Essie realized that her bestie was actually bluffing at Jim using Vinton. A touch of disgust appeared in Jim''s eyes. How could that girl be so good at seducing men? He must have misjudged her. After all, the entertainment circle was a big hodgepodge, and any woman who would willingly jump into it couldn''t be pure. "Congrattions! You used to only y trivial roles, but now, you have the opportunity to attach yourself to a powerful person who can change your situation!" he said ironically. "Jim, Mr. Vinton is more handsome, and far gentler than you. More than that, he is also a gentleman. Of course I willtch on to him, and not you!" After saying that, Eva winked at Vinton. With a fire of excitement in his soul, Vinton''s face became even more beautiful and coquettish. ''Vinton is more handsome than me?'' Jim thought as he burst intoughter. ''It was her third eye that saw that he''s more handsome than me, right?'' "Even if you wanted totch on to me, you would have to defeat me first." "I''ve held myself back from fighting because I haven''t practiced for a long time. If I had even a few days of practice, I''ll be able to beat you to a pulp for sure." Eva waved her small fist in front of him. "Don''t aim too high, or you will fall and die." Jim sneered at her before taking a sip of wine. "Let''s wait and see!" Eva took the fork with a small piece of beef on it, put it into her mouth, and chewed the beef hard, as if it was Jim''s flesh. Essie felt awkward as she watched them. Whenever they were around each other, they would fight and quarrel all the time. They were really quarrelsome lovers. Zac, as a considerate person, simply cut the steak that the waiter had just brought them into small, bite-sized pieces. "Honey, they are being too noisy. Just leave them alone. Let''s eat." Since they had spent all afternoon ying golf and they consumed a lot of energy doing so, he was sure that the little fool must be hungry. With a big smile, Essie ate another small piece of steak and said with her thumbs up, "It''s so delicious!" "The chef here has five Michelin stars," Zac said with a smile ying at the corners of his mouth. "Wow, it came from a master chef! No wonder it tastes so good," Essie said. Then she put all of the remaining steak into her mouth. "Slow down. There are still several dishes left for us to eat. Please eat slowly." Zac''s words were like a sharp knife stabbing into Le''s heart. Feeling really hurt inside, she broke out in a cold sweat. ''How could he truly fall in love with her when all he wanted was to use her? Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. How could he spoil her in front of me without even thinking twice? Has he forgotten that his original intention was to use her to force Valery away? Has he fallen in love with another woman and stopped loving me?'' Numerous questions surged in her heart, making her even more upset. On the other hand, Essie ate with relish, but it seemed like she was chewing wax. However, Le was not alone. There was another person who felt the same way as her. He also felt as if his heart had been stabbed with a knife, and his hatred surged like waves inside him. Walt clenched his fist around the knife he was holding. Chapter 185 Brothers Fought Against Each Other (Part One) Chapter 185 Brothers Fought Against Each Other (Part One) Walt had already devised the perfect plot against his brother. Everything was going ording to his n, using Valery, Elizabeth and Vinton to aplish it. Thest thing he expected was for the woman he longed for to appear halfway and involve herself in the deadly whirlpool he had spent so much time building. It seemed as though God was not on his side, and always found a way to throw obstacles on his way. However, even God couldn''t stop or hold him back. He wanted to take control of the Rong family, and he also wanted the girl. There was no way he would let anything slip under his eyes again. When dinner ended, Essie and Zac drove Eva back to her rented apartment before going back to the dreaded Rong Mansion. While waiting for the stop light to turn green, Zac turned his head and looked at Essie and said, "I didn''t expect that you were so capable when it came to golf." T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "I was a golf caddy during my four years in college. I was able to learn some tricks and techniques from the coach in secret," she exined passively, and hoped not to arouse suspicion. "It seems like you have a very well developed cerebellum. I guess you aren''t so dumb after all," he said jokingly, lifting the corners of his mouth. He nced at her with an affectionate expression all over his face. "I have an IQ over 160, why would you think I was stupid?" She folded her arms across her chest discontentedly and puffed out her cheeks while ring at him. Essie was aware that she was a little disorderly, but there are many geniuses with a high IQ who were chaotic in their own ways. "You scored over 160 on your IQ test? I just can''t see it!" Zac jested in a yful voice pretending to be in shock and couldn''t believe. Teasing and blowing the little idiot''s mind had already be one of his favorite things to do. "Geniuses don''t reveal their inner strength so easily. People with such low intelligence such as yours would nevere close to understanding the minds of the intelligent," she said sarcastically, with a ferocious pout on her bottom lip. He had a dual master''s degree in architecture and business administration, and was also proficient in eight foreignnguages. Essie was well aware that his IQ was certainly above hers. However, now she was deliberately trying to belittle him to piss him off because he had spent all this time looking down on her, making her feel like such a fool all the time. "You are right." He touched his chin lightly and said in a deep, low voice, "From this moment onwards, I have decided to know more about intelligent people like you. Maybe it''s time for me to find out all your little secrets." "There are a lot of secrets hidden under my belt. However, you''re not allowed to know unless you''re willing to exchange secrets with me too. Otherwise, you will never find out even if you spend the rest of your life trying." She smirked and quietly thought, ''If one day, he''d find out about my most valuable secret, I wonder if he would be scared witless?'' "Honey, I swear to you that I will give myself to youpletely and without reservation in four months'' time." There was suddenly a stern look on his face, making him appear very serious about his words. She frowned quietly. The truth about Valery''s baby wasn''t the only thing he was hiding. Besides that, she couldn''te close to understanding why he had secretly put photos of her on his office desk. Essie pondered on what all of this meant. As soon as she remembered those photos, her heart was suddenly filled with warmth. Soon enough, the gloomy frown on her face was reced by a smile full of sunshine. The next day when Walt arrived back in the Rong Mansion, Mary excitedly ordered the chef to prepare his favorite dish of roasted pigeons. When the golden brown pigeons were brought to their dining table, Ivy suddenly teasingly smiled and said, "Cousin Walt, whenever youe back home, all the pigeons in our house will suffer." Walt smiled back and said, "However, you seem to be happier about those roasted pigeons more than I am." Ivy stuck her tongue out and said, "It seems that auntie is quite unfair towards us. Whenever we asked for roasted pigeons, she had always responded by saying that they were lovely creatures and it would be a pity if we just ate them. The moment youe back home, she immediately ordered to throw all the pigeons to their deaths in the kitchen with no hesitation." Walt touched her head softly and said, "Have you been praying every day for me toe back home?" "I have been, in fact. Whenever youe back, all of us can have roasted pigeons to eat every day," Ivy answered while licking her lips like a greedy cat. Zac and Essie just arrived in the dining table. They hade down together for brunch as soon as they woke up. When Ivy saw the bruises on Essie''s neck, she suddenly let out a peculiarugh and said, "Have you guys been fighting again until dawn yesterday?" Zac waved his hand and patted the back of her head and said, "You''re just a child. What do you know about these things?" Ivy pouted and said, "Well, I just had my 18th birthday so I am officially an adult now." Essie pulled up the cor of her shirt, feeling a little flustered from the situation. This icy guy was a ferocious beast and would always trouble her at night. He wouldn''t stop until he knew she had his marks on her body. Walt sat quietly on the table with eyes filled with burning rage, as if it could burn him into ash. The bruises on her neck were even more than he could manage, and he could feel his redced eyes sizzling from the inferno inside him. Perhaps he and Zac were born into this world to be rivals. Since they were in their mother''s belly, they had alreadypeted for nutrition and on who woulde out of this earth first. As they grew up, they continued to fight for their status in the family, and for the women they wanted to have. For now, Zac was the victor, but everything truly belonged to Walt, and he vowed to take them back progressively, little by little. Zac''s eyes fell on the te of pigeons in front of him and said, "I knew that the moment my brother arrived back, there would be tons of pigeons to eat. Mother has always been biased and treated us unfairly since we were little boys. I often doubt that he came from our mother, but I was only picked up from the outside." A teasing smirk appeared on Zac''s face. Walt also smiled back, but his eyes remained stoic with animosity that burned like acid. ''If only Zac was the one who was brought in from outside, my whole life would be so much easier,'' he thought quietly. His mother and father always let Zac do everything by himself and never really paid much attention to him. However, they raised him seriously and they always were determined to instil certain manners and coached him patiently. Walt believed that his parents originally intended for him to be the heir of the family business. After all, he was the eldest son of the family. However, both his grandparents favored his younger brother too much. They doted on him, spoiled him and treated him like flesh. They even decidedly got Zac to take over the family business in the future. Chapter 186 Brothers Fought Against Each Other (Part Two) Chapter 186 Brothers Fought Against Each Other (Part Two) Essie simply sat on the table, and with nothing else to do, so she stared at the two beautiful men sitting in front of her admiringly. She had to admit that the two did not look like twins at all. Zac had a strikingly handsome face, abination of both his parent''s essence and strengths. Besides that, he was born with an exceptional aura and an alluring charm. However, Walt''s good-looking appearance seemed to only be inherited from the Rong family and did not seem to have any of Mary''s genes. There was a saying that a mother can have nine children and they would all turn out differently. This saying sounded reasonable in this case. While Essie was sitting nkly, lost in her thoughts, Mary and Valery walked in. Walt was not surprised to find Valery there as he had already known that she moved in the mansion while he was still in the United States. What he couldn''t fathom was the fact that Essie seemed to tolerate her existence. Living with Valery must be such a daunting experience for her. He wondered quietly if it was because she loved Zac so much she would sacrifice such a thing. When Albert and the other finally arrived, they started to eat. When they started eating, Walt picked up a pigeon and ced it on Mary''s te. Zac followed by picking a pigeon for Essie, however, this bothered her so she picked up a pigeon and ced it on Albert''s te. Mary deliberately released a deep sigh and said, "Walt is considerate enough to take care of his own mother first. Zac, ever since you got married, you seem to have forgotten all about your mother." Albert cast a nce at Mary for a while and finally said, "Just as you say, even our daughter-inw is more obedient and filial towards this old man than my own two sons." When Valery heard this, she curled her lips and thought, ''Filial? It seems more like she''s just buttering him up.'' In Valery''s perception, since Albert was partial and supported Essie, she was doing this only trying her best to please him. Mary ced her hand on his shoulder and said, "Valery is also a filial daughter-inw. She only couldn''t move as fast because of her pregnancy. Otherwise, she would have picked it up for you even earlier." "Yes Daddy, I''ve always been filial towards you," Valery annoyingly intruded. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Okay, I was only joking. Let''s eat," said Albert in a cold tone, without even taking a look at Valery. Walt was keenly aware that his father was on Essie''s side. As expected though, his mother was clearly not satisfied with her and thought the ideal daughter-inw would be Valery. As for Zac, hepletely ignored Mary''s words and just continued to ce food on his wife''s te. He asked a lot from her the night before, so he knew that today he certainly had to feed her well so she could replenish her energy. During dinner, Albert ced down his chopsticks carefully and announced in a low, stern voice, "The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching in two months. Since the two elders will arrive back from Switzend by next month, everyone needs to prepare everything earlier." There was an inkling of treachery that appeared on Mary''s face but was barely recognizable. She then said, "Since Essie has been familiar with the family affairs at home, why don''t we ask her to take charge of this Mid-Autumn Festival dinner? It would certainly be an opportunity for her to improve herself." Mary knew that if she didn''t do well, she would end up offending the other rtives and elders. It would mean the end of her days as the daughter-inw of the Rong family. Albert''s eyes narrowed sharply. He took a sip from his wine patiently and continued with a low voice, "Essie had just been married into the Rong family. She hasn''t even been able to attend a single family feast before. Now, you are asking her to take care of such a grand feast all of a sudden? Are you nning to hand over all matters to her after their wedding?" he said in a light calming tone, but was tough enough to imply that it was serious. Mary''s face instantly turned pale. It was apparent that her husband wanted to protect Essie. She couldn''tprehend why he was so satisfied with such a lowbrow woman. "How could I possibly leave it all to her? All I meant was that she could do it next to me, where she can watch and learn. I know that the younger ones just want to be happy and rxed. Of course, they wouldn''t want to be bothered with such family trifles. Only when they are finally steady in the future that I will finally step down from the burden and save my energy." "Since you have put your foot down, then do as you say," said Albert with a quick nod. He felt as though Mary was going too fartely. She wasn''t acting like a proper hostess of the family. All of this, just because she favored Valery over their current daughter-inw. He thought it was so foolish that she would step down of her responsibilities just to kick Essie out. While these thoughts came across his mind, he red at her with a hint of discernment in his eyes. Of course, Mary understood what that re meant. All she had to do was prove to him that this woman would not be fit to be a future hostess of their family. When lunch ended, Zac went straight to thepany to do some business. Meanwhile, Essie continued to work on her design sketches in the pavilion of the mansion''s garden. Walt took this opportunity to walk over and talk to her. "What are you up to, little pineapple?" he asked with an endearing smile. "I''m just making some new designs for the autumn and winter collection," she answered respectfully. He sat on the opposite side of the table and nced at the drawings ced on the marbled table. Then he said, "Last night when I got home, I watched ''Beauty on Runway''. I saw that you received permission and praise from Professor Jacob. You are definitely fated to be a shining star of the design industry." A humble smile appeared on her face,pletely contrasting her disy of her mastery in golf just yesterday. "I''m only touching the brim of it, I have far more to learn." Walt looked at her with perplexity, and with raised eyebrows he said, "I still like the girl who was full of confidence just yesterday." Essie looked at him while she blinked under her thick, long eyshes. She was only arrogant the day before because Zac''s old lover was belittling her. She only simply had to fend for herself and show off to defeat her enemy. Her reaction this time was her genuine self as she had always been a humble girl. "Hard work and aggressiveness is required when you''re doing sports. However, when ites to the field of design, it is talent and stability that pushes you forward. The two fields require different strategies to seed, so I approach them differently." "That makes sense." Walt touched his chin lightly and smiled at her. The little sun was still as naughty and charming as she was before. "I remember back in Maldives, you told me that you went there to find the man you loved. Were you talking about Zac?" Upon hearing this, Essie''s eyes widened and she hesitated for a while. By that time, she hadn''t even known of this icy guy. Chapter 187 United In the Fight For Love (Part One) Chapter 187 United In the Fight For Love (Part One) "Let bygones be bygones. There''s no need for us to talk about it again," she replied lightly. "Yes, it has been four years, after all." Walt smiled bitterly. She had totally forgotten him, whereas he had always thought of her and looked for her desperately. After a moment''s silence, he said, "Aren''t you bothered by that matter between Zac and Valery?" "I have no problem with anything that happened before I knew Zac," she said lightly with a shrug, deliberately putting on a nonchnt demeanor. In the Rong family, there were Valery and Mary, who were scheming and malicious toward her at every turn. They intended to have her kicked out of the family, so she must be extremely cautious with every word she uttered and every move she made. Walt''s eyes darkened. "It is good that you don''t mind. That way, your rtionship won''t suffer." "Don''t worry, my rtionship with Zac is stronger than the moorstone," said Essie with a lightugh, full of confidence in what she had just said. However, she thought she overdid it a bit. Acting for a few months was manageable for her, but putting on a performance for the rest of her life? That would T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. probably drive her crazy. At times, Essie really admired Zac''s proficiency in that department. The way he portrayed the perfect husband who ever constantly really impressed her. Even though in his eyes, she was but a troublesome headache, he was able to endure her presence. Sometimes, she even thought that her husband could give Jim a run for his money. Walt didn''t want to hear such words. The better the couple''s rtionship was, the greater the blow was to him. However, he did not wear his heart on his sleeve, and only a gentle expression was evident on his face. "We will be family in the future. If you need any help, just let me know. I''d be happy to help you out." "Thank you, brother," Essie said with a smile. She had no idea that being addressed as such cut him deeply. Hiding behind the rockery not far away, Valery was spying on the pavilion''s upants. ''It''s the first time that Essie had met Walt, but they''ve already be so familiar with each other. They even talked andughed while talking. Is Essie buttering up Walt so that he would support her? I may have Mary and Mandy behind me, and they''re my most important supporters at this time. Essie has Zac and Albert on her side. If she manages to lure Walt over on her side, I would have one less backer than her.'' She shook her head vehemently. ''That''s not going to happen. I need to find a way to sabotage her alliances and increase my supporters.'' She ruminated on the thought multiple times, and one person popped into her mind. It wouldn''t be too difficult for her to convince that person to go against Essie. She hurried back to her room, and she couldn''t wait to send a message to Mandy on QQ. During the first meeting, it was not her who met up with the other woman. Instead, she had hired an actress to pretend to be Zac''s ex-girlfriend who was visiting Mandy. The two of them were rivals of the same woman, so it would be easy for them to form a united front against theirmon enemy. She asked that paid actress to add Mandy as a friend on QQ, and she took over the conversation from there. Mommy had told her not to dirty her hands, so she would find a scapegoat. Even if Zac found out one day, the consequences would never fall on her. Soon enough, Mandy went online. Essie was greatly revived thest time, and now, returning to Zac was driving her mad. "What do you have in mind this time around?" "Bring Essie to Mint Coffee House on Street A tomorrow and let her meet her first love..." Valery sent an evil smile. On the next day, Mandy went shopping with Essie again as nned. "Aren''t you very busy with your work recently? Do you still have time to go shopping in Dragon City?" Essie asked with a smile. After all, Mandy was the most popr anchorwoman in Yang City Satellite TV, and she was in charge of the two most popr shows. "As a woman, no matter how busy you are, you should never forget to dress up." Mandy smiled lightly to hide the malicious expression on her face. She could never forgive this bitch who took away her dream lover. She swore that she would make her pay for what she had done. After wandering around for a long time, she took Essie to the Mint Coffee House at the time arranged by her and Valery. No other customer was around because Valery had booked the entire cafe. She didn''t want other people to interfere with her ns. Looking around, Essie asked in confusion, "This ce used to be packed. Why isn''t anyone else here?" "I don''t think it''s a good idea to have so many people around, since we''re both public figures at this point. If we''re recognized, they woulde to have photos taken with us and ask for our signature. That''s so annoying," Mandy said to reassure her. Essie nodded, not suspecting anything. Both women sat by a table in the corner. Mandy ordered a cup of Blue Mountain coffee, while Essie asked for a cup of cappino. After taking a sip of coffee, Mandy said casually, "You know, a rich man is pursuing me recently. He''s very loyal to me. What do you think, should I ept him?" She cooked up this story to make Essie believe that she was no longer interested in Zac. In the future, even if she was the one who got to sell Essie to someone, thetter would never think that she was the backstabber and would even count money for her. "Based on your words, it''s obvious that you already know the answer," Essie said with a smile on her face. She was d that Mandy was able to finally let go of Zac and had a prospective lover waiting in the wings. Chapter 188 United In the Fight For Love (Part Two) Chapter 188 United In the Fight For Love (Part Two) They chatted for some time, and then Mandy stood up to head toward the washroom. Not long after she had left, Hanson came in. Essie''s heart skipped a beat when their eyes met. "Hanson, why are you here?" "I just came in for a cup of coffee. I didn''t expect to see you here. You always say that we''re star- crossed lovers, but it looks like we''re destined, after all." Hanson gazed at her without blinking, and his eyes were full of longing. That morning, he received a call from Valery, who told him that he could see Essie at two o''clock in the afternoon. He instantly dropped all of his priormitments and rushed to the cafe. Valery expressly forbade him to mention that it was her who told him Essie''s whereabouts, so he invented a reason to rationalize his presence in the establishment. Upon hearing those words, Essie''s heart twitched slightly. The two of them were doomed to part. Besides, Zac would never let her go given his possessive nature. If the two of them ever tried to be together, he would make them suffer all their lives. If they let love gain the upper hand for the time being, the days that followed would be very hard for them and they would probably regret their choice. "Hanson, let''s be friends in the future," she said faintly. "Essie. I know Zac threatened you to send that message. He forced you to do so. I know you; you'' don''t have a vanity bone in your body," Hanson said resolutely, grabbing her shoulders to emphasize his words. "It has nothing to do with him." Essie shook her head and said, "I''ve changed my mind. No good would you think. When you asked me to go to Mn, I felt very uneasy and I wanted to say no. I thought about it for a long time, and I''ve realized that I really enjoy the feeling of being an honorabledy of the Rong family. You know that in the past, I never had money or power. I was set up by Sunny and kicked out of Be. I couldn''t even find a job because of her so that I ended up opening an online shop at home. Now, I don''t have to worry about being bullied anymore. Standing on a giant''s shoulder, all of the world is beneath me." Hearing that grandiose monologue, a muscle on Hanson''s face twitched slightly. "Okay, he can give you that. But I can give you all that, too! One day!" Essie sneered and said in a cutting tone, "Do you want me to wait for you again? You should have known that I''m an impatient person. I don''t want to waste my youth waiting for a hopeless future. "Essie!" A mixture of shock and pain colored both Hanson''s face and voice. Every word that Essie uttered was like a dagger piercing into his heart and cutting him into pieces. "Don''t you love me anymore?" he asked pitifully. "I much prefer being the hostess of the Rong family," she said clearly and forcefully, trying to appear as cold and unfeeling as her tone. Like him, her heart was bleeding, but she couldn''t reveal what she was really feeling. It would only cause him more harm if she failed to quash his hopes. Only by forgetting her and starting over could he get real happiness. "I don''t believe it! I don''t believe what you''re saying!" he growled in wounded denial. He desperately hauled her into his arms and attempted to kiss her to change her mind, but she struggled to free herself and turned her head to evade his mouth. When that failed, she simply bit his lips. He grunted and let her go abruptly. His lips were stained with blood. He stared at her, his dark eyes glittering with despair and coldness, as if they had lost the sun. "You''ve really changed!" he said in a pained voice. His handsome face was distorted, and he uttered the heavy words in a low, trembling voice. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Essie stared at him with a hard expression in her eyes. "People change, Hanson. They move on. I don''t want to see you again, and I don''t want my husband to misunderstand us," she said coldly and turned her back on Hanson. Mandy was taking too long in the women''s restroom and had yet toe back. Essie decided to just wait for her outside as she couldn''t bear staying in the cafe for a second longer. She had used up almost all of her strength, and she was afraid she would be too soft-hearted and cave in the face of Hanson''s misery. She took two steps forward and, from her peripheral vision, saw another person behind the screen. Shocked, she quickly moved to the same side of the screen. Ivy sheepishly smiled at her, slightly embarrassed at being caught. She was forced by Valery to go shopping. Halfway through the shopping expedition, Valery said that she wanted to get a new customized bracelet and asked her to wait for her in the Mint Coffee House. As soon as she entered the cafe, she saw Hanson and Essie in the corner. The two appeared to be discussing a serious matter. Out of curiosity, she sneaked behind the screen not far away to eavesdrop. Their attention was focused solely on each other, like no one else was around, and they were unaware of her existence. Everything they said floated unobstructed into her ears. Ivy was embarrassed, but that emotion was quickly overridden by anger, which was directed at Essie. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that Essie and Hanson used to be a couple, or that the other woman was mercenary enough to marry Ivy''s cousin for her own benefit. Without a word, Essie turned around and walked out of the cafe. There was no way she could exin anything to Ivy with Hanson around. At that moment, Ivy didn''t know how to face Hanson. If he knew how she had eavesdropped on his secret, he would never talk to her anymore. As soon as Essie had left, she herself sneaked out hastily from the cafe. Essie stood under a sycamore tree on the sidewalk, numb to the cold wind. It took a long while for her to be aware of her surroundings and get her bearings back. It was such a coincidence for her to run into Hanson first and then Ivy. Was it really a coincidence? Chapter 189 Got Into Trouble Through Clever Means Chapter 189 Got Into Trouble Through Clever Means When Mandy came out of the coffee shop, she acted surprised and said, "Essie, I just came across Hanson. Did you see him?" Essie nodded and said, "Yes, I''ve greeted him already." It seemed as though she didn''t want to talk about it. An indescribable darkness appeared in Mandy''s deep eyes and said, "Since you have Zac now, you could finally let go of Hanson." "Hanson and I are just friends now," said Essie, while she shrugged and waved her hand. She decided to drag Mandy to go shopping to finally end the conversation. There was a deep rooted resentment that was instilled in Mandy''s heart. She wouldn''t let Essie go so easily and vowed to take revenge for robbing her of the man she truly loved. By the time she arrived back at the Rong Mansion, Essie noticed that Ivy and Valery had already arrived back home. When Ivy saw Essie walking towards the living room, her face immediately darkened with gloom. She stood up from the couch and left to go upstairs,pletely ignoring Essie''s presence. Valery watched with an insidious and sinister smile on her face. She was d that her n had worked and sessfully turned Essie into Ivy''s rival for love. As long as she pushed even harder, she was sure that Ivy would eventually cooperate with getting rid of Essie. When Essie saw this, she decided to follow her upstairs and visit Ivy''s bedroom. The door was wide opened, so she knocked and asked, "May Ie in, Ivy?" "No, I don''t want to associate myself with hypocritical people," said Ivy bluntly without reluctance. It seemed as though Essie had been cklisted. However, Essie proceeded to walk directly inside and closed the door in case someone might hear them. "Would you like to hear the story about Hanson and me?" she asked with a soft voice. Ivy didn''t respond and instead pouted in displeasure. With a subtle sigh, Essie decided to continue and said, "Hanson was my first love. I fell in love with him when I met him in college. At that time, I was just like you and had admired him so much. I figured that as long as I had a man like him, I already got everything that I needed from this world. I have done a lot of unusual and crazy things so I could win his love. Now, when I think about it, it''s actually quite remarkable that I got myself to do those things for him. Despite my drive, it felt tragic because I could never understand his intentions. I never knew if he loved me as much as I loved him. One day, I finally summoned up the courage to admit and express my feelings to him, but in return, I found out that he had just been engaged and was bound to get married with Sunny. It was so sudden and at that time, that I was leftpletely devastated. I felt my whole world crashing down, and thought that I could never get back up. That same day was when I met Zac. We had a confusing rtionship at the start, as it felt like we were rivals who always just quarreled with each other. However, thanks to him, I was able to forget Hansonpletely and was able to turn over a new leaf." Ivy looked up to her, with a tinge of doubt in her eyes. Her story sounded different from what she heard from Mint Coffee House. She asked, "Wasn''t it you who dumped Hanson?" "It was over before it even began." A mncholic smile appeared on Essie''s face and she continued, "By the time I found out that Hanson also loved me back, I had already been married to Zac. Since it seemed that fate was against us, I figured that we were simply not meant to be together. I would rather have him think of me as a materialistic and vain woman, so that he would be able to move on and find new love," she exined lightly. It was unnecessary for Ivy to know all the nitty gritty details of the entanglement between the three of them. "So, today you said that on purpose to drive him away?" When Ivy heard this, her eyes widened with a stupefied expression. Essie gave a subtle nod and said, "Since there was no future between us, I just wanted us both to forget itpletely." "Do you still love him?" Ivy asked. She didn''t expect that their story would be soplicated and heartbreaking. "It''s not right to be too greedy. I already have Zac, so there is no reason for me to think about anyone else," said Essie with a soft sigh. She thought that her worries would only do more harm to him. "Does my cousin know about what happened between the two of you?" Ivy asked with raised eyebrows. Essie nodded and said, "Zac is an overbearing man, I''m not even allowed to bring Hanson up or talk about him to anyone, not even you." This was her way of exining why she had concealed her rtionship with Hanson. Since Zac had forbidden her to talk about it, so she couldn''t. Ivy finally understood why her cousin had always looked so vicious whenever she mentioned Hanson''s name. She noticed a resentful look on his eyes every time. "Hanson must be really sad right now," she said while she looked down with a sad face. It seemed as though she was so affected with his pain that it hurt her as well. Essie ced her hands on Ivy''s shoulder and said, "When people are unhappy, that is when their psychological defense is at the most vulnerable. If there would be someone who canfort, care and heal his internal wounds, it would be very easy to capture his heart." A starlight flew into Ivy''s eyes, turning on a light bulb. Essie was right, how could she not have realized earlier. She could easily use this information to her advantage so that she could win Hanson''s heart. This way, no one would be able to take him away from her. When Essie noticed the change in her expression, she seized her opportunity and said, "Ivy, you''re a beautiful, kind and noble woman. I think you would be a perfect match for Hanson. I genuinely hope that you can be together." "Really?" Two red clouds appeared on Ivy''s cheeks, and she felt like her heart was about to float away. Hanson was also his first love, so she really wanted to be with him and was devoted to do so. Essie appreciated Ivy''s simplicity and frankness, and above all, she could see that Ivy loved Hanson just as much as she did in the past. She genuinely hoped that fate would bring them together and that things wouldn''t turn out like it did for her. Hanson and Essie always seemed to be identally missing each other, which made everything seem like it was just a dream. "I know all about Hanson''s likes and dislikes when I was trying to win his love. I can now leave you all those secrets. I''m sure we could do this. Don''t let Christina steal him away from you." Ivy waspletely glowing with cheerfulness as she held Essie in her arms. After giving her a hug, she said, "Sister-inw, you''re so kind and supportive towards me. Ipletely misunderstood you earlier on, but I hope you don''t take it against me." "Of course not. We are good sisters, so no small thing should get in between us," Essie gently Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. answered with a genuine and kind smile on her face. She continued, "By the way, how did you end up in the same coffee shop as me, Ivy? It seemed like too much of a coincidence..." "I was studying my lessons at home but Valery managed to force me to go shopping with her. When we arrived at the Times Mall, she said she had to take a bracelet from the shop and asked me to wait for her in Mint Coffee House. As soon as I got inside, I saw both you and Hanson sitting there," Ivy exined. "Well isn''t that such a coincidence?" A rush of thoughts came across Essie''s mind, but she simply smiled slightly. There was a tinge of darkness that cast a shadow over her eyes. Ivy and Essie both came down the stairs together. When Valery saw that they talked andughed just as happily as they used to, she was shocked that they still got along together so well that her eyes nearly popped out with her mouth hanging open. There was no way that they could just make up so easily. She had already nned to visit Ivy''s bedroom after dinner and discuss how to deal with their rival in love. The sly fox, Essie must have said something to manipte her. Valery had to find a way to block her so that she wouldn''t seed. As soon as dinner ended, Valery pulled Ivy to take a walk in the garden with her. The two of them walked along the gravel path that led to the pavilion. When they sat down, Sage brought over some fruits for them. After swallowing a red grape, Valery said, "Ivy, I just found out something, but I''m not sure if I should tell you." She alluded mystery in her face. "What is it?" Ivy asked in a hurry as she was easily curious about gossip. "Hanson and Essie, they aren''t just some ordinary senior and junior ssmates. In fact, they are each other''s first love," said Valery slowly and clearly, word by word. Ivy was a little disappointed as she thought she was going to hear some interesting news, but it turned out to be something Essie had just told her. Uninterested, she replied, "I already know. It''s all in the past now. Everyone has their own first love." She didn''t seem to look like she cared about it at all. After Essie had exined their situation, she waspletely relieved of all her worries. Valery pouted and said defensively, "That''s not true! Just some time ago while Essie was in Yang City, my paparazzi friend took photos of them. They seemed very intimate. If she still keeps in touch with Hanson, you will lose your opportunity to be with him." "The paparazzi always makes groundless usations. It''s totally usible that the paparazzi only wanted it to sound like there was an affair going on when they are really just friends," said Ivy as she waved her hand. She already heard what Essie had told Hanson in the cafe, and knew that she belittled herself so Hanson could believe that she was the kind of woman who wanted a man just for their wealth and power. It was clear to Ivy that Essie had made up her mind to break up with him for good. "I''m only saying this to you out of kindness and concern. I''m well aware that Essie is stillpletely in love with Hanson. Even if she is now married, she still can''t seem to let him go. Sunny and Hanson''s wedding was postponed again and it was said that she was the one who caused them trouble. There is no way that she would allow you or any woman to get close to Hanson. As long as she is there, you won''t have any hope with him at all." While Valery spoke, she purposely released a deep, heavy sigh and showed Ivy a sympathetic expression on her face. Ivy cast a sidelong nce at her. If she had seen what happened earlier between Hanson and Essie with no knowledge about the story and history between them, she would have beenpletely enraged at Essie by now. However, because Essie had talked to her already, she was nonchnt andposed. "Valery, there''s no need for you to overthink it. Essie is already married to my cousin, and based on their intimate rtionship right now, I''m sure they will have a baby together soon. It''s impossible for her to be with Hanson," she said with a cunning smile. She continued with a smirk, "I''ll make sure to ask my cousin to keep my sister-inw by his side for the rest of their lives so that Hanson wouldn''t have any hope to be with her. Then, of course, he will finally give up on her and fall in love with me." When Valery heard this, she almost fainted. She thought Ivy was going insane. She wondered how Ivy came up with such a ridiculous idea. It didn''t seem like they would be able to form an alliance against Essie because they were not thinking in the same wavelength whatsoever. She ate a few red grapes,pletely dismayed, so she decided to just stop talking. Around the same time, Essie was watching ''Gourmet Paradise'' in her bedroom. On today''s episode, it featured a world ss chef showing how he made his special Saut¨¦ed Crab in Hot Spicy Sauce. She waspletely enraptured with the screen and looked at it wide-eyed while she licked her lips. Her desire for the food made it seem like she was ready to pounce at the screen. Zac reached out to wrap his arms around the greedy cat and said, "Honey, I can tell that you really want to eat that spicy crab right now." Essie nodded her head at a fast pace and said, "How about I go shopping to buy some crabs and cook them ourselves tomorrow?" cing both his hands on the back of his head, he leaned against the sofa and said, "There''s no need for you to buy it. There are crabs in the pond behind the mansion. You can ask the kitchen to cook them the way you want tomorrow." Essie was so ecstatic that he ced her arms on his shoulder and said, "You have such a lovely home. It''s self-sufficient and you''re free to eat anything that you want. And they are also always spotless and clean!" A subtle smile appeared on Zac''s face while he held her chin between his fingers and said, "Honey, this is also your home." Essie didn''t say anything and shrugged. It was way too early for her to feel like this was her home. As there was a ferocious mistress and a proud mother-inw who had spent all their time trying to get her out of the house as soon as they could. However, most importantly, her husband didn''t even love her. She didn''t feel like she belonged in this home at all. Chapter 190 A Miscarriage (Part One) Chapter 190 A Miscarriage (Part One) After the show was over, Essie started to browse through the programs avable. Just then, she remembered today was the premiere of Jim''s new drama, ''Diamond Family.'' "Jim''s personality perfectly fits this kind of program." She giggled. "I like hisedy shows more," Zac said with a mysterious smile. Jim usually yed with different kinds of genres and seldom y the same kind of drama show in a year. "I don''t think he''s suitable to y in a romantic drama," Essie said in a feigned serious tone as she touched her chin. "Why not?" Zac said, raising one of his eyebrows at her. "Could you imagine him doing kissing scenes? Even the bed scenes are not real. So what is the point of watching them?" She narrowed her eyes as she tried to give off a seductive look at Zac. Zac was speechless. He could imagine Jim getting a nosebleed at Essie''s insinuations. "Honey, you do know he''s a germophobe, right?" "Humph!" There was a look of disbelief on Essie''s face. How could Jim possibly be a germaphobe when he had slept with so many women? Wasn''t he afraid of getting a disease? "I''m a germaphobe, too. If you have sex with other women, you''re not allowed toe back and touch me. Otherwise, I''ll vomit all over your body," she replied. A weird expression shed on Zac''s face. This silly girl still didn''t trust him. It would have been cute and amusing if it weren''t proving to be such a serious problem now. He had to find a solution quickly or he would be in danger. "Honey, you can see from all the TV shows that men with affairse homete at night. Ie home early every night to have dinner with you." "Not all affairs are conducted at night." Essie pursed her lips. Her gaze fleeted to the grey wolf beside her, her thoughts running at high speed. A lot of affairs happened in daytime as well. After their little interlude on her design table yesterday, she could still feel her waist a little sore today. Zac sighed. This silly girl was always thinking differently. Even if he ran out of words, she still wouldn''t believe him. "An old saying said, ¡®A wise man knows he knows nothing. A fool thinks he knows it all,¡¯" he said slowly. She narrowed her eyes at him and found his serious face funny. Right now, all he could do was keep his celibacy. Even though he tortured her every day, she had to know that he wasn''t seeking any arrangement anywhere else. But if this went on any longer, he would inevitably go out to have fun. After all, a great man like him wouldn''t settle on one woman alone. Even if he didn''t get out of his way to do it, more exciting women would find him attractive and seduce him. Just like Valery and Elizabeth who abandoned all their dignities and went against what was moral. More than that, they were too stubborn to give up. Someone had to try and boot them out of the picture. Before she could say anything, he continued, "I heard my brother called you little pineapple. You two only met a few days ago and you already had pet names for each other?" His tone was too friendly to be casual. "That''s because we''ve already met before." The corners of her mouth tipped in a smile. She then shared how she met Walt in Maldives during one summer vacation. "I thought your brother looked familiar when I saw his photo, but I couldn''t recall who he was. Maybe there was something different between the photo and the real person." Zac folded his arms and looked at her. "When I first saw you, I felt as if I had met you before. Do you think that we had met somewhere before? Maybe we had a short time together before but we just didn''t remember?" "How could that be possible? There wasn''t any opportunity for us to meet before. And before the Fool''s Day this year, our lives ran like two parallel lines," she answered quickly as she lowered her gaze to avoid his eyes. "Didn''t you live in Dragon City until you were seven years old? Maybe we''ve met each other in Dragon City when we were kids," he said half-jokingly. Essie sniffed. Ever since he shared what he thought of Cathy, Essie was one hundred percent sure they had met before. From his expression of disgust and hatred, she knew that she didn''t leave a good impression on him. She did not remember how she ended up in his life since she had lost some of her memories. It was all Valery''s fault. "You''re from a rich and powerful family. I''m just an ordinary person. I didn''t go to the same kindergarten as you or even primary school. There couldn''t have been any event that we both went to. So I''m not likely to meet you before." Something shed in Zac''s eyes. "Do you have any rtives in Dragon City?" he asked. He had never heard her mention it. "No, I didn''t," she answered. "My parents are not local residents. They came to work in the Dragon City. I couldn''t have had any rtives here." Zac shrugged at her reply. With a yful smile at the corners of his mouth, he said, "I know. Maybe... you were my wife in my previous life. That''s why we are familiar with each other when we meet again." She pouted and said, "Well you weren''t familiar at all to me." "Of course, you feel that way. Your brain is filled with nonsense. You certainly could not remember anything." Zac pinched her chin. He knew she was smart where it counted and pretended to be dumb when needed. But there were still some asion where she would nk out and get stupid all of a sudden. Essie made a face at him and said, "Fortune favors fools." Only a fool who lived freely and carelessly could live the happiest and simplest life. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. "That''s right." Zac sighed. "Being your husband will be a headache." It seemed like for the foreseeable future, his love would bepletely ignored or intentionally misunderstood. Essie knew Zac intended what he said as a joke, but it still stung. He just said she was going to be a headache to him! Chapter 191 A Miscarriage (Part Two) Chapter 191 A Miscarriage (Part Two) How could he still force her to stay if her presence would just bother him? How could he keep bothering her and torturing her to death every night if she was a headache to him? "Since I''m a big headache to you, then free yourself from the pain and let me go," she muttered sourly. His face immediately darkened. "Don''t say such nonsense again," he said seriously. She snorted, "Unless you tie me up with a chain, I will find a way to escape." Her tone sounded like a hissy fit. She was a pain in his butt. He didn''t love her at all. The only reason she was still here was because he trapped her into this death sentence of a marriage just because his demands needed to be met. His shapely eyebrows twisted. He was nearing the end of his patience but he had to hold his anger back. Smiling mischievously, he crept one hand to her underbelly. "Maybe when you have a child, you won''t think about leaving anymore." He hadn''t been practiced contraception all the time. If everything went smooth, she would have been pregnant in no time. But Essie took his hand off and refused, "I don''t want to have a baby!" She had been secretly taking birth control pills without telling him. Their marriage was nothing more than a farce. They shouldn''t be selfish enough to involve a baby in their lives. There was a dark glint in Zac''s eyes before he said, "If you don''t want to have a baby by yourself, you Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. can ask for others'' help." There was a subtle threat in his voice. He just wanted a child of their own, so he would never have another child with another woman. She trembled slightly at his words. There was no medical reason for her not to give birth to her own baby. Why should she find someone else? Her child muste from her own belly. "We can talk about babiester. You promised me that you would let me go if the baby in Valery''s belly is yours. Don''t try to trap me with another baby." Her tone was cold and ruthless. His eyes darkened. He could wait for her to untie the knot in her heart if it was because of Valery''s baby. But he needed to squash any of her hopes to go back to Hanson. The next morning, he ordered the kitchen to make spicy crabs for Essie. When the crab was served on the table, Essie''s eyes glimmered. Her mouth watered at the feast waiting for her. Ivy was rubbing her hands. She had been craving for crabs for a long time now, but the people who kept them in the pond said that the crabs hadn''t grown much. She was told they had to wait until the Mid-autumn Festival to enjoy the meaty crustaceans. "Who got us the crabs today?" She giggled. Zac put his arm around Essie and said, "You should thank my wife." Ivy pouted at the couple''s affections and pretended to be dissatisfied. "Last week, I also wanted to eat crabs. But the people who managed the pond said they were not fat enough yet and asked me to wait. How could they get fat in only a week?" A smile yed at the corners of Zac''s mouth. "They told me the same thing, but I didn''t listen to them. I asked them to just do what I said." If his wife wanted crabs, even if they were still baby crabs, then his people had to cook and prepare them for his wife. Ivy smiled and said, "Are you flexing how much you love your wife?" Zac didn''t say anything but looked smug. He should spoil his wife. Jealousy and resentment red in Valery''s eyes. He had carried his child in her. Wasn''t that enough for him to love her back? Unfortunately, Mary wasn''t at lunch. She had to go to a business reception with Albert today. Otherwise, she would definitely stand up to defend Valery. After the servants served the food, everyone started to eat. Sage was waiting for Valery to finish her food. "Miss, would you like some crabs?" Valery nodded and Sage quickly transferred thergest piece of crab to her te. Seeing the little scene, a tinge of surprise shed across Sally''s face. She opened her lips, as if to say something, but finally she closed them and lowered her head instead. Zac served a piece of big crab meat to his wife and said, "Honey, try this. See if it tastes better than that cooked on the TV show?" Essie paused for a second and thought, ''Bullshit!'' She could only watch them on TV, but she hadn''t been able to try anything from the show. How was she supposed to know whether they were delicious or not? She took a bite of the crab meat. It tasted good. Their chef did a good job at it. Valery had eaten a lot, too. Pregnant women craved for spicy food the most. Zac had been building his immunity against spicy food. He ced a piece of spicy crab in his mouth and yet his face didn''t change at all. He didn''t gulp down cold water as usual. Seeing this, Essie gave him a thumbs up. "Very good! Icy guy! You''ve made progress!" "You trained me well." The corners of Zac''s mouth drew a charming arc. Walt nced at his brother with jealousy in his eyes. The more Zac and Essie showed their love for each other, the more resentful he got. After lunch, Sage apanied Valery for a walk along theke. While they were walking, Valery suddenly felt a dull pain in her stomach. At first she thought she had just eaten something bad. She excused herself and went to the bathroom to relieve herself when she noticed the blood trickling down her legs. "Sage!" She screamed in horror, "Sage, I''m bleeding!" Chapter 192 No One Can Rest In Peace (Part One) Chapter 192 No One Can Rest In Peace (Part One) "What happened? Why are you bleeding all of a sudden?" Sage was frightened. For pregnant women, bleeding was considered a bad sign as it usually denoted miscarriage. Because of that, she hurried to find Zac. At that time, Zac was in Essie''s studio goofing around. His goal was to distract Essie to the point that she was unable to concentrate on drawing her designs. It had been said that a man would be obscene after being fed. Essie thought it particrly suited Zac. Their little fun, however, was disrupted when Sage burst into the room. After hearing what she had to say, Zac ran out of the studio in a hurry. Essie followed him closely. Valery was crying her heart out as she sat in the backseat of the speeding car. More than the pain she was feeling, she was scared that she would have a miscarriage and lose her child. Essie was on another car right behind the one Valery was in. Something about the whole situation was not sitting right with her. ''As far as I know,'' she thought, her eyebrows tightly knitted, ''Valery hasn''t been showing any signs that she was having troubles with her pregnancy¡ªuntil today. How could this happen if she has multiple midwives taking care of her around the clock?'' She thought about this for a while, but then she ultimately decided that now is not the time to reflect on such inconsistencies. The moment their convoy arrived at hospital, a team of medical professionals weed them, one of whom was an authoritative expert in obstetrics and gynecology. As soon as Valery got out of the car, she was sent to the emergency room. After hours upon hours of waiting forboratory tests, the doctor informed them that Valery and the baby inside her tummy were safe. Everyone made a collective sigh of relief. Both Elizabeth and Mary rushed to the hospital as soon as they got the phone call from Sage. Though worried, the moment Elizabeth saw that Essie was at the hospital as well, she immediately felt angry and annoyed. ''Is this bitch just here to bear witness to Valery''s misfortune?'' she suspiciously thought, her eyes narrowing. ''Because for all I know, she''s cursing Valery''s child in her head right now and is silently hoping they both die!'' Elizabeth could feel fury filling up her chest. ''Fortunately, God was on Valery''s side¡ªHe kept her and her child safe! I knew he wouldn''t let Essie have thestugh!'' After giving Essie onest stink eye, Elizabeth approached Sage with a stern look on her face. "Sage," she called out emotionlessly. "How did this happen? Didn''t you say all of Valery''s past prenatal checkups have gone well? Why did she bleed? How have you been taking care of her?" A disapproving frown slowly formed on her lips. This child was her daughter''sst chance, and if she lost it somehow, she knew that the both of them would be doomed forever. "I know," Sage responded in a shaky voice. "Trust me, she was fine this morning! But then when I apanied her for a walk after we had lunch, her belly started aching. I don''t know what happened!" She exined at once because she was afraid that Elizabeth would pin the me on her. Mary, who had been silent all this time, asked in a low voice, "What did you eat for lunch?" "S-spicy crab, ma''am," Sage sheepishly replied. "Miss Valery likes the dish very much. I think she ate a lot of it, actually." "You dumb bitch!" Elizabeth hit one of Sage''s shoulder hard. "Crabs are of cold nature! If a pregnant woman eats them, her risk of having a miscarriage bes higher!" This new information shed light as to why Valery started bleeding seemingly out of nowhere. "Oh my God!" Sage eximed, her eyes wide with fear. "I didn''t know that, Mrs. Elizabeth! Trust me, I didn''t!" Her breath suddenly becamebored, as if she was having a major panic attack. "Haven''t you ever been pregnant before?" Elizabeth bellowed at her angrily. "I... I didn''t buy any c-crabs when I was p-pregnant..." Sage replied, stuttering and averting her eyes from Elizabeth''s gaze out of fear. All of a sudden, however, she raised her head and shot an usatory ce at Essie. Coldly, she said, "Mrs. Elizabeth, I just remembered: she was the one who let the chef make spicy crabs today! She must have done it on purpose! She must have wanted Miss Valery to lose her child!" Now that Sage had found a scapegoat in Essie, she would do everything to shift the me to her. Elizabeth quickly recognized the opportunity Sage was presenting her. One of her most treasured talents was feigning innocence and framing others for the bad deeds she had done. Couple that with her utter hatred for Essie, it would be easy for her to make it look like Essie herself had orchestrated everything that was happening to Valery. "Wow, Mary!" she said in a shocked tone. "Did you hear that? Apparently, your daughter-inw is the one responsible for everything! What an extremely cunning bitch! She sessfully got close to having Valery''s baby aborted without any of us suspecting anything!" Mary''s face was deathly white and her mouth was agape. She couldn''t believe what she was hearing! The moment she was about to question Essie about her involvement in the chaos, Zac quickly interrupted her. "I was the one who ordered the chef to prepare the spicy crab," he said, his eyes narrowed. "Why are you saying that my wife did it?" "Bec... because she w-wanted to e-eat c-crabs, I g-guess," Sage murmured, cowering behind Elizabeth. She feared that Zac would kick her again. And it was true. Zac was trying his best to control his desire to kick Sage square in the face. If Valery wasn''t in such a dangerous condition, he would have assaulted Sage right then and there. ''You''re lucky I cannot send you directly to the morgue!'' he thought. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. He then took a deep breath and looked Sage in the eyes. "Aren''t you the one who put crabs on Valery''s te?" he asked, his tone pointed. "Well then¡ªI think it''s clear who wanted her baby aborted! It''s you, no doubt!" Anger was evident in his eyes as he spoke. "My wife has never gotten pregnant, so she certainly doesn''t know about such diet restrictions. But you, a woman who had already given birth to a child, said that you are clueless about such things. How is that even possible? Make it make sense, Sage!" ''Since it seems like you are hell-bent on pinning the me on my wife, I will let you taste the displeasure of being set up as a viin!'' he thought, gritting his teeth. Standing next to him, Essie didn''t¡ªcouldn''t¡ªsay a word. In her eyes, Zac was the perfect shield. All she had to do was to hide behind him. "I really didn''t know! Please believe me!" Sage said as she hurriedly shook her head. "And besides, how can I hurt mydy? Worse, her unborn child?" "I know Sage very well," Elizabeth suddenly interjected. "If she said she didn''t know it, then she must truly be ignorant of it. What''s more, she is only a servant. There was nothing she can do that will hurt Valery like this!" With her target firmly locked on Essie, she had to defend Sage to carry on her n. "Please," Zac snorted, rolling his eyes. "You might know a person''s face, but you will never know what''s in her heart. You know what I think? I think that Sage is still holding a grudge against me because I kicked herst time. She knew she can''t exact revenge on someone like me, and so she nned to harm Valery''s baby instead!" As he spoke, a murderous glint appeared in his eyes. Sage was already trembling with fear. Everything Zac was saying was making sense, making her look guiltier and guiltier. "Stop, please!" she begged, tears rolling down on her cheeks. "I will never hurt Miss Valery''s child! Never! How can I hurt him when I am willing to put my life on the line for him?" "Sage, don''t worry," Elizabeth said as she pat her back, trying to beforting. "I trust you." She then turned to Zac and said, "Zac, why are you doing this? Why are you trying so hard to put the me on Sage? Are you hiding the real perpetrator of this heinous crime?" Zac couldn''t help but sneer. "Oh, Aunt Elizabeth, I think it is you who wants to protect person responsible for this, not me. Now the bad seed is in the Rong family and not in the Xu family, and I do not want to distort facts." His eyes bore into Elizabeth''s. "The thing that I hate the most is when people deliberately misrepresent what is right and what is wrong." As he was saying that, he took his cellphone out of his pocket and dialed a number. After a while, he said, "I''ll call Police Superintendent Li to take Sage to the police station. I will request her to be detained for several days. I believe that the truth will be revealed soon." The moment Sage heard what Zac was nning to do, she felt her heart jump out of her chest. She felt that she would have a ckout very soon because of how scared she was. Chapter 193 No One Can Rest In Peace (Part Two) Chapter 193 No One Can Rest In Peace (Part Two) She immediately took hold of Elizabeth. She was nning on having a retort to push the narrative that Essie was the one who should be med but she never anticipated what Zac did. She underestimated his ability to spot what was wrong and hismitment on pursuing the truth. Seeing all of these unfold, Mary stood up and said firmly, "It''s a misunderstanding, Zac. There is no need to get the police involved." This gave Elizabeth another opportunity, another opening. "You know what? Forget it," she said dismissively as she waved her hand in the air. "Valery and her child are fine, and that is what''s important. I will not investigate this tragic incident any further." After she spoke, she ordered the obviously shaken up Sage to go inside Valery''s room to take care of her. Like a panicked mouse, Sage scurried to the VVIP ward, as if making an escape from Zac who seemed determined on having her jailed. "Zac, you stay here with Valery. We''ll go back first," Mary said. She understood that at this moment, Valery needed Zac the most. Also, she realized that if he was not with them, it would be easier for her to teach this foxy Essie a lesson or two. However, it seemed like Zac read Mary''s mind. "I''lle see Valery tomorrow," he said, sounding annoyed. "My wife had been wronged today. I have tofort her." Then he put his arm around Essie''s shoulders. Mary and Elizabeth blushed with anger at the same time. "Zac, I think we should make it clear right here, right now whose life was just in danger," Elizabeth said angrily. "Valery almost had a miscarriage, Zac! Essie looks like she just got out of the salon! Why do you think she needs you? Are you out of your mind?" "You have never been more wrong, Aunt Elizabeth," Zac replied, his voicecking emotion. "Being hurt mentally is harder than being hurt physically, so I will stay with Essie. Now, heed my warning: if anyone of you dares to wrong and hurt my wife again, I won''t spare you!" His voice was cold and threatening. Elizabeth was irritated by what Zac had done. He used to respect her a little bit, but now, just because of Essie, he had been extremely rude to her, as if he had no respect for her! Upon seeing the agitated state Elizabeth was in, Mary took her hand and caressed it to help her calm down. Then, she looked at Zac and said, "Women can''t be more important than your son. He is your own blood, for God''s sake, Zac! He and Valery are not very stable right now. What if Valery didn''t see you when she wakes up? She will definitely feel depressed! What if her emotions affect the baby?" "Mommy, Dr. Li is in charge of her," Zac replied. "He is one of the best doctors in this country¡ªheck, even the world! So I don''t see the need to worry about Valery''s health." Before he could finish what he was saying, he already turned his back towards Mary and Elizabeth, not interested in what they had to say. With his arms firmly around Essie''s shoulders, he guided her out of the door. Mary''s face became awash with anger, frustration, and hatred towards Essie. "Ever since Zac started seeing that ugly woman, he has been incredibly different! Sometimes I feel like a devil has possessed his body!" Elizabeth ranted. Right then and there, she thought of a new n: create a rift among Zac and his family. "Yeah, I noticed that too," Mary replied, sighing deeply. "Yes, he had always been rebellious but he respected me and rarely disobeyed me. Now, he just refuses to listen to anything I say! I''m starting to get frustrated with him!" Mary shook her head. The mere thought of Zac changing made her profoundly sad. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Women who are doomed to outlive their husbands always end up being like this. And you know what they say¡ªonly in this way could they harm their husbands in secret," Elizabeth said viciously. "If they were not married, it would be easy for me to deal with her. With how they''re set up right now, it''s practically impossible to get rid of her," Mary said. "And besides, it seems like she has been very cautious these days. She hasn''t done anything out of line that I cantch on to so that I have an excuse to actually be horrible to her!" Her face showed an expression of utter helplessness. A meaningful smile appeared on Elizabeth''s face. ''It really isn''t that difficult to find an excuse,'' she said inwardly. ''As long as you aremitted to it, there will always be bones to pick with someone else.'' As soon as Essie and Zac arrived back at the Rong Mansion, Essie copsed on the sofa. She looked exhausted. She didn''t expect that crabs had the ability to cause such a huge ruckus. Zac immediately sensed what she was thinking and so he pulled her into a tight hug. "No matter what happens, I will always be on our side, shielding and protecting you from everyone who wants to cause you harm. I will not let them hurt you." Essie sighed deeply. There was bitter resentment seated deeply in her heart against Zac. If it weren''t for him, she wouldn''t have been involved in this damn problem. If he had been willing to let go of her, she would have been able to live a peaceful life now. There were so many women on the earth. Why the hell did he choose her? "I must have owed you in my previous life," she said, sounding annoyed. "And I feel like I''m now being punished as cannon fodder!" She tried to smile to pass what she said as a joke, but it only emphasized how bitter she was. "I''m sorry, my baby," Zac sweetly cooed as he held her in his arms and buried his face into her hair. He knew that she hated him and resented him, but he just could not let her go. His soul had been integrated with hers, and they could never be separated again. "Will you me me if Valery miscarries?" Essie suddenly asked. Well, the crisis wouldn''t have happened if she hadn''t wanted to eat spicy crabs. "What? Stop asking such nonsensical questions," Zac answered, a frown on his face. "What happened obviously had nothing to do with you. If she miscarries, then it only means that it is not in her fate to have this baby." Essie felt his soothing voice caress her soul. After letting out another sigh, she straightened up and broke away from Zac''s arms. "I''m tired. I''ll just take a shower and then go to sleep." Immediately, she stood up and went to the bathroom. Being in the Rong Mansion felt like a chore for her. Every day, she felt drained of all her energy. Why did women have to pregnant for nine whole months just to give birth to a baby? She sincerely wished that Valery''s baby would be born at that moment, so that she could get rid of the trouble she was currently in. Zac could not do anything tofort Essie. As he looked at her figure going down the hallway to the bathroom, he couldn''t help but sigh. His heart was heavy with sadness and helplessness. As soon as Zac left the next day, Mary went to find Essie. ''She hurt my grandson,'' she thought, anger raging in her heart. ''I will never forgive her for it!'' Chapter 194 A Trumped-up Charge (Part One) Chapter 194 A Trumped-up Charge (Part One) Essie was working on her design in the garden pavilion. She was expecting Mary toe, so she schooled her expression into one as cid as a pool without any ripples. "I know that Zac wants to help you, but everything is clear to me. I didn''t expect you to be so unscrupulous that you would n such a thing to harm Valery''s child!" The older woman had a cold frown on her face, and her usually gentle mask waspletely shattered. In her eyes, she was able to Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. find a diplomatic way to settle the matter, thus making Essie feel like she was easy to deal with... it was Essie who took advantage of her kindness and bullied her beloved daughter-inw and her adored grandson. ''Today, I am going to show that little bitch what thedy of the house is really like.'' With a face still devoid of expression, Essie replied, "You are already determined to burn me at the stake anyway, no matter what I say. Say whatever you want, I don''t care..." Her voice trailed off as a smack resounded when Mary''s hand made contact with her face. The p was so hard that a red hand print instantly appeared on her cheek. "Let this be a small warning to you. In this family, you can''t just do whatever trouble you want. If you touch one hair on the heads of Valery and her baby, I will kill you." She was still talking when a voice resounded from somewhere close, "Mommy, what are you doing?" It was Walt who spoke up. Albert was standing beside him. They were strolling about the grounds, talking about business, when they happened upon the confrontation between the two women. There was a gloomy expression on Albert''s usually pleasant face. As Essie''s mother-inw and the matriarch of the Rong family, Mary was supposed to teach her vicious daughter-inw a lesson. She did not see anything wrong with what she was doing, so she remained calm. Essie knew how pathetic she appeared, with tears streaming from her eyes and so very weak that she was almost weaving on her feet. Her wounded heart wept with righteous indignation because of how unjust her mother-inw was treating her. Her tears fell unchecked. She turned her head and wiped them off surreptitiously with her fingers so that the two men wouldn''t see. Of course, they saw her action. Heart bleeding with pity for Essie, Walt walked up to her and offered her a handkerchief. He then turned to his mother and asked, "Mommy, are you angry about the crabs?" "This is just a small punishment. If I didn''t do this, then there would be no peace and order in this family." Mary harrumphed. "Actually, I also wanted to eat crabs yesterday, but Zac had already told the kitchen staff to cook them before I did. Thank goodness, or else somebody would have used me of attempting to hurt Valery," Walt said slowly in a half-joking tone, but his words implied that he was protecting Essie. Mary was slightly taken aback by Walt''s defense. "You are not like her! She has hated Valery''s baby for a long time. Last time, when she got Valery to catch a cold, I forgave her. This time, she actually tried to harm Valery''s baby by feeding her crabs. If I just sit idly by, she could end up killing Valery''s child sooner orter!" She said these things to deliberately discredit Essie in her father-inw''s eyes and to reveal the true colors of that evil woman. "It is better for the child to be gone, then, so that the family could live in peace," Albert unexpectedly said in a low but aggressive voice. Mary''s jaw dropped in shock. She didn''t expect that her husband would say something like that. "He is our eldest grandson!" she whispered harshly. A cold light shed in Albert''s eyes. ''Whether he is our grandson is a question!'' he thought to himself. He knew his son; he was sure that there was more to the situation than what they knew. "You will apologize to Essie for what happened just now," he said in an imperious tone that brooked no argument. ''What?'' Mary''s head exploded. Did she hear that correctly? How could she, the mother-inw, apologize to her daughter-inw? "I see nothing inappropriate in the way I handled this problem," she responded stiffly through gritted teeth. "Essie did not force Valery to eat the crab or ce it in Valery''s bowl secretly so that she would consume it without her knowledge. You are only ming her because of your prejudice against her. You are thedy of the manor, yet you have failed in your duty to uphold justice in this family." Albert''s tone was full of reproach. "That doesn''t mean she is innocent. You cannot deny that she has the motive," Mary said stubbornly. She would never admit that she was wrong. "You yourself have a hidden motive. Why did you bring Valery into this house? Are you afraid that the family will be too peaceful? You used the crabs to use someone. If you''re so tired of feeling suspicious all the time, then just send Valery back to the Xu family so we can all live in peace." Albert had put up with it for a long time. Mary was smart and capable, but her biggest shoring was that she liked to go to extremes. Once she went too far, he had to do his best to rescue her out of the mess of her own doing. Mary''s face turned pale out of embarrassment. Albert had once taught her an unforgettable lesson many years ago over his first love, Luce. This time, he was doing it again for their daughter-inw. Beside her, Walt stayed quiet,pletely not speaking to her. He had always been the sweetest and most obedient son¡ªthe opposite of Zac, who always went his own way. Today, Walt was different. Did he also think that she was wrong? She red at Essie anew, ''This woman is a femme fatale! She has seduced all the men in this family that they all have gone mad! Now, they can''t even tell right from wrong!'' She would never be swayed by that woman... and she would rather die than apologize to her. She was her mother-inw and the family matriarch, and she was entitled to a certain dignity that befitted her station. Even if the bitch got pped wrongly, it was because she was asking for it. Albert saw her hesitate, and a small glint of anger shed in his eyes. "Well, then... if you don''t intend to apologize, then I will do it for you..." Essie interjected in a low voice, "Daddy, it is okay. I''m fine. Mommy was only angry at me because of a misunderstanding. If doing so would help her calm down, then it''s okay for her to p me a few more times. I''m a junior member of the family... I should be filial toward the elders and share their burden." Chapter 195 A Trumped-up Charge (Part Two) Chapter 195 A Trumped-up Charge (Part Two) Albert nodded slightly with a smile. He was again very happy with how graciously sheported herself under the circumstances. She was sensible and reasonable. "It''s rare to have a daughter-inw who is so well behaved. You should treat her well in the future. Don''t try to find fault with your family members for an irrelevant outsider." He had made it very clear that he didn''t want Valery to be a member of the Rong family. Mary held her tongue and sulked in silence. She knew very well that Albert bore a grudge against Elizabeth because of the fact that Elizabeth had kicked Luce out of his life. However, he had never shown it. Perhaps that exined why he didn''t like Valery and why he supported Essie. Noticing his wife''s silence, Albert did not address her again and left her to reflect on her actions. He turned his back on her and walked away with Walt and Essie. "Brother, Daddy, please don''t tell Zac about what happened today. I don''t want their rtionship to turn sour because of me," Essie pleaded as they walked back to the mansion. She already knew that they wouldn''t talk to Zac about it, but she asked them this favor to showcase her tolerance and generosity. That way, she wouldn''t be med if the rtionship between Zac and his mother deteriorated. Albert nodded with appreciation in his eyes. As the future hostess of the Rong family, she should be generous, tolerant, and magnanimous. Mary was narrow-minded and vindictive. If it were not for the sake of keeping the family secrets, he would not have tolerated her like this. As soon as she was back in her room, Essie ced some ice on her face, lest Zac came back and see the reddened hand print on her face. Since Albert had already helped her clear the air, letting Zac chastise his mother once he saw her face would be counterproductive. After exiting the Emperor building, Zac headed to the hospital to visit Valery. Valery was looking forward to seeing him. The moment she saw him, her tears started streaming down her face. "Zac, we nearly lost our child. I was so scared," she whimpered pitifully. "It''s okay now. Just be careful in the future," Zac said in an emotionless tone. "If someone wants to hurt my child, I will be careful not to fall under the same trap," Valery said bitterly. To Valery, it was definitely Essie who nned everything to get her to miscarry her child in the hopes of getting rid of the baby. Luckily, God blessed her and the baby and thwarted that evil woman''s n. With a somber expression on his face, Zac told her, "Don''t ce the me on others. This ident happened because youckmon sense, and that servant who served you wasn''t exactly the sharpest tool in the shed." The corners of Valery''s mouth twitched violently. After being scolded by Albert, Mary had called her and warned her not to mention this matter again, which would needlessly provoke Zac. But she couldn''t stand it anymore; obviously, Essie had done it. Why did she still have to put up with that woman? "Are you going to wait until she actually manages to kill your child before you could see her for what she really is?" So impassioned was she in her hatred that she was nearly screaming. A cold, cruel light shed in Zac''s eyes. He spoke with thinly-veiled anger, "Valery, do you think that I ampletely unaware of the tricks you have been ying behind my back? You think I didn''t know that you sent me that video? I let you have your way for the baby''s sake. Once the baby has been born, you''re on your own." His voice sounded even colder than usual. Feeling as if ayer of her own skin had been peeled off, Valery turned so pale, and even her lips trembled with fear. Her terror left her speechless and frozen in ce, and her reaction made Zac even more irritated. He said, "If you want to stay in the Rong family, you have to be honest. Otherwise, I won''t go easy on you." Every word was full of warning. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. After saying his piece, he stood up and walked out. He could feel his energy g the more he looked at her. When he arrived at home and saw Essie, his heavy heart lightened and was filled with warmth. In front of a worktable, Essie was busily cutting fabric. Zac walked towards her, hugged her from behind, and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Don''t bother me. One wrong snip, and this entire cloth will be useless." "You are a talented designer, so I''m sure you''d be able to remedy that and make another style out of it," he murmured with a slight smile. "Stop ttering me. I won''t buy it." Essie turned around and poked him on the forehead. "Then, what do you want? So, should I be gentle or domineering? Take your pick." He smiled evilly and began to let his hands roam her body. "What are you doing? I''m working," she retorted as she yfully swatted away his mischievous hands. "y with me first, then work." His low voice was bewitching her, hypnotizing her to allow him any liberties he wanted to take... She shook her head. "No! Get out! Don''t bother me!" She turned around and pushed him gently. She was so weak against his charm that her action only seemed like coy demurral. With a naughty smile ying on his face, Zac swept away the table''s contents in one sweeping gesture. Walt headed toward Essie''s studio. He stood by the door, fully intending to check in on her, but he abruptly stopped in his tracks as the faint sounds of lovemaking filtered through the closed door. He stood there, teeth clenched, veins popping on his forehead, and eyes burning with a jealous rage. She was supposed to be his woman! She should have been in his arms right now, if only his brother didn''t steal her away. The resentment in his heart, which was not even small to begin with, grew anotheryer. Chapter 196 Mudslinging Chapter 196 Mudslinging Valery was discharged after staying in the hospital for two days. She couldn''t wait to continue her battle with Essie. Essie, on the other hand, was trying her best to ignore Valery''s existence ¡ªout of sight, out of mind. In the evening, Zac apanied his father to y chess in the study, while Essie went to the garden on her own. Last time, she didn''t see the Epiphyllum orchids blooming because of the rain, so that night, she intended to try her luck. She had decided tounch the Epiphyllum line with the slogan: "Seize the most beautiful moment." In the garden, Walt was wandering aimlessly like a ghost. When he saw Essie, he quickly walked over to her. "Why did youe out here alone? Didn''t Zac apany you?" "He''s ying chess with Dad," Essie said with a smile. "Walk with me?" he offered with a smile. Essie slightly shook her head, smiling back at him. "That''s okay, I want to wait for the Epiphyllum to bloom." Essie''s long curly eyshes fluttered like butterfly wings. "Epiphyllum?" This was news to Walt, and his face showed mild shock. "There are Epiphyllum orchids in the garden? When did you get them?" "Some time while you were in America," Essie replied with a smile. "It was raining thest time I came here, so I didn''t get to see them bloom. Today''s weather is so good, so I think God will bless us." "It''s a sh in the pan, and I''ve never seen it before. If you don''t mind, I''ll wait with you and see for myself what it looks like." Walt looked down at Essie with a slight smile. He was not really interested in flowers, only in the person who came to see them. They reached the southwest corner of the garden. Several flower buds and branches were drooping under the green leaves of the Epiphyllum. Essie''s face reflected her anticipation of the rare event, and she looked at the Epiphyllum with her big, beautiful eyes twinkling under the moonlight. "So, this is the mythical Epiphyllum," said Walt, rubbing his chin with a thoughtful look. "The flower only appears for a short while for the Bodhisattvaa Skanda. People say that it only blossoms for love," Essie said with a smile. "It also withers for love." Walt listened to her words, a trace of sadness in his eyes. "A beautiful thing will never be forgotten, even if you only had it for a short moment. It''s just like love: not all lovers can be together, maybe they are forced to separate for various reasons, but the days spent together will always be the best memories. Those days are remembered forever..." Essie gazed at the flower bud, her voice trailing off as she got lost in her thoughts. Her words struck a chord within Walt. The days spent in Maldives with her were exactly like the blooming of Epiphyllum buds¡ªshort-lived and beautiful. He had quietly buried the seed of love in his heart, and the seed took root, sprouted, and flourished. It was a pity that his love was unrequited. Before he was able to reach her heart, his younger brother got to her first. "Luckily, you and Zac are married. There will be no regrets between you two." He managed to sh her a small smile from his stiff mouth. She smiled lightly, and her smile faltered around the edges, surprisingly hazy and mncholic like an autumn night. Ultimately, the one whom icy guy wanted to spend the rest of his life with was not her. She was just a substitute. As for her, other than Hanson, she would probably never fall for someone again. She was so lost in thought that she almost did not notice the flower bud in front of her start to unfurl and bloom. She hurriedly took out her phone and recorded this magical moment. Not long after, exquisite blossoms as white as snow had appeared in front of them in their fully bloomed glory. "They''re so beautiful!" Essie eximed with childlike wonder. Her beautiful face shone in the moonlight, making her appear pure and enchanting. Her allure surpassed the beauty of the blossoms in front of her. Right then and there, Walt was struck by an almost uncontroble yearning to hold her in his arms. However, he knew that he shouldn''t, so he ruthlessly tamped down the urge. "They are lovely. It''s such a pity that they only bloom at night for such a short time. Too bad that only a few people can appreciate their beauty,"mented Walt with a sigh. In his mind, he was thinking how such a beautiful woman should not belong to only one man. "It only blossoms for Skanda''s sake, so the flowers will be happy as long as he can admire them." She smiled cheekily, showing off two charming dimples. Ducking his head, Walt chuckled. "Is that the same as a woman dressing up for her beholders?" "Exactly," Essie replied with a nod. Walt pulled out his phone. "Shall we take a photo in front of the Epiphyllum?" "Okay!" Essie instantly agreed. With a lovely smile, she walked up to him and took a selfie with him. Behind an old tree not far away, a pair of eyes secretly observed them. A man and a woman alone together at night aroused certain suspicions. They must be up to something! With a malicious smile on her face, Sage turned her back and left. Back in the mansion, she rted this matter to Valery. "She must be sucking up to Walt so that he could put in a good word for her in front of his mother." "Humph!" Walt had a better rtionship with his mother than Zac did. She loved her elder son dearly and did her best to cater to every single one of his whims, big or small, since childhood. "Actually, this can be viewed from another perspective." With a sly look, Sage said, "Maybe she''s not trying to y up to Mr. Walt... maybe she was seducing him..." She trailed off. A sinister grin slowly turned up the corners of Valery''s mouth. "Sage, you''re a genius," she said approvingly. After all, this wouldn''t be the first time that the bitch had an affair with another man. With this information, she can humiliate Essie for adultery. Essie came back from the garden full of inspiration, and she immediately started sketching Epiphyllum blossoms. Zac nced at her and remarked, "Looks like you''ve had a very productive evening." "Of course! I''ve finally seen the legendary Epiphyllum. It''s so beautiful." Essie said with a smile as her pencil flew across the paper. "Why didn''t you ask me toe with you?" Zac raised his eyebrows. Surely such a moment was very romantic and magical. Wasn''t that perfect moment wasted without him there? "If you were there, the flowers wouldn''t have bloomed," she retorted, an impish smile ying on her lips. "Why not?" Zac asked in mild surprise. "You are the most beautiful flower on earth. The flowers would have felt shy and dared not bloom if they saw you." Essie''s thick eyshes fluttered mischievously. Zac couldn''t help butugh at her drollment. He touched her white jade-like nose gently and said, "Darling, your ttery skills have greatly improved!" "Like husband, like wife." Essie snickered. "You show a lot of potential," Zac said humorously with his thumb up. The next morning, Valery invited Mary to an al fresco breakfast in the garden. "I have reminded the kitchen staff about your dietary restrictions and warned them to be very careful in preparing the food. I won''t allow the culprit to attempt anything again." Valery took a spoonful of bird''s nest soup, and said, "Mommy, I have something to tell you, but I''m not sure if I should." "Why are you hesitating, child? You know you can tell me anything." Mary smiled kindly. "Although Essie has married Zac, she still kept in touch with her ex-boyfriend. When she returned to Yang Cityst time, she secretly dated her ex-boyfriend behind Zac''s back. What''s worse, the man was engaged to be married. Essie ruined a perfectly good rtionship, and the wedding was called off." Valery told the whole story convincingly to pave the way for more. Mary was shocked, and her face clouded over. "Why didn''t you tell this to Zac?" "He knew about it. Paparazzi have taken photos of her dating her ex-boyfriend, but Zac suppressed the gossip," said Valery with her lips in a disdainful curl. "What''s wrong with Zac? How could he tolerate such a thing?" Mary had a hard time believing what she had just heard. Ever since he met Essie, Zac had changed, and not for the better. He was totally different from who he used to be. "I''m sure he has only been fooled by her honeyed words. The master of the temple of immortality warned that she was a viper. First, she put a man in aa, killed him out of sight, and eventually caused the annihtion of the man''s family." She stopped for a while, ate some of her porridge, and continued, "Since she joined the show ''Beauty on Runway,'' she gained some degree of poprity. The paparazzi unearthed her history. She was promiscuous in high school. She dated around and even underwent aborted several times. One time, five boys paid for her abortion because they didn''t know which of them was the father." She thoroughly painted Essie as a dirty slut in her determination to throw as much mud at her and thoroughly besmirch her name. Mary''s brows drew together in a livid frown. Her disgust and hatred toward Essie ran deeper than the Pacific Ocean. She looked at Essie with abject loathing, not only because of how she had married her son, but also because she reminded her of the person she hated the most. Since the first time they had met, Mary had this niggling feeling of familiarity when she saw Essie. The aversion she felt toward her came naturally, but she had no idea why at the time. When Albert reprimanded her yesterday, she suddenly understood. She didn''t know why she found herself thinking of Luce out of nowhere while she was burning with fury at Essie. She was the one who orchestrated the incident between Elizabeth and Baron. She did so to take her revenge on Luce for having an affair with her husband. She had kept this secret deeply buried in her heart, and Albert had no clue. All along, he only thought that she was meddling in the affairs of the Xu family. To this end, he took Minny in to his home to punish her and make her suffer. Last night, he scolded her for Essie''s sake and even asked her to apologize for that snake. As the matriarch of the Rong family, it was such a huge blow to her pride. She didn''t understand why he was protecting Essie like he did, but after Luce came to her mind unbidden, everything suddenly made sense. Essie looked exactly like Luce! Albert must have realized it, which would exin why he tended to favor Essie at every turn. He knew that he and Luce were wrong for each other, and now his son was living his dream. Mary believed Valery''s every word. She was hoping that she could dig up dirt on Essie in order to kick her out of the house. The fact that Essie was such a dirty, promiscuous woman was a perfect, sufficiently grave reason to finally kick her out of the Rong family. Disgust, anger, and a dark satisfaction warred in her heart. Satisfied with Mary''s reaction, Valery decided to drive her point home. "Haven''t you noticed how Essie had be very close with Walt since he came back? Last night, Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. when Zac and Daddy were ying chess, she secretly invited Walt to the garden to see the Epiphyllum..." She trailed off deliberately, and the implication in her words were clear. Mary''s face had turned ghastly pale. No wonder Walt helped Essie yesterday¡ªthat woman had been seducing her other son all this time! A wicked smile subtly appeared at the corners of Valery''s mouth. "I know women like Essie crave the attention of numerous men, and men throw themselves at her feet," she continued. Mary snorted. She was truly a carbon copy of Luce, who looked innocent and harmless on the surface but was a snake underneath. Back in the house, Mary immediately sought out Walt to confirm whether her eldest son had been