Simon Hawthorne had lost his patience to argue with Zoe Lancaster any further. Ignoring his partially unbuttoned shirt, he stood up to inspect Zoe’s apartment. He had always known she had been living here alone for the two years since they got married, but today was his first time visiting.
He had never forbidden her from moving into The Imperial Residence. Since she chose not to, he naturally let her be.
The apartment wasn’t large—two bedrooms and a living room, under a thousand square feet—but it was located in a premium area of Kingsford. The monthly rent was far from cheap. Being about six miles from the Global Trade Concourse CBD, it was quite convenient. She had decorated the place to feel incredibly warm and inviting. With a primary palette of warm tones and a cohesive natural wood style, it was undeniably cozy despite its small size.
"WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!"
Heartbreaker kept barking from two steps away. Its round, black eyes were filled with extreme caution.
Simon looked down at the American Cocker Spaniel. He loathed all furry animals, and he especially hated noisy dogs.
"It is usually very well-behaved. It’s just a bit nervous meeting you for the first time," Zoe said. Having finished applying her ointment and putting on a bandage, she finally broke the awkward silence.
Simon turned his head to look at her. His eyes reflected no light, so dark and heavy they made her heart race with unease. "I believe I mentioned on the day we signed the agreement that I do not like pets."
Zoe’s heart skipped a beat. "If a person can’t provide companionship, at least a dog can," she said, lowering her eyelashes.
Simon’s emotions remained unruffled, and his tone was perfectly calm. "Do I need to remind you?"
Zoe finally looked up at him.
Simon’s words were as blunt as a poisoned dagger—leaving her mortified and without any room for rebuttal. "Between you and me, utility far outweighs affection. There is no need for you to act like some abandoned, sorrowful character."
Although Zoe understood this logic perfectly well, the words still pierced her to the core. He was reminding her not to get too immersed in her role. They had no emotional foundation, making any unreasonable demands on her part completely invalid.
Zoe felt a suffocating tightness in her chest. Her throat ached, the tension spreading through her nerves. It felt as though all her deep admiration could never be voiced; he understood everything, he simply did not care about her. She used to find it incomprehensible how her mother could have stumbled so many times over her father. Now, she was experiencing that very same bitter helplessness firsthand.
Simon checked the time. It was past two in the morning. "Go to sleep."
Zoe paused. "Are you... staying?"
He didn’t give a direct answer. "I’m going to take a shower. Do you have a bath towel?"
Her mind went into a flurry. She nodded instinctively. "Yes, it’s on the rack inside."
Simon took off his jacket, tossed it onto the sofa, and turned toward the bathroom.
His actions meant he was staying the night. Was he keeping her company because she had said she was scared? Or was she just overthinking things? Zoe couldn’t quite describe her feelings; she wasn’t sure if she was more apprehensive or if her heart was simply fluttering. She took a deep breath and decided to go to bed first.
She lay in bed for a long time, listening to the SPLASH of running water from outside, followed by the hum of the dryer. She wasn’t the least bit sleepy. Eventually, Simon stepped out of the bathroom, his footsteps drawing closer. A waft of fresh body wash mingled with his signature oud scent—custom-crafted by a master perfumer—drifted over like an invisible charm, stirring up the restless night.
The mattress dipped beside her. Zoe kept her eyes shut, pretending to be asleep.
Simon turned his head to glance at her porcelain-white profile in the dim light. Her eyelashes fluttered uncontrollably, and her hands, crossed over her stomach, were gripping the blanket tightly. His brows furrowed slightly. What had happened today was indeed a massive fright for a helpless woman.
With that thought, he took off his glasses and closed his eyes. Reaching out, he loosely clasped Zoe’s slender wrist and gave the back of her hand a barely noticeable pat—a silent comfort. He said nothing more, nor did he make any further moves.
But Zoe was thrown into complete disarray. Feeling his large, warm hand on hers, her heart pounded like a drum. She made small adjustments to her sleeping posture, constantly shifting positions, utterly unable to calm herself down.
"How long are you going to keep tossing and turning?" The man’s deep, magnetic voice suddenly rang out beside her, laced with a chill.
Zoe blinked and fumbled for an excuse. "My head is full of that guy’s bloody face. I can’t quite fall asleep..."
Simon’s chest rose and fell as he slowly opened his eyes. "Then think about something else."
Zoe pursed her lips. "How can I control something like that?"
The moment her words faded, the mattress shifted. A shadow fell over her, obscuring the faintly visible room as scorching body heat pressed against her. Simon hovered over her, bracing his arms beside her pillow. His chest, hot as molten lava, rested snugly against her skin. Her breath hitched. Eyes widening, she stared at his flawless, bewitchingly aloof features just inches away. She parted her lips to speak. "You..."
Her lips were sealed by a soft, warm heat. He aggressively invaded her mouth, teasing and sucking, leaving her utterly defenseless. It felt as though her tongue no longer belonged to her. Suddenly, a tingling, sharp bite on her neck made her toes curl.
A jolt of electricity surged through Zoe’s body. Tears brimmed at the corners of her eyes as a kitten-like whimper escaped her throat. "Mmm..."
That tiny sound caused Simon’s muscles to tense up entirely, dragging him deeper into a sea of desire. The woman’s soft body was maddeningly addictive, and the hands pushing weakly against his chest were delicate and enticing, giving off an air of feigned reluctance. He bit her plush lower lip, neither too hard nor too light, before pulling away and rolling onto his back beside her.
His Adam’s apple bobbed, and his voice came out hoarse. "Think about this instead. Go to sleep."
Zoe stared at him in sheer bewilderment, feeling as though the entire exchange had been a dream. Only the tingling sensation on her lips proved what had just happened. Her mind went blank for a moment. Instinctively, she reached out and grabbed the cuff of his bathrobe. "Simon, you..."
Accidentally, his phone slipped and the screen lit up. There was a WhatsApp message from Stella Joyce sent two minutes ago: "Simon, where did you go? Are you coming back to keep me company?"
In an instant, a stabbing pain pierced Zoe’s heart.
"Don’t touch me." Simon’s voice sounded as if it had been coated in a layer of frost, pushing her thousands of miles away as he casually snatched his phone back. His warning tone was entirely unfriendly, forming a stark contrast to their intimate closeness just moments ago.
Zoe’s heart trembled. She slowly retracted her outstretched hand. So... before coming here, he had been keeping Stella company all along. She blinked her stinging eyes and curled up on her side of the bed. It seemed that sharing a bed for only the second time since their marriage was still a disastrous experience.
The next day.
Zoe was woken up by Heartbreaker’s barking. When she got up, she realized that Simon was already gone. It was already eight o’clock, and she had no idea when he had left. Then again, it made sense. Stella had asked about his whereabouts last night; he probably didn’t want to waste his time here with her anyway.
Looking around the empty apartment, Zoe shook her head and laughed at how pathetic she was. She actually felt a sense of emptiness, as if a piece of her heart had caved in, leaving behind a dull ache.
After feeding Heartbreaker, she pulled herself together and took a quick shower. Pressed for time, she had to skip her makeup routine, hurriedly applying some lipstick before heading out the door. She bought a cup of coffee downstairs at her office building before heading up to clock in.
She arrived at her cubicle and sat down.
Beside her, Summer Thorne wore a miserable expression. "Zoe, Director Carter just came over and threw a huge tantrum. I have no idea what happened, but the proposal I stayed up two nights working on was completely scrapped! I’m going to drop dead at my desk! A corporate drone’s life is so worthless!"
Zoe pursed her lips. She wondered if it was because of the incident with Mr. Grayson.
"Zoe? Your neck..." Summer noticed something and was just about to point it out.
Zoe stood up abruptly. "I’m going to have a chat with Director Carter." She didn’t give Summer the chance to finish her sentence.
Zoe knocked and entered Director Carter’s office. She could tell the director was in a foul mood; upon seeing Zoe, Director Carter pulled an even longer face. "You’re just in time. Look at the news. Mr. Grayson has been stripped of his position and exposed for corruption and bribery. Overnight, over a dozen girls have come forward with hard evidence accusing him of sexual harassment and rape. He’s finished, and he’s definitely facing prison time."