Watching the man walk toward her at a leisurely pace, she saw him slightly lower his gaze. Behind the lenses of his gold-rimmed glasses, his alluring eyes were dark and cold, devoid of worldly desires, betraying not a single trace of emotion. His entire being radiated a silent, indifferent aura that sent an inexplicable chill down her spine.
A pale hand with long, slender fingers extended toward her, holding a medical slip. His voice was methodical, his mood indiscernible. "You dropped your pregnancy test requisition, Mrs. Hawthorne."
Zoe’s mind went blank with a loud BUZZ. A sense of crisis and sheer panic washed over her entirely.
She stared in bewilderment at the handsome man before her, whose striking looks made passersby turn their heads. It was Simon Hawthorne—her husband who hadn’t been home in two years.
The bustling crowd in the corridor was so noisy that Zoe couldn’t organize her thoughts. Before she knew it, Simon had already grabbed her wrist, dragging her through the crowd and into the stairwell of the emergency exit. The heavy door clicked shut behind them. In an instant, everything fell dead silent.
The stairwell was cold and quiet. Simon stood perfectly still. In the dim lighting, he looked down at her, scrutinizing her every feature. His gaze was devoid of emotion, yet it seemed to hide some profound mystery, making Zoe’s skin crawl.
"Why are you at the hospital?" Zoe’s throat was parched, her mind a mess. She didn’t know whether to be happy or terrified. Looking up, she met the man’s deep, dark eyes. "And you didn’t even tell me you were coming back?"
The lenses resting on the bridge of Simon’s nose caught the cold light as a faint sneer touched his lips. "Mrs. Hawthorne, you know so little about me. Kingsward Hospital is a subsidiary of the Hawthorne Group. I just happened to be here for a meeting today. But as for you, Mrs. Hawthorne..." He paused slightly, his deep, frigid tone making her heart pound even harder. "...you seem to be living quite a comfortable life."
Zoe was speechless. How could she not feel the hidden barbs in the man’s seemingly casual words? A chill ran through her.
"It’s a misunderstanding," Zoe said, forcing herself to calm down. "The doctor printed the wrong requisition. I came here today for a routine physical exam—"
"Oh?" The man’s ending syllable was nonchalant, rising at a leisurely pace. His pleasant voice had turned into a lethal guillotine, hanging precariously over her neck. Beneath his calm demeanor lay an extreme terror.
" You’re telling me you picked up a pregnancy test requisition by mistake?" His words were almost aggressive. He truly wanted to see how she would play this out.
Zoe clenched her fists. "I don’t have any experience with gynecological issues, so it’s inevitable that I’d be a bit careless. But what exactly do you mean by that? Listening to your tone, it sounds like this is a very serious matter."
Simon narrowed his eyes, watching the woman shift the blame onto him. She showed no intention of admitting to what happened last night. He let out a cold chuckle, not minding putting a bit more psychological pressure on her. "After all, I’ve been away from Kingsford for two years and know absolutely nothing about my own wife. It’s inevitable... that my imagination would run a little wild."
Alarm bells blared in Zoe’s mind. What did Simon mean by that? Was he already suspecting her? The situation felt like walking on thin ice. A layer of cold sweat broke out on Zoe’s back as mixed emotions surged within her. Of all the times to come back, he just had to pick the very moment she was about to start her second spring!
"Then Mr. Hawthorne is overthinking it. I’m not like you, Mr. Hawthorne. I don’t have that much free time to devote to romantic flings," she replied, her words laced with underlying meaning.
Simon’s brow furrowed imperceptibly. "Do you feel like I’ve been neglecting you?"
Zoe was taken aback. Was that what she meant?
"Mr. Hawthorne, you’re overthinking it. I’m not that sexually frustrated," she retorted.
The moment the words left her mouth, her chin was firmly gripped. Simon’s long, pale fingers tightened around her jaw, forcing her to look up. He slowly leaned down until the distance between them was mere inches. His gaze landed on her lips, which were still visibly red and swollen, before slowly tracing down to her neck. His thumb slid downwards, brushing against her carotid artery. The action was intimate, yet it made her whole body run cold. "—Then what is this bite mark?"
"A dog bit me!" Zoe answered almost reflexively.
In that instant, she thought she must be hallucinating. A flash of deep hostility seemed to cross the man’s pupils, freezing the atmosphere even further. Zoe suddenly wrenched herself free from Simon’s grip and took a step back before adding, "I just got a Cocker Spaniel two months ago. His name is Cheater, and he’s only three months old. He’s very naughty and can be a bit careless."
She spoke with such sincerity, without a hint of panic. Getting a dog was indeed the truth. Over the past few months, she had frequently seen news about Stella Joyce. People speculated that Stella had someone powerful backing her, as she effortlessly secured countless top-tier resources. That backer was, of course, Simon. Zoe’s heart had grown colder by the day, and in a fit of pique, she had brought a puppy home, thinking that when Simon finally returned, the dog could bite that shameless bastard to death. What a pity. The dog wasn’t here right now.
Zoe clearly saw a smile flicker in the depths of Simon’s eyes. It was obscure, dangerous, and apathetic—as if he were mocking her flimsy lie. Just then, his phone began to ring, putting a halt to the slaughterhouse-like atmosphere.
He shot her an indifferent sideways glance and answered the call. "Speak."
"Mr. Hawthorne, I’ve packed up the jewelry Mrs. Hawthorne left at the hotel. Should I have it sent back to her?" Secretary Linden asked respectfully on the other end of the line.
Simon lowered his gaze to the woman standing before him, tightly clutching and kneading the hem of her clothes. She clearly looked guilty, which inexplicably reminded him of last night.
He had just returned to the country yesterday and met up with some friends for a gathering. He hadn’t expected to bump into Zoe, who was out drinking her sorrows away. This woman had a terrible tolerance for alcohol. Once drunk, she completely lost the plot — to the point that she ended up trying to hire a gigolo and picked him. From the looks of it, if she couldn’t sleep with him last night, she would have found someone else. He had barely carried her a few steps before she threw up all over his shoulder. Left with no choice, he had booked the nearest hotel room and instructed Secretary Linden to prepare a fresh set of clothes. Initially, he had no intention of fooling around with a drunkard.
However, Zoe stripped the moment she entered the room. She possessed a body as alluring as Medusa, with skin like heavy cream, capable of igniting a man’s most primal, sinful desires. What was more, she clung to him tightly. While wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his Adam’s apple, she shed tears as if she had suffered a monumental grievance. Crying pitifully, she said, "Do you like me? My husband never even touches me. Am I really that bad? Just touch me..."
Her tear-reddened, damp eyes became an invisible aphrodisiac. In the end, he hadn’t been able to resist caressing her deeply curved waist, nor could he restrain himself from leaving dark bruises on her skin. He was also surprised to discover that it was... her first time.
"Mr. Hawthorne?" Seeing that his boss hadn’t spoken for a while, Secretary Linden called out tentatively, entirely unable to grasp Simon’s current mood.
Simon’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. He inconspicuously pushed up his glasses and said, "Just leave it in my office."
He had never chosen Zoe. His grandmother had decided it and once she made up her mind, there was no arguing with her.
Consequently, they had been married for two years, and only today did he learn that his wife had such a wild and brazen side to her. Moreover, judging by her reaction, it was obvious she still didn’t know the man from last night was him.
Things were suddenly getting interesting.