The remark held an inexplicable sense of ambiguity. Zoe Lancaster immediately shut her mouth. Her bright, alluring eyes stared at the man who was barely an inch away. Swallowing hard, she muttered, "Why are you being so fierce?"
She decided to shift the blame. After all, he was the one who had grabbed her and dragged her away without a word.
Simon Hawthorne stared at her. The woman possessed a rare pair of affectionate eyes. When she was trying to be endearing, the soft curves beneath her eyes would become slightly pronounced, adding a touch of soft sweetness to her aggressively stunning beauty. She looked as though she were very obedient.
But in reality, she was anything but. She was quite scheming.
He stepped back slightly. "We’re going back to the Hawthorne Residence."
Zoe finally sat up straight. "The Hawthorne Residence? I have to go back too?"
The Hawthorne Residence was the main estate of the Hawthorne family. Several branches of the family lived there, including the legal wife of Simon’s father, June Hawthorne, as well as his mistress, Cecilia Sloan, and her young son. The web of relationships was incredibly complicated. Since marrying Simon, Zoe had only been back there twice.
"Yes, we’re staying the night," Simon replied, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He simply took off his glasses. He wasn’t actually nearsighted; he was just used to wearing them.
"Can I not go back?" Zoe was somewhat resistant to the complex dynamics and superficial pleasantries of such a massive, wealthy clan. Being there made her feel like she was walking on a knife’s edge, her nerves constantly stretched taut. Although the Lancaster family was also wealthy, their waters were nowhere near as treacherously deep as the Hawthorne family’s.
Simon looked at her. "It’s Grandmother’s wish. We need to put on a good show."
Zoe fell silent.
Mrs. Hawthorne was actually much harder to deal with than Mrs. Hawthorne, Ken Lowell. Even though the old lady was in her eighties, she had been a formidable matriarch in her youth. Alongside Mr. Hawthorne, she had stabilized the family’s turbulent situation and steered clear of the criminal underworld of that era. Her methods were far beyond those of ordinary people. Unfortunately, the old lady had an indifferent impression of Zoe, and they were not close.
However, the rest of the Hawthorne family only knew that she and Simon had married to bring him good fortune. They had no idea about the private agreement the two of them shared—a contract to peacefully divorce after three years. As for putting on a good show...
They arrived at the Hawthorne Residence at ten o’clock that night. Mr. Hawthorne was feeling unwell and had retired to bed early. Only Mrs. Hawthorne was in the main hall, copying Buddhist scriptures. June Hawthorne had a business engagement and hadn’t returned yet. The only person who had come back with them was Ken Lowell.
Seeing Mrs. Hawthorne copying scriptures, Ken immediately stepped forward to pour her a cup of tea. "Mother, it’s so late. Are you still not going to rest?" Even Ken couldn’t help but act cautiously around the old matriarch.
Mrs. Hawthorne didn’t stop writing. "I watched the live stream."
Ken smiled. "It was quite successful. You don’t need to worry."
"Don’t need to worry?" Mrs. Hawthorne finally looked up at her, her eyes incredibly sharp. "How did you act in front of the media? Grabbing the Joyce family’s girl like that—what exactly were you trying to express? What are you scheming?"
Being reprimanded by her mother-in-law in front of the younger generation made Ken look rather unhappy. "Mother... that wasn’t my intention."
From beginning to end, Mrs. Hawthorne showed no sign of anger. She was calm and composed, yet her demeanor inspired dread. "Acting improperly and pointlessly giving people a reason to gossip—do I still need to teach you these things?"
Ken’s expression was grim, but she had no choice but to admit her fault. "I understand. I will watch my words and actions in the future." What frustrated her even more was the fact that Zoe was standing right there, witnessing the entire scene!
Not wanting to waste any more breath, Mrs. Hawthorne waved her hand dismissively. "You may leave."
Only then did Ken stand up, frowning as she walked past Zoe. She didn’t think the old matriarch was standing up for Zoe. Mrs. Hawthorne only cared about the Hawthorne family’s reputation and was worried about others using the incident against them in the future. As for this granddaughter-in-law... Mrs. Hawthorne completely looked down on her. That realization gave Ken a great deal of comfort as she left the room.
Simon then spoke up mildly, "Grandmother, it’s late. You shouldn’t drink any more tea."
Mrs. Hawthorne beckoned. "Miss Lancaster, come here too."
Zoe walked over confidently. Even though she was somewhat intimidated by the old matriarch’s authority, she didn’t let it show. Instead, she greeted her politely, "Grandmother."
Mrs. Hawthorne studied Zoe for a moment. "Simon was away from home for two years. I know you feel wronged in your heart. The Hawthorne family will compensate you in every way we should, but when you are outside, you must not spread rumors about these matters."
Zoe nodded in agreement. "I understand. Please don’t worry, Grandmother."
Simon organized the scripture books for his grandmother, speaking in a slow, deliberate tone. "Now that I’m back, there’s no need for you to worry about these things anymore. We will handle it."
Mrs. Hawthorne gave him a reproachful look. "No need for me to worry? You finally managed to get married, and then you immediately flew off to Kaelan for two years without coming back. How are we supposed to continue the family line?"
That was the old lady’s true intention.
Zoe’s heart trembled. From the corner of her eye, she observed Simon’s expression. His eyes remained as calm as still water, completely devoid of emotion—cold and detached.
In response to the old matriarch’s blatant pressure to have a child, his stance was just as clear. "Zoe is still young. Let her enjoy her freedom for another two years."
A heavy knot formed in Zoe’s chest, and she was forced to swallow down the bitter, sour feeling. He wasn’t thinking of her at all. He simply didn’t want any lasting ties or entanglements with her. No doubt, he was also eagerly looking forward to their divorce certificate in a year’s time.
Mrs. Hawthorne didn’t buy that excuse. "Could it be that because of your grandfather, you were made to do something you didn’t want to do, and that’s why you’re resisting it now?"
Zoe’s eyelashes fluttered. She didn’t really want to hear this.
Simon didn’t beat around the bush. "I did it willingly for Grandfather. That’s not the case at all. You don’t need to worry about our matters, Grandmother."
"Fine. I’m getting old, and your grandfather’s health is deteriorating by the day. Our biggest wish is to see your family line continue—to hold our great-grandchild! How much longer can we wait?" Mrs. Hawthorne knew exactly where to strike to make her words most effective.
Simon finally frowned slightly. His deep, dark eyes shifted toward Zoe as he calmly replied, "I understand."
Leaving Mrs. Hawthorne’s courtyard, Zoe and Simon walked side by side. The night wind was chilly, and her thoughts twisted and turned. She couldn’t quite figure out the underlying layers of meaning behind his simple "I understand."
She was so lost in thought that she didn’t even realize they had reached Simon’s courtyard until he spoke. "What is it? Did Grandmother’s intentions put you under pressure?"
Zoe snapped her head up. Simon seemed to have something on his mind. He pulled out a cigar and casually snipped the end, his brow cool and detached, his thin, reddish lips pressed tight enough to reveal his current mood.
Was it because he was annoyed about matters concerning her?
Zoe turned her head away. "What are your thoughts?"
Simon lit the cigar but didn’t take a puff. He simply watched the curling smoke. "Why do you ask? What answer are you waiting for? If I said we should have a child just to entertain them, would that make you happy?"
"After all, I do like you." Swallowing her shattered pride, Zoe spoke the true thoughts she hadn’t wanted to voice, just to stir a bit of wavering and guilt in Simon’s heart. "If I could have a child with you, of course I wouldn’t resist it."
Simon narrowed his eyes at her. Sometimes, he really couldn’t see through this woman. What exactly was she after? Did she really like him? Countless people around him spouted such pretty words, but how many were truly selfless? They were all just seeking something more. He had seen far too much of that falsehood and hypocrisy.
Just like Zoe right now. In the end, wasn’t she just trying to have his child to secure her own position?
"I know better than anyone that your heart isn’t with me. You can’t force love." Zoe seemed to see right through his thoughts, shattering his assumptions by refusing to play by the rules. "Besides, the agreement is expiring soon. When the time comes... isn’t there someone much more suitable than me?"