But the moment she hit send, Zoe Lancaster’s senses slowly returned to her. She suddenly regretted acting on impulse.
That was a diamond necklace worth nearly three million! Moreover, it was a highly coveted limited edition that would never be produced again. It would only appreciate in value. If she had resold it, the money would easily cover a month of her mother’s astronomical medical bills.
Clutching her head, Zoe wailed, "My money!"
Turning her head, she prayed with a glimmer of hope, "Please don’t read the text. Please don’t read the text!"
Snow fell over Kingsford that night.
A black Maybach bearing an ostentatious license plate of five nines drove into a residential neighborhood that hardly matched the car’s prestige. The vehicle pulled up beneath one of the apartment buildings. Shane Shaw stepped out, opening a large black umbrella for the person in the backseat.
Simon Hawthorne was dressed rather thinly in just a black wool overcoat. His figure was tall and exuded a noble elegance. A pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose, and the eyes behind the lenses were deep and captivating. He seemed to blend seamlessly with the heavily falling snow, his striking appearance exceptionally conspicuous.
He looked up at the building, absentmindedly toying with a pair of pearl earrings in his hand. Zoe had left them at the hotel the night he returned to the country. He intended to return them to her; there was no need to keep silent about what had happened that night anymore. There were certain things he didn’t like to dwell on. Since Zoe harbored no ulterior motives, there was no reason for him to let her continue living in fear.
Just as he took a long stride forward, his phone buzzed. Without breaking his pace, he pulled it out and glanced at the screen.
STEP.
His leather shoes halted on the stone pavement. He stared coldly at the contents on the screen. The message Zoe had sent practically oozed disgust and dissatisfaction, as if the gift he had given her was something filthy.
His grip on the pearl earrings tightened silently. Retracting his steps, he turned around and got back into the car, his voice even colder than the snowy night. "Back to The Imperial Residence."
Shane was confused. He quickly got in and started the engine. "Mr. Hawthorne, are you not going upstairs?"
Simon lowered his eyes, looking at the two lustrous, beautiful pearl earrings in his palm. They reminded him exactly of her overly delicate skin, but right now, they were nothing but a cold eyesore. "There’s no need."
He couldn’t fathom Zoe’s thought process. He had kindly asked Shane to meticulously select a piece of jewelry for her. Not only was she completely ungrateful, but she also expressed intense loathing. What was this? Was it just another act of playing hard to get? She was nothing but insatiably greedy, aiming for something even bigger!
Simon curled his fingers, clutching the pearl earrings tightly in his palm. His brows knitted together in deep annoyance. She truly didn’t know what was good for her.
Zoe spent almost the entire night in a state of anxiety, hardly getting any sleep. She was genuinely worried that Simon would see the text message and, in a fit of anger, order Shane to take the gift back. Fortunately, that hadn’t happened.
But she still felt deeply uneasy, wondering if he had read it or not.
Today was Saturday, a rare day off from work.
However, Zoe didn’t get to relax for long before receiving a call from her stepmother, Wendy Lawrence. "Zoe, it’s been a while since we had a meal together. I’ve booked a private dining room at The Ambrosia Pavilion today. Come over in a bit."
Zoe furrowed her brows. "I’m a bit busy. You guys go ahead and eat—"
Wendy’s tone was gentle but left no room for refusal. "Don’t lie to me. You have the day off today. An elder is personally calling to invite you, and you won’t even give me the face for a single meal?"
Zoe felt that this woman was truly an expert at putting on airs. Since it was supposed to be a family dinner, she had no choice but to agree. "Understood."
The reservation was for eleven-thirty. Zoe didn’t rush over. First, she took Heartbreaker downstairs for a couple of walks, picked up after the dog, and then went back home to freshen up simply before heading out.
Upon arriving at The Ambrosia Pavilion, Zoe pushed open the door to the private room and immediately spotted another familiar face—Preston Quincy’s mother, Mrs. Quincy. The only people in the room were Mrs. Quincy, Wendy, and Wendy’s daughter, Riley Lancaster.
She instantly understood. This wasn’t a so-called family dinner at all. It was a setup, and she was the lamb, clearly priced and waiting for the slaughter.
Seeing Zoe, Mrs. Quincy blew gently on her teacup. "Lancaster, it’s been a while, and you’ve grown even more radiant. No wonder that foolish boy of mine refuses to have anyone but you. It gives me such a headache."
Wendy chimed in with a smile. "The two of them grew up together, so there are naturally feelings between them. If things could end perfectly in marriage, that would naturally be for the best."
Riley glanced at Zoe, a smirk playing on her lips. "Besides, Zoe doesn’t know much about business. She’d be perfect as a supportive wife, managing the household and revolving around her husband and children. That would save you a lot of worry, Mrs. Quincy."
As the person in question, Zoe felt like a piece of meat on the chopping block, entirely devoid of any right to assert herself. She looked at these hypocritical faces, feeling nothing but mockery in her heart.
In truth, Mrs. Quincy looked down on her. It was just that Preston had made such a huge fuss, threatening that he wouldn’t marry anyone else. Though Mrs. Quincy strongly disliked the idea, she loved her son dearly and eventually went along with his wishes.
As for why Wendy and Riley were trying so hard—it was because her father, Martin Lancaster, had once said that once she married into the Quincy Family, he would give Riley a portion of the company’s shares and let her take over more of the Lancaster Family business. Simply put, he intended to groom Riley as the successor to the Lancaster Family’s assets.
And the prerequisite for all of this was that Zoe had to marry Preston. By establishing deeper business ties with the Quincy Family, their interests would become intertwined. Everyone stood to gain, and she was merely the sacrificial lamb meant to fuel their collective revelry.
"What a pity," Mrs. Quincy said, her tone dripping with passive-aggressiveness. "Mrs. Carter was previously interested in our Preston. Their family is the leading logistics giant in Sondera, you know. The daughter of the Carter Family returned from overseas with a dual degree. She has both the looks and the education. I was absolutely fond of her."
Riley covered her mouth and giggled. "Zoe definitely can’t compare to that. She just had decent luck, landing a job at a PR firm under the Hawthorne Group after graduation. She certainly can’t be compared to a proper heiress preparing to take over a company."
"Exactly. When this child was in school, all she cared about was dating Preston. She has no real vision for the future. But once they’re married, it will be easier for you to mold her, right, Mrs. Quincy?" Wendy’s demeanor seemed gentle, but her words were like poison-laced blades, devaluing Zoe to utter worthlessness.
Only then did Mrs. Quincy smile in satisfaction. "True. It’s better for her to be obedient."
"I suppose I am quite ordinary." Zoe set down her teacup, her tone neither humble nor arrogant. "But if it weren’t for me back then, could Preston have gotten into Kingsford University? Mrs. Quincy, you should actually be thanking me. Otherwise, Preston would have just gone overseas, spending your money to buy a flimsy degree. That is quite a gap compared to Kingsford University."
Her words instantly struck a nerve. Mrs. Quincy’s face immediately darkened. "What do you mean? Are you saying my son rode on your coattails?"
Zoe tilted her head, a smile concealing a blade. "Yes. Your exceptionally outstanding son just happens to be madly in love with me. I don’t even want him, but it’s a difficult situation to resolve. Why don’t you give me some advice?"
Mrs. Quincy turned livid with anger, slamming her hand on the table as she stood up. "You!"
Both Riley and Wendy wanted nothing more than to tear Zoe’s mouth to pieces! Was she crazy, offending Mrs. Quincy like this?!
The scene was intensely ugly when Preston Quincy rushed in. His thin lips were pressed tightly together, and his usually sunny face was frighteningly cold. "Mom! I told you not to bother her!"
Mrs. Quincy hadn’t expected her own son to take an outsider’s side. Trembling, she clutched her chest. "You foolish boy! How worthless!"
Zoe didn’t have the energy to deal with them. She stood up and walked out.
Preston ran a hand through his hair in frustration and quickly chased after her.