جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 550

Mrs. Scott fell silent. She never expected this would happen, but it made sense. Now that they were divorced, they were both free to do whatever they wanted. She was at a loss for words. Were Laurence and Zoey really not meant to be?Laurence swallowed and said dejectedly, “It’s too late, Mom.”He finally understood what his heart wanted, but it was too late. He was finally willing to confess his love for someone he had looked down on in the past, but it was too late. He only understood now why he said so many hurtful things to her. He had done it all in an attempt to get her attention. In those short moments he had hurt her, he was the only one on her mind. And so, he hurt her over and over again. It was sick, but that was how he treated someone he loved but couldn’t have. He was hurting them both at the same time. Mrs. Scott couldn’t bear lecturing Laurence as she watched his red and teary eyes. “You reap what you sow,” she said curtly. There was nothing she could do. She and her

Zoey was trimming the branches of the plant on the windowsill when her scissors froze mid-air. A moment later, she nodded as if nothing had happened. She asked Jared casually, "Are you talking about Laurence?"Jared watched the change in her expression and hummed a muffled reply.Zoey set the scissors down. "Maybe..."Maybe he had come looking for her. Maybe not. But did it matter?Laurence began showing up more often. Every night, Zoey would stroll along the alley, from her doorstep to the entrance of the alley. A short walk not only helped her meet her weekly activity requirements, it was also beneficial in preparation for the birth.Jared showed up each night to keep her company on her walk, in case she tripped or fell. This Friday, however, he had a company dinner to attend. He informed her he would be late. Zoey made her way to the alley on her own. As she passed by a patisserie, she noticed Laurence's car parked outside it. This seemed like a personal matter—none of his bo

It was far too easy to differentiate enmity from kindness. The look in Laurence's eyes was charged with hostility. He most likely viewed Zoey's unborn child as a pain in the neck, so she was even more unlikely to tell him who the child's father was. He was already forcing her to return. If he were to find out the truth, there was a chance he would use the child as a bargaining chip. She had no doubt Laurence would have no qualms about taking advantage of the baby.Maybe spooked by his frosty gaze on her, Zoey felt her tummy ache. She reflexively supported herself on a wall nearby, fists clenched. Her face, flushed from being in the sun, began to blanch from the sharp pangs that washed over her like tidal waves. Because Laurence was there, she made no sound despite the excrutiating pain.Noticing how Zoey had paled, Laurence grabbed her arm, his brows furrowed. "What's wrong?"Zoey recovered from the sharp pain and brushed his hand away. She strained, "Stay away from me."Laurence

Laurence made it sound like he was giving Zoey a choice. She felt he must be lacking in empathy. Why else was he capable of manipulating her to achieve what he wanted? She had tried to talk sense into him, and had sternly told him off, but nothing had worked. She felt nothing but fatigue when dealing with him. She had no desire to give in to his wishes. Time and time again, he used her weak spots to twist her arm whenever he liked.There were times Zoey had half a mind to do the same to get back at him, but she didn't know what his weak spots were. Was it Sarah? But Zoey had no way of getting to her. And Zoey couldn’t bring herself to inflict any harm on anyone else. At times like these, she hated her upbringing for teaching her to be a good person. If only she was as merciless as Laurence was, she’d be able to do anything without care for morality or legality. She struggled to free her arm from his grip and looked up at him indifferently. Her voice was adamant, "I will not break up

Jared seemed willing to put effort into maintaining a relationship and enjoyed sharing his thoughts and emotions with his partner. He was always ready to express his feelings and enjoyed intimate interactions. As he never hid his emotions, Zoey did not have to figure out what he was thinking. His social circle was simple and clear of any messy affairs that Zoey had to deal with. She felt very relaxed around him. Besides, Jared never stood her up or made her wait for him unnecessarily.Zoey thought she had long forgotten about past incidents, but somehow, they still occupied her mind occasionally. Like how Laurence always failed to show up on their dates and only thought to inform her he wouldn’t be able to make it to the concert she had been anticipating for months just minutes before it started. She had waited for him idly in the foyer in the pouring rain that night, and always having to wait for someone wasn’t a pleasant feeling. Now that she thought about it, she should have made l