All Chapters of A Hundred Goodbyes: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

I stared blankly at the couple sitting by my hospital bed, trying to make sense of the stream of words spilling out of their mouths. I didn’t know why I couldn’t remember the people in front of me.Apparently, my name was Zoe Jennings and I was the long-lost daughter of a wealthy family, the Jennings.However, someone else had already replaced me. When I went missing as a child, the Jennings adopted a girl named Yvonne Jennings to fill the gap I left behind. When they found me years later, they welcomed me back with open arms, or so it seemed.At first, they were kind to recompense the long absence of familial warmth I’ve endured over the years. Unfortunately, that didn’t last long.It only took one false accusation from Yvonne for everything to change. She complained to them that I had bullied her. No matter what I said, my parents always believed her. They even said that a liar like me brought disgrace on the Jennings family.After a few times, my parents, who were supposed to

Chapter 2

Tasha called me the moment she saw my message, her voice practically buzzing with relief. "Babe, you finally came to your senses! Took you long enough. But have you forgotten? Shawn gave you a divorce agreement a long time ago, so it will take effect once you sign it!""And I’ll handle the legal statement for your parents too. Honestly, Zoe, they never deserved you."I gave a pathetic little laugh. How ironic. Shawn had been prepared for our divorce all along. He really detested me.Maybe that was for the best. Maybe this was freedom.I turned to the driver, Frankie Parsons. "Frankie, take me to the immigration office."He didn’t ask why. With a nod, he changed the route.Everything moved quickly. At the immigration office, I finalized the paperwork for relocation."Miss Jennings, your documents will be ready in three days."I nodded, thanked them, and left.Back in the car, I turned to Frankie again. "Please don’t tell Shawn anything about my schedule."He hesitated. "Honest

Chapter 3

Two nights later, I stood at the entrance of the Grandview Hotel in a simple black dress. It was the kind of dress that said nothing, meant nothing, and tried even less.Nevertheless, the crowd still found me."Is that the true Jennings heiress? Why is she dressed like that?""Didn’t she marry into the Scott family?""I heard her husband hasn’t looked at her since the wedding.""All his affection goes to Yvonne."I let the words fall around me like rain, and I didn’t flinch.Since I married Shawn, I'd heard such words countless times. At first, I would feel sad, but now I didn't.Yvonne sparkled like royalty in a beaded gown, her smile flawless as Shawn stood beside her and cared for her. He even bent down to fix the hem of her dress.Watching this scene, I felt a pang of bitterness in my heart. Once upon a time, I had also imagined that Shawn would treat me like this.If it weren't for Yvonne meddling and distorting the truth, would he have loved me so much? Alas, there were

Chapter 4

After getting home, I was so exhausted that I fell asleep as soon as I hit the bed.I didn’t know how long I’d been out before a splash of freezing water shocked me awake.Staring up, dazed, I saw Yvonne towering over me, rage twisting her features."Zoe! Why did you steal my ring?!" she screamed. She yanked me off the bed violently. "Do you even know what this means to me? Shawn gave it to me!"I frowned, still groggy.Before I could say a word, my mother stormed in and slapped me across the face."Did you think stealing the ring meant for the future Mrs. Scott would make Shawn love you? Or make others believe you’re the true lady of the Scott family? Return the ruby ring immediately!"I clutched my cheek, staring back at them coldly. "I didn’t steal her ring."Yvonne played the delicate victim perfectly, stepping forward with trembling lips. "The waitress said you were near my bag earlier. If it wasn’t you, who else could it be?"I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the rising fu

Chapter 5

The plane touched down in France.As I stepped off and onto foreign soil, I couldn’t help but take a deep breath.No more Jennings family. No Shawn Scott. No Yvonne. No more cruel ghosts or rotten betrayals.Here, I was just Zoe, a woman on her own. I used my savings to rent a small apartment in Paris and started my new life.That day, I dressed up just a little. I wanted to walk around and finally enjoy the beauty of Paris.Under the Eiffel Tower, people bustled and flowed around me. I bought a cup of coffee and sipped it slowly as I admired the city.Suddenly, someone bumped into me, making my coffee tip dangerously.Right before it spilled on me, a passing man stretched out his hand and caught it."Thank you," I said quickly, looking up.He was striking. He was handsome, gentle, and had an effortless elegance."You’re welcome, mademoiselle," he replied with a warm smile, handing the coffee back before disappearing into the crowd.I continued walking the streets, soaking i

Chapter 6

He seemed to recognize me, too. With a gentle smile, he stood and extended a hand. "Miss Jennings, pleasure to meet you. I’m Callum Grant.""Mr. Grant," I said, recovering quickly and shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you, too.""I didn’t expect to see you again so soon," I added with a polite smile."Fate works in mysterious ways," he said with that same warm expression on his face. "I’m glad we’re meeting under better circumstances this time."We sat down, but instead of diving straight into work, Callum started talking about art."I’ve seen some of your posts online," he said. "You’ve been visiting a lot of galleries. You have a sharp eye.""I’ve always loved art," I replied. "Paris is a beautiful place for it.""I agree," he said, his gaze bright with interest. "Art is a universal language. It connects people, no matter where they come from."From paintings to music to literature, our conversation flowed naturally. I was surprised by how much we had in common. He was smart, c

Chapter 7

After meeting with Callum, I returned to the apartment. The moment I stepped inside, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Tasha."Zoe, you won’t believe this. Shawn found out you left. He’s tearing the city apart looking for you!""Looking for me?" I typed back, confused. "I thought he hated me."Tasha told me that Shawn had rushed to the old freezer, the one they used to lock me in. However, by then, I was long gone. All he found was the cold air hissing from the seal. He had stared at it, his face dark as night."Who turned this on?!" he barked at the servants behind him. "Do you know this could have killed her?!"The servants trembled under his voice, unable to speak.Shawn’s chest tightened. None of this made sense.His phone rang. It was Mr. Jennings."Shawn, where’s Zoe? She sent us a statement saying she’s cut all ties with the family. What’s going on?""You’re asking me?" Shawn snapped. "How should I know?""Don’t say that," Mrs. Jennings added, clearly panicking. "

Chapter 8

Yvonne’s words hit him like a storm of needles. He’d hurt me more than anyone else ever could.Just then, his assistant ran in. "Mr. Scott, we found her!"Shawn shot to his feet. "Where is she?!""She bought a plane ticket to Paris."Paris. His hands trembled.Before he could leave, he gave one final command, "Break Yvonne’s legs. Lock her up in a psychiatric hospital. No one lets her out unless I say so. And keep shorting the Jennings Corporation. I want them ruined."He was going to make everyone who hurt me pay, including my parents.Meanwhile, I was completely unaware. I had just landed in Paris after a week-long business trip.As I stepped into the arrivals hall, I froze.There he was. Shawn Scott.His hair was disheveled. His eyes were bloodshot. His once-pristine appearance was now a crumbling facade."Zoe," he whispered. "I finally found you."He rushed over, his voice shaking. "I was wrong. I was so wrong. Please forgive me. Come home with me. Let’s get remarried."

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