Gave Stepsister A Slap In The Face, I Married A Billionaire

The night was as black as ink.

Zoe Gil's face was pale as she managed to stand up from the bed with a headache and dry mouth.

She checked the time and saw that it was almost 12 o'clock. Without wasting much time, she went to take her bath, put on her clothes, and hurried to the hotel.

Since it was already midnight by the time she got to the hotel, Zoe knew it was not quite safe for anyone working in the adult product business to make deliveries in person.

Not to mention for a girl like her, young and gorgeous.

But then again, what could she do? Life was never easy, and she had got to pay for her own life. More importantly, Steven would return to the country in just a few days.

They had been together for six years, but most of the time, they lived in different cities. Steven had got business to take care of abroad, and definitely, she could not just hold him back. Fortunately, in the past six years, their relationship had been just great. After work, she also ran her own little business. It would be his birthday in a few days, and she had prepared a surprise for him.

Come to think of it, she curled her lips silently, and her mouth split into a light smile.

But her delicate face was covered by a mask, and people around her could only see a pair of deep and calm eyes, which gave off a hint of cool aloofness.

She pulled the brim of her black hat down a little more before she made her way into the hotel with the delivery box and entered the elevator.

The Pinkyrose Hotel was a famous moneysquandering establishment in V city.

Normally, only the wealthiest figures of the city would come here to kill time.

The grand hall was furnished lavishly, as expected, and even the elevators were all decorated with ornaments of gold and silver, making them glitter everywhere under the lights. Standing there, she could not help but think she did not belong there.

With that being said, Zoe just held her delivery box and did not let her eyes wander a bit.

Her beautiful face was covered by a mask, revealing only a pair of deep and calm eyes which gave off a hint of cold aloofness.

The elevator stopped on the twentysecond floor with a 'ding.' She walked out, quickly found Room 4485, and rang the doorbell.

Even before the door opened, there were already fevered moans of a man and woman sounding from inside.

"Steven, ah ... stop! It seems our stuff has arrived."

"Wait, I'll get it."

Zoe's mouth could not help but curl as she stood outside the door.

'Seems they have enjoyed themselves so much even without their little toy.'

'So eager!'

The door quickly opened, and a freshlyshowered man wearing a bathrobe appeared.

Zoe did not look at him and simply handed the box over. "150 dollars! Cash?"

The person opposite her did not move.

Two seconds later, a hesitant voice sounded, "Zoe?"

Zoe was slightly startled and raised her head. Her expression went cold instantly.

The man in front of her, wearing only a white bathrobe, water dripping from his short hair, was exactly the Steven Anderson she had loved for six years!

The man standing by the door was tall, with short and damp hair. He wore only a white bathrobe, and under the glow of the warm yellow light, his handsome face was filled with surprise, dismay, and ... a hint of panic.

Zoe's face instantly went cold.

"Steven, who is it?"

"Nothing. Just the delivery man."

In a panic, Steven Anderson spoke out hastily before Zoe could make a sound. He quickly took out a wad of bills from his wallet and stuffed them into her hand before snatching the box from her.

The door slammed shut with a 'bang.'

Zoe stood there, her fingertips trembling slightly. Her face was pale.

The next moment, she suddenly sneered.

She looked at the stack of notes in her hand as if she had heard an amazing joke and found how ignorant and stupid she had been.

When the sounds of lovemaking started inside, she took a deep breath and forced back the sourness in her eyes.

Then, she turned around and produced her phone from her pocket as she headed for the elevator.

"Hello, is this City V Police Department? I found someone taking drugs, and there was also a prostitute with him. They are in the Pinkyrose Hotel. The room number is…."

Thirty minutes later.

A police car parked in front of the Pinkyrose Hotel, along with several media reporters carrying cameras.

As the people in the hotel were escorted out, the reporters rushed forward.

"Mr. Anderson, someone reported that you were taking drugs and hiring prostitutes in this hotel. Is this true?"

"Mr. Anderson, as the heir of Anderson Group, do you think it's proper for you to do this?"

"Mr. Anderson, who is the woman with you? There are rumors that she's a popular actress in the entertainment industry. Is that true?"

"Mr. Anderson.."

Steven was so surrounded by reporters that not even the police could stop them.

After a while, he could no longer bear it and roared with rage, "Get the fuck out of my eyes!"

The reporters were startled but backed away

as demanded.

Steven looked past the crowd and stared straight at Zoe. His eyes were full of hatred and ruthlessness.

"Is this what you want?"

Zoe smiled coldly as a hint of mockery flashed across her eyes.

"You just won't get me whatever you do!"

Zoe suddenly walked forward and raised her hand in front of all the reporters and police—

"Slap!"

With a stinging slap to the side of his face, Steven's head was snapped to the side.

The surroundings suddenly grew silent.

A policeman opened his mouth. "Ma'am..."

"Sorry, my hand slipped."

She smiled faintly and rubbed her wrist. Her voice was clear and cold as she looked at Steven with resentment.

"Do you think I'd care about a piece of scrap paper that fell into the toilet? You can think of that slap as interest. I'll collect the remaining principal within the next three days!"

Steven's eyes flashed with panic. "Wh … What principal?"

Zoe raised her eyebrows. "Do you really want me to remind you?"

Steven's face immediately went white.

She smiled coolly, her face full of ridicule and contempt.

When the police saw that they had nothing more to say, he waved his hand and escorted the two into the car.

Now that they had been taken away, the journalists had no reason to stay any longer. They also began to leave.

The hotel entrance, which was originally swarmed with people, suddenly became empty.

Zoe stood there for a short while and waited until she felt better, and she just left.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she turned her head, her sight was met with a pair of deep and searching eyes.

They belonged to a young man in a dark suit. He had a tall and straight figure and neat and short hair. His eyes were as deep as a bottomless sea.

Under the dim light of the night, a cool and noble aloofness could be sensed from his delicate features, making a sharp contrast to the corrupt environment around him.

Zoe's heart shook.

In the back of her mind, she thought the man looked somewhat familiar.

However, when she looked back at him again, her gaze secretly trailed to the secretary behind him as well as the silver Porsche parked beside them. Then, she felt that there was no way she knew such a big shot.

She did not think much but directly turned to leave.

When the petite figure blended into the traffic, Henry Han looked away and asked softly, "Who was that just now?"

Behind him, Jack Rey quickly replied. "Mr. Han, do you mean the person who was taken away by the police earlier? He seems to be the son of the owner of Anderson Corporation. He just returned from abroad a few days ago."

Henry frowned slightly. "I'm talking about the girl."

"Pardon?" Jack was slightly confused. "What, girl?"

Noting Henry's gloomy expression, Jack immediately understood, "My apologies, Mr. Han. I'll check right away..."

"No need."

Henry interrupted him. He thought deeply for a few seconds and suddenly remembered something.

A trace of surprise flashed in his eyes, and he once again looked in the direction in which the girl had left. His lips hooked up in a smile. 'So it was her. Interesting woman.'

He then strode towards the elevator, looking forward to meeting with her again in his heart.

Then, he finally walked inside.

........

Since it was she who had called the police, Zoe also followed the police back to the station.

As soon as she finished her statement, a group of people barged in from outside.

Leading the crowd was her grandmother, Ciara, who rushed forward and gave Zoe a big tight slap.

Zoe frowned as a metallic taste spread in her mouth. She looked up coldly at the people standing across from her.

"You wench!"

Ciara trembled in anger. "You knew very well that it was your sister, yet you still called the cops on her? Are you trying to anger me to death?!"

Zoe wiped off the blood from the corner of her lips and looked up at the woman in front of her mockingly.

"My sister? Are you talking about Annie?"

"What are you acting dumb for? Word has spread all over, saying that the daughter of the Gil family seduced someone else's fiancé. You're the one who caused all this, and you said you didn't even know that?"

Zoe lowered her eyes and laughed softly.

"So that woman was her! I thought it was just some random prostitute eager to make some money, but it turned out to be my own sister?"

Standing behind Ciara, her father, Jaden Gil, roared in anger. "You bitch! What did you say?"

Zoe sneered. "Just the truth."

She really did not expect that the woman with

Steven would be Annie.

Originally, she had just thought that Steven had betrayed her. She only acted the way she did in a fit of anger to make Steven make a fool of himself to relieve her resentment.

Unexpectedly, not only did her fiancé cheat on her, but the person he cheated on her with was her own halfsister!

What a joke!

"You!"

The old lady was so furious that she raised her cane and was about to smash it down on Zoe, but Helen quickly stopped her.

"Mom, let's just talk. Don't be angry. Your health matters the most."

Then, she turned to Zoe. "Zoe, you shouldn't make your grandmother angry. Annie is at fault here, so you can beat up or yell at her and all you want later, but your grandma is already old. Listen to me, and don't talk back to her, okay?"

If a passerby saw Helen's gentle and considerate expression without knowing who she was, they would have thought that she truly was kind.

Zoe's lips hooked up in a sarcastic smile.

When her father, Jaden, saw her expression, he became even more furious.

"Are you feeling good about yourself now? You got your sister and your fiancé into the police station and completely humiliated the Gil family. Do you even remember who you are?

"Your sister is an actress. How is she supposed to show up in public after you made such a fuss today? Will she be continuing in the entertainment industry? What will happen to the

relationship between the Gil and the Anderson family from now on? Have you ever thought about that?"

Zoe looked at him coldly. "Is that all you can think of?"

Jaden stilled.

"They are the ones at fault, so why are you here blaming me? What did you expect me to do? Turn a blind eye and pretend I didn't see anything? Maybe you would have preferred that if I wished them a long and happy life together?"

Jaden was lost for words for the first time. Then, his jaw clenched in outrage. "You can't even keep your own man, yet you're blaming others for stealing him? If you were any good at all, would he have dumped you for your sister? You don't reflect on yourself when something happens and instead blame everyone else. You

are just like your useless mother!"

Zoe shook violently.

At her father's harsh words, she stared at him in disbelief.

Five years ago, Jaden had an affair and took Helen and Annie into the family. Only then did Zoe find out that she had a sister who was five years younger than she was.

Her mother could not bear the shock and drove her car into the river, ending her own life.

Fearing that Zoe would raise a stink, Gil sent her abroad and washed their hands clean of her.

In those years, if not for the small inheritance that her mother left her, she would have died while she was abroad.

She always knew that her father and grandmother did not like her mother, but she did

not expect that they would have such harsh comments toward her mother even after her death.

Her entire heart and body went cold for a moment. Then, she gave a mocking laugh.

"Yes, I'm useless! After all, I don't have a mom who was a mistress, so I didn't inherit the ability to seduce men. Annie Gil truly surpassed her mother. My eyes are open to a whole new world."

To the side, Helen's face instantly lost all color.

Jaden bellowed furiously. "What did you say?"

"You know exactly what I said!"

"You!"

"That's enough!"

Ciara suddenly shouted. Jaden wanted to say something more, but Helen tugged on his arm from the side.

When they looked up, they saw Steven's father, Michael Anderson, lead Steven Anderson and Annie Gil out of the interrogation room at the end of the corridor.

Michael did not look pleased with all, and neither did Steven and Annie.

Annie clung onto Steven's arm, and her small face twisted as if she was enduring all kinds of hardships silently. Her eyes were rimmed red with tears, and she looked delicate and pitiful.

The group of people suddenly rushed forward, full of concern. "Annie! Are you alright?"

Annie shook her head and said in a muffled voice, "I'm fine."

Then, she looked up and stared at the person standing behind the crowd.

"Zoe."

She called out softly as she walked forward, looking at Zoe guiltily and weakly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't expect you to come… Steven and I… We didn't mean it, so please forgive us!"

Zoe looked at her coldly, her face expressionless.

Michael Anderson also sighed and stepped forward. "The Anderson family is at fault here, but we can't change what's already happened. Whatever compensation you want, just say it. We will definitely satisfy you."

Zoe sneered. "Compensation? Are you trying to just dismiss me with money?"

Michael's expression twisted as a hint of guilt flashed in his eyes.

He glared at Steven and thundered, "You useless bastard! You caused this, so get over here and explain yourself right now!"

Steven glanced at Zoe with his face full of unwillingness, but he finally walked forward under his father's intimidation.

"Zoe, we're not suitable for each other. Let's annul our engagement!"

Zoe was shocked.

She felt like her heart had been cut open by a dull knife. It overflowed with pain.

Although she already knew the outcome, she could not help but feel upset the moment she heard his words. A chill rose in her heart.

She looked at the man in front of her. Her lips curled as her eyes started turning red.

"Steven, how long have we been together?"

"Six years."

'Six years? Hah!

'Who would have thought that we would spend six years with each other just to end up like this?'

She caught him in bed with another woman, yet there was no guilt, no attempt in his heart to redeem himself, and there was not even an apology. All he had to say was a cold 'we're not suitable for each other.'

Something broke in the bottom of her heart. She lifted her lips sarcastically and said without hesitation, "Alright, I agree."

Steven was startled, a little surprised by her decisiveness.

He frowned and looked at her suspiciously. "Are you serious?"

"We can make the annual engagement, but I want the three companies Anderson Group just bought as compensation!"

"What? Are you insane?!"

Jaden roared before Michael and Steven could answer.

Zoe glanced at him coldly. "We aren't even married yet, but you're already so considerate of them. Where is your manner?"

"You!"

"Alright."

Michael raised a hand and interrupted Jaden's words. He looked at Zoe calmly.

"I'll agree to your conditions. When you bring your half of the marriage agreement to me, I'll transfer the companies over to you."

"It's a deal."

As Michael led the lawyer away, Jaden glared at Zoe and huffed in anger. Then, he and Helen also help the old Mrs. Gil away.

The only people left in the corridor were Zoe, Steven, and Annie.

Zoe did not want to involve herself with them anymore, so she turned to leave with a cold face, but Annie's anxious voice suddenly called from behind her.

"Sister!"

The next second, someone blocked her path.

Annie's pale face was covered in tears. She grabbed Zoe's arm and trilled, "Sister, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to fall in love with Steven. Please don't be mad at us. It's all my fault. If you want to yell or hit me, just do it!"

When Zoe saw the weak and helpless appearance Annie had put on, she only felt extremely disgusted.

She shrugged Annie off coldly. "Don't touch me!"

Zoe did not use much strength, but Annie suddenly stumbled and fell to the ground with a scream.

"Annie!"

Steven shot forward like an arrow to help her up. He growled at Zoe in anger. "Zoe! What are you doing?"

"I didn't…."

Zoe's expression shifted as she subconsciously tried to explain herself, but Annie interrupted her.

"Steven, don't blame Zoe. It's my fault, to begin with, that I have fallen in love with you. Now she just pushed me, but how could I say she's wrong even if she wants to scold me, slap me, or kick me?"

Zoe's pupils dilated. The shock was written all over her face.

She raised her head to see Steven's disappointed eyes.

"I didn't think that you would be like this. This is my fault, so you should vent your anger on me! Why did you even hurt Annie?"

Zoe opened her mouth, but her explanation suddenly choked on her throat as if it was a thorn stabbing her.

"You think that … I pushed her?"

"I saw it with my own eyes. Do you think I can

be wrong? I've always thought you just had a cold heart, but you were still kind. Only today do I realize that you're ruthless and vengeful. After all these years, I finally can see who you really are!"

Zoe stood still, unable to believe her own ears.

She turned to look at Annie and saw a hint of malice and pride flashing across her eyes.

She felt a chill covering her heart.

Then, she let out a light sneer. Her smile was full of irony.

"Steven Anderson, only today do I realize how stupid you are!"

"What did you say?"

"It's nothing. Aren't you two in love? Alright! I'll give you my blessings. Just no one would eat from a bowl that has been filled with sht before, no matter how hard you have washed it, right?"

Steven's expression changed. He did not expect that this cool and wellmannered woman would use such vulgar words.

His face darkened. "Zoe! Don't push your luck!"

Zoe sneered at him. Her smile was indifferent and cold.

She took out a handkerchief and wiped her hand that had just been touched by Annie. Finally, she said in an indifferent tone.

"Well! I don't have time to waste here with you. From now on, please just take this canary beside you and get out of my sight! I wish you both all the best…."

Her eyes wandered as a cold mockery flashed in them, and she laughed. "Hah! A btch and a dog! You are really quite a match, after all!"

Then, she turned around and left without giving them any chance to speak.

Steven's face turned livid with anger. "What did you say? Stop right there…."

"Steven…"

At that moment, a hand suddenly grabbed his arm. Annie, with her hand on her stomach, looked so pale. "Steven, my stomach hurts."

Steven's expression changed. "Annie, what's wrong?"

"I don't know…."

A crimson stream of blood trailed down Annie's leg.

Steven's eyes widened, and he shook fiercely.

"Don't be afraid, and I'll take you to the hospital right away."

Steven carried Annie to the hospital.

Zoe sat in her car and watched as their car left. She smiled sarcastically.

Instead of going home, she drove to the Pinkyrose Hotel.

On the first floor of the hotel was a large bar. The hall was filled and strewn with people who had come here to spend their money and kill time.

She leaned against the counter and downed glass after glass.

She was not a person who liked to drown her sorrows in alcohol, but this time, it seemed that nothing but alcohol could temporarily numb the pain she was feeling inside.

She could pretend to be indifferent and generous in front of Steven and Annie.

However, only she knew how crushed her heart really was.

Their relationship of six years is now lost to a single lie. While she was determined to grow old together with him, he was rolling in the sheets with another woman.

She just felt it ironic whenever she thought about it!

Zoe raised her cup and poured herself another glass.

She had always been a good drinker, but even she was a little drunk at the moment.

The phone in her bag suddenly vibrated.

She fished out her phone with hazy eyes and answered the call.

"Who is this?"

"Zoe, you lost again!"

It was Annie

.

Zoe curled her lips in mockery.

"Did you call me just to tell me how proud you are?"

Annie laughed in satisfaction.

"Zoe, did you know that I'm pregnant?"

Zoe's expression turned cold.

She looked at the people on the dance floor and said coldly, "Why are you telling me that? I'm not the one who fcked you."

"It was Steven. He just told me that he'd marry me immediately. You've been with him for six years, but he has never touched you before. Sure, you can say that he only has platonic love for you, but to put it bluntly, it's simply because you didn't interest him sexually, and just the sight of you makes him nauseous."

Zoe's hands clenched into fists.

"You know? As long as we're together, we'll do it every day. He said he had never felt so relaxed and happy with anyone as he was with me. He said you're as cold as a corpse, not interesting at all."

"Other women know how to be gentle and sensible to serve men, but if you peel off your skin and enter the crowd, you'd just be a man! What's the difference between being with you and being gay?"

Zoe's fists tightened.

It was as if her heart was being pulled apart. The pain was excruciating.

She took a deep breath and scoffed.

"Annie Gil, here I thought you were quite something. Is that all you wanted to say?"

"Sister, you can tell me if you're angry. I won't laugh at you."

"Why would I be angry? After all, you're the

one treating garbage I threw away like its treasure. A cloth you've used to wipe your ss will still smell foul even if it's washed. Won't you feel disgusted when you wipe your face with it?"

"You!"

"Anyway! I don't have time to talk nonsense with you. I'm warning you now. Don't try to provoke me again. You can't afford the consequences if you do piss me off!"

Then, she hung up the call.

It was not that she could not feel the pain in her heart.

Although she did not admit it verbally, Annie's words undoubtedly pierced her heart.

She still remembered what Steven had said when he was wooing her.

He said that he liked how clean and clear she

was. He liked her coldness and indifference, which was like a snowy mountain flower that could only be viewed from afar and not tainted. It made him want to protect her, he said.

The best love should be platonic. Detached from the spiritual love of the flesh, it was the purest kind of love.

However, the reality was that he went behind her back to sleep with Annie, and now they even had a child.

A great feeling of irony rose from the bottom of her heart. She raised her hands to cover her face as her eyes started to sting.

At this time, someone suddenly tapped her shoulder.

“Yo! Aren’t you the eldest daughter of the Gil family? Why are you here alone at this late hour? Are you making deliveries again?”

Zoe turned around, and she saw several young girls there, all dressed provocatively. Leading them was Steven Anderson’s sister, Katya Anderson.

Since Zoe was a child, Katya Anderson had loved to do everything against her. She never failed to pick a fight with Zoe.

Zoe was not in the mood to deal with her, so she pulled out a few bills from her bag and called for the check.

However, Katya stepped forward and blocked her path.

“Why are you leaving? C’mon, show me. Is it condoms or lube today?”

She reached out to grab Zoe’s bag.

Zoe took a step back, glaring at her with cold eyes.

“Katya Anderson, don’t go overboard!”

“Overboard? Haha…” Katya acted as if she had heard a great joke. “Zoe Gil! Do you think you’re still my brother’s girlfriend? You’re nothing now! How can you still put on such airs?”

Zoe’s jaw tightened expressionlessly.

Katya waved her hand. “You! Go grab her bag!”

“What’s the point of just looking at her bag? Doesn’t she sell adult products? It’s already so late, yet she’s still out making deliveries. I wonder if she’s delivering an item or a person.”

“That’s true, but look at how much of a dead fish she is. No one would want her anyway. Why don’t we just strip her down and check if we can find any evidence? Wouldn’t it help clear your brother’s name?”

Katya’s eyes brightened. “Oh! Let’s do that!”

The girls rubbed their hands together as they advanced, and Zoe paled.

She turned and ran out of the blue. She was so fast, and they could not even catch her.

However, she did drink quite a lot, so she stumbled as she ran without knowing the direction she was heading. After blearily seeing the letters ‘QB’ on the door, she quickly rushed inside.

A loud voice instantly cried out, “What the fck!”

There were two people inside. One was smoking, and the other was using the lavatory. He almost peed his pants in shock upon seeing her barge in.

It was also Zoe’s first time seeing something like that, so she was stunned for a few seconds. Then, she realized that she had entered the wrong door and immediately turned red.

“I—’m sorry! I went the wrong way!”

She stumbled and was about to exit, but Katya’s voice sounded from outside.

“Where did she run off to? Where is she?”

“I clearly saw her run over here. Where did she disappear to?”

“She must be in the toilet! Go! Find her!”

Zoe grew slightly pale and looked at the two men opposite her. She had a vague feeling that the smoker looked familiar.

“Misters, may … may I hide here for a while?”

Although it was a difficult request, she had no other choice. She did not want to get caught by Katya.

Henry Han’s face was expressionless. His cold eyes glanced over to Jack Rey, who was hurriedly putting on his pants. “Get out!”

Jack was so frightened that his heart was trembling. He bolted out as if he was granted amnesty.

Zoe felt dizzy and subconsciously tried to reach out to hold something, but her legs suddenly gave out, and she fell forward.

Her head lightened, and she instinctively closed her eyes.

However, the pain she expected never came, and a slender and powerful arm stretched out and scooped her up.

She crashed into the man’s arms, and her already dizzy head became even dizzier. Her body slid down involuntarily.

Henry Han could only throw away the cigarette and hold her up with both hands. He looked at her drunken mess with a frown on his face.

“Zoe Gil, just how much did you drink?”

Zoe grew confused after realizing that he knew her name.

“Do you know me?”

Henry’s eyes were calm. His emotions were barely visible in his expression.

Then, his thin lips pulled up.

“No, I don’t.”

…

Zoe was carried out of the bar by Henry.

She hugged the man’s neck, and her drunken face flushed slightly. Her eyes were also halfclosed. She was so drunk.

Henry placed her on the back seat and then got in himself.

Jack started the engine and asked respectfully, “Where are we headed, Mr. Han?”

“Han Mansion.”

“Yes, Mr. Han!”

As the car drove along the silent avenue late at night, Zoe was so drunk that she pressed her head against the window with her eyes closed. She did not even have the strength to think.

One characteristic she had when she was drunk was that she never made any fuss or noise. She only went to sleep.

This led to the result of her not even noticing her own situation, let alone realizing that there was a man beside her.

Her consciousness was groggy, and her mind was completely hazy. There were also faint hints of pain that usually accompanied drinking.

At that moment, the phone in her bag buzzed.

She frowned and rummaged in her bag for a while before finally pulling the phone out and answering the call.

“Hello?”

“Zoe Gil, I heard from Katya that you left City V with a man?”

It was Steven Anderson.

She opened her eyes. Her hazy eyes glowed with a layer of mist. “What is it? She snitched on you?”

Steven’s tone was cold and heavy. “I know that I let you down today, but you shouldn’t defile yourself because of this. What kind of place do you think a bar is? How could you just….”

Zoe was not in the mood to listen to him and interrupted him impatiently. “What’s your point?”

“Where are you now? I’ll send someone to pick you up.”

“Did Annie allow you to do that?”

“Annie isn’t as bad as you think she is. She has always thought of you as her real sister. If anything happened to you, she would be the most heartbroken person.”

Zoe snorted in laughter.

This was the first time she realized that there were such shameless people in the world.

Annie was constantly teaching her how shameless one could ever be.

“Then I bet she didn’t tell you that she called me half an hour ago. She bragged about how she finally stole my boyfriend and even used the child in her belly to prove her point!”

Without even thinking about it, Steven said, “That’s impossible!”

Zoe laughed, thinking it was funny.

Steven took a deep breath. His tone gradually grew impatient.

“Zoe, what exactly do you want? Annie has never said a bad word about you. After she found out that you were at the bar, she asked me to call you right away. She’s worried about you, but what about you? You repeatedly accuse her maliciously. I admit that we did something wrong, but are you completely in the right?”

“You constantly bully her and take advantage of your better family background. Every time I ask you to accompany me to some social gathering, you make all sorts of excuses. I told you to give up your store, but you gave me a bullsht excuse and said that all jobs were equal?”

“Zoe, I’m someone with status, and I care

about my reputation. I can’t let people know that my girlfriend is selling sex products, right?!”

“You only ever think about yourself and give no regard to my feelings at all, and you’re still blaming us even now?”

Zoe trembled with anger.

She never thought that Steven would think of her this way.

Did she bully Annie?

Was she unwilling to go to social functions with him?

Did she disgrace him by selling sex products?

Her eyes turned red for a moment. Then, she suddenly laughed in a low voice. She laughed at the irony of it all.

“So that’s what you thought! That’s great! Remember what you said today! I won’t ever forgive you. Sooner or later, I’ll make you regret

it!”

Then, she hung up the phone.

The car was plunged into a strange silence.

Zoe leaned weakly over the car window. She was watching the night view flash by, and the rims of her eyes were red.

What Steven had said was still lingering in her ears, but now she just found them ridiculous.

She was not the weak type. She fought back when she could bear no more. But in the eyes of Steven, she was the one who was bullying.

She was driven out of the Gil family, and everyone across the city knew that she was the abandoned daughter of the family.

She did not want to make things difficult for him and could only avoid showing up in public. But in the eyes of Steven, it became her reluctance to go to social parties with him.

As for her adult product business?

Were it not for what the Gil family had done to her, were it not for the selfishness and biases of the Gil family, would she end up like this?

And all of these ended up being her own faults?

Zoe closed her eyes, feeling everything was so ridiculous.

Suddenly, a man’s voice suddenly came up to her, “Is it worth it? You are so sad for such a crab.”

She froze a little and looked over. In her now blurred vision, she saw a man sitting right there, cool and noble. His back was straight, and his eyes were cold. Only then did it come to her mind that she had gotten into a car with a man, and this man had helped her in the bar just now.

Knowing that there was someone next to her, she could only try to get herself together and wipe off the tears on her face, “You must be mistaken. I’m not.”

Steven raised his eyebrows, and his stare fell on her eyes, red but still beautiful.

Zoe explained, “Do you know what you should do when an investment fails?”

“What?”

“Cut it loose and stop the loss.”

These gentle words from his thin lips made her heart tremble.

She looked over and saw his towering body. The dim light of the street cast a layer of shadow on the side of his chiseled face, and a cool and noble aura could have seemed from his whole being.

She sure had seen goodlooking men, and Steven was one of them.

However, Steven was far behind the man standing in front of her at the moment.

No matter how bright a star could shine, it could never be compared with the moon and the sun. The man in front of her was dazzling. He was like an eagle flying freely above even heaven, with unparalleled nobility.

Not to mention his face. Such a gorgeous face was enough to make just any woman scream.

Suddenly, a seemingly absurd thought flashed across her mind…

Staring at the side of his delicate face, she gulped, “I see.”

She paused for a while and asked all of a sudden, “What do you think of the adult product business?”

Henry said, his brows knitted, “Just a normal business. I don’t think there is anything special with it.”

She smiled somewhat sweetly.

Smiling, she was half drunk, yet he could still see the great emotion in her sexy and charming eyes. Her voice was soft, “Neither do I.”

All of a sudden, a hint of clean and comforting fragrance climbed onto his nostrils. He turned his head slightly, only to see her straighten her body and lean forward against him.

“Then, what do you think of me? Am I beautiful?”

His back stiffened.

The woman in front of him was no doubt beautiful.

She was more than just beautiful. She was also stunningly sexy.

Although she only wore a simple beige jacket over a white camisole, it could not hide the clean and noble aura emanating from her body.

“I have never seen a woman more beautiful than you are,” he could not help but think.

He gulped, but he did not say a word.

It was only a few moments later that he gave an uncomfortable “Mm….”

Zoe leaned even closer, and her bright red lips almost brushed his ear. She thought she had kept her voice down, and she said, “Then, if I want to have sex with you, would you be willing?”

“Pfft—”

Jack, while he was driving the car, could not help but snort a laugh.

The next second, however, he felt the blazingly cold gaze behind him.

He hurriedly stopped smiling and pressed a button. A glass panel raised silently, separating

the front seat and the back seat cabins.

Only then did Henry look back at the woman next to him.

He squinted at her, and an unusual expression could be seen in his eye, “There’s a price to pay if you want that. Are you sure?”

She giggled, “You want money? I have money.”

With that, she produced her wallet from her bag and took out all of the hundred dollar bills she got.

“You can count it out. If it’s not enough, I can also transfer some more to you.”

Only then did Henry understand that she had been serious.

The veins on his forehead throbbed twice, and he rubbed his temple.

“So you are just going to sleep with whoever

is with you tonight.”

She shook her head.

All of a sudden, she giggled again and reached over to pat him on his face.

“I am not that dumb. I want you just because you are handsome. They all looked down on me. So I have got to find someone who is more handsome than he is. They must be so mad!”

Such an answer had indeed surprised Henry.

He did not know what to do with her. Apparently, he did not plan to take it seriously.

At this moment, the car suddenly screeched to a stop.

Zoe crashed forward and was almost flung out if Henry had not held her just in time.

Henry frowned and asked, “What happened?”

Voice Jack sounded from the front seat, “Sorry, sir. We’ve just arrived at the Han Mansion.”

“Alright. You can go now.”

“Yes, sir.”

Then there was the sound of the door closing. Henry looked back at the woman in his arms. He could not help but knit his brows seeing her drowsy eyes and glowing pinky cheeks.

“Here we are. Let’s get in.”

Yet the woman who was leaning against him did not move at all but stared at his noble and willful face.

On that noble and cold face, his lips were thin and sexy. She felt bewildered seeing the movement of those lips.

With the help of alcohol, she could no longer hold back herself.

She reached over and circled her arms around his neck. The next moment, His back stiffened, and his pupils dilated slightly. Yet the next moment, the softness was already nowhere to be found. Instead, there were the giggles of Zoe, who saw his serious face of him.

“Handsome, you’ve got a real sweet mouth.”

He did not know what to say, for instance, and just wanted to throw her out of the car.

Eventually, he held back the impulse and said in a grim tone, “Get your hands off me!”

But she did not listen to him. She blinked, staring at his handsome and cold face, and the rims of her eyes became red again.

“So you also think I am cold and dull. And you don’t want to sleep with me?”

Henry’s jaw tightened, “That’s not what I mean.”

“Then why won’t you agree?”

She suddenly felt aggrieved. Two streams of tears flowed down her now pale cheeks, forming large drops of glittering gemstones from her chin.

His heart tightened for some reason. Even he himself could not tell.

The tears of the woman in his arms poured without restraint and soon wet his shirt.

Henry rubbed his eyebrows, feeling sad for this young girl.

After a long pause, he finally gave out a sigh and softened his tone. “Let go of me. I will take you upstairs, and you can take some rest there.”

“No!”

She wrapped her arms around his neck even tighter and buried her face in his chest as if she was drowning and his neck was a piece of driftwood that happened to be floating by.

Six years. For the past six years, Steven had refused to touch her. She used to believe that it was because he respected her and cared for her.

But now, it turned out it was just because he thought she was dull and boring. In his eyes, she

just got the body of a woman but was a man otherwise. She had been such a fool.

Whenever she thought about it, she felt a stabbing pain over her pride.

As if she wanted to prove something, she put her arms around the man and kissed his soft lips again.

Unlike the pecking just now, this time, she put his bottom lip in her mouth, gently chewing it and licking it, and her thick eyelashes were like a delicate black fan, quivering along with the closing and opening of her eyes, brushing his cheek, and giving him an itchy sensation.

The whole body of Henry stiffened.

The tension of the moment threw him entirely in disarray.

After a long pause, he finally gave up and held her chin in his hand, his breathing already heavy, “Zoe, do you know what you are doing?”

Zoe let go of his lip and whimpered at the pain in her chin, staring at him with her wet and accusing eyes, just like a wounded deer.

She said gravely, “I do! I am having sex with you!”

Zoe almost giggled at what she said.

His eyes were dark, and his voice terribly low.

“Are you sure!”

She was dazed for a moment, but finally, she nodded.

“If you say so! Then I’ll just satisfy you.”

On the second floor of the Han Mansion.

The door of the bedroom was slammed open. He laid her on the bed, and his kisses were like rain, moving from her head to her toe while their clothes were scattered all over the floor.

She groaned softly and felt boiling hot all over her body. Her head was already blank, and she could not even tell whether it was real or it was just a dream.

The dizzying sound of a man came to her ears, “Now, I will give you one last chance. Do you want to have sex with me or not!”

She nodded her head in a blur.

Henry pulled open the drawer next to the bed and took out a document.

“Good. Then you need to sign this first.”

Zoe looked at it with hazy eyes. “What?”

“I need to make it official. It’s the most basic respect a man can have for his favorite woman.”

She looked at him blankly and did not quite understand him. But anyway, she was so drunk, so she did not think much and signed the document.

Looking at the neat signature on the paper, he hooked his lips approvingly and put the document back in the drawer. After everything was done, he kissed her lips heavily once again.

And then, all that was left in this room was just the humming and groaning that lasted the entire night.

The next day, Zoe was awakened by the pain.

She felt sore all over her body, as if she had been run over by a truck.

After tremendous effort, she made it to sit up on the bed, and she felt extremely thirsty.

Seeing a cup of water on the table next to the bed, she picked it up and just gulped it down without thinking much.

The lukewarm water indeed made her feel better. And the fuzzy memory of last night gradually crept back into her mind.

She rubbed her eyebrows. She could only vaguely remember that she got into a car with a man and did something unusual with him after being provoked by the calls from Steven and Annie…

Her heart tightened, and she fiercely lifted the quilt.

Although she was already more or less prepared for it, she felt so shocked when she saw the dense purple love bites all over her body.

“Ahhh! What the hell is it,” she almost yelled out.

She rubbed her hair in frustration, and at this moment, a “click” suddenly sounded…

She jolted and hurriedly pulled the quilt to cover her body.

“Who is it!”

The door of the bedroom was open from the outside, and a slender man walked in with steady steps.

Her pupils dilated due to the shock.

Though she only had a vague memory of the last night, she could more or less remember the man she had slept with.

The man was dressed in a black suit today, with a wellironed white shirt inside. The shirt was buttoned up to the top meticulously. The chiseled face above it was extraordinarily handsome with his sunken eyes, wellarched eyebrows, and pointy nose. An aura of prohibitive nobility could be felt just from every part of him.

In his hand was a set of ladies’ clothes, and there was not much expression on his face when he saw she was awake.

He put the clothes on the bed and said softly, “Get changed and come downstairs for breakfast.”

Zoe called out to him when he was about to leave.

With his back to her, his lips curled up slightly, and his voice was still indifferent and cold.

“We can talk downstairs.”

With that, he just walked out of the room and closed the door after him.

Zoe’s head was all blank, and after a while, she fell onto the bed all of a sudden. She grabbed the pillow to cover her head and yelled silently.

Though her memory was a little vague, she was not entirely unconscious. She did know what she had done to the man after putting together her fragmented memories.

“AHHHHH! How embarrassing!”

No matter how regretful she was, she could not undo what she had done. Thus, after a while, she finally got up from the bed and dejectedly walked into the bathroom with the clothes.

During the shower, seeing the dense and thick bruises all over her body, she could not help but feel shameful blush again.

Anyway, she managed to finish everything, got changed and went downstairs, where she saw the man sitting on a couch in the lounge.

The lounge was quite big. Just like the room upstairs, its modern and minimalist style could be seen in the black and white colors. It was luxurious yet restrained. The French window to the side was wide open, and she felt a bit chilly when a breeze blew past her.

Maybe it was the footsteps. He looked back, and surprise could be seen in his eyes when he saw the woman standing on the stair.

Zoe was wearing the black shirt and keenlength skirt he had brought to her. The top button of the shirt was left open, and a black tie was wrapped around her neck. The simplicity of the dress showed the sexiness of her slender and wellproportioned body.

His eyes widened, and he stood up and walked to the dining hall.

She could only follow him, and when she finally caught up to him, they had already got to the dining hall.

“Hey, about last night… I’m sorry. I was drunk.”

Henry pulled the chair for her before he sat at the other end of the table himself. His voice was soft. “It’s alright.”

After a while, he added, “It’s what I should do anyway.”

“Huh?”

Zoe did not understand what he meant, and at this moment, a man walked in from the outside.

He walked right up to Henry and respectfully handed over two red pamphlets to him. “Mr. Chairman. We have got everything ready.”

Henry said nothing but gave an “Mmh” sound. He reached over, took the little pamphlets from the man, flipped them open, and handed one of them to Zoe.

“Take a look.”

Zoe was stunned, and subconsciously she found it familiar. “Would it be…”

Her heart tightened, and she hurriedly reached over to take it from him. When she saw her photo and her name on it, her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

“What… What is it?”

Henry took a glance at her indifferently.

Unlike Zoe, who was almost freaked out, he was much calmer. He put aside the marriage certificate in his hand and said in a grim tone, “Have you forgotten what you signed?”

Staring at him with her rounded eyes, she said, “What did I sign?”

“Huh.” As if he had long anticipated her reaction, he tapped on the table, and the man next to him handed him another document immediately.

Zoe took it from him, and on the document, two large words were clearly written: Marriage Application.

She could not help but take a deep breath.

“Marriage? We… How… How is this even possible! I was drunk last night, it doesn’t count!”

Zoe looked at her with cool gaze and sneered.

“You did not even think when you sign it. And you are done with everything, you regret it?”

Zoe didn’t know what to say.

“Heh!”

He sneered again and a hint of mockery could be sensed from his tone.

Zoe didn’t know what to do, and could only say, “Anyway, I did not force you last night, right? How is it my fault?”

She was a woman after all. What could she do to him if he did not agree?

But what happened next was beyond her expectation. The man in front of her simply unbuttoned his shirt.

Zoe followed his hand and looked over. A delicate collar bone was revealed under the shirt where two buttons were open, and next to it were dense and thick love bites and scratches.

It was just obvious what a fierce night they had.

It took great effort for her to stay instead of just covering her face and running away.

What a terrible thing she had done and now she must face these consequences.

At the man’s earnest reminder, she finally remembered how passionate she was last night and her face immediately blushed like a ripe tomato.

“I’m terribly sorry! I did not mean it. You know what, I can compensate for your loss. I can give you as much as you want. But this marriage, can we just forget about it?”

Henry looked over at her, and the coldness in his eyes was slight yet obvious.

“Compensate for my loss? Alright, Jack.”

“Yes, Mr. Han.”

Jack took a step forward, with an iPad in his hand, after swiping around on the screen, he placed the iPad in front of Zoa.

“Miss Gil, this is the latest Forbes World’s Richest Single Men List, and for your information, the latest price for a night with Mr. Han is thirty billion dollars.”

Her jaw almost dropped to the floor.

She cast a swift glance over the iPad and the

man on it was noble and cold and his sharp eyes seemed to be piercing her through from within the screen itself.

She could not help but gulp.

“So you mean, I would have to pay this thirty billion dollars for compensation?”

“You understand me correctly, Miss Gil.”

Suddenly everything seemed more like a sextortion to her.

She looked at the man suspiciously and more and more she found his face familiar. Suddenly, she widened her eyes.

And she looked down at the names on the marriage certificate and the iPad.

Henry Han!

“What the hell?!”

She felt an atomic bomb exploding in her head and she almost just jumped up from the chair.

The name of the man had always been familiar to her but only now could she remember who he was.

He was the heir of the Han family and the chairman of Han Properties. He had never left the Forbes list and it was said that he was rich enough to buy up the whole country. However, his background was always a mystery.

He founded Pearl's International company years ago and the company rose in almost no time. Half of the domestic entertainment industry was taken by Pearl's International in just two years. It was indeed a miracle.

She fell silence for a while.

She thought thirty billion dollars was just a joke and now that she had known his real identity, she could not but admit that he sure was worth the price.

She could only ask carefully, “Ah… Maybe there is another way I can compensate for you loss?”

The man in front of her knitted his eyebrows and his eyes remained indifferent and cold.

“Mm?”

“Thirty billion dollars… Sure I can not afford that much.”

“Then there’s nothing for us to talk about.”

His displeasure was obvious. He cast a glance at Jack and Jack immediate put together all of the files on the desk and respectfully withdrew.

After Jack left, he said in a cold tone, “I’ll give you three days. You should say goodbye to your past life and in three days, I’ll send someone to pick you up. Here will be your home since then.”

Zoe was left hopeless.

She knew it would not help to fight against him, so she could only ask, “Can I have a few more days?”

Henry  looked at her with his usual cold eyes, and sneered.

“Heh.”

And she did not say any more words.

…

Leaving the Han Mansion, she found Jack waiting for her.

There was a silvergray Maserati parked in the courtyard and Jack had opened the door for her, and he said respectfully, “Miss Gil, I will drive you back home.”

Zoe put on a dry smile, and said, “No need. I could just take a taxi.”

“But this is the order of Mr. Han.”

The smile on her face tightened and her beautiful eyes lost their usual luster. Finally, she got into the car.

Zoe lived in a hotel apartment in the downtown. The apartment was small with only a bedroom and a living room. However, it was convenient living in the downtown, and she did not need a lot of space since she lived alone.

Returning to her littler home, she plopped herself into the couch and tried to empty her head.

Since the last night, a lot of weird things had happened and she did not even have the time to think about anything but deal with everything with her instinct alone. Now that she could relax herself completely and she started to feel a few hints of fatigue.

From the low table next to her, she took her computer, turned it on, and googled “Henry Han”.

The swarm of information that popped up only made her feel more and more hopeless.

She had long known that this man was unusual, but the information she read online still gave her more headache.

She was sure deep in her heart, this man was not someone she could afford to cross.

Not to mention his noble background, the power and wealth of this man alone was terrifying enough.

And a man like him should want to marry her!

Weird!

However, on a second thought, why should she be worried? She’s got nothing to lose now. Should there be anything, what could he take from her?

And she still had three days.

He might regret it after these three days.

She could do nothing but just wait and see.

Thinking about this, she stopped being worried.

It was Saturday. She did not need to work. So she simply got changed and left for the store of her own.

The store was in the downtown, too. It took her five minutes for her to get there on foot. She did not even need to drive.

She rented the store two years ago. It was just a small store, selling all kinds of adult products.

Since she still needed to work in weekday and she had no time to take care of the store, she hired an assistant when the store opened, and she would just come by whenever she had time.

The assistant took a sick leave these days, so she had to come over and took care of the business herself.

Though Steven had been looking down on her little business, she thought no business would be more decent than another, as long as they were legal. She could not understand how it would be just inferior to earn some money by working hard.

Besides, while it was a little inconvenient, this business was indeed profitable.

In the past few years, she had bought herself a house and saved quite a lot of money running her litter business.

Now that she had got nothing left, money was the most important thing in her life.

Since she had broken up with Steven, perhaps she would not be able to work at the company of the Anderson family anymore, so she had to find herself a way out.

Thinking of this, she hesitated for a moment and took out her phone and made a call.

While at the same time, at the Gil’s.

The living room was filled with people, and everyone of the family was there – her grandmother, Ciara, her father, Jaden, her stepmother, Helen, the sister of Shawn, Katya, and a few good friends of Annie.

Annie and Steven were sitting on the sofa to the side, and the atmosphere were slightly gloomy.

“If you ask me, Annie, I would say you are just too weak. You and my brother love each other, how dare she do such a thing to you? She knew how sensitive your relationship is and she called the cop. I think she just wanted to ruin you.”

“Katya is right. She just broke up with Steven

and immediately hooked up with another man in the bar. She’s not some decent woman.”

“Annie, she did all these just because you are a public figure. Now everyone is talking about you online. They say you seduced Steven and was caught by his fiancée. They even say you took drugs. What a nonsense! You need to do something to solve the problem.”

“Yeah, what a vicious woman she is. You cannot just let her be!”

Annie cast a pitiful glance at the Ciara sitting at the head of the table and easily put up a fragile and sorrowful look on her snowwhite face.

“What can I do? How can I fight against my own sister if she insists? We are a family, after all. I don’t want to make it difficult for my father and mother.”

Hearing what she said, Ciara cast an approving glance at her.

However, Jaden growled in anger. “Why is it difficult for me? You treat her as your sister, but you ask her, does she ever think of you as her sister?”

“Uncle Gil, it’s not her fault. After all, it’s me…”

Steven knitted his eyebrows and said calmly.

Annie hurriedly said, “No, it’s all my fault. If I did not fall in love with Steven, she would not…”

“Annie, it’s not what I mean.”

Steven stopped her and said in a grim tone, “I just wish that we have told her everything earlier. I should not wait that long just because I do not want to hurt her. All the grievance you have suffered today is because I did not handle it well.”

Annie felt moved and stared at him gratefully, “Steven…”

“Ahem!”

With a light cough, Ciara looked at Steven with a slight smile on her face.

“Steven, now that things have already come to this point, and you have seen what those people say on the internet, we can not just cover it up anymore. What do you think we should do to solve the problem?”

The expression of Steven turned gloomy, and Annie clenched her hands secretly, looking somewhat nervous.

“Don’t worried, Mrs. Gil. I would never just watch Annie suffer. I would prepare a statement when I go back and announce my relationship with Annie.”

Pleasure was obvious on Ciara’s face.

“But everyone knows that you have an engagement. Would they buy it?”

Steven held her hand and explained, “They just know I have an engagement but not a lot of people know who my fiancée is. I just need to tell them you are my fiancée and that’s it. They won’t have anything to say then.”

Only then did Annie show a touch of joy on her face.

But the next second, she frowned again.

“But Zoe…”

“Don’t you worry about that. I will talk to her.”

Ciara said with the proud authority her position in this family had given her.

“And you don’t need to announce it online, lest some unnecessary problems would come up again. The day after tomorrow would be Annie’s birthday. We can invite some reporters and make an announcement then and there.”

Steven nodded, “Alright, then that’s it.”

“But you should talk to your parents. It’s your marriage. You should at least talk to them.”

“Don’t worry. They have agreed. My parents also like Annie a lot.”

“That’s great.” Ciara’s face finally showed a touch of relief. “Perhaps you can stay and have a lunch with us?”

“No need, Mrs. Gio. I still have some businesses to attend to in the company. We will visit you again.”

“Right, you are a successful business man. If that’s the case, then don’t let me stop you.”

Ciara turned to Annie, who was sitting right next to her, “Annie, why don’t you send Steven off?”

Annie stood up obediently, “Yes, Grandma.”

It was only after both of them had left the house that Ciara’s face darkened.

Her smile was gone, and she looked at Jaden, who was sitting to her left, with a fierce gaze, and said in a grim tone, “Call your coldhearted daughter. Ask her to come back tonight.”

Jaden said in a hurry, “Yes, mother.”

…

Zoe hung up the phone when she was done with the man over the phone.

Unexpectedly, the phone rang again.

Watching the name on the screen, she was slightly stunned, and her eyebrows was knitted subconsciously.

Even her appetite disappeared in an instant.

She answered it in the end, and her tone was cold, “Dad.”

“So you know I’m your dad!”

Jaden’s thundering voice came over from the phone and she could not help but put the phone slightly away from her ear.

In the end, she just put the phone on the desk and turned on the speaker instead.

“What do you want?”

“When did you come back to the country.”

She sighed silently, and said lightly, “Why do you ask?”

“Why? You should have told me before you came back. Do you still think I’m your father? Are we still your family?”

Hearing this, she raised the corner of her mouth in mockery, “Mr. Gil, if I remember correctly, I did call you when I just returned.”

The other end of the phone went silent.

After a while, Jaden said, in a questioning tone, “When did you call? How come I don’t remember?”

Zoe felt hopeless.

She did know, since the day when Annie returned home, Jaden had not paid much attention to her.

But it still surprised her when she found herself completely ignored. He could not even remember she ever called him.

It almost chuckled her when he asked her why she did not let him know after she came back.

Apparently, Jaden also realized his mistake, and he sound a little embarrassed.

“Alright, the company has been expanding its business these two years, and I have been too busy. Maybe I just forgot. I am your father, you should understand this. Since you have come back, why don’t you come home these days? What’s the matter with you!”

Zoe did not want to waste any more time debating nonsense with him, and asked coldly, “What do you want exactly?”

“I…” Jaden was enraged by her cold tone, but finally suppressed his anger thinking of her temper.

Instead, he said plainly, “Your grandma asked you to come back for dinner tonight.”

“I won’t go.”

“Nonsense.” He growled, “We are still a family. What’s wrong with having a dinner with us. Do you even need me to come to you and get you an invitation?”

Zoe just sneered, “You never think about me even when there’s a holiday. Now, all of a sudden, you ask me to have a dinner. I am afraid I might be poisoned instead!”

“You!”

Jaden was infuriated, “I’ll ask you one last time. Are you coming back or not!”

“I’m not!”

“Alright, if you say so! Then don’t blame me if your grandma should punish you!”

Jaden felt hopeless talking to Zoe. He thought she was so cold to him all the time. Then he just hung up the phone.

Zoe did not mind, either. She just gave a cold sneer, put the phone away, and continued with the food she just ordered.

In the meanwhile, Ciara was sitting in the restaurant, and she knitted her brows seeing the angry Jaden coming from the outside.

“How is it going? Did you let her know? Is she coming back or not?”

Jaden snapped, “Will she even listen to me? She’s really a grownup now, and she won’t ever come back again if you don’t beg her yourself.”

The face of Ciara suddenly darkened.

The plates on the table all bounced up slightly with a slap.

“Insolent!”

Everyone in the room was shocked. Ciara had been running the Gil family ever since the old Mr. Gil passed away and her position had been higher than ever in these years. Everyone in the family was somewhat afraid of her.

Helen signaled her daughter with her eyes, who was sitting just in front of her.

Annie hurriedly pick up the bowl of soup in

front of her and walked up to Ciara, and she said softly, “Grandma, don’t be angry. Your health matters the most.”

Helen also added, “That’s right, Mom. Let’s not force her if she does not want to come back. We can just find another way. Don’t be angry.”

Ciara sneered, “Funny! Is it ever up to her? Let me tell you, she would just have to come back this time. I’ll see how she dare go against me!”

At that, she raised her hand and asked for David, the butler of the family.

“David, go find the whereabout of Zoe, and send someone to tell her, if she’s not coming back tonight, I will just burn everything her mother has left her, and she will get nothing!”

David paled, and said hurriedly, “Yes, ma’am.”

…

In the afternoon, Zoe just finished the last

delivery order and was about to close the store.

However, just when she got out of the store, she saw David waiting there.

Since David had been with the family for over a decade, she sure knew him.

Actually, she got along quite well with him in the past, that is, before Helen and Annie were taken into the family by her father. While she would not think of him as good friend of hers, they respected each other much.

Now they met again, and thinking of the call of Jaden at noon, her face was cold.

“Miss Gil, I have been waiting for you.”

David walked to her, while she just cast a cold glance at him, with the key for the store in her hand.

“It’s been a long time, Mr. David.”

“Yeah, it’s been a long time. Miss Gil is

getting more and more beautiful. If Mrs. Gil were still alive, she would certainly be very pleased.”

Zoe curled her lips, “If my mother were still here, which side would you take? Would you stand with my mother, or with Helen?”

It was obviously unexpected for David, since he stayed silent for a while.

But Zoe did not mean to make it difficult for him, either. She just gave a light smile, “Just kidding. Don’t worry.”

David felt a chill run down his spine just now and could only force a bitter smile.

“So what do you want?”

David hurriedly said, “Miss Gil, the old Mrs. Gio wants me to take you home.”

Zoe paused for a while, her eyes still cold, and she curled her lips, “I won’t go back. Didn’t

my father tell you?”

“He did. But the old Mrs. Gil said … that if you insist, she will take care of everything your mother has left for you.”

He only said it vaguely, but she understood him immediately.

Her face darkened, “What does she want to do?”

David looked vexed.

After a while, he said earnestly, “Miss Gil, you have suffered quite a lot these years fighting against them. It’s only a dinner. Mrs. Gil did not leave much behind. Don’t regret it when it’s too late.”

The face of Zoe looked terribly gloomy.

After quite a while, she released her clenching hands, “Fine.”

David felt so relieved now that she had agreed.

He bent down and opened the door of the car for her, “Let’s go then, Miss Gil.”

She did not say anything but got into the car directly.

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the Gil Mansion.

The mansion was located in the richest part of the city, surrounded by mountains and rivers, giving beautiful scenery.

When she got off the car, she walked inside with a blank expression.

In the lounge, she saw Helen and Annie choosing the dress for the birthday party.

For Annie, who was waiting for the announcement of Steven, that day would be very important. It was just not her birthday party, but also her engagement with Steven.

Since there were just two days left for the day, certainly they did not have the time for bespoke dresses. Fortunately, they just told everyone it was a birthday party. As for their engagement, they kept it a secret for now, and they would simply make the announcement at the birthday party. Anyway, for the outsiders, she and Steven were long engaged, and there was really no need for her to pay too much attention to her dresses.

After the entire afternoon, they finally picked a few sets of dresses they could be satisfied with.

Now they could just wait for the delivery and then Annie could try them on and made the final decision.

When they were chatting happily, a sudden noise sounded from the doorway.

They looked up and saw Zoe walk in.

She was wearing a white shirt and a pair of black pencil pants, which showed her slender and straight legs. On the outside, there was a beige coat, and her wavy hair was swept over her shoulder, looking cool and airy.

Annie looked at her, and a faint jealousy emerged in her heart.

She hated how pretentious Zoe was.

In her eyes, Zoe was just selling adult products, and she was dressed like some elite businesswoman. And her aloofness and coldness made her all the more noble, which was something she could never bear.

Come to think of it, she felt somewhat happy from the bottom of her heart.

“Noble whore. You can just pretend as you like. Your little business is nothing in front of me,” chortled Annie inwardly.

She was the Miss Gil everyone knew about, and the most popular actress across the entertainment industry. What about Zoe?

Zoe was kicked out of the family long ago. What could she do even if she’s got some talent? She could not even keep her job.

At that time, she could only stay in her little shabby store, selling adult products.

Thinking of this, Annie felt somewhat proud. She straightened her back and her face split into a wide smile. She walked straight to Zoe.

“Zoe, here you are!”

Helen also came back to her senses, hurriedly walked to Zoe, her face full of smiles.

“Zoe is here. Please, have a seat. Mrs. Lyra, get Zoe some water.”

The Mrs. Lyra hurriedly fetched some water

for Zoe, only that there was obvious mockery in her eyes.

Zoe just ignored her and just said in a cold tone, “What do you want?”

Helen looked slightly embarrassed.

Seeing this, Annie hurriedly walked up to Zoe and wrapped her arms around Zoe’s, smiling, “Zoe, are you in a hurry? You don’t come back home often. We can wait until we finish the dinner. It’s been a long time since the last time we could have a good chat. There’s still time. Why don’t we just go to my room and have some talk?”

Looking at her with her cold eyes, Zoe sneered.

“Talk? What are we going to talk? Hooking up with men? Sorry, I am not interested in your nasty tricks. I don’t know how I can possibly learn them either.”