Chapter 5
49%
As soon as Zoey heard Kara’s words, her heart sank like a stone in deep water. Fighting back the wave of sadness welling up inside her, she asked in a trembling voice, “What man? That forty–five–year–old cripple?”
Kara’s mocking tone sliced through the phone like a razor blade, sharp and unrelenting. “Don’t forget you’re blind now. You should be grateful that someone is even willing to take you. You think you still have the right to be picky, like some spoiled princess?”
Zoey could hear a man’s sleazy voice chiming in on the other end. “She’s a college girl, and you’re only asking for 70 grand? You’re not scamming me, are you? Can your daughter even have kids? If she can’t, then you’re not getting a single dime,” the man demanded.
Kara’s tone instantly shifted, now filled with eager assurance. “Oh don’t worry. She’s never even had a boyfriend. She’ll definitely give you as many kids as you want.”
“Well, that’s what I like to hear. My parents have been begging for grandkids. Two in three years sounds about right. She’s so young. Bet she’s real lively in bed, the man added, his voice dripping with perversion.
Zoey’s heart twisted painfully as she listened to their disgusting conversation. The woman who gave birth to me, my own mother, is selling me off like cattle.
If it weren’t for Levi stepping into her life, she might have already been found and dragged back into a nigh and Kara, forced to bear children for some filthy man. The mere thought of it made her blood run cold.
by Josh
Her grip tightened around the phone, her voice suddenly strong and unwavering. “Mom, I’m married now. I’ll never come back to that house again.”
Zoey wasn’t some martyr willing to be trampled on, and she wasn’t a fool who would suffer in silence. She didn’t need at family like that.
Kara’s outraged voice roared through the phone, “What? You got married? To whom? When did this happen? Why didn’t I know about it? Hello? Hello?
Zoey hung up the phone with a calmness that belied the whirlwind of thoughts racing through her mind
Kara spat out a curse, venom seeping from her words. “Ungrateful brat. We raised her for nothing. What a waste.”
Josh, who had been puffing on a cigarette, looked equally displeased. “She told you she got married?”
Kara scoffed, her disbelief evident, “She was definitely lying. She blind. Who would want her?”
But the crippled man, his yellow teeth exposed in anger, wasn’t having it. “You promised me a virgin. If she’s already married, there’s no way I’m paying what we agreed.”
His family was dirt poor, and scraping together that 70 grand hadn’t been easy. In his narrow mind marrying someone who’d been with another man wasn’t a good deal for him.
Kara, sensing her deal slipping through her fingers, rushed to reassure him. “Don’t worry, she’s as obedient as they come. She’ll be back in no time, and when she does, I’ll hand her over you personally
After Zoey got out of the car, the weight of everything she had been holding back crashed down on her, and she sank to the
Extra Chock in
Vouchers
Ad–from
Heading
Exclusive Profile
Bodoo
Chapter 5
0.49%
curb, tears streaming down her face.
The world seemed to blur around her, but it wasn’t just because of her failing eyesight–it was the hurt, the betrayal, the overwhelming relief of having escaped that hell
Jack, standing nearby, handed her a tissue, his voice gentle. “Ms. Miller, don’t cry. They’re not worth your tears.”
Zoey took the tissue and wiped her eyes, her heart still aching Holding out her phone to him, she whispered, “Could you please block my parents‘ numbers for me? I don’t ever want to hear from them again.”
She was done with their cruel words and their selfish schemes. She had clawed her way out, and there was no going back.
“Got it.” Jack followed her instructions and quickly blocked the numbers for Josh, Kara, and Wyatt, cutting off any further attempts they might make to harass Zocy.
Ms. Miller, please don’t cry. It’s not good for your eyes to keep ying like this,” Jack urged gently, concern etched on his face
Zoey wiped the tears from her cheeks, a small but resolute smile forming as she pulled herself back together. Thank you. Jack,” she said softly, her voice still trembling but filled with determination.
She had surgery ahead of her, and the doctor had warned her that crying too often could make things worse for her eyes.
Zoey knew she had weathered plenty of storms before, and she was sure she could survive this one too. But right now, her heart was heavy, and the ache showed on her tear stained face. Her nose turned red and her delicate features only made her look more vulnerable and heartbreakingly beautiful at that moment.
Jack had seen plenty of elegant socialites and ambitious heiresses who had thrown themselves at Levi, but none of them could hold a candle to Zoey’s raw, natural beauty. She had a purity about her, an innocence that seemed almost otherworldly
Jack thought to himself, Only someone this pure and genuine could be worthy of Mr. Gordon
Meanwhile, a sleek luxury car cruised past the hospital entrance
From the back seat, Noah Cooper glanced out the window, and for a split second, he saw the side profile of Zoey who was crying on the curb.
Noah blinked, momentarily stunned. For a moment, he thought he might have made a mistake. His heart skipped a beat, his breath catching in his throat. ‘She looks exactly like my mother when she was young”
For years, his family had been haunted by the disappearance of his younger sister. The Coopers had pulled every string. even reaching out to the powerful Gordon family for help, but to no avail
His parents had been inconsolable ever since, his mother especially, her health deteriorating with each passing year as she blamed herself for her daughter’s disappearance. If they didn’t find his sister soon, Noah feared his mother’s broken heart might be the end of her.
“Stop the car. Noah instructed the driver, urgency lacing his yo
but by the time he reached the hospital entrance Zocy was gone.
He rushed out, but
His stomach twisted into knots, his hope deflating like a balloon Was it just my imagination? he wondered bitterly. In a sea of people, could I have been mistaken?
Inro Check–in
|||
O
Exclusive Profile
E
B
49%
Chapter 3
Zory, oblivious to the near–encounter, had already gone back inside for her check–up. As she lay down, her phone buzzed with a call from her best friend, Hazel Wright.
They’d been friends for years, sharing the same classrooms through middle school and high school. They’d even gotten into the same university, though Zoey had been forced to take a leave of absence after her injury.
“Zozo. I talked to the school for you. Hazel’s voice came through the speaker. “But here’s the thing–they’re asking for your immediate family to come in and speak on your behalf, otherwise they’ll have to cancel your enrollment.”
Zoey’s heart raced, panic rising in her chest. “Cancel my enrollment? No, that can’t happen, I worked so hard to get into that school.
The thought of losing her place at the university, something she fought so hard for, felt like a punch to the gut. If her enrollment was canceled, she knew she’d never forgive herself.
Hazel asked anxiously, “Can you try talking to your family, see if they can come and handle the paperwork for you?”
Zoey’s face fell, her voice heavy with sorrow. “That’s impossible. My parents were against me going to college from the start. They’d jump at the chance to have my admission canceled.”
Her parents had never once stood by her side, and that reality weighed on her like a boulder.
Hazel, equally distressed, pressed on. “So what now? The school is breathing down my neck. They need your immediate family to go and sign everything within the week”
Zoey was on the verge of tears, her anxiety swirling like a storm she couldn’t escape. Her heart pounded, her hands trembled as desperation began to set in. But then, out of nowhere, an idea flashed through her mind.
Wait… Does my husband count as my immediate family?” she asked, her voice quiet but hopeful.
Hazel was stunned for a moment, processing the unexpected question. “Uh, yeah, of course your husband counts. But, Zozo when did you get married”
Zoey’s voice came out almost dreamlike, as if she still couldn’t believe it herself. “This morning”
Just saying it out loud felt surreal. She had married a man she’d never even seen with her own eyes. All she knew about him was his name. She felt like she was living in someone else’s story.
Hazel’s concern deepened, her tone more serious now. “You really rushed into a marriage like that? Zoey, that’s crazy. What if he turns out to be a total creep or something?”
Zoey bit her lip, trying to reassure herself as much as Hazel. “He offered to cover my medical expenses. I don’t think someone willing to do that would be a bad person.”
The cost of treatment was astronomical, far beyond what she could ever afford. If he hadn’t stepped up, she would’ve been left with no hope. In her eyes, a man without any sense of responsibility wouldn’t have stuck around this long.
Hazel’s voice softened, though still concerned. “What’s your husband’s name?”
Zoey thought for a moment before replying. “His name is Levi Horton, I think.”
Hazel paused, confused. There aren’t any wealthy families namel Horton in Cridonia. Maybe he’s just someone with a bit of money, not a billionaire or anything”
Hazel’s family was well–connected, with strong roots in high society, so she knew the landscape well.
Extra Check–in
Vouchers
Ad–Freo
Reading
Exclusive Profilo
Badon
$49%
Chapter 5
She’d even offered to help Zoey pay for her treatment, hut Zoey had declined. Zoey knew her own family too well–they were greedy, and they’d drag Hazel down with them if given the chance. She wasn’t about to let her best friend get caught in the crossfire.
Zoey smiled gently, her tone light but sincere, “I never expected to marry someone rich, Hazel. I’m not looking to climb any ladders. The most important thing is that we build a life together and make it work, no matter what.”
No sooner had she finished speaking than the door to her hospital room swung open, and Levi stepped inside. The room seemed to shift as soon as he entered, like his presence commanded the air around him.
Ө
