Zoe released her grip on the car door handle. The atmosphere in the car was oppressive.

Mason was actually tired from his trip and the subsequent visit to Lockwood Manor. He rubbed his brow with one hand and gripped the steering wheel with another, the impatience clear in his voice.

“When are you going to stop being unreasonable?”

So, he merely thought she was being unreasonable. How disappointing.

Zoe sat upright and said softly after a brief pause, “I’m serious, Mason! I don’t want to be with you anymore!”

He turned around and looked at her. He looked so dashing with his sharp features. She used to fall for him every time, but she felt nothing now. Not even a little.

…

Mason stared at her and unbuckled his seat belt. “Out of the car!”

Zoe exited the car as soon as he unlocked the doors and walked briskly toward the villa. She puffed up her chest, determined to go through with the divorce.

Mason smoked a cigarette before he got out of the car and went upstairs.

They ended up sleeping separately. She took the guest room that night and Mason could not be bothered to soothe her. He was mad too. He changed into his pajamas and laid on the bed.

It was a little strange to have no one sleeping next to him. In the past, it did not matter how coldly he treated her. She would always wrap her arms around him from behind and doze off.

Morning came and a ray of light shone into the bedroom. Mason raised his hand to block it. Then, he woke up.

He could hear faint noises from downstairs. The servants were setting up the dining table. Zoe had always done it with them and prepared his breakfast separately.

Feeling better now, Mason got out of bed and had a change of clothes. Then, his gaze was fixed on a spot. Zoe’s suitcase was gone. He opened the wardrobe and found several of her frequently worn clothes also missing.

He stared for a few seconds and closed her wardrobe. After he changed into his usual working attire, he freshened up and wore his watch.

Mason went downstairs and asked the servants, “Where’s Zoe?”

The servant said cautiously, “Ms. Zoe left early in the morning, dragging a suitcase with her. She didn’t even ask for the chauffeur.”

“She thinks she’s so tough!” Mason proceeded to ignore what he’d just heard and dug into his breakfast. It was the usual black coffee and whole wheat bread.

However, the contents in the newspaper grabbed his attention. It was filled with articles about him and Lilith. Each of the headlines was more sensational than the other.

He read it for a while before asking the servant, “Did Zoe read the newspaper before she left?”

The servant answered honestly, “Ms. Zoe left before breakfast.”

Mason raised his head and looked at her. Then, he made a call to Ava.

“I need you to deal with the articles in the newspapers!” He gave her a few more orders and prepared to hang up.

He unfastened his tie and said casually, “Also, I need you to check where Zoe sold off her wedding ring. I want it by four o’clock.”

Ava was startled briefly before saying, “That’s impossible! Ms. Zoe loved you very much. How could she sell off the wedding ring?”

With that, Mason hung up the call and threw his phone onto the dining table. He had lost his appetite after reading the articles.

…

Zoe was back at her family’s place. Mia had just finished making chicken soup and was about to head to the hospital, but she was upset when she saw Zoe.

She pointed at the suitcase and said, “Every couple bickers. It’s perfectly normal for a guy to cheat a little. Lilith’s looks are modest at best, and she’s a gimp. I’ve asked around and found out that she’s a divorcee. There’s no way she could shake your standing in the Lockwood family.”

“Nobody respected me there!”

Zoe laughed at herself and poured the chicken soup into a thermal jug, “I’m going to visit Dad at the hospital later.”

Mia stared at her for a while before wiping her hands.

“You might give your dad a heart attack when he learns that you’re getting a divorce! Let’s just take a step back and assume you really can’t be with him anymore, Zoe. How do you plan on surviving without the Lockwoods? How do you intend to support our family?”

Zoe tightened the thermal jug’s lid and said softly, “I’ll find a way around it! The money I made from selling my wedding ring will support Dad’s medical bill for half a year.

“As for Noah’s legal fee, I’m going to sell this house. Aside from that, I’ll look for a job that’ll let me support the family.”

Tears started to build up in Zoe’s eyes. Her birth mother left this house for them. They had never had to sell it away despite the hardships they went through in the past.

Mia was taken aback. She might have stopped persuading Zoe, but deep down she disagreed with it. Both of them went to the hospital after Zoe was done with her preparations.

Gordon Sanders had stabilized greatly after the doctor treated him. He was merely a little distressed, worrying about Noah’s future. Zoe said nothing about her divorce. In the afternoon, Gordon’s doctor came to check on him.

Doctor Cecil was a young and revered neurosurgeon with a Ph.D. Boasting a height of six feet, he was graceful, gentle, and easy on the eyes.

Once he was done checking Gordon, he looked at Zoe and said, “A word, please.”

Zoe was startled. She put down her stuff and said tenderly, “Excuse me for a while, Dad.”

They passed by a quiet hallway. Cecil gave her a comforting grin and read Gordon’s medical record.

“I talked over Gordon’s case with other surgical department heads last night. We reached a unanimous decision to arrange for customized rehabilitation for your dad.

“Otherwise, it’ll be hard for him to go back to how he was before. The price will be slightly higher, though. A hundred thousand grand per month. ”

It was an impossible amount for Zoe now, but she answered without any hesitation, “Let’s do it.”

Cecil closed the medical records folder and looked at her quietly. In fact, they had known each other for a long time, but she had forgotten about it.

He was her neighbor when they were very young. The stars were visible outside her balcony when evening came and she missed her mother every day.

“Will Mommy come back, Cecil?”

Cecil had no answer for her. He could not have known either. He stared at her and thought back to the moment he returned to this country three years ago.

He thought she married someone who loved her when he heard about the news, but that was not the case. Mason was cold and treated her terribly.

He was about to say something when someone said from across the hall called out.

“Zoe.”

It was Mason. Clad in his usual business attire, it seemed that he had come directly from his company. He walked toward them, the sound of his shoes clacking crisply across the floor.

Mason extended his hand and said nonchalantly, “It’s been a while, Cecil!”

Cecil looked at his hand, smiled faintly, and took it in his grip. “What brought you here, Mason?”

Mason released his grip briefly and looked sideways at Zoe. “Should we check on Dad?”

Both of them were playing mind games with each other. Zoe did not realize it, though. She did not want to antagonize Mason in front of Cecil, so she just nodded and said, “Please excuse me, Dr. Cecil.”

Cecil gave her a brief smile in response.

Neither of them talked to each other on their way to Gordon’s ward. Ever since she made up her mind to divorce him, she no longer felt the need to please him.

Mason grabbed her hand when they were mere steps away from the ward and pinned her to the wall, a mixture of emotions in his eyes.

The way Cecil looked at her earlier told Mason that he loved her. Mason caressed her cheek. It was fair and smooth, very lovable. He said with a hoarse voice, “What did you guys talk about?”

Zoe wanted to break free of him, but she was subjugated as soon as he exerted more force on her. Both of them were pressed against each other…

Zoe thought it was inappropriate. “We’re in the hospital, Mason!”

“Obviously.” Mason was unfazed. He pressed against her hard and whispered into her ears menacingly, “Do you know who he is?”

Zoe could read the subtext of his question. He was the director of the Lockwood Pharmaceutical Group. As such, he was clad in both power and status.

He would never allow his wife to get too close to another man.

Zoe smiled bitterly, “My mind isn’t filthy like yours, Mason. I’m not in the mood. Listen to me. I won’t get in bed with anyone else before our divorce is finalized.”

With that, she shoved him aside and went into Gordon’s ward. Mason was at her heels. His eyes narrowed. He could not believe Gordon was not staying in a solitary ward.

Mia took a chair for him and said softly, “Have a seat! Don’t just stand there, Zoe! You can go home with Mason later. Leave your dad to me!”

Mason sat down and chatted with Gordon. He might have been cold to Zoe all this time, but he presented himself flawlessly before his father-in-law. His many years in the world of business meant it was a piece of cake for him to please someone if he set his mind to it.

Gordon had always liked him. However, he rejected the idea of changing to another hospital when Mason brought it up.

He said with a smile, “There’s no need for all the trouble! I have a good time here. Dr. Cecil is very responsible too.”

Mason knew when to stop pushing. “What matters is that you like it!”

At that moment, Zoe handed him a peeled apple. Mason put it aside, grabbed her slender arm, and said to his parents-in-law, “I’ll take Zoe back with me now. Here’s wishing you a speedy recovery, Dad.”

Gordon nodded and watched as they left. Mia was packing up when Gordon said suddenly, “Are they having fights lately?”

She shivered and tried to cover it up, “Absolutely not! They’re very good together!”

Gordon sighed, “You’re lying! Zoe didn’t look at him the way she used to. Her eyes would glint in the past, but it’s gone now.”

Mia paused briefly before saying, “Try talking some sense to your daughter!”

Gordon leaned back slowly and said gently, “Fat chance! I’ll just play dumb. After all, she didn’t say anything to me! Noah has lost his freedom. I don’t want the same thing happening to Zoe.”

Mia was about to say something but decided otherwise.

…

Mason brought Zoe downstairs. The black Bentley looked graceful, dazzling in the evening sunlight.

Zoe was shoved into the car. She tried to get out of it but her arms were held down. He looked so casual. No one could have known he exerted pressure on Zoe so powerful that she could not move at all.

Clearly, there was a distinctive difference in men's and women’s physical strength. He did not release his grip until she stopped fighting. Then, he lit a cigarette and started smoking.

Zoe breathed rapidly and looked at his face. His features were so defined under the evening sunlight. Combine that with his identity, he was a girl magnet.

She was lost in a trance. This was the face that charmed her so much that she fell in love with it for so many years.

Mason looked sideways at her. He rarely concerns himself with her affairs. He actually didn’t care much about her, but he had no intention of marrying another lady.

Any man with a powerful identity and reputable standing would do the same.

He put out his cigarette shortly and took out a velvet ring box. A diamond wedding ring was in it. Zoe’s throat tightened. It was the same wedding ring she sold that night.

Did Mason buy it back for her?

Mason stared at her and took in every expression that was shown on her face as if trying to see through her.

After a while, he said, “Give me your hand. I’ll put the ring back on. Then, you’re going to come back home with me and pretend all of this never happened. You’re still my wife.”