“I’m sorry, I…”
Just when Nancy wanted to speak, Zachary pressed himself against her. Holding onto her cheeks, he looked at her with a conflicted expression.
Nancy was so nervous that she could barely breathe. Feeling her tremble underneath him, Zachary saw the terrified look in her eyes.
“Tell me, what do women care about the most?”
Zachary ran his fingers across her cheeks while his eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“Huh?” Although Nancy didn’t understand the rationale for the sudden question, she still replied in earnest. “Probably, the man they love.”
“The man they love?” Zachary considered the answer. “Is it more important than the interest of the family?”
“It is,” Nancy replied without hesitation. “A family’s interest belongs to the family. Love is what belongs to ourselves.”
Pausing briefly, she explained in an unsettled tone, “Are you assuming that I am trying to get close to you because of my family? No. I’m doing it because… I truly admire you.”
“If…” Zachary continued asking, ignoring her explanation, “I ask you to sleep with someone you don’t love for the sake of your family, will you do it?”
“I won’t.” Nancy assumed that he had misunderstood her intentions. She defended herself frantically, “I love you, that’s why-”
“Love?” Zachary sneered, “Love can change.”
A long time ago, Charlotte loved me too and sacrificed a lot for me. She stayed true and showered all her affection on me. But now… She has thrown herself into Louis’ embrace.
“No, I won’t change.” Nancy was full of conviction. “You don’t know how much I love you. From when I was sixteen, it has been five years. My feelings for you-”
Bam!
Nancy’s words were cut short by the sudden noise. Startled, she turned to look by reflex.
Charlotte had taken the risk of falling from the forty-eighth floor and jumped over from the neighboring room’s balcony with everything she had.
She had landed successfully initially. However, the sight of Zachary pressing himself against Nancy had jolted her, causing her to accidentally tip over a vase on the balcony.
Consequently, that was the sound of the vase shattering on the ground.
“It’s her?” Nancy recognized Charlotte at once as the girl who wore a mask in the changing room. Moreover, Charlotte was still wearing the swimsuit she had lent to her.
“I’m sorry!” Charlotte apologized before shooting a silver needle into Nancy’s neck.
Feeling her limbs go weak, Nancy fainted onto the ground.
“Insolence!”
Shooting her a glare, Zachary grabbed the wineglass by the table and flung it at Charlotte.
Avoiding it by reflex, Charlotte saw the glass smash into pieces upon crashing onto the wall.
Before she could regain her senses, Zachary suddenly appeared in front of her, grabbed her throat, and pinned her against the wall.
“Ah!” At that very instant, death flashed across Charlotte’s eyes. In a choking voice, she yelled, “Zachary, it’s me!”
Tearing off her mask, Zachary exclaimed with his eyebrows raised, “Charlotte?”
“Let go!” Charlotte grabbed the back of his hand, leaving deep scratches in the process.
When Zachary saw the discomfort she was in, he released her and turned around. “What are you doing here?”
Coughing, she said, “I… I have something to discuss with you.”
Rubbing her throat, Charlotte desperately tried to catch her breath.
“There nothing to discuss between us.”
Sitting on the sofa, Zachary poured a glass of wine for himself.
“We have to talk about the kids.” Charlotte walked over anxiously. “At the very least, let me see the kids once to hear what they have to say.”
“What makes you think you deserve it?” Zachary glared at her with rage burning in his eyes.
“Zachary, what do you mean by that?” Charlotte was infuriated. “Both of us have broken up a long time ago. There’s nothing wrong with me being with someone else. What gives you the right to steal the children away and ridicule me like that?”
