Parting Easy, Reunion Hard

On the airport highway, Julian Lennox drove his Maybach like a madman and crashed into my car. The car body slammed hard against the guardrail. Dizzy and disoriented, I pushed open the car door, only to see Julian, his face covered in blood, walking toward me. "Zoe Vance, come back with me!" Shaking with rage, I yelled, "Are you insane?!" He stared intently at Adrian Carter, who was shielding me, his eyes filled with madness. "Your mother is still lying in the hospital! You think you can survive after leaving the Lennox family? You're nothing but a dog raised by the Lennox family. If I don't let you leave, you will never leave!" Ten years of sincere devotion, exchanged for nothing but the phrase "a servant's daughter." Now that I have finally decided to marry and leave, he chased me to the airport like a madman and wrecked my car, all just to stop me from moving on to a new life. I sneered as I dialed 911. "Julian Lennox, listen closely." "From this day on, even if I die, I will never return to your side." Zoe Vance POV The Earl Grey tea in the teapot was boiling, the bubbling sound amplified in the silent room. Holding my breath, my slender body pressed tightly against the wooden door, not daring to make a single sound. Just on the other side of the wall sat Julian Lennox, the man I had loved for a whole decade. "Julian, I watched Zoe grow up. Her character and appearance are top-notch. Her mother is now in a vegetative state, and I promised back then to keep her safe. You're not getting any younger. If you are willing, I want to marry Zoe to you. It would fulfill a wish of mine." The voice of Julian's mother, Clara Lennox, was warm but carried an undeniable hope. Behind the wooden door, my fingers clenched my hem tightly, my knuckles turning white. It had been ten years. Ever since I stepped into the Lennox family home with my mother at fifteen and became Julian's "sidekick," all of my youth, all of my attention, had been reserved for him alone. I had been waiting for an answer from him, waiting until I was driven nearly mad. However, after a brief silence, a cold chuckle broke the quiet air. "Mom, are you joking?" Julian's voice was lazy, dripping with an innate superiority like a blade dipped in ice, stabbing precisely into my heart. "Zoe Vance? Who does she think she is? Just someone from an ordinary background. To put it nicely, she's a college student funded by the Lennox family. To put it bluntly, she's the daughter of menial household staff. You want me to marry a servant? Does the Lennox family have no dignity left?" "Julian! How can you talk like that!" Clara scolded. "Am I wrong?" Julian's voice was devoid of emotion, even carrying a hint of impatience. "She is used to following me around like a shadow. That is what she is supposed to do, and what she wants to do. Don't project your own ideas onto our relationship. I have no feelings for her whatsoever. Don't bring this up again, lest she starts having some unwarranted illusions." Accompanied by the harsh scraping sound of a chair being pushed back, Julian's footsteps receded without a hint of hesitation. Finally, the room's door slammed shut. Behind the wooden door, I slowly slid down to the floor, my tears like severed pearls, falling silently onto the carpet. A servant's daughter. Unwarranted illusions. As it turned out, while I stayed up late organizing documents for him, stayed awake all night when his stomach pains flared, and threw myself in front of danger for him without hesitation, to him, I was nothing but an obedient dog. Ten years of entanglement, I thought I could eventually warm a block of ice, but I forgot that when ice melts, it only turns to water and flows away, leaving nothing behind. "Come on out," Clara's sighing voice sounded from outside the wooden door, heavy with distress. I wiped my tears, used the wooden door to support myself as I stood up, and forced my weak legs to walk out. My face was as pale as paper, but my eyes held the dead silence of someone newly awakened from a dream. "Don't take Julian's words to heart. He is just a bastard, spoiled by me," Clara said, taking my cold hand, her eyes slightly red. "Zoe, you've suffered so much." "Mrs. Lennox, I don't feel wronged," I forced a smile that looked worse than crying, my voice raspy but unusually calm. "He's right. I'm not worthy. I never found my proper place." "Silly child," Clara stroked my hair, her eyes filled with helplessness and regret. "Your mother was severely injured trying to save me and ended up in a vegetative state. I owe you both a debt I can never repay in this lifetime. I thought that by entrusting you to Julian, he could keep you safe and secure for the rest of your life. But now it seems he is the unlucky one." Clara paused, her gaze hardening. "Zoe, you are an excellent, good girl. Even if you can't be his wife, I will never let you suffer. Since Julian is so foolish, I will introduce you to a good man. I'll make sure to find you someone who understands you, loves you, and cherishes you in the palm of his hand, alright?" I looked at the white hair at Clara's temples, remembering how she had loved me like her own daughter over the years. Without Clara, my mother and I would have been living on the streets long ago. I took a deep breath, suppressing the tearing pain in my heart. It had been ten years. It's time to end it. I could no longer act like a beggar, pleading for Julian's meager scraps of attention. "Alright," I raised my head, the humility and hope that once filled my eyes completely gone, replaced only by resolve. "Mrs. Lennox, I agree. As long as it's someone you choose, I'll marry him. Thank you for taking care of me all these years." Clara pulled me into her arms, her tears falling. "Good child, I only wish for your happiness. Once you leave that bastard, you will live better than anyone else." I closed my eyes, letting my tears fall for Julian Lennox one last time. From today on, Julian's joys and sorrows have nothing to do with me anymore. I will sever this ten-year bond and live my own life. I loved fiercely and gave it my all; now that I hate, I will also let go completely.Zoe Vance POV Clara acted quickly, arranging a blind date for me in less than a week. The other party was Adrian Carter, the son of one of Clara's friends. When I met Adrian in the café, I was slightly stunned. The man wore a well-tailored beige trench coat and a pair of glasses. His features were gentle, and his aura was elegant. Sitting there, he looked like a finely polished gem, radiating a comforting vibe. "Hello, Ms. Vance," Adrian stood up and pulled out a chair for me, his voice deep and warm. "Mrs. Lennox praised you as if you were an elf. Seeing you today, I realize her description was actually quite conservative." Amused by his well-timed humor, I relaxed slightly. "Mr. Carter, you're very humorous." Our interaction afterward was unexpectedly harmonious. Adrian was considerate. He noticed that I preferred warm water, steered clear of the desserts that made me frown slightly, and kept his gaze focused on me as we talked, filled with unvarnished appreciation and respect. This feeling of being carefully cherished was something I had never experienced during my ten years with Julian. With Julian, I was always the subordinate and servant who had to walk on eggshells, constantly ready to clean up his messes. "Zoe, may I call you that?" Adrian leaned in slightly, looking at me with a warm and deep gaze. "Of course," I nodded. "Mrs. Lennox probably mentioned to you that the focus of my career isn't here." Adrian's slender fingers gently traced the rim of his coffee cup, his tone growing serious. "My home is in Seattle. It's a rainy but beautiful city. If... I mean, if we are fortunate enough to end up together, would you be willing to leave this place with me and live in Seattle?" Leave this place. Leave this city filled with Julian's scent. Julian's cold, mocking face flashed in my mind, along with his bone-chilling phrase, "a servant's daughter." Ten years of youth, exchanged for endless humiliation and degradation. Staying here would only mean being forever trapped in that humble cage. "I would," I looked into Adrian's eyes without any hesitation, my voice so firm it surprised even me. "Mr. Carter, I am willing to go to Seattle. The sooner, the better." A subtle flash of ecstasy crossed Adrian's eyes. He reached out and gently covered my hand on the table. "Zoe, trust me. I will definitely give you a home and never let you suffer." The warmth on the back of my hand made me slightly uncomfortable, but I did not pull away. I told myself that this was my first step toward starting anew. The next morning, carrying my printed resignation letter, I walked into the Lennox Group building. I went straight to the HR Department and submitted my resignation. The news spread through the Executive Suite like it had grown wings. As I packed up my personal belongings from my desk and prepared to leave carrying a cardboard box, a sharp female voice suddenly rang out in the office area. "Oh, isn't this Ms. Vance, Mr. Lennox's most loyal servant? What's going on here?" Vanessa Shaw, the heiress of the Shaw family, strutted over, swaying her hips in four-inch heels. She had harbored a secret crush on Julian for years and utterly despised me for always being inseparable from his side. Now that she had caught an opportunity, she naturally wanted to step on me mercilessly. "Ms. Shaw, please watch your mouth. I have already resigned," I said, staring at her expressionlessly with my back straight. "Resigned? Hahaha, what a massive joke!" Vanessa laughed mockingly, drawing side-glances and whispers from the surrounding colleagues. "Who doesn't know your mother traded half her life for you to live in the Lennox house? Would you really give up this inheritable servant position? What is it? Did you fail to seduce Mr. Lennox and get kicked out, or are you trying to play hard to get to force him to keep you? Zoe Vance, why don't you look in the mirror? A lowly servant's daughter acting like this?" A few muffled chuckles came from the crowd. The colleagues who usually greeted me with smiles were now sizing me up, waiting to see a show. My fingers tightly gripped the edge of the cardboard box, my nails digging into the cardboard. I took a deep breath, and just as I was about to fire back, a bone-chilling voice suddenly drifted from behind the crowd. "What are you all doing? Is this company a theater for you to watch a show?!"Julian Lennox POV Seeing me arrive, Vanessa instantly put on a victimized expression and cozied up to me. "Julian, you're finally here. I have no idea what got into Ms. Vance, but she suddenly wanted to resign. I tried to advise her out of goodwill, but she ignored me. She's clearly acting out of dissatisfaction with you!" Vanessa attempted to redirect all the anger onto Zoe. However, I didn't spare her a single glance. My gaze, like a poisoned vine, wrapped tightly around Zoe and the jarring cardboard box she held in her arms. An inexplicable anger rushed straight to my head. I marched up to her and looked down, my eyes cold enough to form icicles. "Resign?" The word squeezed through my teeth, laced with the furious rage of betrayal. "Yes, Mr. Lennox," Zoe met my gaze, her tone so calm there wasn't a single ripple. "I have already submitted my resignation letter to the HR Department, and the handover of my duties is complete. Thank you for your care over the years, Mr. Lennox." She called me Mr. Lennox. She was speaking to me in such a businesslike manner. My heart suddenly twitched. A fleeting sense of inexplicable panic vanished as quickly as it came, instantly smothered by an even stronger surge of rage. I sneered and snatched the copy of Zoe's resignation application from the desk. "Zoe Vance, what is the meaning of this?" I lowered my voice, gritting my teeth in a tone only the two of us could hear. "A few days ago, you begged my mother to arrange an engagement with me, and I rejected you. Now you're playing hard to get? You think I'll look at you twice just because you resign? Do you think the Lennox family lacks a servant like you to wait on me?" This time, she didn't cry. "You misunderstand, Mr. Lennox," Zoe smiled slightly, her smile carrying a sense of relieved finality. "My resignation isn't to play hard to get, let alone to force your hand. I am getting married. My fiancé doesn't like me working as someone else's secretary, so I am leaving this city." "Getting married?" I froze. The words hit me like a heavy sledgehammer to the back of my head, leaving me dazed and dizzy. She was getting married? To whom? Didn't she only love me? Hadn't she followed me like an inescapable shadow for ten years? How dared she marry someone else! An unprecedented irritability and jealousy spread wildly in my heart like weeds. My eyes instantly turned red. I stared intently at Zoe, trying to find any trace of a lie on her face. But all I saw was a dead-flat calm. *Rip!* In front of everyone, I tore her resignation application into shreds and threw them violently at her feet. The snow-white paper scraps drifted down like snowflakes. "You want to resign? You want to get married? Impossible!" Like a raging lion, I completely tore off my usual disguise. "Zoe Vance, you belong to me forever! Without my permission, you are not going anywhere!" "Mr. Lennox, we live in a society ruled by law. You have no right to restrict my freedom," Zoe said, looking at me coldly. "Fine, very well. Talking about the law with me, are you?" I laughed out of pure anger, my gaze terrifyingly sinister. "You want to leave? Fine. There is a cooperation project with Mr. Harrison that the company hasn't been able to close. Go close it and get him to sign this contract. If you succeed, I'll sign your release immediately. Otherwise, you will pay the company thirty million for breach of contract!" At those words, a collective gasp ran through the room. Mr. Harrison was notoriously difficult to deal with in the industry, especially when it came to tormenting people at the drinking table. Sending a young girl like Zoe to negotiate was practically throwing a sheep into a tiger's den. "Ms. Vance, don't be angry with Mr. Lennox. Just apologize to him," a colleague who usually had a good relationship with Zoe couldn't help but tug at her sleeve, whispering advice. "You know what Mr. Harrison is like. If you go, you'll definitely suffer. Just apologize to Mr. Lennox, and he'll surely forgive you." "Exactly. As long as you admit your mistake and stay obediently by my side, we can let this go." I stared at her as if doling out a final act of charity. I was certain she wouldn't dare to go, certain that in the end, she would still beg me humbly just as she had in the past. However, Zoe only gently brushed off her colleague's hand. She looked at me, her eyes filled with mockery and sorrow. "Fine," Zoe's clear voice echoed through the quiet office area. "I will negotiate. I hope you keep your word, Mr. Lennox, and prepare my certificate of discharge." With that, she didn't look at me again. She turned and strode out of the office, leaving me standing there, staring at her resolute back. My hands hung at my sides, clenched into tight fists, my nails digging into my flesh until beads of blood leaked out.Zoe Vance POV Night. A private lounge room. The deafening music and the pungent smell of smoke and alcohol blended together, making me want to throw up. Dressed in a professional suit, I sat on the edge of the sofa, clutching the contract tightly in my hands. "Ms. Vance, Mr. Lennox is truly generous, sending such a great beauty to negotiate with me." Mr. Harrison leaned in boldly, his potbelly protruding, his malicious eyes scanning up and down my body. "You want the contract signed? Sure. See these three bottles of high-proof vodka on the table? Drink them all, and I'll sign immediately!" I looked at the three bottles of high-proof liquor, which seemed strong enough to catch fire, and my stomach convulsed. I had severe stomach issues, and Julian knew it. In past business dinners, although he was cold to me, he never let me touch a single drop of alcohol. But now, he was the one who had pushed me here with his own hands. "Fine, I'll drink." Gritting my teeth, I picked up a glass brimmed with vodka and threw it back. The burning liquid scraped down my throat like a knife, instantly lighting a raging fire in my stomach. I choked, tears welling in my eyes, but I didn't stop. I immediately poured a second glass. I knew that outside the private room, Julian Lennox was watching this play out through a crack in the door. He probably never expected that I would rather endure Mr. Harrison's humiliating forced drinking than miss the chance to get the contract and leave him! Inside the room, I downed the third glass. My face was as pale as paper, yet I stood tall, obstinate. Julian seemed to finally reach his breaking point. He kicked the door open and stormed inside. "Stop drinking!" Julian snatched the glass from my hand and slammed it onto the ground. The sound of shattering glass rang painfully loud in the room. I stumbled as he yanked me. My stomach churned so violently that I could barely stand. Raising my head, my blurry eyes locked onto the furious man before me. "Come with me!" Julian grabbed my wrist and dragged me out. He hauled me all the way to the restroom at the end of the hallway and pinned me against the cold tiled wall. "Zoe Vance, have you lost your mind?! Are you really willing to throw away your life just to get away from me?!" Julian roared, his eyes bloodshot, his voice laced with a panic he didn't even realize was there. I looked at him and suddenly laughed. It was a pale, tragic smile, dripping with irony. "Mr. Lennox, isn't this what you wanted?" I wrenched my hand from his grip, my voice raspy and broken from the alcohol. "You used thirty million to pressure me, you used the contract to blackmail me—all because you wanted to see me beg. Too bad I disappointed you." "You..." Julian seemed stung by the coldness in my eyes. He reached out, trying to pull me into an embrace. "Don't touch me!" I shoved him away hard, screaming with all the strength left in me. "Julian Lennox, you're filthy! You disgust me!" The words struck him like a thunderbolt. Julian froze in place, staring at me in utter disbelief. Taking advantage of his shock, I spun around, ran out of the restroom, and stumbled back into the private room. "Mr. Harrison, I finished it. Please sign." I downed the remaining half of the bottle in one gulp and slammed the pen onto the table. Startled by my suicidal determination, Mr. Harrison signed the document in a daze. I snatched the contract and turned to leave. I had only taken a few steps when a tearing, excruciating pain flared in my stomach. Immediately, a metallic, sweet taste rushed up my throat. *Pfft—* A large spray of fresh blood splattered across the pristine white marble floor, a terrifying sight. My body went limp like a puppet with its strings cut, and I collapsed. Before losing consciousness completely, my blurry vision caught a tall figure running toward me like a madman. The face that was usually so cold and unyielding was now contorted with sheer terror and despair. "Zoe—!" I laughed mockingly at myself in my mind. *Zoe Vance, you really are pathetic. Even at a time like this, you actually think he's aching for you.* The smell of disinfectant filled my nostrils. I struggled to open my eyes, met with a blinding, sterile white. "Zoe, you're awake? Don't move, you're still on an IV." A gentle, anxious voice sounded beside my ear. I turned my head and saw Adrian Carter sitting next to the hospital bed. Dark circles bruised the skin beneath his eyes, and stubble dusted his jawline; it was obvious he hadn't slept a wink all night. Seeing me open my eyes, Adrian's face lit up with absolute joy, and he quickly pressed the call button. "Mr. Carter... why are you here?" My voice was hoarse, my stomach still throbbing with a dull ache. "You suffered stomach bleeding and fainted at the lounge last night. The hospital called your emergency contact. Mrs. Lennox couldn't make it, so she notified me." Adrian carefully dipped a cotton swab in warm water to moisten my dry, chapped lips, his tone a mix of deep worry and gentle reproach. "How did you let yourself get like this? If you weren't happy at your old company, you could have left anytime. Why risk your health like this?" Looking at Adrian's focused and tender gaze, a wave of warmth washed over me. When people are at their most vulnerable, they are easily moved by even the slightest warmth. I offered a weak smile. "Thank you, Adrian. I won't do it again. The contract has been signed. I'm free." Adrian held my free hand, his gaze unwavering. "Once you're feeling a bit better, we'll head back to Seattle. From now on, your life will only have sunshine. None of this mess and none of these awful people."Julian Lennox POV Inside the ward, the atmosphere was warm and peaceful. Outside, however, was a tense, deathly silence. I leaned against the cold wall, my bespoke suit wrinkled, my shirt still stained with the blood Zoe Vance had coughed up last night. My eyes were heavily bloodshot as I stared fixedly at the tightly closed door of the ward. Last night, I had been the one who held a blood-soaked Zoe, speeding all the way to the hospital. The moment I watched her get wheeled into the emergency room, it felt like my world was collapsing. I stayed outside the room all night, and only when the doctor announced she was out of danger did I feel like I could breathe again. But when I was ready to go in and see her, my mother arrived with Adrian Carter, ruthlessly blocking me at the door. "Mom, let me go in and see her." My voice was terribly raspy. I was like a cornered beast, suppressing an eruption of raw emotion. "See her? In what capacity would you see her?" She looked at me coldly, her eyes filled with disappointment and anger. "As her former boss? Or as the master who almost drove her to her death? Julian, don't you think you've hurt her enough already?" "I didn't want to drive her to death! I only..." I wanted to defend myself, but the words felt hollow and weak. I just didn't want her to leave; I just wanted her to be obedient. How could I have known she would go to such extremes! "You've just grown used to trampling on her dignity, used to her limitless tolerance!" Clara Lennox exposed me bluntly. "Now, she has finally found her own happiness. Adrian is a good man; he will cherish Zoe. I'm warning you, do not disturb her happiness again! You have no right!" "Happiness? With that bespectacled piece of trash?" I was nearly going mad with jealousy. Through the glass window of the door, I watched Adrian hold Zoe's hand, saw her offer him a tender smile I had never once seen before. That smile was like a poisoned blade, ruthlessly gouging out my eyes and carving up my heart. "Is he even worthy of marrying Zoe? Zoe is mine..." I gnashed my teeth, punching my fists against the wall. "Is she your what?" Clara took a step closer, staring straight at me. "Julian, answer me honestly. Have you fallen for Zoe? Do you love her?" I shuddered violently, as if my most fatal weakness had been pierced. Love her? I was the president of the Lennox Group. I had everything I ever wanted. How could I fall in love with a servant's daughter? If I admitted it, what did my ten years of superiority mean? What of my pride? I gritted my teeth, my jawline tensing. After a long while, I squeezed a cold sentence out of my throat. "Mom, you're overthinking it. How could I possibly like her? To me, she's nothing more than a convenient servant." *Slap!* Clara trembled with rage as she delivered a fierce slap to my face. "You bastard! If she's just a servant, then who are you putting on this disgusting show for right now? Get out! I don't have such a heartless son!" Clara spun around and stormed off in anger, leaving me standing frozen. The stinging pain on my cheek was nothing compared to the empty void and panic rapidly consuming my heart. "Julian! Why are you here? What happened to your face?" A sharp female voice pierced the dead silence of the hallway. Vanessa Shaw hurried over in her high heels. Seeing the slap mark on my face, she shrieked in distress and threw herself into my arms. "Did that bitch Zoe Vance do this? She is way too shameless, actually daring to lay a hand on you!" Vanessa hugged my waist tightly, but I caught a fleeting glint of triumph in her eyes. I was frustrated by the cloying scent of her perfume. I frowned and was about to push Vanessa away when the ward door suddenly clicked open from the inside.Zoe Vance POV Dressed in an oversized hospital gown, I stood at the doorway with Adrian supporting me. My face was still pale, but my eyes were terrifyingly clear. In the hallway, Vanessa Shaw was wrapped tightly in Julian Lennox's arms. They looked intimate, like a perfect couple. At the sound of the door opening, Julian snapped his head up and locked eyes with me. In that split second, he shoved Vanessa away as if he'd been electrocuted. "Zoe, let me explain, it's not what you think..." Julian took a step forward, desperately trying to speak. "Mr. Lennox," I cut him off, my voice flat and devoid of any emotion, as if looking at two complete strangers. "There is no need to explain. You and Ms. Shaw make a lovely couple. I wish you eternal happiness." There was no anger, no jealousy, not even a trace of lingering emotion. The eyes that once overflowed with love for him now held nothing but a barren, dead silence. "Zoe Vance! What kind of nonsense are you spouting!" Julian panicked completely. His eyes bloodshot, he lunged forward, trying to grab my shoulders. "You clearly know I hate her! You clearly know—" "Mr. Lennox, mind your manners." Adrian stepped forward, shielding me firmly behind his back. A frost covered his usually gentle face, and his sharp gaze locked onto Julian. "Zoe is my fiancée now. She hasn't recovered yet, so please stop yelling and upsetting her." "Fiancée? How dare you mark your territory in front of me!" Julian's sanity seemed to snap entirely upon hearing the word "fiancée." Watching Adrian's protective stance, he suddenly threw a punch with brutal force, slamming it directly into Adrian's face. *Bam!* Caught off guard, Adrian stumbled back several steps. Fresh blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his glasses fell to the floor, shattering. "Adrian!" I gasped. Without a second thought, I flung my arms wide and shielded him, glaring at Julian like a lioness protecting her cub. "Julian Lennox, what are you, crazy?! If you want to hit someone, hit me!" Julian's raised fist froze in mid-air. I let out a bitter, silent laugh. For ten years, I had thrown myself in front of him countless times, shielding him from harm. But now, the person I was protecting had changed, and he was the one trying to inflict the pain. "For him... you would stand against me?" Julian's voice trembled violently, his red-rimmed eyes shattered with despair. "Julian Lennox, I only ask you to let me go. Consider it my plea." I didn't answer his question, only dropping those cold words before turning to support Adrian. "Let's go." Supporting each other, we slowly walked down the hallway. From beginning to end, I never looked back at Julian Lennox even once. ... Late at night, Glamour Lounge. Entrusted by Clara Lennox, I came here to pick up Julian. Deafening heavy metal music masked the decadence in the corner booth. Julian sat inside, surrounded by empty bottles. Like a soulless husk, he poured glass after glass of hard liquor down his throat. "That's enough! Stop drinking!" Paul Preston snatched the glass from his hand, glaring at him in frustration. "What's the use of drinking yourself to death? If you knew it would end like this, why did you do those things in the first place? If you had been a bit nicer to her back then, would you have driven her into another man's arms?" "You don't understand!" Julian glared back with drunken, blurry eyes, like a wounded beast making its final stand. "She won't leave... She loved me for ten years. How could she just stop loving me out of nowhere? She's only mad at me. She's just throwing a tantrum..." "A tantrum? She literally risked her life to sign a contract and wouldn't even spare you a glance, and you call that a tantrum?" Paul sneered. "Julian Lennox, face it—you've fallen in love with her. You can't live without her. The pathetic state you're in right now is the best proof of that!" "I haven't! How could I fall in love with a servant!" Julian bolted upright, only to crash heavily back onto the sofa because of the alcohol. He buried his face in his hands, letting out a cornered wail from his throat. "I'm just... I'm just not used to her not being by my side. Yes, I'm just not used to it..." Paul looked at him and sighed helplessly. Wearing a thin trench coat, I walked over expressionlessly. If Clara hadn't called me weeping, begging me because Julian was drinking himself to the brink of a stomach perforation, I wouldn't have stepped a single foot back into this man's world for the rest of my life. The moment I appeared, Julian's dull, vacant eyes instantly lit up. Like a drowning man grasping a lifeline in the dark, he stumbled forward and pulled me tightly into his embrace. "Zoe... you came. I knew you wouldn't abandon me..." Julian buried his head in the crook of my neck, his voice heavily nasal like an aggrieved child. I was choked by his tight grip. Coldly pushing against his hard chest, my voice held no warmth whatsoever. "Mr. Lennox, you're drunk. Mrs. Lennox asked me to take you home."