“Go on, and take it. This was always meant to be yours. If you don’t accept it, it makes me feel unwanted,” Patrick said.
Zina looked up and met Patrick’s somewhat sorrowful gaze. She pressed her lips together, then finally tightened her grip on the wooden box. “Thank you, Mr. Carter.”
“It’s alright. I just hope that after the two of you marry, you’ll keep getting along as well as you do now, walking on together, always honest with each other,” said Patrick.
That kindly smile on his face made Zina feel an unexpected urge to cry. It was an expression she had never seen before, a look so complex, even her intelligence couldn’t decipher it.
At that moment, Zina pressed her lips together, struggling to keep her emotions in check as she walked down by Patrick’s side.
The emerald bracelet on her wrist made her skin look even more delicate.
Zina deliberately tugged her sleeve down to hide the bracelet before returning to Kellan’s side.
“What took you so long? What did Dad say to you?” Kellan asked, his eyes full of gentle concern as he looked at Zina.
Zina gave a faint smile. “Nothing much, just some heartfelt words.”
“I’ll go talk to said.
ad for a bit then we’ll leave” Kell–
With that, he walked over to Patrick, leaving Zina sitting on the sofa, her mind replaying every moment with Patrick. “That warmth, so real and genuine, is mine. It’s wonderful,‘ she thought.
“Hmph, you snatched something that belongs to me and still act like you have every right to it. I honestly don’t know how you can be so shameless,” Rosie sneered.
Rosie shot Zina a vicious glare, her eyes roaming over her from head to toe.
Only after Rosie was certain Zina had gotten nothing from Patrick did she finally let out a breath of relief, her eyes filling with even colder contempt.
“I thought you’d walk out with something amazing, but turns out it’s nothing special after all,” Rosie scoffed.
“So what?” Zina turned her head, her voice cool. “At least I’m not the one everyone can’t stand, unlike you. I’d say that’s already a huge improvement. Don’t you think?”
Zina flashed a dazzling, almost smug smile, arching her brow as she looked straight at Rosie. That alone was enough to make Rosie’s face turn red with fury.
Kyle, meanwhile, didn’t say a word. He just kept his eyes locked on Zina. Upon seeing it, Rosie clenched her fists even tighter, the hatred in her eyes practically burning a hole through her.
Zina didn’t even bother with the two of them and simply walked out.
Back when Zina came here disguised as Silver Hands to treat Patrick, she had noticed a lovely patch of roses in the back garden. She wondered how those roses were doing after all this time.
Just thinking about it brought a small smile to her face.
1/3
Chapter 103
She had barely stepped into the back garden and caught sight of the roses when a voice suddenly called out from behind her. “Zina, are you with Kellan just because of me?
“Do you even realize what kind of reputation he has out there? Let me make this clear. Rosie is the only one I care about. But if you really can’t get over me, maybe I’ll let you come see me every day.”
Kyle had somehow followed Zina, and now he was glaring at her with utter loathing, as if she’d committed some unspeakable
crime.
Zina stared at him, her mind confused. She quickly took several steps back, as if just being near Kyle might get her into trouble.
Kyle’s face turned completely dark.
“Then why do you keep showing up around me? I don’t believe you don’t have feelings for me. You were even willing to step in for Rosie-” Kyle said.
Kyle suddenly cut himself off, the panic in his eyes laid bare in the sunlight.
Zina curled her lips into a smirk. “Even willing to do what, exactly? Oh, right, I almost forgot to make you pay for that. You’re just bringing it up now because you’re pissed, huh? Relax, Neither of you is getting off that easy.”
Her features were stunning, but those eyes, once soft and gentle, now brimmed with nothing but biting sarcasm.
“That’s not what I meant. I just blurt things out sometimes,” Kyle stammered, waving his hands in panic.
But Zina didn’t even bother to look at him, completely ignoring his existence.
She turned to leave, saying lightly, “Kyle, at the very least, you need to see yourself clearly. So stop puffing yourself up, okay?”
“Zina?” Kyle shouted, suddenly lunging forward and grabbing her arm.
A red mark instantly appeared on her wrist. Zina frowned and looked down, only to meet the shocked eyes of Kyle.
“W–What exactly is your relationship with Kellan? Why is this bracelet on your wrist? T–This is supposed to be “Kyle stammered.
His eyes were bloodshot as he stared fixedly at the bracelet on Zina’s wrist, unable to look away.
Zina quickly glanced around, then, with a loud smack, she swung her arm in a wide arc and landed a slap right across Kyle’s face.
Her arm tingled from the force, but Zina just grinned at him. “Let go, shameless boy. You’d better get your place straight and stop pushing your luck. Oh, and this bracelet? It was always meant to be mine.”
With those words, Zina strode off without sparing Kyle so much as a backward glance.
But just as Zina took two steps, a pair of hands suddenly reached out and grabbed her.
Zina looked up in surprise, only to meet the playful, amused gazo of Kellan
“You’re pretty sharp, you know that? That little speech you gave just now actually got ine a bit worked up,” Kellan said, his voice low and teasing.
He looked at her, his fingertips gently tracing the fabric of her sleeve, making Zina shiver involuntarily.
“You’re giving me too much credit,” Zina finally squeezed out after a moment.
2/3
08:27 Wed, 3 Sept
Chapter 103
Kellan’s face twisted with a strange look, but after a few seconds, he just forced himself to roll with Zina’s odd way of thinking.
“Alright, let’s head back. Things are probably wrapped up with Dad by now. Once we say our goodbyes, we can leave. Oh, and didn’t you have something else planned soon? That jewelry exhibition, right?” Kellan said.
It was the first time Zina had ever heard Kellan say so much in one go, and she almost involuntarily nodded.
Kellan went on, “The organizers sent me an invitation to the jewelry exhibition. Come with me. I’ve got a spot with a great view.”
Thinking about all the perks that came with being with Kellan, Zina nodded again.
sa
When Zina and Kellan walked back into the living room together, Rosie was still there, standing stiff as a statue, craning her neck in hopes of spotting Kyle, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Rosie had been suspicious that Kyle might have followed Zina outside, but now it didn’t seem likely. ‘Maybe I’m just overthinking it,‘ Rosie told herself.
Trying to calm her nerves, Rosie kept waiting by the door, anxiously hoping Kyle would show up any second.
A few minutes later, Kyle finally walked in, his face dark and stormy.
Rosie hurried over, but when she spotted the smudge of foundation on Kyle’s shirt, she suddenly started to panic.
That definitely wasn’t from her. Rosie hadn’t even gotten close to him today, let alone anything intimate.
Who could it be?” Rosie wondered.
The only one in the whole Carter family villa who could have gotten close to Kyle was Zina.
‘Could it be Zina?” Rosie thought, her mind racing. ‘Is Zina coming after Kyle again, trying to steal him from me?‘
Rosie felt like a startled deer, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
