Chapter 7

Zayne released Miguel, took Enrica's hand, and promptly left with her. Miguel massaged his stinging wrist while watching them leave. He gritted his teeth so hard one could hear it. He had never felt like such a loser before! Sheila held his hand in distress and said with some dissatisfaction, "Ms. Schubert really went too far. How could she last out against you?" Miguel brooded silently. Nobody in the entirety of Evernorth dared to provoke the Zucker family. Enrica was asking for it this time! Meanwhile, after leaving the residential area, Enrica smoothly shook off Zayne's hand and said guiltily, "Actually, it doesn't matter even if I have to apologize to them. It's no skin off my back, really. But now that you've become involved, the Zuckers aren't going to let us off easily." Zayne reflexively clenched his now-empty palm before smiling at her. "It's alright. I have a friend who works as a lawyer. He's very capable and will be able to win the lawsuit for us." Enrica sighed lightly. Unfortunately, the world that rich people lived in did not operate so simply. Zucker Group had a lot of legal personnel under their employment. Each and every one of them was a professional in handling lawsuits. How could an ordinary lawyer possibly measure up against such people? However, since things had come to this, it was useless to say anything else. Besides, Zayne had done it to help her. She turned to ask him, "You haven't eaten lunch yet, have you? Let me treat you to a meal. What would you like to eat?" He replied, "Anything will do. You still have to go to work later." She nodded agreeably. The two of them entered a restaurant and each ordered a plate of fish and chips. The restaurant they had chosen was very small and only had a few tables set out. It also had very simple decor. On the other hand, Zayne had the temperament of a noble, so he looked like a prince who had decided to grace the humble establishment with his presence. He stood up to get a glass of water and pushed it over to Enrica. "Have some water." She thanked him politely. She had not had any water the entire morning, and she had been standing under the sun for two hours. Thanks to that, her lips were so dry that they were peeling. She picked up the glass and drank the water in small sips. For a moment, neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere between them was rather awkward. Zayne was cutting up his fish with a fork and knife in a very elegant manner, giving Enrica the feeling that they were eating at a high-class restaurant. Her gaze drifted involuntarily to the watch on his wrist. She recalled that Miguel had an identical one. It was a limited edition model of a luxury brand, and it was not easy to obtain. Miguel had paid someone extra and gone to a lot of effort to get his hands on one. An item with a price tag of several million dollars was evidently not something a mere salesman could afford. She began hesitantly, "Your watch…" "I borrowed it from a friend, and the same goes for this suit," he replied easily. "You know as well as I do that in this industry, we sometimes have to rely on things like this to keep up appearances." After hearing what he had to say, her doubts vanished instantly. The sales industry operated differently from the others, so to achieve success in the industry, one needed to find oneself a stepping stone. Zayne was already done with his meal. He gently wiped his mouth with a napkin before placing his hands on the table and asking casually, "How did you get to know Miguel Zucker?" Enrica paused and said nothing. He gazed at her. "Do you not want to talk about it?" "That's not it," she said, shaking her head with painful relief in her eyes before explaining, "Three years ago, my parents were involved in a traffic accident. My mother died on the spot while my father injured his spine and became paralyzed from the waist down. The perpetrator fled the scene. "I met him when I was at the peak of despair. He helped me track down the perpetrator and also introduced my father to the best medical expert available, saving his legs." Zayne's expression was unreadable. "No wonder your marriage made you so miserable. It turns out he was taking advantage of you." She was startled for a moment. Then, she laughed bitterly and lowered her head. "I'm not a sore loser, but…" However, Miguel meant more to her than someone she loved. Meeting him two years ago had been her salvation, her peace of mind, and her beacon of light in the darkness. Nothing lasted forever, and people came and went throughout one's life. However, the most painful thing that one could experience was having the person one trusted most stab one in the back with the longest knife they could find. The wound might not be fatal, but it would leave behind scars and a cruel lesson. It was a wound that would continue to hurt whenever it was touched, even after it closed up. Enrica's voice was choked with sobs, and she could no longer continue. Because her head was lowered, she did not see the complicated emotions flashing across Zayne's face. He handed her a tissue, then said quietly and meaningfully, "Some people will think you're not good enough while others will think you're practically flawless, so there's no need to wear yourself down for those who don't deserve you." She nodded vigorously. Holding back her sobs, she finished her meal with tears in her eyes. Zayne watched her intently. "For all you know, there'll be something better waiting for you in the future." She laughed through her tears, a smile coming to her face. "Whether or not that's true, it doesn't matter. Still, thank you for your kind words." After lunch, she was just debating how best to say goodbye to Zayne when he suddenly offered, "I'm taking a cab back to my company, and yours happens to be along the way. Would you like to come along?" His offer caught her off guard, but she did not refuse. "I'll transfer you my portion of the fare later, then." He did not respond. After the cab arrived at her company building and she got out of the car, she sent Zayne 30 dollars via Venmo. Two seconds later, he sent the money back. "There's no need to pay me back," he sent via WhatsApp. Perhaps because he was afraid that she would feel bad, he added, "Housemates should help each other out." She silently made a note of this favor she now owed him. She continued with training in the afternoon. After getting off work, she packed up her things and was just about to leave when she suddenly received a call from Enna. "Come back home, Enrica," Enna said in a rather harsh tone. "Your father and I have something to discuss with you!" Enrica already knew that Enna was not going to let the matter of her divorce rest, so she might as well take the opportunity to go home and clarify the situation. "Alright. I'll head over right now," she replied. Charles lived in a low-cost apartment subsidized by the government. There were several people sitting downstairs, playing poker together. When they saw Enrica, they greeted her warmly. "Have you come home to see your father, Enrica?" one of them asked. She smiled and replied, "Yes. I've come back for a visit." She headed upstairs. Several of the women present exchanged glances. Each of them knew what the rest were thinking without having to say a word. Back when Enrica married into a wealthy family, she went from being a pauper to a princess. Who didn't envy Charles for raising such a daughter? However, Enna came back today cursing and swearing, so everyone now knew that Enrica had been kicked out of the wealthy family. They all speculated that she had done something morally wrong, because why else would the wealthy family not want her anymore? With Enrica's looks, she did not seem like someone who would be satisfied with staying at home all day being a housewife, so no wonder she was driven out. In their eyes, she had completely disgraced Charles. The women made up all sorts of rumors with twisted expressions on their faces, and they derived great satisfaction from it. Enrica was unaware of the rumors being spread behind her back. She climbed the stairs and arrived at the apartment unit that was the Schubert home. The moment she stepped in, she saw Enna in the middle of packing two large suitcases. Enna looked at her in annoyance and said, "You've returned just in time! I want to divorce your father!" Charles was sitting in his wheelchair, looking despondent. Enrica did not expect to come back to this sort of situation. She remained silent for a few seconds before asking softly, "Is it because of my divorce?"