Chapter 2

Wendy was still reeling from how Zachary had spoken to her. "Don't be mad, Wendy. He's just worried about you, which is why he came off so harshly. Don't take it to heart. You're married, and communication is key for you two," Ethan said. He patted her shoulder and added, "Why don't you sit down and talk it over? I'll head out now." Then, he turned to Zachary, putting on a friendly front. "So you're Zachary, huh? Wendy always speaks very highly of you. "I'm not sure what's up with you today, but there's no reason to disrespect her even if you're upset. She had quite a bit to drink last night, so you should be taking care of her instead." Zachary scoffed. "Oh, how sweet of you. Why don't you go ahead and look after her for me? I mean, who wouldn't want a married woman, right? Especially one who's stunning, fit, and has her career all figured out." He looked over at Wendy, who was still in shock. She really was stunning and attractive, with curves that could catch anyone's eye. But now, all Zachary felt for her was disdain. Ethan frowned and shot back angrily, "Zachary, what do you mean by that? You can take shots at me all you want, but how dare you doubt Wendy? Do you think she'd ever betray you—" "Save your breath!" Wendy cut him off, her eyes clouded with disappointment as she glared at Zachary. Then, through gritted teeth, she spat, "People with a twisted mindset are bound to see things that way!" Without saying another word, she grabbed Ethan's arm and headed to the guest room. "You're still battling that cold and barely got any sleep last night. Why don't you just rest at my place today? We can leave for the office together around noon," Wendy suggested while opening the door to the guest room. Ethan glanced at her before storming over to Zachary, looming over him. His voice was dripping with anger. "Zachary, are you even acting like a man? Wendy's busting her butt for her career, so if you can't help out, at least show her some respect! Do you think you'd be living such a nice life without her putting in all that effort? "Do you have any clue how many people want her? She turned them all down for you, yet here you are being ungrateful and treating her like trash! You need to apologize to Wendy right now!" Ethan took on the stance of a judge while he lectured Zachary. Meanwhile, Wendy stood quietly by the door to the guest room, tears welling up in her eyes as if she had been deeply hurt. Zachary got up wordlessly. Then, he clenched his fist and threw a powerful punch at Ethan's face. Ethan didn't see it coming and couldn't dodge it in time. He stumbled and nearly lost his balance. "What the hell are you going on about?" Zachary snapped, flexing his wrist. "You're nothing more than a washed-up 'elite' who couldn't make it overseas. Who do you think you are, acting all high and mighty before me? "You're not thinking I'm as gullible as this foolish woman, are you? You'd better stop with the pathetic stunts, or I won't think twice about tossing you in the trash. After all, that's where you belong!" After Lauren hung up, she shared Ethan's background info with Zachary, so he was already in the loop. A hint of panic flashed in Ethan's eyes, and he fell quiet. Zachary didn't glance back at him and walked straight to the door. Wendy rushed over and stood before him, arms outstretched to block his path. Her eyes were red, swirling with emotions as she glared at him. Through gritted teeth, she demanded, "Where do you think you're going?" Zachary sneered. "Do you really care about where I'm going?" "You're not going anywhere!" Wendy tightened her grip on his wrist, just like she had done with Ethan. Zachary pulled away in disgust, wrenching his arm free as soon as she touched him. "Why not? Do you think I'm going to hang around and deal with you two? I'm sorry, but I can't handle something so gross!" With that, he stormed out, leaving Wendy frozen in shock. He reached the elevator when a loud bang echoed behind him—the door had been slammed shut. Zachary forced a wry smile. Deep down, he'd hoped Wendy would forget everything and come after him. But she didn't. The hope he once had was gone for good. … As Zachary walked out of the apartment building, he took a few deep breaths to ease the tightness in his chest. Just then, his phone rang. The number was unfamiliar, but he picked it up. A pleasant voice came through on the other end. "Hi, is this Mr. Zachary Lloyd?" "Yeah, that's me. Who's this?" The woman's voice brightened with enthusiasm. "Mr. Lloyd, I'm Anya Wayne, CEO of Yel Corporation. The headquarters asked me to get in touch with you to sort out your onboarding. Where are you now? I can pick you up right away!" "Text me on WhatsApp, and I'll send you my location. You can find me using my phone number." "Sure thing, Mr. Lloyd. Just give me a second." After the call ended, Zachary got a message from Anya. He opened it and his eyes zeroed in on her profile picture. "Is this…" The picture showed a gorgeous woman beside a Ferrari. She wore a short red dress that hugged her curves. She was tall, with long hair that flowed gracefully. Her beauty and elegance were eye-catching, and a smile lit up her face. Sunlight bathed her from the side, giving off a soothing, tranquil feeling as if time had decided to slow down. However, Zachary wasn't really thinking about how beautiful she looked. He was more surprised by her appearance. Anya, the CEO of Yel Corporation, was famous for more than just her stunning looks. Her cool, detached vibe and impressive skills at work earned her the nickname "Goddess Anya" from all the guys at Yelbric. She was the woman they fantasized about. At 26, Anya had her fair share of admirers but had always remained single and stayed out of any scandal. Some even speculated that she might be into women. There were rumors that even the wealthiest guy in Yelbric had tried to win her over, but she turned him down without hesitation, saying he wasn't her type. "Yel Corporation is actually a subsidiary of Mom's company…" Zachary was taken aback, doing his best to wrap his head around it. After thinking it over for a moment, everything clicked into place. With Lauren backing her up, Anya had every reason to turn down even the wealthiest guy in Yelbric. After all, the so-called wealthiest guy was just an ordinary dude with some money compared to Lauren—a big name in the finance world. About ten minutes later, a red Ferrari rolled up before Zachary. The door swung open, and Anya stepped out, looking sharp in her professional outfit. She hurried over. "Mr. Lloyd," she said with a sweet smile. Her tone was friendly as if they'd known each other forever. Zachary was surprised. They hopped into the car, and on the way to Yel Corporation, his curiosity got the better of him. "Ms. Wayne, do you know me?" he asked bluntly. Then, he turned to take a closer look at her profile. Anya had a gorgeous oval face, framed by delicate eyebrows and bright, expressive eyes that spoke volumes with just a glance. They were full of life. She cleared her throat, unsure if she should say something. "If you've got something to say, just go ahead. I don't mind," Zachary said plainly. Anya hesitated before saying, "Actually, I've seen you at least ten times already."