Love That Burned Me Down novel Chapter 3

Zoey stayed in the empty villa for a few days. 

All the while, Yves never came back. 

Without any memories or love, Zoey didn't find the solitude unbearable. In fact, she thought it was nice to wait until her immigration paperwork was finalized. 

At least, until her mother's call shattered the silence.

"Wendy's birthday celebration will be held at 7:00 pm tomorrow at the Imperial Hotel," came Daphne's cold, indifferent voice. "Don't be late."

"I don't—"

"That's all." Daphne hung up without giving Zoey a chance to refuse. 

…

Zoey slipped into the simplest black dress she had on the day of the banquet. As soon as she walked in, she spotted Wendy. She was being admired by everyone and Yves, whom she hadn't seen in days.

"Wendy sure is lucky," a middle-aged woman whispered. "Her adoptive parents treat her like she's the apple of their eye. Mr. Pearce cares deeply about her too."

"No kidding. I heard he personally organized this banquet! Look at that champagne. It's flown in from Bellevire, and a single bottle costs six figures."

"Those flowers were airlifted from Lormont this morning. He even had the whole ballroom decorated like the Monet Garden, just because that's what Wendy likes. It must've cost a fortune." 

The guests' whispers blurred into a steady hum. 

Zoey took a sip of her drink and glanced at Yves, who was nearby. He was dressed in a black bespoke suit. The top buttons of his shirt were undone and exposed just a hint of his collarbone. There was a certain effortless elegance about him.

However, at that moment, he, who was always so cold, was crouching down to fix Wendy's dress with a soft smile on his face.

"Now, let's welcome Mr. and Mrs. Silvain to the stage to give their blessings to their beloved daughter!" 

As soon as the host's words fell, Bryant and Daphne walked onto the stage, arms linked with Wendy. 

Bryant cleared his throat and addressed the guests, saying, "Tonight, I'd like to make a very important announcement. Wendy will inherit 60% of our company's shares!"

The room erupted in gasps while Zoey's grip on her glass tightened.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify