Love That Burned Me Down novel Chapter 6

When Zoey came to, she found herself lying on the bed in the villa. 

From outside the room came exaggerated laughter and blaring, cartoonish voices. The volume was so high, it felt like the walls were shaking.

Zoey forced herself up and opened the door, only to see Wendy sitting cross-legged on the living room carpet, hugging some snacks and guffawing at the television. 

"Oh, you're awake, Zoey!" Wendy looked over with a smile. "My bad. Was the cartoon too loud?"

She deliberately crunched on a chip before continuing, "I've been feeling a little tight in the chest lately. The air in this villa is so much better, so Yves said I could stay here a few days to recover… You don't mind, do you?"

Instinctively, Zoey glanced at the couch, where Yves sat with his long fingers flipping through a financial report. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his expression was calm and focused. The television was so loud, yet he didn't even bat an eye. 

All of a sudden, Zoey remembered something she had written in her diary. "He lost his temper again today because I was eating an apple next to him. He said the chewing noise distracted him, and he told me to leave. I need to remember that the next time he's in the study, I have to be pin-drop silent!"

Meanwhile, Wendy was making as much noise as she wanted, crinkling chip bags and blasting over-the-top sound effects from the television. Yet, he didn't even look up. 

It was so obvious—who was loved and who wasn't.

Zoey was about to respond when Yves abruptly said, "If it wasn't for that accident years ago, this home would have been yours." His voice was cold, and his eyes still remained on the papers. "She's just someone who's taken something that isn't hers. You don't need her permission for anything."

"He's right, you don't have to ask for my permission," Zoey calmly chimed in. "Feel free to stay for as long as you want."

Yves' fingers froze over a page. Then, he finally looked up at her with a flicker of surprise. 

This wasn't like her. Usually, she'd be crying, lashing out, or blinking back tears. She would never be this calm. 

However, the thought lasted only a second in Yves' mind. He averted his gaze and continued leafing through the report. After all, he never cared much about anything related to Zoey.

Zoey didn't care about what he thought anymore either. She went back to her bedroom and closed the door behind her. 

After that, she spent the entire day in her room, listening to the harsh noises outside.

Wendy blasted variety shows at full volume, stomped around in heels on the hardwood floor, and even opened one of Yves' prized red wines to go with her fried chicken.

Every single thing she did was something Yves would get upset about. 

Zoey remembered how she once accidentally touched his bookshelf and earned a cold stare. If she made any noise while walking in slippers, he'd frown and stop her. Forget about touching his red wine… that was unthinkable.

Yet, now, she clearly heard Yves exasperatedly say, "Slow down. No one's going to steal your food."

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