SOON as Zoe arrived in front of their apartment. She frowned when she saw men in suits.
‘What are they doing here?’ she thought.
She was confused, and suddenly she felt her heart thump fast as she had a terrible hunch about it. She walked towards the door, and her eyes widened when she saw Helios’s father sitting on their old couch while her mother sat across from him.
“Mom…” she mumbled and drew the old man’s attention.
She saw how a smirk formed on Don Lincoln’s lips. “It was nice to see you, Zoe Levine,” he said, wearing his cold and stern voice. If Helios is scary, his father is more terrifying. As she can at least talk back to Helios but to the old man in front of her, she feels intimidated, and with one wrong word, she thinks she’ll be doomed.
“Sit down, Zoe and let us talk,” he said, making Zoe follow like a robot and sit beside her mother.
“What do you really want, Don Lincoln?” It was her mother.
The old man leaned backward as he rested his arms on the armrest of the old couch. “I will not beat around the bush. I want you two to stay away from my son.”
Zoe gasped in surprise, and her heart thumped fast. She could even feel the coldness of her mother’s palm, which held her hands.
“I don’t want Helios to get distracted by helping lowly people like you. Prior to the accident, I already warned him to stay away from your daughter, yet he still pursued her, and now, he even got into an accident.”
Zoe scoffed. “With all due respect, Don Lincoln. Please don’t assume that it’s my fault that your son got into the accident. You can’t just blame us and tell us what to do,” she said, trying to remain calm as possible.
The Don let out a devilish chuckle. “And you have the guts to talk back?”
Zoe smiled and tried her best not to feel scared at the moment. “We’re not your puppet, Don Lincoln.”
“Ten million dollars. You can claim it and leave my son.”
Zoe let out a sarcastic laugh. “We don’t need your money. And didn’t you know that your son and I are not on good terms? And now, you’re telling this us? Why don’t you investigate first, Don Lincoln, before putting the blame on someone else?”
Don Lincoln arched his brow. “For a lowly human being like you dared to tell me what to do? I am his father, and I know what’s best for him. So, if you won’t file your resignation letter tomorrow, I will not think twice about throwing you away…” he glanced at my mom, “—with your mom out of New York.”
Zoe was rendered speechless at the moment.
‘What does he mean by that?’ she thought.
“You’re going to murder us like what you did to the President?”
It was too late when Zoe realized the words that came out of her mouth.
She saw how rage shaded the eyes of the old man as he stood up.
“How dare you—”
“Dad!”
Zoe’s eyes widened, and her heart skipped a beat. She stood up and faced the man immediately. She saw Helios standing at their door.
“What are you doing, father?” he asked as he walked closer and stopped near Zoe.
Don Lincoln chuckled. “Son, I am doing what is best for you—”
“Best? By threatening them?! We already talked about this!” Helios’s anger is so deep that one wrong move from his father will explode.
“Don’t make me force you to stay away from—”
“We don’t have any relationship.”
Don Lincoln’s forehead creased as he squinted his eyes toward him. “So, you’re telling me that I am wrong? I already investigated—”
“Instead of watching and investigating my life, why don’t you investigate the person behind the ambush?”
Zoe’s eyes widened, and suddenly, she pulled her mother away from them. She saw how Helios nodded at her as if telling her that she must not let her mom hear about it.
“Talk outside,” Zoe suddenly said, making Helios frown, but afterward, he turned to his father.
“Leave, father. Let’s discuss this matter.”
Don Lincoln smiled. “Stop this nonsense, Helios. Don’t make me force you to leave this useless woman.”
Hearing this, Zoe’s heart seems pierced with a dagger, shattering into pieces.
Zoe raised her head and met Helios’s gaze. “I will file my resignation letter tomorrow—”
“No! You already signed—”
“Stop this nonsense, Helios! Besides, let her know that in a few days, you’ll get engaged.”
At this moment, Zoe was frozen into place upon hearing about Helios’s engagement. She knew that the feeling that she was getting inside her a few days ago was not just for the word LIKE, but she unconsciously fell in love with Helios.
But the word ENGAGE wrecked her on the inside.
She looked into Helios’s eyes and waited for his response, but minutes passed, and she could only hear her rapid breathing.
“Get out!” she yelled.
“Invite her to your engagement—”
“Shut up!” Zoe and Helios said in unison.
Don Lincoln let out a devilish chuckle. “You should have known Helios that falling in love with the poor and weakling is not meant for you. So, think twice before I make my way that will surely hurt you,” he said, and after that, he left.
Zoe wanted to burst into laughter, but her tears betrayed her. When Helios met her gaze, she looked away and still hugged her mom.
“Get out,” she said, cold and stern.
Helios stretched his arm and was about to hold her when Zoe’s mother talked.
“She will resign from your company, and I will not work on your bar again, Helios. Thank you, son, for helping us but please… follow your father and leave,” she said.
Helios’s eyes were full of gloominess that he wanted to punch his father at any moment.
“Leave Helios, and please don’t ever come back,” Mrs. Levine said as she caressed her daughter’s back.
Helios stepped backward but called Zoe’s name. “Zoe… let’s talk—”
Zoe didn’t reply as her tears continued to flow down her cheeks.
“Leave, Helios.”
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