Chapter 12
1525 Words
Ellie’s P.O.V.
The ride to the White Mansion felt endless, worry clawing at my throat.
Lilly was already waiting for me as I reached there, her voice full of urgency.
“Master is waiting for you in the study, Ma’am.”
Mr. Zackary was in study?
Utterly confused, the moment I stepped into the study, a hand from nowhere wrapped around my wrist all of a sudden, catching me off guard.
“What the…”
The rest of the protest died down in my throat as my back hit the wall, the impact knocking the breath out of my lungs.
I instantly stared up and found Zack standing right in front of me. His hand was still locked around my wrist while the other slammed against the wall beside my head.
“You,” he spoke sharply. “How dare you!”
My pulse skipped.
For the first time I met Zack, he wasn’t calm or smirking coldly. His amber eyes glowed dangerously as he repeated.
“How dare you, Ellie Hunt?”
Actually, that was supposed to be my question!
I asked. “What are you talking about?”
His jaw tightened.
“Don’t…don’t play innocent now. How dare you sell my family’s secret?”
My brows knitted together.
“Which secrets?”
And instead of answering, Zack hurriedly snatched the shopping bag from my hand. His expressions darkened.
“So, you have already started spending money.”
Excuse me?
I gawked at him as he pulled out the designer dress, his eyes burning with restrained fury.
“Great!
I hope you have saved enough money for bail.”
My mouth fell open.
Was he insane?
“You think I went shopping?” I snarled, snatching the dress back from his hand.
I held it against myself and said.
“Look at this!
Does it look like my size to you?”
Zack’s gaze dropped, sweeping over me leisurely, making me regret that demonstration in a split second.
My face heated up, but still, I spoke firmly.
“Tell me. Do you think it’ll fit me in this eternity?”
His gaze returned to mine.
“No!”
“Exactly!”
I shoved the dress back into the bag. “FYI, it belongs to my friend.”
I put that shopping bag on the chair nearby and crossed my arms.
“And since you are asking ridiculous questions today, I have one too.”
His expressions remained cold.
“Go ahead.”
“Where is my husband? You sent me a message saying he wants to see me.”
My question made him pause.
Something flickered across his face so fast that I missed it.
“You will answer his question soon enough.”
Zack unlocked his phone and shoved it toward me.
“Firstly, explain this!”
I looked at the screen, the picture of an empty hospital room making me confused.
“Umm… what am I looking at?”
Zack replied coldly.
“It’s my father’s hospital suite.”
Now looking closely, I realized it was indeed Mr. Zackary’s room in the city hospital.
But why was he showing me?
I raised my eyes.
“So?”
His gaze sharpened.
“When you insisted on seeing him, I thought you wanted to seduce him for money.
But… it turns out, you want something more valuable.”
I stared at him blankly as he continued.
“You took pictures of his room and sold them.”
What?
This accusation sounded so ridiculous that my brain refused to process it.
“You think I sold the pictures of an empty room? Like, seriously?”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“You have some major issues, Zack.”
His jaw clenched tightly.
“I don’t have any issues.”
“Oh, really?”
Pointing at the phone, I stated.
“Mr. Charles was with me when I went there. I wasn’t alone.
And who will exactly buy such pictures? The owner of the hospital’s photography business?”
Zack gazed at me for a minute, his look suggesting that I wasn’t taking it seriously anymore.
He spoke icily.
“Our rivals! You sold them these pictures.”
Not again!
I groaned, my voice rising.
“Look, I don’t know anything about my husband except that he is sick and old. Then how would I possibly know about his rivals?”
I gestured at his phone. “And the ones who are interested excitingly in empty room’s pictures.”
A low, dark chuckle escaped him as Zack shook his head, his voice humorless.
“Nice speech, Ellie. Too bad. I am immune to emotional blackmailing.”
His eyes locked into mine.
“Your handbag.”
What?
Before I could even react, he grabbed my bag and unzipped it, his fingers moving through the contents.
A wave of anger instantly coiled in my chest.
Damn!
This man hadn’t heard about the boundaries ever!
I snapped angrily.
“What the hell do you think you are doing, Zack?”
But he didn’t even look up, busy unzipping the second portion.
“Looking for evidence!”
His calm response set my blood on fire.
As he raised his head after a failed search, I spread my arms.
“Carry on! Search everything.”
My patience snapped. “Perhaps, you will find what you are looking for.”
Zack narrowed his eyes.
“Everything?”
“Yes!” I spoke daringly.
Zack took a step forward, raising his hand.
“Let’s see, what and where are you hiding it.”
The way his hand approached my breasts, a realization hit me hard.
Shoot!
I immediately crossed my arms over my chest.
“Absolutely not!”
His mouth twitched.
That jerk was clearly enjoying it.
I added to support my claim. “Call a maid if you want a body search.”
A faint mutter escaped him.
“Why? What will be the fun in that?”
Gosh!
Heat crept up my neck in a split second.
And Zack?
He started scrolling his phone with a straight face like he didn’t utter that nonsense.
The moment I tried to question him, he moved, shoving the phone toward me again.
“Check it.”
This time, I read the headline beneath the image as Zack had scrolled the page.
‘Mr. Zackary Walton. Hiding in the hospital to escape consequences?’
My stomach dropped.
The article beneath was full of rumors, speculations, and accusations, refreshing the old scandal once again.
A wave of cold understanding settled over me.
This wasn’t about an empty room. That was a direct attack on Mr. Zackary’s reputation.
I asked seriously.
“Who did this?”
Zack’s sharp voice made my head snap up.
“Of course, you. You are the first suspect here.”
I rolled my eyes. “I am serious, Zack.”
“So, I am!”
“No,” I handed the phone back. “I mean it.”
My voice softened.
“Look, I didn’t sell the pictures. You can check my account and belongings for evidence.
I haven’t even seen more money than a thousand dollars before.”
Zack’s expressions remained unreadable.
“Neither, I have. I don’t carry cash.”
That absurd response made me shake my head in disbelief.
“Listen to me carefully, Zack.”
I inhaled deeply. “Let me clear one thing. I am not here for your family’s wealth or inheritance. In fact, I don’t know how long I will stay here.”
My heart clenched as I continued. “And when the time comes, I will leave exactly the way I have arrived here.”
For a second, Zack’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
The anger vanished from his face completely as I said.
“You don’t need to trust me, but we have to live under the same roof just for some time. So, please stop accusing me of the crimes whenever you get bored.”
With that, I turned toward the door, no longer interested in this unnecessary interrogation session.
Mr. Zackary was bullied online, so I had to find him before Zack could pour venom in his heart.
But just as I reached the door, Zack called me from behind.
“Ellie!”
Although this stupid conversation was over, I looked back, his deep voice sounding different.
His gaze dropped briefly to the shopping bag on the chair.
“Your friend’s dress.”
I frowned. “What about it now?”
Zack held my gaze.
“Where is yours?”
“For what?”
Zack answered quietly. “For the Hunt family’s banquet.”
“No!” I answered at once. “I am not going.”
I turned again and grabbed the handle, ready to walk away.
But before I could open the door, a hand landed beside my head, slamming it shut.
Zack leaned down, close enough that his warmth surrounded me.
My heart skipped as I raised my head and found his amber eyes inches away from me.
“You will go!”
His cold voice commanded.
“And you will attend exactly the way you should, as Mrs. Zackary Walton!”
- Writer
