Unspoken Vows

Chapter3:A Game of Fate

Zoe wasn’t one to be overly meticulous, but she wasn’t someone who would let herself be taken advantage of either. Liam had gone on a business trip on their wedding night, and not only did he fail to return on time, but he also didn’t bother to contact her. Naturally, she couldn’t just sit around waiting at home like a neglected wife, nor could she allow him to think that he could treat her position in the family with such disregard.

Thus, she felt it necessary to set the tone.

What she hadn’t expected was that things had escalated more than she intended. She was caught somewhat off guard.

There were times when she had to lower her head and reconcile, for that was the way of a gentleman—after all, they were unlikely to have children anytime soon, and she couldn’t let him shift the responsibility onto her in front of both families.

Later that night, dressed in an elegant long-sleeved nightgown, Zoe entered the study carrying a tray with coffee made by the housekeeper, Lucy, tea brewed by Lucy, and Swiss cream puffs baked by Lucy, all with great effort.

Liam glanced at her but quickly lowered his head, continuing to turn the page of his report.

“...”His indifference froze the smile she had prepared to flash.

The tray was laden, with steam rising from the cups. Liam glanced at it briefly before asking, “What’s the matter?’

“Oh, I made some food, just wondering if you wanted to eat.”She deliberately avoided specifying who had made it, leaving it vague.

He didn’t press further: “Leave the coffee. The rest is yours.’

Zoe feigned casual concern and asked, “Are you going to stay up late again?’

“Do you need me to keep you company while you sleep?’

Zoe calmly bit into a puff, letting the creamy taste fill her senses. “Too much late-night work will affect sperm count. I’m worried your family’s bloodline might end with you. You’re the fourth generation of only sons, after all.’

“Oh? So, you’re subtly inviting me?”Liam smirked, his expression lingering with an ambiguous intent, though the true message was clear: he was distancing her.

“Not at all. I’m subtly testing you.’

“Testing what?’

Having devoured two puffs to her satisfaction, Zoe got up happily and leaned in close to his ear, delivering her answer: “Testing if you’re gay.”With his appearance, he was quite the catch in the l***q community.

Before he could react, she gracefully left the room, leaving behind only the lingering scent of her perfume.

Liam sighed deeply, flipping through a few more pages of reports but growing increasingly disinterested. He then called his assistant to check on the schedule for the next couple of days.

Assistant Samson, who had just spent the night in a euphoric haze, was momentarily caught off guard. “Tomorrow? I believe there are no major events scheduled at the company. Oh, wait—”he suddenly smacked his forehead and hurriedly ran over to his desk to pull out his notebook, confirming, “Mr. Hunter, tomorrow the company has no big plans, but you have to get up early to visit your mother-in-law.’

“Mother-in-law?”Liam’s voice rose with surprise.

Assistant Samson nodded with a touch of amusement. “Yes. You haven’t visited the Blackwell family yet; it’s time to pay your respects to the elders.’

This wedding had been arranged in haste; a union forged over the shuffle of mahjong tiles between two sets of parents. The story, as it went, was that on the day of the engagement, Liam's mother and Zoe's mother had found themselves at the Mitchell family’s house, engaged in a spirited game of poker—a pastime that spanned generations, from the young to the elderly. On one side of the table, the Mitchell family’s younger generation and Liam’s mother were grinning with victory, while on the other, Zoe’s mother, with the sharpest of frowns, found herself losing so badly that she might as well have been gambling away her very dignity.

"Mrs. Blackwell, I suggest you put that earring on the line," came the teasing suggestion, as the game drew ever closer to its end.

"No! This earring was a Valentine’s gift from my husband," Mrs. Blackwell retorted with a defensive tone.

"And the jade bracelet?" came the further challenge.

"Absolutely not! That was a gift from my eldest daughter for my birthday," she snapped.

"How about that gold chain?"

"Over my dead body! That chain is a good luck charm I had made for my grandson," Mrs. Blackwell shot back, raising her voice in exasperation.

"Enough, enough," came the groan from the other side of the table. "You can’t even afford to lose."

"We’re done for the day, Mrs. Hunter," the other woman conceded, but with an air of reluctant defeat.

With the loss hanging heavily over her, Mrs. Blackwell knew she’d have a difficult time explaining this to her husband when she got home. Desperate to make up for the losses, she suddenly blurted out, "Wait! I still have another daughter!"

And so, as expected, she threw her daughter’s future into the proverbial pot.

It was a hurried, crass arrangement—steeped in the smell of money and the clink of mahjong tiles—and, fortunately for the couple, neither Liam nor Zoe had any idea of how their union had come about. If they had known, it surely would have been an explosive scene, and no one would have been able to stop the ensuing chaos.

The Hunter family had been protective of Liam for years, sending him off to a boarding school early on, then abroad for preparatory courses in high school, followed by a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree. He had only recently returned to the city, but even now, he rarely made an appearance, existing only in the mouths of relatives, “Look at how good Liam is,”or in the fantasies of young women who whispered, “He’s so handsome.’

Although Liam would have been a highly sought-after catch, there was one issue...

Zoe’s mother had once wondered if she had been too careless with her youngest daughter, but after meeting her son-in-law, she could only think, “Thank goodness for the blind luck that led to this match—my daughter is marrying the most outstanding man in town!’

The next morning, Liam and Zoe headed to the Blackwell family to pay their respects. On the drive there, there was hardly any conversation between them. Once inside, Zoe immediately went to the garden to play with the dog, leaving Liam to face her parents alone in the main hall.

Mr. Blackwell sat calmly, holding a purple clay teapot, gently rubbing the side as if lost in deep thought.

Mrs. Blackwell, on the other hand, was completely charmed by Liam’s handsome face. At nearly fifty, she was experiencing the excitement of being a “fan”again. Her giddiness made her practically beam with joy, showering Liam with compliments like “Good, good, good...’, “You’re right, young man...’, and “Don’t worry about that little girl, Mom will back you up...’

Zoe, upon hearing this from the garden, could barely suppress her frustration.

Back inside, Zoe nonchalantly asked, “What are we having for lunch? I want to eat the vegetables from the back garden.’

Mrs. Blackwell was about to give a dismissive reply when Liam, clearly puzzled, repeated, “The back garden vegetables?”Mrs. Blackwell instantly sprang to her feet with a smile, “Yes, the vegetables from the back garden. Your father grows them when he has free time. They’re all organic and pesticide-free. Let me go pick some for you!’

In no time, father and mother were having a loving exchange, while Zoe quietly observed, thinking, "It seems the dog, Elizabeth, is more loyal than anyone else here, always rushing to greet me, unlike everyone else who’s eyeing my husband."

“Are you going with Mom?”Liam asked her, “It’s best to take an umbrella. The sun’s quite strong outside.’

“Sure,”Zoe replied flatly, and turned to head out.

Liam remained with Mr. Blackwell, talking about national politics and the latest movements from the Federal Reserve. After discussing current affairs, they played chess. Liam was patient and tactful in every move.

He was quite adept at winning the favor of elders—or perhaps, after the contrast of various lesser families, he had learned how to navigate the expectations of others, molding himself into a kind of ideal.

Zoe and her mother returned from the garden to find Liam serving tea to Mr. Blackwell. He first warmed the teapot with hot water, then added some white tea leaves, carefully pouring hot water to rinse the tea before filtering and serving it, saying, “Dad, here you go.”His demeanor was so poised.

Zoe was surprised—this was the same man who had been so cold earlier? His smile, calm and dignified, was more fitting of a model in a magazine.

“This young man, I really like him. Make sure you take good care of him. Give it a year or two and bring me some grandkids.’

“Grandkids?”Mrs. Blackwell teasingly retorted, “Didn’t you just say you wanted to marry him yourself? Now you’re trying to get me to have kids with him? You’re such a fickle woman.’

“I’m not as lucky as you,”Vivienne huffed. “If I were twenty years younger, I’d be the one getting him.’

“Don’t be so modest. You’re still as beautiful as ever. You still hold a special place in the hearts of the older men in this city,”Zoe teased.

Vivienne flushed and scolded her, “Don’t let your father hear you!’

“Dad would just be even more pleased,”Zoe retorted. “He gets to have the “high-aged flower”by his side every night. What a boast.”

“Stop it,”Mrs. Blackwell mumbled, her face red.

“You know, Mom, I’ve never used a single condom,”Zoe teased, “Didn’t you and Dad—"

The awkwardness of the situation made Mrs. Blackwell even more flustered. Zoe, ever the troublemaker, had made it public.

“Well, we’re not talking about this anymore,”Vivienne muttered, turning to leave.

Zoe followed her mother outside, asking with an exaggerated tone, “What’s this “good luck for fools”thing? If anyone’s lucky, it’s me for marrying Liam. My sister could never have been as smart as I am. I always outperformed her in every subject, and even Charlotte couldn’t beat me in exams.’

“Yes, yes, you’re the best,”Mrs. Blackwell replied absent-mindedly, but once they reached the living room, both knew to lower their voices.

“Zoe,”Liam called.

“What?”Zoe turned, her cheeks still flushed from their playful quarrel.

Liam smiled faintly, “I just spoke to Dad. We’re staying here tonight.”At her pause, he added, “You don’t mind, do you?’

Swallowing her surprise, Zoe turned to Mr. Blackwell for confirmation. “Dad?’

“Yes,”Mr. Blackwell nodded sagely. “I’ve discussed it with Liam. We thought it would be nice for him to stay a few more days.’

Mr. Blackwell couldn’t help but feel intrigued. This boy might actually be onto something. Finally, someone who could manage Zoe...

He sat back, eager to watch this play unfold.