Chapter 3
893 Words
Zachary shot me a cold, sharp glance before shifting his gaze fully toward Mia.
Her eyes were now red and swollen like a rabbit's, as she spoke in a soft, pitiful tone. "Zachary, please don't be too hard on her."
What a perfect way to dump all the blame onto me. There was no way I was taking the fall for this.
"I'm sure the servers standing nearby saw exactly what happened," I said calmly. "They pushed me first. I didn't start any of this. And besides…" I nodded toward the security cameras mounted on the walls. "The footage will prove everything."
"Even if that's true," one of her friends snapped, "you still showed up flaunting the dress he bought you just to provoke Mia!"
'So no matter what, I was always the one in the wrong.'
Everyone turned their attention to Zachary, waiting for the final judgment from the man who held all the power.
He shrugged off his suit jacket and draped it gently over Mia's shoulders. "Put this on to cover yourself. I'll have someone take you to change into something else. My apologies."
Ah. So the scale of favor was always tipped in her direction. Even when I proved myself innocent, Zachary would still protect the woman he cared for most.
But for me, that no longer mattered.
His face dark with frustration, he grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the car. The moment the door clicked shut, he loosened his tie and spoke in a low, irritated voice.
"Stay far away from her."
I remembered this kind of moment from my past life all too well. Back then, I would have burst into tears, acting hurt and wronged.
Now, I simply replied in a steady, calm tone, "Mr. Kane, it must be obvious to you that I was the one being treated unfairly tonight."
He clearly hadn't expected me to be so rational and unemotional.
He paused for a moment before saying, "I know that. But Mia's family elders were watching from the side, I had to maintain appearances…"
"I understand completely," I cut in with a small smile. "But that doesn't mean I should swallow my grievance for nothing, does it? How about you make it up to me instead, give me that top‑tier, high‑profile script you've been holding onto?"
In my past life, that very role had launched Mia straight into the ranks of A‑list stars. I'd watched her rise with burning envy. I'd even begged Zachary for it once, only to be turned down with the excuse that my acting skills weren't good enough to carry such a major production.
As if Mia's performance was any better. Just a moment ago, she'd been trying to hide her satisfaction while wearing his jacket, barely able to suppress a smile.
Zachary pressed his lips together in thought, weighing the request. After a short silence, he gave a short nod. "Very well."
I didn't stop there. I pointed to the wine stains all over my dress. "And I'd like compensation for this gown, a cash settlement is fine."
Maybe Zachary wasn't the ideal partner, but he certainly knew how to treat an employee fairly. He agreed without hesitation, though his eyes lingered on me with a curious, searching look for a long time afterward.
The ride home was completely silent.
Normally, I would have chattered nonstop, clinging to him and demanding his attention, until he'd grow annoyed and snap at me to be quiet.
But tonight, I spent the whole trip scrolling through short videos, completely absorbed. I ignored the sharp glances he threw my way every minute, and the quiet huffs meant to draw my notice.
'This feels so good.'
After a long day, I was exhausted. The second we walked through the door, I dashed past him straight into the bathroom.
I took a long, hot shower until I felt fresh and clean, then slipped into bed and curled up under the covers with a contented sigh.
I didn't rush to bring him his slippers. I didn't run a bath for him.
Zachary's expression grew even darker than it had been at the party. He made a point of creating noise, slamming his phone down hard on the nightstand, leaving the bathroom door open so the sound of running water echoed through the room.
It was loud enough to distract me from what I was watching, so I simply put on my headphones and tuned him out.
When he finished and climbed into bed, he automatically stretched one arm out, expecting me to rest my head on it like I always had.
Oh, right! This was my own fault. Back then, I'd clung to him so tightly and used his arm as a pillow every night that it had become a habit for him, too.
I just rolled over to the other side, pretending not to notice.
As the sound of his breathing grew heavier, the overhead light was switched off abruptly.
Three seconds later...
It flicked back on.
Zachary sat bolt upright, jaw tight with frustration. "Adeline Reed, exactly what are you angry about?"
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