The interior of the palace was quite magnificent. With an ancient look but also with a touch of elegance and seriousness.
The man led Zoey down a hallway filled with expensive wooden furniture, vases, busts, and works of art. There were also a few portraits, mostly featuring a pale majestic boy with ice blue eyes. They showcased him at first with a large group of people who seemed to be a family. But they looked nothing alike.
Then as he grew older the more solo portraits appeared on the wall. Once he reached adulthood no more family pictures appeared on the walls.
"He must be the boss. Jeez, what a narcissist." Zoey said to herself.
[Miss Zoey,]
"Hmm, " Zoey slightly hummed.
[I've found a Dr. Gabriel Stone who you went too until you turned twelve.
I've also found something that's quite concerning. He was given hundreds of thousands of dollars from Erica. Then he retired early. I'm still working on finding his location though.
He seemed to just disappear off the face of the earth.]
Zoey nodded her head while continuing to scan the walls.
[I've also found a remote warehouse that would make for a great lab.]
Zoey nodded again.
[I've also pinpointed this location so we can return if need be. I'll work harder to find Dr. Stone.]
"Good, " Zoey mumbled and noticed that the man leading her had stopped in front of a large wooden door.
He turned to Zoey and said, " I shall alert my boss of your arrival, please stay here."
He then opened the door and quickly went aside leaving Zoey to stand there with a bored expression.
"*Sniff sniff* Oh, Sky you smell that? *Sniff* It's arrogance, *Sniff* a huge ego, and *Sniff* OH, yeah, the beginning of a toxic relationship. *Sniff* Oooh, and the slightest whiff of marital rape.
Yup, there's a male lead behind that door. A shitty one at that, I can smell it." Zoey whispered.
She really didn't want to interact with him but she had to or he'd bother her everywhere. She clenched her jaw as the door opened widely and Arthur stepped out clad in a white suit, pale light blue shirt, white pocket square, white tie, white shoes, and white gloves.
He announced with an angelic smile, " Miss Zoey. It's such a pleasure to see you again. My boss has also been eagerly awaiting your arrival."
"Gee, I wouldn't have guessed that since he purposely left me to wait." Zoey bluntly said.
Arthur hesitated slightly and when he went to respond, Zoey held her hand to stop him.
"Hush! Look, Arthur, you don't seem like a bad guy but I am not in a good mood right now.
I already knew that your boss was an arrogant prick, and I was willing to put up with any little charade he organized.
But then he really tested his luck by making me sit in the sun. Proving he's sadistic and that he likes having the boost in ego knowing that I won't move because I'm oh so desperate to meet him.
Which, AGAIN, doesn't have me in the best of moods. So here's what's gonna happen, you're gonna lead me in, I'm gonna get this over with, and the next time you want to talk to me it'll be by text or a short phone call, kay?
Now lead the way."
"Bu-, " Arthur was interrupted by Zoey before he could even say a word.
"Arthur, two seconds later and you've already forgotten your instructions. Do you need a spanking?" Zoey taunted.
Arthur gulped, clearly, Zoey wasn't playing but he was mulling over whether he should tell Zoey about Daniel's plan. Because he wanted to avoid as little bloodshed as possible.
But he couldn't disobey Daniel's orders so he just sighed, " *Sigh* Yes."
Zoey smirked and asked, " Yes, you want me to spank you? Or yes you'll lead the way?"
Arthur chuckled under his breath and gestured for her to follow him.
Zoey was lead into a large office-like room. On the far right was a desk, with an office chair, and a variety of pens and papers. Along with that, were large wooden bookcases that covered the walls, filled with thick books, and reached the high ceiling that held a chandelier.
But on the left, were two dark green couches facing parallel to each other, a fireplace, and even more large paintings.
These, however, were of a woman with black hair and eyes, posed in various positions.
Arthur ushered Zoey over to the couches where she could see a large figure with their hair in a bun and in a white t-shirt.
Zoey sat down and looked at the handsome man before her. He wore gray sweatpants along with his t-shirt and was barefoot. He possessed a fair amount of stubble making him look breathtakingly rugged. With a large smile that held a charmingly boyish dimple on the side.
Daniel looked at Zoey in shock, with his mouth slightly agape. He stared at her face paying close attention to her pillowy ruby lips.
As he stared at her lips he lightly licked his own and his eyes traveled downward. He started at Zoey's chest caressing her with his eyes. Was she wearing a bra? Oh, how he wished he could find out.
He felt his mouth go dry as he moved down to Zoey's silky and creamy legs and saw a dark space between her legs. What kind of underwear was she wearing?
So many questions that he HAD to find out.
"Hey, stop pitching a tent! What did you call me in here for?" Zoey rudely asked as she rolled her eyes.
Daniel snapped out of his trance and cleared his throat, " *Ahem* Pardon me I must still be half asleep."
He stared at Zoey to see her reaction. He was blatantly disrespecting her, making her think that he couldn't care less about her. That coupled with the fact he kept her waiting in front of the jewelry shop. She must be ready to explode.
What would she do?
Would she be frustrated and put on a fake smile that shows a vein-popping out of her forehead?
Would she glare at him and give a mean sarcastic response?
Would she burst into tears and cuss him out?
He wanted to see how Zoey would react. But to his surprise, Zoey didn't react at all she just sat with her head in her palm and looked absolutely uninterested.
He gritted his teeth and made a huge smirk. This woman was so interesting.
She was definitely going to be his.
"Anyways I'd like to discuss a contract with you." Daniel beamed.
"Hmm, we already reached an agreement at the jewelry shop, what else is there?" Zoey raised a question but there was no real curiosity or interest behind it.
"Well don't you want to sign an actual contract?" Daniel inquired.
"No," Zoey said without reserve.
Daniel's upbeat front wavered. His lips visibly curled downward for a minute, his eyelids twitched, and he constricted his hand into a fist.
"Why not?" Daniel asked as if he didn't care but the fire in his eyes contradicted him.
"Because I don't want to sign a contract with YOU, " she put more emphasis on the 'you'.
Zoey sneered on the inside. The best way to take down a male lead is to go after his ego first.
Daniel clenched his jaw and swallowed to keep himself from spewing any of his rage.
"I don't want my name and yours to be associated with each other. I don't want to be connected to you in any way. I don't even want our names in the same sentence.
In short, I don't want people to find you through me or me through you. Is that a satisfactory answer?" Zoey talked like a customer service representative with not a shred of emotion.
Daniel said nothing leaving them in intense silence.
"Well, alright I don't want to pressure you or anything like that. But I did want to discuss something else with you." He finally spoke and reverted to his previous upbeat demeanor.
Zoey peeked at his still clenched fist and then looked back at him. "Oh, what's that?" she asked.
Daniel sneered and clasped his hands together.
"It must be hard on you I bet. Poor, an abusive and unfaithful husband, abusive rich family on one side, and a loving impoverished family on the other.
I would like to offer you a deal that would greatly help your situation."
He pulled out a few papers he had stashed in between the cushions and handed them to her.
Zoey grabbed the papers and the first thing she saw was.
'M͟A͟R͟R͟I͟A͟G͟E͟ C͟O͟N͟T͟R͟A͟C͟T͟'
In big black letters.
"Now before you decide anything I bet you're wondering how this could benefit you? You see, I find you quite interesting woman. And I'm willing to give you access to my many resources and aid you in any revenge or bloodshed you plan.
All you have to do is be my wife. Divorce Alex and I protect you, your family, and your friends." Daniel explained.
Zoey wasn't even listening anymore. She WAS PISSED. She yelled in her head, "BITCH! I can't believe this! This the most cliches of cliches!
The male lead either bones a girl or just finds her interesting and later finds out she's in a bad situation.
Then he offers a shitty contract to make ALL her problems go away! Then he starts forcing himself on her and he 'falls' for her but treats her like shit!
Every time she talks to a guy she's loose! Every time she tries to explain a misunderstanding she's a lying bitch even though he 'loves' her! Every time the male lead's family or some random people pick on her he's oblivious!
And every time she tries to leave he won't let her because she belongs to him.
Then he ends up abandoning her! Sometimes because he meets a new girl!
The female lead, who sometimes end up pregnant, goes away and comes back stronger sometimes with a smart little kid in tow.
Then the male lead starts acting like a horny ass bitch and starts chasing after her again!
Does the female lead tell him to piss off! NOPE! She takes his dumbass back! And does the male lead change? BARELY! At that point, I realized the female lead is an idiot too!
Oh, but not this female lead! This female lead is gonna beat albino boy red, black, and blue!"
Zoey was about to stand up when.
[MISS ZOEY!]
"Ah! What Sky, you're gonna make my ears bleed!" Zoey said in her head.
[I've found the leader of the 'Dragon Claw Gang'! It's that man in front of you! Daniel Fang!]
"Oh, so he was behind Katherine almost getting raped and Cody almost getting kidnapped. That means I have to beat him harder but I still don't see why you have to scream in my head." Zoey replied.
Meanwhile, Daniel who was getting annoyed by Zoey's silence stood up and came over to her.
He used his thumb and index finger to pinch her chin and jerk it upward. He placed his arm on the couch next to her head on the left side. Then he placed his knee on her right, pressed and rubbing against her leg.
Now that he had her caged with his body he pushed Zoey against the back of the couch and leaned in closer to her. He put his face inches away from hers.
He then spoke hungrily, " Woman, be mine."
"Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew. I can feel his hot breath on my face and his hot 'thing' is about to touch me. He's dead!" Zoey groaned.
[Miss Zoey that's not all!]
"Then what is it Sky? This guy's hand is about to start wandering if I don't stop him." She groaned in her head.
[Your father Donny Bell conspired with a scientist from the lab that tortured you who managed to survive your massacre. The scientist created a gas that was able it disable me along with all your abilities leaving you helpless and overall useless. So you wouldn't be able to escape or survive the bomb that caused the death if you Annie.]
"Yeah I know that, what's that got to do with this?" Zoey asked in her head.
[Thanks to his several contacts Daniel found out that Donny Bell had a daughter who he wanted dead.
So he contacted him and offered him information on a scientist who had been disfigured after an 'accident' in her lab. Who had to resort to cooking drugs.
In return, he wanted access to your bank accounts, projects, and any other information he could salvage. Along with his full cooperation in their companies, and a hefty sum of millions of dollars paid to him every few months.]
"What?!" Zoey growled in her head.
[Yes and he also wanted you dead because you were on your way to becoming a political official and if you did he would lose a lot.
And he couldn't find anything to blackmail you and he couldn't gain your companionship.
Yes, this bastard was in on it and basically helped arrange the whole thing! He saw Jade as a threat so he eliminated you and he thought of Annie as just another necessary casualty!]
Daniel looked at the silent Zoey who had pushed her head down to avoid his gaze even though he had a tight grip on her chin.
"Ah, she's embarrassed I want to see her blushing face." He purred in his mind.
He leaned closer to her ear and whispered, " Zoey, look at me." He commanded.
"bastard, " Zoey murmured.
"Hmm?" Daniel made a confused hum.
"*Agh!*" He screamed in pain when he felt like his arm was being slowly crushed in half. The pain made him finally let go of Zoey's chin.
He looked to see Zoey's hand gripping his arm, with her nails digging in causing blood to flow.
He looked back at Zoey confused and slightly angry. He flinched when Zoey looked up at him.
She made a large snarl like a rabid wolf and she accidentally bit her lip causing a light red line to run down her chin. Her eyes had gone red, as they bulged out of her skull and the light that reflected off her eyes made it seem that they were shaking with rage.
She breathed heavily through her nose.
"YOU GODDAMN BASTARD!" she roared sounding like a demon king.