As everyone filed out of the living room, Brag trailed behind his grandmother, Elaine, his gaze drifting to Penny.
He caught her watching him, and a smirk tugged at his lips. "I'm very curious to see how you'll escape my grasp regarding Zanier, Penny,"
he thought, suspicion creeping in.
He sensed a shift in her demeanor since Zanier's arrival, and the intimacy they'd shared last night felt strangely different—almost forced.
Penny's glare pierced through Brag's thoughts as she noticed Cassia observing her from across the room.
Their eyes locked, and Cassia smirked, a look that sparked a flicker of annoyance in Penny.
"You two sisters are something," Cassia mused, noting how Penny and Bae had become thorns in her pursuit of Zanier.
Penny's gaze remained fixed on Cassia, her intuition buzzing with the feeling that something was being plotted against her.
The floor is yours, Cassia, she thought, the tension thickening as she recognized the subtle game at play.
"Because I'll ensure Brag buries you six feet under before your foolish wish comes true," Penny vowed silently, her heart pounding with determination.
She turned away, escorting her mother and maid toward the sanctuary of her mother's room,
In Silva's grand room within her father's estate, the atmosphere was heavy with tension.
The elegant décor—a mix of rich fabrics and polished wood—seemed to mock the unfolding drama.
"Penny," Silva called softly, her voice barely rising above the silence.
"Once she gets back, have her come to see me," Silva instructed, her gaze distant looking at the mirror.
"Of course, Mother," Penny replied, a smirk curling at her lips. She could sense an opportunity brewing.
"If I may ask, why Mother?" Penny inquired, masking her true intentions with a feigned innocence.
"What else? To have her divorce Zanier," Silva responded, her tone flat as her maid helped her settle onto the plush bed.
"Sure, Mother. I'll make sure she meets you," Penny said, leaning down to kiss her mother's forehead.
As she did, she caught a glimpse of Silva's cold gaze fixed on the window, the facade of warmth slipping away.
"If she doesn't come willingly, then I'll ensure it's done forcefully," Penny thought, her mind racing with sinister possibilities.
The determination to separate Zanier and Bae settled in her chest, fueling her resolve to use any means necessary to achieve her goal.
As afternoon sunlight filtered through the car windows, Bae sat in the back seat, her fingers tracing the edges of her wedding certificate, a smile playing on her lips.
Beside her, Zanier exuded an air of elegance, his demeanor detached as he focused on the tablet in his hands, filled with documents that spoke of his many responsibilities.
Bae's gaze shifted from the certificate to Zanier, her smile fading slightly as a flicker of doubt crossed her mind.
"He probably thinks I'm insane, just like the others," she thought, memories of the maids' whispers echoing in her head.
She'd grown accustomed to their ridicule over the years.
"Nice Uncle, can I ask you a question?" she ventured, her voice hesitant as she looked down, fidgeting with the hem of her dress.
"Go on," Zanier replied, his attention barely shifting from the screen, his tone cool and indifferent.
"Why did you marry me?" Bae asked, forcing herself to meet his gaze, her smile bright yet contrasting sharply with his icy demeanor.
Zanier paused, momentarily taken aback by her question. Inside, he grappled with his motives for taking a naive girl like her as his wife.
For personal reasons, he thought, finding her inquiry perplexing for someone so uneducated.
His primary goal was to maintain a relationship devoid of love, driven by his ambitions rather than emotional connection.
Beneath his cold exterior, resentment simmered, a complex mix of feelings he struggled to acknowledge.
Zanier barely registered Bae's voice breaking through the silence.
"Is it because you want to give me tasty food, nice uncle?" Her eyes sparkled with innocence as she smiled at him.
"So strange," Zanier mused, as a discrete faint smirk lips on his lips studying her with cold, indifferent eyes.
She was an enigma, her naivety both intriguing and frustrating.
"Yes," he replied curtly, just as the car came to a stop.
"Her uneducated upbringing makes this all too easy," he thought, suppressing a smirk.
"Come, let's go," he instructed, gesturing as Michael opened the door for him.
Bae stepped out, her jaw-dropping at the sight before her.
A stunning villa stood proudly against the afternoon sun, its white facade gleaming, dark glass windows glinting like jewels. It felt like a dream.
"You're dismissed," Zanier said, glancing back at Michael with a cold finality.
"Have a good night, sir," Michael replied, his head tilting slightly in respect as he walked away.
As Bae followed Zanier into the villa, her curiosity piqued, she watched Michael retreating.
Why is he leaving? she wondered, feeling a twinge of uncertainty
As Bae stepped inside, her eyes widened in shock at the sight of two massive white tigers sprawled on the floor, their fur shimmering in the soft light.
The air was thick with a mix of awe and trepidation.
In a moment of instinct, she grabbed Zanier's sleeve, wrapping her arms around him.
"Nice uncle, are they bad?" Her voice trembled slightly, eyes darting between the slumbering giants.
"No," he replied, his tone icy and detached.
"Oh, sorry." Embarrassment flushed her cheeks as she released her grip, realizing that Zanier seemed uncomfortable with her touch.
"Follow me," he commanded, turning sharply to ascend the staircase.
Bae trailed behind him, her heart racing, the lingering fear of the tigers weighing heavily on her mind.