Zoe Bell slightly tilted her face upwards to look at the person before her, someone she never could have dreamed would appear here...
William Hale!
How could it be him?
Why was he here? He didn't live here, did he?
She had heard Kevin Bell mention William Hale at home before. Meeting him was difficult, or rather, in his eyes, the Bell Family simply wasn't up to par; he disdained social interactions.
So why was such a person here?
Was it a coincidence?
Zoe Bell no longer had the heart to think too much; she just tried hard to squeeze a faint smile from the corner of her mouth to make herself look less disheveled and softly called out, "Mr. Hale."
William Hale's eyes were downcast; she didn't notice that the umbrella in his hand was almost entirely tilted over her.
In the rain, he held up a little piece of the sky for her.
Zoe Bell appeared awkward and embarrassed. She was only wearing slippers, soaked through, "I'm sorry, I was thinking of a chance to return your clothes, your clothes got wet, I..."
Her voice caught in her throat, unable to find any reasonable explanation for her current situation.
Her slender figure trembled slightly in the wind and rain.
She bit her lip subconsciously, her lips losing all their color.
His voice was cool as he said, "Miss Bell, would you like to get in the car?"
Perhaps it was the rain that softened his tone, but she found the usually harsh and ruthless William Hale to be unusually gentle.
Zoe Bell was simply too tired, her legs hurt, and so did her heart.
Maybe it was because he had helped her before, making it easy for her to let down her guard.
Somehow, she actually nodded her head.
She got into William Hale's car.
The air conditioning was on, and William Hale signaled Zac Cruz to turn up the heat. Warmth instantly enveloped her, "I'm sorry, I'm all wet, and I've dirtied your car."
William Hale didn't speak; he simply handed her a tissue. His hands were beautiful, with long, elegant fingers.
She thanked him and grabbed it, frantically wiping the rain off her body.
Probably because she had been in the rain too long, compounded by a fever the night before, her head felt heavy. Now, wrapped in the warm air and as the car moved, her senses slowly returned.
She glanced at the person next to her out of the corner of her eye.
The man's face was veiled in shadow, indistinct, his body relaxed against the back of his seat, his facial features becoming more pronounced, casual yet noble.
His woody scent was overwhelmingly potent.
Zoe Bell bit her lip—she must be crazy!
Why had she gotten into William Hale's car!
Probably because she had just wanted a place to take shelter from the wind and rain.
So late at night, getting into a car with a man she hardly knew was really not wise.
She muttered, lips quivering, "Mr. Hale, just find a place up ahead and drop me off."
William Hale turned to look at her. "Where can you go?"
Not where did she want to go?
But where could she go!
It had to be said, William Hale was sharply perceptive.
It was as if he saw right through her embarrassment, the disarray she desperately tried to hide, which seemed utterly exposed before him.
Her phone vibrated; Zoe Bell opened it to find a local news alert.
[Young Master Stone with a new love, behavior intimate]
He had said it didn't have to be him.
And then, he found someone new?
That was fast!
The rain grew heavier, pounding on the car like dense drumbeats, jarring her nerves. The atmosphere inside the car grew uncannily still, with Zac Cruz tucked in the driver's seat, making himself as small as possible.
The phone vibrated; Director Hall's call came again, his tone strained as he asked her, "Zoe, President Bell isn't answering his phone. Could you possibly tell him that I'd like to invite him for a meal, to thank him for his many years of help?"
Zoe Bell understood that the meal was just a pretext; the director wanted to personally appeal to Kevin Bell.
She had been driven out of her home; how was she to convey such a message?
She didn't want to go back and plead with him, but she couldn't just watch as the orphanage suffered issues because of her. The flesh on the corner of her mouth turned white as she bit it, "Mommy Hall, I..."
Everyone at the orphanage called her that, and Zoe Bell had done the same and hadn't stopped.
"I know President Bell is busy, probably doesn't have time, so you get some rest early, don't worry," Director Hall said with a chuckle, "Are you and Young Master Stone still on good terms? Eat well, take care of yourself, especially your leg."
The call ended, and Zoe Bell's face turned even paler.
"Mr. Hale, I..."
Zoe Bell wanted to get out of the car.
So many things were overwhelming her; she felt extremely uncomfortable and just wanted to be alone for a while.
Used to being alone, she was also used to hiding her vulnerability.
The fingers Zoe Bell placed on her knee tightened slightly, like a hedgehog suddenly raising its defenses, all the while she tried hard to make herself look less disheveled.
In the dim, warm light inside the car, he turned his head to look at her:
"Miss Bell..."
"Would you like to come with me?"
She had her guard up, but his words left her staring and dumbfounded, struggling to believe, "Mr. Hale, what did you say?"
"I believe you heard me clearly."
They were adults, and his words were not to be taken literally.
Zoe Bell suddenly thought of something, her fingers tightening suddenly, "Mr. Hale, if you're looking for someone to entertain you, you've got the wrong person!"
Did he want to keep her?
Have her as his mistress?
Or was he just playing with her? Wanting to see her embarrassed.
Zoe Bell looked towards the driver's seat, "Stop the car!"
Zac Cruz naturally wouldn't listen to her, but instead observed William Hale through the rearview mirror who still seemed calm, much like he was at a negotiating table, composed and more than capable.
Yet always able to strike at the core, catching the opponent off guard.
And Zoe Bell was stunned by what he said next.
Because he said:
"Miss Bell, I think you may be misunderstanding, what I mean is…"
"Do you want to marry me?"
That statement seemed like a joke!
Even the air felt thick all of a sudden.
Zac Cruz was scared to death!
My god, you're too direct.
Zoe Bell felt like she was hallucinating, hearing such words from William Hale's mouth seemed so unreal, especially since they had met just three or four times in total.
Marry?
Either he had gone mad, or the world had.
William Hale's fingers were interlaced on his lap, his voice cold yet calm.
"The Bell family won't let you go, and in today's society, it's hard to avoid them. With the strength of the Bell family, ruining everything you have is not a difficult task, and your relationship with Brandon Stone has also reached rock bottom. Considering his personality, whoever you marry, you will inevitably face many troubles."
"But if you marry me, all these will be resolved, including the things you worry about most."
He was referring to the orphanage!
"With me around, no one would dare to disrespect or trouble you."
She didn't say anything, but he understood all the difficulties and problems she faced.
Zoe Bell's mind was a blur, and she blurted out, "Mr. Hale, are you marrying me because you like me?"
Liking her?
Could that be possible? This was William Hale.
He could find any kind of wife he wanted if he chose to.
William Hale didn't answer her question, but instead countered, "Did you get engaged to Brandon Stone because you liked him?"
Of course not.
Zoe Bell had lived in an orphanage from a young age, and being unwanted in the Bell family, her engagement to Brandon Stone was motivated by his considerate care when she was hurt, and also by her adoptive parents' wishes.
"Why me?" Zoe Bell felt it was too unreal, "With your power and position, you could easily find someone from a good family, well matched in social status."
"Family pressure is intense, rather than being forced into an arranged marriage, I'd rather find someone I find agreeable," he replied.
Zoe Bell was speechless.
He wanted to marry her just because of the pressure to get married and…
She looked comparatively agreeable to him?
"Mainly, I don't like the feeling of being controlled," William Hale added.
It was said that William Hale was also a powerful figure in Capital City, stirring the pot of politics. It turned out that such a top figure was not exempt from common pressures like marriage?
Not liking being controlled?
If it were an arranged marriage, he would inevitably be restrained, but if it were with her, only he would have the upper hand.
"I believe you also don't want your future to forever be in someone else's hands," William Hale looked at her, his eyes deep and unsettled like the ocean, harbouring turbulence that Zoe Bell couldn't see.
"Miss Bell, don't you want to control your own life?"
Zoe Bell's breath deepened.
He…
Seemed to understand what she wanted.
Not wanting to appear transparent to him, Zoe Bell awkwardly changed the subject, "Pressured to marry? Mr. Hale, you're not too old, are you?"
"I'm 29."
"Five years older than me."
"..."
Zac Cruz almost burst out laughing, why did Zoe Bell's tone sound like she was saying:
You're that much older than me!
"Miss Bell, to marry me, you just need to act as my wife in front of my family, and other times you can do whatever you like, any requests you have, I can fulfill."
"As long as I am here, you will be in glory all your life."
"If you're willing, I can give you a home right now."