I Refuse to Divorce!

Perhaps it was because Mason had spent too much time with Lilith. In any case, even Mia caught wind of it. She recalled how eager he was to prove himself the last time he was at their apartment and started to worry about Zoe. So, she made a point of asking her out for a cup of coffee, just the two of them.

Mia sneered, “I've heard that she doesn't have long to live! I'd say the universe killed her off young because she’s pretty, but I know it issn't true. She would've died young anyway.” After a brief pause, she asked Zoe again, “What's your game plan?”

Her way of thinking was still quite dated. The way she saw it, Zoe should've figured out a way to secure his wealth for herself if she couldn't win his heart. The best way to do it was to get pregnant with his baby. That'd solidify her status as his wife.

Zoe lowered her head and stirred her coffee.

The truth was, Mason very much wanted a baby, but she was adamantly against the idea. She wanted to keep a clear head. Now that she had two percent of the Lockwood Corporation's shares, she no longer needed to work for the rest of her life. There was simply no need to have his baby and be trapped in an unhappy marriage with him forever!

She wanted to leave his side. However, it'd take her some time to plan it out. After all, he had no intention of letting her go now.

Her long period of silence got Mia worried. “Say something, Zoe! I need to know. How has he been treating you lately?”

Brushing her long, dark hair, Zoe smiled faintly. “He's busy mourning the fate of his dear, sweet Lilith. How would he even have any time left to bother me? Don't worry about me, Mia. I'm not that fragile.” She said that, but tears started welling up in her eyes. “I've survived worse in our marriage before. This is nothing new.”

Mia felt both relieved and heartbroken to see her stepdaughter trying to be rational. Taking her hands, she said, “Tomorrow's your anniversary. Make sure you talk things out with him!"

“Okay,” Zoe replied. Then, she explained that she had already reserved a table at the most luxurious restaurant and that they were going to have a candlelit dinner tomorrow. That made Mia feel slightly better. However, Zoe knew that the dinner tomorrow wasn't a sure thing. She was fully expecting to be disappointed.

She had given up on him.

Their wedding anniversary fell on October twenty-eighth. It was eight o'clock and she was sitting alone in the high-end restaurant in Conrad Hotel. She had spent tens of thousands of dollars reserving the entire place for Mason and herself. Needless to say, she used the bank card he provided.

Zoe wore an elegant outfit and the most exquisite piece of jewelry she had, but there was nothing but loneliness in her expression.

Mason still hadn't shown up. She had tried to call him several times, but Ava had answered all of them. His secretary spoke with a hushed voice as if she was trying to not let somebody hear her.

“Mr. Mason's still having a meeting. He probably can’t make it on time to your dinner. Perhaps you should...”

Looking out the window, she spoke softly. “Tell him I'm waiting for him.” Ava was at a loss for words. She didn’t know what to feel. She had been there since Mason and Zoe first got together. In fact, she herself loved him and that meant she used to be insanely jealous of Zoe. However, she felt nothing but pity for her when she looked at Mason, who was staying by Lilith's side at that very moment.

Mason was merely one step away from happiness, but he gave it up just like that. He chose Lilith over having a happy life with Zoe.

After a brief silence, she responded gently, “Don’t worry, Ms. Zoe. I'll pass on your message to Mr. Mason.”

Zoe hung up the phone and asked the waiter to serve her a glass of wine. As the wine poured into the glass, it further accentuated the surreal enchantment of the night, making her lose herself at the sight of it.

It was half past nine now and even the waiter could no longer bear it. He came over to her and said softly, “Why don’t we serve you the appetizers first, Ms. Zoe? It's getting rather late, and you must be hungry.”

She raised her eyes, smiled lightly, and agreed with him.

The waiter served her the delicate appetizers one after another, but she didn't even take a single bite. She wasn't in the mood for it.

By the time Mason came, it was almost eleven o'clock. Even the bustling city was winding down to the end of the day.