No Remarriage for us Stay Away (Lenora)

Chapter 428 Stop Softening Toward Zachary

"Yes, they were putting up an act."

Lenora sneered, "Charles, do you think I'm that easy to fool? Then tell me. Why were they putting up an act?"

"To clear up any connection between you and Zack, to keep you from getting dragged into this mess. Zack foresaw this situation long ago and made preparations in advance."

Charles had been utterly shocked when he first learned the truth.

Zachary was truly bewitched by Lenora. Despite everything, he was still thinking about her safety.

Zachary was willing to face danger alone as long as Lenora remained unharmed.

However, Charles couldn't bear to see Zachary suffer such injustice, especially while being misunderstood by Lenora. He had to expose the truth to her.

He was sure once Lenora understood Zachary's feelings, she would be deeply moved!

Lenora froze for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"What are you laughing at?" Charles asked, confused by her unexpected reaction.

"I'm laughing at how bad you are at making things up. After all that effort, this is the best reason you could come up with? Do you think I'll believe it?"

Do I look like a fool? Why does Charles think it's easy to fool me? Zachary did this to protect me? Then why go to so much trouble? If he really didn't want to implicate me, he could have just told me the truth-like he did with Old Mrs. Fuller and Harrietta-and sent me abroad. Why go through the motions of cutting all ties with me?

Though she was now overseas, the reasons and circumstances were entirely different.

"I'm telling the truth. Why won't you believe me? Zachary loves you so much!" Charles said, exasperated.

"According to your logic, his goal was to ensure my safety. I'm very safe abroad now, so his goal is accomplished. You can rest easy," Lenora interrupted. "If you have nothing else to say, I'll be going."

Charles was left speechless.

By the time he snapped out of it, Lenora was already walking away. Watching her retreating figure, he shouted, "Lenora, think it over carefully. I have no reason to lie to you!"

Lenora got into a taxi, still finding the whole situation rather amusing.

Charles' words were downright absurd.

Yet his last sentence echoed in her ears: I have no reason to lie to you.

Could he actually be telling the truth?

Thinking back, Zachary's attitude had indeed shifted quite abruptly.

One day, he had rescued her from Folask and stayed with her overnight. The next day, he disappeared entirely.

Perhaps it was then, or even earlier, that he sensed the danger.

Even if it were true, and he was in a predicament, they should have faced it together.

Instead, he had made the decision for her, sent her away, and left her in the dark like a fool. Then, when trouble arose, she was left applauding his downfall.

What gave him the right to decide for her? To make her choices?

Then again, if what Charles said was true, Zachary must have prepared a backup plan, knowing the position he'd end up in. He wouldn't just sit and wait for disaster to strike. Could that really be the case? Did Charles really tell me the truth?

Lenora still remembered Zachary's words that day.

He said, "I've never liked you. As for these recent times, it was merely a spontaneous bet I made with Susanna.

He told her, "I didn't like you when you first came to the Fuller family. I also didn't like you when we got married, so why would you think I like you now?"

He also said, "Touching you makes me sick! I would never betray Susanna because of you!"

Each word had shattered her expectations completely.

The walls she had worked so hard to break down had been rebuilt, thicker than ever.

From that moment, Lenora had warned herself not to soften toward Zachary again.

So, the idea that he was afraid of implicating her was laughable.

Therefore, Lenora wouldn't do anything.

All she had to do was wait.

If what Charles said was true, Zachary would come to find her once he got out.

If he didn't make it out... Well, that was another story.

When Lenora returned to her condominium, she saw her next-door neighbor moving out.

Outwardly calm, she was inwardly delighted.

Finally, they were leaving.

Her neighbor, a musician who often sang on the streets, frequently sang into the microphone at home late into the night. It had often disrupted Lenora's rest. Therefore, she wasn't entirely lying when she wasn't paying attention during the previous meeting.

She had complained several times, but her neighbor was too thick-skinned.

They only behaved for that day before going back to their old ways.

Lenora had been thoroughly exasperated.

Now, to her surprise, they were moving out.

Lenora felt so lighthearted that even her steps seemed livelier, and she hummed a tune as she walked.

Her neighbor, drenched in sweat while carrying a heavy box, saw her relaxed demeanor and snapped.

Slamming the box down, he shouted, "You heartless Clusian woman! Even if you think I'm noisy, couldn't you just warn me? What gives you the right to have me kicked out?"

Lenora stopped, startled. "What are you talking about? When did I ever have you kicked out? This isn't even my building!"

"Don't deny it! Yesterday, a Clusian man came and threatened me to leave. If it wasn't someone you sent, then who?" Lenora froze.

A Clusian man? Is he talking about Jermaine?

While she was still in shock, the neighbor assumed her silence was an admission and angrily demanded, "Go talk to him! Tell him not to force me out!"

Snapping out of it, Lenora replied, "I have no idea who you're talking about, and I didn't tell him to do anything."

With that, she ignored the commotion, resumed her interrupted humming, and went upstairs.

Still, Lenora decided to contact Jermaine to confirm.

If it really was him, he must've done it for her.

She owed him a big thank you.

When she asked, Jermaine denied it.

Now even more curious, Lenora wondered, If not him, then who? Ezekiel?

When she asked him on WhatsApp, Ezekiel also denied it and added that he was leaving Fairlake soon.

So, who else could it have been?

Lenora had no answer for that.

The advertisement shoot for the cosmetics company neared its conclusion. Two videos had been finalized and were being reviewed by the director, Gabriel, and others.

Once this job wrapped up, Lenora would have a commercial photography project she could proudly use as a case study to pitch to other companies. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. Previously, when sending out résumés, when the clients heard she had participated in advertisement shoots as a brand director but had never shot one herself, they rejected her immediately.

While Lenora was looking for her next project, she received good news from an editor-in-chief Lilliane had recommended.

An entertainment magazine needed a photoshoot for one of its spread.

Their usual photographer suddenly had something urgent come up, but the actor in question was busy filming a movie and only had two days available in his schedule. Any delay in shooting might cause a setback, yet he was unwilling to give up the opportunity to be featured in a magazine.

The editor-in-chief couldn't find a suitable photographer and soon thought of Lenora. She asked if Lenora would like to give it a try.

She had seen Lenora's work before and wanted to do a favor for her friend Lilliane.

Portrait photography was Lenora's specialty. After confirming the details, she felt confident in her ability to handle the project and agreed immediately.

On the day of the shoot, Lenora went to the magazine publisher.

Just as she stepped out of the condominium, out of the corner of his eye, she noticed a familiar figure leaning against the wall.

She turned to look, but there was nothing there.

How strange. Could it have been my imagination?