Chapter 4
Zane Cooper didn’t come home that night.
I had the moving company take everything that belonged to me.
As I watched my things being carried out piece by piece, I couldn’t quite describe what I was feeling.
But I knew one thing for sure–I would never be coming back to this house again.
Once the place was emptied, I sat on the couch, dazed.
That’s when my phone buzzed. An unfamiliar number.
It was a screenshot.
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Zane Cooper had sent my private photos to his group chat with his buddies.
Zane Cooper. “She’s like a dead fish in bed.”
Zane Cooper. “She’s not even one–tenth of Lila.”
[Zane, what kind of life are you living?]
[Man, poor Zane. It’s already bad enough he married a blind woman–and now this?]
As I stared at the screenshot, my body began to tremble.
How could he? How could he do this?
I clutched the phone tightly, my breath catching.
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I didn’t even notice when Zane Cooper came in. The door slammed behind him. His face was dark, stormy.
He grabbed my arm, shouting, demanding something–his voice didn’t register right
away.
But eventually, I heard him clearly.
His eyes were cold as ice when he asked, “You can see now?”
My lips were bleeding from how hard I was biting them.
I stared at the man I had loved for years and asked through gritted teeth, “Did you send my private photos to your friends?”
Zane looked down at the screenshot and frowned, clearly caught off guard.
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Then his expression hardened.
“They’re just some pictures. Nobody in that group would even bother looking at you.”
Then he grabbed my wrist again, and his eyes dropped to my stomach–as if something finally clicked.
“Zoe Parker… that day you went to the hospital. What did you do to our baby? What did you do?”
Our baby.
I let out a cold, bitter laugh. “I got rid of it.”
His jaw tightened, face turning pitch black with rage.
“Zoe Parker,” he growled, “so now that your
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eyes work, you think you’ve got some power? You killed our baby–why? What are you trying to prove?”
Funny. He never wanted that baby to begin with.
But now, suddenly, he pretended to care.
I stared deep into his eyes, trying to peel back the mask he wore. Trying to find some trace of the man I once thought I knew.
But all I saw was a hollow shell.
Word by word, I said, “Because–I don’t love you anymore.”
His fingers dug into my flesh.
Then his phone rang.
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It was Lila Bennett. Her voice was as saccharine as ever.
“Zane,” she whined, “everyone in the lab is making fun of me. They say I’m too old to not have a patent yet. Zane, when are you going to help me?”
Zane’s brows twitched, like her voice annoyed him for a moment–but still, he said, “Don’t worry. I’ll figure something out.”
I yanked my wrist out of his grip with all my strength.
“I can give the patent naming rights to Lila” I said calmly. “Just let me go-”
I thought he’d be thrilled. I thought he’d jump at the offer.
Instead, his face darkened further, voice
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turning violent.
“Don’t even think about it,” he hissed. “Zoe
Parker, you’re not leaving me. Not even one damn step.”
Then he locked me in the bathroom.
I stared at the closed door and let out a laugh.
Because my advisor had just sent me my flight details.
Tomorrow, I’m leaving the country.
Goodbye, Zane Cooper. For good.
Zane Cooper and Caleb Lane were seated on the top floor of the office building.
“Zoe Parker actually offered to give the
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patent rights to Lila, and you didn’t agree?“?” Caleb Lane’s tone was casual, but his eyess were sharp, scrutinizing Zane with a look that said he knew more than he was letting
- on.
“You don’t actually have feelings for Zoe Parker, do you, little brother?”
Zane Cooper held his drink, his expression dark.
He didn’t know what was happening to him.
Zoe Parker had offered to give the patent to Lila, and she was even willing to divorce him.
These were things he’d once wanted–no, even begged for.
But when he heard Zoe Parker speak those words, it wasn’t relief he felt.
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It was rage… and a tinge of fear.
Caleb Lane noticed the silence and smirked, then added, “You can’t let go, can you? If you don’t want to handle it, I’ll take care of it for
you. I can beat her into submission and get what I want.”
Caleb started toward the door, but Zane Cooper blocked him.
His eyes were cold and threatening. “I’ll deal with Lila. Don’t touch Zoe Parker”
Caleb Lane narrowed his eyes at him, studying Zane. “You really are in love with her, huh? So, where does that leave Lila?”
Zane Cooper said nothing.
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