After munching on junk food for over half an hour, I finally felt full.
"Uh, if you’re not busy, could you drop off at the hotel?" I was too lazy to hail a cab with my belly fully rounded.
Since Henry Preston was still sticking around, I shalessly made the request.
Henry didn’t say a word, just turned and started walking towards the car.
I imdiately followed.
"Has my mom contacted you recently?" Halfway, Henry suddenly asked.
"No, we’re already divorced; she probably won’t contact again." I answered absentmindedly, while focusing on the scenery outside the window.
Suddenly, I felt a bit uneasy and turned to glare at Henry, "Henry, the divorce certificate you sent isn’t fake, right?!"
He didn’t want the divorce in the first place, and with his parents against it, he might have used this tactic to hold , while also appeasing his family.
Henry glanced at out of the corner of his eye, with a bit of sarcasm in his cold gaze, "Are you that afraid of holding onto you?"
"You’re delaying my search for the next one!" I blurted out.
The car screeched to a stop by the roadside, and due to the inertia, my body jostled fiercely.
Henry’s bad temper flared up again, ordering sternly, "Get out, walk back yourself!"
The hotel wasn’t far. I looked outside, got out without hesitation, and walked back. It’s good prenatal exercise anyway, so thanks, Henry!
Back at the hotel, after a shower, I made a decision to have the baby and raise him on my own.
With Henry’s awful temper as a father, it’s better for him not to be a bane to my child.
I don’t want to give up on my first child. I can give him a good life, just with a bit less fatherly love.
The next morning, I was jolted awake by the alarm, quickly dressed and put on light makeup before eting Linda. She was driving, and I rode shotgun, heading to City G together.
Driving to City G takes about eight to nine hours, and we arrived almost at four in the afternoon.
The partners on the other side contacted , they had booked a hotel, and planned a dinner to welco Linda and , discussing our upcoming collaboration.
Before that, Linda and I found a hotel to rest.
Linda was about my age, and not from Xylos, but studied in the country before working abroad until now.
Coincidentally, she attended university in City A too, so when I attended Crystal Dawson’s wedding, it was like visiting old haunts for her. She even went to pay respects to a friend.
"Zoe, are you related to Mr. Hathaway?" Linda asked, lying in bed, "You seem quite close."
I didn’t hide it, "Yes, he’s my brother."
Linda chuckled, "I figured, with the sa surna and a bit of resemblance, you had to be siblings. Are you single?"
No one in the company knew about my dostic situation, except for Sherman Hathaway.
So naturally, Linda didn’t know about my divorce either.
"Uh, sort of single." I deflected, trying to change the topic, "And you, aren’t you single as well?"
"I’m an advocate of non-marriage, haha!" Linda replied.
"You’re so outstanding, surely there’s no shortage of n pursuing you. Why aren’t you interested in marriage?" I couldn’t help but open my eyes and turn towards Linda, "Have you been heartbroken?"
Linda was silent for a while, then spoke with a tinge of resentnt in her voice, "n are no good, what does it matter if they say they love you? They can change their minds anyti, they can even love you while marrying soone else."
Her words reminded of Henry, leaving speechless.
Our conversation ended there. Linda seed to recollect so unpleasant mories, turned away and stopped talking, and I too closed my eyes, falling into a deep sleep.
By evening, I woke to Linda’s urging, yawning as we set off to the partner-appointed hotel.
The liaison from the partners was Martin Bright, a man around forty, very enthusiastic, and ordered a large seafood spread.
When the first plate of garlic shrimp was served, just a look made want to vomit. Even the sll churned my stomach.
Then ca seafood sashimi, seafood salad, seafood dley, every dish brought discomfort anew.
Finally, halfway through, I excused myself to the restroom. Without having eaten anything, I couldn’t vomit even if I wanted to.
When I ca out of the restroom, I felt dizzy, and my legs wobbled.
As I leaned against the wall, slowly heading back to the private room, soone called from behind, "Zoe Hathaway?"
I turned, and it was Ivan Underwood.
He strode over and supported , "Been drinking?"
"No, just a stomach discomfort," I replied.
"Didn’t you have a full dical check-up before? Why wasn’t the stomach treated?" Ivan asked sternly.
I shook my head, "It’s no big deal, just gastritis, makes feel nauseous sotis. Why are you here?"
Ivan explained that he was accompanying so senior professors from the hospital on a three-day dical exchange in City G, and it was only the first day.
As we chatted, I reached the door of the private room, "Alright, I’m discussing work with a colleague here, thank you."
"Go on in." Ivan released my arm.
I pushed open the door and went inside. Linda was seated facing the door and glanced at the entrance, her expression suddenly changing.
I instinctively looked back, and Ivan was looking at Linda with an indescribable expression.
Do they know each other? My curiosity was piqued.
Judging from their expressions, not only do they know each other, but their acquaintance might be an unpleasant one.
I let go, closing the door of the private room, cutting off their gazes.
Afterwards, I distinctly felt Linda was sowhat distracted, and I had to handle most of the details. Since there were disagreents, we didn’t sign the contract after the al.
"Miss Hathaway, Miss Linda, let’s go back and each discuss further with our teams. I think overall our companies are very compatible and sincere; let’s overco those minor issues together!" Martin Bright said before leaving.
"Alright, Mr. Bright, thank you for tonight’s hospitality!" I replied.
Afterwards, Linda and I returned to the hotel to rest, and during the ride, she seed preoccupied.
She looked like she wanted to ask sothing but was holding back.
Finally, after reaching the hotel room, as soon as I finished my bath, Linda couldn’t help but ask, "Zoe, do you know Ivan Underwood?"
"Yes, I do. Why? Do you know him too?" I sat down and asked back.
"Are you two close?" Linda inquired again.
"We’re alright, just regular friends." I had suspicions in my mind, could it be that Linda and Ivan had a past?
But Ivan has never had a girlfriend, not even Winter Tate, who started dating Henry when Ivan felt a spark.
Seeing Linda’s solemn expression, I grew uneasy, "Linda, why are you asking? Is there... so issue between you two?"
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