Claim Chapter 8 1/1 The living room went quiet again , and Giselle remained dazed for a long moment . She tapped open the bank notification on her phone , staring at that staggering string of zeros , but it didn't thrill her . If anything , it only weighed on her more . Donovan had written her off with a measly ten million dollars - pocket change to a man like him . Yet for some other woman , he'd pour out his entire fortune , even his whole self , just to build a happy marriage . The thought brought a faint tightness to Giselle's chest . She took a slim cigarette from the coffee table drawer , lit it , and let it rest between her fingers . Then she brought it to her lips , drew a deep breath , and exhaled the smoke with a smooth , practiced ease . Wrapped in that hazy cloud , her tension loosened . The hollow melancholy from moments before was already fading away . In the days that followed , Giselle threw herself into scouting locations for her new veterinary clinic , leaving no time for those toxic people and their drama . She'd studied veterinary medicine abroad and had always loved animals . After returning home , she launched her own veterinary clinic . Thanks to her natural talent and sharp business sense , Giselle now ran a chain of clinics offering pet healthcare , grooming , food , and boarding - primarily serving high end clients with deep pockets . Whenever those wealthy socialites ' pets fell ill with mysterious conditions , her expertise always saved them . Over time , she'd built a solid reputation in the Industry One morning , after finishing a meeting with her team , Giselle was on her phone during a break when it chimed with a WhatsApp notification . It was another message from Zach . He asked if she was free that day and invited her to go mountain biking . He even sent a photo of a high - end bike , bragging that it was his new ride and encouraging her to try it out . Since she didn't have anything important that afternoon and honestly , she'd been itching to hit the trails after so long - she happily agreed without hesitation . Giselle went home to change into her professional mountain biking gear and packed some casual clothes for later . Then , she hopped in her car and plugged the address Zach had sent into her GPS . She sped the whole way , driving like she was in some kind of race , and made it there in under half an hour . The place was out in the suburbs- a national forest park or something similar . Rolling hills , lakes , and stone steps made the area incredibly scenic . The perfect terrain had allowed for some mountain bike trails to be built , drawing plenty of riders eager for an adrenaline rush . Giselle had just parked her car and stepped out when someone called from behind , " Giselle ! " She turned to see a tall , handsome young man walking toward her . Like her , he was dressed in sleek mountain biking gear , pushing a brand - new mountain bike . It was Zach . They'd first met six months ago at a wingsuit flying event organized by their group . Giselle didn't actually know the guy's name . She'd never asked , and he'd never offered . From what friends had told her , he was some ultra - rich heir , just 24 , still working on his master's at the world - famous Machett Institute of Technology . He was also into extreme sports , just like her . They didn't talk much . She'd only seen him two or three times , always in group outings with friends . Today was the first time they'd met alone . " Here , I got this just for you , " Zach said as he wheeled the bike over to her , introducing it with a proud grin . " This model's top - tier , specs - wise . It took me two months to get it through a personal shopper . " " Oh , is that so ? Let me take a look . " After all , Giselle was a hardcore enthusiast in this field and knew her stuff . As Zach explained , she crouched down , inspecting the bike with sharp interest and testing it with practiced ease . The mountain bike featured top - of - the - line braking systems and electronic shifting , with impact resistance that was nearly unmatched anywhere else . Every component was high - end , from the inverted forks all the way down to the tires . A beast like this easily commanded five figures . " This one's yours . Mine's over there , " Zach said , motioning for his assistant to bring the other bike closer . " Mine's blue . We'd be a matching pair . " At the words " matching pair " , Giselle let out a noncommittal chuckle . " Let's get going . We should head over and get ready . Which trail do you want ? " " Your call . I'm good with anything . Wait . " Zach looked up , his gaze locking onto hers with sudden intensity . " Before we start , there's something important I need to ask you . " " What ? "