Chapter 16 Pressed on the ground , Walter no longer had that gentle and refined air about him . In truth , he had only been pretending . Back then , Zoe had been too naive to see through the duplicity . Looking at the trembling man before her , she suddenly felt a strange calm . Walter was just an ordinary person . She had placed him on a pedestal and mistook infatuation for holiness . Looking back , there was nothing extraordinary about him at all . Taking a deep breath , Zoe steadily said , " Fine , I'll go with you , but I'll only give you half a month . After that , you must bring me back . " Hearing that , the entire hall gasped . Elijah's eyes narrowed dangerously , his voice sharp like a blade . " You love him that much ? " Then , Malcolm lifted his gaze and grabbed Zoe's arm tightly . " Zoe , don't . I'll protect you . " She gave him a small smile and gently patted his hand as if to soothe him . But when she turned , the tenderness in her gaze vanished , replaced with cold resolve . " No , I stopped loving him long ago . Otherwise , I wouldn't have left Midernia and married someone else , " she said . " I just know that if I don't go with him today , he won't stop until one of us is utterly destroyed . It's best to end this quickly . " Zoe reassured Rowan and cast one last lingering glance at Malcolm . Then , she mouthed the words , " Take care of Dad . I'll be back soon . " Though torn , Malcolm respected her decision . She walked down the step one steady stride at a time and pressed Elijah's gun down with her hand . " Let's go . " Elijah personally piloted his private jet and took her away . They landed on a deserted island , The moment they stepped off the plane , he clung to her like a puppy seeking comfort . Anyone watching would see a couple in love , but they alone were aware of the divide that ran deep between them . " Now , no one will bother us . Only you and I know this place , so no one will ever find us , " he said . Chapter 16 At that , Zoe's expression hardened . She struggled against him , trying to push him he refused to loosen his grip . " You promised . Half a month and you'll send me back . " away , but At that , Elijah only held her arm tighter , as if trying to fuse with her . " Ave , don't leave . Please , " he pleaded , his voice raw with desperation . The humility in his voice struck her . It was the first time she had heard him do so , but it left her utterly unmoved . " It's just us here , so you can drop the act , " Zoe sneered . " Our marriage was just a transaction from the start , it was never about love . What you call love is nothing more than obsession and possessiveness . You never loved me . " Unmoved , Elijah's cool lips brushed gently against her earlobe as he huskily whispered , ' That's not true , Ave. The truth is , I fell in love with you long ago . I just failed to see it myself . " He remembered the moment it hit him . It was when he saw that marriage contract . His chest had burned with such agony that blood rose in his throat and spilt down his chin , dripping onto the paper . Elijah clutched that bloodstained contract . His body trembled uncontrollably while his eyes burned with fury and grief . It turned out that the one person who had stood by him , the one who had treated him best , had never loved him at all . Dragging himself back from that memory , he said , " I know you only married me because of that agreement . I'll transfer 30 % of Tarver Group's shares to the McPhersons if you want . All I ask for is for you to look at me . " Hearing that , Zoe's eyes widened . 30 % of Tarver Group's shares was a fortune beyond imagination , but she no longer cared . Suppressing the emotions rolling in her chest , she replied , " I was a fool once . I threw myself into the flame just for a man . Even if you gave me the entire Tarver Group today , I wouldn't want it . As for you , I want nothing more than to stay as far away from you as possible . " Elijah froze . He had handed his heart over , only for it to be crushed beneath her heel . But unlike before , Zoe didn't shrink back to spare his feelings . She turned and walked away . When she went inside the villa , she came to a sudden halt . Her luggage from before she'd left Harrington was neatly arranged , and the room was decorated exactly as it had once been . A wave of nausea hit her so hard she doubled over , retching against the wall . The lengths Elijah went to for this grotesque play of his made her sick . Chapter 16 When Zoe finally straightened , her voice was sharp with disgust . " You brought all of this here just to remind me of the torture I endured ? " At that , Elijah turned pale . " No , Ave , that's not what I meant- " But she slammed the bedroom door in his face , refusing to hear another word . Zoe didn't emerge until after her bath that evening . As she stepped out , towel in hand , she froze at the sight of him slipping in through the windows . This was the third floor ! Had Elijah lost his mind ? A fall from this height meant certain death or severe injury . Yet , he acted as if nothing was wrong . He jumped from the window and dragged a food cart in with practiced ease . " Even if you're angry , you still need to eat , right ? It pains me to see you hungry , " Elijah said . Blood streaks marred his arms from climbing , but he ignored them , calmly setting the table . Zoe felt as if she had just heard the biggest joke in the world . No one had cared about her pain when she needed it most . Now that she was over it , here Elijah was , rushing to show his heartache . Well , it was too late and too cheap . Belated affections were cheaper than dirt . Scanning through the dishes , Zoe gave a cold laugh . " Did you make these yourself ? " Elijah nodded earnestly . " You cooked for me so many times before , so from now on , I'll cook for you . " " Do you know that I'm allergic to nuts ? " she said , giving a mocking laugh as she pointed at a dish with nuts . " If you cooked every day , I'd be dead in a week . " At that , he froze , then carried the dish out . " I'm sorry . I didn't know . But from now on , I will remember everything you like and hate . " " Is that so ? Then remember this . The person I hate most in this world is you . " Each syllable was deliberate , inescapable . His chest burned like molten lava , every word of hers a blade . After a long silence , Elijah's voice was rough as he tried to change the subject . " I'll make your favorite sea bass tomorrow . Will you eat it ? " Seeing him like this almost made Zoe laugh . The mighty Elijah was reduced to a beggar . Suddenly , she flung down her cutlery , sweeping her bangs aside to reveal the scar on her Chapter 16 forehead . 4/4 " This is the scar I got when you forced me to bungee jump . It'll never fade . This scar is here to remind me forever of how you treated me . " Elijah stared at the scar . His eyes were clouded with regret and pain . Met with his silence , Zoe laughed mockingly . Just as she was about to throw him out , he suddenly grabbed a plate and smashed it . Then , he picked up a shard . Without hesitation , he drove it into his own forehead . Blood gushed down , staining his face , dripping into Elijah's eyes . His gaze , red and twisted with desperation , fixed on her . " I'll give it all back to you , " he said , his voice shaking with pain . " Please ... forgive me . " Chapter 17 . 1/3 Chapter 17