Chapter 206 - Future Regrets

"I can't believe them!" Frustrated, Cora Ma grumbled as they exited the establishment.

"Aya, that's fine." Chuckling, Zoey didn't show the least of disappointment regarding what happened. 

Perhaps, she was already immune to getting misunderstood and humiliated in the past. Therefore, this was a rather mild encounter. 

"Just think you're prettier than them, you'll feel better." Zoey chuckled, humoring the enraged Cora Ma as it seemed it was her first time being treated like this in her life. 

Well, Cora Ma's social status was very middle class. If not for Zoey not accepting financial help from the Kwan, they wouldn't probably meet in this lifetime. 

Thus, unlike the drama in the upper echelon, the middle class was pretty chill and uneventful. They're just busy minding their own business, trying to get a better day which might fail or succeed. 

Meanwhile, these socialites who had enough wealth, just somehow were addicted to drama. Zoey couldn't blame them, though. After all, Zoey was a fan of drama — petty or serious ones. 

Moreover, they have wealth and time to waste. Hence, peace was out of sight if they had enough ammo to use. 

"Z, it's not funny!" In disbelief at Zoey's lack of care, Cora Ma bellowed as she stopped in her tracks and widened her eyes at Zoey who was walking ahead while looking at her.

"It is, I swea—" Just as Zoey was about to parade her oozing confidence why it was funny, she suddenly bumped into a tall and firm figure. 

"Careful, sweetheart." Holding Zoey's shoulder, the tall man in his simple black tee, jeans, and boots, exclaimed. Gazing down, he peeked at Zoey above the rim of his huge sunglasses, revealing his olive colored eyes. 

As soon as Zoey's earthy orbs met those pretty pair of olive hued eyes, her eyes twinkled. Her mouth slowly gaped open in awe, mesmerized by his foreign beauty. 

'Just when I thought I'm already immune to good-looking men!' Zoey muttered internally, recalling how she often compared all men with Matthew Xi and they always paled in comparison with him. Alas, this guy before her had his own different charm that would give injustice if she would compare Matthew Xi's imperious mien with this gentleman. 

"I'm sorry," Rushing to Zoey's side, Cora Ma pulled Zoey's arm to her as she bowed her head and apologized in English. 

"Uhm, my friend... she didn't eat it." Cora Ma explained, having difficulty speaking in a different language. 

The moment Zoey heard what Cora Ma said, her entire face twitched in disdain. "Eat?" She repeated, totally mortified at the obvious mistake. "Sis, 'mean'!" Zoey corrected, afraid that Cora Ma would make the same mistake as she did once while socializing with Zion Kwan's circle. 

"Pfft—!" The man snorted, holding his laughter but found it rude to laugh out loud. After all, Cora Ma exerted some effort to communicate with him. 

"It's fine." Nodding in understanding, the man offered a smile before turning to Zoey. His eyes travelled from her head to toe, his grin growing wider. 

Meanwhile, Zoey knitted her brows, thinking that he sounded a little familiar. "Have we met before?" She inquired, her accent effortless as she rubbed her chin lightly. 

"Haha, pretty Zoey, as always." Speaking in the same language as them, the man chuckled as his gaze behind his dark sunglasses locked with Zoey. 

"Wh— what? Are you one of my ex?" Zoey's eyes widened, shocked that the man knew her name! Recalling her memory, Zoey could count a few foreigners that she dated back then. However, she could not recall dating a hunk like him! 

"Haha!" Shaking his head, the man slowly took off his sunglasses as he winked at Zoey. "How can you not recognize me when we were just talking on the phone days ago? It's been awhile, my muse." He grinned, causing Zoey to gasp in disbelief. 

Meanwhile, Cora Ma who barely grasped their conversation turned hostile. After all, she couldn't let Zoey flirt while she's around! Her conscience wouldn't allow Zoey to do her usual hobby!

After all, there was a man waiting for Zoey at home! God... Cora Ma couldn't bear to look Matthew Xi in the eye if she let Zoey play around under her watch!

"Z, let's go!" Tugging Zoey's arm, Cora Ma insisted in a hurry. Unfortunately, Zoey's face already brightened as she smiled from ear to ear. 

"Oh my god!" Zoey exclaimed excitedly as she wrapped her arms around the man. "Good to see you! Oh my gosh! You look so pretty!" Zoey expressed, tightening her embrace, sincerely pleased to see her old friend. 

"I missed you too." Chuckling, the man chuckled as he rubbed Zoey's back. "You're prettier than ever." He complimented, parring Zoey's mutual bliss at this encounter. 

Cora Ma could take the keywords 'I miss you too' and 'pretty', alarming her to the core. 

Meanwhile, inside the boutique, Abi hissed as she watched Zoey 'flirt' while having commitments. "Hah! I can't believe she could flirt with a man she just bumped into!

"Sister Abi, just let them. I'm sure we're misunderstanding Miss Zhou. She wouldn't betray Mr. Xi, right?" Clara Wei's eyes glinted in conflict, forcing an angelic smile on her lips. 

"Sis Lala, you're too kind that's why she's always taking advantage of you!" Abi frowned, glaring at Zoey's direction as a brilliant idea flashed across her eyes. 

However, her idea immediately changed upon seeing Zoey going back inside the boutique with the man. 'This shameless woman! I'll definitely put her in her place this time!' Abi swore in her heart. 

Clara Wei glanced at Abi's side profile discreetly. The corner of her lips curled into a smirk, before she shifted her piercing gaze to Zoey's direction. 

Was this how she acted in front of Ezekiel Tang as well? Do they interact like this if no one was around? 

Sure, call Clara Wei paranoid, but could anyone blame her? How could she be at fault if Ezekiel Tang calls Zoey's name in their bed? 

'Good, Miss Zhou. Even if Mr. Xi is a nobody, he's still a man and if he knew he's about to get cuckolded, I don't think he'll let you off easily.' Clara Wei sneered internally, not minding the thickness of Zoey's face for coming back in the boutique after she was escorted out. 

*****

Meanwhile, at Z Image Headquarters...

Matthew Xi suddenly stopped talking in the middle of a video conference with the XI shareholders. For some reason, he had a sudden unexplainable feeling which distracted him that very second. 

'Why do I feel she's going wild...?' He wondered internally, knitting his brows as he leaned back. 

"Mr. Xi?" From his headphones, Matthew Xi heard one board of director called him but he immediately put him on a mute.

Restless, Matthew Xi then reached for his phone and called Zoey. However, she didn't answer her phone which made him narrow his brows. 

"Paul, track this number and check what's going on." Matthew Xi ordered in the conference call, knowing Paul Qian was listening. Yet, that order caused a sudden halt in the meeting as it seemed the big boss's mind wasn't with them entirely.. Little did he know, Matthew Xi would regret this particular order of his in the near future.