Chapter 384 - Clear Blue Sky

With that thought in mind, Zoey didn't even bat an eye as she dialed Angelo's number. While Ivan pondered, she slowly placed the phone in front of her ears.

"Where?" As soon as the line connected, Zoey asked coldly. She listened in silence, but Ivan's attention was caught by her, slowly turning his head to her direction.

After a minute of silence, Zoey nodded her head. "Alright." she retracted the phone away, ending the call as she stared at Ivan's wondering eyes.

"I'll go to rescue your friend at…" Without further ado, Zoey filled Ivan the details of the location where Angelo was held captive. "Come if you want, but don't let Niko know about it." Upon saying her piece, Zoey turned her back against him.

She walked towards her desk, not speaking another word. The next second, Zoey saved the unsaved files on her desk, sending some documents to their respective recipients, then closed her computer. 

Ivan just watched her do her stuff silently. "Sis…" He called out softly, blinking his eyes as he couldn't grasp her reason for involving herself. "You don't have to go. I mean, I admit I overreacted, but I still want to help him out and to knock some senses into him. How can he get caught and fail the mission all at once?" He explained, sighing as he didn't really expect Zoey to help him on doing all the physical jobs.

To be fair, Ivan was just a little confused. This may be out of his order and Niko might fume when he heard that Ivan left Zoey's side to rescue Angelo. However, Ivan's nature was strong. Once he considered someone as his friend or family, he would go miles to their rescue. Hence, he's conflicted whether to leave Zoey for a few days.

"Turns out he's still in the country," He muttered, considering he thought he had to fly across the globe, Angelo's location was rather close. Just a few hours drive.

"Mhmm," Yet, although she could feel the guilt laced in his voice, Zoey just hummed a tune as she closed the desk of her office. "Don't worry. I'm not coming because of you, I want to see your friend and have a chat."

While Zoey explained her side, she checked the pistol she had kept and placed secretly inside her office desk. "I think I can't wait until the time to know if he's a friend or a foe." She added, checking the pistol's magazine before pushing it back.

"What do you mean…"

"Ivan, I thought you already figured out how Niko's mind works." She interrupted him midway, her face solemn as she placed the pistol down on her desk. "If he's suspicious of someone, he gets the proof of their loyalty by sending them to the gates of hell." In a matter-of-fate tone, Zoey cast him a knowing look, and couldn't believe that Ivan hadn't figured Nikolai's train of thoughts until now.

Perhaps, it was just that Zoey and Nikolai had the same thoughts most of the time. Thus, they understood each other even without words being said. 

Ivan knitted how brows, confused as he pondered. "What a dummy." Zoey clicked her tongue, shaking her head sideways as clipped the pistol on her waistband behind, hiding it beneath her loose blouse.

Zoey then began taking strides outside her office. "Sis, where are you going?" Upon the sight of her departing figure, Ivan perked up as he followed.

"Where do you think?" She asked without turning her head behind her. 

As they were walking out of the office, Zoey was unfazed by the gloomy atmosphere enveloping her employees. "Free dinner later. Have fun, people!"' Zoey announced just to liven up the mood.

It took them awhile before they fully absorbed her words. When they did, Zoey already left the office while Ivan closed it behind him. "Thank you, Boss Zhou!" Still, her bribery worked as the Z Image Group's employees cheered.

The gloomy mood in the office immediately vanished for a second. After all, who didn't want to enjoy free things? Be it food or alcohol, everything tastes and feels oddly great if it's free.

*****

Meanwhile, in Kwan General Hospital's garden, Zion Kwan and Cora Ma sat from point to point on the bench.

"You can answer," Zion said, glancing at her ringing phone as saw the contact name 'stupid' calling her. 

For some reason, Zion felt that even though the contact name was an insult, it might have a deeper meaning for Cora and Ivan. Probably, he thought, it's just their way of teasing each other. After all, Cora and Ivan were of the same age. Hence, they probably have this same carefree understanding.

"Uh…" Cora looked down, her brows twitching as she was instantly annoyed with just a glance of Ivan's name. But, Zion was around, so she kept calm and smiled. "It's fine. It's not important." Cora vaguely explained, shrugging her shoulders as she turned her head to his direction.

"Mhmm," He hummed a tune, nodding his head in understanding. Zion then sipped from his cup of coffee, causing Cora to frown.

"Brother Zion, you drink coffee now?" She asked, biting her lower lip upon realizing a little later that she sounded a little meddlesome. 

"Just today." As usual, his replies were short, but she's used to it. "Tea makes me sleepy." He added before he sipped another mouthful of coffee and swallowed it down.

'Bitter.' He commented inwardly, but was not bitter enough to surpass his bitterness in his heart; the taste of regret they said.

"Ahh…" Like him, Cora just nodded her head as she awkwardly smiled. She pursed her lips, keeping her silence as the midday breeze blew past them.

'Since when did we start getting so distant…?' She wondered, hearing her heart crack a little bit more. 'Well, maybe we were never close to begin with. I'm just deluding myself.' She whispered internally, rummaging her memories how it has always been with Zion.

After a minute of reminiscing, the side of her lips curled into a bitter smile. 'Right… there's always this invisible wall between us.' She sighed, recalling that there's nothing weird about today.

Zion was always aloof, a distant person who was hard to reach. Just today, Cora thought he was more distant, but after remembering all her brief encounters with him, this seemed normal/ Still, her heart clenched for some unknown reason. 

"Nice weather," Zion looked up, narrowing his eyes at the blinding light of the clear sky. "How pretty…" He muttered, shielding his eyes by the shade of his slender hands.

"Mhmm," Yet, Cora didn't look up. Instead, she turned to him and her eyes softened. "It is." She smiled, finding herself enthralled with his beauty even though she knew he was like that beautiful clear blue sky he was staring at.

Just like it, Cora could only admire its beauty. She could come close... but she could never touch or own it.. What a sad truth it's breaking her heart to pieces.