Meanwhile...
"Geez... what did you do?" Kenneth clicked his tongue in distress, pacing back and forth while she sat in silence. "Hey, you need to confess!" He grumbled, ruffling his hair before slamming his palms against the surface of the desk.
Currently, they were in an interrogation room inside a military base. Indeed, Zoey was sent here instead of the police as the matter was handled with Vivian and Paul.
Upon hearing the news, Kenneth insisted on doing the interrogation. Since this was the first time after a long time that Kenneth volunteered in the Bai's usual business, they granted his request.
"Hey!" Upset that Zoey hadn't spoken a single word since she came in here, Kenneth plopped down on the seat across her. "Don't you have anything to say?" He leaned closer, whispering through his gritted teeth.
Slowly, Zoey raised her lifeless eyes. "How is he?" Yet, the words that escaped from her lips wasn't the answer he was looking for, but a question.
"This is not the time for that." Stern, Kenneth's eyes darkened as he frowned. "Do you know the situation you're in now? Stop caring about other things for now!" He advised, a look of displeasure flashing across his eyes.
"So, there's no news from them yet?" Zoey didn't avert her gaze from him as she uttered. She slowly hung her head low, staring at her hands that were on her lap.
Seeing this, a deep sigh slipped past his lips. "If you didn't do anything, he'll be fine. You don't have to worry." Since there was no point in interrogating her, Kenneth shook his head as he tried to comfort her by reassuring words.
"Kill me if anything happens to him." Still hanging her head low, Zoey muttered in a low tone.
"Hey, you don't have to..."
"It was me." Zoey interrupted him midway, raising her head as her eyes shot right straight to his eyes. "Be it poisoning or a clean murder, it's my fault." Zoey confessed which was obviously a lie.
"Do you — stop saying nonsense!" Kenneth glanced at the two way mirror, before glaring daggers at her.
Fortunately, Kenneth bribed the people watching them. Since he was often here, he made close friends for things like this. Thus, this interrogation was not recorded. Still, they could hear them from the other side of that mirror.
"I'm not. If you don't..." Zoey stopped, her fist trembled but her gaze flickered a glint of utter resolve. 'I'll kill myself instead.' The rest of her sentence continued inside her head.
Zoey knew that if something happened to Matthew, she wouldn't be able to take it anymore. She would surely follow him to the netherworld.
She wouldn't waste her time to find out who was the culprit. She was tired and the only reason she was fighting was for him.
Therefore, losing him... Zoey would also lose her reason to continue. A little romantic and selfish, but Zoey couldn't care less. She would rather take the blame if he died again because she let his bad luck follow him.
"Don't be selfish." Kenneth's frown grew gloomier as he already filled the blanks of her abrupt pause. "And don't conclude just yet. Brother Matt is being tended by the most amazing doctors in the country. Even if he's on the brink of death, he will survive."
After dropping his words, there was a moment of silence between them. Neither of them spoke as they stared at each other.
Just then, the voice coming from the speaker clung on each corner reached their ears, breaking the utter silence inside the interrogation room. "Young Master Bai, General Bai summoned you to meet him."
When the message was relayed, Kenneth didn't stand immediately. Instead, he stared at Zoey for a good minute before he sighed. "I'll try to bail you out tonight. Don't open your mouth if you'll just say nonsense." He said, slowly assisting himself up.
Zoey watched him depart the room without receiving one last glance. Just when he was by the door, Zoey called out. "Hey," Although her voice was soft, it still echoed inside the closed room.
"What?" He turned around, his brows furrowed.
"Don't come back if you didn't hear from them." Without further ado, Zoey said with an unwavering tone.
"Hah," He scoffed faintly, shaking his head sideways. "Shameless." He muttered before going out and shutting the door behind him.
As the door closed, leaving her alone in the deafening silence, Zoey heaved a heavy sigh. "What can you expect?" She whispered, placing her arms on the edge of the table.
Slowly, she rested her forehead on her arms, staring at her lap emotionlessly. 'I'm stupid...' She thought internally, recalling all the days that had gone by.
Zoey had been trying to push him away, trying to delay the love whose foundation was already established from her previous life. She had been doing that to save him from the expected danger coming her way.
However, despite knowing the fact that Matthew would be alright after seven years, she felt stupid. There might have been changes that would have happened just by stopping him from taking that drug.
Who knows? Perhaps, that incident would make him more cautious if it happened. But, she stopped it from happening, giving Matthew a chance to be reckless and explore.
'I wouldn't forgive myself if it wasn't just a headache that made him faint.' Zoey affirmed inwardly, closing her eyes as she tried to untangle the thoughts inside her head.
She didn't want to overthink and was trying to stay optimistic. However, she was failing miserably. The addition of her experience in her previous life crept inside her mind and heart, dragging her anxiety to rise up.
"I'm sorry..." She whispered under her breath. Just then, the door was suddenly busted open.
Due to how reckless the door was busted open, Zoey slowly raised her head. Her gaze traveled from the person's uncreased trousers, then his exquisite suite, up to his dashing and bewitching face.
Although his expression permeated danger and displeasure, her eyes stung upon meeting his pair of russet eyes. "You're fine...?"
Just as her whisper escaped her lips, Matthew took large strides inside. He didn't stop in his tracks as he approached her.
The second she was within his reach, Matthew grabbed her wrist and pulled her up. "What—!"
As she was suddenly pulled up, Zoey saw him scrutinize her figure closely. "Did they hurt you?" After several seconds, Matthew asked.. His voice was chilly with a touch of killing intent as if people's lives relied on the answer of the century.