Chapter 507 - Surprises Are Always The Best

"Hey sis, where are we going?" Ivan inquired while following Zoey out of the mansion and towards the garden. Zoey didn't stop until they were in the middle of the vast garden.

"What now?" He tilted his head to the side, knitting his brows as he shoved his hands inside his pockets. His eyes fixated on her back as he waited for her to speak.

"Tomorrow is Professor Meng's 60th birthday." Without looking back, Zoey finally spoke as she stared at the flowers not far away. "You'll be coming with me." She added after a brief pause.

"Ahh…" Ivan nodded his head in understanding. "That's all?" He queried immediately. "You wouldn't ask me to come all the way here if that's all, right?" As always, Ivan knew that this simple matter wasn't all the reason she wanted to talk to him.

"Feng Jimmy will be there." Without further ado, Zoey answered. She still didn't avert her gaze away from the flowers that were dancing along the mild breeze.

"Ah…" Upon hearing that name, Ivan instantly thought of Cecil, Jimmy's boss. 

Just a brief throwback, Jimmy Feng was the CEO and chairperson of the Feng Estate. However, behind that title, the said man was just a puppet and the front business of Cecil's illegal dealings.

"You still have two weeks before the cargo will arrive. Don't tell me you want him dead before that?" Ivan didn't beat around the bush as he scratched the back of his head. Although Zoey said Cecil wouldn't touch him until the cargo arrived, Ivan could not help but wonder if her plans changed.

"No." Slowly, Zoey shook her head lightly. She then turned around, facing Ivan. To the latter's surprise, Zoey's eyes bore no emotions. They were just cold and blank, leaving someone wondering what was going on inside her mind.

"I need to find out why he is invited." Zoey explained. Her voice unwavering as her eyes glinted.

Ivan's already creased brows knitted even more. "Because they were both business people." In a matter-of-fact tone, he answered. "Although Cecil is a drug lord, their front business is extensive. I wouldn't be surprised if that Meng guy is a business associate with their front business." He reasoned out as that was only logical.

To avoid suspicion, the Feng Estate would surely do business with big companies like the Zoid Solution Inc. However, it was unfortunately also meant that it would involve the Zoid Solution in the shady dealings of Jimmy Feng.

Although Ivan was pretty useless in the Z Image Group's affairs, he was not that stupid to have not put two and two together. After all, he still held a high position in the Silva Family and he understood one or two things about human relations.

"Makes sense." Zoey nodded her head, as that was what her initial thoughts were. She already considered that part, but for some reason, her instincts told her that wasn't everything. Zoey had survived believing her instincts that gave her the road to success in business in her previous life.

"Professor Meng is a kind person. However, he is also smart a lot in the field. It would be more surprising if he didn't have his suspicions. He is a cunning man. Also…" Zoey paused, averting her eyes away from Ivan as she pursed her lips.

"Also…?" Ivan repeated her last remarks in a questioning tone as he waited for further explanation. 

"The Feng Estate will go down in a few years. I just want to know if the Zoid Solution had anything to do with it." Zoey answered without looking back at him once again.

Obviously, Ivan's expression immediately plastered with bafflement. "In a few years? Don't tell me you're still in that fortune-telling ordeal?" He sassed in dismay. He couldn't believe his ears at the supposed to be a solid reason that turned out to be ridiculous.

"Geez! Just tell me if you don't want to say the real reason.You don't have to make up ridiculous excuses." After a beat, Ivan scoffed as he assumed Zoey was once again hiding things from him like usual. 

Yet, despite his evident displeasure, Zoey was unfazed. She didn't expect him to believe her. After all, who in their sane mind would believe about time-traveling? Even her beloved Matthew, although he wanted to believe all her words, it was just ridiculous.

If Zoey didn't experience it herself, she would laugh it off if someone she knew would say such things. Why? Just like how everyone was perceiving the claim, it was utterly unbelievable. That's why Zoey wasn't bothering herself to explain everything because no one would understand…

Well, maybe, there was one person who would believe her undoubtedly. However, the sole person who experienced the same thing with her was her enemy, Inigo. 

"Are you in or what?" Slowly, Zoey turned around and faced him again.

"Geez!" Ivan scoffed once again as he ruffled his hair. "As if I'd let you go alone knowing there will be dangerous people who know you." In a sarcastic remark, Ivan rolled his eyes. "Don't worry. I don't know what's the reason behind it, but not that you have told me anything ever since." 

With that being said, Ivan pivoted his heel and began walking away. "Of course, I'll come. But this time, not because you wanted me to but because I'm doing my job as Niko's subordinate."

Before Ivan went away completely, he stopped in his tracks and spoke aloud. After spouting his remarks, he resumed in his steps and went away.

Zoey didn't move in her spot even when Ivan's steps faded away until he left her alone. "Of course… I wouldn't ask you if I knew you had the gall to disobey Niko." She whispered as the soft wind brushed past her.

"I will repay him in the future for all this." Zoey muttered as she stared at the flower she had been staring for a long time.

*****

Country X's International Airport

"Boss, we couldn't reach neither Ivan nor Zia." One man approached Nikolai from the side as soon as he left the airport.

"Don't worry about it." Despite that, a large grin was plastered across Nikolai's lips.. "Surprises are always the best! Haha!" He announced, laughing loudly as he headed to the car waiting for him.