Chapter 572 - Want Me To Eat You?

Zoey remained silent as they were heading to a place she had no idea of. Wherever Vivian was taking her, she trusted that Vivian wouldn't take her to a dangerous place. Still, Zoey wondered about her mother-in-law's plan.

Meanwhile, Vivian cleared her throat to break the awkward air enveloping the inside of the car. Zoey was not even attempting to strike a conversation and had been silent. She expected that Zoey would try to please her, but she was wrong.

Zoey wasn't attempting anything. Vivian was certain that Zoey wouldn't even bother talking to her. For some reason, Vivian was displeased and pleased at the same time: displeased that Zoey seemed like she didn't care who she was carpooling with, and pleased that Zoey knew that she wouldn't have a chance of collecting brownie points from her.

After the long awkward silence, Vivian decided to break the ice.

"Aren't you going to ask where are we heading?" She asked, casting Zoey a side eye before reverting them back ahead.

Upon hearing her break the ice, Zoey smiled subtly as she turned her head to her side where Vivian was perched. "Where?"

"Uh, now I sound like I'm forcing you to ask." 

"Hehe. I trust Madam Xi so I'm not asking." Zoey humored which didn't affect Vivian's expression.

Still, Vivian cast her a side eye and cleared her throat. In her mind, this was probably Zoey's way to get on her good sides. Thus, no matter how effective it was, she wouldn't fall for it.

"Ahem! My assistant for the day has taken a day off. You'll be his temporary replacement for the day." Vivian explained.

Zoey raised her brows as her subtle smile grew into a grin. Her eyes shifted to Butler Yi on the front passenger seat, biting her lower lip as Zoey held back her laughter.

Vivian's assistant and the most trusted person who never left her side was Butler Yi. Thus, Zoey didn't know which assistant Vivian was talking about. Truly, Vivian couldn't lie as she grew up not needing to lie about her thoughts.

No matter how harsh her words were and she could offend someone, Vivian was a person who could afford offending someone. The Xi family's attitude was running in her blood; Zoey would be more surprised if Vivian's character was not like this.

"I see. I don't mind." Zoey nodded in understanding, pretending she was oblivious of the obvious lie.

"Hmp! Even if you do, you don't have a choice. Unless, you break up with my son, you can save yourself from the trouble of dealing with me."

Zoey only stared at Vivian's side profile; still bearing the smile on her face. Vivian's last hostile remarks didn't faze Zoey as she could only appreciate this moment. It had been a while since Zoey was in the same place as Vivian.

After Zoey decided to exact her revenge, she left Vivian's care and only left a note behind. The last thing she heard from her previous life was that Vivian fell ill as she kept looking for her and used all the influence she had.

However, Zoey was truly evasive. Hence, no matter how many times she was cornered by Vivian's men to take her back, Zoey had found ways to escape their pursuit.

Back then, Zoey grew to hate Vivian's persistence as she didn't want to let her go. But thinking about it, Vivian only did it just like how a mother wanted to protect her child. Vivian didn't know Zoey's exact plans, but deep down, her mother's instinct told her that Zoey would be in danger.

"What" Without Zoey realizing that she had been staring at Vivian, she snapped once she heard Vivian's voice as the latter looked back at her.

"Nothing, Madam Xi." Zoey shook her head lightly, burying the memories of the past to where they belonged; inside the treasure chest deep inside her mind.

"What a strange lady. I don't know what Matthew saw in you." Vivian muttered as she scoffed and Zoey only replied with a pure smile.

"Stop smiling!" Seeing the harmless smile plastered on Zoey's lips, Vivian sassed which made her purse her lips but a glint of delight flickered across her eyes.

"Hah!" Rendered speechless because Zoey seemed like she was enjoying the scolding, Vivian shook her head and let out another sharp exhale.

****

Meanwhile, in the Z Image Group Building…

"Ivan, I have work to do. Stop bothering me." Annoyed, Angelo slammed his palms on top of the folders of papers as he looked up at Ivan.

Currently, Ivan had been annoying him by asking him to translate a few cringe worthy English words to Mandarin. Angelo hadn't even started his day at work and he was being held back by Ivan's incessant questions.

"Come on, man! I can't always stay like an alien in this place! I'm not returning home anytime soon! Might as well learn their language even a tiny bit so I'm not left aside when you talk with people!" Ivan argued in distress, sighing heavily as he cast Angelo a disappointed look.

"Is that really the reason?" Unconvinced, Angelo arched his right brow as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Of course!" Ivan immediately responded without thinking twice. However, Angelo was still unconvinced as he studied Ivan from head to toe.

"Well, one of the reasons." After a moment, Ivan admitted as he rolled his eyes as Angelo was too sharp to lie to.

"What's the main one?" Angelo queried almost instantly, guessing it was something about Ivan's love interest but hoping Ivan would say something different.

"Cora, can you take a look at what I sent you in the email?" Just then. Melanie's voice was heard as she talked to Cora who was on her desk, working diligently even before everyone could.

"Yes, sure!" Cora smiled and nodded before returning her focus on the screen of her desktop.

"Hah, man, translate these words for me, okay?" Ivan knocked his knuckles on Angelo's desk hurriedly before dashing towards Cora's desk.

"Hey, breakfast? Want to eat together?" Ivan glided smoothly at Cora's desk, resting his palm on the desk while his other hand rested on his hip.

Slowly, Cora raised her head and blinked her eyes innocently. "Eat?"

"Yes, I brought something for you." Ivan waggled his brows with a coy smile plastered on his face. Cora didn't understand the latter part of his sentence, but the 'yes' part, she understood.

"What the…" Meanwhile, Angelo who was watching Ivan was dumbfounded as Ivan was obviously flirting with Cora publicly! How did everything escalate overnight?!

"Zoey… your brother is in trouble.." Angelo muttered in distress as he collected his thoughts about this not very unexpected turn of events which they didn't think would occur this soon.