"I'm sorry, I…"
Just when Nella wanted to speak, Zayn pressed himself against her. Holding onto her cheeks, he looked at her with a conflicted expression.
Nella was so nervous that she could barely breathe. Feeling her tremble underneath him, Zayn saw the terrified look in her eyes.
"Tell me, what do women care about the most?"
Zayn ran his fingers across her cheeks while his eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Huh?" Although Nella didn't understand the rationale for the sudden question, she still replied in earnest. "Probably, the man they love."
"The man they love?" Zayn considered the answer. "Is it more important than the interest of the family?"
"It is, " Nella replied without hesitation. "A family's interest belongs to the family. Love is what belongs to ourselves."
Pausing briefly, she explained in an unsettled tone, "Are you assuming that I am trying to get close to you because of my family? No. I'm doing it because… I truly admire you."
"If…" Zayn continued asking, ignoring her explanation, "I ask you to sleep with someone you don't love for the sake of your family, will you do it?"
"I won't." Nella assumed that he had misunderstood her intentions. She defended herself frantically, "I love you, that's why-"
"Love?" Zayn sneered, "Love can change."
A long time ago, Carla loved me too and sacrificed a lot for me. She stayed true and showered all her affection on me. But now… She has thrown herself into Lucas' embrace.
"No, I won't change." Nella was full of conviction. "You don't know how much I love you. From when I was sixteen, it has been five years. My feelings for you-"
Bam!
Nella's words were cut short by the sudden noise. Startled, she turned to look by reflex.
Carla had taken the risk of falling from the forty-eighth floor and jumped over from the neighboring room's balcony with everything she had.
She had landed successfully initially. However, the sight of Zayn pressing himself against Nella had jolted her, causing her to accidentally tip over a vase on the balcony.
Consequently, that was the sound of the vase shattering on the ground.
"It's her?" Nella recognized Carla at once as the girl who wore a mask in the changing room. Moreover, Carla was still wearing the swimsuit she had lent to her.
"I'm sorry!" Carla apologized before shooting a silver needle into Nella's neck.
Feeling her limbs go weak, Nella fainted onto the ground.
"Insolence!"
Shooting her a glare, Zayn grabbed the wineglass by the table and flung it at Carla.
Avoiding it by reflex, Carla saw the glass smash into pieces upon crashing onto the wall.
Before she could regain her senses, Zayn suddenly appeared in front of her, grabbed her throat, and pinned her against the wall.
"Ah!" At that very instant, death flashed across Carla's eyes. In a choking voice, she yelled, "Zayn, it's me!"
Tearing off her mask, Zayn exclaimed with his eyebrows raised, "Carla?"
"Let go!" Carla grabbed the back of his hand, leaving deep scratches in the process.
When Zayn saw the discomfort she was in, he released her and turned around. "What are you doing here?"
Coughing, she said, "I… I have something to discuss with you."
Rubbing her throat, Carla desperately tried to catch her breath.
"There nothing to discuss between us."
Sitting on the sofa, Zayn poured a glass of wine for himself.
"We have to talk about the kids." Carla walked over anxiously. "At the very least, let me see the kids once to hear what they have to say."
"What makes you think you deserve it?" Zayn glared at her with rage burning in his eyes.
"Zayn, what do you mean by that?" Carla was infuriated. "Both of us have broken up a long time ago. There's nothing wrong with me being with someone else. What gives you the right to steal the
children away and ridicule me like that?"
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