Chapter 193 Be Quinley Once More
Quinley remembered that after she and Zachary registered their marriage, she'd left her documents sitting by the entrance.
That day, Alicia had visited her home and afterward, the documents had disappeared.
Quinley hadn't thought much of it.
But Alicia had tried to make a spectacle out of it. Unfortunately, she'd only shot herself in the foot.
Zachary pulled documents from under his pillow. "What you stole wasn't the real certificate. The actual one has been with me all along."
The drama in the livestream kept escalating. The question of the real versus fake Quinley was now crystal clear.
But Alicia still wouldn't give up. "I'm the real Quinley! Even if the certificate is fake, I'm real. He and I are husband and wife!"
No one was willing to listen to her rants anymore.
At Zachary's signal, the bloggers crowded closer to him. He wrapped his arm around Quinley's shoulders.
"This is my wife. She used to be called Quinley, now she goes by Cindy. Whatever name she uses, I love her deeply. No one can replace her in my heart."
Zachary's words rang with conviction, each one striking Alicia's heart like a blade, stabbing at her most vulnerable place.
"As for that other woman? I'm sure someone will reveal her true identity shortly."
The livestream cameras stayed trained on Zachary. The traffic he generated was incalculable. On screen, he held Quinley's hand, his eyes blazing with ardent intent.
Showing affection wasn't about the performance, it was about genuine love.
Zachary's passionate gaze never left Quinley for even a second. Though she hadn't said a word, the energy between them was infectious, touching countless viewers.
"When did you switch the marriage certificates?" Quinley whispered curiously.
"In the car. I was afraid you'd change your mind, so I kept both certificates with me."
Being tenderly 'set up' by the person you love most, that was the sweetest kind of revenge.
The livestream chat flooded with praise.
"They're perfect for each other!"
"I believe in love again!"
"True love! I'm witnessing true love!"
Alicia was furious, completely losing her composure.
"Shameless! Disgraceful!"
She lunged at Quinley, but just as her hand was about to make contact, Zachary grabbed her wrist and shoved her hard to the ground.
Alicia hit the floor heavily, blood seeped from her forehead. The pain was so intense, tears streamed down her face.
"I loved you so much! Why do you have to treat me like this?"
She bit her lip, refusing to back down, trying to use her tears to manipulate public sentiment.
But this time, she failed again.
"The Davis family just released a statement, did you see it?"
Someone in the crowd shouted.
The livestream cameras swung toward Alicia again. She lay crumpled on the floor, sobbing.
"What statement?" Quinley whispered.
Zachary's eyes darkened. The Davis family were truly ruthless, willing to abandon family ties when their interests were at stake.
"Probably a disownment announcement."
Unable to withstand the boycott, Jeremy had made this decision under Zachary's pressure.
From now on, there would be no Alicia in the Davis family. Alicia would have no connection to them whatsoever.
Alicia saw the statement too which she she stared blankly at. "Impossible. Absolutely impossible."
She clutched her phone and frantically called Nilson. The butler answered.
"Mr. Davis has issued his statement. From now on, you have no relationship with the Davis family. He asked me to tell you to take care of yourself."
The butler hung up. When Alicia tried calling again, she'd been blocked.
Unwilling to accept it, she called Jeremy, the brother who'd always doted on her most.
The call connected. Alicia sobbed uncontrollably.
"Jeremy, why would Dad do this? Why?"
"Alicia, you brought this on yourself." Jeremy's voice was cold and merciless.
"I've been helping you all along! Don't do this to me!"
Jeremy laughed. "Alicia, you weren't helping me. You were helping yourself. You know what you are, don't you? You're Father's bastard from outside. I'm the one who brought you back and made you a Davis family daughter. But this time you nearly destroyed the Davis family. From now on, you're on your own."
Jeremy's tone was identical to Nilson's.
"Jeremy, Jeremy..."
Alicia cried out, but Jeremy had already hung up.
She sat on the floor, dissolving into tears. Now she wasn't Alicia anymore.
So could she be Quinley instead?
The livestream continued, but Alicia had already lost.
She crawled toward Zachary, crying. "Zach, please, let the Davis family go!"
Zachary shook off her hand coldly. "Didn't you want to be Quinley? Why are you still worried about the Davis family?"
Alicia was suffering in silence now, unable to speak her mind. She wanted to be Quinley, but now that she'd become Quinley, what good did it do? She still couldn't win Zachary's affection.
She held out all the documents. "I'll return them! I'll give everything back, okay? Please, make the Davis family withdraw that decision!"
But what she didn't expect was that Quinley refused to accept them.
"Ms. Davis, since you like my identity so much that you went through plastic surgery to look like me, I've decided to grant your wish."
Alicia kept banging her head against the floor, sobbing loudly.
"Get her out. I'm tired and need to rest."
At Zachary's command, people quickly entered and dragged Alicia out.
Apex Global Group's PR manager had arrived. Someone was already handling the follow-up arrangements for the livestream.
Finally, the hospital room fell quiet.
Zachary stretched languidly. "That was exhausting."
Quinley moved behind him and massaged his neck and shoulders.
"Did you pressure Nilson to get that result?" Quinley's mind was bubbling with curiosity.
"Yes and no."
"What do you mean?"
Zachary told her the whole story about Harold. She listened with fascination.
"Mr. Jennings, you're still as cunningly strategic as ever."
"I only scheme against bad people. I'd never scheme against you." Zachary pulled Quinley into his arms affectionately.
"You didn't scheme against me? You tricked me into registering our marriage and gave me a fake certificate."
Quinley was quick to bring up old grievances.
Zachary looked sheepish. "I'm sorry about that. It's all my fault. But this time it accidentally helped us, didn't it?"
"True. I just hope she doesn't cause any more trouble."
Quinley sighed.
Zachary cupped Quinley's face and asked her seriously once more, "Are you really not going to reclaim your identity?"
Quinley's eyes dimmed slightly. "No need. I quite like my current identity. To embrace the future, we need to let go of the past, don't we?"
But Zachary's brow furrowed. "That won't do. You still need to be Quinley for one more day. After that day, you can be Cindy forever."