Chapter 71 Come with Me
Quinley didn't have time to react before the car door slammed shut.
"Mr. Jennings!"
Trapped in Zachary's embrace, she tried to break free, but he only held her tighter. She reached for the door handle, but just as her fingers touched it, the locks clicked down.
The Maybach roared away from the parking area. Lucas lowered the partition, and while Zachary loosened his grip slightly, Quinley had nowhere to escape.
"Mr. Murphy, stop the car!" Quinley pounded on the partition, but Lucas remained unmoved. He answered only to Zachary—without his permission, he would only drive forward.
The car sailed smoothly along the wide asphalt road.
"Mr. Jennings, I've already made things clear to you. Why are you still making this difficult for me?" A sob crept into Quinley's voice. She wasn't one to cry easily, but in this moment, she felt utterly wronged.
She'd used every ounce of her strength to maintain distance from him. She had no prestigious family background, no powerful connections—she was just one ordinary person among thousands, with no ability to fight against tyranny. She'd already accepted her fate, so why wouldn't he let her go?
Zachary said nothing, only turned to look at her. For the first time, he saw weakness and helplessness in her eyes. He just watched as Quinley finally broke down crying. After suppressing everything for so long, she needed this complete release. Tears streamed down her face, and Zachary's brow furrowed deeply. He didn't know how to comfort people and felt utterly helpless.
"Come with me to see someone, then I'll take you back." His voice had grown much gentler. After speaking, he closed his eyes slightly and leaned back in his seat, his entire presence becoming a low-pressure system.
"See who?" Quinley asked through her stuffed nose.
Zachary didn't answer.
The car drove from downtown to the suburbs, then continued toward even more remote areas. The city's skyscrapers and bustling traffic faded away, replaced by green mountains, clear waters, and grounded villages. The car was quiet—neither spoke.
Later, Zachary opened his eyes, his gaze fixed on the scenery outside, his expression showing an unfamiliar longing. Quinley had grown up in the suburbs, so none of this was foreign to her. Three years ago, to make Colin's medical treatment more convenient, their family had moved to the city and never returned. This trip was like revisiting old haunts.
They reached their destination as dusk was falling—a somewhat desolate small mountain village. Dilapidated houses were scattered sparsely throughout, most uninhabited. The car's passage stirred up clouds of dust, and elderly residents leaning on walking sticks peered out curiously.
Eventually, the car stopped in front of a small courtyard. Zachary opened the door and got out first, retrieving a rusty key from under a stone by the gate. He unlocked an equally rusty lock and opened the gate to reveal three ramshackle rooms.
"Clean this place up," Zachary told Lucas.
Quinley also got out. The mountain air was chilly, and she was dressed lightly, naturally wrapping her arms around herself for warmth.
Zachary's deep gaze swept over her. "Come with me to see someone."
He strode forward with purpose, and Quinley followed, puzzled. They walked along a winding mountain path for a long time. Night had fallen, so Quinley turned on her phone's flashlight, stumbling along behind him. Zachary showed no signs of stopping, walking quickly while Quinley's flashlight beam constantly followed his footsteps.
Eventually, he climbed up a hill with an excellent view overlooking the entire village. But in the thick night, everything was shrouded in darkness—nothing could be seen clearly.
"Didn't you say you were bringing me to see someone?" Quinley held up her phone's flashlight, asking suspiciously.
Zachary nodded and pointed to a spot not far away. "She's right there."
Following his gaze, Quinley gasped. Where Zachary was pointing stood a grave. When he'd said he was bringing her to see someone, she never imagined it would be a dead person. Goosebumps rose on her arms instantly.
"Mr. Jennings, I want to go back." Zachary was crazy—how could she indulge his madness?
Quinley turned around with her flashlight, wanting to retrace their path. But behind her, she heard Zachary's voice.
"Doris, I've come to see you. This is Quinley—I brought her today so you could meet her."
With a thud, Zachary dropped to his knees before the tombstone.
Quinley froze. She'd worked with Zachary for three years but had never seen this emotional side of him. She'd been about to leave, but her legs seemed to disobey her.
Later, Quinley learned that Doris was Martha's mother and the nanny who had cared for Zachary. After Sylvia was driven from the Jennings family, Doris had protected him. When his father William remarried and his new wife couldn't tolerate Zachary's presence, Doris had brought him back to this small mountain village, where he'd spent the happiest three years of his life.
Eventually, he'd left to return to school, but Doris had fallen seriously ill and died. Sylvia was Zachary's biological mother, but she was too obsessed with revenge. To clear her name, she hadn't hesitated to use her own son as a pawn. He could honor and respect her, but he couldn't love her unreservedly. Because in his heart, the person who had truly given him selfless maternal love was Doris.
Zachary knelt there for a long time. Night shrouded the hill, the tombstone, and him. Quinley maintained her distance, turning off her flashlight and silently keeping him company. Doris had been the light in his heart, having once given him warmth and brightness.
When he finally rose, the coldness around Zachary seemed to have dissipated. His tall figure enveloped Quinley as he drew her into his embrace.
"Quinley, I'm sorry."
He held her, his shoulders shaking. Warm liquid rolled down into Quinley's neck. He held her tight, and in the vast silence between heaven and earth, only his heartbeat remained strong and steady. Her hand rose, wanting to embrace his waist, but she raised it only halfway before letting it fall again.
"Give me some time, okay? I'll handle everything and give you an explanation."
He murmured in her ear, his voice carrying a hint of pleading. Zachary held a high position, and she knew only a fraction of the hardships he'd endured to reach where he was. Perhaps it was the beauty of that night sky, but Quinley felt her heart soften with compassion.
"What about Ms. Davis?"
His embrace was so warm she didn't want to leave it.
"I'll make things clear with her. Quinley, I don't love her—the person I love is you."
His gaze was intense, like stars in the night sky, bright and clear.
"Why me?" Quinley looked up, asking seriously.
He kissed her lips, tender and passionate.
"It can only be you."
Finally, she surrendered to his tenderness. Those hands with nowhere to go found their way to his waist.
On the way back, Zachary held Quinley's hand tightly. Being tall, he held the phone's flashlight above his head, casting all the light at Quinley's feet. They walked together through the vast mountain wilderness.
In that moment, Quinley thought—give herself completely to this man, just this once.