After getting home, Seraphina sat in her room, lost in thought, convinced that Zachary wouldn't come around again.
But then, her phone buzzed. She picked it up and saw a message from Zachary: "I'm outside your house. Come out and see me."
Just as she finished reading, her phone rang again. It was Zachary calling. His voice was firm and unyielding: "If you don't come down, I'll come up."
Seraphina initially refused, claiming she was tired. Zachary, however, gave her five minutes and hung up, leaving no room for negotiation.
Annoyed but remembering his previous window-climbing stunt, she relented. She lied to Niamh, saying a friend had invited her for coffee, changed into casual clothes, and headed downstairs.
Sure enough, Zachary's black SUV was parked outside. Once she got in, she demanded, "What do you want?" Zachary didn't answer, just started the car and said, "Let's go for a drive."
Seeing his determination, Seraphina didn't argue further and silently watched the scenery pass by.
As he drove, Zachary asked with concern, "How's Della doing?"
Seraphina, still looking out the window, replied, "She's feeling better and planning a trip abroad."
He then asked, "When are you going to make our relationship public?"
Seraphina turned to him and said, "We'll talk about it later."
Suddenly curious, she asked, "I heard your uncle is the Deputy Prime Minister and your mom remarried. What's the story there?"
Zachary's grip on the steering wheel tightened as he briefly explained.
Feeling sorry for his tough childhood, Seraphina softly said, "It must have been hard for you growing up."
Zachary glanced at her and said, "It's all in the past. Once you're my wife, you'll need to know about my family."
Hearing the word "wife," Seraphina blushed and shyly avoided the topic.
Zachary, however, confidently stated, "It's only a matter of time."
They parked near a park, and Zachary suggested, "Let's take a walk."
As they got out, Zachary naturally took Seraphina's hand. The park was lively with people dancing and couples strolling.
Seraphina's eyes lit up when she saw an outdoor coffee stand. "I want some freshly brewed coffee," she said.
"Sure," Zachary replied, letting go of her hand to get the coffee.
Watching his tall, strong figure, Seraphina's heart raced. When he returned with the coffee, they continued their walk, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.
A few minutes later, Zachary stopped and looked at Seraphina, saying gently, "My grandfather wants to meet you."
"Meet me? Why?" Seraphina was surprised, her eyes wide.
Zachary explained the situation about calling off the engagement in detail.
Seraphina was taken aback by Zachary's change in attitude. He had been eager to marry her, but now he seemed in no rush. She wanted to ask why, but Zachary, citing the cold wind, put his arm around her and said, "Let's go back."
Seraphina sensed he was hiding something.
As they returned to the car, someone in a nearby inconspicuous vehicle secretly took photos of Seraphina, their eyes gleaming with a hidden, cold light.
Due to the distance and trees, Zachary didn't notice. The person finished taking photos and quietly left.
On the way back, Seraphina kept glancing at Zachary, her eyes full of concern. She softly asked, "Zachary, are you hiding something from me? You seem a bit off today."
Zachary's expression remained unchanged as he calmly denied it, "No, don't overthink it."
Seraphina sighed, knowing that with Zachary's personality, pressing him further would be futile. She could only worry in silence.
At her doorstep, just as Seraphina was about to get out, Zachary suddenly grabbed her wrist. She turned and met his intense gaze, which made her heart race and her cheeks flush.
Flustered, she tried to pull her hand away, stammering, "I... I need to go."
Zachary, with a mischievous smile, softly said, "Come closer."
Thinking he was up to no good, Seraphina quickly yanked her hand free and refused, "No way!"
She hurriedly got out of the car, not forgetting to flash him a triumphant smile, walking away with a defiant stride, as if challenging him.
Zachary watched her retreating figure, his throat tight, silently vowing: Seraphina, you'll pay for this next time.
Despite everything, Seraphina felt content that night, realizing that perhaps she and Zachary could continue meeting in secret, enjoying each other's company.
Meanwhile, Zachary's mother, Indigo, looked at Seraphina's photo with satisfaction, a slight smile on her lips as she murmured, "This girl has a good background and a great demeanor. She suits Zachary well."
She hoped Zachary would bring Seraphina home soon.
The person who had taken the photos was arranged by Indigo. Since her remarriage, her relationship with Zachary had become strained.
Zachary rarely contacted her, which worried her. Not knowing what else to do, she decided to learn about Zachary's potential bride this way.
At that moment, Aiden walked in, looking serious, and informed Indigo, "Zachary hacked into the internal network to get mission information. It seems he plans to act on his own."
Indigo was shocked, clutching her chest in worry. "That boy, he's so impulsive. We need to convince him to stop."
Aiden shook his head slightly, helplessly saying, "There's no way to stop him right now. Dad said to let him make his own decisions and not interfere."
Indigo, anxious and desperate, asked Aiden for help and mentioned Zachary's girlfriend, her eyes full of hope. "He's finally found someone he likes. After this, can you arrange for him to get a different position so he can stay in the country?"
Aiden pondered for a moment and agreed, "I'll take care of it."
"You should also think about your own marriage," Indigo advised Aiden.
Finally, her eyes lit up as she said, "There's a banquet this Friday. I want to invite Seraphina."
Seraphina lay in bed, unable to sleep, her mind replaying moments with Zachary. Those suppressed feelings surged back like a tide.
She turned over and couldn't resist calling Zachary.
He answered quickly, sounding a bit surprised, "Still awake?"
Hearing his deliberately lowered voice, Seraphina asked, "Did you get home?"
Zachary chuckled, "How about I take you to lunch tomorrow?"
Seraphina hesitated, "I can come out at noon, but I have to drive myself. I don't want my mom to find out."
Zachary pretended to be annoyed, "What, you can't be seen with me?"
They bantered back and forth, their conversation playful and flirtatious.
Suddenly, Zachary said, "Seraphina, I miss you."
He paused, then joked, "How about I video call you and show off my physique?"
Blushing, Seraphina scolded, "You're so improper."
After hanging up, Seraphina put down her phone, her heart racing, but thoughts of Della brought a pang of guilt.
At eight the next morning, Seraphina stood in front of her wardrobe, carefully choosing a simple yet elegant khaki trench coat.
She then joined Niamh for a shareholders' meeting, silently encouraging herself along the way.
During the meeting, Niamh, looking solemn, prepared to announce that Seraphina would be taking over her position.