Chapter 238

Chapter 238

There were still a few days until the concert. Gwen wasn't in any rush.

She hadn't been particularly interested in the first place—she was only going to keep Susan company.

On the way home, Gwen habitually opened her phone to check recent news and discovered something new online.

Her eyes widened as she shared it with Zachary, who was driving. "The Sterling Group... went bankrupt?"

Zachary hummed. "It was announced this afternoon. Not only did they go bankrupt, apparently they transferred most of the company's assets. A lot of shareholders have nowhere to turn now."

The stock drop had already cost them significant money. Now with all the assets transferred, shareholders not only had to cover the losses but also their original principal.

All of that combined could easily crush a person.

Gwen frowned. "That's going too far..."

Even if The Sterling Group collapsed, they hadn't committed any crimes, so their previous assets didn't need to be seized.

Sure, they'd have to pay out quite a bit, but what remained would still be enough for the family to live comfortably.

Now that they'd transferred the assets, the damage to everyone else ran deep.

"There's nothing anyone can do about it. In situations like this, the probability of taking the money and running is high. It's just that The Sterling Group had been actively dealing with things before, so this sudden move caught everyone off guard."

Zachary remained calm. When he'd learned the news, his heart hadn't stirred at all.

He'd seen things far more brutal than this. He'd become indifferent to this sort of thing.

Gwen sighed. "Did I go too far before?"

"This has nothing to do with you." Zachary stopped the car, his expression serious. "You don't understand business, so you think your actions caused them massive damage. But that's not the real situation."

"The Sterling Group has been barely hanging on for a while now. What you did only accelerated their bankruptcy. Even if you hadn't done anything, they would've run off with even more money soon enough. Your actions actually sped up their timeline, which meant they didn't have the chance to transfer as many assets."

Of course, this was still unfair to the other shareholders. But the business world was a cruel place. The moment they bought those stocks, they should've known they risked facing consequences at any time.

Zachary took Gwen's hand, his tone earnest. "So don't overthink it. Don't blame yourself for this. It has nothing to do with you."

And if he was being completely honest, his own behind-the-scenes maneuvering had played a role in bringing down The Sterling Group so quickly.

But there was no need to mention that. After all, he hadn't even used his real methods yet before they'd run off with the money.

Gwen nodded. Though her heart still ached a little, she understood now.

Zachary was right. Their bankruptcy had been inevitable. She'd only accelerated it slightly.

Put that way, transferring the assets was their mistake.

Gwen sighed. "Let's head home."

Zachary hummed in agreement but didn't start the car. Instead, he leaned over and pressed a reassuring kiss to the corner of her eye.

"Don't overthink it. And don't look at the news on your phone anymore."

Gwen couldn't help laughing. "I'm not as fragile as you think. I was just caught off guard for a moment. After you explained, I stopped thinking I'd done anything wrong."

The way Zachary was acting now, anyone who didn't know better would think she was incredibly delicate.

But Gwen had been through plenty these past few weeks. Her heart had grown strong.

Still, Zachary remained worried.

He was even thinking about staying with Gwen tonight, but he was afraid saying so would come across as presumptuous.

They hadn't done anything more intimate yet—not just because he wanted to take things slow, but also because Gwen went home every night. He didn't want Charlie or Gwen's parents to worry.

Looking at Zachary, Gwen somehow guessed what he was thinking.

She cleared her throat. "If you're really that worried... should we stay together tonight?"

Zachary's breath caught. When he spoke again, his voice had turned husky. "Gwen..."

Saying something so easily misunderstood at a time like this made it hard for him not to read into it.

Gwen's face burned. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just—you're so worried about me, I thought if we stayed together tonight, you'd feel more at ease..."

"I understand." Zachary closed his eyes. "I know you didn't mean it that way. But... I did."

When Gwen first heard those last words, she didn't quite process them. Once she did, her face instantly flushed, and she couldn't even meet Zachary's eyes.

How could he say something like that at a time like this...

Gwen raised her hand to touch her burning cheeks, not knowing how to face him.

Zachary took a deep breath and smiled helplessly. "So... do you want to stay with me tonight?"

Gwen hesitated, looking at Zachary.

Did she want to?

Honestly, yes.

They were both adults. She knew what answering would mean. And Gwen didn't really mind.

She just worried that being too forward as the woman might give Zachary the wrong idea about her.

But...

Gwen decided she didn't need to overthink it.

Zachary liked her. That meant he wouldn't mind her thoughts either. And relationships were supposed to be built on honesty. Constantly hiding what she really wanted wouldn't necessarily be a good thing.

So Gwen hummed softly. "Yes."

Zachary closed his eyes. After a long moment, he said, "I'll have my assistant come drive."

"What?" Wasn't he already driving?

Zachary laughed, his voice helpless. "I might not be able to drive anymore..."

Just thinking about it made his emotions impossible to settle. To prevent an accident on the road, it was better to have his assistant drive.

Gwen's face turned red as she nodded.

After the assistant arrived, he immediately drove them to Zachary's place.

As far as he was concerned, Mr. Quinn and Ms. Winston were together now. Even if they lived together, it was perfectly normal. So he treated everything normally throughout the entire drive, without a hint of gossip in his mind.

After getting out of the car, Gwen suddenly felt a little scared. "Um... I didn't bring any clothes..."

"We can buy some." Zachary took her hand, his eyes bright. "I'll have the housekeeper prepare everything right now."

Now there really was no chance to back out.