Chapter 157 Aren't You Worried He'll Fall for Someone Else?
Charles's heart dropped. He was about to head upstairs when the clerk quickly added, "She's already gone!"
"Gone? Where?"
"To the airport."
Charles felt his stomach lurch. "Get me a car to the airport. Now."
...
Charles threw his things together and rushed to the nearest airport, but there was no sign of Zoey anywhere. He tried to look up her flight information, but this airport took privacy seriously. Unless someone was reported missing, they wouldn't share passenger details. And since this wasn't back home, even if he could pull strings, there was no way he'd track down Zoey's whereabouts quickly.
Zoey hadn't flown home. She'd just caught the next available flight to another city. Late at night, she checked into a hotel near the airport.
The next day, she bought a bicycle, a tent, and a sleeping bag, and started a solo cycling trip. The cold didn't faze her one bit.
Every now and then, she'd turn on her phone and see Charles's missed calls and voice messages. He sounded anxious—probably worried something had happened to her. Each time, she'd only send him back a single emoji. One, to let him know she was safe and he didn't need to launch some massive search. Two, to signal she didn't want to talk to him.
Serves you right. Go catch up with your ex-girlfriend all you want!
When she got tired, she'd find a cabin to rest in, build a fire, and curl up in her sleeping bag for warmth.
She kept this up for two weeks before finally selling the bike cheap and flying back home. But she didn't go to Charles's place—she went to her parents' house.
Mr. Turner and Mrs. Turner were surprised to see Zoey show up alone.
"Weren't you on your honeymoon?"
"Where's Mr. Gonzaga?"
They spoke almost in unison.
Ever since Zoey got married, Mr. and Mrs. Turner had felt like empty nesters. It left them feeling pretty aimless. Mrs. Turner filled her days with beauty treatments, gym sessions, tea with old friends, travel—basically anything to kill time. Mr. Turner ran his company and spent his free time golfing, hiking with buddies, playing chess, or reading alone.
Now that Zoey was back, they both felt a bit thrown.
"Mom, I want to take a shower first," Zoey said.
Mrs. Turner actually wrinkled her nose. "How long has it been since you bathed?"
"Seven or eight days, maybe."
"Why wouldn't you shower? You're a married woman now. Doesn't Mr. Gonzaga mind?" Mrs. Turner asked.
"I'll explain later. Let me go wash up first."
Zoey bolted upstairs to her room, just like when she still lived at home.
Mr. Turner and Mrs. Turner sat downstairs together.
"Think they had a fight?" Mrs. Turner asked.
"Probably," Mr. Turner said.
"Must be something serious. Otherwise, knowing Zoey, she never would've come back here alone."
The couple sat stiffly, concerned.
Before long, the doorbell rang. The housekeeper announced that Charles had arrived.
Mr. Turner quickly had him shown in.
The moment Charles entered, he asked, "Did Zoey come home?"
"Yes, but what's going on with you two? Why did she come back alone? Weren't you on your honeymoon?" Mrs. Turner asked.
"It's a long story," Charles said.
But he gave them the short version anyway.
After hearing him out, Mr. Turner—for once—stood his ground with Charles. "So let me get this straight. You left your wife alone in a hotel for hours while you went off to meet your ex-girlfriend privately? What woman wouldn't be upset? I think you need to figure out who you actually care about—that woman or Zoey.
"If you care about my daughter, cut ties with your ex. If you care about your ex, then stop bothering my daughter. Zoey is innocent and kind. She doesn't understand how cruel the world can be. She's easy to take advantage of!"
Mrs. Turner tugged at Mr. Turner's sleeve, but he continued. "Don't pull on me. That's just how it is, no matter where you are!"
Mrs. Turner turned to Charles too. "He's right. You went too far. You can't take advantage of Zoey just because she loves you."
Charles didn't argue. He just apologized.
A moment later, Zoey's voice echoed from the staircase landing. "Mom, Dad, I'm done with my shower."
She wore a loose cartoon-print robe, her hair still damp. The moment she saw Charles, her lips trembled, but she bit down hard to keep from crying.
The instant Charles saw her, relief washed over him—like finding something precious he'd lost.
He closed the distance in three quick strides and pulled her into his arms.
Zoey froze for a second but didn't struggle. She let him hold her. These past weeks alone had been agonizing. She knew about his ex-girlfriend. She knew she'd been the only one with real feelings all this time. But she couldn't stop thinking about him. She was the type to keep going until she hit a brick wall.
Now, with him holding her again, her heart melted instantly.
"Come home with me," Charles said.
She nodded. "Let me go pack my things."
"Dry your hair first. I'll help you."
"Okay."
...
Zoey met up with Matilda for tea. After hearing about the honeymoon disaster, Matilda didn't know whether to laugh or get angry.
"Look at you. You wasted all those days out there suffering for nothing."
"What was I supposed to do?" Zoey asked.
"Make him sweat a little. Don't forgive him so easily," Matilda said.
Zoey shook her head. "What if he really stops caring about me? The whole time I was gone, he texted me every day. He apologized and explained what happened."
Matilda shook her head with a sigh. "That's pathetic."
"Well, what would you have done?" Zoey asked.
"If it were me? I wouldn't have let them meet alone in the first place. The second that woman asked him out, I would've made my position crystal clear—if you walk out that door, don't bother coming back," Matilda said.
Zoey's eyes went wide. "You can do that?"
"Of course. Nip it in the bud from the start."
Zoey slumped in her chair. "But they go back so many years. They met when they were seventeen or eighteen and were together for ages. Charles and I have only been married two months. Our relationship doesn't compare to theirs. Sometimes I wonder if I should just step aside and let them be together. His ex is divorced now, raising a sick child all alone."
Matilda looked exasperated. "No matter how good their relationship was, that's in the past. You're Charles's legal wife now. You need to defend your marriage. If they stay in contact, speak up and object."
Zoey sipped her tea with a small smile. She understood the logic. But the person who falls in love first always loses.
"Let's not talk about me anymore. What about you, Matilda? Wentworth's been away so long. Aren't you worried he'll fall for someone else?" Zoey asked.
Matilda smiled. "What's there to worry about? He's around men all day. And even if he did fall for someone else, so what? I'm not desperate to keep him."
"You're really that chill about it?"
Matilda thought for a moment. "I'd probably be sad for a while, but I'd force myself to move on."
She'd actually thought about this before. No matter how good Wentworth was to her, she needed to maintain a sense of self-preservation. In this world, aside from money, nothing stays the same forever.