Chapter 99 Chapter 99. Waiting in Vain
Zephyr gently stroked her hair, soothing her. "Go to sleep. I’ll watch over you."
Faye shook her head, staring at him without letting go. As Zephyr stayed with her, he couldn’t help glancing at the clock. Minute by minute passed. His phone remained silent. He made an excuse to go to the bathroom and turned on the tap, splashing water on his face.
Staring at his own ferocious expression in the mirror, he clenched his fist and smashed it hard into the glass. The cheap mirror cracked with a sharp line, then a shard near the edge fell with a loud crash.
Blood streamed down his hand, but Zephyr felt nothing. He punched again and again, each blow heavier than the last. Suddenly, a piercing scream rang out from the hospital room. Zephyr frowned tightly, a flash of exhaustion crossing his face.
After roughly rinsing the blood away, Zephyr opened the door and went out. Faye’s screams had drawn the nurses, and a doctor was called in as well. The moment Faye saw Zephyr, tears spilled down her face. She struggled to get out of bed but was held down by the nurses. Zephyr frowned and stepped forward, pulling her into his arms.
"Zephyr, don’t abandon me. I’m scared! I’m really, really scared."
Zephyr ground his teeth and glanced at the clock again. It was already five o’clock.
He turned to the doctor. "Can you give her a sedative?"
"Yes." The doctor didn’t understand why, but could sense that something about the atmosphere felt deeply off.
At the mention of a sedative, Faye shook her head violently. She clutched Zephyr’s wrist tightly. "Don’t! Zephyr, stay with me. I’ll be good, I promise!"
Zephyr frowned, his thin lips pressed into a hard line. His gaze quietly slid away from her pale face. He looked at the doctor, his expression cold and detached. "Do it."
Several nurses restrained Faye. She struggled, but her limbs were injured, and with so many people holding her down, her strength quickly drained away.
"Don’t… don’t…"
Through tear-filled eyes, she watched Zephyr’s back as he walked away. When the needle pierced her skin, she stopped resisting. The tears in her eyes abruptly stilled. A trace of bitterness lingered at the corner of her mouth before it slowly curved into a faint smile. Faye shed her disguise. Her blue eyes brimmed with resentment and jealousy.
By the time Zephyr returned to the villa, it was already past six. The lights in the living room were still on, and his heart tightened. He quickened his pace, flung the door open, and rushed upstairs.
A servant was coming down just as he arrived. Seeing Zephyr drenched from the rain, a flicker of surprise crossed the servant’s eyes. "Good morning, Alpha."
Zephyr asked impatiently, "Where is Zoria? Has she come back yet?"
"Ms. Zoria hasn’t returned."
Zephyr froze. The disappointment in his eyes was painfully obvious. His hand clenched the railing so tightly his knuckles turned white.
"Alpha, what would you like for breakfast?"
"Whatever Zoria likes."
The maid hesitated, then asked, "Will Ms. Zoria be back this morning?"
Zephyr fell silent for a moment. His deep gaze darkened, and the air instantly grew heavy and suffocating. The maid had no idea what she had said wrong; she could only stand stiffly to the side, her face drawn tight.
"Go prepare breakfast," he said flatly.
The maid acknowledged the order and left as if fleeing.
Zephyr went upstairs and dropped heavily onto the sofa. The bond termination contract still lay on the coffee table, untouched. The calm on his face was swallowed by pain, his heart tightening as if bound by a rope.
Just then, a noise came from Zoria’s room. Zephyr stood and pushed the door open. A small golden dog was tugging at the bed sheet. When it saw Zephyr, it immediately jumped down and rushed over, tail wagging as it circled his legs and sniffed him eagerly.
Zephyr squatted and rubbed its head. "I’m really jealous of you. Your mom would rather choose you than choose me."
His throat felt stuffed with bitterness, the sharp taste lingering without end. Hamburger, not understanding a thing, only wagged its tail.
Zephyr held Hamburger and sat on the sofa, closing his eyes. The room was so quiet that even the dog’s panting felt grating to his ears. A vein throbbed hard at his temple, making it impossible for him to calm down.
He didn’t know how much time passed before the maid cautiously came upstairs. "Alpha."
"What is it?"
"Ms. Zoria has come back."
Zephyr’s eyes snapped open. The maid stood behind him, watching his expression, looking a little uneasy.
"Alpha, Ms. Zoria doesn’t seem quite right."
She recalled the sight of Zoria walking in barefoot, and unease rose sharply in her chest.
Zephyr set Hamburger down and sprang to his feet. "Where is she?"
"In the downstairs bathroom."
Zephyr nodded and hurried down the stairs. Before he even reached the bathroom near the stairwell, he heard the sound of retching.
The bathroom light glowed faintly. The door was ajar, leaving a narrow gap. Standing outside, Zephyr looked in and saw Zoria kneeling on the floor, one hand braced against the toilet as she vomited. Her whole body was soaked. The plain dress he had once given her was now wrinkled and crumpled beyond recognition.
Zephyr’s breath caught, his pupils contracting. As if sensing his burning gaze, Zoria turned her head and glanced at him. Her face was wet, her brows tightly knit in pain, her eyes red-rimmed, filled with liquid it was impossible to tell apart—tears or water.
Zoria retched for a long time before finally pushing herself upright. When she looked at Zephyr again, there was only disgust left in her eyes. She hadn’t expected to see him. Faye had just narrowly escaped death; Zephyr should have been at the hospital comforting her instead.
Then, as if something occurred to her, Zoria let out a soft laugh, her hoarse voice dripping with mockery. "What, you came to watch me make a fool of myself?"
Zephyr’s gaze slid from her face down to her neck. The marks there were dense and unmistakable, glaringly obvious. They trailed from her slender throat downward, disappearing beneath her clothes.
Zoria noticed his naked stare. She didn’t hide anything, only staggered forward until she stood in front of him, her exhausted body barely holding up.
"Can you move? I need to go upstairs, pack my things, and leave."