Chapter 164 Plaything
Quinley had barely slid into Jeremy's car when he started complaining about a headache.
He rubbed his temples, sighing heavily.
His secretary immediately jumped in. "Ms. Promise, Mr. Davis's migraines are acting up again."
"Mr. Davis, you work yourself to the bone. Please take care of your health." Quinley leaned forward. "I could just give you a verbal summary of the documents if that helps?"
Her mind stayed locked on work. She'd already burned half the day trying to get this approval. The timing sucked, but she couldn't afford to wait. The project was already rolling—every step dependent on the last. Without this signature, everything would screech to a halt.
Jeremy slumped against the headrest, his brow creased into deep furrows. He waved her off weakly. "I really need to rest right now."
He closed his eyes.
Quinley's stomach dropped. Something felt off. Like he was deliberately stalling her. But why? What was the point?
She couldn't figure it out. All she could do was wait.
The car glided through the streets in silence.
Thirty minutes later, they pulled up in front of a hotel.
The secretary rushed to help Jeremy out, his voice all concern. "Mr. Davis, if you're not feeling well, let's cancel tonight's dinner meeting."
"Can't do that. The directors are all waiting. What kind of impression would that make?"
Jeremy's voice was muffled but firm.
Quinley followed them out onto the sidewalk.
At this point, bringing up the documents would be pointless—she'd already missed her window. But this was exactly why she'd come. She couldn't just give up.
She opened her mouth to try anyway.
Jeremy seemed to sense it. His heavy eyelids lifted just enough to find her face. "Ms. Promise, I'll need you to wait a bit longer. Tonight's meeting will run about two hours. I won't be free until after ten."
He shot his secretary a look.
The man caught on instantly. He pulled out a hotel keycard and held it out to Quinley.
"This hotel is Davis family property. Mr. Davis maintains an office suite here. If you're in a hurry, Ms. Promise, you're welcome to wait in the room. He'll come by when he's finished."
Quinley stared at the plastic card in the secretary's hand.
She wasn't born yesterday. This keycard wasn't as innocent as it seemed.
But she needed that approval. She couldn't afford to play hard to get.
"I'll wait for Mr. Davis."
She took the keycard. Jeremy's frown eased a fraction.
"Just need to make an appearance. Won't keep you long."
Then he and his secretary disappeared into the hotel.
Quinley stood there clutching the keycard like it might bite her. She ended up in the lobby, sinking into one of those oversized chairs.
She'd taken the card. Should she actually go up to the room?
Not going would be insulting him. But going might mean walking straight into something she couldn't walk away from.
While Quinley wavered, a familiar figure caught her eye.
Adela.
The woman wore a ridiculously wide-brimmed beach hat pulled low, shadowing her entire face. She rushed out of the hotel entrance, her steps hurried.
Jeremy and the documents evaporated from Quinley's mind. She bolted after her.
When Adela spotted Quinley, she ran faster—full mouse-from-cat mode.
"Adela! I need to talk to you!"
Quinley pushed herself harder than she had in years and finally caught up, grabbing Adela's arm.
Adela jerked away violently. "Let go of me. I don't know you."
"You don't know her?"
The voice cut through the struggle like a blade.
A Maybach pulled up to the curb with precision. Zachary stepped out and seized Adela's wrist in one smooth motion.
She froze. All the fight just drained out of her.
"Ms. Gomez, get in the car."
Lucas gestured politely.
Adela stared at the men surrounding her. Outnumbered, she had no escape. She stopped struggling and let out a cold laugh. "Zachary, do you even remember me?"
Her eyes locked onto his face with unsettling intensity.
His expression could've frozen hell over. His lips pressed into a thin line. He said nothing.
"Get in."
It came out as a growl. Lucas guided—pushed, really—Adela into the vehicle.
"You okay?"
Zachary stepped closer, his tall frame blocking out the streetlight.
"I'm fine."
Quinley nodded.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and they slid into the backseat together.
Adela kept twisting around from the passenger seat. "Zachary, remember that streetlight back there? We kissed under it once. You said my tongue tasted like strawberries." Her smile turned sharp and taunting. "Think it still does?"
She was deliberately provoking him.
Zachary's expression darkened. He didn't respond, keeping his gaze fixed out the window.
"Ms. Gomez, please conduct yourself appropriately."
Lucas cut her off.
Adela just giggled. "Mr. Murphy, have you ever been in love? Ever kissed a woman? Slept with one? If you haven't experienced those things, you really can't understand the intimacy we shared."
This version of Adela was completely different from before. Her eyes glittered with seduction as she deliberately needled Zachary with every word.
"See that crosswalk, Zachary? I got tired once and you carried me on your back the whole way. You said you wanted to carry me like that forever." She turned to face him fully, her expression mockingly sincere. "Did you mean it?"
He remained silent.
Quinley understood perfectly. This wasn't just about dredging up old memories—Adela was trying to make her sick with jealousy.
Mission accomplished. Quinley's stomach turned.
The car pulled through the gates of Maple Estate.
Adela's face lit up. "You're finally bringing me home? I remember when you bought this place. You said we'd live here after the wedding. That no other woman would ever set foot inside except me."
Something sharp twisted in Quinley's chest.
Three years together. He'd never once brought her here to spend the night.
Was it because of Susan?
Zachary offered his hand as they got out. Quinley pulled away.
"I can walk on my own."
Inside Maple Estate, Adela shook off Lucas like he was an annoying fly and wandered freely through the grand foyer.
"God, Zachary, it's gorgeous. Exactly how I imagined." Her fingers trailed along the wall. "These floor-to-ceiling windows—you installed them because you knew I loved them, didn't you?"
She turned and practically launched herself at him, her arms reaching like vines for his neck.
He caught her wrists mid-air and threw her onto the sofa.
"I have questions for you."
Zachary's face was arctic. A storm about to break.
Adela smiled up at him from where she'd landed, then arranged herself into some absurd pin-up pose.
"Want to know why I'm not dead? Or why I changed my identity and stayed close to you all this time without revealing myself?"
Her eyes sparkled with malicious glee.
"But Zachary, it's such a long, long story. I honestly don't know where to start."
"I've got all the time in the world." Zachary sat down, crossing his long legs with deliberate calm. "Start wherever you want."
Adela's gaze suddenly slid to Quinley like a snake targeting prey.
"Before I answer your questions, you answer one of mine."
She pointed directly at Quinley.
"That woman. Are you serious about her? Or is she just a fling? Or maybe she's like that other Quinley—just another substitute for me?"
She spoke shamelessly, testing whether she still held any place in his heart.
"No one was ever a substitute for you."
Zachary's voice was flat and final.
"So you're just playing with her then!"
Adela jumped on his words triumphantly.
She turned that smug look on Quinley. "Hear that? You're nothing but a plaything to him."
She expected that to hurt.
But she'd underestimated Quinley's resilience.
Quinley simply raised her left hand. The massive pink diamond on her ring finger caught the light and threw it back like a weapon.
"Is that so?"
Two words. Delivered with devastating calm.
Adela's eyes went huge, fixed on that ring.
"Zachary, how could you marry someone like her? You said you only loved me. That it would never change."
"But you changed, didn't you?"
Zachary's lips curved into something cruel.
She'd changed her name, her face, her entire history. She might still be Susan somewhere deep down, but now she could only ever be Adela.
Adela started laughing.
Then the laughter broke into tears.