CHAPTER 54: CHAPTER 54: I WANT YOU TO COME HOME BECAUSE I NEED YOU

Jenson Forrest said he wanted to give Zinnia a ride. Although Zinnia was annoyed, she couldn’t refuse him.

"Let go. I’m going to find Yara first."

If he wants to give me a ride, so be it. He’s the one who arranged this banquet to pave the way for Crystal Sutton. If he leaves halfway through, Crystal will be the one left embarrassed, not me.

When Jenson saw her nod, he finally released the arm he had wrapped around her waist.

"Wait for me in the parking lot."

With that, the man turned and left. He had left his phone in the private room and needed to retrieve it.

As he climbed the stairs, two girls walked toward him, their heads bent together as they looked at a phone.

"This race car driver is so handsome! Is that his girlfriend? They’re hugging in public, so she must be. They look perfect together, even more shippable than celebrity couples."

"Of course! He’s my new idol, the first driver to make it into F1! He’s so cool, right? It’s a shame motorsports aren’t that popular in this country. Otherwise, with his looks and this milestone achievement, he’d be a national icon!"

They passed by Jenson, and his gaze swept over the phone screen. Winston Forrest was hugging a woman with short hair. They appeared to be at a racing club, and he was wearing the exact same clothes he had on when he dropped Zinnia off the previous night.

In an instant, a chilling coldness filled Jenson’s eyes.

No wonder that woman was acting so strangely last night.

The sheer killing intent in his gaze startled the two girls. They turned to look, only catching a glimpse of the man’s tall, striking figure as he passed them. His profile and posture were impeccable, making them blush.

「In the parking lot」

Yara Fairchild held Zinnia’s arm, unable to resist asking, "Is it possible the baby in Crystal Sutton’s belly isn’t really Jenson’s?"

Yara’s eyes were like an infidelity radar. The moment Zinnia had returned, she noticed her friend’s lips were slightly swollen. Pressured by her questions, Zinnia had no choice but to briefly recount what had just happened.

Zinnia shrugged. "Jenson says it isn’t, but his attitude suggests he cares a great deal..."

She was getting frustrated and didn’t want to explore the issue any further. Whether it was his or not, she no longer cared. A divorce was inevitable anyway.

Yara squeezed Zinnia’s hand. "If he says it isn’t, maybe it really isn’t. Hasn’t he been refusing to get a divorce this whole time? If Crystal’s child were really his, he should be eager to divorce you. Zinnia, why don’t you observe him a little longer?"

Zinnia gave her a strange look. Yara had always been her staunchest supporter when it came to the divorce.

"What’s gotten into you?"

"It’s just... ugh, being a single mom is so hard, and Crystal Sutton is just too wicked. If her child isn’t Jenson’s, maybe that dog Forrest is worth saving. If you back out now, aren’t you just giving Sutton the Bitch a free pass?"

Yara’s words made Zinnia fall silent. She raised a hand to her lower abdomen.

She’s right. If my baby grows up and finds out that I had a chance to let him be born into a complete family, will he blame me?

Just then, the chauffeur, Uncle Cohen, hurried over.

"Mrs. Forrest, the president is tied up at the moment. He asked me to take you and Miss Fairchild home."

Uncle Cohen moved to open the car door, but Yara gritted her teeth.

"Zinnia, just pretend I didn’t say anything."

I never should have spoken up for that dog Jenson Forrest!

Jenson can’t leave... He obviously can’t bear to abandon Crystal Sutton.

Zinnia managed a faint smile, pulling Yara along as she said to Uncle Cohen, "There’s no need. We’ve already called a cab."

"That’s right! Who’d want to ride in that dog Forrest’s luxury car, anyway? It probably still reeks of some vixen!" Yara declared loudly, walking away with Zinnia’s arm in hers.

Anxious, Uncle Cohen hurried to catch up.

"Mrs. Forrest, you’ve misunderstood! Miss Sutton didn’t arrive with the president; they met at the entrance. There’s really no smell in the car! The president instructed me to give you a ride. If I don’t..."

He couldn’t catch up. Zinnia and Yara were already getting into their cab.

Through the car window, Zinnia told him, "It’s me who refuses to ride in his car. He won’t make things difficult for you. You can go back now."

Uncle Cohen still took two steps forward, calling out a reminder.

"Mrs. Forrest, the president said the dressing on his arm wound needs to be changed today! Please remember to come home tonight..."

「」

Now that she had quit one of her part-time jobs, Zinnia had a lot more free time. She went to the hospital to visit Mason Lawrence, chatting with him for a while and massaging his legs.

Just as she was about to leave, Gloria Grant arrived. She had a new perm and was wearing makeup. Dressed in a thin cashmere cardigan over a black dress and carrying a Hermès bag, she looked for all the world like some wealthy socialite. She took Zinnia’s hand, but her true colors showed after only a few words.

"Zinnia, Mom’s a bit tight on money lately. Do you have any to spare? I’ve been so stressed because of your brother’s condition that I want to go abroad with my friends to relax."

Zinnia pulled her hand away. "I don’t have any money."

She took a step, but Gloria sat down on the edge of the hospital bed, admiring her manicure. "Then I’ll just have to go ask my in-laws. They’re kind people. Or I could go to Stellar and find my son-in-law..."

"Don’t you dare!" Zinnia stopped dead in her tracks, turning back to glare at Gloria with piercing eyes.

It was Gloria’s constant trips to the Forrest Family for money that made Zinnia feel increasingly humiliated. But Gloria couldn’t care less about whether her daughter was doing well. She only cared about herself, and she laughed shamelessly.

"You’re the prestigious young mistress of the Forrest family. Show some filial piety and give me the money. Then this will all be over."

Zinnia felt a chill run through her, but she couldn’t physically stop Gloria from going. She had given Gloria cards before, but her mother’s greed was a bottomless pit. Zinnia had lost her temper, threatened her, and even begged her, but Gloria remained indifferent. She just wanted to leech off her daughter for life.

If Zinnia refused to give her a single cent, Gloria would go to the Forrest Group’s entrance and block Patrick Forrest. That had happened not long after she and Jenson had married, and it had been incredibly ugly. Patrick had summoned her to the study at the old family estate. He didn’t say a single harsh word but made her stand there all night. The next morning, his secretary gave her a card along with a message: "The Forrest family raised you and asks for nothing in return, but at the very least, do not repeatedly tarnish our name."

"I’m not asking you for hundreds of thousands! I’m your biological mother! No matter what, I still raised you. What’s wrong with you spending a little money on me?" As she spoke, Gloria walked over and tried to snatch Zinnia’s purse to search it herself.

Zinnia violently flung her away. Gloria stumbled back a step, then pointed a furious finger at Zinnia’s nose and cursed, "You’d raise a hand against your own mother! You ungrateful daughter!"

The anger on Zinnia’s face faded, replaced by pure coldness. "I won’t give you a single cent. Go and make a scene wherever you want. I’m eager for a divorce, so if you want to add fuel to the fire, I’d be thrilled."

She turned to leave. The memory of the divorce agreement that had fallen out of Zinnia’s bag last time made Gloria panic. "You wretched girl! You’re not really going to divorce him, are you? I won’t take the money, okay? Just don’t do anything foolish!"

She chased after her out of the room, her anger rising again as she glared at Zinnia’s retreating back. "Crystal gives me twenty thousand a month as an allowance! What’s so wrong with asking you for a little money!"

Zinnia stopped abruptly and turned around. "Crystal gives you twenty thousand a month? Since when?"

Gloria looked guilty and quickly amended, "I meant, if you won’t give it to me, I’ll go ask Crystal. She’s a filial daughter, not like you! So cold-hearted! You live as a wealthy young mistress while your own mother is scraping by on crusts!"

Zinnia couldn’t be bothered with her and walked away.

As she got into the elevator, she remembered Jenson’s injury. She went to the hematology department to consult the doctor who had drawn his blood last time. Coming out of the doctor’s office, Zinnia let out a laugh of pure, unadulterated anger.

「That night」

Zinnia was sleeping fitfully when her phone started vibrating nonstop. Frowning, she picked it up without looking and answered.

"Where are you? When are you coming back?"

Jenson’s impatient voice rang in her ear, as cold as shattered jade in the silent night, jolting Zinnia fully awake.

"Back to warm your bed? I think President Forrest has the wrong person!"

She was about to hang up when the man’s voice came again. "I forgot. Mrs. Forrest has strong needs. If you want to come back and warm my bed, I won’t object."

"Hah," Zinnia laughed in fury.

She moved to hang up again, but he added, "My wound seems to be festering."

"Festering?"

Jenson thought she was worried, and the corners of his lips curved up slightly. But in the next second, he was met with her icy, impatient voice. "Festering is nothing. Wait until it starts breeding maggots. Then you can contact me. I’ll be sure to rush right over to watch."

Without giving him a chance to reply, Zinnia irritably hung up the phone. She tossed it aside, but less than two minutes later, it started vibrating again.

BUZZ. BUZZ. BUZZ.

Ablaze with rage, she snatched it up. This time, Jenson’s voice was calmer, deep and magnetic. "You found out, didn’t you?"

Zinnia sneered. "Found out that you’ve been running me in circles? I guess I can’t be blamed for being so gullible. I’ve seen plenty of people curse others with illness, but I’ve never seen someone curse themselves. That’s a first. President Forrest, you’re such a good actor. Why are you still a president? You and Crystal Sutton should just go into show business together. A pair of villains like you could join forces and sweep every award in the industry!"

Her voice was filled with a sharp-edged anger and ridicule that was completely out of character for her.

"Zinnia!"

The veins on the back of Jenson’s hand bulged with anger. "Zinnia!" he called out in a deep voice. Then, he pinched the bridge of his nose, swallowing his pride to coax her. "I didn’t mean to deceive you. I just wanted you to worry about me, to care for me. I want you to come home! I need you, Zinnia. Our marriage is not a joke!"