CHAPTER 56: CHAPTER 56: ZINNIA LAWRENCE SEDUCES AND THROWS HERSELF INTO HIS ARMS

Jenson Forrest looked up. "Is running errands your hobby? Should I transfer you to the Forrest Group’s logistics company so you can really shine?"

Timothy Cohen shivered, quickly gathered his documents, and scurried out of the office.

Jenson lowered his head to continue working, his expression unchanged, but his eyes held a hint of irritation.

That woman was getting better and better at infuriating him. Blocking his number and hanging up on him had become routine. Did he have no pride? Why was he still rushing to send resources her way? She refused to be the pampered Mrs. Forrest, insisting on learning things the hard way. Since she loved to suffer so much, he’d let her endure it for a few more days. Once she’d fallen and scraped her knees, she’d naturally remember where her safe harbor was.

「Violetwood Apartments.」

After hanging up, Yara Fairchild hummed. "My heart is sealed in cement! I’m done with scumbags! Time to go fight the haters again!"

She rolled up her sleeves, ready to march back to her room for a war of words with them.

Zinnia Lawrence pulled her back. "Give your mammary glands a break! Come on, let’s go get something to eat."

"But online..."

"I have a way to handle things online. There’s no rush. I’ll respond tomorrow."

Zinnia pulled Yara out the door, and they found a small diner. Just as their breakfast arrived, Winston Forrest called.

"Zinnia, the police have thoroughly investigated the case. It’s been classified as attempted sexual assault, and you acted in self-defense, so you bear no responsibility. That guy, Duan, woke up last night. He’ll be under observation at the hospital for two days before being transferred to a detention center. He won’t get a light sentence. We’ve also sealed your personal information, so you can rest easy."

Zinnia let out a sigh of relief. "Okay."

"You don’t sound very happy. Are you still fighting with Jenson?"

Zinnia’s lips curved into a smile. "I’m just thinking about how to thank you."

"So you do have a conscience. In that case, I won’t ask for much. Just brew a few more jars of that plum wine for me this year. My stash is gone, and there’s none left at the old mansion either. I’m really craving it."

Behind the Forrest family’s old mansion grew several plum trees. Their fruit was sour, so every year Zinnia would pick them to brew plum wine. The doctor said the wine aided digestion, relieved fatigue, and was beneficial for cardiovascular health, so Old Madam Forrest was very fond of it. Winston always said the plum wine Zinnia brewed tasted like home, unlike any other. Even though he had been away for four years, he never forgot to ask for his share each year. Zinnia, in turn, never forgot to prepare it for him, having it air-shipped across the country.

"It’s not the season. How about I introduce you to a girlfriend instead? You’re surprisingly tolerable right now, so we should keep the good stuff in the family..."

"Stop! Grandma and Mom hound me about getting married all day, which is a big enough headache. But they’re my elders, so I can let it slide. What right does a little pipsqueak like you have to nag me?"

Zinnia said demurely, "Because I’m your elder too, Joey."

Winston was speechless. "..."

"Pfft, haha."

Yara Fairchild could just imagine the stunned silence on Winston’s end and couldn’t stop herself from spitting out a mouthful of soy milk.

"Marrying Jenson has really gotten to your head, huh? By the way, there’s a race at the club next week. Want to come watch?"

Zinnia wasn’t keen on joining the crowd, but Yara was practically buzzing with excitement. She grabbed Zinnia’s arm, shaking it while lowering her voice to a coquettish whisper. "Let’s go, let’s go! I’ve never seen a car race before."

A girl’s gotta spoil her own best friend!

"Alright. I’ll bring Yara along with me then."

After breakfast, Zinnia headed to the film set for two dance-double scenes.

It was a historical palace intrigue drama. The second female lead was a bewitching Imperial Concubine who captivated the emperor with a single dance. She enjoyed endless favor and became the main protagonist’s greatest rival. However, due to her arrogance and domineering nature, her family eventually fell from grace, and she lost the emperor’s affection, being cast into the Cold Palace. With her proud and aloof personality, she could never resign herself to rotting away there. Barefoot and with her hair unbound, she ascended the high platform where she had once performed her city-captivating dance. There, she performed a sorrowful, valiant sword dance before slitting her own throat, bringing the life of a peerless beauty to its tragic end.

These two dances were crucial. The first had to be mesmerizing enough to seduce an emperor. The second had to be frantic and tragic, conveying the sorrows of a fallen beauty’s life. Only then would the character feel real. The difficulty was immense.

Yet Zinnia performed them flawlessly, nailing both on the first take.

"Excellent, just excellent! That was exactly the feeling I wanted! And her face, her presence on camera! I almost don’t want to replace these shots in post-production. This girl was born for this business!" the director exclaimed, rewatching the two takes on his monitor. He praised her repeatedly before turning to his assistant. "Give her a big red envelope, and get her contact information."

That was a clear sign of future collaborations.

The second female lead waiting for her retakes was Lucy Lucas, the same actress Zinnia had seen at The Imperial Court. Gossip was rampant among the crew. She knew they were all mocking her, saying the dance double overshadowed her in every way—from her aura and looks to her figure. She was already seething, so hearing the director’s praise was like adding fuel to the fire, stoking both old and new resentments.

Fuming, she started toward Zinnia to cause trouble but was yanked back by her agent.

"What do you think you’re doing?!"

"Jane! Who does that little dance double think she is?!"

"Director Vaughn is a pragmatist. He despises actors who cause drama on his set. If you want to keep working on this film, you’ll behave yourself!"

Scolded by her agent, Lucy Lucas choked back her anger and nodded, her eyes red.

Jane then soothed her, "She dances well, but you’re the one who reaps the benefits in the final cut! Don’t be so shortsighted!"

With that, Jane turned and left, chasing out of the studio and calling out to Zinnia, who was about to leave. "I’m Jean Chase, an agent from Myriad Media. I’m also the second female lead’s agent. You did a great job today, thank you for your hard work. Please, take this red envelope."

Zinnia had heard from Yara that it was common for stand-ins to receive red envelopes from directors or actors if they performed well. In fact, the director’s assistant had just given her one. So, when Jean Chase offered another, Zinnia didn’t refuse. She simply thanked her and accepted it.

As she turned to leave, Jean Chase spoke again. "Have you ever considered signing with an agency and becoming a professional actress? With your looks and spirit, I guarantee I can make you an A-list star in three years—no, two. Why don’t we discuss a contract?"

Zinnia smiled faintly. "Thank you for the kind offer, but I’m not interested in that. Goodbye."

She refused without a moment’s hesitation and walked away.

Jean Chase stood there, stunned by her decisive rejection. The chance to become an A-list star was a massive temptation. Didn’t every dance double dream of being in front of the camera?

Jean could see that Zinnia’s refusal was genuine, not some ploy to play hard to get. She’s so clear-headed about what she wants, with such a strong personality and mind of her own. A flash of admiration, mixed with regret, crossed Jean’s eyes.

She caught up just as Zinnia was getting into a car and slipped her business card through the window. "Call me if you change your mind."

Watching from a distance, Lucy Lucas stomped her foot in frustration. She returned to the set, took her phone from her assistant, and opened WeChat.

Zinnia left the film set and returned to Sovereign Court. She remembered leaving two jars of plum wine there and wanted to grab them for Winston. Jenson rarely came back, and it was past four in the afternoon, so there was no chance he’d be there.

Zinnia walked into the villa. As expected, it was silent. She went straight to the wine cabinet but couldn’t find her jars; it was filled exclusively with Jenson’s collection. She figured Katherine Rhodes must have come by, found the homemade jars unpresentable, and had Aunt Kramer move them.

Zinnia went to the storage room. After rummaging through boxes and cabinets, she finally found the jars in the furthest corner. As she was crawling back out while hugging them, her dress caught on something. RIIIIP.

She was wearing a tight, straight-cut long dress, and the tear was large, exposing her thigh with the slightest movement. She had no choice but to go upstairs to the bedroom. Inside the walk-in closet, Zinnia found a pair of jeans.

She was bent over, halfway through pulling off the ripped dress, when a man’s low voice suddenly sounded from behind her.

"What are you doing?"

The abrupt sound startled Zinnia. She flailed, tripped over the half-removed dress, and pitched forward. "Ah!" she cried, squeezing her eyes shut.

The expected face-plant never came. The man caught her, his body cushioning her fall.

Still shaken, Zinnia knocked her chin against his hard chest. The pain made her rub the spot, tears welling in her eyes. From beneath her, Jenson Forrest’s cool voice drifted up.

"If you want a divorce, you don’t have to act like a clumsy idiot."

Zinnia’s eyes flew open, and she angrily thumped his chest. "You’re the idiot! I wouldn’t have fallen if you hadn’t suddenly popped up and scared me! What are you doing here?"

It’s like seeing a ghost in broad daylight.

"This is my home," Jenson sneered.

Zinnia found his words incredibly ironic. In two years of marriage, has he ever treated this place like a home? He hardly ever came back. But lately, for some reason, he seems to be everywhere she turns.

"Right, right, your home. I’ll leave immediately."

Zinnia tried to scramble up, but a large hand pressed firmly against her lower back. With a slight push, she tumbled back down onto him, their bodies flush against each other. His mocking voice whispered beside her ear.

"If you don’t have the heart to go through with the divorce, just say so. There’s no need to play hard to get, trying to seduce me by flaunting your body and throwing yourself into my arms."