CHAPTER 80: CHAPTER 80: HE TREATS HER LIKE A STRANGER

Crystal Sutton hadn’t expected to run into Zinnia Lawrence here. When she saw Zinnia looking intimate with Master Lise, a flash of jealous anger flashed in her eyes.

That woman is impossible to shake!

Zinnia’s gaze only lingered briefly between Crystal and Jenson before she calmly looked away.

Jenson, however, didn’t spare Zinnia a single glance, treating her as if she were a complete stranger.

"Jenson, why is my sister here too?" It was Crystal who asked this, feigning puzzlement in a low voice.

With one hand in his pocket, Jenson responded coolly, "I don’t know."

Crystal noticed that neither of them intended to greet the other. They were nothing like a married couple. Jenson’s reply also made it clear that he hadn’t arranged for Zinnia to be here.

At this, Crystal relaxed. A bright smile graced her lips as she shot a provocative glance at Zinnia.

A blond man accompanying Jenson stepped forward and whispered to Master Lise, who then nodded toward Jenson. The man then walked over and greeted Master Lise in fluent Italian.

As the two conversed smoothly, Zinnia listened silently, quickly realizing that Master Lise’s husband was one of Jenson’s business partners. Jenson had used this connection to introduce Crystal to Master Lise.

Crystal wanted to join Master Lise’s touring ensemble as a violinist. Master Lise’s tour in the country wasn’t generating the same buzz as a pop celebrity’s, but it was a major event in the dance world. If she could join the ensemble, her abilities would be officially recognized, elevating her status instantly.

This was the condition Jenson had previously agreed upon with Crystal. Crystal would keep the baby, and in return, Jenson would do his best to pave her career path and provide her with resources.

"Crystal, Master Lise has agreed to listen to your violin performance later. Come over and thank her in person," Jenson said, turning to Crystal.

Crystal knew no Italian, so she hadn’t understood their earlier conversation. Hearing this, she hurried over and expressed her thanks in English. However, Lise’s reaction was indifferent; she merely gave a slight nod.

Master Lise then turned back to Jenson. "Mr. Forrest, your Italian is very fluent. I’m surprised that Veridia has so many people proficient in Italian. Take Miss Lawrence, for example. Her Italian is also very authentic, which made me feel incredibly welcome the moment I stepped off the plane!"

Lise turned and pulled Zinnia to her side, asking with a curious expression, "But do you two know each other? Your accents are remarkably similar!"

Zinnia glanced at Jenson, her gaze flickering. She and Jenson had learned Italian from the same tutor, so it was only natural their accents were similar. Back when the Forrest Family hired a foreign language tutor for Jenson, Zinnia was only eight or nine. She was very clingy and followed him like a little shadow whenever he was home. Because of this, she also learned all four of the foreign languages that Jenson knew.

For the first time, Jenson’s indifferent gaze swept over Zinnia. His expression was neither cold nor warm, lingering only for a moment out of politeness before he turned back to Lise.

"I don’t know her. So, is Miss Lawrence the accompanying translator?" he asked.

Zinnia didn’t want Jenson to find out about her studies abroad, so she nodded before Lise could respond. "Yes, I’m the translator. However, with Mr. Forrest’s Italian being so excellent, it seems my skills aren’t needed here."

Lise had her own translator, but they had missed the flight and would be arriving on a later plane. Zinnia’s knowledge of Italian was a pleasant surprise, and on the way to the hotel, Lise had already temporarily hired her as her translator in Veridia.

Standing to the side, Crystal couldn’t understand a word the three of them were saying. It made her feel superfluous, humiliated by the way Zinnia effortlessly outshone her. She lowered her head, clenching her fists in hatred.

Zinnia soon accompanied Lise into her room. Once the door closed, Crystal finally asked, "Jenson, my sister seems to know Master Lise so well. She’s really impressive. Not like me, I’m clumsy with words and bad at socializing. I have to rely on you for everything..."

Jenson walked past without looking at her, casually replying, "She is indeed excellent."

So excellent that she’s even taking translation jobs to scrape together that thirty million. How hardworking, Jenson thought sarcastically.

Crystal choked on his words. Was that the point of what I just said?

"Then what is Zinnia doing here?"

"She’s an accompanying translator," Jenson replied dismissively.

Crystal frowned slightly. A translator? Zinnia had shown her the divorce agreement. She needed to raise thirty million for the divorce, and only then would Crystal return the original dance role to her. Zinnia should be busy scrambling for money right now. How much could she possibly make as a translator?

Crystal felt there was more to the story. As soon as she reached the lounge, she instructed Rose Lowell to look into it.

Rose Lowell was quick. After getting the information, Crystal stood up from her chair. "Jenson, I’m a little nervous. I’m going to step out for some fresh air."

Jenson was sitting by the window reading his emails and didn’t even look up.

Crystal left the lounge and led Rose Lowell to the end of the corridor, where Rose Lowell whispered a few words to her.

Crystal’s expression changed dramatically. "What? She’s actually going to audition to be Master Lise’s student? How can that be!"

This absolutely cannot be allowed to happen!

Rose Lowell frowned. "Crystal, if she passes the interview and goes abroad, isn’t that a good thing? Once she’s gone, President Forrest will be all yours."

"You don’t understand!" Crystal retorted, clenching her fists.

Zinnia going abroad would be for the best, but not as Master Lise’s student. That would place Zinnia on a much higher pedestal, giving her a golden path to career success. Mandy Lowe was a dancer. Once Zinnia stepped onto the international stage, the brilliance she had been forced to hide for so long would finally be unveiled.

Once that dust-covered pearl saw the light of day again, it would completely overshadow her own brilliance. Jenson would think even less of her. Mandy Lowe and Simon Sutton would regret ever abandoning such an exceptional adopted daughter. They would all regret it.

Crystal would never allow that to happen!

A fierce glint flashed in her eyes. Lowering her voice, she ordered, "You go..."

「」

After chatting with Lise for a while, Zinnia left the room. Lise was on a tight schedule; after a short rest, she would watch Zinnia’s dance audition.

Zinnia had already booked an hourly room at the same hotel. After leaving Lise’s suite, she returned to her own.

In the bedroom, she changed into her dance attire and did two sets of stretches. She then walked out of the bedroom, picked up the thermos from the table, unscrewed the lid, and drank some water.

It wasn’t time for the audition yet. Zinnia sat cross-legged on the sofa, closed her eyes, and emptied her mind. This had been her pre-performance ritual for years, but...

Her head grew inexplicably fuzzy, and her eyelids felt heavier and heavier. Zinnia’s body went limp, and she slumped softly onto the sofa.

A short while later, the phone on the table began to vibrate incessantly, but Zinnia, lost in unconsciousness, didn’t hear a thing.

"What’s happening? She’s not answering her phone." Lise’s assistant, Anna, looked at Lise helplessly after calling Zinnia three times.

Lise detested people who were unprofessional and unpunctual, and she had already broken her own rule by waiting an extra five minutes for Zinnia.

Nearby, Crystal spoke to Anna hastily in English. "Master Lise seems anxious. I’ll go find my sister. Could you please ask Master Lise to be patient?"

Crystal turned and asked a member of the hotel staff. She quickly returned, putting on a troubled expression as she said, "The staff member said they saw someone who looked like my sister rushing off about half an hour ago. She must have had something very important to leave like that..."

Just then, Jenson arrived with Timothy Cohen. Seeing Lise’s displeased expression and no sign of Zinnia, he turned to Anna and asked, "What happened?"