CHAPTER 182: CHAPTER 182: GIVE HIM ANOTHER CHANCE

Simon just smiled and didn’t say anything further.

By the time I got home, it was already late at night. My dad had gone to bed, but my mom was still waiting for me in the living room.

"Auntie, I’m sorry. We had such a great time at dinner that I got back a little late," Simon immediately explained when he saw my mom.

Although my mom was a bit unhappy, since Tiana is my good friend and Simon is her boyfriend, she didn’t want to show her displeasure.

"It’s fine as long as you’re back." My mom replied.

"Auntie, we’ll be heading off then." Tiana quickly said as she left.

"Okay, be careful on the way." My mom nodded with a smile.

After Tiana and Simon left, my mom’s smile gradually disappeared and she asked me, "Did you really go to dinner with them?"

I nodded, "Yeah."

If my mom knew I went to the hospital to see Henry Preston, then I could confirm the person secretly telling on me was Ivan Underwood. I stayed calm and went to pour a glass of water, waiting for my mom to continue.

However, my mom didn’t ask anything further, she just earnestly advised me, "Alright, that’s good. Keeping you grounded all the time is not a solution. Zoe, you need to be rational about this."

Does this mean I’m free now?

After speaking, my mom handed me the phone, "Here’s your phone, go to sleep."

"Mom, I understand." I happily took the phone, humming a little tune, and went upstairs. Being a 21st-century woman without a phone is truly difficult. Added to the fact that I haven’t been working seriously, I didn’t even have a proper computer, and my days were quite desolate.

Once upstairs, I immediately plugged in my phone to charge, then turned it on.

As soon as it was on, I received more than twenty missed calls, two-thirds from Henry Preston, and a few from Ivan and Crystal Dawson.

My WeChat was flooded with over 99+ messages.

Chapter 182: Mrs. Preston’s Plea

I glanced through the messages, replying to those I needed to, and finally stopped at Henry Preston’s chat window.

Henry Preston: "Do you like this movie?"

Henry Preston: "Why aren’t you replying? Why didn’t you answer the phone?"

Henry Preston: "Zoe Hathaway, you’re not playing me, are you? Getting clues from me and then standing me up?"

Henry Preston: "...The movie has started, are you kidding me?"

The last message was from the night I stood him up: "I’m at your front door."

So, he sent a message to let me know. He must’ve felt foolish waiting, so he left quickly.

Looking at the messages he sent, I felt a mix of emotions, because I used to text Henry like this. The difference was, I lost contact out of helplessness, but Henry deliberately ignored me.

I suddenly felt a bit pleased, thinking that Henry finally got a taste of being disregarded.

He even got beaten up; could it be karma?

This thought of mine is a bit unethical, but it brought me joy. If I were to block him again now, it would definitely anger him.

Ultimately, I abandoned this malicious idea, fearing that Silas and the others might come find me again.

Henry’s injury was supposed to be kept from the public. As the heir to the Preston Group and the only child of The Preston Family, news of his head injury could affect the group’s interests. Who knows if his brilliant business acumen might be damaged?

But for some reason, within just a few days, the newspapers and the internet were full of news about his injury, portrayed quite severely. After reading a few reports, I had the impression that Henry might’ve been beaten senseless.

Henry quickly responded by releasing an injury report to prove that he was fine.

Interestingly, once he was injured, a slew of women who had rumored pasts with him all wished him a speedy recovery.

"Zoe, your former in-laws went to the hospital to see Henry." Crystal Dawson gossiped about Henry’s hospital room during a phone call with me, "And Azure Vaughn goes three times a day, like a caregiver!"

"Let her do it. Hopefully, her heartfelt efforts can win Henry back." I remained calm.

"With my keen eyes, I don’t think it’s possible," Crystal said, "Do you think Azure leaked the news of Henry’s injury to get back at him?"

I didn’t think so. She wants Henry to fall for her now; she wouldn’t be that dumb, right?

I replied, "Someone from Leonard Lane’s side is more likely. Even though he’s in the ICU, people around him know about those two."

After chatting for a while, Crystal got tired and went off to rest.

I lay on the rocking chair in the yard, dozing off. Just as I was about to fall asleep, a phone call woke me, and the caller greatly surprised me.

"Zoe." After I answered, Mrs. Preston’s voice sounded weary.

"Auntie, what’s wrong?" I asked politely.

"I’m in City A, do you have time to meet me?" Mrs. Preston asked.

I didn’t have any reason to meet with The Preston Family, so I politely declined.

But Mrs. Preston wouldn’t give up, "Zoe, for the sake of the years we were mother and daughter-in-law, meet and have a meal with me. I just want to talk to you."

"Auntie, anything you want to say can be said over the phone. It’s the same," I replied.

"Please meet with me. We haven’t seen each other for a long time. I’m right near your house now; just meet for half an hour," Mrs. Preston pleaded without a hint of authority, sounding very earnest.

Today, both of my parents were at work, leaving only me, a dependent, at home. I could go meet Mrs. Preston, but I felt it was unnecessary.

In the end, I still refused. After hanging up, I sat in a daze for a while. No longer in the mood to sunbathe and sleep, I got up to head back to the living room.

"Zoe." Suddenly, Mrs. Preston’s voice came from outside the front gate, "May I talk to you?"

The security in my neighborhood is, of course, good, but past visitors who have been to my house can enter without special instructions.

I hadn’t expected her to show up right at my door.

Since she was already there, I had to open the door and invite Mrs. Preston into the living room, where I served her tea and some fruit.

"Zoe, I know I shouldn’t disturb you, but I had no choice." Mrs. Preston looked fatigued. After two years, she seemed to have aged a lot, yet she was still dressed elegantly and dignified, wearing a hairpin I once gave her.

"In these two years, Henry has been more worrisome than ever. After divorcing you, he won’t even look at the dates we arranged, and hasn’t interacted with any other women. Zoe, he is my only son, and I definitely don’t want to see him single for life. The Preston Group can’t end with him."

I listened quietly, still unclear about Mrs. Preston’s intention.

Mrs. Preston looked at me, a bit embarrassed, "Zoe, I know it’s shameless to ask you to come back, but today, I’m setting aside my pride to ask if you could give Henry another chance?"