Love's Change of Heart

What are these alarming words I'm hearing? Leanna paled.

Before she could say anything, Aidan kissed her lips again while his hand rested on the part of her

waist that was exposed because of her movements earlier. He gently caressed her skin and continued

gliding his hand upward.

The temperature in the room gradually rose.

Soon, an ambiguous atmosphere enveloped the entire space.

…

At the same time, Zoe, who couldn't fall asleep, was tossing and turning in bed.

Her mind alternated between thoughts of what Leanna had told her—that she wouldn't have lost her

baby if it weren't for Joseph—and thoughts of Daniel as she wondered how he was doing and if he had

been hurt.

The more she thought, the more chaotic her thoughts became.

Eventually, she decided to sit up and walk to the living room to pour herself some water.

She was sipping on her drink when she saw the flowers on the verge of wilting on the windowsill. She

walked over, squatted down, and poured the water from her cup into the pot.

Suddenly, Zoe remembered that Daniel also had plants at his home. It has been such a long time. I

wonder how the plants are now.

She continued to crouch on the floor for a while before standing up and walking to the door. After she

changed her shoes, she grabbed her car keys and went out.

After arriving at the small residential complex where she and Leanna used to live, Zoe parked her car

and quickly went upstairs.

For some reason, she could feel a strange feeling intensifying the closer she got.

It was as if she would see Daniel as soon as she opened the door.

After getting off the elevator, Zoe went to Daniel's unit and entered the passcode. When she saw the

light inside the apartment, she felt like her speculation had been confirmed. A smile then appeared on

her face as she called out, "Daniel—"

However, a woman whose luscious curves were covered by a revealing nightgown walked out of the

bedroom.

With a languid expression on her face, the woman drawled in French when she looked at Zoe,

"Bonsoir! And you are?"

"Sorry! I'm sorry…"

Bewildered, Zoe apologized while stepping back. Did the apartment get rented out again?

However, before she could leave, the woman stopped her. "Wait!"

Zoe only stood there apologizing, "Sorry, my friend used to live here…"

She didn't know if the woman believed her words or not, but the latter was soon taking slow steps

toward Zoe with her eyes narrowed and arms crossed.

Just then, a familiar male voice came from inside the apartment. "Amanda."

Both the woman and Zoe turned their heads toward the voice.

Daniel had walked out within the next second.

"A friend of yours?" Amanda asked.

Daniel nodded and looked at Zoe. "Do you need something?"

Zoe was frozen in place. Despite her mouth being opened, she couldn't bring herself to say anything.

She had come here with great expectations to see Daniel, but she hadn't anticipated it would be under

these circumstances.

She looked him up and down, only to find that he seemed fine and unharmed. She had been worried

for nothing.

The woman named Amanda walked over and sat on the couch before she opened a bottle of red wine

and leisurely sipped it.

After a moment, Zoe regained her voice but didn't know what to say. In the end, she stammered, "I

heard from Leanna that you were in trouble… and… I was thinking about whether the flowers here

would wither, so I came to take a look."

"I'm fine. You can leave."

Zoe instinctively turned her head and took a few steps. However, she couldn't help but become teary-

eyed as she whipped her head back around and scolded, "Are you out of your mind? Don't you know

that Leanna and Aidan thought that Leroy got to you? They are currently using the Crossley Group's

assets as collateral to save you! And here you are with… this woman…"

At her words, Daniel froze, his eyebrows creasing subtly.

After a moment, he stated, "Please help me pass the message that they don't have to do all this for

me."

"If you want to say it, say it yourself," Zoe retorted. "It's none of my business!"

With that, she turned around and stormed off, not forgetting to slam the door shut behind her.

Daniel only looked away after hearing her footsteps fade as she entered the elevator.

On the couch, Amanda drank her red wine and asked, seemingly interested, "Your new girlfriend?"

Daniel's voice turned cold when he muttered, "No, and it's none of your business."

"What a shame!" Amanda hummed. "It would have been nice to have her stay and keep you company."

Just as Daniel was about to say something, a violent coughing fit overtook him. Bloodstains then

seeped through his shoulder and back.

Seeing this, Amanda walked over and took out a needle that she had intended to use on Zoe from the

pocket of her nightgown and injected it into his arm. Clicking her tongue twice, she stated, "I told you

not to move around. You've wasted another one of my syringes."

Daniel's consciousness gradually started to blur and he struggled to ask, "How's the situation outside

now?"

"Didn't your girlfriend just tell you? I never expected you to be worth so much. You've piqued my

interest. Handing you over wouldn't be a bad deal." She sighed and added, "But what I really want is

your life."

"I told you she's not my girlfriend. Don't you dare touch her!" Daniel hissed.

After Amanda helped him into the bedroom, she threw him onto the bed. "If she's not your girlfriend,

what are you worried about? She hasn't gone far. Why don't I bring her back so that she can keep you

company?"

"I dare you to." Before he lost consciousness, he managed to throw out a few more words. "Lay a

finger on her and I'll make sure you wish you were dead."