Chapter 3

Upon hearing Yvette's words, Zachary refrained from asking more questions. Instead, he replied, "If the job is wearing you out, then just quit. "It pains me to watch you exhaust yourself daily. Yve, you know I can take care of you." Yvette firmly shook her head, responding slowly, "I'm not anyone's accessory." Yvette quickly changed the subject. "Why are you back so early today? Weren't you at the office?" "I've been swamped with work lately and haven't had a chance to spend time with you. So today, I decided to set aside some time for us." His tense expression softened, and he returned to being the loving boyfriend who always went along with her wishes. "What do you want to do? Is there a restaurant you want to try? Or do you want to catch a movie? We can do whatever you want." Before, when Yvette heard these words, she'd be moved and touched by them. She was well aware that he was the heir to the Lawson Group, with an immense workload to manage daily. Therefore, his willingness to make time for her meant she held a special place in his heart. Yet, as she gazed at him now, she couldn't shake her doubts. Was he genuinely swamped with work, or was he preoccupied with the wedding preparations? How did he juggle planning a wedding with Jasmine while constantly assuring Yvette that she was the only one he loved? Ultimately, she chose not to reveal his deceit. In just a few days, she would vanish from his life without leaving a trace. She declined his suggestion with a shake of her head, then paused to consider before saying, "How about we do some cleaning? There are plenty of old items in the villa that serve no purpose anymore." Zachary agreed and helped her with the cleanup. However, once they were done, he noticed that everything she had sorted out were the matching items they had purchased together in the past. From cups and accessories to clothes and slippers, she discarded them all into the trash without a second thought. As she continued to throw away more of their matching items, his smile slowly became forced. When the final item was tossed into the bin, he could no longer conceal the anxiety in his heart. "Yve, did you... discover something?" "What would I have discovered? Is there something you're keeping from me?" she replied, raising an eyebrow. She redirected the question back to him. Zachary looked away, avoiding her eyes. After a pause, he remained silent. He took her hand and said, "Yve, no matter what comes, always remember that I love you." She gave a faint smile and stayed silent. Once they were done cleaning, Zachary was adamant on taking Yvette out on a date. Worried he might notice something was amiss, she agreed this time. He took her to dinner and then to a movie, and eventually, they arrived at an auction house. As they were about to enter, a young woman in a Chanel-style suit with flawless makeup elegantly approached them. A brief expression of discomfort appeared on his face, which Yvette noticed right away. She asked, "Is something bothering you? Did you see someone familiar?" Then, the young woman paused in front of them and smiled in greeting. Zachary quickly introduced her, "This is Jasmine, the daughter of a close family friend." After a brief pause, he said, "This is my girlfriend, Yvette." Noticing the contrasting introductions, Jasmine's smile faltered slightly. However, she quickly forced a smile, extending her hand to Yvette. "I've heard a lot about how beautiful Zachary's girlfriend is. Meeting you today, I can see it's true." While they were talking, the same group of guys who had insulted her in Fianese the day before approached. They winked at Zachary, out of Yvette's view. It dawned on him then that this meeting was no accident. His friends had intentionally brought Jasmine along. A wave of anger rose within him, but he knew that losing his temper would complicate matters further. Reluctantly, he had to swallow his anger. At the auction, Jasmine found herself seated beside Zachary. Contrary to her bold text messages, in person, she was calm, courteous, and appeared knowledgeable. Upon discovering Zachary's interest in porcelain, she animatedly discussed the subject with him. Initially hesitant, Zachary slowly began to warm up to her. When Yvette coughed, it made Zachary remember her presence. He swiftly removed his coat and placed it over her shoulders, speaking softly, "Are you feeling cold? Does this help? Yve, I understand you're not really into this stuff, but if there's anything you want, feel free to bid on it." Before Yvette could speak, she overheard the hushed conversations of Zachary's friends behind her. Despite their efforts to speak quietly, their proximity made it easy for her to catch every word. "Zach sure knows how to protect Yvette from embarrassing herself. Even if she were curious, what difference would it make? She likely doesn't even know how to lift a bidding paddle." "Right. This is an upper-class auction. It must be her first time here."