Chapter 7

Once the meal concluded, Yvette and her friends went their separate ways. Zachary offered to give her and Jasmine a ride home. Perhaps having learned his lesson from the earlier disagreement about the passenger seat, Zachary brought his extended Rolls-Royce and a driver. This eliminated any issues about the seating arrangement. The car cruised effortlessly toward the Anderson residence, the trip smooth and uninterrupted. No one anticipated disaster to strike at that moment. An out-of-control truck came barreling from another direction. The driver instinctively veered sharply, but they still crashed with a loud bang. As the glass shattered, Yvette was jolted sideways from the impact. At that moment, she noticed Zachary wrapping his arms tightly around Jasmine, protecting her from any injury. He was even softly patting her back, trying to calm her. Yvette's mind began to blur. Suddenly, she recalled the car accident her friends had talked about before. At that time, they had been together for four years, and his love for her was as strong as ever. They found themselves at a critical moment when a truck sped toward them. The truck was heading directly toward her side of the car. Filled with fear, he understood there was no way to dodge the truck, so he jerked the steering wheel to position his side to take the impact. The car's front end was crushed, trapping him in the driver's seat. It took a considerable amount of time and teamwork from firefighters and doctors to eventually free him from the wreckage. He nearly lost his life that day. Yet when he regained consciousness and was out of immediate danger, his first question was about her well-being. Now, he faced a similar car accident. The only change was that the individual he instinctively protected was no longer her. The back of the stretched Rolls-Royce was completely wrecked. They quickly got out of the car. Zachary was busy consoling Jasmine. It was only after he noticed Yvette quietly holding her bleeding forehead. Luckily, her injury wasn't severe. After receiving a bandage at the hospital, there were no significant issues. However, because the injury was on her head, the doctor recommended that she remain in the hospital for observation for two days. Zachary glanced at the bandage on her head, guilt etched across his face. "Yve, I'm really sorry. At that moment, I was thinking about the upcoming collaboration with Jasmine and how we need to attend events together. "Her face couldn't get damaged, so I chose to protect her. I'll accept any reprimand or punishment from you, just please don't ignore me." His apology was genuinely heartfelt, and his explanation might have seemed reasonable. If Yvette hadn't been aware that their wedding was less than two weeks away. The "collaboration" he mentioned was probably referring to the wedding. She looked down without speaking. She didn't show any hint of forgiving him. The whole time, her demeanor stayed composed and serene. Zachary couldn't stop apologizing. He repeatedly apologized, until an idea seemed to strike him. "Your birthday is just around the corner. How about I give you your present early? What would you like for your birthday? I'll get you anything you want." This prompted her to meet his gaze, her eyes steady and composed. "Then get me a plane ticket. To Hunton, in three days." "Why are you heading to Hunton?" He seemed a bit taken aback but swiftly guessed, "are you planning a trip?" Yvette didn't elaborate. She simply nodded and hummed softly. Zachary refrained from asking more. Instead, he pulled out his phone and purchased a plane ticket to Hunton right in front of her. After buying it, he said, "I'm busy with a lot right now and can't accompany you. You head to Hunton and enjoy yourself. I'll catch up with you when I can. "A plane ticket seems like a minor birthday present. I'll make it up to you with a bigger surprise later." Yvette shook her head and gave a gentle smile. "It's not a minor gift. Not at all." After all, this plane ticket was her journey back home. It was thanks to Zachary that she got to go home.