Chapter 15

The words made Zoe falter. For the past ten years, she had never truly had a home. Not in the McPhersons and not the Tarvers—none of those places were her home. Those places gave her no warmth. Instead of offering solace, they wielded the word of family as a weapon to inflict harm. The banquet hall was already in chaos. "Isn't that Mr. Tarver? He's in charge of Tarver Group, and wasn't he Ms. Quinn's ex-husband?" someone said. "Oh my God, is he here to crash the wedding?" For the first time, Malcolm's smile vanished. His face hardened as he stepped forward, shielding Zoe behind him. "Security. Take him away," Security guards poured in and surrounded Elijah. He raised his eyes, gaze sharp and venomous as he locked onto Malcolm. A silent battle of wills ignited between them. Snapping back to reality, Zoe looked at Elijah, who seemed like a relic from her past. Her heart was filled with a sorrow beyond words. "Elijah, why are you here?" she asked. "You read the documents I gave