Chapter 1077

“The driver already said it was one fare. Just count it as mine, no need to pay me back,” Michael said as he paid for the ride. After getting out, he walked around to open Zoe’s door.
Nina arrived just in time to witness the scene. Without thinking, she rushed over and stood protectively in front of Zoe. “You two are together?” She sounded genuinely jealous, which made Zoe flash a thumbs-up in appreciation. Michael chuckled softly. “Nina, should I call you Mrs. York or Miss Nina?”
Both Nina and Zoe froze. It turned out Michael had known the truth all along, but he had been pretending to be clueless.
Zoe had no desire to deal with him any further, so she grabbed Nina and headed into the building, ignoring him completely.
“Zoe, I’ve told you, I like you. No matter how you treat me, I’m not giving up. You’ll be mine, no matter what!” Michael’s voice echoed in the lobby, drawing the attention of nearby employees. Recognizing who they were, whispers quickly spread. Zoe dismissed his words as empty bravado and hurried with Nina to the top floor to meet Nash.
The evening’s event took place at a resort hotel in the suburbs, with the hosts renting out the entire venue. Guests could enjoy the festivities to their hearts’ content.
Zoe arrived alone, but once inside, she felt completely out of place. The mix of men and women made it seem less like a formal event and more like a matchmaking party.
An advertisement banner caught her eye, confirming her suspicion. Now, she understood why Nina had not been allowed to attend.
“Miss, may I have this dance?” A gentleman approached her with a polite invitation. Zoe shook her head. She wasn’t interested in dating and had only agreed to attend to clear her mind. She needed a break, but someone else had other plans. “This is Zoe, Nash York’s aunt from York Corporation. A woman of such high status wouldn’t bother with you. Save yourself the trouble,” said a familiar voice. It was Michael, looking rather dashing in his tuxedo.
Sensing trouble, the gentleman made a quick exit. Zoe didn’t want to engage with Michael either. She picked up a glass of wine and moved toward another group of people, but Michael wasn’t far behind. Irritated, she suppressed her anger. “What do you want? Haven’t I made myself clear?”
“You claim not to like men, yet here you are at a matchmaking event. Zoe, it won’t be that easy to get rid of me,” Michael replied, flashing a mischievous smile.
As the music started, he suddenly grabbed her and spun her into the center of the dance floor.
“Let go of me,” she hissed.
“Everyone’s watching. You don’t want to make a scene, do you?” he threatened, forcing her to dance along. Zoe, not wanting to draw more attention, decided to endure it.
The pair made an attractive couple, instantly drawing the attention of the crowd.
Meanwhile, in a dark corner, a man wearing sunglasses narrowed his eyes. His cold stare seemed to pierce through Michael, brimming with anger.
When the dance ended, Zoe tried to pull away, but Michael held her back.
“What do you want now?” she demanded.
“That was a good dance. Let’s keep going,” Michael called out to the crowd. “Hey, guys, didn’t Zoe dance well? Shouldn’t we get her to do another round?”
“It’s boring if she’s dancing with you.” A man stepped forward, pushing Michael aside with a serious expression.
Michael shrugged, “If I wasn’t good enough, she’s all yours.”
Zoe had no choice. With everyone watching, she felt like a puppet, forced to go along with another dance. When the music finally stopped, the new man was at least courteous enough to offer her a seat in one of the booths to rest. He handed her a drink and introduced himself, “I’m Leo Norris. I run a textile business and hope to work with York Corporation someday.”
“Sure, there are always opportunities. Nice to meet you,” Zoe responded.
Before she could say more, Michael joined in, clinking glasses with them and forcing Zoe to drink. Frustrated and distracted, Zoe did not notice the exchange of glances between Michael and Leo. However, this didn’t escape the attention of the man in the corner.