Winona had just been picked up by Elysia.


    As soon as they left, Zane hurled his newly purchased flip phone against the wall, his face twisted with rage.


    Was it just about Winona? No!


    He cared even more about Elysia!


    Her simple words, "I was wrong about you," cut him deeper than anything else.


    Yet, here he was, forced to swallow his pride under the pressure from Tarquin.


    He couldn''tpete with Elysia''s current husband; it hurt him more than if someone had just put him out of his misery.


    He''d been in love with Elysia for a whole decade.


    Ten years!


    From the very first moment heid eyes on her, he waspletely captivated. Elysia was everything he ever dreamed of in a future wife.


    She was beautiful and sweet, kind-hearted and independent, always treating others with warmth and maintaining a positive outlook on life, no matter how tough things got.


    If it hadn''t been for the fact that both of them were struggling financially back then,


    he would never have hidden his feelings for her to go after Winona.


    He knew two people with empty pockets would face a tough road ahead.


    So, he nned to leverage Winona to take over the Newsom family, paving the way for a bright future with Elysia.


    The moment he started dating Winona, his n was set in motion.


    First, he''d take over the Newsom family, and then orchestrate a scenario where Winona appeared unfaithful, making himself look like the unfortunate victim.


    This would make Elysia despise Winona and pity him, drawing her into his arms step by step.


    He''d spent years crafting his image as the ''good guy,'' all to win Elysia over. He truly loved her!


    If he couldn''t have her in this lifetime, he''d be forever regretful!


    He''d plotted and sacrificed so much for this love; if fate didn''t favor him, then fate was unjust!


    No matter what happened in the first half of his life, thetter half of Elysia''s life had to belong to him!


    Only with him, would Elysia find true happiness!


    As for Tarquin...


    Zane gritted his teeth in hatred; Tarquin didn''t deserve Elysia!


    All the hardships she endured were because of him!


    Tarquin needed to go; he had to go!


    "Son... are you okay?"


    Prisci, Zane''s mother, watched him with fear in her eyes, as if he''d turned into a block of ice.


    Zane closed his eyes, taking a good ten minutes to regain hisposure.


    He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, turning to face Prisci with a cold expression.


    "I don''t care what you think, but if you want Lan to have afortable retirement, you better treat Elysia well!"


    "If she neither will


    tolerate you, then


    II! I can send you back


    the countryside anytime to live out your days alone!"


    Prisci was stunned, then burst into tears, "Son, you can''t forget your


    mothe


    smel.ne


    for a wife. Your father. passed away early; it was me who raised you single-handedly..."


    Zane ignored her, leaving the hospital ward without another word.


    Once in his car, he pulled out a spare phone and made a call, “Ten thousand men for one life, deal or no deal?"


    Whatever the response was, it made Zane''s voice turn icy, "I want Tarquin dead!"


    His eyes were as fierce as a


    serpent''s, contradicting the refined


    features of his face, twisting his


    entire demeanor into someth


    demonic.


    The person on the other end of the line said something else, but Zane simply hung up without replying.


    He started the car and drove away from the hospital.


    Instead of rushing to the hotel to clear his name, he went to find Ridley.


    Meanwhile, Elysia and Winona sat in the car, holding each other and crying.


    The two friends had been apart for years, and neither had expected their reunion to be under such circumstances!