Chapter 167
Marina wasn’t fazed at all. With a faint smile, she calmly locked eyes with Mallory.
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When two people lock eyes, one is bound to back down eventually. Mindful of her image in front of Daron, Mallory was the first to look away from Marina.
Inside, she was seething, wishing she could throttle Marina on the spot.
Once they boarded the plane, Mallory found herself seated right next to Daron and Marina.
She kept looking for ways to get Daron talking, but he didn’t even bother to respond.
Instead, he just put on his sleep mask and tuned her out completely, making it clear he wanted nothing to do with her.
Seeing herself ignored once again, a flicker of frustration flashed in Mallory’s eyes. But when she looked up and saw Marina’s mocking smile, her fighting spirit kicked right back in.
“Don’t get too cocky,” Mallory mouthed at Marina.
But Marina spoke up directly.
“What? What did you say?” Marina asked, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear.
A flicker of panic crossed Mallory’s eyes. She shot a glance at Daron, who was still completely unfazed, and let out a quiet sigh of relief. Then she shot Marina a fierce glare before slumping back in her seat, refusing to say another word.
Mallory mused, ‘Marina and Daron aren’t nearly as close as I imagined. With the Finley family in such a mess, there’s no way the Zamora family would ever accept Marina. If I just wait for the right moment, I can kick Marina out of our circle for good. There was no way I would let her walk all over me ever again!‘
*****
After the plane landed in Sicester, Daron lifted his sleep mask and glanced out the window.
Mallory had been holding back all flight, watching Daron like a hawk. As soon as she saw him stir, she jumped in.
“Daron, we’re here. I was just about to wake you up,” she said, trying to sound sweet.
Daron just gave her a blank look and ignored her.
Mallory felt awkward for a second, but shook it off fast. When Marina and Daron got off the plane, she quickly tagged along behind them.
“Daron, the Gill family doesn’t have a branch in Sicester, so there’s no one to pick me up. Can I hitch a ride?” she asked, trying to sound sweet and helpless.
Daron didn’t even look at her as he said coldly, “Ms Gill, don’t tell me you can’t even afford a cab.”
Mallory’s face froze. She hadn’t expected Daron to be this blunt. She looked a little hurt and muttered, “I just don’t really know my way around Sicester, so…”
Daron didn’t let her finish, cutting her off without hesitation. “If you don’t know your way around, just buy a ticket back to Vrufield right now. That way, you won’t screw up your business and end up getting lost.”
Mallory’s face fell.
Daron didn’t hold back at all. He continued, “If word gets out, you’ll make the Gill family lose face.”
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Chapter 167
“Besides, your sister’s already engaged to the Clark family. With them backing you up, and your aunt still holding down the fort, you really don’t have to bust your chops. Just stay home and be a couch potato. It would be way better than coming out here and making a fool of yourself,” Daron said, his words sharp as knives.
Mallory was left totally speechless. Her face was turning redder by the second,
Marina couldn’t help but think, ‘Daron’s words really pack a punch
Thinking back to how Daron used to roast her, Marina realized he’d actually been going easy on her.
Mallory bit down hard on her lip, her eyes brimming with tears from Daron’s brutal words.
But the one who started it all didn’t even spare her a second glance. Daron just turned and walked away.
Marina hurried after him, her nerves on edge.
Daron’s definitely in a bad mood today. Mallory picked the worst possible moment to mess with him, Marina thought.
Marina ensured that she was on her best behavior the whole time and was careful not to step on any toes.
Daron noticed how unusually quiet and well–behaved Marina was sitting beside him, and gave her a probing glance.
Feeling his gaze on her, Marina straightened up, turned her head slightly, and forced a smile at him.
“Mr. Zamora, you already tore into Mallory. Go easy on me, alright?” she said, trying to sound playful.
Daron let out a cold chuckle and said in a flat tone, “That depends on you.”
“I’ll behave, I promise,” Marina said with a playful smile.
Daron gave a low hum, his voice deep and unreadable.
“Where you’re living right now isn’t safe at all. No security, nothing. It’s way too easy for trouble to find you, and one slip–up could land you in a mess. From now on, you’re moving into the hotel where I’m staying,” Daron said, leaving no room for argument.
Marina hesitated, then said, “Mr. Zamora, I know all my neighbors there. They’ve known Alyssa for ages. If anything happens, everyone looks out for each other…”
Daron cut her off, his tone cold and direct. “You never know what people are really like. How can you be sure they won’t sell you out for a quick buck?”
“Desperate people do desperate things. Do you really think Lavern won’t come after you if he finds out you’re investigating his embezzlement?” Daron asked sharply.
He made a lot of sense, so it was hard for Marina to find a comeback.
If Lavern really gets busted for stealing company money, he’s looking at serious jail time. There was no knowing what kind of crazy things he’d pull if it came to that.
Seeing Marina deep in thought, Daron added coolly, “Look, you’re working for me. If anything happens to you right under my nose, your sister would jump at the chance to pin it all on Zamora Group. So to save us both a headache, you’d better just do as I say.”
Marina nodded, feeling like she had no choice. “Alright.”
Hearing her agree, Daron’s frown relaxed a little. He said casually “I’ll have my assistant go with you later so you can grab your things.”
20:51 Sat, Jan 30
Chapter 167
Marina just nodded, not making a fuss. “Okay”
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Daron gave a low hum, looked away from her, and casually told the driver, “Take us to Riverview Road.”
Marina was caught off guard. ‘Wait, didn’t he say his assistant would go with me? Why are we heading there now?‘ she wondered.
Just as she was about to ask, Daron said in a low voice, “It’s on the way.”
“Oh,” Marina replied softly.
‘How come I never knew Alyssa’s cottage was anywhere near this route?‘ Marina wondered.
But if Daron said it was on the way, then it was on the way.
Marina didn’t bother asking any more questions. She had to pack up her things anyway, so she just went along with it.
When they arrived at the cottage, Marina unlocked the door and stepped inside. Daron followed her into the yard.
As soon as Marina stepped into the yard, she rushed to water the flowers and plants, worried they might not make it if she waited any longer.
The weather in Sicester had been brutal these past few days, and since she’d been away in Vrufield, some of them were already wilting from the heat.
Daron stood off to the side, just watching. Marina, afraid he might get impatient and rush her, quickly whispered an explanation, “I can’t just leave these plants like this. My grandma Alyssa used to take care of them herself.”
Marina hurriedly reassured, “I’ll just water them real quick and then head inside to pack up. It won’t take long, I promise.” Daron just nodded and smoothly took the hose right out of Marina’s hands.
“Go pack your things. I’ll handle the watering,” he said, not leaving room for argument.
Marina thought about protesting, but he clearly wasn’t taking no for an answer, so she just let go and headed inside to start packing.
Before heading inside, Marina glanced back at Daron, who was watering the flowers with one hand in his pocket. For a moment, something she couldn’t quite name stirred inside her.
She turned again, and her gaze landed on the framed memorial photos of Alyssa and Kathy on the wall. Instantly, her spirits hit rock bottom.
AD
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
