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Chapter 166
~Zara’s POV~
Her question was met with a silence that seemed to last forever. Snow cleared his throat, breaking the tension. His cheeks tinged faintly red, a rare moment of vulnerability that made me stifle a grin.
Hehehe looks like my mother knew how to rattle him. I should try it from time to time.
"Well," Snow began, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness, "being married to Zara is... an experience."
My mother raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "An experience?"
"I mean, in the best way possible," Snow quickly added, his confidence returning. "She’s strong, stubborn, and endlessly fascinating. There is never a moment that is dull."
Beside me, Zade chuckled softly. "Careful, Snow. She might interpret that as an invitation to become even more stubborn."
I nudged Zade playfully, but my mother’s gaze didn’t waver. She seemed to be sizing up Snow, her piercing eyes making him shift ever so slightly.
"Good answer," she finally said, a small smile curving her lips. "But remember, Snow Zephyr, my daughter deserves the world. Anything less, and you’ll answer to me."
Snow inclined his head respectfully, his usual cocky demeanor tempered in her presence. "Understood, ma’am."
"Mum," Zade interjected, "perhaps we should ease Zara into this. It’s already been a long day."
My mother’s gaze softened as it landed on me. "Of course. You must be overwhelmed." She reached out, her hand briefly touching mine. "But I want you to know, Zara, you’re not alone. This is your family now."
The sincerity in her tone made my throat tighten. I managed a nod, unsure of what to say.
Snow’s hand found mine, his touch grounding me as I tried to process the whirlwind of emotions.
"So," my mother said, leaning back with an air of authority, "you know I did say this back then. You felt it was a joke. When I said had my daughter been here, I’d love you and her to form a relationship." Her gaze softened. "Looks like the heavens heard my silent wish. I’m glad."
Sniow and Zade exchanged glances before looking at me. I felt small and exposed. They nodded.
Snow pressed my palm, reassuring me of his love silently and I nodded.
"So, where do we go from here?"
Zade’s phone buzzed again, breaking the moment. He glanced at the screen, his expression darkening. "It’s Ivan’s father," he said grimly, standing abruptly. "I need to take this."
Without waiting for a response, he strode out of the room, his voice low as he answered the call.
Snow’s grip on my hand tightened slightly, his gaze following Zade. "This can’t be good."
"What’s going on?" I asked, my anxiety spiking.
"Let’s wait for Zade to come back," Snow said softly, though his jaw was clenched.
We didn’t have to wait long. Zade returned, his expression a mix of frustration and resolve. "Ivan’s father wants a meeting. He’s furious about everything that’s happened—Zara, Snow, Marcus... all of it."
Snow stood, his presence commanding. "Good. It’s about time we confronted him. He’s let Ivan run wild for too long."
"Do you want me to come?" I asked hesitantly, not wanting to be left out.
"No," both men said in unison, their tones firm.
"This meeting could get... heated," Zade said, his voice gentler. "It’s best if you stay here. After I reached out to him, threatening him, he finally came to his senses and called his son out."
Reluctantly, I nodded. "So things can be dangerous. I don’t trust that family one bit," Snow added as he kissed my forehead before the two men left the room, leaving me and my new—or old—mother alone with my thoughts.
"So, Zara, want a stroll? We could visit your old room."
My eyes went wide at the mention of my room. "Y-you still..." Zaria nodded.
"I couldn’t part with the loss of my daughter and I refused to believe you were dead. It was one of the reasons I focused on my acting career and used my connections in disguise to search you out."
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~Author’s POV~
In the grand, gilded study of the Jeremy Estate, Ivan sat slumped in an armchair, his frustration barely concealed.
His father, Wright Zephyr, a man whose imposing stature and piercing gaze commanded respect, paced back and forth before him. His fury was intense, the veins in his neck taut with rage.
"You’ve embarrassed this family for the last time, Ivan!" Wright thundered, slamming a fist onto the ornate desk.
"First, you lose Zara, a union that could have solidified our influence with the diamonds in her father’s company. Then, you allow Snow Zephyr to outmaneuver you at every turn. And now, this mess with Marcus? Do you have any idea how much disgrace you’ve brought upon this family?"
Ivan’s jaw tightened, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the armrest. "It wasn’t supposed to spiral like this," he muttered defensively.
"It wasn’t supposed to spiral?" Wright echoed with a bitter laugh. "Because you never think ahead! All you care about is your childish impulses and pathetic schemes. You’ve cost us allies, influence, and nearly our reputation."
Ivan raised his head, his voice low but firm. "I can fix this."
"Fix it?" Wright scoffed, his face twisting with disdain. "You couldn’t even manage to keep Zara under your thumb, and now she’s under Snow’s protection. Do you think you stand a chance against him?"
Before Ivan could muster a response, the doors to the study opened with a sharp creak. Both men turned as Snow Zephyr and Zade strode in.
"Speak of the devil," Wright said coolly, his eyes locking onto Snow with a gaze sharp enough to cut steel.
"And here we are," Snow said, basking in the glow of their anger.
Ivan shot to his feet, his fists clenched tightly. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Stopping your pathetic schemes," Zade replied coldly. His glare was like ice, freezing Ivan in place. "You’ve played your games for far too long, and now it’s over."
Wright’s gaze shifted warily between Snow and Zade, his annoyance barely masked. "Snow Zephyr. What is it you want?"
Th𝓮 most uptodate nov𝑒ls are publish𝒆d on freew(e)bnove(l).𝓬𝓸𝓶