Chapter 76
Zina rubbed her still–aching eyes as she walked to the door. The moment she opened it, she caught Yvonne dabbing at her
tears
For a brief moment, a softness touched her heart. She asked, “Mrs. Lambert, is there something you
need?”
“Zina, I’m sorry,” Yvonne said gently. T’ll send Lydia away. As for Adrian, he’ll be at the lab for the next few days, so he won’t bother you anymore. I hope you can feel at home here.”
Her voice caught in her throat, but she forced herself to keep it steady.
“Don’t worry,” she reassured Zina. Tve already spoken with the Turner family–whoever hurt you will be punished. Just stay at home and rest easy; no one will ever bully you again. I’ll arrange for some personal bodyguards to protect you, and you can pick them out later.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Lambert.”
Zina looked up slightly and said, “I won’t hold onto this anymore. All I ever wanted here was a place to call home. You don’t have to go to such lengths for me, Mrs. Lambert.”
Zina hadn’t known kindness from others in so long that, in this moment, she felt lost.
Yvonne’s eyes
With emotion as she shook her head. “Mom won’t let anyone bully you,” she said firmly. “Never
She had no idea what hardships Zina had endured outside to develop this guarded demeanor. The past is irreversible, she thought with a pang of guilt, but I vow that from now on, Zina will never suffer again.”
*****Zina had dismissed Yvonne’s mention of personal bodyguards as just casual talk. But to her surprise, the very next morning, a maid woke her and summoned her downstairs.
In the living room, she was surprised to find a lineup of strikingly handsome men, each with distinct features and a strong build.
Those men in black suits stood impeccably groomed, exuding an air of sharp professionalism.
Yvonne was leisurely sipping coffee on the sofa.
Seeing Zina, she rose to her feet and approached with gentle warmth.
reye
“Come take a look, darling. See if anyone catches your
A slow, deliberate wink punctuated her sentence, the gleam in her eyes hinting at implication only Zina might understand.
Zina’s lips twitched involuntarily.
“Mrs. Lambert,” she said, “I don’t need bodyguards. I hardly ever go out, and besides, I’ve learned taekwondo–I can take care of myself.”
A fracture of sorrow shimmered in Yvonne’s gaze as her teeth caught on her lower lip–the portrait of a woman crumbling from within.
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Chapter 76
Zina had to soften her tone and explain, “To be honest, Mrs. Lambert, I’m not particularly interested in any of them, though I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness. It’s just that having these people around would make me feel rather constrained in
daily life. I hope you can understand.”
my
Yvonne didn’t press her any further. In the end, she nodded dully and let out a long, weary sigh
“Still, Zina, if you ever need anything at all, you must tell me right away,” said she.
“Sure, Mrs. Lambert”
Zina gave a slight nod, but the quiet glow in her eyes spoke volumes.
Yvonne was about to say more when a voice drifted down from upstairs.
“What’s going on here?”
Richard descended the stairs, his eyes shadowed by deep dark circles that spoke of many sleepless nights.
Yet when Richard saw Yvonne, his face softened into a gentle smile, which then froze when he spotted the group of bodyguards surrounding her.
“What on earth is going on here?*
Richard’s lips twitched. At a complete loss for words, he stared confusedly at Yvonne.
Yvonne explained. “I am inviting Zina to choose some personal bodyguards for herself, but none of them appealed to her.”
