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Chapter 22
~Zara’s POV~
Everything stopped. My fork hovered in mid-air as Storm’s words sank in.
Daddy’s house.
Who is this strange woman?
It hit me like a ton of bricks—this boy had no clue who I was. And neither did Zoe, based on the look of utter confusion on her face.
Before I could respond, Zoe straightened, her face contorting into a mocking smile. "Oh, I see. You’re just one of those women, aren’t you? Playing house while the real family’s away and hoping to get into your boss’s bed."
I froze, her words slicing through me like a cold blade.
Anger surged in my chest, but I clenched my fists beneath the table, determined not to show weakness.
A simple smile that showed how unaffected I was by her remarks formed on my lips.
"I’m sorry but... You’re mistaken," I stated steadily despite the turmoil inside. "I’m not just someone who waltzed in here."
"Oh?" Zoe’s eyes flashed, her lips curling. "Then tell me, who exactly are you to my Snow? A lousy secretary or a..."
She lost me at... Her Snow. Those two words hit like a slap in the face and I almost choked on my breath. Before I could fire back, Storm’s curious eyes shifted between us, confused. "Daddy’s always with Zoe... but I’ve never seen you before."
Always with...
My heart tightened. I wasn’t prepared for this. None of this.
And just when I thought things couldn’t get worse, the front door opened and Snow walked in. His gaze swept across the room, landing on the tense standoff between Zoe, Storm and me.
He seemed taken aback for a split second, but quickly, his face hardened. I could feel his eyes on me, but I couldn’t even look at him.
"What’s going on here?" Snow’s voice was calm, but there was an underlying tension I could feel, like a storm waiting to break.
Zoe wasted no time, her smile sweetening as she turned to him. "Snow, darling, imagine my surprise when I walked in to find this woman," she spat the words like venom, "eating in our home."
Our home? Seriously?
I finally looked up at Snow, my gaze locking with his, hoping—praying—he’d set things straight. He stared back at me, something unreadable in his eyes before they flicked to Zoe.
Fine then. No help.
"Your home?" My smile broadened, which was something Zoe wasn’t expecting. "Look around, Zoe, this is my home. The only stranger in here is the unmarried woman playing house with someone else’s husband."
After saying that, I looked at Snow, daring him to say otherwise.
To my surprise, he did no such thing. Focusing on Zoe, he explained with more authority in his tone, "Zoe, calm down."
"Snow... Why should I calm down when your secretary is speaking rudely to me?"
I sensed something akin to anger flash in Snow’s eyes. "Zara is my wife."
The words hit the room like a bomb. Zoe’s face went pale, her mouth parting in disbelief.
Storm looked utterly confused, his innocent gaze shifting between us. "Wife?" he echoed, blinking up at Snow.
Zoe’s shock quickly turned to fury. "Wife?!" She took a step forward, her voice trembling with barely contained rage. "You married her? Without telling me?"
The room felt suffocating but before I could speak, Zoe’s sharp voice cut through again. "Is this some kind of joke, Snow? You can’t be serious. You and I—"
"Enough," Snow interrupted coldly. "This is not up for discussion, Zoe. Zara is my wife. Deal with it."
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