Chapter 815 I Once Had a Fling
Zoe frowned. "Mom, don't say that..."
Her mother waved her hand in dismissal. "I don't want to talk to you anymore. I've said what I needed to say. You should figure it out yourself."
When they went home, Zoe became quieter.
Sheila was cooking in the kitchen while she stood on the balcony and received a message from Rowan.
Rowan: Did I embarrass you just now? I'm sorry. I didn't expect Madam Smith to show up all of a sudden.
Zoe took a deep breath and adjusted her emotions before typing a reply.
Zoe: It's okay. What time does your work end? Can I come to your school and hang out with you?
Rowan: Sure, sure. I finish class at 5.00PM. You can come over by that time.
Zoe: OK.
During dinner, Matthew noticed her gloomy expression and asked, "What's wrong, Zoe? Didn't you go to Mr. Powell for help this morning? Wasn't it successful?"
Zoe shook her head and hesitated before answering, "No, It went fine. There's nothing wrong. It's just..."
Sheila interrupted, "She just didn't sleep well last night. Don't mind her. Let's eat."
Matthew continued, "Why don't you take a nap after lunch and then hang out with your friends afterward? It's been a long time since you've come back."
Zoe sighed, "It's fine. I made plans with Rowan this afternoon. I'm going to his school to hang out with him."
Both her parents paused for a moment and exchanged glances before her mother softened her tone. "That sounds like a date. Rowan will be a great husband. is a good marriage prospect. He's way better than Bran—Anyway, he can't be wrong. Don't worry."
Zoe had initially wanted to make her parents happy by trying to get along with Rowan, but when her mother mentioned marriage before they even started, the rebellious feeling rose within her again.
"Who said I'm going on a date with him? There are so many guys in the university. Can't I meet someone else?" she muttered.
Seeing her mother about to get angry again, Matthew quickly intervened, "Alright. That's enough. Let's eat."
Zoe realized that saying such things in front of her parents was inappropriate, so she muttered, "I was just joking."
Her mother snorted, "You better be joking!"
After dinner, Zoe went back to her room and took a nap.
But before 3.00PM, her mother dragged her out of bed, saying, "Aren't you going to meet Rowan? Hurry up!"
Zoe squinted her eyes and responded, "It's still early. His work ends at five. I can leave at four."
"Early? What do you mean by early? Aren't you going to put on makeup? If you drag it out, who knows what time it'll be after you're done!?"
Sheila forcefully pulled her out of bed and stared at her intently.
Without a choice, Zoe had to wear simple makeup.
Her mother nodded in satisfaction. "That's my beautiful daughter!"
Zoe retorted, "I'm not your daughter. I'm just a tool for you to have grandchildren."
Her mother slapped her lightly. "Watch your mouth!"
Zoe packed up her things and bid them goodbye. "I'm leaving."
"Wait." Her mother approached her and whispered, "You didn't put that thing in your bag, did you?"
Zoe was taken aback for two seconds before realizing and whining, "Mom!"
How could she possibly still have it in her bag?!
"I'm just worried about you. If, by any chance, Rowan sees it, it will give him a bad impression of you," her mother explained.
Zoe didn't want to argue with her, so she quickly left.
When she arrived at the school, it was only 4.30PM.
With nothing else to do, she wandered around the university campus.
Couples holding hands could be seen everywhere, their faces painted with sweetness.
On the basketball court, many boys were sweating profusely.
Zoe stood there and watched, unable to stop herself from sighing.
Ah. Young bloods are truly the best.
Not long after, a boy ran up to her, panting while asking, "Can I have your number?"
Zoe looked around uncertainly before pointing at herself. "Me?"
The boy nodded and asked tentatively, "Is it inconvenient?"
Zoe smiled at him. "I'm already 25. I'm not a student here."
At that moment, Rowan happened to walk over. "Hey, Zoe."
"I went for a walk since you weren't done with work yet."
When the boy saw them together, he blushed and quickly apologized before running off. The sound of him talking to his teammates could be heard from afar. "She's Mr. Madden's girlfriend! You guys made me embarrass myself!"
"Shall we continue walking?" inquired Rowan.
Zoe nodded. "Sure."
The two walked side by side on the campus, chatting aimlessly.
Occasionally, students would greet Rowan, indicating that he had a good reputation at school.
Rowan asked, "I heard from Madam Smith that you dated one guy for a few years previously. How did you break up?"
"I found out that he cheated on me, so we broke up," Zoe replied.
Rowan sighed, "I had a girlfriend before too, but my mom said she didn't have a good job, so we broke up as well."
Zoe smirked but didn't express her opinion.
"I remember you were a photographer in Highside, right? How's your career going over there? Have you considered coming back here for work?"
"I haven't considered it for now. I'm doing well over there."
After hearing that, Rowan appeared a little troubled.
Zoe asked, "Did your mom tell you to get a girl who stays here and has a stable job?"
"My mom did say that... but my mom also likes you. If we get married, she will support your career, but we need to have a child first..."
His mother's exact words were that photography was a job that could be done anywhere. Once they had a child, she wouldn't be able to go to a place as far as Highside, so she would naturally return to the family.
Zoe smiled but didn't comment. She merely asked, "By the way, my mom hasn't told you about my situation, right?"
"Madam Smith mentioned a few…"
"She only knows a few things. There's a lot she doesn't know." Zoe continued, "Although I've only had one boyfriend, I was once in a fling. I've done pretty much everything with him. I was even with him two days ago. If you and your mom can accept it, we can go get our marriage certificate tomorrow."
Rowan stopped in his tracks, his face stiffening.
Zoe turned around and asked him, "What's wrong?"
"I... I almost forgot that I have to drop by the principal's office. Bye!" answered Rowan.
Zoe watched his back as he hurried away. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and raised a brow.
Alright, I tried to get along with him and expressed my strong intention to get married. Mission accomplished.
Zoe wandered around the school alone for a while longer, enjoying the sight of young, energetic bodies, before heading home.
As soon as she arrived home, she received a scolding from her mother.
Her mother asked, "Weren't you on a date with Rowan? What kind of nonsense did you tell him?!"
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