After the Cold Marriage His Crazy Love (Iris and Julian) novel Chapter 394

Chapter 394 Different Worlds

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She had only agreed to set up the meeting—she never signed up to blackmail anyone. And making things difficult for Brandon would only end up hurting her best friend, right?

She’d rather get fired than betray her closest friend or put her in an impossible position.

When Griffin realized Zoe wasn’t going along with his plan, he put on a wide, almost theatrical smile. “Mr. Whitmore,” he said, turning the pressure her way, “what if Zoe here personally begged you?”

Zoe was stunned. She couldn’t believe her boss was throwing her under the bus like that. She stared at him, completely lost for words.

Brandon’s eyes shifted to Zoe.

His gaze alone made her scalp prickle. Trapped in the middle, she managed only an awkward, strained smile.

“Are you begging me?” Brandon asked, his tone level.

Zoe’s smile tightened. With Griffin watching her like a hawk, she didn’t dare shake her head- but she couldn’t bring herself to say yes, either. Instead, she deflected, “Can you even make that call?”

“I can.”

“Would you really bend your principles because of me?”

“No.” His reply was firm, leaving no room for doubt.

Zoe drew a slow breath and frowned slightly.

If you weren’t going to budge anyway, why even ask me?

Then it hit her–Brandon was actually giving her an out. She turned quickly to Griffin and spread her hands helplessly. “You see, Mr. Sterling? Mr. Whitmore won’t compromise his principles for me. Please don’t put me in this position.”

Griffin’s expression darkened instantly. He snatched up his water glass, took a stiff sip, and barked toward the door, “Check, please!”

Just then, Brandon’s assistant stood up smoothly. “Mr. Sterling, the bill was already taken care of from Mr. Whitmore’s account. Since you’re finished, you’re free to leave whenever you’d

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15:32 Thu, Jun 25

Chapter 394 Different Worlds

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Fuming, Griffin pushed back his chair, shot a sharp look toward Brandon, and stormed out of the private dining room.

Zoe let out a soft, relieved breath.

She turned to the assistant. “There’s still so much food left–let’s get it boxed up.”

The assistant nodded, smiling lightly, and glanced at Brandon for approval. “Mr. Whitmore, mind if we take the leftovers?”

“Go ahead,” Brandon said with a casual wave.

The assistant signaled the server for takeout containers, and she and Zoe began packing up the uneaten dishes.

On the sidewalk outside the restaurant, Brandon fell into step beside Zoe. “Let me give you a ride,” he offered, his voice gentle.

“No, thank you. I’ll just take the subway.”

“I thought you were trying to save money. My car costs you nothing.”

Zoe took another deep breath, her eyes following the stream of traffic for a long moment before she finally turned to face him. “Mr. Whitmore,” she said, her tone weary but resolved, “I’m going to say this one last time. You and I live in completely different worlds. I’m the kind of person who rides the subway to cut costs, who accepts freebies from the boss, who takes home restaurant leftovers. That’s not your world. We come from different places–different

realities.”

“I don’t believe in ‘different worlds‘. And there’s nothing wrong with taking the subway or packing up leftovers.”

Zoe shook her head softly. “That’s because you’re decent and kind–hearted.”

Brandon slid his hands into his pockets, exhaled deeply, and looked down at the pavement for a few seconds before meeting her eyes again. “If money’s tight, you could come work at Aurelium Group.”

A bitter smile touched Zoe’s lips. “Mr. Whitmore, no matter where I work, my salary will be in the same range for my skill set. It won’t change much. If you pull strings for me because of who you are, what will my coworkers think? What will it say about your company? Favoritism just leads to resentment–people get sidelined, talked about, pushed out.”

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Chapter 394 Different Worlds

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Brandon took a step closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear. “Zoe, I know your family isn’t well–off. Maybe that makes you feel insecure. But I honestly don’t care. Why not do what your brother did–find someone who can help lift you up? I’m willing to be that person for you.”

At the mention of Arthur, a familiar frustration welled up inside her, that old sadness resurfacing.

Her eyes reddened slightly. She held back the swell of emotion and spoke each word carefully. “Mr. Whitmore, if I latched onto someone like you, people would say I’d hit the jackpot. My grandkids would probably thank me. But have you actually thought about you–and your family?”

Brandon looked genuinely puzzled. “What does my family have to do with this?”

“My mom barely finished high school. She’s pinched pennies her whole life. Even if she someday lives comfortably because of me, her habits won’t change.” Zoe felt a deep weariness settle in, each word heavy. “If she ever sat down to dinner with your family, she’d wrap up every leftover and keep it in the fridge for weeks. She’d collect empty soda cans in front of everyone and proudly explain how much you get per pound at the recycling center.”

Brandon listened, a faint headache forming. “Being frugal isn’t a bad thing. Why do you see it as a flaw?”

Zoe let out a quiet, tired laugh. “Mr. Whitmore, you have good values. You’re a genuinely good person, so you don’t look down on anyone. But not everyone thinks like you. My mom would unintentionally embarrass your family in front of people who do care about those things.”

Brandon sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Can you at least give me a reason that doesn’t sound like you’re stereotyping your own family?”

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