I Forgot I Ever Loved You (Zoe and Hayden) novel Chapter 11

Zoe Lynd's heart gave a violent lurch as she hung up the phone, a sudden wave of panic washing over her.

She didn't know what she was so afraid of. Her sister was engaged to Hayden Thorne, and Hunter Keating had just held her hand, telling her to call Hayden her cousin.

How did Sienna Winters end up as Hayden's sister-in-law, while she had somehow become Hunter's cousin-in-law?

The office landline rang again. Zoe guessed it was Hunter calling back, but she didn't dare answer.

She was terrified that the truth would be far more brutal than she could ever imagine.

The phone rang twice before it was picked up, but not from her office.

Zoe's mind reeled when she realized it. How was her landline connected to Hayden's?

"Hello? Zoe, is that you?"

Hunter's urgent voice echoed through the speaker, met with dead silence on the other end.

A few seconds later, Zoe heard Hayden's deep, ruthlessly cold voice.

"Wrong number."

Hunter clearly froze, but Hayden hadn't hung up yet.

Zoe's legs began to tremble.

Before they could say anything else, she snatched up her receiver and slammed it down without hesitation.

The dial tone buzzed on both ends of the line.

Hayden's sharp brows furrowed slightly, his handsome features taut and his thin lips pressed into a hard line.

He placed the receiver back on the cradle, his dark gaze locked unblinkingly on the phone.

Colin Zachs had been so bored he was practically falling asleep nearby, but Hunter's sudden call—and that intimate "Zoe"—nearly scared his soul right out of his body.

He didn't know if he was imagining things. That morning, Director Valerie Yates had harshly reprimanded Ms. Lynd, and less than ten minutes later, Mr. Thorne had ordered him to tell HR to fire Valerie.

A loud slam echoed through the room.

The heavy thud of the door closing slammed against Colin's chest, leaving him in a cold sweat.

The boss was definitely off today.

Then again, Ms. Lynd seemed even more off.

Colin thought for a moment, picked up his phone, opened his contacts, and dialed a number.

"Hello, Grandmother Thorne. Mrs. Thorne and Mr. Thorne are at each other's throats. I think they might actually get a divorce."

At dusk.

Hayden sat in the backseat of the stretch Lincoln as Colin handed him the merger and acquisition files one by one.

These had all been rigorously reviewed by the various departments before reaching Hayden for the final verdict. Any major corporate decision, even after unanimous approval from the executives and shareholders, still required Hayden's signature to take effect.