I Forgot I Ever Loved You (Zoe and Hayden) novel Chapter 183

Hayden stormed into his office, slamming the door so hard it nearly took the hinges off. “Find out which publisher released this trash. Buy out the exclusive rights immediately. I don't care how much it costs.” His temples throbbed with a vicious headache.

On the ride up, Colin had accidentally scrolled through a few pages of the comic. Honestly, even as a man, the explicit details had made his face flush. This was high-tier erotica aimed straight at lonely housewives. Every panel was dripping with pure, unadulterated passion. It perfectly balanced the agonizing angst of unrequited female longing with the intense, possessive sweetness of a dominant male lead, leaving just enough to the readers' vivid imaginations.

Even Colin couldn't help but think that if Mr. Thorne actually took his clothes off, that physique... wow. No wonder Mrs. Thorne was so hopelessly obsessed with him.

“Colin.” Hayden’s icy voice sliced through the room.

Colin snapped out of his vivid daydream, letting out an awkward cough. “Right away, Mr. Thorne. I'll make the call now.”

Hayden’s eyes were dark with suppressed rage. The screen of his phone still displayed the highly explicit, beautifully rendered intimacy between him and Zoe. His fists clenched until the knuckles popped.

A few moments later, Colin returned. “Mr. Thorne, the publisher refused the buyout. They said no amount of money will make them hand over the rights.”

Hayden pressed two fingers against his brow, rubbing the tension. “Fine. Set up a hostile takeover. Buy the entire publishing house.” If they refused to sell him the comic, he would bankrupt them. Colin didn't dare waste a single second, rushing out to execute the order.

Meanwhile, the balance in Zoe’s bank account kept climbing. It wasn't until the third day that Cherry’s frantic phone call woke her from a deep sleep.

“Ms. Lynd, our comic’s copyright was bought out by an anonymous buyer. The publishing house went bankrupt overnight.” Cherry’s voice was thick with disappointment. She had been banking on making Zoe even more money.

Zoe lay limp against her mattress, completely drained of energy. For the past few days, she had been avoiding Hayden like the plague, terrified he would discover her lucrative side hustle. Thankfully, he had been suspiciously busy. She blindly assumed he was off spending all his time with Sienna Winters. She prayed he would stay glued to Sienna and never uncover what she’d done.

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