I Forgot I Ever Loved You (Zoe and Hayden) novel Chapter 228

The executives from both Easton Group and Sterling Group couldn't help but turn their attention toward Hayden. Wasn't Mr. Thorne dating Sienna? Why did he sound so aggressively territorial, as if he were terrified something might happen between Zoe and Garrett?

Rumor had it that Zoe had stalked Hayden relentlessly, even going so far as to drug him just to ruin his impending marriage to Sienna. But the vibe in the room today felt completely off. Hayden's jealousy was radiating so strongly that everyone could feel it from across the room.

Sienna walked over and linked her arm through Hayden's, offering a gentle, practiced smile. "Garrett isn't married yet, after all. Sharing a room with Director Lynd wouldn't be good for his reputation."

Garrett's family background was highly respected in their elite circles. What right did Zoe have to try and latch onto the Stone family?

Garrett frowned deeply. Everyone always said Sienna was Zoe's half-sister, yet there wasn't a shred of respect in her tone. Every word she spoke seemed designed to back Zoe into a corner. The so-called genius prodigy and elegant future Mrs. Thorne was turning out to be nothing but a fraud.

"My reputation doesn't matter," Garrett said coolly. "But Director Lynd is a married woman. I'm more concerned about protecting her honor."

The moment the words left Garrett's mouth, a collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Zoe was already married? No one had ever heard a single whisper about her husband. Was she really married and still shamelessly flirting with other men?

The Easton Group executives couldn't hide their mocking sneers and looks of disdain. Even some of the Sterling Group employees were whispering among themselves. The two engineers who had accompanied Zoe to the sanatorium exchanged pointed looks. They had seen Zoe and Hayden clash before; Zoe had been highly emotional, while Mr. Thorne had looked like he wanted nothing to do with her. Was it true that her private life was an absolute mess?

With both Sienna and Hayden effectively shutting down the conversation, there was no way Zoe could push to share a suite with Garrett anymore. Now, everyone was looking at her through a vividly judgmental lens.

Garrett felt like he had inadvertently made things worse for her. Hayden, meanwhile, offered an imperceptible smirk, a dark amusement dancing in his eyes.

"We can sort out the room situation later. It's time for dinner. Let's eat first," someone from Sterling Group chimed in, smoothing over the palpable tension.

The hotel was catering the banquet. With nearly twenty people from both companies present, they were seated at a massive table in the largest private dining room. The seating arrangement ended up being bizarrely awkward.

Initially, Zoe and Garrett were seated side by side, as were Hayden and Sienna. But as people naturally shifted to give the VIPs more space, Hayden and Zoe ended up pushed right into the visual center of the table. Garrett was seated next to Zoe, and Sienna was relegated to Hayden's other side. Everyone sensed the strange undercurrent, but no one dared to dwell on it.

"Let's get some good rest tonight, everyone. We need to be sharp for the summit tomorrow," Garrett announced, standing up with his glass. The entire room followed suit.

Standing right in the middle, Zoe and Hayden commanded the room. They looked like the true power couple hosting the event. Sienna noticed the shift in dynamic and practically seethed in her spot.

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