I Forgot I Ever Loved You (Zoe and Hayden) novel Chapter 540

Hayden let out a dark, chilling laugh. As a dozen tactical rifles leveled directly at his head, the words died in Steve's throat.

"The child isn't mine. Are you absolutely sure?"

Hayden leaned back into the leather sofa, his predatory gaze pinning Steve to the floor. The sheer malice in his eyes sent a violent shudder through the executive.

Bang.

The deafening gunshot echoed through the office. A blinding agony erupted in Steve's calf, brutally reminding him that the monster sitting before him was not a civilian.

He wasn't someone who could be dismissed with a few clever lies.

"Care to try the truth this time?"

Steve's defiance shattered completely.

He collapsed to his knees. Despite being a hulking man over six feet tall, he looked utterly pathetic groveling at Hayden's feet.

"Mr. Thorne—I swear, we don't know who the father is! Your wife never contacted us directly. She operated entirely through a proxy.

We weren't involved in her schemes! We just supplied the fake paperwork she requested. We were just doing a job!

Mr. Thorne, please, show some mercy. We're just businessmen. The client pays, we provide the service—that's our only principle."

Hayden violently kicked the heavy oak desk aside, the sharp angles of his face turning terrifyingly lethal.

He cast a fleeting, dismissive glance at Steve, offering zero mercy.

"Your principles? Let me show you mine."

Hayden stood up. The heavily armed operatives hauled the bleeding executive out of the building and hurled him into an armored vehicle flashing with red and blue sirens.

The massive surrogacy empire Steve had built was officially obliterated.

Taking one final drag of his cigarette, Hayden stood expressionless as his men tossed incendiary devices straight into the lobby of the facility. The building exploded into a raging inferno.

Trapped in the back of the transport, Steve watched his life's work burn to ash. The hulking man broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

This was a world that didn't run on rules. With enough wealth, power, and high-level military backing, a man could erase anything from existence.

It was glaringly obvious—the operatives knew Steve had deeply offended Hayden. To show their absolute loyalty and respect to their commander, they simply burned Steve's empire to the ground to keep Hayden satisfied.

Would the Lynd family ever accept a discarded ex-wife tossed out by the Thorne empire?

Throughout their five-year marriage, Zoe had alienated everyone around her.

Hayden had no idea when Garrett Kendall had become so obsessed with her, slipping right in when Hayden and Zoe's toxic marriage finally hit its breaking point.

Just as Grandmother Beatrice had warned, the entire Kendall family had plotted to steal his wife, prying Zoe and Lily right out of his grip.

And all of Zoe's elaborate schemes were likely designed to defend against one single person.

Him. Hayden Thorne.

Heh.

The woman was terrifyingly calculating, playing her twisted games right under his nose. The most laughable part was that he had fallen for it entirely.

But unfortunately for her, he wasn't a pathetic pushover like Garrett Kendall, letting a woman drag him around by a leash.

Hayden's fists clenched so tightly his knuckles popped with a sickening crunch. Glancing into the rearview mirror, Colin noticed Hayden's eyes were bloodshot, practically glowing with a demonic crimson fury.