I Forgot I Ever Loved You (Zoe and Hayden) novel Chapter 641

Hunter had been the one to initiate the divorce.

When Zoey threw a tantrum, he simply wrote her a check for millions of dollars and told her to get out. Realizing there was no salvaging the relationship, Zoey took the money, cursing him to never attain the woman he truly wanted.

Ultimately, Hunter couldn't conquer his obsession with Zoe. Perhaps it was lingering resentment, but he boarded a flight back home. After catching up on the media frenzy surrounding her, he couldn't hold back any longer and reached out.

Hearing she had divorced Hayden thrilled him. She had children, and those children were living with the Kendalls. In Hunter's mind, none of this was a barrier; he firmly believed he and Zoe could eventually have children of their own. He was determined to win back the woman who got away.

"Mr. Keating, I was married. It's best if we keep our distance from now on," Zoe replied evenly.

She was a mother carrying the weight of a highly classified national project. She had zero interest in wasting time on pointless romantic entanglements.

Hunter knew Zoe was trying to force him to back off, but he had dropped everything to return for her. He wasn't leaving empty-handed.

"Zoe, you don't have to lie to me. I know you and Hayden are divorced. I know you had another son with him. But I don't care. Whatever happened, can we just meet face-to-face and talk?"

When he had returned a year ago parading Zoey around, it was purely to make her jealous. He wanted to prove that without her, he was still incredibly sought after in the dating market. But enduring a miserable marriage to a woman he didn't love had been a brutal wake-up call. No amount of gentle affection or surrounding himself with beautiful women could fill the gaping void she had left behind. He couldn't stomach another day without Zoe in his life.

Zoe could hear the deep-seated obsession in his voice. Meeting him might actually be for the best—she needed to look him in the eye and make it permanently clear that they were over.

She would never be with anyone again. And that included him.

When Zoe returned to the Kendall estate from the Command Center, Hayden immediately noticed her constantly checking her phone and typing out messages.

Lately, aside from when they slept, Hayden stuck to Zoe like a shadow. The Kendall family treated him like invisible air, and he didn't seem to care, focusing entirely on Zoe and the kids.

Initially, the nanny had strictly restricted Hayden's access to little Ian, acting on Zoe's direct orders. The Kendalls hadn't interfered. After all, Hayden was Ian's biological father. They had placed Ian on their family registry to protect him, not to wield absolute control over him. Zoe had suffered enough, and the Kendalls—who only had a son—truly loved her like a daughter.

Since moving in, Hayden had been surprisingly respectful. He observed quietly, didn't cross boundaries, and maintained a polite distance. Seeing that he wasn't causing trouble, the Kendalls weren't cruel enough to sever the biological bond completely.

Even the nanny, who fiercely protected Zoe, began to soften. Over time, seeing the dashing, wealthy Mr. Thorne genuinely trying to bond with his kids evoked a sense of pity.

That was as far as Garrett would go. Helping Hayden win Zoe back was out of the question. He knew exactly how deep her scars ran.

Hayden hadn't expected Garrett's help anyway. "I'll remember that. Out of curiosity, when do you plan on transferring Ian's registration back to my name?"

Garrett stared at him, suddenly realizing the 'respect' had been a calculated negotiation tactic. He marveled at the man's sheer audacity.

"Never. Unless Zoe explicitly tells me to, you can kiss that idea goodbye."

Hayden's expression darkened. It seemed his campaign to win over the Kendall household still hadn't penetrated their deep-rooted distrust. Shifting gears, he feigned casual interest.

"Zoe seems incredibly busy lately. She's been texting non-stop through dinner. Did your company land a new project?"

"No," Garrett answered instinctively.

Realizing he'd been baited, Garrett scowled. "Is Thorne Enterprises going bankrupt too, Mr. Thorne? If you don't need to be at the Command Center or the office, maybe you should focus your energy on saving your own career instead of spying."