I Walked Away And He Lost His Mind (Zephyra and Steven) novel Chapter 250

I would not look back. People have to pay the price for the choices they make and the words they say. Losing the opportunity to climb the ladder was the price Jonas had to pay for choosing to align himself with Linda and turn against me.

I treated the two masters to a meal. Steven was there too; as the sponsor, it was his duty to host them. But somewhere along the line, he had fallen completely silent. He drank glass after glass, his mood having soured completely. Whenever our eyes met, the turbulent emotions swirling in his gaze sent a shiver down my spine. Thankfully, the crowd of people around us diluted the intensity of his stare; otherwise, I felt like he might have ripped me apart.

I was going to study under Mr. Taylor. I intended to keep the promise I made. Besides, I had no need for love and romance in this life. Love was the least of my concerns. All I wanted was to shine in my chosen field, get rich with my two best friends and my Uncle Julian, and live life on our own terms.

During dinner, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Lee couldn’t stop praising me.

“Your skills are already so strong, and your work is full of ideas and stories. It seems even richer than before. You’ve completely transformed. There’s less of that youthful recklessness and more of a sense of release and acceptance. You’ve grown a lot.”

I smiled without saying a word. I’d died once already; how could I not grow?

Mr. Taylor then asked with a mix of sympathy and curiosity, “But, are you really a widow?”

At his words, Zachary’s face turned even paler than Steven’s. He coughed repeatedly, darting glances between me and Steven, too scared to say a thing. Steven tilted his head back and drained his glass, his expression unreadable.

“That was just a joke,” I explained. “I’m not a widow. I’m just getting a divorce.”

Mr. Taylor was shocked. “You’re getting a divorce? But didn’t you retire because you were…”

I quickly poured him some tea. “Teacher, let’s not talk about the past. Let’s look to the future. I’m very much looking forward to learning from you.”

I knew what he was about to say. The last time I had refused him, it was because I was marrying Steven. I loved him, so, so much. But my mother-in-law had made it clear that the Lancaster family did not permit its women to have careers. Tending to a husband and raising children was enough. So, for my love for Steven, I had given up everything—my passion, my promising future—to be his dedicated stay-at-home wife.

Unfortunately, my good deeds were not rewarded with good karma.

A heavy silence descended upon the private room. Steven had been acting strange for a while, and now that he had made me stay, he wasn't saying anything. My heart pounded against my ribs like a drum.

“What’s wrong with you? That expression is terrifying. Is there something you want to say?”

He downed another glass of wine, his eyes hostile. A thought struck me, and I decided to go on the offensive.

“None of what happened earlier was my fault. Other people were causing trouble, and I resolved it perfectly, didn't I? I didn't cause you any losses. Besides, shouldn’t I be the one who’s angry? Why did you give everyone a perfect score on the official results but only deduct points from me? Are you using your position to settle a personal score?”

The hand gripping my wrist tightened. He set his glass down and looked at me, his handsome face devoid of any humor, filled only with a dark, brooding anger and the humiliation of being deceived.

He bit out each word, his voice laced with fury. “Zephyra. You are the person I’ve been looking for. You’re Somania.”