The Cold Surgeon's Contract Bride novel Chapter 404

Zelda Ziegler was sitting there, staring at me with a mix of scrutiny and suspicion. When she saw I had noticed her, her lips curled into an unsettling smile.

I had been lost in thought for so long that I hadn't even realized when she took the seat.

"Grabbing a coffee too, Zelda?" I quickly collected myself, maintaining a calm and natural tone. I greeted her but didn't wait for a response as I stood up. "I should get going."

Zelda was a massive gossip and a troublemaker. I needed to keep my distance.

But just as I stood up, Zelda leaned forward and fixed her eyes on my face. "Dr. Hayes, are you in such a rush to leave because you're guilty of something? Are you afraid I figured it out?"

She usually had a loud, obnoxious voice, but this time, she spoke softly. Her eyes were locked onto mine, flashing with a familiar, dangerous light.

It was the thrilling gleam of a gossip who had struck gold.

Zelda gave me that look all the time.

My body went rigid the moment the words left her mouth, and my heart skipped a beat.

Did she actually figure something out?

I quietly clenched my fingers into fists but forced a slow smile. "Why would I be guilty? I don't have any secrets. Why would I be afraid of what you found out?"

Before she could answer, I leaned my hands on the table, staring down at her. "Zelda, did you forget my warning? I told you not to mess with me. Why can't you seem to remember that?"

For a split second, a flash of panic crossed her eyes, but it quickly vanished, replaced by smug understanding.

Zelda kept smiling. "Dr. Hayes, I just sat down across from you to have a coffee. Why are you so tense? You're even threatening me now. Relax. Sit down, let's chat for a bit."

"We have nothing to talk about," I said, refusing to admit my nerves.

My chest heaved heavily with emotion, my nails digging into my palms as my hands balled into tight fists.

Zelda looked incredibly smug. "I want to know what exactly is going on between you and Director Sterling. Why is he always so awful to you? Why would Mrs. Sterling come looking for you? Care to explain, Dr. Hayes?"

"I don't owe you any explanations," I said, the words grinding through my teeth.

She really had seen us.

But based on what she was saying, she only saw me sitting with Vivian. She hadn't seen what we were doing, nor had she heard our conversation.

Even so, it put me entirely on edge.

Zelda was far more cunning than she let on. The last time Ferris was reported and suspended, and when I was branded an academic fraud—she was involved in all of it. My instincts told me she was actively working against him.