Her tone was flat and indifferent—far from polite.
Everyone at the table could tell she was disgusted. But Zachariah didn’t care in the slightest. What beautiful girl didn’t have a bit of a temper? No temper just meant she was too ugly to have confidence.
He obediently shifted over a seat, but even that didn’t cool his fiery enthusiasm.
“Zachariah!” Madam Suzanne finally couldn’t take it anymore. Was her son born to be ordered around like this?
Seeing his mother lose her temper, Zachariah straightened up slightly, putting on a more proper appearance.
Madam Suzanne tried to maintain the grace of a noblewoman. “Serena, what do you think of our Zachariah?”
Serena answered, “Not much.”
Madam Suzanne was stunned. What the hell does ‘not much’ even mean?
Serena ladled herself a bowl of soup and tasted it. She was the only one at the table who’d started eating. Her lack of manners made Madam Suzanne even more contemptuous.
The woman’s anger rolled off her in waves, but Serena remained composed. “He’s your son. Don’t you know what he’s like? Why ask me?”
Madam Suzanne slammed her hand down on the table. “Serena, what do you mean by that?”
Never in her life had anyone dared speak to her like this.
“Mom, why are you so mad? You’re going to scare Serena,” Zachariah said, not even trying to calm his mother down. He turned to Serena with a grin that finally had the swagger of a true playboy.
“Our Simpson family is the richest in Zerinda. If you’re with me, you’ll have a lifetime of luxury. We can even help the Reed family get back on their feet. What do you think?”
Serena kept eating and didn’t answer.
Richard saw a chance and quickly chimed in, “Zachariah taking a liking to her is her good fortune. We as her parents have no objections—why would she?”
That was the kind of talk the Simpson family liked to hear.
“Parents?” Serena put down her spoon and dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “Mr. Richard, we’ve already severed ties.”
Richard froze.
Angela jumped in. “Serena, don’t be ungrateful. We treat you like our own daughter—that’s why we introduced you to such a good match. Otherwise, with your background, the best you could hope for is some nobody with a nine-to-five job!”
“If he’s so great, let Celeste marry him.” Serena stood. “I’m done eating. Enjoy the rest of your meal.”
“Serena!” Richard shot to his feet, blocking her path.
Zachariah’s face twisted. So she really wasn’t interested. She was turning him down? After all he’d offered?
“Mr. Richard, don’t be mad. Serena’s young—she can be taught.” Zachariah got up and moved closer, his hand landing on Serena’s shoulder. “Serena, come with me to a private room. Let us young people talk.”


VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: When the GF9 Test Subject Became His Obsession