Chapter 6

In the beginning, she and Stanley truly married for love. They met at the university where they both studied and graduated from. They were so much in love back then. Stanley had proposed and got married to Zoe after their graduation.

Could it be that her marriage crumbled just because she allowed her little sister to live with them in the same apartment…?

A memory flashed back in her mind when she had invited Stanley to go to a hospital to have their fertility and health checked together–to see what they could do for her to conceive.

Stanley would always say he was healthy and that he doesn't need such medical checks.

"You are the only one who obviously needs a check-up, because you are barren." He would say, always ready to ridicule her instead.

Zoe doesn't earn much from her job but she still manages to make him feel comfortable. He enjoyed being jobless and not eager to get a job to support her. And yet, he still wasn't grateful and cheated on her.

"Zoe," Bernard called her name, pulling her out of her daze.

"I don't love him anymore and I'm not reconciling with him." Zoe responded after many thoughts of how she has been treated unfairly by Stanley.

"You are beautiful and a hardworking lady. You are not supposed to be treated like a slave by any man. You will find a man who will treat you better than he ever did. I'm sure of that." Bernard said, as if he has already found a new man for Zoe.

Zoe grinned, feeling a little happier because of Bernard's small compliment.

"I hope to forget him someday," Zoe

mumbled.

Bernard sighed. "Ask me whatever you want and I will answer it honestly."

Zoe contemplated for a while. She had a few questions, including how he managed to be single, because he is handsome and being a CEO in a big business firm, ladies should be floating around him.

"Why are you still single? Does it mean your last breakup heated you so bad and made you refuse to get into another relationship? At your level, there must be ladies out there wishing they had something to do with you."

Zoe watched as his playful mood suddenly disappeared.

"Well, you are not wrong, but it's not as easy as you think. I have been with a lot of women, but I never liked them because of their personality and the last one that I ended up loving more, suddenly became a gold digger."

Bernard has been a successful hardworking man ever since his parents got separated. When he was in his 20s, he became the owner of a billion dollar business, after some years of hard work.

His parents got divorce after his mother discovered that Bernard's dad was cheating on her with another woman. He saw how that affected his mum and made her cry for many nights. He understood how it felt when someone got betrayed by someone they loved.

"My problem is not money but a long lasting relationship. I'm longing to get married someday."

Zoe stared at Bernard wordlessly and got lost in her thoughts as she wished she had married him and not Stanley.

'This man is soft and he smells nice, he's also a successful man, who wouldn't want to be with such a man?' Zoe thought.

Bernard grinned and moved closer, "You're everything I need in a woman," he whispered.

Zoe froze, She wasn't sure if it was the alcohol talking or if he was just teasing her.

Bernard chuckled as he watched Zoe's reaction. "What's that look for?"

"You said I'm everything you need in a woman. Of course I'm surprised." Zoe

snorted. "Don't mess with me I'm not a cheap woman—"

"And that is why you are the woman for me," Bernard's voice cuts in.

Zoe burst into heavy laughter, "You must be playing dumb with me, I am not ready for this bullshit."

"I am not playing dumb with you, I don't think you should be looking down on yourself," Bernard said firmly as he kept his eyes locked on her.

"I like a mentally strong woman, you decided not to reconcile with your husband and move on. I like your guts.

'It seems that he meant every word that just came out from his mouth.' Zoe thought to herself.

Zoe didn't want to be seen as an easy going woman who could be won over with his sweet talking.

"Is this how you stalk women who are heartbroken at a bar and sweet talk with them?" Zoe sneered. "Do you tell that to every woman you meet?"

Surprisingly, she was not mad at what he said just now. In fact, she liked it, mainly because Stanley was definitely the opposite of Bernard.

Stanley was a stereotypical man. Who had, in the beginning, told Zoe he would take care of her until she was able to become pregnant. As time passed, he became comfortable being jobless and wasn't earning anything. He changed and ordered Zoe to work her ass off so they could live.

"No, I told you I like women with a good personality and they don't possess such."

Zoe didn't say anything. She simply crossed her arms on her chest as a sign that she didn't want to listen to what he had to say.

But her mind started wondering if Bernard was actually right.

He was the only one who ever asked about her problem. She didn't plan on telling anyone, not even Stanley's mother who'd ridicule her for not being able to give her a grandchild. She hated Zoe the most because of her infertility.

Zoe recalls how Stanley had remained silent and unsupportive when his mother had hurled hurtful insults at her for not getting pregnant, a painful memory that still lingered.

"I think I should get back to my house right now, your words are beginning to irritate me," Zoe said, frowning at Bernard.

"Do you still want to go back to that house? After what they did to you?" Bernard asked Zoe.