Chapter 216: First-Hand Goods
It had been a few days since Zachary had last touched Caroline. Oddly, since their last encounter, no other woman had managed to hold his interest in the same way. As always, a steady stream of women had been sent his way—beautiful, fresh-faced, and impeccably built. He’d entertained himself with one or two, but somehow, his mind kept drifting back to Caroline.
He figured it had to do with Effie. That woman had infuriated him, leaving a bitter taste he couldn’t shake. He wasn’t done venting his frustration, and there was something perversely satisfying about seeing Caroline lower herself for him.
“Fine, Zachary. I’ll come over,” Caroline finally said, after a moment’s hesitation. She knew exactly what would happen once she got to Zachary’s place. But she was desperate. Things between Claire and Frederick were spiraling out of control. If she waited any longer, and Claire actually became pregnant, it would be over. A child would cement Claire’s position forever.
Her thoughts spun in circles, rationalizing her choice. She’d already slept with Zachary twice. Two times, or three times—what difference did it make? At least it was better than throwing herself at some unknown pervert from the Hiokeeh Group.
Besides, today was the perfect opportunity. With the explosion at the Kingstown outskirts, Frederick would be completely tied up. There was no way he’d have time to check on her.
After settling her thoughts, Caroline spent two hours meticulously getting ready before heading out. When she arrived at Zachary’s, he had everything prepared. A stack of documents lay waiting, and as she read through them, she was stunned by the sheer depth of what they revealed. Embedded spies within the Hiokeeh Group. The tangled web of secrets surrounding Frederick, Antony, and Claire over the past few days. The threads of intrigue ran deeper than she’d ever imagined.
By the time she was done, her entire perspective had shifted. Whoever the mysterious person behind the emails was, they no longer mattered. With Zachary’s resources and plans, she didn’t need anyone else. He was all she needed to bring everything under her control.
“Zachary, I’ve always been curious—why are you so hell-bent on driving a wedge between Frederick and Claire?” Caroline asked, perched on Zachary’s lap, her bare shoulder exposed. She flinched slightly as his teeth grazed her skin, his bites possessive and unforgiving.
“Stupid girl, who else would I do it for if not you? Wasn’t it you who begged me for this last time?” Zachary murmured, his eyes closed, his lips trailing along her neck without pause.
“Mm! Is that so? Zachary, you love me that much?” Caroline gasped, feigning delight as she played along with his theatrics. She didn’t believe him for a second. There had to be another reason, or perhaps someone behind him pulling the strings. But right now, she couldn’t afford to care.
“Of course I love you,” Zachary replied, his voice dripping with mock sincerity. “I’d love you to death.” He tightened his grip on her arm, sinking his teeth into her neck. The sharp pain sent a chill through her body, as if he intended to drain her like a vampire.
“Zachary—ah! If you love me so much, could you do a little more for me?” Caroline winced, the color draining from her face, but she forced herself to endure it.
“Go on, spit it out. As long as you keep me happy, I’ll make all your wishes come true.” He inhaled her scent deeply before tearing her blouse open with a loud rip.
“Zachary, I admit, what you’ve done recently has been brilliant—far better than anything I could’ve pulled off. But I think we can take this even further,” she said, trying to steady her voice. “Antony is clearly into Claire, and she’s already had fights with Frederick. Isn’t it only natural for those two to end up together? And, if by chance she were to… get pregnant… with Antony’s child, wouldn’t that completely ruin her chances with Frederick?”
Caroline’s eyes gleamed with twisted satisfaction at the thought. She couldn’t wait to see Frederick’s reaction if Claire ended up carrying Antony’s child.
“Well said. Very well said.” Zachary stopped abruptly, his predatory grin replaced by a sharp gleam in his eyes. Suddenly, he grabbed Caroline by the hair and slammed her face onto the table.
“If that happens, Claire’s out of the picture for good. And you? You’ll finally have your precious Frederick to yourself—whispering sweet nothings, rolling in his sheets.” He leaned in closer, his voice turning into a venomous hiss. “Isn’t that what you dream of? To have him on top of you, fucking you senseless?”
Zachary’s grip was so tight that Caroline’s face twisted in pain, her cheeks flattening against the hard surface. “N—no, Zachary, listen to me…” Caroline stammered, terror flashing in her eyes as she caught a glimpse of the murderous intent simmering in his gaze.
But Zachary didn’t let her finish. With one hand crushing her jaw, he silenced her, his assault relentless. Her screams filled the room—piercing, desperate, and unending. By the time he was done, Caroline lay crumpled on the table, her body trembling. Blood smeared the surface, and Zachary, unbothered, ran a finger through it before licking it off with a smirk. Picking up his phone, he stepped out, leaving Caroline behind.
“Yes, I understand,” he said as the call connected, his tone now servile. “Caroline suggested a twist to our plan—setting up Claire to get pregnant by Antony. It could speed up our results significantly. What do you think?” Zachary’s voice dripped with sycophancy, the picture of a man eager to please.