Chapter 63

In another VIP room, Talan strode back inside and leaned close to Zayn, his face full of excitement.

“Zam, guess who I just saw when I came in?”

Zayn shot him an irritated glance. “What does that have to do with me?”

He hadn’t wanted to attend tonight’s gathering, but Zachary was the host. He couldn’t just brush aside their twenty years of friendship, and since the latter had extended an olive branch, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

“It’s Julie. She’s here,” Talan announced.

Zayn’s expression darkened instantly at the mention of her.

He’d never seen her again since that incident. He’d tried waiting for her at college, only to learn she’d moved out. And now here she was.

Talan continued excitedly, “Do you think she’s here to see you? Didn’t she use to come here looking for you all the time?”

Zayn frowned and questioned in a cold voice, “Who told her I was here?”

The group remained silent for a moment before collectively shaking their heads to show they hadn’t leaked the news.

Someone chimed in, “No one told her. She probably found out on her own.”

Zayn’s lips curled into a faint mocking smile. So she couldn’t hold out any longer, could she?

All the nonsense about being a substitute was just an excuse, a trap she’d set to deceive him. She must’ve planned everything perfectly that day to make sure he saw the photo. That would provoke his regret and anger.

And he had to admit that it worked. The moment he learned he was just a substitute, he’d wanted to strangle her.

Lazily leaning back against the couch, he glanced at Zachary with a smirk, his gaze dripping with sarcasm. “Zachary, do you remember Julie? She’s the lapdog who used to follow me around.”

Zachary’s grip on his glass tightened ever so slightly at the name. But he quickly regained his composure and feigned confusion. “Julie? Who? It’s been so long, and I don’t remember her.”

Zayn’s triumphant smirk widened at the statement. He continued, “We used to fight over her, but it’s all in the past. She’s come back for me, hasn’t she?”

Zachary’s expression darkened slightly. He set his glass down with a thud and met Zayn’s gaze with a hint of suspicion. “You guys had a fight, so she’s now here asking to get back together?”

Zayn raised an eyebrow and flashed a confident grin. “Of course. Why else would she come all the way here?”

He turned to Talan and added, “Talan, check out where she is and bring her over.”

Zachary might pretend not to remember Julie, but Zayn wasn’t buying it. He knew Zachary still harbored feelings for her even after all these years, and he’d put an end to all of that tonight.

Talan eagerly scurried off to search for Julie.

After Amaya dragged Julie out of the VIP room, they bumped into Talan emerging from the room next door.

His eyes immediately locked onto Julie, and his expression lit up with a smug smile. He raised his voice and called out to Julie, “Julie, Zayn is in this room. You’re at the wrong place!”

Julie looked up with cold eyes. Her expression was devoid of emotion as she declared, “I’m not here to see him.”

Talan was momentarily stunned. He glanced back at the room where Zayn was and quickly shut the door to stride toward Julie. As he approached, he forced a friendly tone. “Zayn is right there. Just go in and say hi.”

Julie shook her head firmly and replied in a resolute tone, “There’s no need. Zayn and I are over.”

Ever since that incident, she had been avoiding Zayn on purpose for fear he’d lose control again.

Talan’s eyes widened in disbelief at her words. “You’re not here for Zayn?”

Standing aside, Amaya could no longer suppress her frustration. She crossed her arms and retorted sharply, “Is Zayn that much of a narcissist? I brought my friend here, and what does that have to do with him?”