Fitch glanced up, his gaze lingering on her for a few seconds before he stood up. "Take the day off, Zoey. Nolan's old enough; he
doesn't need constant supervision."
"But | should be working. How about | take him to the amusement park? Kids love those."
Fitch stiffened. "No need."
"Has he ever been?"
"No."
"Then why..."
"Zoey."
He called her nagain, his voice suddenly hoarse. "Just stay in the villa for now. If you're bored, you can walk Nolan and Ozzy
around the estate. It's vast, with many sights you haven't seen yet."
Zoey didn't respond. His tone had shifted to something much heavier, as if carrying a secret.
She couldn't figure it out. On her first day, the assistant hinted she should stay in. It seemed like Fitch deliberately wanted her
confined here.
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She was puzzled.
Fitch had taken the day off, and for the next two months, all his meetings were switched to virtual. Even document reviews were
done in the living room.
This meant Zoey and Nolan were always under his watchful eye.
She had assumed someone of his stature would be perpetually busy. Yet, for the following week, she saw him at the villa every
single day.
A week later, Fitch received a call from lan.
"I'm at your office. The top brass said you haven't been in for a week. Are you ill?"
Sitting in Fitch's office chair and holding a document for their latest joint project, lan had passed by and decided to deliver it
personally. He also wanted to discuss a few points with Fitch directly.
"I'm not sick."
"Then what are you up to?"
"On a business trip."
lan squinted, knowing full well there were no trips scheduled. Fitch had mentioned staying in Zion City for a while but returned
within a week without contacting them. Without reaching out, lan doubted Fitch would've shared his whereabouts.
lan pondered for a moment before blurting out, "Have you found someone?"
But that seemed unlikely, considering how reserved Fitch had been these past four years.
Holding his phone tighter, Fitch replied, "No."
"Really? Have you finally found someone special?"
For years, Zoey's nwas taboo among them.
"No, I've got to go."
lan stared at the disconnected call, feeling certain something was amiss.
Why would a workaholic disappear for a week, cooped up in a villa?
Back at Greenfield Gardens, Zoey overheard Maja scolding Craig Raymond through the door.
Craig stubbornly refused to admit his mistake, his eyes reddening.
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Rosemary Sanders pouted, "Mommy, it wasn't on purpose. Don't be mad at him."
Maja massaged her temples, unable to hold back and pinched Craig's cheek.
"Don't do it again, or you'll get a spanking."
Craig bit his lip, glaring at Rosemary Sanders with a mix of sadness and anger.
Rosemary Sanders smirked and bared her teeth in a conciliatory grin.
When Maja went to greet lan at the door, Craig wiped away his tears in frustration.
"Rosemary Sanders, | don't want you as my sister anymore. It was all because you..."
She quickly covered his mouth, dragging him upstairs as Maja and lan turned their attention towards them.
"Craig, stop crying, or you'll never be as brave as Nolan."
At the mention of Nolan, Craig's face turned beet red, his fists clenching.
"That's not true!"
"It is. Mommy said she wished Nolan was her real son."
"l am brave, | swear."