Chapter 23

It turned out the passkey Giselle used in the elevator that day, when visiting Donovan, actually came from Zachary.

“Your uncle is about to get engaged to my half-sister, right? So, technically, that makes him my future brother-in-law. I just wanted to ask him a small favor,” she replied, offering a casual excuse.

“What kind of favor?”

“It’s about my vet clinic being shut down. I figured, since he’s such a big shot in the medical industry, he’s probably close to the regulatory authorities. I was hoping he could pull a few strings.”

Even she felt the excuse was flimsy. To prevent Zachary from suspecting anything about her and Donovan's complicated situation, it was the best she could devise for now.

“Oh, that,” Zachary said breezily. “If you needed help, you should have told me earlier. I happen to be close with the Health Bureau director’s son. A simple phone call would have fixed it—you didn’t have to go to my uncle.”

“Yeah, I guess I was desperate and acted recklessly. Besides, I didn’t even get to see him that day.”

“Of course you didn’t,” Zachary chuckled. “He’s the CEO of a massive corporation—his schedule is packed, and he’s constantly traveling. He doesn’t have time for trivial matters. Next time you need help, just come to me.”

Giselle took another sip of water, remaining silent for a while. Then, she asked, “Zach, your uncle seems to care a lot about you, doesn’t he?”

Zachary smiled. “You can say that. He might be my dad’s brother, but he’s like my own. We’re buddies and do almost everything together. As long as he doesn’t force me into pharmaceutical research like him, I’ll do anything for him.”

A wave of mixed emotions washed over Giselle. She said nothing, simply flashing a smile.

“Let’s eat. The food’s getting cold.”

Just then, Zachary placed the first slice of prime steak he’d cut onto her plate.

“This is considered our first date, right?” he asked tentatively. “I apologize for not treating you to a proper meal last time.”

Giselle looked up, meeting his passionate gaze. Slightly uneasy, she looked away and nibbled her steak.

“Zach, I brought the mountain bike you gave me last time. It’s in my trunk. Remember to take it with you later.”

Zachary paused, his fork suspended mid-air.

“What do you mean?” His expression darkened, his voice tight with anger. “If this model doesn’t suit your taste, just let me know. I’ll get you another one.”

“It’s not about that,” she said. “The bike’s too expensive. It’s around fifteen thousand dollars! I can’t possibly accept it.”

Struggling to maintain his composure, Zachary muttered, “Giselle, we’ve known each other for a while. There’s something I don’t want to keep bottled up anymore, so I’ll just say it… I really like you. From the very first time I saw you, I fell for you.”

His eyes sparkled as he looked at her and continued gently, “But I didn’t want to pursue you like I did other girls—it felt too shallow. You’re just… like an angel. I was afraid I’d somehow taint you unintentionally—”

“Stop it,” Giselle interrupted.

She’d known his feelings for a while, so this wasn’t a surprise. However, hearing such effusive praise still made her uncomfortable.

“Honestly, Zach, it makes me feel guilty to hear that. It means you don’t really know me,” she said. “I’m nothing like what you imagine. Once you get to know me better, you probably won’t even want to be friends with me anymore.”

He looked at her intently. “Tell me, then. What is it that I don’t know about you?”