The living room fell silent again, and Giselle remained dazed for a long moment. She tapped open the bank notification on her phone, staring at the staggering string of zeros, but it didn't thrill her. If anything, it weighed on her more. Donovan had written her off with a measly ten million dollars—pocket change to a man like him. Yet, for some other woman, he’d pour out his entire fortune, even his whole self, to build a happy marriage. The thought brought a faint tightness to her chest.
She took a slim cigarette from the coffee table drawer, lit it, and let it rest between her fingers. Then she brought it to her lips, drew a deep breath, and exhaled the smoke with smooth, practiced ease. Wrapped in that hazy cloud, her tension loosened. The hollow melancholy from moments before was already fading.
In the days that followed, Giselle threw herself into scouting locations for her new veterinary clinic, leaving no time for toxic people and their drama. She had studied veterinary medicine abroad and always loved animals. After returning home, she launched her own veterinary clinic. Thanks to her natural talent and sharp business sense, Giselle now ran a chain of clinics offering pet healthcare, grooming, food, and boarding—primarily serving high-end clients. Whenever those wealthy socialites’ pets fell ill with mysterious conditions, her expertise always saved them. Over time, she’d built a solid reputation in the industry.
One morning, after a team meeting, Giselle was on her phone during a break when it chimed with a WhatsApp notification. It was another message from Zach. He asked if she was free that day and invited her to go mountain biking. He even sent a photo of a high-end bike, bragging that it was his new ride and encouraging her to try it out. Since she didn’t have anything important that afternoon, and honestly, she’d been itching to hit the trails, she happily agreed without hesitation.
Giselle went home to change into her professional mountain biking gear and packed some casual clothes. Then, she hopped in her car and plugged the address Zach had sent into her GPS. She sped the whole way, driving like she was in a race, and made it there in under half an hour.
The place was out in the suburbs—a national forest park or something similar. Rolling hills, lakes, and stone steps made the area incredibly scenic. The perfect terrain had allowed for mountain bike trails to be built, drawing plenty of riders eager for an adrenaline rush. Giselle had just parked her car and stepped out when someone called from behind, “Giselle!”
She turned to see a tall, handsome young man walking toward her. Like her, he was dressed in sleek mountain biking gear, pushing a brand-new mountain bike. It was Zach.
They’d first met six months ago at a wingsuit flying event organized by their group. Giselle didn’t actually know his name; she’d never asked, and he’d never offered. From what friends had told her, he was some ultra-rich heir, just 24, still working on his master’s at the world-famous Machett Institute of Technology. He was also into extreme sports, just like her. They didn’t talk much. She’d only seen him two or three times, always in group outings. Today was the first time they’d met alone.
“Here, I got this just for you,” Zach said, wheeling the bike over to her, a proud grin on his face. “This model’s top-tier, specs-wise. It took me two months to get it through a personal shopper.”
“Oh, is that so? Let me take a look.”
Giselle, a hardcore enthusiast, knew her stuff. As Zach explained, she crouched down, inspecting the bike with sharp interest and testing it with practiced ease. The mountain bike featured top-of-the-line braking systems and electronic shifting, with nearly unmatched impact resistance. Every component was high-end, from the inverted forks to the tires. A beast like this easily commanded five figures.
“This one’s yours. Mine’s over there,” Zach said, motioning for his assistant to bring the other bike closer. “Mine’s blue. We’d be a matching pair.”
At the words “matching pair,” Giselle let out a noncommittal chuckle. “Let’s get going. We should head over and get ready. Which trail do you want?”
“Your call. I’m good with anything. Wait.” Zach looked up, his gaze locking onto hers with sudden intensity. “Before we start, there’s something important I need to ask you.”
“What?”