Copycat - Chapter 33

Chapter 33

◎Shattered Pride◎

After being discharged from the hospital, Zhou Ziyan moved into a seaside villa Wen Jiao bought for her. After a long and expensive private treatment, she was able to have basic conversations with people, but there were some time constraints.

Once a conversation lasted more than ten minutes, her panic attacks would inexplicably trigger, and only the appearance of Wen Jiao could stop her uncontrollable trembling and screaming.

Because of her condition, it was inconvenient for her to go out. Wen Jiao arranged for numerous entertainment facilities in the villa to ensure that she could enjoy outside activities without leaving the house. During her treatment, she wanted to go to a concert. Unexpectedly, Wen Jiao hired that celebrity to come to the villa and sing more than a dozen songs for her.

A maid from the villa bent down and knocked on the door of Zhou Ziyan’s bedroom. Zhou Ziyan rubbed her eyes and woke up from a deep sleep, only to see several luxury brand saleswomen in black business attire standing in front of her.

“Miss Zhou, long time no see.” The saleswomen greeted Zhou Ziyan with smiles, as if they were meeting an old friend. Zhou Ziyan nodded with an indifferent expression.

After the Zhou family went bankrupt, she had visited the luxury stores she used to frequent. Those saleswomen had the contact information of many wealthy people and knew a thing or two about what was happening in those circles. When they saw her, they were undoubtedly sarcastic and cold. They didn’t give her a good look, which made her so angry that she never went back.

Unexpectedly—

“Miss Zhou, this dress is from this year’s runway collection. The style is hot and bold, and the green jewels inlaid on the back of the straps highlight your elegant temperament… Do you like it?”

Zhou Ziyan listened to these people’s smiling introductions, one after another, with a cold expression. When nine minutes passed, the villa’s housekeeper came upstairs on time and, with a smile, escorted these people out.

The housekeeper said, “Miss Zhou, which of these clothes would you like to keep?”

Zhou Ziyan looked at the saleswomen’s expectant gazes downstairs, a sarcastic smile curling at her lips: “None of them.”

The housekeeper was stunned for a moment. “Okay, Miss Zhou.”

Zhou Ziyan’s tone was cold: “These people don’t need to come again in the future.”

“Yes.”

Zhou Ziyan glanced at her walk-in closet. It was no different from the past. She seemed to be living her former life again, as if the change in class had never happened.

Except—

Zhou Ziyan lowered her eyelashes and placed her right hand on the wooden cabinet by her bed. She opened the bottom drawer and took out an agreement sealed in a folder.

[Sponsorship Agreement]

Zhou Ziyan flipped through the thin, two-to-three-page document. In black and white, every word seemed to be in her favor. Wen Jiao protected her life in every way, gave her money, and purchased real estate in her name. She seemed to have given her everything except a proper title. But that was precisely—

The two words “proper title” that Zhou Ziyan cared about the most.

The word “sponsorship” made her feel ashamed.

“Get the ingredients ready in the kitchen. I’m going to cook dinner myself tonight,” Zhou Ziyan instructed the housekeeper. After the housekeeper went downstairs, the kitchen quickly became a busy place.

Zhou Ziyan took off her pajamas and stood naked in front of a full-length mirror. The mirror reflected her fair body, with red marks from their lovemaking.

She gently traced the faint strangulation marks on her neck with her fingers.

Wen Jiao liked to lightly choke her neck during s3x. She didn’t like it, but she had no right to refuse.

How could a sponsored lover refuse the requests of their sugar mommy?

As long as Wen Jiao still loved her.

As long as Wen Jiao still loved her, she could endure all of this.

A knock came from outside the door. Zhou Ziyan picked up a bathrobe from the floor with her bare feet. The loose bathrobe was wrapped around her waist, revealing her shapely, slender calves and fair, delicate feet.

Zhou Ziyan opened the door. The person knocking was an unfamiliar face. She was already used to it. Because of her illness and for safety reasons, Wen Jiao fired her staff almost every month.

The maid’s expression looked a little hesitant. Zhou Ziyan frowned slightly: “What is it?”

“This…” The maid hesitated. “CEO Wen, she today…”

The housekeeper happened to be passing by the stairs at that moment. The maid, like a rabbit caught by its tail, frantically tried to cover up: “Nothing, nothing. I was just wondering what dishes Miss Zhou would like to make?”

Zhou Ziyan looked at her strangely: “I only know how to make a few dishes. Just prepare the ingredients according to the usual standards.”

“O-okay.”

The chefs downstairs quickly got the ingredients ready.

Zhou Ziyan tied on an apron and asked all the maids in the villa to leave. She worked alone for three to four hours and finally finished cooking the meal just in time for Wen Jiao’s return. Looking at the steaming meal in front of her, a satisfied smile appeared on Zhou Ziyan’s lips. She looked up and wiped the fine beads of sweat from her forehead.

She looked at the door with anticipation.

An hour later, Zhou Ziyan saw the maid who had knocked on her door earlier awkwardly walk over. “Miss Zhou, why don’t you eat first? CEO Wen might not be back.”

Zhou Ziyan felt a strange sense of oppression in her chest. She stubbornly sat there and continued to wait. After a very, very long time, the steaming meal had already become too cold to eat. The maid came over again.

“Miss Zhou, today is Miss Alice’s birthday. CEO Wen has already landed in M Country and is hosting a banquet for her guests at the Haiming Estate.” The maid’s face showed a look of sympathy. “She probably won’t be coming back here.”

Zhou Ziyan was stunned for a moment. She had lived here for so long that the name “Alice” was both unfamiliar and familiar. It was unfamiliar because the maids rarely mentioned the name “Alice” in front of her. If it weren’t for the sponsorship agreement on her nightstand, she would have almost forgotten that she was just a mistress who was being kept for her looks.

Zhou Ziyan’s throat tightened. “I understand. You all can leave.”

Wen Jiao stayed at the Haiming Estate for a week and had no idea how tormented Zhou Ziyan had been during that time.

Late at night, A City airport.

Wen Jiao’s private jet landed at the airport. The woman, who had barely slept for a week, felt a little dizzy. Her assistant quickly stepped forward to help her. Wen Jiao pressed her painful brow bone.

The assistant, who was in charge of taking care of Wen Jiao, looked worried: “CEO Wen, you need to rest. You really can’t keep going like this. Because you came back to the country so suddenly this time, Doctor Arif was so angry that he swore to his students that he would never see you again.”

Wen Jiao only brought back three things in her helicopter: documents, a laptop, and three suitcases full of medicine.

“Let him be,” Wen Jiao said. She walked to the car, and her assistant opened the door for her. Wen Jiao picked up a company document. Her assistant got into the driver’s seat and drove. The destination was the company. Halfway there, Wen Jiao suddenly spoke: “How’s the seaside villa?”

The assistant immediately understood: “Are you talking about Miss Zhou? Everything is normal.”

Wen Jiao’s tightly furrowed brows relaxed a little. The assistant then added: “She just ate a little less than before.”

Wen Jiao’s hand, which was flipping through the documents, paused: “What do you mean?”

“Miss Zhou cooked dinner for you herself for a whole week. Since you didn’t come back, she didn’t eat either.”

Wen Jiao’s brows furrowed again: “She’s so thin. How can she not eat?”

“Don’t go to the company. Drive to the seaside villa.”

Seaside villa.

The housekeeper notified all the maids in the villa an hour in advance: CEO Wen would be returning tonight.

Zhou Ziyan prepared to cook as usual. The maid who was standing behind her, tying her apron, was all smiles. Zhou Ziyan looked at her smiling face and couldn’t help but ask: “You’re so happy. Did something good happen?”

The maid happily twirled around her: “Miss Zhou, I’m happy for you! CEO Wen is coming back tonight!”

Zhou Ziyan was stunned for a moment. The maid happily said: “CEO Wen’s car will be here in an hour. I’ll help you so we can make the food CEO Wen likes faster.”

The kitchen suddenly fell into a deathly silence.

The maid thought she had said something wrong and tentatively called out, “Miss Zhou?”

Zhou Ziyan raised her hand to untie her apron strings: “You all can leave.”

“Miss Zhou?” The maid tilted her head, looking at her in confusion. “You can’t do it all by yourself.”

“Are you not listening to me?” Zhou Ziyan’s tone was uncharacteristically cold and firm.

The young maid hurriedly ran out. Just as she was about to leave, Zhou Ziyan suddenly called out to her, her voice a little heavy: “When Wen Jiao comes back, tell her that I’m in here.”

“Yes, Miss Zhou.”

Zhou Ziyan went to the bathroom and adjusted the water temperature to a very cold setting. The cold water splashed onto her dark hair and fair skin. She tilted her head back and used expensive shower gel to clean every part of her skin. A light and elegant fragrant cream was applied to her neck, emitting an alluring scent.

Walking into the walk-in closet, Zhou Ziyan’s gaze lingered on her favorite light yellow long dress, but her outstretched hand paused for a moment and instead reached for the one hanging next to it.

“Miss Zhou, CEO Wen’s car has already pulled into the garage.”

Zhou Ziyan sat in front of the vanity in her bedroom, applying the finishing touch to her makeup.

The person in the mirror had fair skin, thin eyebrows, moist almond-shaped eyes, and thin, beautiful lips that were slightly pursed. Her delicate skin showed almost no pores. She had an extremely classic and dignified face, yet she was wearing the most alluring dress.

Wen Jiao walked into the open villa door.

“CEO Wen.”

“Good evening, CEO Wen.”

“CEO Wen.”

The maids stood in two rows. Wen Jiao nodded indifferently, her gaze sweeping through the villa: “Where’s Ziyan?”

The housekeeper was about to speak when a girl who looked young and naive suddenly came out from among the maids standing in two rows: “CEO Wen, Miss Zhou is in the kitchen.”

The housekeeper gave the maid a cold glare. Wen Jiao nodded at the maid: “I see. You can all leave.”

“Yes, CEO Wen.”

Wen Jiao opened the kitchen door, and the scene inside made her slightly pause. There was no steaming food in the kitchen, but there was another exceptionally special delicacy.

A stunning beauty in a backless long dress had her back to her. On her fair, smooth back, one could even see the marks she had left on her last time.

The woman seemed to be having a little trouble with the long, thin high heels. She stood with her toes pointed inward to balance herself, but because the heels were too high, her slender calves trembled slightly from weakness.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, Wen Jiao saw Zhou Ziyan turn her head. Her moist almond-shaped eyes were hazy with a faint mist, making her look pitiful.

She heard her complain to her.

“Why are you only just getting back?”

Wen Jiao picked her up, lowered her head, and held her lips, sucking on the faint minty taste between her lips and teeth.

“Mmm…” Wen Jiao felt a gentle push against her chest and, with reluctance, bit her lower lip lightly.

The person in her arms was gasping for air from the kiss. Tears fell from her eyes, and she hammered on Wen Jiao’s chest, complaining: “You haven’t come to see me for a whole week, and you didn’t even reply to my messages. What were you doing?”

“Hmm.” Wen Jiao lowered her head and kissed away her tears. “Something happened at the Haiming Estate.”

Wen Jiao had hidden the fact that she went to M Country for a medical consultation.

“I still have some things to deal with at the company tonight. You should eat properly, and tonight…”

Zhou Ziyan’s eyes dimmed. Wen Jiao knew she missed her and stroked her cheek soothingly.

To her surprise, the person who was usually shy suddenly grabbed her hand.

She saw tears in Zhou Ziyan’s charming almond-shaped eyes as she looked at her pleadingly.

“Stay with me, okay?”

Wen Jiao lowered her eyes and looked at her.

A moment later, she gently kissed away her tears.

“Okay.”