Arrogant Man VS Unyielding Woman

"Yes, you know a lot about me. But it is only a part of me. You will never know how important your gestures and behavior are to me. I just can't live without you, Jean."

Zed was wrenched by the turmoil his marriage was in. He was entreating Jean to listen to him with some seriousness and believe his feelings for her.

"You..." Jean blushed a little. She hadn't expected Zed to be so naked in his feelings and say something like this when she was furious at him. After a moment, she added, "Don't talk nonsense. What did you go to find Moore for? He is one of my only friends. Why did you go to him? Anyway, what gave you the right to find him?"

Jean was seething with indignation as Zed had gone behind her back and treated her like a child who could be controlled whenever Zed liked.

"Yes, what gave me the right to find him?" Wearing a wry smile, Zed said, "Initially, I went to ask him to leave H City. But, my threats meant nothing to him. Instead, he scolded me."

"Did Moore really scold you?" There was a slight change in her expression as Jean registered this. Slightly astonished at this, she said, "What did he say to you?"

'Zed's attitude has changed towards me. He is now treating me with respect. Does it have to do with what Moore said to him?' Jean thought.

"He told me that I don't know you or understand you. He also said that I shouldn't be so selfish to only think about myself, and ignore your feelings. He asked me that I should be frank with you whatever happens and not leave you alone ever again..."

"I was right in thinking that all that you have said to me since you returned is actually straight from Moore's mouth." "What an irony', thought Jean to herself. As she heard Zed parrot what Moore had advised him to say, she couldn't help but feel sardonic about the whole thing.

"No, Jean." Zed was struck ?by shame as his wife thought he was taught by another man on treating his wife right. He tried to clarify and said, "He only persuaded me to do this and I saw no reason not to follow his advice. Ultimately, I figured out where I had been wrong." Looking at Zed's tender expressions, Jean immediately became soft-hearted and asked, "Really?"

"You can ask Moore if you don't believe my words," Zed replied in a hurry.

"I'm a little surprised. You didn't even forbid me to see him." Jean was so shocked to see this part of Zed.

As far as she knew, Zed wouldn't allow her to see anyone who threatened him.

"You think of me as that bad?" Zed smirked immediately on hearing what she had just said. Keeping the smugness to himself, he added, "Besides, it is due to Moore's prompting that we have reconciled our differences. Which is why I believe your relationship with him is pure. But Jean, just meet him as less as possible if you care about my feelings."

'Look, I have just said that he has changed. But immediately, he is who he was again.'

Jean jumped at this quick change in Zed's attitude. She challenged him back with an angry look. "What if I don't agree with you? Since you still doubt my relationship with Moore, shouldn't I suspect your relationship with Jesse?"

"You clearly know nothing unseemly has happened between Jesse and me," Subsumed in sadness, Zed looked down and replied.

"Yes, but I am still not sure if you have those kind of feelings for her. Forget everything else. You now know very clearly that Jesse loves you, right?" Jean asked him aggressively.

"Hmm," Zed replied quietly.

"So? I don't know and can't predict whether you will be sympathetic and moved by her tenderness. Am I not right in thinking this, Mr. Zed Qi?" Jean asked Zed annoyed at how many times she had stressed on this point in front of him. "Definitely not. I have told you that I only treat her as my little sister," Zed refuted with strong discontent all of a sudden.

"Don't you treat her as your savior? Because of this, aren't you partial to her even though you know that she is wrong?" Jean added.

"You..." Before he could finish, Zed was so shocked that he stammered and said in astonishment, "How did you know that?"

"Do you think I can forgive you just because of your sweet-talking to me? You think I don't know the secret between you two?" Jean snorted coldly.

"Jean..." All of a sudden, Zed was overcome by Jean's good-willed gesture. He walked towards her to wrap her in his arms. He was tired and overwhelmed by having the past exposed in front of his dear wife. After a brief moment, he compassionately said, "I didn't think of concealing you from it. But it is a terrible memory, so..."

"Zed, each one has secrets they'd rather not disclose. If you don't want to tell me, fine. But we have quarreled and mistreated each other enough number of times because of Jesse. You clearly know that I am so sad and upset. Why wouldn't you explain it to me? Do you think I can forgive you, just because you've told me that you treat her as your little sister?"

"It's my fault." Zed immediately lowered his head and admitted being in the wrong.

'Jean, I thought of telling you but couldn't bear to add to your anxieties and worries. Besides, your plate is alreay full.

Often, things aren't as simple as they look.

Let bygones be bygones. Let's not have them affect our present." Zed murmured.

Jean's contention with Zed reduced as they untangled the knot their relationship had for such a long time. Noticing Zed's remorse, at last, she sighed and said, "I am not haggling with you. Zed, I only hope that we will not repeat our mistakes. We are life partners, and so there shouldn't be any secret between us." "Hmm, I know." Zed agreeably nodded to Jean, and added, "I will not repeat our mistakes."

"Who else did you see apart from Moore? I don't think your change of heart was solely due to Moore's sweet words. Jean prodded Zed to eke out more details.

She knew that Moore wasn't the kind of person to educate Zed on treating his wife well. Moore was just not that kind of person.

"I didn't see anyone else. I directly went back home from the hospital." Zed stated matter-of-factly.

"I don't believe it." Jean disagreed.

"Alright! Let me tell you the truth," Zed said with a sigh. "I really didn't see anyone else. But I called Zack."

"So, did he teach you how to coax and please me?" Jean asked Zed inquiringly.

"Hmm." Zed nodded and replied, "After all, he knows more about women. I had no idea how to break our deadlock, so I asked him..."

Zed felt a little helpless in saying this.

Mixed emotions raced through Jean's mind as she noticed Zed's guilty behavior. "I am baffled that you shared such a shameful thing with him, the thing that exists between only the two of us. But nothing can be done now. Anyway, I saw him today at the airport. He looked very tired and haggard. Where has he been?"

Jean asked Zed in confusion.

"He has just returned from a foreign country." "Previously, I got Magnolia's address from Jesse when we were on holiday in the resort village. He rushed there by plane that night as soon as I told him. Originally, he wanted to reconcile with her, but unexpectedly..." Before he could finish, Zed looked heavy-hearted.

"What's wrong?" Jean hurriedly asked.

"Unexpectedly, he went there too late. Magnolia had gotten married by the time he arrived." Zed sighed and added, "The god of destiny makes fool out of us! I know that Magnolia also likes him..."

Zed had become reluctant to cold shoulder Jean, after seeing Zack's example. Zed had realized that his problems with Jean must be solved immediately as soon as they occurred.

After all, he didn't want to make the same mistake as Zack and Magnolia.

Jean felt sorry to hear what had happened to Zack. Then, she asked, "Why did Magnolia marry? Didn't she know that Zack had been waiting for her?"