novelxo Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Josephine whipped her head toward Zayn
"At that moment, she found herself almost impressed by how ridiculously confident he was.
Tracking him?
Scaring him?
Coming here past for him?
It was so absurd that it was laughable, in fact, that she couldn't even muster a smile.
"Zayn, I'm here for Arthur's party. What makes you think I came here for you?"
Zayn's lips curled into a devilish, cocky grin. "Oh? So, you're saying you came for the party, not for me? Then surely, you must have an invitation, right?"
Josephine had barely started to respond when Nadine cut in, her voice dripping with smugness.
Mr. Forbes had to pull strings to get his invitation. As for mine, he spent ten thousand dollars securing it through private channels
"Unless you have some impressive connections of your own, I highly doubt you could've gotten your hands on one, no matter how hard you tried" Zayn's smirk deepened, his expression laced with self-satisfaction. "But if you don't have an invitation, you can always come in as my plus-one."
Before he could finish speaking, Josephine calmly reached into her bag and pulled out her invitation
Ignoring their back-and-forth, she stepped forward and handed it to the security guard at the entrance
The glanced at the phone number printed on the card, and his eyes widened slightly in recognition. His demeanor shifted instantly, and he respectfully opened the gate for her. Zayn froze.
She actually had an invitation?
Was she really here just to attend the party?
"Heh. She's pulling out all the stops to get your attention, huh? I mean, think about it, someone with zero ties to the film industry spends a fortune just
to attend a cinematographer's party? Zayn, mark my words, ignore her for two more days, and she'll go even crazier," Nadine scotted.
She leaned lightly against Zayn's arm, but in the next moment, Zayn grabbed her shoulder and pushed her aside.
"Stay away from me tonight," he said coldly.
Without another glance in her direction, he strode through the gates, beading into the villa
As she watched Zayn's figure disappear into the distance, the smile on Nadine's face faded completely.
Her gaze tumed venomous, brimming with malice as it locked onto Josephine.
What a haunting presence.
She had thought this wretched woman had already given up. Clearly, the "medicine" she'd used wasn't strong enough.
Once inside the villa, Josephine quickly slipped into a quiet corner to hide.
She hadn't expected to run into Zayn and Nadine here. She had carefully planned to avoid him until the divorce was finalized, and she had fully moved on from the marriage. Rubbing her slightly throbbing temple, she leaned back against the wall.
Zayn, as smug and self-satisfied as ever, clearly wasn't the least bit affected by the divorce.
It could only mean one thing
He really didn't care about her anymor
The divorce was probably a victory for him, giving him the freedom to openly be with his first love.
The thought brought a bitter smile to Josephine's lips.
She was the only one still stuck in the past, unable to pull herself out of the mess, pretending to be calm and strong like a fool
"Josephine! Josephine!"
A familiar voice broke through her thoughts, snapping her back to reality. She looked up sharply and saw Simon standing in front of her. "What are you doing here?"
Simon had traded his usual look for a sharp suit, which gave him a more polished and confident air. But the thick black framed glasses perched face made him look like the same old bookworm.
"Haw you were coming, so I pulled some strings to get an invitation. I thought... I thought you might not know anyone here and might feel awkward, so I wanted to keep you company," Simson stammered. "And you're carrying the bag I made for you. Thank you."
At the sight of the bag, Simon's eyes turned red with emotion
He knew the bag wasn't perfect.
CHUJAN 1