Home / Urban / THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW / ~ 105 ~

~ 105 ~

Author: Gem Lynne

2025-05-08 23:54:45

Back in Green Hallow Village

The wind howled softly as Zach drew closer to the overgrown garden, the silver moonlight casting uneven shadows across the patch of wild green.

The garden wasn’t just any garden—it was a treacherous maze of both healing and deadly herbs, indistinguishable to the untrained eye.

Daniella watched from her spot at the lawn she stood at with her grandfather, her fingers clenched tightly around the fabric of her blouse. Her heart pounded against her ribs, almost painful now.

“Please be careful,” she whispered, though Zach was already out of earshot. Her eyes never left him, wide and glistening with dread.

Zach took a deep breath, stopping at the boundary line. From where he stood, the plants seemed to whisper with the wind, some curling at the edges, others swaying with life. He knew the garden had a reputation—not only for its rich, exotic herbs but also for being booby-trapped by nature itself.

He crouched low, eyes narrowing, scanning. “Alright, think. Thi

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~ 143 ~
Zach was pleased by Barbara's unshakable support. He leaned in slowly, the soft golden light above casting shadows across his face. His hand inched toward Barbara’s cheek, eyes resting on her lips, but just before their mouths could meet, she placed her fingers gently on his chest and whispered, “Eyes are watching. You said we should keep it private.”Zach groaned softly, more out of playful frustration than true disappointment, and Barbara chuckled. Her laughter broke the moment gently, smoothing the air between them.She checked the time on her phone, her brows slightly rising. "Let's go for the auction," she said, already rising from her seat. "You should be there early enough to acquire Bellwood Estate."Zach nodded, rising with her. "Lead the way."Moments later, they were driving through the city, Barbara behind the wheel of her sleek black sedan. The city pulsed past them in warm blurs."So," she began, eyes flicking to him, "why do you suddenly want to buy such a massive piec
~ 142 ~
The tension at the table was thick, yet Yvonne didn’t flinch. Instead, she rose from her seat with quiet elegance, her dress falling softly around her legs. Her lips curved into a calm smile as she looked straight at Zach.“I’m sure we will see each other soon anyway,” she said smoothly, her voice holding a steady confidence.Barbara’s brows twitched. That wasn’t what she expected. She turned to Zach, searching his face. And he – he simply gave Yvonne a short nod. Silent. Composed. Unbothered.Yvonne’s smile grew just a little wider, her eyes still on him. There was something knowing behind her gaze. “In that case,” she added, “I’m sure whenever I give you a call, you will show up. We’ve got a valid reason for that. Bye for now.”Then, as if remembering Barbara’s presence, she turned slightly. “Have a great time at the auction with Zach, for the meantime.”Barbara’s face hardened immediately. Her jaw tightened, her eyes narrowing. For the meantime? She scoffed inwardly. How dare she
~ 141~
Moments later at the restaurant, it stayed quiet, bathed in warm light, while soft silverware sounds and kitchen murmurs barely touched the still air. Zach sat still, almost too still, his gaze shifting around the restaurant like a man who didn’t belong in such extravagance. Opposite him, Yvonne beamed with a radiance that was hard to ignore, her eyes never leaving his face.She had been smiling since he walked in, since the moment their eyes met again.Zach finally leaned back in his chair, clearing his throat. “Why is there no one here?” he asked, scanning the elegant, empty hall.Yvonne chuckled softly, the sound dancing between them like wind chimes. “I booked the whole restaurant for us. Just two hours.”He blinked. “Two hours?” He smirked slightly. “What are we here for? A business merger? Or are we about to sign a peace treaty?”She laughed, eyes sparkling. “No treaties. Just… a nice time with you.”“Well, I’m barely giving you thirty minutes,” he muttered, though his lips tug
~ 140 ~
Yvonne sat cross-legged on her bed, phone in hand, brows furrowed in quiet frustration. Her thumb hovered over the screen. For three days now, she had tried to reach Zach through calls and messages but to no avail. Just silence.She sighed and typed, "You still owe me a meal."Her thumb hit send before she could change her mind. She clutched the phone tightly, biting her lower lip. Her feet shuffled on the wooden floor as she paced."Maybe this time he'll reply," she whispered.But doubt crawled in like a shadow. She dropped back on the bed, arms sprawled, eyes staring up at the ceiling."He didn’t answer my calls or responded to my previous messages. I'm sure it'll be the same case with this message now," she scoffed, shaking her head slowly. "Why is this happening? It’s like he’s dodging me. Three days. Three unbearable days."Her forehead creased, lips pursed in worry. Then her phone beeped. She shot up like lightning, her heart pounding.Her eyes lit up when she saw the name on th
~ 139~
The strike hadn’t done much.Despite aiming right, the jack handle had slipped from Maya’s sweaty grip and clattered to the floor. Panic surged through her veins.Zic jerked in confusion, and Maya, thinking fast, masked her failure with a sultry shift.She tilted her head and gave a forced laugh. “Oops,” she murmured, as if she’d dropped it playfully.Before he could react, she quickly repositioned herself, pushing him back against the seat. Her knees pinned his sides as she straddled him, breath warm against his cheek.Zic let out a low, confused groan. His pupils widened in surprise, then narrowed with suspicion.“Maya… what the hell are you doing?” he growled, trying to push her off.But she had come prepared.With one swift motion, her right hand flew up and those long, sharp prosthetic nails, glistening like the fangs of a viper – dug deep into his eyes.“AHHH—!”He screamed. Loud. Violent. Wild. His body thrashed under her, arms flailing, trying to grab her hair, but he was alre
~ 138 ~
Around 10pm, the hotel club throbbed with wild music, neon lights slicing through the hazy air.Maya swayed to the beat like she owned the night. Her red strapless nylon bustier and skimpy skirt clung to every curve, her hair wild and free. The music, a thumping hip-hop track, pushed through her veins like electricity. She threw her hands up, letting herself fall into the rhythm, hips rolling, back arching, moving like no one was watching. But someone was.Wilson.He sat back in the private VIP lounge he had booked just for the two of them, sipping from a glass of scotch, his eyes gleaming with something between awe and desire. A lazy smile curved his lips. He watched her like a man watching a fire – dangerous, untouchable, and too tempting to resist.Finally, the beat got to him.He stood, tossed the half-empty glass aside, and took one last drag from his cigar before stepping onto the dance floor. The smoke curled around him as he walked, and Maya turned, catching the hunger in his

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