No Remarriage for us Stay Away (Lenora and Zachary)

Chapter 436 Give Him A Hard Time

Before Richard could react, Zachary stepped forward, grabbed him by the back of his collar, and delivered a punch to his stomach.

It took several blows before Richard regained his composure and began to fight back.

With his height and regular gym workouts, thanks to catering to the needs of affluent clients, Richard wasn't someone to be underestimated.

Zachary also took a few punches in return.

By the end, both men bore visible injuries.

It wasn't until a staff member passing by heard the commotion and threatened to call the police that the two finally stopped.

Twenty minutes later, Lenora saw Richard's bruised and swollen face at the restaurant.

She was visibly shocked and quickly had him sit down. "What happened? Did he hit you?"

"Yes, but I hit him back too. No wonder you divorced him. Turns out he's violent." Richard pressed lightly on the bruise near his eye, hissing in pain. "Does this count as a work-related injury?"

"It does. Let me take you to the hospital for a check-up."

"I think this job is a bit dangerous..." Richard took the opportunity to wink suggestively.

"I can compensate you for emotional distress damages."

Richard immediately nodded. "Sure. Even if the job's risky, I'll give it my all."

After leaving the hospital, Lenora transferred Richard another sum of money.

As she made the transfer, she sneered inwardly.

Well done, Zachary!

Initially, she had taken pity on his pitiful state and contemplated revealing the truth to him in a couple of days. However, contrary to his verbal claims of fear, he had unexpectedly turned around and given Richard a thorough beating. Well, just wait and see! I must give him a hard time.

The morning had been somewhat gloomy, and as the afternoon rolled in, the day grew increasingly dim. The sky was blanketed with dark clouds.

Fortunately, the lights in the studio were bright enough not to affect the shoot.

Minutes later, it began to get noisy outside.noveldrama

It was pouring.

By the time Lenora finished her shoot in the late afternoon, the rain hadn't stopped.

As she packed up her camera bag, she debated whether to have Richard pick her up.

After all, he was her paid boyfriend. It would be a waste not to use him.

Unexpectedly, Zachary showed up again.

Though his face bore a few bruises, they weren't as severe as Richard's and did little to detract from his striking looks.

Seeing him, Lenora gritted her teeth. He had the audacity to come here again.

Zachary acted as if nothing had happened. "Nora, I'm here to take you home."

Furious, Lenora demanded, "Zachary, after what you did to Richard at noon, you still dare show up here?"

Zachary pursed his lips, looking somewhat aggrieved. "But I got hurt too! He got to have you accompany him to the hospital, but I got nothing."

"So, you think you're in the right?" Lenora glared at him.

"Who told him to throw away the lunchbox I brought for you? I made that myself with all your favorite dishes. To avoid causing a scene, I even asked him to go to the emergency exit."

The implication was clear. He'd already shown restraint by not starting a fight at the studio entrance.

"You've got some nerve! Should I thank you for holding back and fighting in the emergency exit instead?"

"That's not what I meant."

Grinding her teeth, Lenora snapped, "I don't want to see you right now. Leave!"

"I'll drive you. It's pouring heavily outside, and I heard that a tree has fallen up ahead, blocking the road. It's tough to hail a cab around here."

"I'll have my boyfriend come pick me up." Lenora's face was expressionless.

"He won't make it."

Lenora raised her eyes to him, suspicious. "How do you know that?"

"His tire's flat. He's probably at the shop getting it repaired now."

Lenora was speechless.

D*mn it!

Richard didn't own a car.

The Aston Martin he drove was a rental under her name, and their contract stated that all expenses incurred during the job would be covered by Lenora. This meant she'd have to pay for the repair costs, too.

Hiring Richard was already quite expensive, and she didn't expect there to be so many additional costs.

Clenching her teeth, she asked slowly, "Was this your doing?"

"Yes," Zachary admitted readily.

"You..." Lenora took a deep breath in anger. "Pay for it! The repair costs are on you."

"Why? He's driving an Aston Martin, and he can't even afford the repair fees?"

"That's not the point! You damaged the car, so you must pay for it."

"Fine, I'll pay," Zachary said, then added, "but only if you let me drive you home."

Lenora considered the situation and the sound of the pouring rain outside. Finally, she agreed. "Fine."

A faint smile appeared on Zachary's face. He took her camera bag. "I'll carry this for you. Let's go."

For a moment, Lenora imagined a wagging tail behind him, like a dog finally getting the treat it had longed for. Together, they headed to the underground parking lot.

Once in the car, Lenora immediately fastened her seatbelt herself, wary of Zachary pulling any tricks.

Afterward, she glanced at him, catching the faint disappointment on his face. She couldn't help but feel smug at her own foresight. The rain was so heavy that most cars on the road were driving cautiously.

Zachary drove even slower.

What should've been a twenty-minute drive stretched into forty before they finally arrived at Lenora's condominium.

"Thanks, I'm home now. You can leave," Lenora said, reaching for the door handle but finding it locked.

She gave Zachary a look, signaling him to unlock it.

Instead, Zachary slowly leaned toward her.

Alarmed, Lenora pressed herself against the car door. "Zachary, what are you doing?"

"Nora, what will it take for you to give me another chance?" Zachary's gaze was fixed on her.

"Nothing will change my mind. Just give up," Lenora replied coldly.

Zachary's face turned pale.

The rain outside seemed to pour directly into his heart, leaving it cold and damp.

His lips trembled slightly as he forced a bitter smile. "I'm sorry. I'm the one who lost you."

Lenora lowered her gaze. "Unlock the door."

She was fed up with his domineering ways and his utter disregard for her feelings. The more he acted this way, the further he pushed her away.

Zachary reluctantly unlocked the car door but stopped her before she could leave. "Wait. The umbrella's in the trunk. I'll get it."

He got out of the car directly into the rain, pulling out an umbrella from the trunk. He cradled her camera bag in his arms then opened the passenger door. "Let's go." "Just walk me to the building entrance," Lenora said.

The underlying message was, he didn't need to follow her up.

However, after they entered, Zachary closed the umbrella and continued following her upstairs.

Lenora stopped in her tracks, turning to face him. "I told you not to come up."

Zachary paused, looking at her. "I rented a unit upstairs."

Lenora fell silent.

Fine, then.

To her dismay, Zachary stopped on the same floor as her. He pulled out a key and unlocked the door to the unit next to hers.

D*mn it. The previous neighbor moved out under Elijah's pressure but benefited Zachary.

She now suspected Elijah wasn't helping her out but was making things easier for Zachary.

Back home, Lenora uploaded the photos from her camera to her computer and worked on editing for a while.

Feeling tired, she stretched and got up to make dinner.

Just then, there was a knock at the door, followed by Zachary's voice. "Nora, I brought you dinner."