Arrogant Man VS Unyielding Woman

Chapter 374 My Little Girl Has Grown Up

"Whatever you say, it is up to you," Jean said rashly, with resentment mounting inside her.

It was all very infuriating. First off, Zed showed no gratitude or understanding for what she had done for

him and now he had gone on to misunderstand the intent behind her actions.

"Now, I know that you are feeling wronged and acting out of impulse. Whatever it is, just don't make

any excuses. You have to tell me why you went to the Wen Group today," Zed spoke to her in a cold,

stern tone.

"Aren't you updated about all my movements? You can ask your men about where I have been or what

I have done if anything has been left unclear. Why are you interrogating me?" There was anger

simmering inside her and looking at Zed was just fueling it. As soon as she finished her piece, she

turned to leave.

But before she could even take a step forward, Zed grabbed her arm and used his strength to pull her

close to himself. Staring at her furious face, he couldn't help but sigh and say,"I haven't blithely

guessed why you went to the Wen Group today. Do you know why? It is because I respect you. I so

badly wish that you would tell me the reason behind as a sign of mutual trust and faith.

Jean, let's not get angry at each other. Okay? You know that I ask because I get worried about you.

Frankly, I really hope you are not getting yourself involved in any mess of the Wen Group. Still, you will

always have my support, even if that means you are going back there..."

Visibly touched by Zed's admission, Jean looked at him in astonishment.

Zed nodded to confirm what she was thinking. He sighed before adding,"Now can you tell me why you

went back to the Wen Group?"

With pursed lips, Jean stared at him intently. Her mind was in turmoil.

She was certain that Zed was the only one that she could trust in the whole world. She also knew that

he would always watch her back.

But, her doubt and suspicion about her mother's death were founded on just guesswork.

Telling him the truth meant letting Zed know that Joy had almost strangled her to death, which was why

she wanted to go back to the Wen Group.

Jean was sure that Zed would fly into a rage once he got to know this.

It made her nervous to think that Zed could possibly go out of his mind and lay hands on Joy.

On her own, there were some clues to be found from Joy. If Joy got killed, Jean wouldn't know where to

start to find out the cause behind her mother's death.

"I..." Her first instinct was to tell Zed the whole truth. But then she hesitated. Giving it a deep thought,

she concluded that it was better not to tell him yet. At last, she smirked and said,"What if I tell you that I

went back to the Wen Group temporarily on Henry's instructions? Would you believe me?"

Zed intensely gazed at Jean. He had caught her hesitation and uncertainty just before she said these

words.

On hearing what she had just said, he intuitively figured that this was not the whole truth.

Jean holding back from him caused him heartache and great disappointment. And yet, he chose not to

expose her lie. He simply said,"I believe whatever you say." Zed studied how Jean took this before

taking his eyes off her.

Jean also noticed how Zed studied her and mistrusted her words. Guilt and regret arrested her anger

towards him.

Instead, Jean murmured to herself, 'Zed, forgive me.'

"After all, Henry is my father. I couldn't turn my back on his request." Feeling a great heaviness taking

over her feelings, Jean added to explain,"Besides, you clearly know that I have gone back to the Wen

Group to stop Joy and Shirley from committing any more evil. I couldn't just sit on the sidelines and

watch the Wen Group getting wrecked by them. I even suspect that Winner's death has something to

do with Shirley."

"What are you talking about?" Her last sentence had caught Zed completely off guard. He turned Jean

towards him so that he could see straight in her eyes to understand if she realized the seriousness of

what she had just said.

"At today's Board of Directors meeting, several directors asked Joy why she had supported Shirley

instead of Winner. When questioned closely, Joy finally admitted that Winner was killed, and the police

is hunting for his murderer now," Jean spoke earnestly to Zed.

"Then, why do you suspect Shirley of being his murderer?" His eyebrows knitted and his lips tight in

suspense, Zed asked Jean to clear his confusion.

"All others present in the meeting were sad upon hearing the news of Winner's death. Rather, Joy cried

herself hoarse and was consumed by immense grief. What caught my attention was the show Shirley

put on being affected by his death. It was almost as if she had feigned sadness for his death. This is

totally beyond my expectation, too. I was truly astounded. After all, Winner is her biological brother.

How could she be so ruthless..."

Jean felt so agitated that she paused.

"Don't say anything more, since we don't have any proof." Zed patted her on her shoulder and said

words of comfort to her,"But I also know that it is impossible for you to think like this without any

reason. If what you said is true, won't it be more dangerous for you to go back to the Wen Group

alone? I also heard that you allowed Shirley to stay in the Wen Group. Jean, do you know that has

been your most foolish decision?"

Zed reproached her, looking rather displeased.

It was true then, Jean thought, Zed always knew everything.

On another level, this fact relieved Jean of the guilt she felt for not sharing the whole truth with Zed. At

the moment, this felt like the right decision.

She knew that Zed would do everything to stop her from finding out the truth behind her mother's death

if he knew that was the actual reason behind her comeback to the Wen Group.

Feeling right for once, Jean relaxed slightly in her mind. All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

"She holds 10% shares of the Wen Group, Zed. How can I just drive her out of the company? I agreed

that she could still stay in the company only in a disguised manner in front of other shareholders." After

making her point, Jean waited for Zed to react but then impulsively added,"You can rest assured since I

will not give her a chance to approach me."

"If she holds 10% of the shares, how did she agree to your terms and restart from the bottom?" Zed

cross-questioned Jean on her dubious decision.

"On my suggestion, Henry has redeemed the shares from Shirley. Anyway, all of the money that Joy

and Shirley have spent in acquiring these shares is the Wen family's. It is beyond doubt that they will

always come back to the company. I don't want to cause any more trouble to the Wen Group at the

minute..."

Jean let out a deep sigh, taking in the consequences of what she had gotten rolling.

Zed was carefully watching each expression of Jean's. Actually, this part of Jean shocked him as he

saw how different she had become.

She was not submissive anymore. Nor was she a coward like before who feared what was to come and

did everything as Henry told her to do.

In addition, she was no longer the young woman who needed Zed's protection from most things and

cried in his arms when anything unpleasant happened.

She had grown up and didn't need him anymore.

Thinking this, Zed felt his heart glow with pride but ache for how he was no longer that important to her.

Still, pride overrode all emotions.

After all, Jean had become so strong because of the hardships she had faced.

But Zed was also responsible for exposing her to a major part of such hardships.

Zed didn't know whether he should be angry or happy about this change.

Shaking his head in helplessness, he again looked deep into her eyes to see how the woman he loved

the most in the world had grown beyond recognition.

This realization brought its own set of disappointment as he suddenly felt alienated from Jean. He felt

that perhaps they were not as intimate as before.

"What are you thinking about?" Jean finally threw this question at him, as she was expecting him to say

something to her. After a long wait, she wondered what was behind that silence.

"When I look at you, I am amazed at how my little girl has grown up." Zed exhaled deeply, trying to get

a handle on his feeling of being forlorn.

Initially confused at Zed's words, Jean took sometime to realize what Zed had just said. When she

concluded that in a way this was a compliment, she smiled shyly at him.

'Is Zed praising me? Does he agree with how I deal with the businesses of the Wen Group?' thought

Jean.

She felt warm and happy as she turned over this thought in her head. Overwhelmed, she tiptoed and

leaned against him to kiss him on the cheek.

"That's all your credit. Without you, I couldn't have changed so much and become so strong," Jean

whispered close to his ears.

Zed was pleasantly surprised at the unexpected kiss. Her sudden show of affection nullified all doubts

within him.

At that moment, his disappointment turned into a bright happiness.

'How could I think that we are not as intimate as before? How could I have had a sense of

detachment?' Zed thought to himself.