Miles Sherman put down his Intelligent Brain. "That proposal... I was against it from the beginning."

’I had a moment of weakness then, but later, the whole thing just felt wrong.’

’We shouldn’t have pressured Zoe like this.’

"Loving someone doesn’t mean putting them in such a difficult position."

And besides...

Miles Sherman shot Erin Xavier a look. "Whether I like her or not is none of your business."

For once, Erin Xavier sensed aggression from Miles Sherman.

Erin Xavier’s tongue immediately pressed against the roof of his mouth.

It instantly overturned all his previous assumptions.

’So he does care about her. But Miles is just too reserved.’

Erin Xavier didn’t press the matter. After all, he would never tell Miles what it was he liked about Zoe Pierce. That was something you might tell your lover, but telling a rival was just... gross.

With that thought, even his interest in visiting Miles’ Residence waned.

Erin Xavier said no more, and Miles Sherman went back to his unfinished work.

On his Intelligent Brain were his chat logs with others.

Some busybodies had dug up that Damien Pierce had left the Capital Star and withdrawn from the entire Pierce Family enterprise. They were speculating whether Zoe Pierce, an Omega now as powerful as an Alpha, couldn’t tolerate having an ordinary Alpha like her brother around.

Others were digging into why they had made the donations in the first place.

All sorts of chaotic rumors were popping up one after another.

Miles Sherman had his people simultaneously suppress these rumors and investigate who was spreading them.

Only after everything was taken care of did he put his Intelligent Brain away.

The view outside the window was lush and green. The grass was thick, and vibrant flowers, neatly arranged by robots, lined the street, creating a delightful scene.

’For him,’ Miles thought.

’Love is restraint.’

’Not indulgence.’

&

「The Old Family Villa.」

The motorcycle was parked outside the gate. Recognizing Zoe Pierce, the main gate opened automatically as a servant emerged from the house. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

It was her first day back, so Chase Shaw wasn’t in a rush. "Get some good rest today," he said.

Zoe didn’t stand on ceremony with Chase. She dismounted the motorcycle cleanly, stored her things in her Space Button, and grunted in affirmation.

’Even though she’d lost her memories, Zoe could feel that this old family villa was still filled with her presence.’

’Like the bathtub, which no one used anymore.’

Zoe loved baths, so her room had a tub the size of a private, modern hot spring.

As her naked body sank into the hot water, she felt her exhaustion wash away.

She soaked for fifteen minutes before rising from the water. It felt as if every pore had opened and relaxed. Drying her hair took only a few seconds.

The next moment, she was lying on her bed.

Zoe Pierce pressed her cheek against the soft mattress, closing her eyes to relax and unwind.

She didn’t know how long she had slept when a knock sounded at the door.

Zoe subconsciously glanced out the window. The sky was bright, even brighter than when she had arrived.

A look at the time confirmed it was already the next day.

’I really slept for a long time.’

She opened her Intelligent Brain and saw five or six messages from him, then saw the person standing outside her door.

That sharp haircut, the broad shoulders and narrow waist, and those signature gray eyes.

Who could it be but Chase Shaw?

Zoe shuffled to the door in her slippers. The moment she opened it, the sight of him stunned her. Seeing his hologram on the Intelligent Brain was one thing, but having him standing right in front of her was something else entirely.

The man had clearly dressed up. A black shirt highlighted his physique more than ever, and his hair was specially styled, a departure from his usual look.

’It was... very obvious.’

The sudden effort was conspicuous compared to his usual, unchanging style.

Zoe stared for a few moments.

She didn’t hide her appraising gaze, and Chase Shaw stood his ground, unmoving.

"What?"

Zoe replied, "You look pretty handsome today."

’When they’re always in training gear, it’s easy to forget what they really look like.’

"Why are you here?"

Chase Shaw smiled. "To take you out."

’His "boyfriend" duties,’ Zoe understood.

Glancing at the time, she said to him, "Wait for me downstairs. I’ll be down in a minute."

Just as she was about to close the door, Zoe poked her head back out. "Are we riding today?"

She hadn’t seen Chase’s motorcycle jacket, which made her a little suspicious.

"Yeah," Chase replied. Only after seeing Zoe actually shut the door did he head downstairs.

A servant was standing in the ground-floor hall. They bowed slightly upon seeing Chase Shaw.

Chase said to the servant, "You can bring out the food now."

The servant nodded and headed into the kitchen, accompanied by a robot.

All the servants who had previously served Zoe had been rehired, but it was obvious that her relationship with them was not what it used to be.

Some of the servants had been quite worried, but seeing Chase Shaw put their minds at ease.

After all, when Damien Pierce had fired them, it was Chase Shaw who had sent people to rehire them all. And now, he had a good relationship with their mistress, a fact well-known to anyone who followed news of Zoe Pierce’s squad online.

They came and went daily, and on top of that, Zoe had specifically instructed the staff that they were free to come and go as they pleased.

It’s only human to play favorites.

Among the servants, Chase held the highest place in their hearts. After all, before Zoe returned, he was the one who had paid their salaries.

As a result, the servants now treated Chase as if he were a master of the house himself.

In no time, the long table was filled with various types of congee and flaky pastries.

Every dish was one of Zoe’s favorites.

Chase Shaw took in the spread before him, then sat down with an imposing air, tilting his head back to watch the staircase.

The house had an elevator, but Zoe preferred taking the stairs.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Chase saw Zoe appear at the top of the stairs.

She was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt that revealed her fair, yet well-toned arms. The lines of her toned abs were faintly visible at her waist, though mostly covered by high-waisted jeans.

Her long hair hung loose, and she carried a jacket in her hand.

Her figure was exceptionally striking, to say nothing of her face, which was exquisitely beautiful even without a trace of makeup.

Zoe didn’t notice Chase’s gaze; her eyes went straight to the food on the table as soon as she came downstairs. ’The chefs at home just suit my tastes better,’ she thought.

A spoonful of savory meat congee was the perfect start to a new day.

A bowl had been placed in front of Chase as well. He had already wolfed down a meal at home, but now that he was here at Zoe’s, he picked up his spoon and had another bowl with her.

After they finished eating, Zoe asked reflexively, "So where are we going today?"

Chase showed Zoe a satellite map. "Mt. Paeron."

It was a well-developed area in the suburbs that offered a panoramic view of the city, complete with places to eat, hang out, and have fun.

Zoe looked it up. Unsurprisingly, the reviews were almost all from couples "checking in," and many of the attractions were designed for two people. However, plenty of university students went there too, guys and girls all mingling together.

’It seems like a pretty famous spot.’

It was at times like this that Zoe finally felt like a university student.

Life at the military academy was a world away from her university days in her past life. Especially since waking up, she had been on a mad dash that had nothing to do with a normal life.

"Let’s go." Chase suddenly moved closer, picking up Zoe’s jacket from the chair and helping her put it on.