I Forgot I Ever Loved You (Zoe and Hayden) novel Chapter 196

Nita didn't dare talk back to the matriarch. She choked on her anger, unable to swallow her food and unable to spit it out.

She just shot Zoe a venomous glare, mouthing the word, "Jinx."

Then she went back to aggressively doting on Holden.

Sienna, successfully seated next to Hayden, cast smug sideways glances at Zoe throughout the meal.

The message was clear: her status in the Thorne family was unshakeable, even by the matriarch herself.

After dinner, Hayden used work as an excuse to leave. He completely ignored Zoe and Lily, scooping up Holden and walking out with Sienna to his car.

Zoe knew he heavily favored Sienna, but bringing her and Lily to the estate only to abandon them—was he expecting them to walk home?

Their place was only a ten-minute drive away. If he had told her he was only giving them a ride here, she would have arranged for a driver to pick them up.

What kind of petty stunt was this?

Hayden clearly had zero interest in being considerate, and Grandmother Thorne immediately noticed what was happening.

Before she could call out to her grandson, Hayden had already loaded Sienna and the boy into his vehicle.

Zoe was seething. But just before Hayden could pull away, a pristine Rolls-Royce Cullinan rolled to a smooth stop in front of the manor.

The Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament gleamed brilliantly in the evening light. Colin Zachs stepped out of the driver's seat.

Sienna, who had been about to get into Hayden's car, froze in her tracks.

Holden immediately started squirming in Hayden's arms.

"That car is so cool! It's way better than Uncle Hayden's!"

Hayden glared at his assistant, his tone icy.

"Is this the 'urgent business' you had to take care of?"

Where the hell did he get a Cullinan? Was his assistant planning to quit and work for someone else?

Before Colin could answer, Grandmother Thorne's voice rang out from the steps.

"I had Colin pull it from the garage. It's my gift to Zoe and Lily."

Zoe thought she had misheard.

Grandmother Thorne was giving her a car?

This old bat was truly going senile. Lily's last name was Lynd. She wasn't even a real Thorne.

Colin shot Sienna an impassive look before swiftly snatching the keys right back out of her hand.

In one smooth motion, he placed them directly into Zoe's palm.

Sienna looked desperately at Hayden, silently begging him to intervene.

But Hayden merely checked his luxury watch, his jaw tight.

"I need to get back to the office."

The implication was clear: if Sienna didn't get in the car now, he was leaving without her.

Sienna didn't dare test him.

She stared resentfully at the keys in Zoe's hand. Seeing this, Holden exploded.

He burst into loud, obnoxious tears, thrashing wildly.

"Great-Grandma is playing favorites! Uncle Hayden, I want that car! I don't want my mom's ugly pink car! It's for girls! I drew a turtle on it! I won't ride in it! I won't!"