I Forgot I Ever Loved You (Zoe and Hayden) novel Chapter 230

Zoe slapped him hard across the face. The sharp crack echoed in the room. Hayden's cheeks, already flushed from the alcohol, burned an even deeper red as a clear handprint bloomed across his jaw. His words were a blatant insult to both her and Garrett.

"Don't think everyone is as shameless and disgusting as you, Hayden."

Hayden's dark eyes turned instantly somber. Seeing her fiercely defend Garrett pushed him over the edge. His gaze darkened with a heavy, consuming desire. Ignoring her frantic attempts to push him away, he pinned her down. Still, mindful of the injuries she had recently sustained, he held back his full strength.

He claimed her with a demanding, inescapable intensity.

Terrified that any further resistance would wake Garrett, Zoe had no choice but to surrender to Hayden's relentless rhythm. Two hours later, they were both utterly exhausted.

Zoe fell into a deep sleep almost immediately. In the faint moonlight spilling through the window, Hayden stayed awake, studying her face. Gently, he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"My Zoe..."

Like a treasured prize. Whether she heard him in her dreams or was just shifting in her sleep, she furrowed her brow slightly before sinking deeper into the darkness.

The next morning, Zoe opened her eyes to find herself tangled in Hayden's arms.

Panic spiked in her chest. The entire delegations from Sterling Group and Easton Group were staying on this floor. If anyone saw him leaving her room, she would be completely humiliated. Hayden refused to publicly acknowledge her as his wife, and she certainly didn't want the world knowing she was tied to him either.

"Hayden—"

She suspected Garrett would be waking up any minute. She shoved at Hayden's chest, desperate to get him out of bed.

Hayden cracked an eye open, caught her hand, and pulled her back against his waist. "Keep quiet. Let me sleep a little longer."

He actually wanted to stay in her room. Zoe fought the overwhelming urge to kick him off the mattress.

Suddenly, his phone rang. She instinctively glanced over. Before she could even see the screen, Hayden was out of bed, moving with terrifying speed. He answered the call while seamlessly throwing on his clothes.

"Yeah, I'll be right there."

"Mr. Stone?" one of them blurted out. "You didn't sleep in your room?"

Garrett glanced back toward Zoe's suite. He had just been on his way to wake her up. It was getting late, and they needed to grab breakfast before the summit kicked off in the ballroom.

"No, I slept on the sofa in the lobby."

Zoe was a married woman; avoiding any appearance of impropriety was crucial. Garrett didn't care what sick games Hayden liked to play, but his own moral compass drew a hard line against dragging Zoe into unsavory rumors. She had already suffered enough.

"What were you just saying about serving two men in one night?" Garrett asked, his tone hardening. He had always found the Easton executives' conversational habits incredibly distasteful.

The two men turned pale. "Nothing! We were just... talking about breakfast. Two sausages in one bite."

Before Garrett could press further, they practically sprinted down the hall. Garrett didn't bother chasing them and went to find Zoe.

The International AI Technology Summit officially commenced at nine o'clock sharp in the hotel's grand ballroom.