I Forgot I Ever Loved You (Zoe and Hayden) novel Chapter 236

It finally clicked in Sienna's mind.

The lawyer's letter wasn't about copyright infringement at all.

It was about...

She shot a look of pure, venomous hatred across the room, her eyes locking onto Zoe.

Zoe met her gaze dead-on. She offered a slow, deliberate smile and raised her wine glass in a mocking toast.

Sienna was blindingly furious.

It really was Zoe.

"Hayden..." Sienna started, ready to throw herself into his arms and play the victim.

But when she turned around, Hayden was already gone.

Sienna bit her lower lip so hard it bled.

Zoe moved fluidly through the crowd, chatting easily with her industry peers. Many of them were deeply impressed by her technical insights and practical experience, refusing to let her leave the conversation.

Sienna stood in the shadows, her eyes burning with lethal intent as she stalked Zoe's every move.

Finally, Zoe separated from the crowd, heading toward a quiet, secluded hallway to find the restroom.

Sienna followed her.

Zoe didn't notice a thing until Sienna suddenly lunged, aiming a vicious slap at her face.

Unfortunately for Sienna, Zoe caught her wrist mid-air. Before Sienna could even process the block, Zoe retaliated, slapping Sienna twice across the face with blinding speed.

"You... you dare hit me?"

Zoe rolled her wrist, wincing slightly. She had hit her so hard it actually stung her own palm. "Why wouldn't I?"

Sienna clutched her burning cheeks, tears springing to her eyes from the sheer force of the blow.

"What gives you the right to sue me, Zoe?"

Sienna still refused to believe Zoe had the resources to pull this off, but Hayden had confirmed the demand for the press conference himself. Sienna was convinced Zoe was pulling strings in the shadows. To use such underhanded tactics just because Lily got expelled... did Zoe really not care about ruining her relationship with Hayden entirely?

"Me? Sue you?" Zoe looked at her, her smile devoid of any warmth. "Why would I sue you? Unless you've been doing something incredibly shady behind closed doors?"

Sienna choked on her words. If Zoe wasn't behind this, who else would go to such extreme lengths to get justice for Lily?

"I only cited that paper! You know the author, and you manipulated her into suing me! You have no right to do this."

Zoe let out a slow, indifferent laugh. "Ms. Winters, let me make this very clear. I'm not the one suing you. If the actual author is coming after you, it's probably because she realizes you have zero moral boundaries and decided to serve up some long-overdue karma. You can't pin this on me without proof."

Sienna glared at Zoe. She didn't believe for a second that Zoe actually possessed the influence to command one of Professor Layne's elite students. But if Zoe wasn't the mastermind, why was the author demanding justice for Lily? There had to be a connection.

They were standing at the top of a grand staircase.

Without warning, Sienna lunged forward and grabbed a handful of Zoe's hair.

Zoe gasped, losing her footing. Sienna shifted her weight, intending to shove Zoe straight down the marble steps.

Acting purely on survival instinct, Zoe wrapped her arms tightly around Sienna, locking them together, and threw her weight backward. If she was going down, Sienna was coming with her.

They tumbled down the stairs in a chaotic tangle of limbs. When they finally hit the landing, Zoe was pinned safely on top.

Sienna had conveniently acted as her human shield.

Zoe was completely unhurt. Sienna, on the other hand, was soaked in a cold sweat, her face twisted in agonizing pain. She couldn't even push herself up off the floor.

"Zoe... you..." Sienna trembled violently from the sheer pain. She had taken the brunt of the fall, and it was severe.

Zoe stared at him, stunned. Sienna looked like she had broken half the bones in her body. She might even be dead. Wasn't Garrett horrified?

He didn't even suspect she had pushed Sienna maliciously.

Because she absolutely had wanted to kill her.

Zoe looked at him with conflicted eyes, but Garrett just reached out and gently ruffled her hair, exactly like an older brother would comfort a sibling.

"You don't need to explain anything to me. Whatever you did, I trust you had a good reason. Besides, any woman who lets her son ruthlessly bully a little girl is clearly rotten to the core."

Garrett assumed she had done it to avenge her daughter. Which, technically, was true.

Zoe lowered her gaze. Just as Garrett's hand brushed against hers, a chilling, venomous voice sliced through the air between them.

"You two certainly look like you're having a great time. Everyone else is networking in the ballroom, and you're out here romancing your subordinate, Mr. Stone?"

Zoe's soul nearly left her body.

Garrett didn't react with the same sheer panic. He calmly turned around. Hayden was standing there, holding the unconscious Sienna in his arms. His jaw was clenched so tight the muscles ticked, and the absolute fury radiating from him was terrifying.

If his arms hadn't been occupied with Sienna, Zoe was certain he would have lunged forward and strangled her on the spot.

Garrett subtly stepped in front of Zoe, shielding her with his body. The protective stance only made the fire in Hayden's eyes burn hotter.

"Mr. Thorne, what happened to Vice President Winters?" Garrett asked, ignoring Hayden's aggressive provocation and feigning genuine concern.

Zoe stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Garrett. She didn't look guilty, nor did she try to hide from Hayden's lethal glare. Instead, she leaned over slightly, inspecting Sienna's limp body with morbid curiosity.

Her eyes were squeezed shut, totally unresponsive. A tiny flare of panic mixed with a deep sense of regret flickered in Zoe's chest.

Did she accidentally kill her?