Mrs Hale, I Surrender
Chapter 100: Falling in love, totally smitten... (2 updates)

Chapter 100: Falling in love, totally smitten... (2 updates)

Feeling shy from what he said, Zoe Bell went into the bathroom and only then noticed several red marks on her chest.

She felt it was only a matter of time before they became intimate, but their relationship wasn’t suitable for having children, so they definitely needed to take precautions.

She turned on the tap and scooped up some cold water to wash her face.

Zoe Bell gradually calmed down, but Lucas Bell’s words kept coming back to her.

Mr. Hale liked her...

And not just a little.

She really wanted to ask, but she was afraid that if she did, a negative response would make future interactions awkward.

She didn’t dare to gamble.

——

The next day, it was time for goodbyes.

Zoe Bell gave Lily Lott a strand of Harmony Fragrance Beads she had made herself.

She prepared some Incense Cards and incense sticks, asking Lily to pass them on to Old Lady Hale, "There are Litchi Incense inside, and since it’s getting into autumn, I made some osmanthus-scented Incense Cards; there are also ’Er Su Old Bureau’ and ’Snow in Spring’."

"I will definitely deliver them."

"Uncle Hale, I’ve noticed you haven’t been resting well lately, so I also made some ’Goose Pear Tent Incense’; if you burn some before bed, it’s good for sleep."

Brock Hale was somewhat surprised.

He was somewhat particular about his sleeping arrangements, but he hadn’t mentioned this to anyone; he hadn’t expected Zoe Bell to have noticed.

After all, daughters are the thoughtful ones.

Wyatt Hale had been waiting for a while, but Zoe Bell just smiled at him, "Wyatt, I wish you progress in your studies for the new term."

"Sister-in-law, are you serious?"

"What exactly do you want to say? You’ve stayed here for so long and caused them so much trouble; do you still expect them to give you a gift?" Brock Hale huffed coldly.

"But I’ve also brought them joy, haven’t I?"

Zoe Bell approached him with a smile, whispering, "Your gift, your brother said he’d give it to you."

Not until the car drove off did Wyatt Hale receive any gift.

He didn’t dare to directly ask his own brother for it, nearly dying of frustration.

It wasn’t until the car left Larkhill that Wyatt’s phone vibrated with a transfer from his brother.

His eyes instantly lit up.

He texted his brother: "Thanks, big bro, for letting me experience what they call sudden wealth!"

"Thanks for sending warmth, big bro!"

"Worthy of being my big bro, so generous, it’s no wonder you have a wife."

**

Inside Larkhill

As soon as Brock Hale and his family left with Wyatt Hale, the large villa instantly felt empty. Zoe Bell leaned back on the couch and let out a long sigh.

William Hale’s gaze was indifferent, "They’re gone, are you happy?"

"Not exactly, but it does feel a bit more relaxing."

After all, there was no need to keep performing.

William Hale looked at her, his eyes deep, but did not say anything more.

This act had gone on for too long, so long that she almost started believing it was real.

Zoe Bell had been hurt before; she was afraid of investing too much.

Of getting in too deep.

You struggle to extricate yourself while the other person quickly withdraws.

Zoe Bell had made it into the finals, with the date set before the Mid-Autumn Festival, which was fast approaching; she needed to intensify her practice times. William Hale, on the other hand, went abroad for a few days on a business trip, then returned to the capital where they seldom saw each other.

They had been together too much recently.

She had even grown accustomed to his presence, so when William Hale suddenly got busy, she felt somewhat at a loss.

Saying it was all acting, but who can truly discern how much genuine feeling was involved?

At night, she’d return to her room, and staring at the empty space, she would sometimes space out for a long while. If she really couldn’t sleep, she would practice dancing until she was exhausted and fell asleep.

That night, as she lay in bed, she was preoccupied with a dance movement, and for some reason, she thought of William Hale.

It was late, and she had no idea if he was asleep or not?

What was he doing?

She picked up her phone, caressed it for quite some time, and finally dialed his number.

At that moment, William Hale was in a meeting, preparing for an important event before Mid-Autumn Festival. The meeting had started during the day and was still going on past nine at night without any sign of wrapping up.

The atmosphere had turned tense, everyone was weary and tormented, but without the big boss signaling the end, no one dared suggest it.

Trembling with caution, as if on thin ice.

The boss hasn’t been at the headquarters for the past two months, apparently smitten with a beautiful girl who can dance. With the boss off falling in love, all the departments have become somewhat slack.

So facing William Hale, everyone is on edge.

Especially since he appeared to be in a terrible mood, like a snow mountain on the eve of an avalanche, tightening the atmosphere in the conference room to the extreme.

Suddenly, a phone vibrated.

Everyone’s nerves were wound tight, wondering to themselves which fool didn’t turn off their phone during a meeting.

To their surprise, William Hale picked up his phone, held it to his ear, "Hello——"

That voice was extremely gentle.

Anyway, they had never heard their own boss speak in such a tone.

Zac Cruz watched them, stupefied, and snorted inwardly:

A bunch of bumpkins!

"Have you rested?" The other end of the phone was so quiet that Zoe Bell thought he was about to sleep.

"Not yet, in a meeting."

"Then I’ll hang up."

"No problem, the meeting is over."

Everyone: (ヾﾉ꒪ཫ꒪)

"Why are you still not asleep this late?" William Hale signaled everyone to disband before leaving and then strode out of the meeting room.

"I’m having a bit of trouble sleeping."

"So you thought of me?"

"..."

William Hale’s assumption wasn’t accurate, because Zoe Bell had found herself unconsciously thinking of him these past few days.

Zoe Bell lay in bed, chatting with him, unable to remember what exactly they talked about, just falling asleep drowsily until she woke up the next day to find that the phone hadn’t been hung up.

The call had gone on all night.

She picked up her phone, ready to hang up, but probed with a "hello?"

To her surprise, there was a response from the other end.

"Awake?"

William Hale’s voice was always as cool as snow, yet she found it warming her heart.

"Have you been there the whole time?"

"Needed to work through the night on a merger case."

In truth, it was rare for Zoe Bell to call him, and he couldn’t bring himself to hang up, content just to hear her breathing over the phone.

And he also hoped that when Zoe Bell woke up...

His voice would be the first thing she heard.

"Are you still practicing dance today?" William Hale, having stayed up all night, stretched his hand to rub his eyebrow.

He was trying to quit smoking lately. When night fell, especially when he was agitated, the craving for a cigarette became unbearable.

Sweets didn’t help much to ease it.

Previously, he could stand it better by holding her while they slept.

"I’m meeting up with Lucas to visit the orphanage. I should’ve seen Director Hall by now; she has called me several times before."

"Director Hall..." William Hale tapped his fingers lightly on the desk and didn’t continue the topic.

He still had an early meeting to attend, and before hanging up, he reminded her not to overexert herself with dance practice.

Zoe Bell held her phone, but her heart was far from calm.

Because she found that the moment she woke up and heard his voice, her heart raced like a drum—excited, joyful, and restless.

When Lucas Bell came to Larkhill to pick her up, he found his sister clutching fish food, lost in thought.

"Sis!"

"Hmm?" Zoe Bell seemed to snap back to reality, "When did you get here?"

"I’ve been inside for quite a while now. What are you thinking about, so engrossed?"

"It’s nothing."

"Is it about the dance competition? Are you tired from practicing too much lately, or is it because you haven’t competed in a long time and you’re nervous?"

"It’s not the competition."

"Then it must be about a man."

"..."

"Brother-in-law has indeed been away on a business trip for quite a while," Lucas Bell moved closer to her, whispering, "Sis, do you miss him?"

"Have you fallen in love, deep down?"