She didn't hesitate for a second as she walked toward him, her voice choked but firm. "I choose him! Julian!"

Chapter 9

The whole venue erupted.

Everyone knew that Zoe and Julian had been at odds since childhood; they fought or bickered whenever they met. No one expected that the person Zoe was waiting for would be him.

Jasper’s face turned iron-blue instantly. He stepped forward in a stride. "Zoe, what do you mean?"

Zoe ignored him; her gaze remained locked on Julian.

The latter stood a few steps away, hands in his pockets, looking indifferent, but Zoe noticed his eyes scanning swiftly between her and Jasper.

"I said, I choose him." Zoe raised her hand, her slender finger pointing straight at Julian.

This sentence was like a bomb, detonating within the banquet hall.

The guests were in an uproar; the sound of discussion instantly swallowed the entire venue.

"What? She chose Julian?"

"Aren't they bitter rivals?"

"God, Young Master Jasper’s face looks terrible..."

Jasper’s complexion shifted from blue to white, then to red. He grabbed Zoe’s wrist violently. "Are you crazy? Do you know what you are saying?"

Zoe coldly shook off his hand. "I’m very sober."

"Impossible!" Jasper’s voice was squeezed through his teeth. "You clearly—"

"Clearly what?" Zoe interrupted him, a sarcastic smile curling her lips. "Clearly chased after you for twenty years? Clearly insisted on marrying no one but you?"

Zoe shook her head. "Jasper, you think too highly of yourself."

Jasper recoiled as if he’d been struck by a bolt of lightning. He had never seen this side of Zoe.

Her gaze was cold, her tone sharp, as if she were looking at a complete stranger.

Lucas and the other two swarmed up immediately. Hugo frowned. "Zoe, don't make these kinds of jokes."

"That’s right," Jude chimed in. "We all know you love Jasper."

Zoe watched their hypocritical faces, a wave of nausea rising in her stomach.

"I am not joking." She said, word for word, "I choose Julian."

The hall fell into an eerie silence again. All eyes turned to Julian, who was standing to the side, waiting for his reaction.

He walked slowly toward Zoe and looked down at her, as if trying to see through her soul.

"Miss Wen," he sneered, "don't use the tricks you use on them on me."

Zoe tilted her head to meet his gaze, refusing to back down. "I am not playing any tricks."

Their gazes clashed in the air; neither was willing to yield. The surrounding guests held their breath, afraid of missing a single detail.

Just then, Susan suddenly squeezed in beside Jasper, clutching his sleeve weakly. "Jasper..." Her voice was tearful. "Is the eldest lady just throwing a tantrum? It’s all my fault; I shouldn't have come..."

Jasper immediately hugged her shoulders heartachingly. "It’s not your fault." He turned to Zoe, eyes full of anger. "Zoe, must you humiliate me like this?"

Zoe watched their intimate posture, her heart perfectly calm.

"I am not humiliating anyone." She said calmly. "I just made a choice."

Julian suddenly laughed, breaking the stalemate.

He turned to Jasper. "She chose me. Do you have a problem with that?"

The words were light, yet carried an undeniable strength.

Jasper’s face became extremely ugly. "Julian, don't get too smug! Zoe is just muddle-headed for a moment; she doesn't love you at all!"

"And so what?" Julian shrugged. "It’s just an engagement; love isn't necessary."

Hearing this, Zoe’s heart gave a sharp squeeze.

She knew Julian was saying this on purpose, but the indifference in his words still stung her.

Jasper was about to say something else when Mr. Wen stepped forward. "Alright, since Zoe has made her choice, today’s ceremony ends here." He looked around. "Thank you all for coming. Let the banquet continue."

The guests retreated discreetly, but the whispers continued incessantly.

Zoe watched Jasper’s furious retreating figure, as well as the complex expressions on the faces of Lucas and the others, and finally exhaled in relief.

She turned to Julian, only to find that he had already turned to leave.

"Wait!" Zoe hurried to catch up, blocking his path in the corridor. "Where are you going?"

Julian stopped, not turning back. "Home."

"Let's talk." Zoe reached out to pull his sleeve, but he dodged to the side.

"There's nothing to talk about." Julian finally turned around, his eyes cold. "I don't know what kind of game you’re playing, but I have no interest in participating."

"It's not a game!" Zoe said urgently, "I’m serious!"

Julian stared at her for a long time, then suddenly reached out to pinch her chin, forcing her to look up and meet his gaze. "Zoe, you’ve chased Jasper for twenty years, and now you suddenly say you want to marry me?" His thumb rubbed gently against her lips, but his voice was chilling. "Do you think I’d believe that?"

Zoe’s eyelashes fluttered slightly; the distance was too close, so close she could see her own reflection in his eyes.

"If you don't believe me, that's fine." She said softly. "But please give me a chance."

Julian let go and stepped back. "Why?"

"Because..." Zoe bit her lip, ultimately not revealing her rebirth. "Because I’ve finally seen clearly who is worth it."

Chapter 10

Julian’s gaze flickered slightly, but he quickly returned to his usual indifference. He turned and left, leaving behind only one sentence: "Tomorrow at 10:00 AM, see you at Julian Group. Don't be late."

Zoe stood where she was, watching his tall, straight back disappear into the end of the corridor, a smile forming on her lips involuntarily. This was far better than she had expected.

At the very least, he was willing to give her a chance.

In a corner of the banquet hall, Susan stared fixedly at Zoe’s direction, the venom in her eyes almost turning into reality.

She whispered to Jasper beside her: "Jasper, the eldest lady must have been threatened by Julian; we cannot just sit back and watch..."

Jasper clenched his fists, a flash of cruelty in his eyes: "Don't worry, I won't let them have their way."

Zoe and Julian’s engagement was like a bomb, causing an uproar in the elite social circles of New York.

The Jasper, Lucas, Hugo, and Jude families all sent people to investigate Julian’s background, attempting to find the reason why the Wen family had suddenly chosen this "bitter rival."

Commercial spies and private detectives were deployed one after another, but Julian’s background remained like an impenetrable wall.

On the surface, what could be found were his industries in Switzerland—low-key yet massive, with deep collaborations with various European conglomerates, and even ties to some unspeakable forces.

"How could he possibly have this kind of power?" Jasper slammed the investigation report onto the table, his eyes sinister. "A wastrel who has been bullied by Zoe since childhood—on what grounds?"

Lucas was lost in thought: "Perhaps... we have never truly understood him."

Susan was unwilling to give up.

She had gone to great lengths to snatch Jasper and the others away, just to see Zoe crying and in utter disarray, not to watch her remain high and mighty...

Susan took a few deep breaths, suppressing the fire in her heart, and dialed a phone number.

The next day, just as Zoe stepped into her regular private club, she heard ambiguous gasps coming from the end of the corridor.

"Jasper... not here..." Susan’s voice was delicate and clinging, carrying a deliberate tremor.

Zoe paused, looking up.

Jasper had pinned Susan against the wall, his fingers tugging at her collar, kissing her with reckless abandon.

Susan caught a glimpse of Zoe in her peripheral vision, a smug smile of success curling her lips as she deliberately raised her voice: "Jasper, if the eldest lady saw us like this... she would be heartbroken..."

Jasper sneered: "When she chose Julian, why didn't she think about how heartbroken I would be?"

Zoe watched this scene quietly, without a single ripple of emotion in her eyes.

In her past life, such a scene would have caused her unbearable agony, but now, she only felt it was laughable.

She turned to leave, but bumped into a human wall at the corner of the corridor.

Julian was standing there, watching her with deep, dark eyes.

"Seen enough?" His voice was low, carrying a hint of imperceptible coldness.

Zoe raised an eyebrow: "Were you following me?"

Julian didn't answer; his gaze moved past her, landing on the two people entangled not far away.

Susan was looking over provocatively, her red lips slightly parted, silently mouthing two words: "Loser."

Zoe scoffed and started to walk away, but was suddenly grabbed by the wrist by Julian.

"Is this all the capability you have?" His voice was soft, but every word was sharp.

Without waiting for Zoe to react, he reached out, grabbed a bottle of red wine from a waiter’s tray, and strode toward Susan.

"Crash—"

The entire bottle of red wine poured down, instantly dyeing Susan’s snow-white dress a vibrant scarlet.