CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 34: JENSON FORREST’S JEALOUS FRENZY

Zinnia, who kept being put on the spot, was getting extremely annoyed and finally looked up.

"So curious? Do you want me to hand you my phone?"

Crystal’s eyes reddened. "Sister, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry..."

Finn Quinn sneered, poured a full glass of red wine, and walked over to Zinnia. "Crystal has always taken care of you, but not only are you ungrateful, you’re also sarcastic. You’re the one who stole Crystal’s life, so drinking one glass of wine to atone for it isn’t too much to ask, is it?"

Finn Quinn’s features were somewhat rugged, a kind of handsomeness that grew untamed. This was especially true when he was pressuring someone; the ferocious, wild aura was suffocating.

Zinnia stared at the full glass of wine and lifted her gaze coolly. "I’m allergic to alcohol. I can’t drink it."

"Sister is allergic to alcohol? How come I didn’t know... Oh, no!" Crystal exposed the lie, then covered her mouth in feigned panic. Her innocent act was so clumsy—not because her skills had declined, but simply because she was certain Finn Quinn would believe her.

As expected, Finn Quinn sneered. "Allergic? Tell that to someone who’ll believe it. Even if you are, you’ll drink it. If anything happens, I’ll take full responsibility."

If a real allergic reaction led to her death, a man like Finn Quinn could certainly handle the fallout. In the eyes of people like them, the joys and sorrows of others meant nothing. It was just like Jenson Forrest. He could once raise her to the heavens, and now he could just as easily trample her into the mud.

Jenson sat there, watching coldly. While it was Finn Quinn making things difficult for her, wasn’t Jenson allowing it to happen?

If she drank this glass, would Jenson let her off the hook? Would he leave the hospital alone? But did he even know she was pregnant?

Zinnia let out a laugh, her smile somewhat pale. She reached out, took the wine glass, and stood up.

"I’ll drink this wine. It was presumptuous of me to show up uninvited today. Consider this my payment for my rudeness."

Holding the glass in her slender hand, she tilted her head back, her dark, seaweed-like hair cascading down. She downed the wine in one clean motion.

When she finished, she inverted her wrist and showed Finn Quinn the bottom of the glass. "Satisfied, Young Master Quinn?"

The woman’s red lips were stained with wine, making her appear both enchanting and stunningly pure.

Finn Quinn’s breath caught in his throat.

Zinnia tossed the wine glass at him, and he numbly caught it. She then grabbed her bag and strode out of the room.

Jenson’s deep eyes were fixed on her departing figure, and a crack seemed to split the icy coldness in his gaze.

She said she came uninvited...

He slammed the wine glass down on the table. The motion wasn’t particularly forceful, but the sound it made inexplicably caused everyone’s hearts to tighten. Jenson then stood up and strode after her, leaving a room full of people staring at each other in confusion.

After leaving the private room, Zinnia headed straight for the restroom and forced herself to vomit. It was agonizing; her entire stomach felt like it was being churned inside out.

But she had to get it all out. The baby couldn’t be affected.

When Zinnia felt like she was about to bring up bile, she flushed the toilet and sat on the closed lid for a long moment to recover. She finally emerged, covered in a cold sweat.

She was washing her hands and face at the washbasin when the raw pain in her throat from vomiting made her cough violently. Her damp hair stuck messily to her face.

"Zinnia?"

A somewhat familiar male voice sounded from behind her. Zinnia turned to see a handsome, youthful face. The man was tall and wasn’t wearing a suit. He had on a baseball cap, a casual Dior shirt under a loose jacket, and a pair of jeans that perfectly accentuated his superb figure and long legs. He was a young race car driver, radiating a vibrant, untamed hormonal energy like a wildfire.

His deep-set eyes and brows bore a slight resemblance to Jenson Forrest’s, hinting at their relationship as cousins.

"Cough... Winston... Winston Forrest, you... cough, cough!"

Winston patted her back. "I’ve only been abroad for a few years, and you’ve developed a stutter? I didn’t know you could pick that up later in life."

His gentle pats helped calm her breathing, and she felt a bit better. "Winston, long time no see."

Winston flicked her on the forehead and grinned roguishly. "Call me Fifth Brother properly."

"Ouch! Winston Forrest! Did you go abroad to practice racing or the Diamond Finger technique?" Zinnia protested.

Winston just smiled helplessly. Seeing her disheveled hair, he raised a hand, intending to tuck a stray strand behind her ear. Before his hand could touch her, however, a large hand shot out and gripped his wrist.

Winston turned his head to see the impassive man. He smiled and opened his arms. "Third Brother."

The two brothers shared a brief hug. Before it was even over, Jenson had already wrapped an arm around Zinnia’s waist, pulling her into his embrace.

But how could Zinnia let him hold her?

She furrowed her brow and struggled, but Jenson held her tight. He spoke to Winston. "Everyone’s waiting for you. Since you’re here, you should head on in. Your third sister-in-law isn’t feeling well, so I’ll take care of her."

Warned by the pressure of Jenson’s hand on her waist, Zinnia stiffened and fell silent, giving Winston a strained nod.

"Alright, I’ll go in first."

As soon as Winston Forrest walked away, Zinnia immediately stomped on Jenson’s foot and forcefully pushed him away. "Get away from me!"

Although she had made herself vomit in time, some of the alcohol had still entered her system, and her body swayed.

Jenson pulled her back. His large hand supported her slender waist as he lifted her onto the washbasin, trapping her within the circle of his arms. Jenson’s face was grim, his dark eyes fixed on her. A thin, mocking smile touched his lips.

"What’s wrong? Am I to blame for my convenient timing? For interrupting your little reunion?"

Zinnia was enveloped in his presence. The familiar cold scent he wore was now mixed with a sweet fragrance—Crystal Sutton’s.

This damn man was clearly annoyed that she’d interrupted his blissful time with his mistress, yet here he was, turning the tables on her.

Zinnia recoiled in disgust. "Yes! I already yielded the main stage to you two and hid all the way out here. You’ve had your fun embarrassing me, and I drank the wine. What else do you want from me, chasing me all the way here?"

The mirror over the washbasin was ringed with cold light, which fell upon her small face. Her complexion was pale, making the faint, wine-induced blush at the corners of her eyes appear unnaturally vivid.

Jenson raised a hand to tidy her messy hair, tucking it behind her ear. He then pressed the back of his hand against her sweaty-looking forehead and frowned. "Why do you look so pale? Did I make you drink that wine?"

Zinnia almost laughed in his face. "Oh, right. Was I just being a glutton for punishment, eager to drink that wine?"

She turned her head away, unwilling to look at him, but he forcefully gripped her chin and turned her face back to his.

"I was sitting right there. You are Mrs. Forrest. Who would have dared to force you if you refused?"

If she had just said one soft word to him—hell, she didn’t even have to speak, just give him a look asking for help—did she really think he would have ignored her? This woman made a mistake, ignored his injured arm for days, and then showed up at this welcome banquet. He hadn’t even lost his temper with her yet, and here she was, throwing a fit.

Looking at the impatience and disgust in her eyes, then thinking about the bright, free-flowing smile she had just given another man, the chill in Jenson’s eyes deepened.

"You got what you deserved!"

Zinnia glared at him, using both legs to try and kick him away.

Jenson caught her flailing legs and took a step forward. Her body was forced back, and she reflexively threw her arms around his neck to keep from falling.

Her chest heaved. "I deserve it? So according to you, to live up to my status as Mrs. Forrest, I should have just splashed that wine in Finn Quinn’s face. Is that right?"

In that situation, with Crystal Sutton sitting intimately beside him, it was obvious who he was protecting. For her, Zinnia Lawrence, to still put on the airs of Mrs. Forrest... wasn’t that just laughable?

"You could have tried," Jenson said with a raised eyebrow.

Zinnia gritted her teeth, but she felt arguing about it was pointless. She was still worried about her brother. Swallowing her frustration, Zinnia looked at the man before her. "I’m not feeling well, I want to go home. Consider that glass of wine my apology to you. So I’m also asking you to be merciful and give my brother a path to survival. Is that okay?"

Jenson’s brows furrowed slightly. "What are you talking about?"

Seeing that his expression of confusion didn’t seem fake, Zinnia was taken aback. "The hospital is going to shut off my big brother’s medical equipment and stop his medication. You didn’t know about this?"

Jenson’s face darkened instantly. He said coldly, "There’s no need to discuss that right now."

Zinnia was stunned. "What do you mean?"

"Pack your things and move back to Sovereign Court. Be obedient, and your brother will naturally be fine!"

Zinnia had just started to think she might have misunderstood him, but it turned out he really was behind it. Her eyes instantly began to burn, and it felt as if her heart was being ruthlessly squeezed and kneaded in his palm. "Jenson Forrest, you can’t do this!"

"Why can’t I? Your big brother’s hospital is funded by the Forrest Family. The special care unit he’s in is also exclusively for the Forrest Family’s use. Since you no longer care to be Mrs. Forrest, then your brother has nothing to do with the Forrest Family either.

"You can go out and ask around. In Veridia, plenty of people secretly call me the Hell’s Reaper. Have you ever heard a single person call me a philanthropist?"

He had asked her nicely to come back, but she refused. Since she was already convinced he was behind every terrible thing, he might as well act the part. Clearly, a harder approach was more effective. There was no way he was going to divorce her now and let her go!