Love's Change of Heart

Zoe felt a lingering sense of confusion as she made her way back home. She clearly remembered setting the alarm and ensuring it was properly set before going to bed. She truly could not recall turning it off at any point during the night.

As she stepped out of the elevator, she coincidentally locked eyes with Leanna, who was on her way to the grocery store. Leanna inquired as she was quite surprised to see Zoe, "Hey Zoe, where did you go so early this morning?"

Zoe wanted to downplay the situation, so she nonchalantly shifted her body as if she had just finished an invigorating workout. She responded with a casual tone, "Oh, I was just out for a morning run. Got a bit sweaty, you know? I should hit the shower soon." She wanted to prevent her friend from feeling concerned.

Unfortunately for her, Leanna seemed to notice something on Zoe's sleeve. So, she grabbed onto Zoe's arm and examined the label closely. "Did you go for a run at the hospital?"

At that moment, Zoe realized she had forgotten to remove the incriminating evidence. Thus, she swiftly tore off the small hospital label, crumpled it in her hand, and chuckled sheepishly, "Nah, it's nothing. I had a sudden stomach issue in the middle of the night, so I went to the hospital for a quick check-up. I'm all sorted now. Look at me, I feel super energized."

Leanna furrowed her brow and asked in concern, "What did you eat that gave you gastroenteritis?"

Zoe paused for a moment, considering how to explain the situation. "Well, it's a long story. Remember the woman I mentioned last night? The one I bumped into in the restroom? Turns out she's Brandon's ex-girlfriend."

Zoe proceeded to recount the events of the previous night to Leanna. "I guess you can't mix sushi and BBQ together after all. I mean, I've never had any issues eating BBQ from the place downstairs before."

Leanna scolded Zoe and did not accept her shabby explanation at face value. "You really think this is just about sushi and BBQ? Brandon crossed a line this time. Are you really just going to let it slide and pretend nothing happened?"

Zoe glanced down, speaking softly, "Well, Daniel has already punched him once, and I'm not utterly blameless either. So, maybe it's better to just call it even."

Leanna vehemently disagreed, retorting, "No, those are two different things! You need to confront him and find out the truth. If he continues to have any kind of ambiguous relationship with his ex-girlfriend, you should break up with him as soon as possible. It's not like you can't live without him. And I'm sure Leo and Sheila would be on your side if they found out about this."

"Okay, okay, I know. I'll talk to him after I get through this busy period. But Nana, something strange happened to me at the hospital last night. I clearly remember setting my alarm clock before going to bed, but it was turned off when I woke up this morning. It's honestly giving me the creeps…"

Leanna paused briefly before inquiring, "Which hospital did you go to?"

Zoe's memory was triggered by Leanna's question. "Well… um… but it doesn't seem possible. The infusion and inpatient departments are in different areas. Plus, when I arrived at the hospital, it was already around 2.00AM or 3.00AM. There's no way he could have been wandering around the hospital at that time."

Leanna seemed to have caught onto something odd and pressed on, "But you mentioned that Daniel had linked your phone number to something when you were pregnant. He would receive a notification as long as you checked in at the hospital."

Leanna's words struck a chord with Zoe, and suddenly the memories came rushing back. It had happened before Daniel left for Lachstein. He was constantly busy and could not spare time to accompany her to the hospital. Yet, he still wanted to ensure her well-being and monitor any potential complications with the baby. So, he secretly set up the notification without informing her. Although she had complained about it at the time, she had actually enjoyed the special attention deep down.

So, someone really was with me last night! It wasn't a dream! Oh, my God! Zoe thought.

Meanwhile, Leanna observed her friend's ever-changing expression, from stunned to bewildered, then to shocked and surprised, and finally settling into a state of utter bafflement. She found it quite amusing. "Why don't you rest at home in the morning? I'll have Freddie handle everything related to the shoot. You can go to the filming location in the afternoon directly."

Although Zoe had no clue about the specifics, she instinctively nodded in agreement. Leanna then entered the password to the apartment and pulled Zoe inside. "Alright, get some rest while I bring you some breakfast."

Zoe sat on the couch and still felt somewhat dazed long after Leanna had left. She could not believe that Daniel had not only stayed by her side throughout the night but also turned off her alarm. Moreover, he left no trace behind when he departed. Was it to prevent any misunderstandings, or was there another reason? Her stomach was no longer aching, but now she had a headache from pondering over all the confusion.

Before long, Leanna returned with some chicken soup. Initially, she had hoped that Zoe would take a nap after having it, but Zoe's adrenaline was running high, and she was far from being able to sleep.

Leanna had already asked Freddie to handle the filming matters with the studio. So, after Zoe finished her breakfast, she and Leanna decided to go grocery shopping.

Inside the supermarket, Zoe pushed the cart while asking, "Hey, Nana, did President Pearson mention anything last night?"

Leanna picked up a bag of seasoning and placed it in the cart, shaking her head in response. "Nope, I went home early last night. By the time he returned, I had already finished washing and hanging up the clothes I changed out of."

"Good to know. By the way, have you heard anything from Ron about that person?"

Leanna paused for a moment before answering, "Sort of, it's about the woman who kidnapped Daniel."