I couldnât help but express my surprise.
âZoe, has something shifted in your feelings for Harlan?â
Wasnât she once head over heels for him? Even when she believed, albeit mistakenly, that Elena was Harlanâs daughter, she had been unwavering in her determination to be with him.
How had things come to this point?
If my intuition was correct, Zoe must have encountered Harlan during her recent visit to Roz Town a few days ago.
Under normal circumstances, one might expect her to be thrilled, but her demeanor suggested quite the opposite.
The more I contemplated Zoeâs behavior, the more it struck me as peculiar.
Since her return, her mood had soured, leading to conflicts with Carlos.
Her interaction with the bartender deepened my suspicions even further.
There had to be a hidden undercurrent between her and Harlan.
Once the bartender made his exit, I wasted no time delving into the matter.
âZoe, did something occur with Harlan?â
Zoe shook her head and provided an explanation.
âNo, he didnât do anything to upset me.
Itâs just that, for pragmatic reasons, Iâve come to realize that we arenât a perfect match.
â
Pragmatic reasons?
In my confusion, I inquired, âCould you please elaborate?â
Zoe responded with an air of calm, âHarlan wants me to uproot and relocate to the Xeric Pack to be with him, but Iâve made a commitment to stay here in the Roz District.
Furthermore, Iâve just stumbled upon the fact that Harlan has an adopted sister.
â
âSister?â
âYes.
â Zoe nodded, and as she delved into the topic, a trace of exasperation colored her tone.
She ran her fingers through her hair.
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âThis girl approached me in secret.
She confessed that she didnât want anyone to snatch Harlan away from her.
Heâs the only family sheâs got in this world.
If I were to take Harlan away, sheâd be utterly alone and couldnât carry on.
â
I found myself momentarily speechless.
Indeed, Harlan had an adopted sister named Danielle.
She had no biological parents and had been residing with Harlan for many years.
But I had never fathomed the depth of Danielleâs feelings.
No wonder Zoe had been displaying such unusual behavior since her return.
Roz Town held a special place in Zoeâs heart, as it was where she had spent her formative years.
Even though the Roz District might not measure up to the grandeur of Roz Town, it still housed many former Roz Town residents.
Zoe had made a solemn promise to Riley that she would remain here, and she was a woman of her word.
How could she easily break that vow?