Chapter 8

Claim Chapter 8 1/1 The living room went quiet again , and Giselle remained dazed for a long moment . She tapped open the bank notification on her phone , staring at that staggering string of zeros , but it didn't thrill her . If anything , it only weighed on her more . Donovan had written her off with a measly ten million dollars - pocket change to a man like him . Yet for some other woman , he'd pour out his entire fortune , even his whole self , just to build a happy marriage .

The thought brought a faint tightness to Giselle's chest . She took a slim cigarette from the coffee table drawer , lit it , and let it rest between her fingers . Then she brought it to her lips , drew a deep breath , and exhaled the smoke with a smooth , practiced ease . Wrapped in that hazy cloud , her tension loosened . The hollow melancholy from moments before was already fading away .

In the days that followed , Giselle threw herself into scouting locations for her new veterinary clinic , leaving no time for those toxic people and their drama . She'd studied veterinary medicine abroad and had always loved animals . After returning home , she launched her own veterinary clinic .

Thanks to her natural talent and sharp business sense , Giselle now ran a chain of clinics offering pet healthcare , grooming , food , and boarding - primarily serving high end clients with deep pockets . Whenever those wealthy socialites ' pets fell ill with mysterious conditions , her expertise always saved them .

Over time , she'd built a solid reputation in the Industry One morning , after finishing a meeting with her team , Giselle was on her phone during a break when it chimed with a WhatsApp notification . It was another message from Zach . He asked if she was free that day and invited her to go mountain biking . He even sent a photo of a high - end bike , bragging that it was his new ride and encouraging her to try it out .

Since she didn't have anything important that afternoon and honestly , she'd been itching to hit the trails after so long - she happily agreed without hesitation . Giselle went home to change into her professional mountain biking gear and packed some casual clothes for later . Then , she hopped in her car and plugged the address Zach had sent into her GPS . She sped the whole way , driving like she was in some kind of race , and made it there in under half an hour .

The place was out in the suburbs- a national forest park or something similar . Rolling hills , lakes , and stone steps made the area incredibly scenic . The perfect terrain had allowed for some mountain bike trails to be built , drawing plenty of riders eager for an adrenaline rush . Giselle had just parked her car and stepped out when someone called from behind , " Giselle ! " She turned to see a tall , handsome young man walking toward her .