Chapter 4 Mother knows best.

"You know, Zoey isn't really who you think she is." Amy had said once Zoey went back to the kitchen.

Since seducing him wasn't going to work, she was going to try other tactics. One thing she knew for sure was that, she wasn't letting Zoey marry this guy.

She wanted him for herself.

"What does that mean?" Mike asked but Amy had said nothing.

If she said something now, she would blow her chance at convincing Mike and so she needed help from her mother.

They had planned this thoroughly.

She would either seduce Mike or say something about Zoey if seduction doesn't work.

Zoey soon returned with the last tray of food with Eve behind her.

They both sat down with Eve sitting beside Amy and Zoey sitting beside Mike which means they sat opposite each other.

"Let's eat." Eve said and Zoey dished out the food for everybody.

Mike was lost in thoughts.

Everything was really confusing.

Zoey's younger sister had tried to seduce him and she had even said that Zoey was pretending. It was all very confusing.

Mike could remember in college, he first had a crush on Amy and he was going to confess to her but he has seen how she rejected someone else and that scared him because he thought it could happen to him too.

And so when he met Zoey and started liking her, he didn't ask her out immediately but when he did, she said yes immediately.

He was happy that she liked him back but now, it was a different case if Amy actually liked him back then because that would mean that he had a chance with her but he blew it by going for Zoey.

He needed to know the truth.

And that's why he decided to do this.

"What about Mr Daniel?" Mike asked quietly as he chewed on his food.

"He's at work." Zoey answered.

And so they made small talk until the meal was over.

After lunch, Zoey served tea and that's when everything changed.

"So Mike, why do you want to marry Zoey?" Eve said making Mike choke on his tea. Why is everyone in this family interested in knowing that anyway?

"Zoey is a beautiful young lady and she makes me happy." Mike had answered feeling confident about his answer.

"And you're willing to accept her past?" Eve asked with raised brows and Mike looked utterly confused.

"What past?" He asked turning to face Zoey.

"You don't know that Zoey's adopted?" Eve asked making Mike frown.

"She's adopted?" Mike asked quietly.

"Yes, poor child, her own parents didn't even want her, I'm just saying this because I wouldn't want a situation where your parent wouldn't want a bastard and send her back to my home." Eve said with a smirk.

Zoey couldn't believe her ears. She was going to tell Mike that she was adopted but surely not this way.

And bastard? How could she call her that?

" Is this true?" Mike asked feeling utterly betrayed.

"Yes, but I was going to tell you." Zoey said in a small voice. This wasn't how she planned this day to go. Certainly not this way.

"When were you going to tell me?" Mike snapped.

"Oh no, if you don't know that she's adopted then you must not know a lot about Zoey." Eve said and Zoey raised her brows. Just what was this woman playing at?

What else was there to know about her?

"You see, I tried my very best to raise her well but you do know that a leopard can't change it's spot. I'm pretty sure it's something that her birth mother probably used to do but since I adopted her, I tried to train her in the right way but it's just really really hard." Eve said faking her tears.

"And what is that?" Mike asked ready to hear the worst.

"Zoey is a thief." Eve said fake crying even louder.

"What?" Zoey and Mike said at the same time.

"Is this true?" Mike snapped feeling even angrier. Just what has he gotten himself into?

"No, I swear, it's not, I'm not a thief." Zoey said with tears filling her eyes immediately.

This was all wrong. This can't be happening.

"I swear, I'm not a thief."

"Please stop telling him lies." Zoey said with her tears threatening to spill down her face.

"But that's not all, Zoey sleeps around. She lies that she's going to the library but older men drops her off and it breaks my heart to see her that way. I tried to stop her but she just doesn't listen." Eve said concluding her story.

And that was all it took for Mike to explode.

"Oh my goodness!" Mike said getting up from where he sat.

"I can't believe I almost married a slut like you." Mike said pushing away Zoey's hands.

"Is that what you were trying to tell me?" Mike said as he faced Amy.

Amy nodded her head and Zoey wished the ground would open up and swallow her. She really didn't want to be here right now. She couldn't believe this people.

They just don't want her to be happy. The moment she finds something that makes her happy, they find a way to take it from her.

Just why? Why do they hate her so much?

"Mike, I swear, I'm not like that. I'm a virgin."

"I don't steal, I don't sleep around." Zoey tried to explain but Mike wasn't having it. He didn't want to listen to her. He just couldn't believe her.

Eve took her in and raised her like her own. She couldn't possibly be lying against her. What would she gain from that?

If anything, she would want Zoey to be away from her life as soon as possible but because Eve was a good person, that's why she's telling him so he doesn't make the mistake of marrying someone who is wrong for him.

"Thankyou for telling me this." Mike said to Eve.

"I just want the best for you." Eve said looking at Amy to which Amy smiled.

"I'll take my leave now, and you, don't ever call me again!" Mike said pointing at Zoey and marched out of the house in anger.

Zoey fell to the floor as she watched her ray of sunlight walk away from her.

Her only hope of rescue was gone once again and she was left all alone.

"Why did you do that?"

"Why did you lie?" She yelled as she turned to face Eve who had a smug smile on her face.

"Because mother knows best." Eve said in a singsong voice.