From Broken to Beloved-Chapter 172- a complete mess

That time, when he was preparing for a modern drama and had asked her for advice, she sent him her daily schedule.

When he saw it—packed yet perfectly organized, so busy there was hardly time to breathe—he was stunned.

Of course, her busyness wasn’t blind or meaningless. Even outside of work, her time was fully planned: professional courses to improve herself, yoga and fitness to shape her body, flower arranging, tea ceremony, pottery to cultivate her spirit, and countless other things. There was nothing about her that resembled someone drifting aimlessly through life.

He had once joked, asking why a girl like her worked so hard, why she didn’t just find a man and get married.

She had only smiled lightly and replied,

"Marrying well is not as good as doing well on your own."

That was the first time he realized how stubborn—and how remarkable—this girl was. It was also when he began to see her in a completely different light.

They had known each other for many years, but before that moment, Zoey had been someone he barely noticed. Afterward, her presence in his heart rose to a place that could no longer be ignored.

Vivian took the initiative to greet Leonardo.

"Why haven’t you left yet?"

Leonardo withdrew his gaze.

"Something happened midway and I missed my flight, so I changed it to seven tonight."

Yet the corner of his eye still followed the figure slowly approaching behind her.

When Vivian heard that he was also leaving at seven, she brightened.

"You’re leaving at seven too? That’s perfect—you can travel with Zoey. I’d be worried letting her go alone."

Then she called to the deliberately slow Zoey behind her,

"Zoey, Leonardo’s also on the seven o’clock flight. You can go back together."

With Vivian being so warm and proactive, Zoey could no longer avoid it. She stepped forward and replied,

"Yes, we can keep each other company."

But her eyes lingered on Leonardo for only a second before she looked away.

For years, Zoey had hidden her feelings for him well—and she could still hide them now.

Even Vivian and the others knew nothing. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust them, but because of Leonardo’s past devotion to Laurent, Zoey had always felt that her feelings were a hopeless secret love.

If it could never bloom, why speak of it and stir unnecessary waves?

Seeing her restrained response, Leonardo said nothing. He only glanced at his watch.

"Then let’s go. It’s time to board."

He turned back to the van to get his luggage.

Vivian, however, suddenly grew sentimental. Holding Zoey’s hand, she sighed,

"Zoey, once you leave, who knows when we’ll see each other again."

After graduation, everyone had gone their separate ways—busy with work, families, children, and living in different cities. They met only occasionally, usually at weddings or baby showers.

Now that Marylin had returned to Burg Eltz, the three of them could still meet often. But Zoey was alone in abroad, with no family there. That made Vivian feel even more emotional.

When Leonardo returned with his luggage, he heard Vivian say,

"Even someone as ordinary-looking as me has a man, so how is it that a capable, beautiful girl like you still can’t find one?"

Vivian was mocking herself. Among the four of them, Marylin was the most stunning. The other three were above average in looks, but their different personalities gave them very different auras.

Vivian was carefree,

Laurent was radiant,

and Zoey was quiet and reserved.

Hearing Vivian worry endlessly about her love life, Zoey felt helpless.

"Vivian, you’re starting to sound like my mom."

After this year, Zoey would be turning twenty-nine. In her family’s eyes, she was already considered "late" to marry. And she didn’t even have a boyfriend yet. Even if she found one now, after a year of dating she would already be thirty by the time she married.

It really wasn’t early anymore.

Vivian laughed.

"Alright, alright, I’ll stop pushing you. Anyway, Laurent, Marylin, and I are all keeping an eye out for you. If someone suitable comes along, you can always come back to Burg Eltz."

Vivian was about to say more when Leonardo walked over and cut her off.

"You really worry about everything."

His tone carried a hint of irritation. Vivian snorted.

"What’s wrong with caring about Zoey’s future?"

Leonardo didn’t bother arguing with her. He only frowned at Zoey.

"Let’s go."

Zoey met his eyes briefly, then turned back to Vivian to say goodbye.

"Alright, I’m leaving now. Drive safely on your way back."

Though reluctant, Vivian had no choice. She reminded Leonardo,

"Hey, Mr. Superstar, when you’re in abroad, take good care of Zoey, okay? We’ve all been classmates and friends for so many years—"

Before she could finish, Leonardo stepped forward, took Zoey’s suitcase, and started walking away.

Zoey startled and hurried after him.

"Hey—"

"I can carry it myself!"

She turned back again to wave to Vivian.

"I’m going! You should head back!"

Then she rushed to catch up with Leonardo.

"I can carry my own luggage. If the reporters take photos, it won’t look good."

Zoey never forgot that he was a celebrity. If someone caught him carrying her suitcase, who knew what rumors might explode the next day? She didn’t want her presence to affect his reputation or career. For a popular male star, even the slightest hint of romance could set off a media storm.

Leonardo ignored her protests. With one suitcase in each hand—hers and his—he strode toward the departure hall. Left with no choice, Zoey slowed down and followed behind, lowering her head and deliberately keeping her distance.

Thankfully, her suitcase was light gray—its owner’s gender wasn’t obvious.

Everything went smoothly after that. No one recognized him. Leonardo had wrapped himself up tightly, and since attending Marylin’s wedding was a private trip, he hadn’t brought any assistants. Without the usual entourage, he appeared especially low-key.

After boarding the plane, Zoey could hardly think about anything else. Once she settled into her seat, she closed her eyes and fell asleep. Being a bridesmaid was no easy task—she had been up early, spent the entire day rushing around in high heels, and was utterly exhausted.

All she wanted now was sleep.

The flight from Burg Eltz to abroad took about two hours. By the time they landed and collected their luggage, it was already very late. Leonardo had a car waiting for him. He came over to Zoey and said,

"It’s too late. Let me take you home."

Zoey wanted to insist on taking a taxi herself, but Leonardo seemed to sense her refusal. He picked up her suitcase again and headed toward his car. Zoey was truly helpless against this habit of his and hurried after him.

"Aren’t you afraid of being photographed by reporters?"

Behind the mask, Leonardo’s eyes were deep.

"The longer you stand here arguing with me, the higher the chance someone will take a photo."

That single sentence forced Zoey to quickly get into his car. The heavily tinted windows shut out the outside world completely. After Leonardo got in, the car drove away smoothly.

Being around someone like him—a top idol—was already enough to create immense pressure, even without romance. She feared being photographed, and even more, the rumors that would follow.

When she first fell for him, he wasn’t like this yet.

She had watched him, year after year, rise from nothing to the fame he now possessed. After he became wildly popular, Zoey had thought about giving up on her feelings—but after loving him silently for so many years, how could she just let go?

For a long time, their relationship had stayed lukewarm, no more than ordinary friends. He had never truly noticed her. Zoey had grown disheartened and considered giving up. Yet two years ago, when he took on that urban drama and came to her for advice, their contact suddenly increased.

And slowly, it became what it is now—

for Zoey, both happiness and torment.

Channing’s life had recently become a complete mess.

His second daughter, Lucca, had become a public target, hated wherever she went. Because of Lucca’s vile behavior, Channing himself was condemned everywhere he appeared—a father who failed to teach his child.

Companies that had once planned to cooperate with him now rejected him outright. No one wanted to work with a man who had raised a daughter like Lucca.

Driven into a corner, Channing could only keep explaining that Catherine was also his daughter—the girl standing beside Bert, the one Bert cherished to the bone and had promised marriage to. She was his daughter too.

He tried to use this to salvage his collapsing reputation, but no one bought it. Over the years, he had neglected Catherine so completely that few even knew she existed.

And because he had always taken Tracy and Lucca to public events during his glory days, people only remembered Lucca—the spoiled, cruel daughter.

Those who knew his past also knew that the daughters he had with his ex-wife were raised entirely by her, with little involvement from Channing. Their goodness was her achievement, not his.

When Channing was successful, no one mentioned his shameful abandonment of his wife and children. Now that he had fallen, those stories were dug up, and the public outrage was relentless.

Everything about Channing, Lucca, and Tracy was exposed. Even scandals about Tracy keeping young lovers surfaced. In Burg Eltz, their family was utterly ruined.

Lucca was still in the hospital. The shock and rage had caused a lung infection, and her fever wouldn’t subside. But compared to her physical pain, the mental torment was far worse.

She burned with hatred—but could do nothing.

Bert was too ruthless. With only a few moves, he had destroyed their family. They no longer had the power to fight back. As long as Bert existed, Catherine would always be under his protection.

Channing still needed the four million Bert had promised for his company’s accounts. But since Channing had failed to reconcile with Renata as Bert demanded, Bert refused to release the money.

Channing tried every way to contact Bert, even shamelessly approaching Catherine and asking her to speak for him. Catherine only replied calmly that she did not interfere in Bert’s business matters.

How could she help Channing?

If she did, it would mean asking Bert to give him that four million. Was Channing worthy of it?

When Lucca had ruined her reputation and forced her to flee overseas, Channing had not once checked on her, nor given her a single cent. It was Renata who used all her savings to send her abroad.

If Catherine had not left Burg Eltz, she would not have survived there—the rumors alone would have drowned her.

Every day abroad was agony. She suffered, grieved, and endured. If Channing had shown even a trace of fatherly care, she would not have fallen so low.

Later, when Renata became critically ill and needed surgery, Channing again offered no help. Catherine had been forced to sell her home to pay the medical bills.

And later, Channing had even pushed her into the arms of Director Zheng...

Just these three events were enough to make Catherine’s heart completely die toward him. If Bert had not been by her side, she could not imagine what her life would be like now. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

So how could she ever help Channing?

No matter what, he was still her father. He had given her life. When he grew old, she would fulfill her duty as a daughter and support him—but that did not mean she would help him beg Bert for money.

The company’s losses were caused by their own extravagance and mismanagement. Why should Bert pay for it?

Just when Channing was truly at the end of his rope, he suddenly received a call from Bert, asking him to meet.