[XXVI]

"First of all, you are my wife. Even if I bought the house, you legally own half of it. The law will protect you from anyone who wants to take away that right, including me. Second, if you had shared your apartment with me, I would be worried about my sleeping place all the time, so where will I get the time and energy to invest in the stock market? Finally, you're my lucky charm in choosing which stocks to invest in. Without you, I probably would be suffering losses in the stock exchange. Now, do you still think you'd be freeloading by living here rent-free? All of those reasons perfectly justify your stay here,"

Zac spoke in a slow, unhurried manner, and his voice wove a bewitching melody in Hazel's ears. It put her in a hypnotic trance; the more he spoke, the more she was convinced of the logic of such an arrangement.

After all, she did make a significant contribution to Zac's success. Without her, he still would have been living as a penniless hobo. He would not ha