A long night to seal
"What?"
Karina's voice reverberated through the room, mirroring the shock etched on everyone's faces. Ziana stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest as the weight of Zayden's revelation settled upon her. Tears of sadness gave way to a simmering rage as she locked eyes with him. No, he wasn't supposed to reveal their secret. The contract clearly dictated otherwise!
A heavy silence descended upon the room, broken only by the cacophony of Ziana's racing thoughts. The air felt tense, thick with unspoken words and the scent of apprehension. She struggled to find the right words to respond, her mind spinning from the sudden turn of events. Beads of sweat formed on Ziana's brow as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her.
Yael, standing steadfast beside Ziana, sensed the tension mounting and knew he had to intervene before it spiraled out of control. With a calm demeanor, he stepped forward, aiming to defuse the situation.
"It's her soon-to-be husband, haha," he interjected, his voice laced with forced cheerfulness, hoping to redirect the focus. He cast a reassuring smile at Ziana, silently pleading with his brother to play along and not exacerbate the turmoil any further.
Zayden remained silent, his stoic expression sending an unspoken warning to the room. His gaze conveyed a possessiveness that dared anyone to challenge his claim on Ziana. Karina's eyes darted between the couple, her smile transforming into a facade of pleasantness.
"Well, well," she said, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. "Congratulations, Ziana."
"I am glad you moved on so quickly." A sinister chuckle underscored her words, causing Ziana's cheeks to burn with anger. Zayden's tight grip around her waist only heightened her frustration.
But before the tension could escalate further, an unexpected guest entered the room, casting an additional spotlight on the unfolding drama. It was Ziana's mother, accompanied by Ivan. Their eyes fell upon the reapers flanking Ziana before shifting to Jackson and his fiancée.
Norah's arrival injected a surge of anticipation into the room, leaving Ziana in distress. The air crackled with a mix of curiosity and unease. Her gaze pierced through the room, her eyes scanning the faces with a mixture of concern and suspicion. Ivan, standing beside his mother, mirrored her intensity as he locked eyes with Karina.
Ziana's mother's gaze remained fixed on the reapers standing protectively on either side of her daughter before shifting her attention to Jackson and his fiancée. "What's happening here?" she inquired, her tone laced with concern at her daughter's paled expression. Ivan's glare intensified as he locked eyes with Karina. "And why the hell are you here?" he asked the couple.
Karina turned to face them, a hint of mischief dancing in her eyes. "We came to surprise Ziana, but she shared some shocking news with us," she replied, offering a slight bow of her head.
"I'm glad Ziana has found a good man," Karina continued, her words tinged with insincerity. The words hung in the air, mingling with the scent of tension. "Don't keep him waiting, Ziana. Say 'yes' quickly before it's too late."
Confusion clouded Ivan's face as he tried to piece together the conversation. Had someone proposed to his sister? Ziana's mother let out a sigh, instantly understanding the situation without needing further explanation like her son. She studied Zayden for a moment before turning her piercing gaze toward Jackson.
"If you're done, the door is that way," she remarked, her voice laced with a touch of mockery.
"Let's go." Without wasting another second, Jackson rose from his seat and made his way toward the exit. The revelation was huge, but it didn't matter to him.
"Don't miss the party! I am excited to hear more about you guys," Karina added, her smile concealing a subtle threat, before following Jackson out of the room, leaving an unsettling silence in their wake.
As soon as they were gone, Zayden released his grip on Ziana, causing her to stumble slightly. Her legs felt weak, and she grasped onto a nearby chair for support, letting out a heavy sigh as she fought to steady herself and regain composure.
The room seemed to exhale, the tension dissipating like a gust of wind. Norah's presence brought a comforting aura, and the scent of her subtle perfume mingled with the lingering traces of anxiety, soothing Ziana's heart, which had been thrown into a tight-knit war.
"I apologize, Mrs. Brown. Zayden was only trying to protect Ziana from that woman," Yael quickly stepped forward and interjected, attempting to cover up his brother's attitude. Though he often tried to appear ruthless, this time his actions inadvertently favored the other party, and he believed it was one such situation.
"So, he's the one who started this again," Ivan grumbled, finally grasping the situation, but his eyes were devoid of anger. He couldn't help but feel grateful for Zayden's attempt to help Ziana.
Arriving at the perfect moment, he and his mother had overheard Yael's quick response to the situation. They also witnessed the subtle crinkle in Karina's face, her fake smile giving away her true intentions. And he loved it! That woman deserved nothing but humiliation!
"Have you lost your mind?" Ziana finally spoke, her voice breaking as she glared at Zayden. Her eyes brimmed with tears once again, overwhelmed by a whirlwind of emotions. What had she done to deserve this?
"Yes, for a moment, I did and ended up helping you," Zayden shot back, annoyed that instead of being grateful, this woman was blaming him again.
"Did I ask for your help?" She glowered, tears streaming down her face as the weight of the situation burdened her shoulders. The more she tried to escape from people, the more she found herself entangled with them. First, it was her ex-boyfriend, and now this damn reaper! Somehow, they both seemed to be working together to torment her.
Zayden scoffed in disbelief, at a loss for words. She was right! His mind had momentarily gone astray, and he had foolishly taken pity on this ungrateful woman. Yes, it was entirely his fault!
"I understand your feelings, but Ziana, he didn't mean any harm to you," Yael tried to calm her down, fully aware of where she was coming from.
"How are you going to continue helping me, then?" Ziana ignored Yael's attempt and glared at Zayden. "How the hell are you going to clean up this mess?" she roared, her emotions draining her sanity.
"I will attend the party with you and pretend to be your boyfriend until it's over," Zayden replied, his voice reaching its peak. "I deserve the torture of enduring it for losing my mind for a second," he added, mocking himself for extending unwarranted sympathy to her.
Ziana couldn't believe this man! It wasn't as simple as he made it sound. There was no way she would attend her ex-boyfriend's engagement party, not when her heart still ached at the sight of him!
"I hate you!" she cried before storming off to her room. The door slammed shut with a resounding bang, leaving everyone in a sigh of relief.
"Like I care!" Zayden sneered at her reaction, frustrated. He abandoned the paper bag of pastries he had brought to help her cope with the unexpected arrival, throwing it into the dustbin outside her house. Filled with frustration, he hopped into his car and sped away.
"Are you Yael?" Norah commented as the storm slowly settled down. Yael nodded, slowly emerging from the intensity of their battle.
"You must be hungry. Let's have lunch together," Norah faintly smiled at him before heading to the kitchen. "Ivan, go freshen up," she ordered her son, who was still recovering from the turmoil.
—
Zayden angrily swirled the wine in his glass, its crimson liquid reflecting his simmering outrage. He took a hefty gulp, hoping to drown his frustrations, but the fiery anger within him refused to be quelled. Slamming the glass down, he ran his fingers through his hair and let out a loud, exasperated sigh.
Running his fingers through his disheveled hair, he let out a deep sigh of exasperation. All he had done was try to help Ziana with her problems, and yet she belittled him and showed no gratitude. The bitterness in his heart surged again, and he reached for the bottle instead. Luckily, he hadn't sealed the contract yet, and it would be nullified soon. He couldn't bear to be bound to this woman for three more months!
Just as he contemplated drowning his anger in alcohol, his phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. He glared at the screen, seeing that it was his little brother, Yael. He initially ignored the calls, wanting to focus on calming his anger. But Yael's persistent calls forced him to answer out of frustration.
"What is it now?" Zayden snapped, his voice tinged with concern as he heard Yael's hurried cries and faint music playing in the background.
"I need your help, Zay! Please!" Yael pleaded, his voice growing more distant.
Zayden's brows furrowed, and a glimmer of worry mingled with his anger. "Where are you?"
"I'm at a club. Can you come and help me out? Ziana is causing a scene here right now," Yael implored, desperation evident in his voice.
Zayden scowled at the mention of Ziana's name. "No, call someone else," he curtly replied, intending to end the call. But Yael's persistent calls continued, frustrating Zayden even further.
"Please, Zay! I can't reach Lia or Xavier. Ziana left her phone at the house, and I don't have any of her family's contacts," Yael cried, his voice competing with the booming music in the background.
Zayden sighed heavily, reluctantly considering his brother's words. "Why the hell did you go there?" he questioned, fully aware of how sensitive he was to such environments.
"I thought taking Ziana to the club might help her vent her sorrows. And Lia wanted to find out more about Kate, so I thought alcohol might make her more forthcoming," Yael confessed, his primary concern still focused on trying to alleviate Ziana's pain. But this woman had transformed into a monster he never could have imagined.
"I've shared the location with you." His little brother cried again, his voice on the verge of tears.
"Get a taxi, take her back to her house, and then come here," Zayden instructed his voice softer now but lacking empathy.
As Zayden ended the call, a sense of weariness settled over him. He gulped down the remaining wine in his glass, but the nagging feeling of responsibility persisted. Taking a deep breath, he got up from his barstool and walked out of the house.
The night was going to be tiring once again, tormenting him with the task of protecting that wild raccoon!