“Is he for real?”
Paula berated to the other end of the phone call, sitting up straight on the bed, making Richard flinch who is sleeping by her side.
“I am confused darling. I don’t know what to do. He even booked a flight ticket and sent me the details.” said Zara kneeling on the bed, anxiously biting her nails.
“I betrayed my family by sleeping with him. I think this is my punishment.”
Zara sobbed, burying her face into the pillow.
She never thought that Sebastian would find her and even threaten her to meet him.
What the hell is she going to do now?
She already hid her past from her parents and now is she going to lie to them again?
“Shut up baby! Think about the present crisis.”
Paula rubbed her forehead, deep in thought as she’s trying hard to save Zara from Sebastian.
She knew about Andrew Jones and his typical personality. He would definitely kill Zara if Sebastian makes it to him with his past with Zara.
She shouldn’t let that happen at any cost.
“I don’t know what to do. I feel like all walls are closing in.”
Zara sobbed hard, making Paula even more tensed and guilty for not being with her friend to console her and to hug her.
“Baby, please calm down. Forward me the details he sent you. I’ll come with you to wherever he wants you to come.”
Paula decided right then and there to pay a visit to the bastard who is playing with her friend.
She would teach him a lesson for threatening her baby.
Zara sniffed, wiping her tears in confusion, clueless about her friend’s words.
What is she saying? Meet Sebastian?
No way, not even in her dreams.
Involving many people would only complicate things.
“What are you saying darling?”
“I mean it baby, I will come with you to talk to him. Let’s deal with him together.”
Paula spoke in determination because she doesn’t want to see Zara live her life in agony because of Sebastian.
They spent a night together and parted ways willingly. He can’t force or threaten her to be with him by using her family against her.
“I don’t want to see him.”
Zara lowered her head, her voice drooping low as she bit her lip.
She couldn’t afford to see him again and doesn’t want to think about that night.
All the buried memories will come to surface once they meet and she didn’t want that.
“Baby listen to me.”
Paula said as she glared at her husband who is persuading her to not instigate Zara with her ideas and ignored him.
“We already told uncle about our Mauritius vacation. Why not use that chance to meet Sebastian? I will talk to him on your behalf, you don’t need to meet him in person.” Read this novel at novelping(.)com for the best experience.
Zara breathed in a sigh as she felt assured by her friend’s words and agreed.
She is really lucky to have Paula in her life. She is her warrior princess and fights against everyone who tries to hurt her.
“Darling, I love you.”
She said, her lips stretching into a gentle smile for the first time after talking to Sebastian.
Paula’s support is everything she needed at the moment.
“I love you too baby.”
Paula replied and gasped when Richard pinched her waist.
“Pack your bags. I will take care of the tickets. When should we depart?”
She said glaring at her mischievous husband and he smiled back, pulling her into his embrace and patted her back slowly.
“Next week. Same time as our Mauritius vacation.”
Zara’s smile dropped when she thought about Sebastian’s threatening words and her mood turned ashen quickly.
“Okay! I will take a week off. Text him that you are coming with me.”
Paula said as she moved to get her laptop from the nightstand, to prepare her leave letter, making Richard frown at her actions.
“I will but are you sure about this, darling?”
Zara still felt a lingering fear in her heart even though Paula assured her many times.
“I am sure. Don’t worry baby. I am with you.”
Paula hung up the call and worked on her leave letter, her fingers tapping rapidly on the keyboard.
“What happened?”
Richard asked hugging her from behind, his eyes staring at the laptop screen with a deep frown and Paula explained him about Zara’s situation.
“I am envious of Zara. You love her so much.”
He spoke with a hint of grudge, making Paula chuckle and she sent the mail to her superior before shutting down the laptop and kissed her husband’s lips, expressing her love for him with her actions than words.
………………
“Zara! Can I come in?”
Meredith knocked on the door when she heard noises from Zara’s room and is concerned about her because Zara would always be upset after having a heated conversation with Andrew and it might take her a long time to heal from the hurt.
“Yes, Mom”
Zara spread all her necessities on the bed and then started arranging them neatly and her busy figure made Meredith smile.
“Are you packing for the trip?”
“Are you done?”
Zara stopped packing when she heard her mother’s tired voice and turned towards her.
Her heart felt unease seeing her worn out face and sat beside her, putting aside her things.
Meredith smiled, getting after her daughter’s full attention and held her little hand before planting a kiss on the back of it.
“What’s on your mind Zara?”
She said after a brief silence.
“Nothing mom.”
Zara answered, placing her head on her mother’s lap and closed her eyes, feeling the warmth engulfing her at her mother’s gentle touch.
“I know my daughter. You can’t hide from me.”
Meredith said, caressing her hair lovingly and her words made Zara sigh and she sat up, looking into her mother’s eyes.
“Do you like dad’s thoughts?”
Meredith’s smile faded facing after her daughter’s question and she lowered her head deep in thoughts. After a long silence she finally spoke after exhaling a heavy sigh.
“I married your father when I was eighteen.”
She said remembering her past and squeezed Zara’s hand.
“I didn’t know much about the outside world because my dad didn’t let me continue my studies and married me off to your dad at a very young age.”
Tears pooled in her eyes when she recalled her fight with her dad about her studies and how he refused to send her to college just because he wanted to marry her off and be free of responsibilities.
“I saw the world with your dad’s eyes and always believed in him.”
She said, controlling her emotions and looked at Zara who is looking back at her with pity filled eyes.
“I know he’s thinking about us mom but don’t you think he’s extreme? I mean trusting us a bit wouldn’t make a difference to his beliefs right.”
Zara refuted, feeling suffocated by her dad’s rules and continued.
“As you said, you never had a chance to explore the world because of grandpa. Don’t you think dad’s doing the same to me and Jenna? Don’t you want your daughters to be someone who you always wanted to be?”
Zara saw subtle changes in her mother’s eyes but she hid them away so quickly just like she always did because her dad wouldn’t appreciate if her mom supports the idea of exploring.
“I am sorry Zara. I may not fight with your dad for you but I’ll never say no to any of your wishes.”
Meredith said, not having the courage to agree with Zara because her husband would go berserk.
Zara knew her mother has no say in their family because that’s how much control her dad has over her for the past twenty nine years but she is not mad at her.
“Thank you mom. You’ll always be the person I look up to.”
She said, feeling pity for her mom’s situation and hugged her tight.
Meredith smiled in relief after seeing Zara normal and kissed her forehead before leaving her alone.
She really wished to have a talk with Andrew about her daughters freedom but she’s scared.
She never voiced out her thoughts and always been silent so she didn’t have courage to stand up for her daughters and only hoped good for them, to live a happy life.