03
Through my sources, I learned that Zion was on his way to the city where I was hiding. His intentions were clear: this wasn’t a friendly visit.
I immediately contacted my local connections. If he wanted to play dirty, I had no reason to hold back.
When Reela burst through the door, her face was flushed with anger.
She stormed inside, her voice practically a roar. “Where’s that bast**d? I’ll make sure he regrets it!”
Before I could respond, Quinn ran into her arms excitedly.
Reela shot me a glare. “You’ve got some nerve! Not even a word to me? What were you thinking?”
It took all my charm and endless pleading to finally get her to forgive me.
Reela had always been my shield, five years older and fiercely protective of me since we were kids.
But her fiery temper made her unpredictable, especially when it came to anyone bullying me.
Reela had helped me a lot when I escaped with Quinn, but I feared that Zion would blame her after I disappeared.
So, after I moved, I told no one where I was staying. This place, my mother’s secret retreat, was known only to me.
Reela quickly got to work, updating me on our plan. “Everything’s ready,” she said with a sly grin. “Just sit back and watch the show.”
She flicked my forehead playfully. “You’re as sneaky as ever. My mom always said so.”
Quinn giggled, curious. “Auntie, who are you talking about?”
next.”
Reela kissed her on the cheek. “You, my little troublemaker. Just like your mom.”
Sure enough, not long after, Zion’s voice echoed through the door. “Quinn, open the door for Daddy. I know you’re in there!”
Then, in a colder tone, he added, “Chloe, if you don’t want to make a scene in front of the kid, open the door now. Or don’t blame me for what happens
His threats came with loud, relentless banging on the door.
The sound made Quinn tremble, clinging to me tightly.
I exchanged a glance with Reela, who nodded and quietly took Quinn to the bedroom. Once they were safely inside, I straightened my posture and opened the door.
11:30 AM
Zion stood there, his eyes wild with fury. The moment he saw me, his expression darkened further. “Chloe, you’re heartless! All I wanted was to save my son, and you’ve destroyed my entire life.”
I glanced at the street, feigning confusion. “Zion, how odd. You have an affair, father a bast**d, then demand our daughter’s heart to save him. When your scheme fails and karma bites, you show up here blaming me. Have you no shame?”
His chest heaved with anger. “Now I see it clearly. You planned this from the start! You tricked me into divorcing you, left me with an empty shell of a company, and when I was too distracted, someone swooped in and bought it out. It was you, wasn’t it? You’re the real owner now!”
I smiled, my tone calm and patronizing. “Zion, let’s be fair. We were married for years, and we have Quinn. Things are hard for you now, so why don’t you ask nicely? Maybe I’ll consider helping you.”
He hesitated, visibly thrown off by my words. Suspicion flickered in his eyes, but desperation kept him rooted.
I knew him too well. Zion was cautious to a fault; I had to lead him step by step.
“Remember when we first got married? You were broke, but I didn’t care. I supported you without hesitation. Under your management, the company thrived. If you’re willing to leave Anita behind, maybe we can put the past behind us. What do you think?”
His expression finally softened.
The thought of returning to his comfortable old life was clearly tempting.
Nobody could accept falling from the clouds. That was the nature of all humans.
“Chloe,” he said, his voice almost trembling. “Would you really forgive me?”
I nodded solemnly. “Of course. As long as you’re sincere. After all, you’re Quinn’s father.”
Emotion flickered across his face, a mix of relief and nostalgia. “Chloe, we can go back to the way things were. Anita… she’s just a mistake from the past. I swear, from now on, it’ll be just us.”
He reached out as if to take my hand, but before he could, a figure stormed up behind him like a hurricane and tugged at his hair.
The next second, the crisp sound of two slaps echoed in the night air, sharp and satisfying.
The show was on!
Anita stood there, her face twisted with rage and betrayal.
“You ungrateful bast**d! After everything I’ve sacrificed for you, this is how you repay me?”
Zion stumbled back, stunned. “You… How are you here?”
Anita didn’t answer. Instead, she lunged at him, clawing and hitting wherever she could reach. Tears streamed down her face as she screamed, “Tell me the truth! Did you lie to me? Did you never want to save Benny? Were you just using me?”
Zion shoved her away, his voice cold and dismissive. “You’re crazy. Get a grip!”
Anita’s laughter was hollow and chilling.
“Crazy? You think I’m crazy? I must be, to have believed you for so many years. To have trusted a liar like you! I’m gonna tell them the truth…”
Before she could finish, Zion grabbed her, covering her mouth and dragging her away.
I watched, amused but curious. What truth was she about to reveal?
My thoughts were interrupted by a call from the police.
When I arrived at the station, I was greeted by the sight of Zion’s mother, who was sobbing uncontrollably.
Zion was dead.
Anita had killed him in a fit of rage. From what I overheard, she’d mutilated him before stabbing him to death.
When Maria saw me, her grief turned into fury. “It’s you! You sent Anita here, didn’t you? How else could she have found this place?”
I folded my arms. “Why don’t you ask yourself why your son came here? Did I invite him? Was it my call that brought him to my door?”
She stammered, searching for a retort. I pressed on. “I avoided him, hid from him, and yet he still showed up. Why? Because his business failed, and
he needed my help? Or because he was bored of Anita and thought he could come crawling back to me?”
I stepped closer, my voice icy. “You know your son better than anyone. Don’t pin his death on me. If you want someone to blame, maybe start with yourself. Your indulgence and constant enabling led him here.”
Her anger dissolved into silence as my words sank in.
For the first time, she seemed to reflect on the chain of events that had brought us here.
Finally, she collapsed to the ground, wailing.
“My son! My poor son!”
The truth was all out.
Anita’s mental state deteriorated after the loss of her son. Unable to cope with his death, she developed a severe psychological disorder.
Zion, burdened by her erratic behavior, seemed to have attempted various ways to contain her, likely overwhelmed by her outbursts. Eventually, he decided to confine her, hoping to regain some control.
However, Anita wasn’t entirely incapacitated. Her episodes came and went.
One day, she received a message that led her to follow Zies to
decided to confine her, hoping to regain some control.
However, Anita wasn’t entirely incapacitated. Her episodes came and went.
One day, she received a message that led her to follow Zion to my place.
When she overheard him declare to me that she was nothing more than his past, her fragile psyche finally shattered.
Zion, afraid I might uncover the secrets they shared, dragged her away in haste.
Maria, unable to bear the loss of her son and the cruel reality of outliving him, suffered a stroke.
She was left in a semi–conscious state, neither fully alive nor dead, forced to endure the torment of her remaining days in humiliation and sickness. When it came time for Zion’s funeral, I asked Quinn for her thoughts. She firmly shook her head, refusing to attend.
I respected her decision without hesitation.
Reela, hearing of their tragic fates, sighed deeply in front of me, “If they’d known it would come to this, why did they make those choices in the first place?”
Indeed, greed knew no bounds.
You always reap what you sew.
That was the law of karma.
Reela urged me to return with her, but I shook my head. I had made peace with my choices. Life by the sea, with my daughter by my side, held a serenity I didn’t want to give up.
Here, I could feel my mother’s presence in every breeze and every wave.
It was a fresh start, one I intended to embrace fully.
One day, I received an unexpected call from a psychiatric hospital. A patient named Anita wanted to see me.
When I entered the sterile white room, I saw her sitting quietly.
Her mental state seemed stable, and her eyes held a faint glimmer of light when they met mine.
“I’m sorry,” she said earnestly, her voice trembling with regret.
“I don’t accept your apology,” I replied without hesitation.
Anita had been declared unfit for criminal responsibility.
She reached into her pocket and took out a tiny gold cross. I recognized it immediately. It was the pendant I had once lovingly placed around my daughter’s neck, but we had lost it long ago. I hadn’t thought much of its disappearance at the time.
“I’m sorry,” Anita said again. “I lived in self–deception, convincing myself that he truly loved me and my son. I thought you were the villain who tore us
apart.”
She continued, “I know it was your cousin who sent that message that day. I didn’t believe it at first. I thought he was coming here to confront you.
To… get revenge.”
She let out a bitter laugh as tears streamed down her face, probably regretting that she had loved the wrong man.
Hadn’t I, too, misplaced my faith in Zion?
“That day,” Anita continued, “I wanted to warn you to stay on guard. Zion wasn’t a good man. But he stopped me before I could say anything.”
Her voice lowered as she added, “I finally understand now. I was just a tool, someone who stole happiness that was never meant for me.”
She placed the pendant on the table between us. “Here. This belongs to you.”
“You still have your daughter,” she added. “Treasure her and live a good life.”
I glanced down at the tiny golden cross, its surface gleaming faintly under the light. Engraved on its side was the letter Q, a symbol I had chosen to represent eternal peace and safety when I first had it made.
Perhaps Anita had only just noticed the engraving.
But I didn’t take the pendant. My daughter’s happiness and safety couldn’t rely on a trinket.
Anita said she planned to recover and visit Maria, but the look in her eyes as she said this sent a chill down my spine.
As I walked away, her voice echoed behind me, soft and repetitive. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
The wind carried her words away, scattering the lingering shadows of the past.
Outside, the sun shone brightly, and Quinn called out to me. “Mommy, I’m hungry! Let’s have a feast!”
“Of course!” I replied, smiling.
“And I want to go to the amusement park!” she added.
“All right, whatever you want.”
The sunlight poured over us, casting our long shadows on the ground.
The End
