Chapter 8
“You’re the son of the chauffeur the Sullivans took in. The same ungrateful wretch that Keira’s grandmother kicked out for stealing.”
Christopher raised an indifferent brow, entirely unbothered by Zachary’s insult.
But I frowned in defense.
“You got it all wrong about Chris, Zachary. And what are you even doing here? Trespassing on private property without consent is against the law.”
Zachary’s expression turned grim in response to my obvious dismissal. For a moment, he completely forgot that he was here to cajole me into going home with him instead of picking a fight.
“I’m here in person, Keira. Please stop acting so childishly and come home with me.”
“Home?”
I stared at Zachary as if he’d lost his mind.
“Did you hit your head in a car accident? We’re divorced. Didn’t you see the divorce papers with my signature on them?” I asked him.
The chances of a package being lost were slim, but not impossible.
I was just thinking of printing another copy of the divorce papers for Zachary to take with him when he shamelessly declared, “I already tore that ridiculous divorce agreement to shreds. I know why you’re mad, Keira. I’ve handled things with Abigail. I swear, from now on, she won’t be around to bother you again.”
Zachary eagerly closed the distance between us and reached out to touch the face he’d been constantly longing for..
But before he could touch me, I had already pushed him away.
My voice was calm.
“Mr. Twain, when the Sullivan family fell on hard times, only the Twains offered a helping hand. In the nine years since I married you, I did everything I could to repay that debt. Now that Abigail is pregnant with your child, the Twains finally have an heir. I sincerely hope the three of you live happily ever after.”
With everything I’d just said, someone as sharp as Zachary couldn’t possibly miss the fact that I was dead set on leaving him.
At that moment, he panicked.
“Why would you say something like that, sweetheart? You’ve been with me for nine years just to repay a debt? Do you really think I’d believe such a lousy lie?”
No, of course he wouldn’t believe what I was saying.
If I didn’t love him, I wouldn’t have begged for a kiss on the cheek every morning before he left for work.
If I never loved him, why would I have bawled like a fool outside the operating theater while he was in surgery? My eyes had been puffed up, yet I refused to leave, no matter who tried to talk me out of it.
I loved him deeply. Anyone could see how hopelessly devoted I was to him.
But what did he do with that love?
The more I loved and tolerated him, the more he trampled over my dignity.
He had forgotten that hearts were made of flesh and blood.
After experiencing so much pain, I had gone numb. I eventually stopped letting myself fall apart and waste my love on the wrong person.
Zachary forced a smile that looked more like a grimace than anything as his bloodshot eyes locked onto mine.
“I had no idea Abigail’s presence would hurt you this much, Keira. What happened between us was just a one–night stand after one too many drinks. I took her in out of a sense of responsibility. Once the baby’s born, I’ll arrange for her to be sent abroad. Okay?”
I shook my head firmly.
“Zachary, I don’t care what kind of relationship you have with Abigail, All you need to know is that I’ve built a new life here. There’s no possibility of me going back with you. Please leave.”
“A new life? You…”
The emotional turmoil, two nights without sleep, and blood loss from the tattoo caught up with him. Zachary barely managed to speak another word
before darkness took him.
1
