I came out of the building and towards the parking lot where Aaron had parked the car earlier, and I saw him there holding onto Zion while talking to his siblings. It was nice to know that some people understood what family was and valued it, unlike mine. At least I still had Lionel for support and comfort, no matter how bad it got.
They noticed me approaching, and they turned to look at me.
Aaron was the first to speak. “Hey, are you okay?” The concern in his tone made my heart flutter, and I nodded. “I am. Thank you for earlier.” I flashed him a smile.
“I did nothing.” He brushed it off casually.
‘It was enough to scare the life out of Betty, and that was enough for me.’ I said to myself.
I nodded, then turned to Sesi. “Thank you for the snacks. I didn’t plan for the detour we took; it just happened, and I was so concerned about my brother that I forgot about my son.”
“It’s fine. We’ve got you, always.” She assured me with a confident voice, and that was enough for me.
Their eyes wandered off, and I wondered who had taken their attention for a second. I turned around and found Tatiana standing there, looking as if she wanted to talk. I paid her little mind earlier because my focus stayed on her mother, but now I could focus on her. She had on a polka-dot dress that stopped mid-thigh and enhanced her curves. Her straight hair was in a messy bun, and I figured a lot had changed with her because the Tia I knew always had a thing for looking perfect. That Tia seemed different from this one.
Unlike the last time, she wasn’t with Owens, which was not surprising to me. It was only a matter of time before their ‘perfect union made in backstabbing heaven’ came crashing down.
Yes, I said it.
Was she here to finish what her mother started? Because heaven help me, I would give her a dose of the venom still left in me. However, she didn’t look like she wanted to say any mean words. She looked scared; any sane person would be.
Behind me stood three tall men and an equally terrifying woman. Only a fool would mess with me.
“What do you want, Tia?” I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at her squarely.
She hesitated, scared and uncertain. “I just wanted to say sorry for what happened earlier and also for the many years of torment you went through. I never got to say it or acknowledge the role I played, but I know I was wrong on so many counts.”
I doubt she was sorry. Owens has probably left her, and she now realises I wasn’t the villain I was made into being all those years.
This is the case of a cheating partner who apologises not because they believe what they did was wrong, but because they were caught in the act.
“Why?” I demanded. “Owens finally left you for someone better? Someone young? And suddenly you realise Zera wasn’t the monster who couldn’t keep her man happy?”
She pressed her lips together, and her eyes grew glassy. I had hit the nail on the head. She looked miserable now, and I almost felt pity for her.
“I am sorry for everything I did to you back then. I hope you can forgive me.” She said, and a tear slid down her face.
“I never held it against you. Like I said over five years ago, I lost nothing, so I let it go. I believe I deserve better than what I got with Owens, and I hope you come to that realisation someday.”
She nodded, wiping at her teary eyes, “Thank you so much, Zera. You are a better woman than I am and then I’ll ever be,” she said, sniffing pathetically.
“You’re welcome.”
“Can I hug you?” she asked with hopeful eyes.
I nodded, not even thinking her request through. “Sure you can.”
She threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly, and the act made my heart hurt a little. I couldn’t remember the last time she hugged me. After my father’s death, Betty must have told her everything to steal her heart away. I became the bad guy, and she barely spoke to or interacted with me. Yes, she clung to me when she needed something, but when she got it, she was gone. This right here, however, wasn’t forced or manipulated. It was genuine, and it made me realise what I had missed for so long. She pulled away and took her leave while I stood watching her go.
I turned around and found the Harts staring at me, and I frowned.
“We didn’t listen in on your conversation.” Ivan quickly spoke up as if trying to bail them out of any trouble that might arise.
“We didn’t have to,” Damor added.
“Are you okay?” Aaron asked.
“Yes, I am.” I lied. “I need to go home. I am so tired, and I know Zion is, too.”
“I will take you,” Aaron offered, and I didn’t say no.
The day had turned out the way we didn’t anticipate, and so the younger Hart siblings chose to go home. They were six hours from the park estate, and since Aaron would not be returning, they needed to be back there and keep things moving.
I understood and thanked them for their help throughout the day. Aaron, Zion, and I departed and drove the rest of the four hours that led to my home. It was done in silence, and that silence must have gotten to Zion because he fell asleep in the back seat where I had him strapped in.
“Your brother,” Aaron said after an hour of driving quietly.
I broke my gaze with the side of the road, which I had my eyes fixed on since the trip started, and moved it to him.
He didn’t look at me, but I saw he wanted to.
“How’s he now? I never got to ask because of your mother.”
I sighed. “He will survive. He’s a fighter.”
“Just like you,” he mumbled under his breath, but I heard him.
My heart fluttered.
“His attack came out of nowhere, just like mine.” I told him, “The police said there was no one in the other car, but he could swear there was. He saw him, but his history with substance abuse would drag the investigation on.”
“You think this was an attack?” he asked in a small tone, as if deep in thought.
“I know it is. His attack makes me believe Henry didn’t act alone. This is all connected somehow, and the Adams are the target. I might be wrong, but my gut says otherwise.”
He became silent, and that was the last thing I needed, but as I opened my mouth to speak, he did. “I think you’re right. I also think this has something to do with me. But I cannot tell who’s behind it.”
His words triggered my next question. “Don’t you have any enemies?” I raised a brow.
“I have many enemies,” he corrected. “And that is why I will fight to keep you and Zion safe for as long as I can.”
A part of me wanted to go back to the estate where I’d been these past few days. There, I was guaranteed safety compared to the outside world, but my loved ones were in the outside world, and they were vulnerable. “Will we ever be safe?”
He reached out and took my hand on my lap into his. The touch sparked me, and I didn’t want him to let go.
He squeezed down on it before glancing at me. “I swear to you that you will, even if it’s the last thing I’ll do.”