Zayn watched as Rina packed her belongings with sharp, deliberate movements. Her scowl was the only warning he needed-she wasn’t in the mood to listen. He wanted to tell her the truth, to explain everything, but he knew it wouldn’t matter right now.
Instead, he pulled out his phone and dialed Igor If she wanted to leave, he wasn’t going to stop her-not like this.
“Take her home safely,” he instructed, his voice void of emotion.
Rina clenched her fists. He wasn’t even going to fight for her. That hurt more than the betrayal itself.
She had wasted her time on him. She should have known he was like every other man.
A few hours later, she was back to her cottage sitting in silence. The worst part? He hadn’t even tried to defend himself. He had just… let her go. That made it worse-worse than the rumors, worse than Nathan’s revelations, worse than the pictures she had seen online.
Nathan, at least, was there to fill in the blanks. He was the only one who seemed to care enough to tell her what she had been missing.
She had been a fool.
Wiping her tears, she whispered, “I won’t cry for him. He’s never going to fool me again.”
The weight of the betrayal settled in her chest. She had lost more than a relationship-she had lost trust, the ability to believe in someone again.
Hours Later
Zayn arrived home, exhausted and drained. He had spent the last few hours trying to figure out how to fix this, but the truth was, he didn’t know where to start.
He had stayed away, not to avoid her, but because he knew that talking wouldn’t fix this. He needed proof-undeniable proof-that his brother had manipulated her.
But before he could even think about his next step, she was already on the attack.
“So… you finally decided to come home,” Rina said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I thought you weren’t going to return because of your guilt. Honestly, that would have been more believable than whatever excuse you’re about to give.”
Zayn sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not who you think I am, Rina. I have no connection to whatever my brother told you.”
Rina let out a bitter laugh. “You must think I’m stupid. Why would you do this to me, Zayn? After everything we’ve been through? Did I even mean anything to you?”
He took a step closer, his voice raw. “Yes, you mean a lot to me. But you won’t even give me a chance to prove that I’m not guilty. Do you think I would destroy the trust we built?” His voice cracked slightly, betraying his emotions.
But Rina had built up walls, and she wasn’t about to let them crumble just because he sounded sincere.
“Words aren’t enough this time, Zayn. I need action. Because all your words have done is scar me.” She turned away, picking up a jar of cream and focusing on anything but him.
Zayn exhaled sharply. “How would you feel if you were accused of something, and no one believed you? Does that seem fair to you?”
She scoffed. “Don’t try to gaslight me. You deceived women, married them, and then discarded them like trash. Are you sorry because you got caught or because you regret your actions?”
Zayn’s patience snapped. “Do you even hear yourself? You’re so quick to judge me without listening to my side of the story. Have you been waiting for this? Just waiting for the perfect excuse to believe the worst about me?”
Rina faltered for half a second but quickly steeled herself. This was what he did-tried to twist things, to make her doubt herself.
“That’s what you tell every woman, isn’t it?” she spat. “That you’re misunderstood. That you’ve been emotionally damaged. I don’t care anymore. I’m leaving. And don’t expect us to ever speak again.”
Zayn knew that if he said another word, he’d regret it. So, instead, he turned and walked away.
He got into his car and drove, gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white.
“Good riddance,” Rina whispered, even as her heart ached.
AT THE PUB
Zayn pulled into the parking lot of a pub he had passed countless times but never had the desire to enter-until now.
Striding inside, he made his way straight to the counter.
“Give me your strongest drink.”
The bartender hesitated. “Uh-”
Zayn scoffed. “You want to ask for my ID? How rich.”
The bartender quickly poured him a shot of a house specialty-one he had never even tested himself.
Three hours later, Zayn was completely wasted. His phone felt heavy in his hand as he staggered out of the bar.
Zayn fumbled with his keys, his vision blurred.
“Just… get in the damn hole,” he mumbled, finally managing to turn the ignition.
As he pulled onto the road, the speedometer climbed.
His mind was a blur of thoughts. Rina. Nathan. Lies. Betrayal.
Then-
Headlights.
A truck.
The blare of a horn.
Zayn’s fingers slipped from the steering wheel.
Metal crunched.
Glass shattered.
Pain exploded through his body.
And the last thought he had before everything went black-
“I need to see Rina.”