Zara woke up. She blinked slowly, her body still aching but lighter than before. Her gaze shifted, and there, sitting by the bed with a gentle smile, was Bree.
"You are awake," Bree said with relief. "Thank God."
Zara shifted, trying to sit up. Bree was quick to help, sliding a pillow behind her back and easing her against the headboard.
"The doctor just left after checking on you," Bree inford her, settling back into the chair. "He said your vitals are steady, no complications. You just need proper rest, minimal stress, and nutritious food."
She gestured to the side table. "Speaking of which, I brought so chicken broth. It’s still warm. You should have it before it gets cold."
Zara nodded faintly, offering a small, distant smile. Her eyes, however, were already scanning the room, searching for Nathaniel. But there was no sign of him.
Her chest tightened.
’Of course,’ she thought bitterly. ’He disappeared again. Just like always.’
He acted like he cared, but when she needed him most, he was nowhere.
"I’ll go freshen up," she said quietly, sliding off the bed.
Bree stood and supported her, walking her to the bathroom.
After washing up, Zara felt better. The fog in her mind had lifted, the pounding in her head gone. But the weight in her chest remained, heavier than before. As she returned to bed, she couldn’t shake the feeling of distress.
Why was Bree the one here? Why wasn’t Nathaneil here with her? And surprisingly, no one from the Grant family had co to see her, not even Grandmother and Zane.
Her heart sank a little deeper.
’Were they all angry at ?’ she wondered. ’Was it because I didn’t tell them about the pregnancy? Did they really doubt ?’
Riya’s words from earlier echoed cruelly in her mind, like a poison she couldn’t spit out.
Zara returned to the bed in a daze, her movents slow and heavy. Bree stayed close, gently guiding her back under the covers and helping her settle against the headboard.
"How is your leg?" Bree asked softly. "Still hurting?"
Zara shook her head. "Not much."
"Good. That’s progress." Bree offered a warm smile as she unscrewed the thermos. "Now, eat while it’s still hot."
The rich aroma of the chicken broth wafted up imdiately, laced with comforting spices. It wrapped around Zara, filling her senses. As soon as she tasted the first spoonful, her stomach growled in protest at its emptiness, and she kept going, spoon after spoon. It was hot, but it soothed her.
"This is good," Zara said softly, her lips twitching into the faintest smile.
"I thought you’d say that," Bree grinned. "Jasper made it for you."
Zara blinked, surprised. "Convey my gratitude to him."
"Tell him yourself. He is coming by after work," Bree said as she reached into her bag. "Here, let show you sothing."
She pulled out her phone and opened a gallery of photos. "The dresses are ready. Look at these. Aren’t they stunning?"
Zara’s eyes drifted to the screen. Her designs had all co to life. The photos brought a genuine smile to her face. "They are beautiful."
"I know, right?" Bree practically squealed. "I can already picture them under the lights. I’m telling you, this year we are going to own that runway. These designs are pure fire. Season’s best."
Zara let out a dry laugh, shaking her head slightly. "You are exaggerating."
"No, Zara, trust ," Bree said, her eyes sparkling with passion. "I’ve been trying for five years to create sothing that truly stands out—sothing bold, sothing unforgettable. And honestly, I was close to pulling us out of the competition this year. Nothing felt right."
She shrugged. "Then you ca back. You handed those designs, and everything changed. I’m telling you, your coback is going to be explosive. So of those well-established designers are going to lose their minds watching your work steal the spotlight."
Zara let out a soft chuckle and shook her head. "You really do have a wild imagination," she said, setting the empty thermos aside.
Bree grinned. "Give it two days and tell if I’m imagining things," she said as she handed her a tissue.
"Two days?" Zara repeated, her eyes widening.
The reality hit her all at once. The show was in two days. The mory had been buried under the trauma of the kidnapping. She glanced down at her wrist, wrapped in gauze, her body still aching.
"In this state, I won’t be able to attend the event," she murmured with disappointnt.
"Hey, don’t let that get to you," Bree said gently, reaching over to squeeze her hand. "I’ll have soone record the entire event. You won’t miss a thing, I promise."
Zara gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks, Bree."
She ant it, but the warmth of the mont was short-lived. Her eyes flicked once more to the door as she heard footsteps outside. Hope fluttered in her chest.
’Maybe it’s him...’
But no one entered. The footsteps grew fainter, then faded entirely. And just like that, the ache in her heart deepened again.
Disappointnt, Zara dropped her gaze to her hands resting in her lap. "When did you get here?" she asked, suddenly changing the topic.
"Early this morning," Bree answered casually. "Nathaniel called and asked to co."
"He called you?" Zara’s eyes snapped up, startled.
’He couldn’t stay himself, but he called Bree to stay with .’ The words echoed bitterly in her mind.
"He left just after I arrived," Bree added, unaware of the storm brewing behind Zara’s composed face.
Zara’s expression stilled, the corners of her mouth twitching with restrained emotion. She hadn’t expected Nathaniel to stay by her side the whole night after the argunt, but so part of her had hoped to see him by her side when she woke up. And now, hearing he had rushed out again, she couldn’t help but feel abandoned.
"Yes. He said sothing urgent ca up," Bree replied.
’Urgent matter?’
Zara’s chest tightened, and bitterness twisted in her gut. He had returned early from a business trip for so unknown reason, and now he had left again because sothing else demanded his attention more than she did.
He always put other things first.
But then Bree spoke again, more cautiously this ti. "The nurse said Nathaniel was really worried about you, that he asked if there was any way the baby could be saved. But..." Bree’s voice trailed off for a second before she continued gently. "The baby was already losing. There wasn’t a choice. If they had waited any longer, it could’ve put your life in danger. So he had no choice but to sign the consent form."
’What?’ Zara’s heart trembled, stunned and overwheld.
She had blad him for the baby’s death, accused him of choosing to end it, but the truth was different. He hadn’t had a choice. He signed the consent form to save her life.
Zara blinked, her throat tightening. Guilt pressed down on her.
Then Bree’s voice floated back in. "Honestly... I didn’t think soone as distant and unemotional as Nathaniel could be so concerned about you. Do you think he has changed?"
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