Later that day...
Zara’s spirits gradually lifted as she spent the afternoon with Zane. The warmth of his presence soothed her frayed nerves. They laughed together while watching cartoons, played silly gas, and read storybooks. At last, they sprawled on the living room floor with coloring books and crayons. Zane insisted she draw with him, and she did; the boy’s infectious joy kept her going.
By the ti evening rolled around, Zara was drained but content. Leaving Zane happily engrossed in his artwork, she slipped away to the bedroom to rest. Just as she lay down and closed her eyes, her phone buzzed on the nightstand.
It was Bree.
"Hello?" Zara answered.
"You finally got discharged," Bree said, her tone tinged with faint disappointnt. "Sorry, I couldn’t be there to pick you up."
"Don’t be sorry. Nathaniel was with ," Zara replied.
There was a beat of silence, then Bree’s surprised voice ca through. "Really? He stayed with you? I thought he’d be neck-deep in etings or calls."
Zara didn’t respond right away. Her mind replayed the morning. Nathaniel had offered to stay back with her. For a brief mont, she had believed he truly wanted to be there, to spend ti with her. But then, his phone rang. And in the blink of an eye, he was gone.
’Work always cos first,’ she thought, a bitter taste settling in her mouth.
"He went to the office after dropping ho," she said eventually, keeping her tone neutral.
"That’s a relief, I guess," Bree remarked dryly. "At least he is showing so signs that his sick wife deserves a bit of his ti. That’s... an improvent."
Zara didn’t respond. She had noticed Nathaniel making an effort to be around more, trying to connect with her. But it was too early to say he had changed.
"Forget about him," Bree said, her tone shifting to sothing more upbeat. "Now that you are discharged, why don’t you co to the event? It’ll do you good to be there in person."
Zara hesitated for a mont, the thought tempting her. The event was a significant one. It was the first big fashion gathering she had considered attending since her painful departure from the industry five years ago. Back then, her dreams had been put on hold, her na all but forgotten. But now, this could be a new beginning.
She imagined the crowd, the flashing lights, the press, the buzz of opportunity in the air. Big nas would be there. She could et the influential designers, potential investors. Maybe soone would show interest in her designs. Maybe she could secure a deal, or even land a collaboration with a prestigious brand.
Her heart beat a little faster at the thought.
Her leg had almost healed, and the faint bruises on her face could be hidden beneath makeup. A hope flickered in her eyes.
"I know you still need rest to recover fully," Bree said, sensing her friend’s hesitation. "But I’m urging you to attend because the world-renowned designer, Nicole Cook, will be there as the chief guest."
Nicole Cook.
The na struck like a chord in her head. Nicole, a titan in the fashion world, was also Nathaniel’s good friend.
Zara rembered seeing Nicole beside Nathaniel during so of the darkest days when Nora’s health was failing and he was falling apart. Nicole had been his steady support then, always close, always calm.
At the ti, Zara used to think their bond was deeper than just friendship. But soon after, Nicole had married and moved abroad, disappearing from their lives entirely.
Zara hadn’t heard her na in years.
Now, hearing it again after so long, a strange mix of emotions stirred in her.
’Did Nathaniel know she was coming?’ Zara wondered to herself.
"Everyone is talking about her," Bree said. "If we get even a few minutes with her, if we can capture her attention, it could change everything. I am so excited."
Zara straightened up slowly, her thoughts spinning. She understood that gaining Nicole’s support could transform everything for her. But doubt lingered. Would Nicole, a renowned international designer, even consider giving a chance to soone like her, a small-ti designer who had disappeared from the fashion industry for five long years?
"Hello? Are you even listening to ?" Bree’s voice cut sharply through the phone, snapping Zara out of her swirling thoughts.
"Yeah... I was just thinking," Zara murmured absentmindedly.
"Well, are you coming?" Bree asked eagerly.
Zara hesitated for a brief second. She wasn’t sure if she’d even get a mont with Nicole Cook. The two of them had barely exchanged words back then, and she doubted Nicole even rembered her.
Still... sothing inside Zara pushed her forward. Even if Nicole didn’t acknowledge her, soone else might. The event was her chance to be seen again, to be heard, to reclaim the path she once walked.
"Yes, I’ll be there," Zara finally said with resolve.
"That’s great," Bree gushed. "Co to my place early. We’ll get ready together."
Zara fell silent again, her thoughts drifting toward Nathaniel. She rembered Riya boasting that he’d be attending the event to support her.
A flicker of emotion crossed Zara’s face. Would he be surprised to know she was also attending the event? Would he be happy? Would he... ask her to accompany him?
’Go with Bree. Go for herself.’ A voice inside her urged her not to expect anything from him.
But Zara shook the thought off.
Riya appeared quite proud of the fact that Nathaniel would be attending the event to support her. She was even convinced that he would assist with her debut film and possibly invest in the project she was starring in. But Zara wasn’t sure how much of that was actually true.
Because, as far as Zara knew, there had only ever been one woman Nathaniel truly loved, and it was Nora. That love had shaped him, broken him, and nothing since had seed to co close.
And Riya... she was clinging to an illusion, mistaking his attention and generosity for affection.
She sneered. ’Since I’m giving this marriage a real chance, I’m not about to let Riya get any closer to my husband.’
With a newfound firmness in her voice, she said, "No. Nathaniel is going too. I’ll be attending the event with him."
"What? That’s a surprise," Bree exclaid with disbelief. "I must admit—he is really starting to change. Well then, I won’t insist on you coming here. Go with your dear husband." She giggled teasingly. "See you tomorrow."
The call ended.
Zara exhaled and set the phone aside. "Dear husband," she muttered under her breath, imitating Bree’s playful tone with a faint, ironic smile.
"Daddy, you are back." Zane’s bright and cheerful voice rang out from the hallway.
Zara stiffened in her place. Her heart skipped a beat.
’He is ho already?’
Startled, she quickly swung her legs over the bed, rising to her feet. She walked out of the room to check if Nathaniel had returned ho so early.
Nathaniel stood in the center of the living room, tall and composed, holding Zane in his arms. The little boy bead with joy, clinging to his father’s neck.
Zara stopped in her tracks, her heart pounding. For the first ti in five long years, she was witnessing sothing she never thought she would.
Nathaniel, who had always drowned himself in work and rarely ca ho before late at night, was now returning early.
She said nothing. Just stood there in stunned silence, watching them. Bree’s words echoed in her mind: ’he is really starting to change.’
’Is this really happening?’ she wondered.
Zara blinked slowly, uncertain whether what she was seeing was real or just a fleeting illusion.
"Did you trouble Mommy today?" Nathaniel asked with feigned seriousness, raising an eyebrow at his son.
"No, Zane replied. "Mommy and I had so much fun." He grinned gleefully. "We played gas, watched cartoons, and she even told stories..."
"Oh, really?" Nathaniel chuckled. "So you wore your mommy out, huh? And where is she now?"
Zane looked around, then spotted her. "There," he said, pointing toward the staircase with a wide grin.
Nathaniel turned to look, and his eyes landed on Zara, standing quietly at the top of the stairs. For a mont, everything around him faded. His heart gave a small, unexpected flutter at the sight of her.
He gently set Zane down but didn’t look away from Zara.
"Daddy," Zane tugged at his sleeve, bringing him back. "Look at this. I finished coloring the whole book." He held up the slightly crumpled coloring book, beaming with pride.
Nathaniel shifted his attention back to his son, crouching to admire each page. "You have improved a lot," he said, ruffling Zane’s hair. "I think that deserves a reward. How about so new coloring books?"
"Yay!" Zane shouted, bouncing in excitent.
"Now go on," Nathaniel said, tapping him on his back. "Take your drawings to your room and play."
Zane gathered his scattered art supplies and trotted off down the hallway.
As Zane disappeared into his room, Nathaniel looked back toward the staircase, but Zara was not there where she had been standing monts ago.
Guessing she had returned to the bedroom, he reached over to the center table and picked up the bouquet he had brought earlier. With a flicker of anticipation in his chest, he climbed the stairs, eager to finally be alone with her.
As Nathaniel stepped into the bedroom, his eyes imdiately found her.
Zara stood quietly by the French window, her back to the door, gazing outside as if lost in thought. He looked down at the flowers, hoping the gesture would bring a smile to her.
He approached her slowly. "These are for you," he said, extending the bouquet toward her.
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