Chapter four

Zack’s POV

In the midst of a busy airport, my phone buzzed insistently, disrupting the chaotic hum of travelers around me. With a sigh, I glanced at the caller ID: "Grandfather." I answered, bracing myself for the inevitable lecture on romance and duty. "Zack, my boy," his voice crackled through the line, carrying the weight of years of tradition and expectation. "Have you proposed to Nora yet?" I swallowed hard, the memory of Nora's betrayal still fresh in my mind.

"No, Grandfather," I replied, struggling to keep the bitterness out of my tone. "I haven't had the chance."

"Well, make the time, Zack," he insisted, his voice unwavering. "She's a wonderful girl, and I want to see you settled before I'm gone." The guilt weighed heavy on my shoulders as I promised to do my best, knowing deep down that my heart belonged elsewhere. Little did I know, fate had other plans in store, plans that would lead me down a path of unexpected twists and turns, ultimately reshaping the very fabric of my existence.

As I navigated through the throngs of travelers, my mind drifted back to the painful memory of my breakup with Nora. Our relationship had once been the envy of our social circle—two ambitious young professionals with the world at our feet. But as our careers skyrocketed, our connection began to fray at the seams.

"It's always work with you, Zack," Nora had accused, her voice tinged with frustration. "You're married to your job, and I'm just an afterthought.”

I had tried to reassure her, promising to make more time for us, but it was too little, too late. The final blow came when I discovered her infidelity—a betrayal that shattered my trust and left me reeling.

"I can't do this anymore, Nora," I had declared, my voice strained with emotion. "We're done."

The silence that followed was deafening, punctuated only by the sound of my own racing heartbeat. Nora's tearful apologies fell on deaf ears as I walked away, determined to put the past behind me and focus on rebuilding my shattered life.

It wasn’t until later that I learned the full extent of Nora’s betrayal. A mutual acquaintance had informed me of her secret affair with another man—a revelation that cut me to the core. How could she have thrown away everything we had built together for a fleeting moment of passion?

Nora's betrayal didn't stop at infidelity. In a desperate attempt to salvage her reputation and tarnish mine, she resorted to spreading a malicious lie—a fabricated narrative that painted me as something I was not. My mind drifted back to the horrible memory.

As rumors of our breakup spread like wildfire through the gossip columns, Nora seized the opportunity to strike. With a cunning worthy of her profession, she concocted a devious plan to undermine me in the public eye.

"It's simple, darling," she had purred, her voice dripping with venom. "We'll tell them you're gay."

The audacity of her suggestion left me speechless, my mind reeling with disbelief. How could she stoop so low, using my sexuality as a weapon in her twisted game of revenge? But Nora was relentless, her manipulation knows no bounds.

With the help of her contacts in the media, she planted seeds of doubt in the minds of the public, spinning a web of lies designed to destroy my credibility and reputation.

"It's not personal, Zack," she had insisted, her tone cold and calculating. "It's just business."

But to me, it was personal—a deliberate attack on everything I held dear. And though I fought tooth and nail to refute her claims, the damage had already been done. The whispers followed me wherever I went, casting a shadow over my every move.

Yet, despite the pain and humiliation, I refused to let Nora's deceit define me. With determination and resilience, I pushed forward, determined to rise above the lies and reclaim my rightful place in the world. And as I stood on the brink of a new chapter in my life, I vowed to never again let anyone hold power over me. For I had learned the hard way that trust is a fragile thing, easily broken and difficult to repair. But in the end, it is our integrity and authenticity that shine brightest, illuminating the path forward with unwavering clarity.

Thinking about everything I went through in the hands of Nora made me very angry. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I did not pay attention to where I was going until my chest collided with somebody’s face. Her strawberry scents filled my nostrils, when she raised her face, I saw the most beautiful woman I’ve seen in my whole life.

"Watch where you're going, clumsy,” I snapped at her, still thinking about Nora.

“I-I'm so sorry," she stammered looking very scared.

My lips twisted into a sneer, and a rush of anger rose within her.

"Sorry doesn't undo the fact that you nearly knocked me over," I retorted, my tone dripping with condescension.

Her jaw clenched, her patience wearing thin. "Maybe if you weren't blocking the entire walkway, this wouldn't have happened," she shot back, her voice laced with irritation.

My eyes narrowed, a flicker of annoyance crossing my features. "Typical," I muttered under my breath. "No manners whatsoever."

Her temper flared, "Excuse me?" She exclaimed, her voice rising with indignation. "I said I was sorry, but I don't appreciate being spoken to like that."

I sneered, my gaze icy. "Well, maybe if you paid more attention to where you were going, we wouldn't be having this conversation," I shot back, my tone laced with disdain.

How dare her talk to me like that? She has so much guts. No woman has ever stood up to me like that before, not even Nora. Does she even know who I am?

Before she could respond, I turned and walked away. As I was walking away, frustration gnawed at me, mingled with disbelief at her audacity. Who did she think she was, running her mouth at me like that? My mind spun with questions, but before I could process them, she was already upon me.

A gentle push from her and suddenly I was stumbling, bringing another man crashing down with me. The shock of the unexpected fall was nothing compared to the bewildering sensation of his lips on mine. Confusion flooded my mind. Was this some kind of joke? Was she trying to humiliate me?

The click of cameras and the flash of lights only added to the chaos. I felt exposed, vulnerable, as if my private life had been laid bare for all to see. Anger surged within me, directed not only at her but at the prying eyes and wagging tongues around us.

Pushing the other man away, I tried to regain my composure, but the damage was done. People gossiped and speculated, their words piercing through the clamor of the crowd. I could feel their judgmental stares boring into me, accusing me of things I hadn't even begun to comprehend.

As she stammered out an apology, I could barely contain my fury. How dare she intrude upon my life like this? My glare could have cut through steel as I stormed away, leaving her standing there, her words trailing off into the cacophony of the terminal.

“I…I…I….am…very…”, she stammered before she could finish, I stormed off.

But even as I retreated, a lingering sense of unease nagged at me. What had just happened? And why did I feel so shaken by it? Shoving aside the questions swirling in my mind, I forced myself to focus on the task at hand, pushing through the throng of onlookers as I made my way towards the exit, eager to put the whole humiliating ordeal behind me.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, it was a reminder of the meeting I had in office. Zack Enterprise, the biggest tech company in New York. We are recruiting new members of staff today, more reason I have to be there.

I got outside the airport and I saw my escorts already waiting for me. I instructed the driver to take me to the nearest restaurant to grab something to eat before proceeding to work.

When I got to my office, I saw the same lady from the airport. To make things interesting, she’s here for an interview. I’ll gladly employ her and make her life a living hell for having the guts to talk back at me and humiliating me.