Day For Drama

CHAPTER 13

ZYLIAH'S POV

The moment his lips touched mine, my brain snapped back into control, and I hit him so hard across the face and pushed him away from me.

Anger propelled me further, to hit him again. I was so mad at myself for ever letting him get that close, close enough to even touch his lips to mine.

Julia gasped from behind. Fynn looked embarrassed, almost angry, but somehow, he held himself back.

"How dare you try to kiss me?!" I raged.

"I'm sorry. I must've misread the signs. Just give me an opportunity to make things right."

"That is never happening! Now leave me the hell alone!" I turned away from him, took a deep breath to get my anger under control.

Julia was giving me wary looks, there was also curiosity too. She wanted to understand why I was so harsh on Fynn, but that wasn't her problem to worry about.

Fynn wasn't even my damn problem.

"Can we go on with the tour, please?" I asked Julia, a disarming smile plastered across my face to ease her wariness.

"Alright, this way, ma'am." Julia turned and led the way up a short flight of cobblestone stairs.

"I'm not giving up, Zyliah. I'm going to keep trying until you finally forgive me," Fynn called out after me.

I didn't even bother turning, just kept following Julia, my smirk inward. Pathetic!

If he wanted to keep humiliating himself, that was his choice.

My phone rang just as we were about to step up onto the porch.

Delia. My brows furrowed. Was all well with her? Or worse, was it the boys?

"Hello, Delia. Is everything okay?" I wasted no time asking.

"Natasha said she's been trying to reach you to no avail," she explained.

It wasn't her or the kids. Thank goodness. But then, why was Natasha trying to reach me? "Is everything alright with her?"

"She's in trouble. Said she's at the station," Delia revealed.

"Gas station?"

Delia chuckled. "Funny, Zee. She's in a cell."

My concerns skyrocketed. "What? What happened?"

"Something about her boyfriend and his boss. I would've loved to go see what the problem is, but you know I'm yet to fully recover. Can you go see her?"

"Right away." Delia and Natasha were too important to me.

They were a huge part of the reason I was who I was today - a mother and businesswoman. Their problems were automatically mine as well.

"Please keep me updated," she said.

"I sure will. How are the boys? Hope they aren't giving you too much trouble?" I could hear noises in the background, and I knew it had to be them.

"The boys are having fun. No, not at all. You did a good job raising them, Zee. They're going to grow into boys who'll make someone's daughters feel loved and lucky."

A smile appeared on my face. "At your beck and call, right?"

"They don't even wait for me to call them," she said, laughing.

I heard their voices calling Aunt Delia, asking if she needed anything. My heart swelled at how caring and wonderful they were to her, always placing her needs as priorities.

"No, my darlings. I'm good. I still have the cookies and juice," Delia replied to them.

I heard them say 'okay' and go on to tell her to call on them if she needed anything. Delia promised to.

"Have fun." I chuckled.

"I already am. Oh, Nat's buzzing me again. Please go see what's happening," she said, sounding a bit worried.

I was worried as well. "I'll keep you posted. Take care and give kisses to the boys for me."

She promised to, bade me goodbye, reminded me, yet again, to update her on whatever was going on with our friend. I agreed and hung up.

Facing Julia with an apologetic smile, I told her I wouldn't be able to continue the tour today, as I had somewhere else to be.

She didn't seem offended or annoyed. "I hope your friend is okay. We'll do this some other time."

"Thank you so much for understanding." I hurried down the cobblestone stairs, crossed the street, and got into my car.

Fynn and the guy I'd seen him with were nowhere in sight.

"Text me when you'll be free to house hunt," Julia said, waving as she got into her car.

"I will." I waved back, started the engine, and drove off, already trying to call Natasha.

It was hard to reach her. But I didn't stop trying as I continued my way to the police station. Finally, it went through and I breathed my relief.

"Hey Nat, what's happening?"

"It's Jordan," she replied, her tone distracted and worried.

Jordan was her boyfriend. He was a busy person, so Delia and me had never really got to see that much of him. Maybe once or twice... at most, three times.

Natasha lived with him. They'd been dating for years now.

"Why? What happened?"

"Where are you?" she asked instead.

"I'm on my way to the station," I said.

"Please come fast, please. I need your help. Please." Of us three, Natasha had always been the strongest.

Rarely was she fazed by anything. I'd known her way long before I met Delia, who clicked instantly with Natasha, and the three of us became best friends.

Unlike me and Delia, Natasha wasn't from a wealthy family. She'd had to struggle her way through schoo,l and life in general. Jordan had been a big help as well, according to Natasha, the day she finally told us why she loved him enough to want to spend her life with him.

My heart went out to her. "I'll do everything I can to make sure this all goes away, okay? Hang on, girl, I'm coming."

"Okay." A sniffle.

"You're not alone." I ended the call, almost on the verge of tears myself.

Natasha never cried and if she did, then this must be serious.

Stepping on it, I drove with every sense of urgency and a need for emergency.

Soon, I reached the station. I saw her standing outside. The moment she spotted me coming out of my car, she ran over, her eyes were swollen-an indication she'd been crying.

I pulled her into a hug. "Everything will be fine."

She shook her head. "It's not that easy, Zee."

A deep frown creased my forehead. "Why? What did Jordan do? What crime did he commit?"

"He stole from his boss, but it was only because he needed the money. I know it's wrong and...but you can help, right? You'll help him."

Uncertainty and nerves hit me. "Was he caught? Is there evidence enough to prosecute him?"

"Yes. Everything trails back to him."

My heart sank to my stomach. "How... how can I help? If there's evidence he did it, it'll be hard to convince a jury or even buy out the presiding judge."

"That's why I need you." She held both my hands, eyes filling with tears.

"What can I do?"

"Talk to the boss's son." Her eyes, shimmering with unshed tears and pleading, touched my conscience.

"I don't even know who the boss or his son is." My forehead creased in befuddlement.

"You know him. He...he's..."

Her hesitance was unnerving me. "You have to say something, Natasha."

"He's your ex. Fynn Delson."