Humiliation

CHAPTER 7

ZYLIAH'S POV

"You didn't have to make me come out, Delia." I drew my hoodie tighter around my face, tugging the baseball cap lower over my eyes.

It had been three weeks since I'd moved in with Delia. Three weeks of being indoors and crying myself to sleep. 

Natasha visited as often as she could to join Delia in cheering me up, which was more often than not a futile endeavor. 

They would console me until they gave up and let me cry myself to sleep. Sometimes, I'd drink myself into a stupor to keep from thinking about everything. Delia now hid her bottles of alcohol from me. 

Today, she had dragged me out of bed, dumped me in the bathroom, forced me to shower, and put on some presentable clothes.

Now I was reluctantly following her to a shopping mall.

"You need to leave the house, Zee, even if it's for an hour or two. You need the fresh air. You're so pale and sickly, it's worrying me."

"I am fine, Delia. Let's just go back home," I said in a low, depressed tone.

"No. Shopping is therapeutic," she said firmly.

"I don't want anything," I muttered.

"Fine, then you enjoy the view while I shop. Either way, Zee, you're taking a break from all of the struggles you're going through," she stated firmly, wrapping a supportive hand around my wrist and pulling me inside the air-conditioned mall.

A few minutes into her shopping, I became uneasy. Though I was well disguised, I didn't feel that way at all. "Let's go, Delia. Or let me just wait inside the car for you."

"Isn't this sky blue satin skirt beautiful? Guess what, it's my design," she gushed, holding up a lovely knee-length skirt for me to see.

"I know your designs, Delia, and they are all beautiful. But let's go," I said, covertly looking around us.

"Just a second, Zee. I..." 

Her words were cut off by another customer who bumped into her, making her lose her balance and fall on me.

Before I could help her regain balance, someone jerked off my hoodie and snatched away my baseball cap.

"It's her! I knew it-it's her! It's Mr. Smith's daughter. Zyliah Smith. The one in the video!" 

Fear and apprehension gripped me as phone cameras began flashing, and people formed a small sea of onlookers.

Grabbing my cap from the floor, I quickly put it on, pulled my hoodie back on, and hastened out of there.

"What is wrong with you people?!" Delia yelled at them, but no one was paying her any attention.

Tears swam to the surface as I increased my pace to a small run. Delia was behind me. She pressed the car's remote. As soon as it clicked open, I jumped into the passenger seat and buckled myself in with trembling hands.

"I am so sorry, Zee. I had no idea. I am so sorry," she said, starting the car.

Some people ran out with their phones, hoping to get more pictures of me.

"Just go," I said tearfully. 

Neither of us said a word-silence enveloped the car until we were halfway to her place. A restaurant came into view. She glanced at me, but I noticed and merely ignored it.

I was trying to suppress the ache pulsing on both sides of my temples.

"Care for anything, Zee? I want to get us lunch," she asked, her tone a bit humbled.

I could tell she was really sorry for what had happened back in that mall, but I was in no mood to talk, so I simply shook my head.

She pulled into the restaurant parking lot and turned off the engine. "Please, Zee. If this is about the mall incident, I swear I didn't mean for it to happen. I know how this looks, and I..."

"Please go get your lunch, and let's go. I don't want to talk," I told her without looking in her direction.

Her brows furrowed sadly. She grabbed her purse and left to go get food.

I knew she had my best interests at heart, but if only she had listened to me, this wouldn't have happened. Dad was a pretty famous figure, especially with his multi-million-dollar company. That made me famous too-by default, as his daughter.

I'd avoided the public because of this, and now they'd seen me in a mall and snapped my picture. 

The fact that I'd been hiding under a hoodie and baseball cap would only make the world more certain I was guilty-now that I'd been found out.

Someone had noticed me the moment I stepped into that mall, and they had followed me just to be sure. The lady who had bumped into Delia had done it on purpose.

She was definitely the one who had recognized me. Her outburst had confirmed everything I needed to know about that unfortunate setup.

I caught my reflection in the rearview mirror and stared at the face that looked back in self-pity. My eyes were swollen and puffy.

My phone rang. It was an unknown number. I ignored it. But when it rang two more times, I finally gave in and picked up on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Zyliah." 

My heart skipped many beats. "Fynn."

"Yes, baby, it's me. How are you? I just saw your... the video. Where are you now?"

My emotions ran wild. "Why did you call?"

"I just wanted to check up on you. We aren't enemies, you know?" His tone was just as it used to be-caring and supportive.

"Is this some kind of joke, Fynn? You broke up with me. You chose Sabrina-so why are you calling me?"

"I believe you, babe. I was wrong. I truly believe you. I'm sorry I didn't before. Can we see?" His voice was pleading and persuasive.

I gulped, my confusion clear as I pulled the phone from my ear to look at the screen, like I couldn't believe who I was talking to. "You want to see me?"

"Yes, please. I'm sorry for believing Sabrina over you. Come, let's sort this out," he pleaded.

My heart thudded, and I realized, without shame, that I still felt strongly for him. And I had missed him. Tears ran down my cheeks-maybe things would begin to fall back in place with this call. "Where should I meet you?"

"You're coming?"

"Yes, of course." It was true. Despite knowing what he did to me, I still wanted him. Shameful, I knew, but I couldn't help it, especially when he was showing concern for my situation.

There was a quick shuffle in the background. "Aww. Still pining for what is no longer yours, Zyliah. Pathetic."

"S-Sabrina?" 

That was when I heard the deep, familiar chuckle. "Really pathetic, Zyliah. Why would I want anything to do with a whore? A sex object to old men." Fynn's mockery was brutal and made me want to disappear into oblivion.

"Fuck you! Both of you!" I yelled into the phone, tears pouring uncontrollably.

They only burst into more laughter. I swiped the red button, threw my phone on the dashboard, and buried my head in the folded nook of my arms, crying bitterly.

I couldn't even begin to explain the humiliation and shame I felt in that moment. I didn't raise my head, not even when Delia returned with food. 

"Please stop crying, Zee. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I never meant for it to happen," she said, her voice laced with guilt. "I promise-no more outings unless you're ready."

"Just drive me home, please." It was all I could say amidst sobs.