002

Zina's POV 

Tonight was supposed to be the happiest night of my life. Now, my uncle's gun was pointed at Tyson’s head, and I couldn’t let him pull the trigger.

“Sign the papers, Zina,” Luther said, his voice as sharp and unyielding as the weapon in his hand. “Or your husband dies.”

Tyson’s lip was bleeding, his shirt torn from the scuffle with the enforcers who now held him pinned against the wall. Still, his eyes burned with defiance as he looked at me. “Zee... don’t do this,” he said, his voice hoarse but steady. Hearing my pet name from him almost broke me.

Ethan, my cousin, stood nearby, arms crossed and a smug grin plastered across his face. “Come on, Zee,” he said mockingly. “Be reasonable. The poor guy doesn’t deserve to die for your bad decisions.”

The divorce papers were thrust into my hands, the weight of them heavier than I could bear. My hands trembled as I looked down at the bold black letters spelling out the end of my marriage. My heart raced, each beat a painful reminder of what was at stake.

I glanced at Tyson again, his dark eyes pleading with me. His face was battered, but his spirit wasn’t broken. “Don’t let them win,” he said softly, his voice cracking.

But what choice did I have?

Luther’s grip on the gun tightened. “Tick tock, Zina,” he warned. “Five seconds, or I pull the trigger.”

I blinked back the tears threatening to spill, trying to think. The divorce papers. There had to be a way. That’s when I noticed the small blank space at the bottom of the page, just enough room to leave a message.

My hand shook as I picked up the pen, pretending to comply. I leaned over the paper, shielding my movements from Luther and Ethan. My heart hammered as I wrote in tiny, hurried letters:

"Tyson, I hope you’ll understand. If I don’t sign this, my uncle will kill you. Your life is more important than any legal agreement. Your wife, Zee."

I scribbled my name below the message and straightened up, clutching the paper tightly. “I signed it,” I said, my voice barely audible.

“Good girl,” Luther said, snatching the papers from my hands. He folded them neatly and tucked them into his coat pocket, his gun still aimed at Tyson.

But I wasn’t done. Not yet.

“Tyson,” I said, forcing steel into my voice. “My uncle is right. I signed the papers, and so should you. This marriage was a mistake.”

His brows furrowed, his lip trembling as he stared at me. “Zee... what are you saying? Don’t let them do this to us. Please.”

I felt the tears brimming in my eyes, but I blinked them away. “How could you ever think I’d stay married to someone like you? A broke man with nothing to offer me? You’re nothing to me, Tyson. Nothing.”

The words tasted like poison in my mouth. I wanted to take them back the moment they left my lips, but I couldn’t. Not with Luther and Ethan watching my every move.

Tyson’s face twisted in pain, his shoulders slumping as if I’d struck him. “You don’t mean that,” he whispered.

“I do,” I lied, my voice cold and unrecognizable even to myself.

“Fuck you, Zina!” he shouted, his voice raw with anger and heartbreak. He grabbed the pen from Ethan’s hand, scrawling his name across the paper in harsh, jagged strokes. Then he threw it at me, the pages fluttering to the floor. “Take it and get out!”

Luther smirked, clearly pleased, and reached for my arm. “Time to go, Zina. We’ve got bigger plans for you.”

“Wait,” I said, pulling back. “Let me say goodbye.”

He hesitated, narrowing his eyes. “Make it quick,” he said, lowering the gun slightly.

I turned to Tyson, my heart breaking as I saw the tears welling in his eyes. I wanted to throw myself into his arms, to tell him this wasn’t real, that I didn’t mean any of it. Instead, I wrapped my arms around him, pressing myself close as if I was saying a final goodbye.

“I slipped a note in your pocket,” I whispered quickly, my lips brushing his ear. “Read it when they’re gone. I love you, Tyson. More than anything. Don’t give up on me.”

He stiffened at first, his body rigid against mine, but then his arms came up, holding me tightly for a brief moment. “Zee...”

“Enough whispering!” Ethan snapped, stepping forward.

I pulled back, my heart shattering as I saw the betrayal in Tyson’s eyes. I couldn’t let him see my own pain.

“Let’s go,” I said coldly, turning to Luther.

Luther didn’t wait. His grip on my arm was like iron as he dragged me toward the door. I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. If I did, I’d break completely.

As the door slammed shut behind us, I prayed Tyson would find my note and understand. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

“I promise you Tyson, I'll come back for you. Please wait for me!!”