Chapter 3

“Dante, please stop,” Zara begged, her voice breaking as she watched her entire future burn before her eyes. “Please… stop.”

She rushed forward, trying to grab the remaining papers before the flames could consume them but Dante shoved her hard. She fell to the ground, pain shooting through her body.

When she looked up, they were laughing.

All of them.

Something inside Zara snapped.

“Please, stop!” she cried, her voice shaking with rage and despair. “What did I ever do to deserve this? What have I done to you?”

She pushed herself up, her eyes blazing. “I am filing for a divorce. I will survive without you.”

The sudden outburst stunned them into silence.

Before anyone could respond, small footsteps echoed through the room.

“Mommy!”

Lilly came running and wrapped her arms tightly around Zara.

But before Zara could hold her, Dante bent down and lifted Lilly into his arms.

“Lilly,” he said gently, his voice suddenly warm, “do you want to go to the park with Daddy tomorrow ?”

Lilly froze, surprised. She had never heard such softness from him. Slowly, her face lit up.

“Yes, Daddy,” she said happily.

Zara’s heart clenched. She knew exactly what he was doing.

“And by the way,” Dante added casually, “your mum wants to leave us and go away.”

Lilly’s smile faded. “Why?”

Her grandmother leaned forward with a cruel smile. “Because she doesn’t love us anymore.”

Zara let out a bitter, pained smirk.

Are they really manipulating a child now? she thought.

Her hands trembled not with fear anymore, but with fury

Dante looked down at Lilly and added softly, “Do you want to leave your daddy?”

She shook her head quickly. “No.”

“Then don’t let it happen,” he said gently, smiling. “Remember, tomorrow we have a playdate.”

“Yay!” Lilly cheered, jumping up and down despite her weakness.

Zara froze. She had never seen her daughter this happy . “That’s enough, Lilly.” Zara said softly 

“Mommy,” Lilly pleaded, her eyes filling with fear. “Please don’t take me away from Daddy. I want to stay with Daddy.”

Zara’s chest tightened. “We are not going anywhere,” she said firmly.

“Yes!” Lilly smiled again.

At that moment, Zara felt the weight of it all. Filing for divorce would make her look selfish in her daughter’s eyes. Yet she knew the truth every ounce of affection Dante showed was fake, carefully staged.

“Lilly, go upstairs first,” Dante said calmly. “I need to talk to your mother.”

Obediently, Lilly ran off.

The moment she disappeared, Dante’s face darkened. His voice dropped into a deadly whisper.

“If you ever mention divorce again,” he said, “I will kill you with my own hands.”

Zara swallowed hard, fear clawing at her throat.

“Think about lunch,” her sister-in-law added casually. “My boyfriend is coming.”

They all walked away, laughing, leaving Zara alone in the dining room like nothing had happened.

She stared at the ashes scattered on the floor the remains of her dreams, her hard work, her future.

A faint, painful smile crossed her lips as she swept them away.

“I am only being strong for you, Lilly,” she whispered, her voice cold, exhausted, and unbreakable.

Back in Dante’s room, 

He  sat with his mother in tense silence.

“I told you this day would come,” she said coldly. “But you didn’t listen to me, did you?”

Dante ran a hand through his hair. “I thought she was weak,” he muttered. “But if she files for divorce… trust me, Mum, you’ll have to share property with her.”

His mother’s eyes hardened.

“Don’t even mention sharing,” Dante continued bitterly. “Even the small allowance I give her pains me. A large settlement?” He shook his head sharply. “No, Mum. Never.”

A slow, calculating smile spread across her face. “Then we proceed with the plan I told you.”

Dante stiffened. Fear flickered across his face.

“You know what that plan means,” she said quietly.

He swallowed, then nodded.

“We’ll make it look like an accident,” she went on smoothly. “No one will suspect a thing. By the time the truth surfaces if it ever does she’ll already be gone.”

Dante nodded again, his hands trembling slightly.

His mother leaned back, satisfied. “That’s better,” she said calmly.

Outside the room, the house remained silent unaware that a life had just been sentenced.

Back in the kitchen, Zara had finished preparing the table and was wiping her hands when Ann came running toward a young man, throwing her arms around him.

“Thanks for coming!” she exclaimed.

The man smiled warmly, returning the embrace.

Her mother stepped closer. “Mum, this is Henry,” Ann said, introducing him. “My boyfriend.”

Henry extended his hand politely. “Nice to meet you,” he said warmly.

“And Henry, this is Margret my mother,” Ann added.

They all exchanged smiles, and Zara lingered in the kitchen, keeping her distance and trying not to draw attention.

“Go to the dining table,” Margret directed, and Ann, hand in hand with Henry, followed.

Moments later, Zara was called to bring more soup. She sighed, dried her hands, and carried the pot toward the table. As she reached to serve Henry’s plate, she felt his hand brush hers deliberately. She pulled back slightly, telling herself it must have been a mistake. No one else seemed to notice.

Once she returned to the kitchen, she heard Henry ask, “Who is that?”

“Oh,” Ann said casually, “that’s my brother’s wife. But it’s like they’re no longer married, so don’t mind her.”

Still, Henry’s gaze lingered on Zara. Even from the kitchen, he couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her.

Henry was going to stay the night, so he was given a tour of the house, Ann showing him all the rooms. When she mentioned that Zara stayed alone in her room, he smirked.

Zara was exhausted. The day had drained her physically and emotionally, and all she wanted was rest.

A knock at the door startled her. When she opened it, she saw Henry standing there.

“I’m sorry to bother you at this hour,” he said smoothly. “Ann is asleep, but I needed something and didn’t want to wake her. I thought you might be up.”

Zara felt a chill run down her spine. Something about the way he looked made her uneasy. She hesitated, feeling trapped and unsure.

Henry stepped closer, his smirk widening. “You know,” he said, “it must be lonely staying here all alone. It can’t be easy.”

Panic tightened in her chest. She knew she had to stay calm, think quickly, and find a way to get him out before things escalated.