Chapter 5

LEENA'S POV

"Kara!" I yelled out angrily. With a sudden jerk, Kara jumped off him really quickly.

I could see the look of disappointment lace Zack's eyes. He got up and tucked his tool back into his boxers.

The room seemed to spin around me. 

I couldn't speak, couldn't breathe. My mind raced, trying to process the betrayal, the cruelty of his actions. How could he have done such a thing? How could he so callously discard me, like I was nothing more than a defective object?

How could he have tossed aside our friendship as if twenty five years meant nothing to him?

My heart squeezed and twisted within my chest. The look on his face was that of non- chalance. He pulled out a smoke and continued to blow the fumes of his intoxicating cigarette into the air where I stood.

I stood there, frozen in pain, and unable to speak any further.

The room seemed to darken like the lights had been extinguished, leaving only the harsh glare of Zack's betrayal. I felt like I was drowning, suffocating under the weight of their actions. Their moans taunting me loudly.

How could he?

"How could you, Zack? How could you disrespect me like this?!" I yelled at him.

 He turned to me with a menacing glare. His eyes seemed to dance with laughter and humour at my hurt. His smirk mocked me for the scene I had just witnessed before me.

He puffed out another cloud of smoke.

"You deserve every bit of pain that you are feeling right now. And I assure you that you are yet to see the worse of me.

His words struck me like a thousand knives to my soul. The bone deep pain I felt did not match to whatever it was I was going ti face for the rest of this marriage.

My world was collapsing around me, and I didn't know how to stop it. I felt like I was losing everything I thought I had. 

The love, the trust, the future I had envisioned - all of it was slipping away from me like sand between my fingers.

Zack got off the bed and put on his jean trousers. Still holding the cigarette in between his teeth.

"I'm sorry, Leena." Kara whispered. Although her words said one thing, her eyes denied her the authenticity of those words.

"How dare you!" I yelled out at her.

"Don't you dare raise your voice at her!" He yelled back at me.

He stood in front of me with smoke sizzling in the air between us. I pulled back my hand to slap him, but he caught my wrist in a vice-like grip.

"Don't you even think about it." He muttered through the cigarette in his mouth. The smoke which wafted out of the cigarette butt filled my lungs, making me cough and choke.

He tossed my hand aside as though it was filth, and then he wiped his hand on his trouser.

"You do not deserve to be happy at all, and I will make sure that you experience what I felt the moment you accepted that proposal!" He yelled at me.

I held onto my chest, as my breathing became shortened.  I struggled to breathe in air but everything seemed blocked.

"Why?" I managed to croak out as I heaved and let out wheezing sound. 

"Because I loathe you! I loathe you, Leena. I despise the sight of you! You stole from me! I had a life! A fiancee, a woman that I loved and what did you do?? You agreed to this stupid Marriage inspite of my plea. I pleaded with you Leena!" He yelled at me.

"How... How..." I struggled to speak.

My lungs were giving up, and I did not know when or how, but everything went black, and I immediately lost consciousness.

Zack's words played around my head as I came back to consciousness. His words tumbled about in my head on replay.

I opened my eyes to white lights shining all around me. I had no idea what had happened. I only remembered trying to speak to Zack.

The door opened and Karina walked in.

"Hey, you're awake." She said and pulled me into a tight hug.

I allowed her cradle me in her arms. "How are you feeling?" She asked me.

My head felt light and my breathing had returned.

"I have warned Zack about smoking severally but he does not listen. I mean he knows you are asthmatic for heaven's sakes!"  She exclaimed to me.

"It is fine. Alot happened and..." The door to my room opened and Zack walked in.

The colour had drained from his face and his dark brown hair was scattered across his forehead.

He looked like he had not slept through the night. If I did not know any better, I would have mistaken the look on his face for remorse.

But I knew better. I shook my head at him and turned away without a second thought.

"Can I... Can I talk to Leena alone for a few minutes, Karina?" His hoarse voice asked.

"Sure, I will let you talk to YOUR WIFE! But you better not do anything stupid, Zack." Karina warned him and walked out of the room.

I steeled myself as he sat beside me. I made sure to block out whatever emotions I had once harbored for him. He was nothing to me now. The level of disrespect had doubled up, sonny h that he had even tried to kill me, despite knowing about my allergies.

"Leena, I'm sorry. I completely forgot about your health issues. I..." He stuttered.

I scoffed and shook my head at him. He forgot about my health issues?

"Just leave me alone, Zack. Please." I said in a low whisper.

My face was turned towards the wall, and tiny tear drops slipped down the sides of my eyes as I spoke. He reached out to touch me and I felt suddenly burnt, that I immediately withdrew my hand from under his touch.

All of a sudden, we started hearing shouts in the hall way. I turned my gaze to the door, in complete confusion. The door pushed open violently, and a handsome, tall, wealthy looking man walked into the room.

"Sir! You can't go in there!" The nurse yelled out.

"Enough! She's my wife!" He yelled out in a deep, guttural voice.