All Chapters of Behind The Mask : Chapter 1 - Chapter 4

Zara's POV Beep. Straight to voicemail again. I stared at my screen, my thumb hovering, heart heavy. For weeks now, I’d been trying to reach Cassian, my boyfriend. My everything... or so I thought.If he were hurt, I’d understand. If he were dead, I’d know. But he was alive and active, liking photos, posting cryptic quotes, showing off those cars and expensive wristwatches on social media. So he ghosted me? A lump formed in my throat. I swallowed it down and tossed the phone into my bag. The subway ride to work blurred by, the usual screeching rails and stale air doing nothing to shake the growing unease clawing at my chest.As I stepped into daylight, my feet fell into their routine rhythm, the ten-minute walk to my restaurant. The only place I own, and I'm determined to grow it into an empire.Ahead, a blur of yellow vests and dust clouds choked the morning air, my footsteps slowed, and my breath hitched. The street smelled of cement and ruin, they were demolishing my restaurant.

Zara’s POV I didn’t know if I was dead or just dreaming, but I saw a memory of Cassian and I. Three months ago at my apartment with a movie playing on the screen. A love scene flickered. “She’ll still cheat on him,” Cassian muttered.I turned to him. “Wait… have you seen this movie before?”“No,” he scoffed. “But that’s what women do. Good thing I don’t have a girlfriend.”The air shifted. I sat up, my heart tightening. “Then why are you here? What is this… what are we doing?”He blinked. “I didn’t mean it like that,” he said quickly. “You know I’ve said we should just get married, but you keep saying no.”I folded my arms. “Because I have goals, Cassian. I’m building something. I want emotional and financial stability before I even think about marriage or kids.”He leaned closer. “But I’m stable. I can take care of us.”I rolled my eyes. “God forbid a woman wants her own stability.”“I get it,” he said softly. “That’s why I want to invest in your restaurant, maybe once it's doing b