All Chapters of Scars of Love,Flames of Betrayal: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Chapter 21Zara's POVTwo days. Two entire days without a single word from Josh. No calls, no texts, no surprise visits. Nothing but deafening silence that grew louder with each passing hour.I sat curled up on Green's couch, staring at my phone for the hundredth time, willing it to buzz with his name. But the screen remained dark and mocking."He doesn't love me anymore," I whispered to Green, who was folding laundry nearby. "I pushed him away that day, and now he's done with me.""Zara, honey, that's not true." Green sat down beside me, her voice gentle but firm. "Josh is crazy about you. Anyone with eyes can see that.""Then where is he? Why won't he talk to me?" My voice cracked. "I've never seen him act like that before. So cold, so distant. Like I was bothering him just by existing.""Maybe he really was just sick. You said he seemed off.""He rejected me, Green. Josh has never, ever turned me down before. Not once." Tears started flowing freely now. "And the way he looked at me

Chapter 23Josh's POV"Zara, wait!" I shouted, chasing after her down the hallway. My heart was pounding as I watched her running away from me, her hand pressed to her mouth like she was about to be sick.I caught up with her just as she reached her car in the parking garage, my breath coming in sharp gasps."Zara, please, let me explain," I said, reaching for her arm. "It's not what it looked like."She spun around to face me, and the look in her eyes nearly brought me to my knees. Pure betrayal, devastation, and something worse—disappointment."Don't," she said, her voice shaking. "Don't you dare try to explain this away with more lies.""I'm not lying. Zara, I swear to you—""This is what you've been hiding from me, isn't it?" Tears were streaming down her face. "All those mysterious meetings, the phone calls you couldn't tell me about, the way you've been pulling away from me. You've been cheating on me with her.""No! Zara, that's not—""With Katy, of all people! The woman who de

Chapter 25Josh's POVMy vision slowly cleared, and the throbbing pain in my head reminded me exactly where I was and what had just happened. The bar around me was buzzing with concerned voices, but all I could focus on was the empty space where Katy had been standing moments before."My phone," I mumbled, trying to sit up straighter. "She took my phone.""Josh!" Marcus's voice cut through the fog in my brain. "Stay still, man. You're bleeding."I blinked hard, trying to focus. "Where is she? Where's Katy?""Don't worry about her right now. Let me see your head."But I was already struggling to my feet, ignoring the way the room spun around me. "Marcus, she has all the evidence. If she destroys that phone—""She's not destroying anything," Marcus said firmly, steadying me with his arm. "Trust me."Through the bar's front window, I could see a commotion in the parking lot. Marcus followed my gaze and smiled grimly."I saw her grab your phone and run," he said. "But I was faster."Outsi

Chapter 27Zara's POVThe next morning, I woke up with a smile on my face for the first time in what felt like forever. Our date was tonight at 6 PM, and I couldn't contain my excitement."Someone's glowing this morning," Green said, watching me practically float around the kitchen."I can't help it. I'm just so happy." I rubbed my small baby bump affectionately. "We're happy, aren't we, little one?""You're talking to your stomach now?" Green laughed. "Girl, you've got it bad.""I do. And I don't care who knows it."I decided to make breakfast for both of us—something I hadn't done in months. Green watched in amazement as I pulled out eggs, bacon, and pancake mix."Wait, you're cooking? For me?" Green placed a dramatic hand over her heart. "Who are you and what have you done with my roommate?""Oh, stop it," I said, laughing. "I just feel like celebrating.""Celebrating what? Your date isn't until tonight.""Celebrating life. Love. Second chances." I flipped a pancake with more enthu

Chapter 29Zara's POVI paced Josh's office like a caged animal, my mind racing with possibilities. What could Robert possibly want? Why was he here, applying for a job at Josh's company of all places? The coincidence felt too calculated, too deliberate.The door finally opened, and Josh walked in, his expression carefully neutral. That alone made my stomach drop."Josh? What happened? What did he want?""Sit down, Zara. Please.""I don't want to sit down. I want you to tell me what's going on."Josh ran his hands through his hair, a gesture I'd come to recognize as his nervous tell. "I need to tell you something, and I need you to hear me out before you react. Can you do that for me?"My heart started pounding. "You're scaring me. Just tell me.""Robert is going to be working here. At the company."The words hung in the air like a bomb waiting to explode. I stared at Josh, certain I'd misheard him."What did you just say?""Zara, please sit down—""Don't tell me to sit down! Did you