All Chapters of Echoes Of A Shattered Heart: Chapter 31 - Chapter 35

Zina's POVThe knock on the door was sharp and insistent, cutting through the quiet of the night. My chest tightened as I glanced at the clock. Midnight. No one came by this late, especially not unannounced. The heavy silence in the house suddenly felt suffocating.Hesitant, I moved toward the door, each step weighed down by an inexplicable sense of dread. When I opened it, my breath caught. Xaden stood there, his tall frame illuminated by the dim porch light. His face was a storm of fury, his eyes blazing with anger."What are you doing here?" I asked, gripping the door tightly to steady myself."You didn't think I'd find you, did you?" His voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade."I don't know what you're talking about," I said quickly, trying to shut the door, but he shoved it open and stepped inside."You don't get to shut me out, Zina," he growled, his voice rising. "Not this time."I glared at him, my heart pounding. "You can't just barge into my life like this. Yo

POV: JaredIt was a quiet morning in the office, the kind where everything felt routine. The hum of my computer filled the room as I worked through an endless string of emails. I liked mornings like this—structured, predictable. But the peace shattered in an instant.The door to my office slammed open so hard it hit the wall. I looked up, startled, as Xaden stormed in like a man on fire. His face was twisted with fury, his eyes sharp and blazing."Jared!" he snapped, his voice loud enough to carry through the entire floor.My assistant, Sarah, appeared behind him, looking flustered and apologetic. "I tried to stop him, Mr. Jared, but he—""It's fine," I interrupted, holding up a hand. "Close the door, Sarah. I'll handle this."She hesitated for a moment, clearly unsure if she should leave me alone with him. I gave her a reassuring nod, and she finally backed out, shutting the door softly behind her.Xaden wasted no time. He strode over to my desk, his movements stiff with anger. He pl

POV: ZinaThe kitchen felt quieter than it had moments ago, though the silence was far from comforting. My gaze lingered on the closed door, the echo of Trina's heels against the floor replaying in my mind like a haunting melody. I should have felt victorious—watching her crumble under the weight of my words should've been satisfying. But as I stood there, the adrenaline ebbed, replaced by a hollow exhaustion that pressed on my chest.I sank into the nearest chair, rubbing my temples. The fight had drained me more than I cared to admit.From the corner of my eye, I caught the tea kettle on the stove. The sight of it brought a sliver of comfort, so I busied myself making tea. As the water boiled, the steam curling upward, my thoughts wandered to a time long before Trina and her perfectly curated chaos.---Xaden's laughter echoed through the kitchen, rich and unrestrained. I had been trying to teach him how to make pancakes, and his clumsy attempts had resulted in batter smeared across