CHAPTER 5

"You knew? All this time, I blamed myself in guilt. I felt dirty and unclean, thinking I deserved your torture. I actually hypnotized myself into believing that the pain you caused me was right, that it was the best thing for me," Zendaya said, her voice filled with hurt and anger.

"Marceaux, how could you hide this from me? You should have known that it would destroy our marriage, our life, everything we planned went down the drain," she exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, look at me, Zen. I am really, really sorry. I had hoped you would never find out, especially not like this. Besides, this might not be real. It could be a scheme to destroy your friendship with her. I...," Marceaux trailed off, his voice choked with remorse.

"It's your fault, Marceaux. And it's your fault because you didn't tell me the moment you found out. And all you could think of was planning a stupid romantic dinner!" Zendaya yelled, her voice breaking with frustration. "I'm pretty sure you're half of the reason we never got married," she added bitterly.

"You're blaming me? Zendaya, you're the one who didn't trust me enough to tell me what had happened before our marriage. What was our love built on, Zen? It's trust and loyalty. Not once did you even think of the fact that you hurt me, not by running away, but by not trusting the man you claimed to love and wanted to spend the rest of your life with," Marceaux yelled back in anger. Suddenly, Zendaya became quiet.

"I didn't tell you because I thought it could destroy your love and friendship for Lexi. Besides, I just found out, and I'm still investigating it. It might not be real, Zen. It might be a setup. Lexi can't harm you," Marceaux said, moving closer and hugging Zendaya as she cried silently.

Through choked sobs, she managed to say, "How could she do this to me? She treated me like a fool, toyed with my emotions and intelligence for over five years. She even acted like a sister and visited me when I was lost. Why, Marceaux? How can she do this to me?" 

Marceaux looked at her confusedly. "Wait, hold on! What do you mean when you say you lost something?" he asked, trying to make sense of her words.

"Nothing, Marc. It's just that she was always there when I felt lost and wanted to give up on life. It's hard to suddenly hear that the one who helped you in your worst times was actually the one who made you feel dead," Zendaya explained.

"Zendaya, all you had to do was tell me what happened, and all these wrongful and hurtful feelings you had should never have happened. You didn't deserve any of it, and it's my fault for not trying harder to look for you when you left. If only I had tried harder," Marceaux replied, taking a deep breath. He gently kissed her and moved closer to the bed.

"You need to calm down, Zen. Don't worry, we'll find out what's wrong and why it all happened. And the person responsible for all this will pay dearly," he assured her. "Right now, you need a good rest."

He helped her into bed and covered her before silently leaving the room.

Meanwhile, Lexi, who had just finished showering, heard a notification sound from her phone. She walked over to her table and picked it up, excitedly thinking it was a message from Zendaya. However, her smile vanished as she read the text.

"How could you, bitch? Why did you hurt me like this? I trusted you, I loved you, but you betrayed me. You harmed me, and you pretended to be by my side for years. You have some serious explaining to do, Miss Lexi," the text read.

As Lexi's phone slipped from her hands, she couldn't believe what she had just read. Zendaya had discovered her lies and deceit, and now everything was falling apart. She had thought she was so clever, manipulating Zendaya's emotions and playing her like a fool for all those years. She never expected her web of lies to unravel like this.

Sitting alone in her room, Lexi pondered on how it had all gone so wrong. It had started with a small lie, just a little white one to cover up a mistake. But it had spiraled out of control until she was living a completely different life.

As regret washed over her, Lexi knew that she was solely responsible for this mess. She had created it, and now she had to face the consequences. Unsure of what would happen next, she could only wait and see if Zendaya would ever forgive her and if she could salvage any of the relationships she had destroyed.

While Zendaya finished sending her messages, shedding tears as she did, she asked herself if she could ever trust again.After Zendaya finished sending her text messages, shedding tears as she did, she asked herself if she could ever continue to stay mad at Lexi and even forgive her. After all, they had grown up together. She lay silently on the bed as tears slid down her cheeks.

"What did I ever do to you, Lexi? What happened to all the love and everlasting friendship we promised each other? Why did you have to be the one to break them? Why did you have to ruin my marriage and my life, and then try to make it right by forcing me to come back?" Zendaya whispered to herself. She couldn't understand why Lexi would betray her. It seemed out of character for her. Something felt off.

Suddenly, Zendaya reached for her phone and quickly dialed Marceaux's number. She needed to talk to him, to share her suspicions and find out the truth.Hello Zendaya, what is the matter? Did something happen?" he said, sounding somewhat worried.

"Hey Marc, I just had some thinking to do and suddenly felt that Lexi might be pressured or forced into doing this because she's never the kind to do such," Zendaya explained, her voice filled with concern. "So why don't we start investigating from five years ago before our marriage? Let's find out who Lexi met with and who visited her during that time."

Marc's tone grew serious as he responded, "Okay Zen, please try to get enough rest before I come. We'll figure this out together. Just hold on, okay?"

Zendaya took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly, "Okay, bye."

As she hung up the phone, her mind raced with possibilities. "So, if Lexi was the one who took me to the room, then she had always known it was Dickson who raped me from the start," she thought out loud. "And she might have been working with him ever since."

With renewed determination, Zendaya prepared herself for the upcoming investigation, hoping to uncover the truth behind the betrayal and deceit that had plagued her for years.As Zendaya delved deeper into the clues and evidence, she found herself torn between forgiveness and revenge. The more she unraveled the secrets of the past, the more she realized the extent of Lexi's involvement. It was a betrayal that cut deep into her soul, and it left her questioning everything she thought she knew about their friendship.

There were nights when forgiveness felt like the right path, as Zendaya remembered the happy moments they shared and the bond they once had. She couldn't help but wonder if Lexi had been coerced or manipulated in some way, leading her down this treacherous path. Maybe there was a chance for redemption, for healing their broken friendship.

But then, as she uncovered more damning evidence and saw the pain and suffering she had endured as a result of Lexi's betrayal, anger started to consume her. Revenge seemed like the only way to find closure, to make Lexi understand the magnitude of her actions.

It became a battle within Zendaya. Forgiveness and revenge constantly clashed, each offering their own form of solace. The decision weighed heavily on her shoulders, as she contemplated the ramifications of her choice.

In the end, only time would tell which path Zendaya would ultimately choose. Forgiveness may offer healing and the possibility of rebuilding their friendship, but revenge promised justice and a sense of closure. Whatever her decision, Zendaya knew that it would shape not only her own future but also the fate of their once-unbreakable bond.