a reward gift

"I have to hurry! Dave has to know about this."

Zoe walked with a pounding heart towards Dave's apartment. Her hand tightly gripped the strap of the bag slung over her shoulder with the pregnancy test results and the envelope containing the doctor's examination results. The two red lines on the device made her chest overflow with happiness and nervousness all at once. Today she was going to tell Dave the good news, that they were going to be parents.

"Dave? Are you in?"

The woman rang the doorbell of Dave's apartment several times as she called out to her lover, but there was no answer. She glanced at her watch, which still showed 7 am.

"He must not have left for the office yet," she whispered.

When the door felt unlocked, Zoe snorted softly. "Habit! What if someone comes in?"

Without thinking, she decided to go in. Dave often forgot little things like locking the door, so Zoe didn't think it was strange. When the door opened, the warmth of the apartment greeted her, but the quiet atmosphere was a little odd.

Zoe's steps stopped when the sound of laughter echoed from Dave's bedroom. Her brow furrowed. "Dave?" she called, trying to make sure. However, there was no answer.

With a suddenly uneasy heart, Zoe walked slowly towards the room. As she got closer, the sound of laughter became clearer, mixed with sighs that made her chest tighten. She opened the door slowly, hoping the sounds were just her imagination.

However, her heart sank as the sight she saw shattered everything. Dave was making love to another woman on the bed. Her body was frozen.

Yes, it was Diane, a famous model whom Zoe had seen at several public events. Diane chuckled as she hugged Dave, oblivious to Zoe, who stood transfixed at the door.

"Dave?" Zoe's voice trembled. The word came out without her realizing it. 

Dave and Diane turned their heads together. Dave's face turned pale, while Diane just smiled mockingly. "Oh! We have a visitor," Diane said in a casual tone as she pulled the blanket over her body and glared at Dave. "You didn't lock the door, darling?"

Zoe felt like the world was spinning. Her hand gripping the hem of her blazer trembled violently. "What is it, Dave?" she asked, her eyes starting to burn, holding back the explosive feelings.

Dave was silent. He didn't answer, just stared at Zoe expressionlessly. However, Diane spoke up. "Can't you see what Dave and I are doing?" She said, leaning her head on Dave's broad chest.

"Dave, answer me, what's this all about?" Zoe shouted, her voice breaking with emotion. But Dave still didn't speak.

Zoe felt her heart breaking into a million pieces. Five years of their relationship, all the dreams and plans they built together, just ended in front of her. Dave didn't even intend to keep her.

"Damn it!" Zoe coughed in annoyance, glaring at Diane, who was still clinging to Dave, "Shameless!"

The startled Dave immediately blinked, still allowing Diane to get spoiled on him.

"Zoe... I-I can explain. But—

"Fine," Zoe said softly, swallowing her sobs. "I'm leaving. You don't have to bother explaining." She turned towards the door.

"Good. Close the door on your way out," Diane said coldly, without a trace of guilt.

Meanwhile, Zoe did not reply. Instead, she took a steady step towards the two and gave Diane a hard slap.

"Shit! What are you doing?" Diane said as she held her hot and red cheeks. She was about to retaliate, but her state of undress made it difficult for her.

Dave was also surprised by Zoe's behavior; before he could reprimand her, Zoe suddenly slapped Dave. As if not giving the man a chance to say anything.

"I swear I will pay you back!" Zoe snapped.

She then walked away, leaving the apartment with a broken heart. 

Outside, Zoe could not stop crying. She walked aimlessly, her body shaking violently. The envelope she wanted to give to Dave was now crumpled in her hand. She felt so stupid for trusting Dave. 

"Damn men!"

The rain fell, soaking the streets and Zoe's body that didn't care about anything. Her feet carried her back to her apartment. With what energy she had left, her body slumped and curled up in front of the door, crying her eyes out.

"I'm so stupid!" She cursed mixed with sobs, "What do I do now?"

Without thinking, Zoe got up and walked quickly to the desk drawer beside her bed. She opened the drawer and took out their pictures, tore them up, and put them in the bin. The ring Dave gave her she took off and threw it in the corner of the room. She didn't want anything to remind her of him anymore.

Yet, every time she saw the envelope with the pregnancy results, the tears would fall again. This child is innocent, Zoe thought. He is a gift, even though Dave will never know it. 

Then in the middle of it, her mobile rang. Due to her muddled thoughts, Zoe thought the call was from Dave trying to reach her. Without even looking at the caller's name on her screen, Zoe quickly picked up the phone.

"What else do you want, Dave!? You don't need to look for me anymore; just enjoy your time with that fucking woman!"

"What do you mean?"

Zoe's speech suddenly stopped, her eyes bulging as she realized it wasn't Dave's voice. She put the phone away and glanced at her brother Zayn's name on the screen.

"Oh my God!" Zoe clamped her mouth shut. The sadness that had previously overwhelmed her was now replaced with shock.

"Zayn? Is that you?" she asked softly.

"Yes, it's me. Are you okay? Dave? A fucking woman? What was that all about? Did something happen?" Over the sound of the phone, Zayn kept asking questions.

But instead of answering, Zoe remained silent, biting her fingernails, her mind going blank, wondering what to say to her brother.