2: Breakdown

Zora

I tried to hold myself together so I wouldn’t pass out from heartbreak, but the more I tried to stay calm and forget the situation, the more I remembered everything about Zayn that caused me even more pain.

I went to my room and reached for my phone, disregarding the buzz it had made earlier. I turned on the mobile connection and opened my favorite social media platform, where I watched funny reels and memes. I wanted to keep myself busy with that so I could more easily forget the heart-wrenching betrayal.

However, with each video I scrolled through, regardless of how funny and interesting it was, the only thing I could see and visualize was the scene of what had just transpired between me and Zayn a few minutes earlier.

After struggling for almost twenty minutes on the platform, trying to engage with those videos, I finally logged out and flung my phone back on the couch, unable to stop the thoughts of my husband.

The fact that he had just left without telling me his whereabouts and even threatened to switch lines hurt me even more because this was my rightful husband.

I quickly went to my wardrobe and changed my dress. I was going to spend the rest of the day at my friend’s house because I knew staying alone in the house would be very risky.

With the way I was feeling, I might at some point consider taking my own life.

After dressing up, I reached for my phone and strolled out of the building. I wouldn’t drive because I wasn’t in the right frame of mind.

I walked down the road and boarded a cab.

“I’m going to Bevois Valley district,” I told the driver as I hopped into the car.

He started the engine and drove off to the location.

The drive took less time than I expected, and we arrived quickly. Perhaps it was because I was consumed with thoughts throughout the drive that I didn’t notice when we arrived.

I paid him and headed to my friend’s building address.

I powered on my phone and looked at the screen, only to notice it was already eight o’clock p.m.

Gently, I knocked on the gate several times, but no one responded. After standing at the gate for about ten minutes, I decided to dial Daisy’s phone number.

I wondered why her security hadn’t opened the gate for me despite my mentioning my name several times as I knocked.

“Hello, Daisy, please come to my rescue. I’ve been standing outside the gate for almost ten minutes now. Your security guard has refused to respond, let alone let me in.”

“Oh my God, Zora. I’m so sorry for this. I hope everything is okay with this surprise visit,” she said, her tone filled with curiosity.

“Daisy, just get me in first. We can discuss that later. It’s really a long story,” I responded, tears evident in my voice.

“Okay. He will let you in shortly. I’m really sorry that he ignored you. It’s our new policy not to let anyone in after eight o’clock p.m.”

“It’s okay. I understand it’s for security reasons.”

The call ended shortly, and about two minutes later, the security guard opened the small entry gate, and I walked in. I headed straight to the main building where Daisy and her husband lived.

With how I was feeling, I didn’t want to talk to anyone except Daisy, who understood me. Even a little something could provoke me to unleash my frustration on the person.

Daisy, on the other hand, had already come downstairs and was waiting for me in the corridor to lead me in.

“Welcome, dear,” she said. “You look so troubled and sad. What happened?” she asked as she embraced me with a hug.

I parted my lips to speak but couldn’t; instead, tears welled up, and I burst into tears.

“Talk to me, Zora. What’s the problem? How’s your husband, Zayn? Please stop crying,” she continued, already worried.

I breathed out a heavy sigh and gulped hard. “Let’s go in first,” I said, taking a deep breath.

“Okay. Let’s go in.”

Inside Daisy’s bedroom, I sat on the small couch while she sat next to me.

“Zora, I really can’t believe Zayn did this to you. How could he? Oh my God, I feel so sad for you,” she exclaimed after I had recounted my story to her.

She wrapped her arms around her chest, feeling chills down her spine.

“I’ve never seen someone divorce his wife on their wedding anniversary and also his birthday. What really transpired between you both to lead to this?”

“I remember we talked on the phone yesterday, and you told me how you both had discussed your family issues and agreed to work on your flaws. How did we end up here?” she couldn’t stop exclaiming and asking.

A few minutes later, she sighed and cleared her throat to speak. “Well, you shouldn’t worry about this, Amanda. I’ll talk to my husband when he’s back from his trip tomorrow so he can talk some sense into him.”

“How could that help, Daisy? Zayn didn’t listen to my plea, and you think he’d listen to your husband?” I said through my sobs.

“Trust me, Amanda, it will help. Have you forgotten they’re business partners? Lately, there’s a huge contract Zayn is trying to secure with the help of my husband.”

“Really? And he never told me,” I said, shocked.

Zayn had been telling me that his business wasn’t doing well, which made me stop asking him for money for food or other basic needs.

For the past two months, I had been the one catering to our needs.

“Don’t worry. He will certainly listen to him because he wouldn’t want to lose the contract,” Daisy assured me, cupping my cheeks so I could stop crying.

“Thank you so much, Daisy. I would really be grateful if this works out. I want to save my marriage,” I sobbed and hugged her in appreciation.

Just then, her phone buzzed, and she unlocked it to check the reason.