Chapter 6

[ LIANA’S POV ]

I slipped into the red dress he had chosen for me, though I never liked the color. It hugged my body too tightly, making me look scandalous… like a mistress instead of his wife.

As I walked down the stairs, Zane's eyes lingered on me so intensely that he didn't even hear Selena calling his name again and again. Only when she touched his shoulder did he finally turn away.

I offered to take a different car but Zane didn't let me. So I ended up being in the same car with them.

The ride was suffocating. Selena wouldn't sit still. She kept twisting in her seat, leaning over to rub herself against Zane's arm, laughing too loudly for no reason, and even relentlessly trying to kiss him.

I sat quietly in the back, watching her make a fool of herself just to spite me.

She smirked, glancing at me through the mirror as she leaned towards Zane again. “Come on, kiss me like you always—”

Zane shoved her aside. “Behave yourself, Selena. Don't make me throw you out of this car!”

He glanced my way, wanting to see some reaction. But I was too busy staring at my wrist watch and calculating the time when I would finally be out of this nightmare.

I had confirmed that everything was set before leaving the house. All I had to do was make sure I made it back home in time to get my things and disappear forever.

“What the hell are you looking at with such a smile on your face?” Zane questioned, seizing my wrist.

“Are you timing when to run away or what?” He glared intensely at the watch before taking it off my wrist, and tucking it aside.

I said nothing.

Soon we arrived at the dinner party. Selena rushed out even before Zane could. She held his arm, posing for the Cameras and waving proudly to the people who kept referring to her as Mrs. Maddox.

Zane also smiled and waved proudly. Even though he kept stealing glances at me for reasons unclear.

I stood quietly at the back, my head facing down and looking exactly like an errand girl and not the real Mrs. Maddox of three years.

It was just in the middle of the dinner party when suddenly fire blazed through the hall. People screamed and scrambled for the exits as smoke spread everywhere.

I froze in one spot when I saw Zane shielding Selena with his body and leading her to the exit, while leaving me behind. My heart burned with hurt, like the fire was in me.

Then, suddenly, with a loud crash, the huge chandelier from the ceiling came loose and fell straight on me. I hit the ground hard, my body aching and bleeding from the impact, and pain shooting through me as I struggled to move.

“Zane… Please help me.” I cried weakly, calling for him.

Seeing the state I was in, he left Selena and rushed to my side. He lifted the chandelier off me and held me close to his chest.

“I'm right here. You'll be okay. I got you.” He consoled me.

“Zane… I think I'm having a leg cramp.” Selena groaned audibly. Zane left me in a flash and went to her.

He held her up on his back and glanced coldly at me on the floor. “Stop being dramatic, Liana. You'll live. Selena needs me now. I will come back for you.”

And just like that, he exited the building with Selena. She looked at me, grinning proudly, while I lay there… broken, bruised, and forgotten.

***

Two hours passed, and I was still under the table where I had crawled to, bleeding and waiting for Zane. But he never came back.

I must have blacked out at some point, because when I opened my eyes again, the hall was empty. It was silent, filled with ruins, and then me.

I dragged myself to the hospital with every single strength I had left. The Doctor attended to me with pity.

When I finally got home, I met Selena, Ethan, Zane, and his mother in the living room, watching TV together and laughing out loud like they didn't abandon me to die in a burning building.

Zane jerked up to his feet the moment he saw me. “Oh shit. Liana, it's not my fault. Selena was really sick. I totally forgot about you.”

“I can see that,” I said flatly.

Ignoring him, I went upstairs and grabbed my wedding ring, and his that had been abandoned in the drawer for months.

I had already sold the wedding dress, and thrown away the only photo frame we had together behind his back. These rings were the last straw. I marched to the bathroom, threw them into the toilet, and flushed.

My chest felt tight as I watched the rings disappear. For years, I had guarded them like treasures, convincing myself they meant something. But now, letting them go felt like tearing off the last chain he had on me. It hurt, but beneath the pain, there was some kind of relief and freedom.

Zane appeared. “What have you done? Have you gone mad?!”

He rushed to the toilet and tried to see if he could get the rings back but they had long vanished.

“Why would you do something so stupid? Do you even know how much those rings were worth?!” He questioned.

I frowned. “I don't care. Whatever we have going on between us ends here, Zane. I want a divorce.”

Zane didn't say a word. I saw his lips quiver with fear for a few seconds, and then he burst out laughing.

“You must be out of your mind to think you can walk out of this marriage. Without me, you would be in the street right now!”

I scoffed at his face, before walking past him and heading back to the room. I locked the door and turned the radio on to the loudest setting.

Zane kept sending me text messages and calling my phone, but I didn't reply to any of them.

That night, Zane even requested my favorite song on the late-night radio show. It was the same thing he did the first time he apologized to me years ago.

If it were then, the sound of it would have made me cry and forgive him instantly. But the moment he turned his back when the chandelier fell on me and left me to die, everything inside me withered and perished.

In place of it was just a hollow shell that couldn't feel, couldn't forgive, and certainly couldn't love him anymore.

***

The next morning, I woke up as early as I could and in a good mood, ready to catch my flight later in the day.

When I opened my bedroom door, Zane was standing there with a big smile on his face, holding a tray of food. My favorite.

“I made you breakfast.” He said gently.

His lips were curled up with the same smile he had the night he proposed to me. And his smile still had a spark, but it didn't light me up like it used me. I was over him.

“I really want to make it up to you, Liana. Can you give me a second chance?” He asked softly.

I chuckled dryly. “Second chances are earned… not given.”

He stepped forward. “So, please let me take you out tonight… back to where I proposed. Maybe we can start over.”

I forced out a tiny smile. “Okay.”

“You should wear one of the dresses I bought for you. We're going to have lots of fun.” He said, handing the tray of food to me.

Then he left, murmuring to himself excitedly.

My phone started to ring just as I walked back into the room. It was the man who was soon to be my partner and protector calling.

“I've waited too long for this. Don't make me come drag you myself.”

I replied quickly. “No need, Draven. I'll be there.”