The Path Of Love ✅

09

A week later, Zara and her mother were invited to Maia's birthday. Zara didn't want to go, but she had to, or else her mother might notice.

Archer told Ms. Diaz to ask Zara if she would let him drive her and her mother to the party, and Zara approved. She didn't want her mother to feel something was wrong.

Zara dressed in a white skirt with a pinkish top. She did her hair neatly. She had to wear tights because of her burns. They were fading away, but there was still some redness.

When Archer arrived, he greeted Grace, and she asked him about his trip. He said little. When Zara came downstairs... it was the first time she'll meet him after the incident.

He stared at her, she was so beautiful suddenly her voice saying 'stop' was flowing in his mind. He got a glimpse of that night. He looked away. He didn't have the right to do what he did.

She followed him to the car. Her mother sat at the back and Zara was following her, but Grace told her to sit beside her husband.
She sat in the front and tried to stay away as much as possible.

At the party, Zara made sure to stay away from any hot pot, her mother-in-law Archer.

Dylan noticed her standing alone in the garden. He gave her a glass to drink, and she declined. "How are you?" He asked her. She didn't want sympathy from anyone.

"Great." She smiled. "Why didn't you come to college for the past two weeks?" He asked her. "I was with my mom..." he nodded.

"Listen Dylan, I don't need your sympathy. What your brother did is unfixable and I want nothing to do with your family... I'll be filing a divorce soon." She said.

"What my brother did is unfixable? What did he do?" He asked her, worried. "Didn't you talk to him?" She asked.

"No... we don't speak with each other.. we are not that close, you know." He said to her, he smiled. "Tell me what he did and I'll kick his butt." He throw his leg out and she laughed at his childishness.

"Zara, come here. I want to introduce you to Archer's aunts." The mother-in-law called her. Zara gets scared she might do something. She took a step back. But her mother-in-law pulled her by her hand.

"Why are you running? I told you to come." She digs her nails in her arm. Zara hissed in pain as she tried to stop her. Archer pulled her away from his mother and shelled her as he stood in front of her. "Isn't it enough? Should I leave the country?" He said to his mother. He saw her hurting Zara, he saw how Zara was terrified to be here.

"Archer! What are you talking-"

"I saw you! I told you to stop... we were both forced, so you better stop." He yelled as they got everyone's attention.

"What do you mean forced Archer?" His aunt approached him. She looked at Zara, "is that your wife, son?" She asked him. He sighed before nodding his head.

"Hello, I am Kate... did Katrina do something?" She asked her.

Zara shook her head as she looked down at the ground. Archer was holding her hand still, and she was okay with it. She was more afraid of his mother.

"This is Zara." He told a group of people who surrounded them. He put his hand on her waist. She smiled at everyone.

"She is exquisite," his aunt said. Zara thanked her. They tried to take her away from Archer, but she grabbed his hand and didn't want to let him go, so he excused them. He took her to another area. When she was away from them, she let go of his hand.

"Zara, I am very sorry... about what I did and about my mother... I can understand if you want divorce... whatever you want, I'll do." He told her. She looked away and saw her mother approaching them. "I know I am guilty and I shouldn't... huh, I wasn't in my mind when I did that to you-"