Broken

Chapter 12: Let your walls down

As breakfast comes to a close, Fatima and Zac rise from their table. Zac, ever the gentleman, accompanies her to the entrance. Her bodyguards are already waiting by the car, poised and ready. As they reach the vehicle, Fatima's phone rings. She glances at the screen, then at Zac. "Excuse me, I have to take this," she says, stepping aside.

Zac nods, watching her with a curious yet respectful expression. Fatima answers the call from Jose, her expression neutral at first. But as Jose relays the news that he found her father and that they are at her holiday house in Cumming, her face goes pale. The mention of her father makes her blood run cold; the man had a powerful hold over her, a dark presence in her life.

As the call ends, she stands frozen for a moment, grappling with the surge of emotions. Zac, observing the sudden shift in her demeanor, steps closer. "Is everything okay?" he asks, concern lacing his voice.

"Yes, I am," she replies hastily, her tone clipped and unconvincing. Without another word, she turns and gets into the car. Zac watches her, sensing something amiss but respecting her privacy. As the car pulls away, he notices it doesn't head towards the exit. Instead, it stops at the edge of the park. Fatima steps out, alone, and starts walking towards the park's shaded paths.

Her bodyguards remain by the car, alert but giving her space. Zac stands there, perplexed, his eyes following her as she disappears into the greenery. The sight of her walking alone, accompanied only by the silent guardianship of her bodyguards, leaves him with an unsettled feeling.

Slipping his hands into his pockets, Zac turns and walks towards his own car. He can't shake the image of Fatima's pale face and the abrupt shift in her mood. Something is clearly troubling her, something more than just business. He resolves to find out more, not just out of professional obligation, but because of a growing, inexplicable concern for the woman who seems to carry so much weight on her shoulders.
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Fatima stops in front of the tranquil pond, her reflection rippling slightly in the water. She folds her arms across her chest, feeling the weight of her responsibilities and the constant pressure to be strong. Sometimes, she wished she could just disappear, leaving everything behind—the stress, the secrets, the expectations. It felt like everything was always too much, and she wondered if she'd ever catch a break.

As she stands there, lost in thought, she hears footsteps approaching. Zac joins her, standing silently by her side for a moment before speaking. "I'm gonna say this again," he begins, his voice gentle yet firm. "You don't always have to be the strong one."

Fatima continues to stare at the water, her expression unreadable. After a pause, she finally responds, her voice barely above a whisper. "Then who would I be?"

Zac looks at her, sensing the vulnerability behind her words. The woman who always seemed so composed, so in control, now appeared fragile and uncertain. He wanted to reach out, to offer comfort, but he knew that this was a moment she needed to process on her own.

"You'd still be you," he says softly. "Maybe just... a version of you that doesn't have to carry the weight of the world alone."

Fatima doesn't respond immediately. She lets his words hang in the air, absorbing the truth in them. Her gaze remains fixed on the pond, but her mind is far from the peaceful scene in front of her. The idea of letting go, even just a little, is foreign to her. But as she stands there, with Zac by her side, a small part of her wonders if maybe, just maybe, she could find a way to share the burden.

Fatima turns to face Zac, their proximity making the air between them feel charged with unspoken emotions. She looks up at him, their faces barely an inch apart, her eyes searching his. "Being strong is all I know," she admits, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness. "I'd feel stripped and naked if I ever let my guard down."