Broken

Chapter 33: Me and my truth

Zac's frown deepened as the name registered in his mind. He stared at her, his thoughts racing. Denzel Garcia—the man he had been investigating, the man whose shadow loomed over so much of what had happened in Fatima's life. And now, he knew why she had been so guarded, why she had kept so much hidden from him.

"Denzel Garcia?" Zac repeated, his voice filled with shock and disbelief. He struggled to process the revelation, the pieces of the puzzle finally falling into place. But with that understanding came a flood of questions, and he knew that nothing between them would ever be the same again.

"Can we sit?" she asked.

Fatima met his gaze, her eyes pleading for understanding. She knew this was a turning point—a moment that could either bring them closer together or drive them apart. The weight of her past had been too heavy to carry alone, and now that she had finally shared it, all she could do was wait and hope that Zac could see beyond the name and still love her for who she was.

Zac led Fatima to the small table in the corner of his living room. The dim light overhead cast shadows across the room, creating an intimate atmosphere, yet there was a palpable tension in the air. Fatima sat down slowly, her movements deliberate, as if she were trying to gather the strength she needed to say what had been weighing on her for so long.

"What I'm about to tell you stays between us," she began, her voice trembling slightly.

Zac, still processing the bombshell she had just dropped, couldn't contain his concern. "Fatima, this is serious—" he started, his eyes searching hers for answers.

"Promise me?" she interrupted, her tone firm, almost desperate. She needed to know that he would keep her secret, no matter how dark it was.

He hesitated for a moment, seeing the pain etched in her expression, before finally nodding. "I promise."

"Okay." She nods, the weight of the truth heavy on her shoulders.

"I just have one question, did he murder your mother and sister?"

Fatima took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was him. He's the one who had them killed—my mother, my sister."

"Why?" Zac asked.

"My dad believed she was cheating, but that wasn't true. She was just scared, of him. My mom was so scared to come home every day. She was scared, so she started coming home later and leaving the house earlier."

The words hung in the air like a heavy cloud, and Zac's face twisted in anger and shock. He couldn't hold back the rage that surged within him. He slammed his hands down on the table, causing the papers and files to scatter. "I always knew he was behind it!" he shouted, the realization hitting him hard. He had suspected Denzel for so long, but hearing it confirmed from Fatima's own lips was like a punch to the gut.

"Zac..." Fatima sighed, her voice tinged with sorrow. She had anticipated his reaction, but it still hurt to see him so angry.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and leaned forward, his eyes locked onto hers.

"I watched for years how he mistreated my mom, and I did nothing." She shakes her head, tears welling in her eyes. "I didn't help her," she cries. "I did nothing—"

"No! You can't blame yourself for that—" Zac interjects, his voice stern.

Fatima lets out a shaky breath. She had always planned to tell Zac, "But I do. Because I let it happen." Tears welled up in her eyes, but she fought to keep them at bay.

"What? Why do you say that?" he asked, his tone softening as he reached out to take her hand. He could see how much this was tearing her apart.

"I— I woke up one night around 4 in the morning, and I overheard my dad talking to someone on the phone. He said to the person that he'd pay him a fortune if he killed his wife—"