Breathe
by;michimichiro
Chapter 31
The days trickled by with an agonising slowness as I awaited news from Eli about the divorce proceedings. Each morning, I awoke with a glimmer of hope that today might be the day I regained my freedom from the shackles of my marriage to Clint. However, the hours stretched on interminably, filled with the monotonous routine of my recovery, punctuated only by fleeting visits from Oli and Zyke.
Then, one morning, a gentle rap at my door shattered the stillness. My heart leapt in my chest as I envisioned Eli standing on the other side, the bearer of long-awaited news. Sure enough, when I opened the door, her radiant smile greeted me, a spark of triumph dancing in her eyes.
"Zia," she breathed, her voice tinged with a mixture of elation and disbelief. "It's done. The divorce has been finalised."
A weight I hadn't even realised I'd been carrying seemed to lift from my shoulders as her words washed over me. I felt lightheaded and dizzy with the sudden rush of relief and joy that coursed through my veins. Instinctively, I reached out, pulling Eli into a fierce embrace, holding her tightly as if she might vanish, taking this newfound freedom along with her.
"Eli," I murmured into the crook of her neck, inhaling the familiar, soothing scent that had become inextricably intertwined with the concept of home. "I can't thank you enough for this. For giving me back my life."
She returned my embrace with equal fervour, her arms encircling me, offering a sanctuary I had been denied for far too long. "You don't have to thank me, Zia," she whispered, her breath warm against my skin. "This is what you deserve—a chance to live your life on your terms, free from the chains of the past."
We stood there, locked in our embrace, savouring the moment, the weight of the world seeming to dissipate in the cocoon of our shared comfort. In that instant, the future stretched out before us, a vast expanse of possibilities, ripe with the promise of a love rekindled and a life rebuilt from the ashes of my shattered dreams.
However, as is so often the case, the euphoria of triumph was short-lived, its brilliance eclipsed by the looming shadow of harsh reality. Mere days after Eli had delivered the news of my newfound freedom, a summons arrived, bearing the unmistakable seal of my father's company—a twisted harbinger of the turmoil that was yet to come.
With trepidation coiling in the pit of my stomach, I made my way to the familiar boardroom where so many pivotal moments had unfolded over the years. The heavy oak doors swung open, revealing my parents seated at the head of the long, imposing table, their expressions grave and inscrutable.
"Mom, Dad," I greeted them, my voice wavering ever so slightly as I moved to take a seat across from them. "What is the meaning of this?"
My father's eyes bore into me, their depths reflecting a maelstrom of emotions—disappointment, anger, and perhaps even a glimmer of fear. "Zia," he began, his tone clipped and austere. "Do you have any idea what your reckless actions have wrought?"
I felt a prickle of unease trickle down my spine, my brow furrowing in confusion. "I don't understand. What actions are you referring to?"
It was my mother who answered, her voice laced with barely contained anguish. "Your divorce from Clint, of course. Do you have any idea the ramifications this has had on our company?"
A cold tendril of dread snaked its way into my heart as the realisation dawned on me. Clint's wealth and influence had been inextricably linked to my family's business empire, a symbiotic relationship that had fueled our success for years. By severing that union, I had unwittingly jeopardised the very foundation upon which our legacy had been built.
